White House says no need to restrict ‘open-source’ artificial intelligence — at least for now

(AP) — The White House is coming out in favor of “open-source” artificial intelligence technology, arguing in a report Tuesday that there’s no need right now for restrictions on companies making key components of their powerful AI systems widely available. The report sought by President Joe Biden is the U.S. government’s first to delve into a tech industry debate between developers who advocate closing off the inner workings of their most advanced AI models to guard against misuse, and others who have lobbied for a more open approach they say favors innovation.

More flooding hits Vermont with washed-out roads, smashed vehicles

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) — Heavy rain has caved in roads, forced some homes off their foundations and led to about two dozen rescues in northern Vermont. It happened nearly three weeks after many farmers and residents in the state were hit by flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Beryl. The National Weather Service in Burlington says some areas got 6 to more than 8 inches of rain starting late Monday and saw flash flooding. Flood warnings were in effect through Tuesday afternoon. Most of the rain fell in St. Johnsbury and surrounding areas, about 35 miles northeast of the state capital of Montpelier. More rain was possible in the region.

William Calley, who led the My Lai massacre that shamed US military in Vietnam, dies

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — William Calley Jr., the only U.S. soldier convicted in the My Lai massacre in Vietnam, has died. He was 80. The killings of 504 Vietnamese civilians by the platoon he led in March 1968 was the most notorious massacre in modern U.S. military history. It was not an aberration: Military records later described 300 other war crimes, and more than a million civilians died in the war. Calley was sentenced to life in prison in 1971 for the murders of 22 people. President Richard Nixon reduced it to three years house arrest. Calley shunned attention after that, but in 2009, he said he was sorry, and that not a day went by when he didn’t feel remorse.

Firefighters make progress against massive blaze in California ahead of warming weather

COHASSET, Calif. (AP) — Fire crews are working to hold on to the progress made against the largest blaze in California this year ahead of warming temperatures forecast for later this week. Authorities lifted evacuation orders Tuesday in some communities of Butte County and said containment was 14%. The Park Fire started in the county last week before spreading to a neighboring county and scorching an area bigger than Los Angeles. The massive fire continues to burn through rugged, inaccessible terrain with dense vegetation, threatening to spread to two other counties. The Park Fire is now the fifth largest in the state’s recorded history.