Briefly

UNITED STATES

Monday world's hottest day ever: Researchers

Monday was the world's hottest day on record, exceeding an average of 17 C for the first time, according to initial measurements taken on Tuesday by US meteorologists. The average daily air temperature on the planet's surface on Monday was logged at 17.01 C by an organization attached to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This measurement surpasses the previous daily record, 16.92 C, set on July 24 last year, according to data from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction going back to 1979. The world's average temperature, which fluctuates between around 12 C and just under 17 C on any given day over the year, averaged 16.2 C at the beginning of July between 1979 and 2000.

US govt agencies face social media gag

A US federal court on Tuesday restricted some top officials and agencies of President Joe Biden's administration from meeting and communicating with social media companies to moderate their content, a ruling that could curtail government efforts to fight online falsehoods. The injunction was in response to a lawsuit brought by the Republican attorneys general of Louisiana and Missouri, who alleged that government officials went too far in their efforts to get platforms to combat vaccine and election misinformation. The ruling by a federal court in Louisiana marks a win for conservative advocates in the United States who allege that the government has pressured or colluded with social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to censor right-leaning content under the guise of fighting misinformation.

EUROPE

EU, Japan to boost cooperation on AI

The European Union and Japan will increase cooperation around key technologies, including artificial intelligence and computer chip production, the 27-member bloc's commissioner for the internal market has said. EU industry chief Thierry Breton met members of Japan's government on Monday and Tuesday, after saying on Twitter on Sunday the bloc wants to build new alliances to develop new technologies, and that it will "engage" with Japan on how to organize its digital space, including AI. The closer collaboration will be overseen by the newly established EU-Japan Digital Partnership, he said, through which the nations will collaborate on such things as quantum and high-performance computing.

Agencies - China Daily