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Record-breaking heat wave grips western United States

A record early heat wave striking the western United States on Friday is a one-in-500-year event and almost certainly the result of human-caused climate change, experts say. The heat has been toppling records this week and is set to continue into the weekend across western cities while expanding eastward. Four locations in the desert area near the California-Arizona border registered 44.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, a US national record for March. The readings were recorded near Yuma and Martinez Lake in Arizona, and around Winterhaven and Ogilby in California. Read: Intense heatwave grips US, triggering record-breaking temperatures Already, 65 cities have recorded new March highs, ranging from Arizona and California to Idaho, Weather.com reported. Death Valley reached 40°C on Thursday, while typically cool and foggy San Francisco tied its historic March record at 29°C. In Colorado, skiers were seen hitting the slopes shirtless. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warni...
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AI-generated 'girlfriend' scams Chinese man out of £22,000

A man in China lost nearly £22,000 to a sophisticated AI dating scam, according to state media reports. The victim, identified only by his surname Liu, was convinced he was in a relationship with a woman named Ms Jiao, who he believed was sending him personalised messages, photos, and videos. Unbeknownst to Liu, Ms Jiao was a fictional character created using generative artificial intelligence. The scammers behind the fake persona manipulated him into sending 200,000 yuan (around £21,722), claiming the money was needed for medical bills and business expenses. A police investigation revealed that the scammers used AI to create convincing photos and videos and even fabricated medical reports to further deceive Liu into believing his “girlfriend” was in financial distress. Liu never met Ms Jiao in person. AI scams, including those involving romantic relationships, have become a rising concern globally, with fraudsters using technology to create realistic digital personas for financial gain. This incident follows similar AI romance scams in various countries, with other victims losing large sums after being manipulated by AI-generated figures claiming to be celebrities or military personnel. In January, scammers tricked a 53-year-old French woman into believing she was in a romantic relationship with Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, ultimately stealing £661,508 from her. The fraudsters used fake messages and AI-generated videos to manipulate her, causing her to divorce her husband and suffer heavy financial losses. In November of the previous year, a British woman in her 60s was scammed out of £19,752 by a fraudster posing as a US army colonel named "Mike Murdy" on Tinder. The scammer used convincing AI videos and images to gain her trust and convince her to send large sums of money under false pretenses. In 2023, an Arizona mother reported that scammers used AI to mimic her daughter's voice in an attempt to extort $1 million (£790,086) from her.

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At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

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US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

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Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

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