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Shumita Basu, Narrating: Good morning! It's Tuesday, May 16th. I'm Shumita Basu. This is "Apple News Today." On today's show, why Congress is having a hard time regulating artificial intelligence, the U.S. government considers taking chocolate milk out of school cafeterias, and ahead of the NBA draft lottery, a look at the seven-foot-five French teenager who could be the next basketball legend.
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But first, let's take a quick look at some big stories in the news.
Ukraine says Russia launched one of its largest air attacks on Kyiv. It says all of the Russian missiles were shot down. The latest attacks come ahead of a long-expected counterattack by Ukraine. Over the last few days, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited key European allies, who announced billions of dollars in new military aid.
In Washington today, President Biden meets with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other top lawmakers on the debt ceiling. This comes after ongoing talks between their lower-level staffers. On Sunday, Biden had a fairly positive outlook on the progress of discussions so far.
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President Joe Biden: I remain optimistic because I'm a congenital optimist. But I really think there's a desire on their part as well as ours to reach agreement. I think we'll be able to do it.
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Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said again yesterday that unless there's a deal to raise the debt ceiling, the U.S. could default on its debt as soon as June 1st.
A special counsel says the FBI badly handled its investigation of contact between Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia. The report comes from veteran prosecutor John Durham, who was appointed by Trump's attorney general, Bill Barr, in 2019. Durham's new report says the FBI went forward without sufficient evidence and it handled the Trump probe differently than investigations involving Hillary Clinton. In response to the report, the FBI says it has already made a lot of operational changes. The Republican chair of the House Judiciary Committee has invited Durham to testify about the report next week.
And turning to the entertainment world, the writers' strike is ongoing, but a new deal will allow the Tony Awards to proceed next month. The writers' union says show organizers agreed to meet their requests and change the production. Many in the Broadway community worried that canceling the Tonys would destroy an important marketing opportunity for live theater, which has struggled to recover since pandemic shutdowns ended.
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Congress wants to make sure the right laws are in place to deal with artificial intelligence. Today, a Senate panel hears testimony from Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, which is the company behind ChatGPT.
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"NPR" reports on how the challenge of regulating AI is less about disagreement between the two parties and more about how many of our lawmakers don't really get tech. Law professor Ifeoma Ajunwa spoke to "NPR" about the problem of elected officials lacking a deep understanding of the latest developments.
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Ifeoma Ajunwa: AI or automated decision-making technologies are advancing at breakneck speed. And there is this AI race. Yet, the regulations are not keeping pace.
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Some lawmakers are racing to give themselves crash courses. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tells "NPR" he's met with at least 100 AI experts in recent weeks.
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Chuck Schumer: Look, it's probably the most important issue facing our country, our families and humanity in the next hundred years.
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People like Ajunwa worry that lawmakers are repeating past mistakes. Critics say they waited too long and did too little to put safeguards in for social media.
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Ifeoma Ajunwa: The way the internet developed, unfortunately, is the same way that AI is developing. We're not asking, "Should we?" We're not asking, "What's the impact on the little guy, on the disadvantaged?" We're just asking, "Is this efficacious? Is this profitable for some people?"
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Ajunwa argues that Congress is moving too slow, years behind the European Union in tech regulations. She says this may mean that White House executive action might be needed, since that can move faster than Congress.
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The federal government is thinking about pulling chocolate milk off menus in elementary and middle schools. Parents, nutrition experts and school officials are divided on whether this is the right move.
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And the debate is more nuanced than you might think. "The Wall Street Journal" takes a closer look at the arguments for and against serving flavored milk.
You can probably guess what worries critics: the sugar. A recent study found flavored skim milk was the number one source of added sugar in school meals. Health experts worry this puts kids at risk of obesity. Also, they argue chocolate milk or strawberry milk can be a sort of gateway drink. It can lead to lifetime preferences for unhealthy sweet drinks.
Now, supporters of offering chocolate milk say, "Hey, it's still milk." When only plain milk is available, some research shows that kids drink less milk overall. And that means less calcium, less protein and nutrients.
The USDA's final decision will affect tens of millions of kids, not to mention the dairy industry, which sells $2 billion worth of milk to schools every year. New guidelines are expected early next year. Even if the government greenlights flavored milks for elementary and middle school, they'll have to comply with a new limit on added sugar.
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We are in the middle of the NBA playoffs, but tonight, basketball fans will also be watching 14 ping pong balls ricochet around a lottery machine. The draft lottery will decide which team gets the number-one pick. And this year, that means a shot at drafting a once-in-a-generation player.
Victor Wembanyama is a seven-foot-five French player. He has elite defensive and playmaking abilities and incredible ball-handling skills. And he's only 19, so he could have a long career ahead of him. NBA scouts and executives have been watching Wembanyama for years, and he's built an impressive fanbase among current NBA legends. LeBron James called him "an alien," as a compliment, saying he's so tall but somehow still fluid and graceful. Steph Curry says he has "cheat-code type vibes."
Wembanyama told "ESPN" he's dreamed of making it to the NBA since he was 11. They sat down to discuss the years of practice and determination that led to this moment and his upbringing, where he kind of hit the genetic lottery. His dad is a six-foot-six former athlete who specializes in sprinting. His mom is a six-foot-three former pro-basketball player.
Now, when a player is over seven feet, coaches often keep them close to the basket. But Wembanyama likes to move all over the court. He talked to "ESPN" about his style.
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Victor Wembanyama: I was probably born with a will to do things differently, and I kept that willpower to not letting sometimes coaches put me in a box, so I can really express myself and perform the way I want.
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You can read more about him in the Apple News app, along with all the stories we talked about today. And if you're already listening in the News app right now, stick around. We've got a narrated article coming up from "Sports Illustrated."
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But it's a long way from the basketball court. It looks at how the reality show "American Ninja Warrior" is drawing kids into specialized gym classes to work out like their TV ninja heroes. So, sit back, enjoy listening to that, and I'll be back with the news tomorrow.
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