Transcript

Hello everyone, this is Erika from ‘Just a Moment News’ bringing you the latest news on this 12th day of January, 2024.

First up, we have some surprising news from the world of sports broadcasting. ESPN, the well-known sports network, has been caught up in a bit of a scandal. It seems they’ve been running a deceptive scheme since 2010 to acquire Emmy Awards for their on-air talent who were not actually eligible for these awards. They did this by submitting fictitious names and then re-engraving the statuettes with the names of their stars. The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which oversees the Emmys, uncovered this fraud. ESPN has admitted to the malpractice, describing it as a misguided attempt to recognize their on-air personnel. The fallout from this has been serious, with notable ESPN personalities implicated, trophies returned, and a one-year Emmy ban for senior leadership.

In health news, doctors and researchers are becoming increasingly alarmed at the rising incidence of cancer among young people in the U.S. and globally. This trend is reflected in the personal story of Meilin Keen, a 27-year-old studying for the bar exam, who was diagnosed with gastric cancer. The rates of cancer diagnoses for individuals under 50 have risen notably, particularly in North America, Australia, and Western Europe. Researchers are now investigating potential environmental and lifestyle factors that could be contributing to this rise in early-onset cancers.

In the world of tech, Microsoft has overtaken Apple as the world’s most valuable public company by market value. This shift came about due to a drop in Apple’s share price. Microsoft’s support for artificial intelligence tools through backing OpenAI has helped boost its value, while equivalent offerings from Apple have been noticeably absent. It remains to be seen how the market will respond to Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro headset.

Next up, we have a story from the world of comedy. A new AI-driven comedy special titled “George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead,” created by Dudesy, has been criticized by George Carlin’s daughter, Kelly Carlin. The special features an AI-generated “Carlin” discussing contemporary issues, but Kelly Carlin has pointed out that no AI can replace her father’s genius and that no permission was given for this AI-generated special.

In business news, Amazon is preparing to launch its marketplace in South Africa in 2024. This move could disrupt the local e-commerce space, which is currently dominated by players like Takealot and Walmart-backed Makro. Amazon’s approach in South Africa will be a balance between competitive pricing and a wide range of products, with fast delivery and the Prime subscription service as key differentiators.

In energy news, the UK government has announced a significant expansion in its nuclear power sector, described as the largest in 70 years. The plan involves potentially building a new major power station, investing £300 million in advanced uranium fuel production, and implementing smarter regulations. These initiatives aim to increase the UK’s nuclear power capacity to 24 gigawatts by 2050, which would meet a quarter of its electricity needs.

Finally, in environmental news, Hawaii has taken a significant step towards its commitment to cease using fossil fuels for electricity by 2045. The last coal plant in the state was shut down in September 2022, and in its place, the Kapolei Energy Storage system, developed by Plus Power, has begun operations. This system, comprising 158 Tesla Megapacks, replicates the power output of the retired coal plant but with a much quicker response time, charging and discharging based on grid requirements.

That wraps up our news for today. This is Erika from ‘Just a Moment News,’ wishing you a great day ahead.

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