The Toronto District School Board is facing financial scrutiny from the Ontario government, led by Education Minister Paul Calandra, who has threatened a potential takeover if changes are not made. Trustees were presented with options to cut swimming pools, music programs, and delay access to school computers, which Calandra described as "frustrating".
https://globalnews.ca/news/11168607/toronto-district-school-board-education-minister-comments/A study by researchers from Binghampton University in New York analyzed 100 million words to understand British communication habits. The analysis found that Britons often apologize for things they didn't cause, with only a quarter willing to own up to hurting someone they care about. In contrast, making amends can strengthen friendships and make them more resilient. The study also revealed that text messages benefit from "textisms" like LOL and CUL8, which provide vital clues about the sender's emotions and feelings, unlike face-to-face conversations where tone of voice and facial expressions are used to convey meaning.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14686923/times-Brits-say-sorry-revealed-apologising.htmlBill Gates highlighted Indonesia's Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, for his role in the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), an organization supported by the Gates Foundation. The partnership between Indonesia and GAVI has flourished since the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the government's commitment to protecting future generations from preventable diseases. Gates noted that expanding vaccine coverage has led to a significant reduction in global child mortality, cutting the under-five mortality rate from 10 million to below five million over the past two decades.
https://en.antaranews.com/news/354249/bill-gates-lauds-indonesias-progress-in-child-vaccination?utm_source=antaranews&utm_medium=desktop&utm_campaign=top_newsIsraeli strikes in Gaza have killed at least 59 people, including nine women and three children, in a school sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians. The attacks on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning targeted schools in central Gaza City and Bureij, killing 27 and 16 people respectively. The Israeli military has not commented on the strikes, which are part of its campaign against Hamas, blamed for operating from civilian infrastructure such as schools.
https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-07-05-2025-e6c7f8b3b57f24518e1e66a66fee7713The West's top institutions are underutilizing AI, according to Palantir CEO Alex Karp. Mark Walter, chairman and CEO of TWG, believes a major shift in integrating AI is needed for optimal results. The partnership aims to create an "agentic workforce" using modular AI agents tailored to specific business processes. Research by PYMNTS Intelligence found that 72% of finance leaders use AI in operations like fraud detection and customer onboarding automation. However, consumer skepticism remains a major barrier, with 20% viewing AI tools as a security risk and 14% refusing AI-driven financial services.
https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2025/xai-and-palantir-team-to-promote-financial-services-ai-use/The 2025 Poetry Out Loud National Finalists have been announced, with students from various states competing in the national competition. Mona Koko, a 12th grade student at West Anchorage High School in Alaska, is the champion of Alaska, while Nyla Dinkins, an 11th grade student at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington D.C., took top honors in the nation's capital. Other state champions include Tiana Renee Jones from Georgia, Javontae Cranmo from Kentucky, Hadassah Broughton from New Jersey, Kaitlyn Lubega from New Mexico, Elisha Dalmeida from Oklahoma, Isavel Mendoza from Pennsylvania, and Teonna Randle from South Dakota.
https://www.arts.gov/news/press-releases/2025/final-competition-2025-poetry-out-loud-nationals-may-7-2025Baidu, a Chinese artificial intelligence giant, has submitted a patent application for technology that translates animal sounds into human language using machine learning. The method involves collecting data from an animal, including voice, body language, and behavioral changes, to create a translation system.
https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309416/baidu-ai-patent-application-reveals-plans-turning-animal-sounds-words?module=top_story&pgtype=sectionSAS is introducing pre-built AI agents that automate complex data preparation tasks, allowing models to run in real-time without manual data restructuring. The company's new industry-specific models are guided by an ethics-first approach and represent a step towards agentic AI, which thinks with context, acts with purpose, and delivers real-world impact. This innovation is part of SAS' effort to redefine what's possible with pre-built AI, building on decades of domain expertise.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sas-debuts-new-custom-ai-models-to-bust-business-bottlenecks-302448465.htmlDatuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasized the need for comprehensive reforms in Malaysia's education strategy ahead of the 13th Malaysia Plan. He stressed the importance of reviewing existing policies to create a more equitable, forward-looking and sustainable education system. The Prime Minister discussed new strategies with Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, including preschool education, teacher training, and strengthening STEM programs.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/05/07/anwar-calls-for-bold-education-reforms-ahead-of-13th-malaysia-plan