Language enables people to transmit thoughts to each other because each person’s brain responds similarly to the meaning of words. In our newly published research, my colleagues and I developed a framework to model the brain activity of speakers as they engaged in face-to-face conversations. We recorded the electrical activity of two people’s brains as they engaged in unscripted conversations. Previous research has shown that when two people converse, their brain activity becomes coupled, or aligned, and that the degree of neural coupling is associated with better understanding of the speaker’s message. A neural code refers to particular patterns of…
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Dublin-based bank Allied Irish Banks (AIB) has announced a significant 31% rise in its pre-tax profit, reaching almost €1.3 billion (£1.1 billion) for the first half of 2024. According to BBC News, this notable increase comes amid the robust performance of the Irish economy and solid domestic growth in the previous year. Despite the overall positive financial results, AIB’s UK operations saw a decline in profit by 17%, dropping from £107 million to £89 million. The reduction was attributed to increased costs associated with bad loans. Colin Hunt, AIB’s chief executive, emphasised the bank’s strong performance and future prospects, noting…
As part of the exchange, Poland did release Pavel Rubtsov — also known as Pablo Gonzales, a Spanish-Russian journalist. He had been arrested in February 2022 near the border with Ukraine and was accused of being a Russian intelligence agent. Mariusz Kamiński, the former coordinator of special services under the past PiS administration, wrote on X that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government “gave away their most valuable agent to the Russians without getting anything in return.” Whether Poland received any direct quid pro quo is unclear; however, the U.S. is one of Poland’s closest political and military allies. In Germany, human rights…
In the world of artificial intelligence (AI), a battle is underway. On one side are companies that believe in keeping the datasets and algorithms behind their advanced software private and confidential. On the other are companies that believe in allowing the public to see what’s under the hood of their sophisticated AI models. Think of this as the battle between open- and closed-source AI. In recent weeks, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, took up the fight for open-source AI in a big way by releasing a new collection of large AI models. These include a model named Llama 3.1…
Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with local leaders in Southport today to confirm a package of support for the local community, following the appalling killings and violent disorder that rocked the area earlier this week. The package will equip local leaders and agencies so that the right support is in place for victims, ensure the needs of bereaved families are at the heart of the response, and drive longer term efforts to bring the community together. During his visit to Southport the prime minister took part in a meeting with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy and other…
Eighty years ago today, the Nazis murdered more than 4,200 Roma in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau, most of them ill, elderly, women, and children. By the end of World War II at least 250,000 Roma had been killed by the Nazis and their collaborators. Today, we commemorate and honor them all. The genocide of the Roma was not internationally recognized until decades after the war. Survivor testimony and forensic evidence continues to emerge to this day. As we remember and honor the victims, we call on governments to encourage the fullest possible documentation of the genocide, to end ongoing…
For many, tax time is an exciting part of the year – there’s the potential for a refund. However, it’s also an attractive time for fraudsters looking for ways to get money and deceive unsuspecting victims. Each year Australians lose large amounts of money to scams. In 2023, Australians reported losses of more than A$2.7 billion. While this is a slight reduction from the $3.1 billion in 2022, there are still millions of victims who’ve suffered at the hands of scammers. Impersonation scams are one common approach. Scamwatch reports that in 2023, 70% of reports to them involved impersonation. A…
Following his defeat with partner Dan Evans in the Olympic men’s doubles quarter-finals, Andy Murray has retired from professional tennis after nearly two decades on the circuit. This ends a storied career in which he won three grand slam singles titles (including two Wimbledon championships), reached world number one, won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in singles, and led Great Britain to Davis Cup victory. From his resumé, it might seem that Murray enjoyed unbridled success, but the first phase of his career, between 2005 and 2012, was defined more by losses than victories. He lost his first four grand slam…
DUBLIN, Ireland: Dublin Airport is gearing up for a bustling bank holiday weekend, with an estimated 472,000 passengers expected to pass through its terminals. From July 2 to July 5, around 234,000 people will be departing, while close to 238,000 will arrive. Sunday is anticipated to be the peak day, with just over 120,000 passengers coming and going. Sarah Ryan, Director of Communications at DAA, the operator of Dublin Airport, highlighted the significance of the August bank holiday as one of the year’s busiest weekends. “This time of year is popular for city breaks and visiting family overseas,” Ryan noted.…
WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su and a delegation from the department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs joined labor ministers to discuss shared labor and employment priorities at the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil, from July 25 to 26, 2024. Before the meeting began, the U.S. and Brazil launched a campaign calling for joint global action to address the impacts of workplace heat stress, made possible by the countries’ Partnership for Workers’ Rights and collaboration with the International Labor Organization. “It was a pleasure to represent the most pro-worker administration in U.S. history at the G20…