By Alexandra Banner, CNN

Next month, if all goes according to plan, four Artemis II astronauts will set off on a 10-day journey around the moon aboard a rocket and spacecraft that have never carried humans before. It’s a high-stakes endeavor, with much of the precision unfolding on the ground, where NASA’s mission control will guide every moment to keep the crew on track.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1⃣ Travel chaos

Airports across the country are bracing for another surge of weekend travelers as the partial government shutdown drags on, pushing TSA wait times to record highs. TSA workers have been quitting or calling out in droves after going six weeks without pay. With no deal yet to fund the Department of Homeland Security — and lawmakers set to leave for a two-week recess on Friday — the outlook is increasingly uncertain. Unless a deal is reached soon, many overwhelmed airports will head into one of the busiest travel weekends of the year with massive spring break crowds and only a fraction of their security screening capabilities.

2⃣ Landmark verdict

Meta and YouTube were found liable on Wednesday in a landmark case over social media addiction. A California jury concluded that the companies designed their platforms to foster compulsive use, knew the risks, failed to warn users and caused substantial harm to a young woman’s mental health. The companies were ordered to pay $6 million in damages — a relatively small sum for the tech giants, but one that analysts say could serve as a blueprint for hundreds of similar lawsuits. If losses mount in those cases, total damages could climb into the billions, CNN tech reporter Clare Duffy says.

3⃣ Robot at the White House

First Lady Melania Trump brought an AI-powered robot to the White House on Wednesday — and said there could be more of them soon. “Thank you, first lady Melania Trump, for inviting me,” the robot said, introducing itself as “Figure 3” at Trump’s summit on AI education and child safety. The unexpected guest drew a stunned silence from attendees, with many snapping photos. The robot then moved through the room on its two “feet,” greeting guests in 11 languages with flawless pronunciation. Wednesday’s robotic appearance underscored the rapid pace of AI development, which Trump sought to highlight as she emphasized the need to protect and educate children in a fast-changing technological landscape.

4⃣ Kharg island

As tensions rise across the Middle East, Iran has been laying traps on Kharg Island, preparing for a potential US attempt to seize the key oil hub, according to multiple people familiar with US intelligence. The Trump administration is weighing whether to use troops to take the island in the northeastern Persian Gulf — which handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude exports — as leverage to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, CNN has reported. But officials and military experts warn that such an operation would carry major risks, including significant US casualties, given the island’s layered defenses. Separately, Israel says it killed a key Iranian Navy commander involved in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

5⃣ Climate

A record warm March has

Dense fog and clouds are bound to the coastline Thursday morning. Slow clearing occurs after lunch and temperatures rise into the 60s and low 70s near Santa Barbara County. Clouds return after the sun starts to set. San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria will begin the morning with a few clouds but without the dense marine layer shield, temperatures will rise into the 80s. Winds remain breezy at times and calm marine waters are in the forecast.

Rinse and repeat weather into Friday. Visibility will be a problem for most in the early mornings. Slow clearing patterns persist in Santa Barbara and Ventura while mostly sunny skies prevail north of Gaviota. Temperatures rise a few degrees and it'll be a fantastic start to the weekend!

A cloudy but warm weekend is ahead as temperatures hold in the 70s and low 80s despite the cloud coverage. Minimal weather pattern shifts until spring showers arrive Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. More information and timing to come.

The post Coastal clouds Thursday, tracking spring showers next week appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

By Jen Christensen, CNN

(CNN) — In a large gathering space at the C.A. Scott Recreation Center on the northwest side of Atlanta, an instructor in a light brown track suit and mala beads urged a couple dozen women to bring their chairs closer. As gentle electronica played over a crackly speaker, the women laughed and chatted, eventually doing as asked.

The women – in their 60s, 70s and 80s, part of the city’s free Primetime Seniors program – weren’t there to passively listen to a lecture; rather, they laced up their sneakers to stretch, breathe deeply and perfect their yoga poses. The women say the yoga and other classes – the day before, it was line dancing; the day before that, computer class; soon, it would be warm enough for swim lessons – keep them mentally and physically agile.

Many also echoed what a new study found: What makes for “good aging” is having the right attitude.

“I was a caretaker for a lot of people in my house who just sat, and I saw what that did to people, so I’m going to do what I can,” 66-year-old Vivian Cook said. “I don’t sit still. I don’t stay home, and I’m always thinking positive. Just ask my kids – I’m encouraging them to think positive, too.”

Lilla Doe, 74, and Sirlene Watts, 67 – friends Cook made through the program – nodded in agreement.

“I’m going to be happy because I woke up in the morning,” Doe added.

“It’s better than the alternative,” Watts added.

Despite the stereotype that the body and brain automatically decline as people get older, research shows that many people really are more like fine wine: improving with age.

The secret isn’t a special supplement or a complicated diet. What seems to really matter is a positive attitude toward aging.

Attitude is everything

Researchers saw this trend in the new study published this month in the journal Geriatrics that followed more than 11,000 seniors for about a decade. They gauged mental and physical health with a common cognitive exam that tests short-term memory and math skills, as well as a simple walking test. Walking engages cardiovascular, sensory, nervous and musculoskeletal systems. A slower gait – typically less than about 4 feet a second – can indicate underlying health issues.

In the end, more than 45% of the participants showed improvement in their thinking skills and/or walking speed over time. Improvement was more likely among those with positive attitudes about their aging.

A 2023 study also found that people with more positive feelings about aging reported less frequent concentration or focus problems. A 2022 study that followed 14,000 adults over age 50 for four years found that those with the highest satisfaction with aging had a 43% lower risk of dying from any cause then those with more negative attitude. They also had lower risk of chronic conditions.

“Sometimes as we get older, things do start falling apart a little,” said Marye Hall, 76, one of the Primetime Seniors.

Hall has high blood pressure and arthritis, and she’s had her knees replaced, but she doesn’t use a cane and lives on her own.

After retiring from Delta Air Lines in 2008, she said, she realized that staying home wasn’t her. In addition to walking every morning, she attends the Primetime Seniors program nearly every day.

“You know, 76 is different than it was 20 or 30 years ago. I stay active. Not sitting around the house is so important,” Hall said.

Why a positive attitude affects aging isn’t explained in the latest s

Análisis por Allison Morrow, CNN

Tras seis meses y millones de dólares tirados a la basura, OpenAI pone fin a lo que en su día denominó “el motor de imaginación más potente jamás construido”.

Parece que ha habido dos errores clave en la saga de Sora:

1. OpenAI no comprendía cómo interactúan los consumidores con los videos en internet.
2. OpenAI subestimó lo increíblemente caro que resultaría ejecutar una aplicación que consume tanta energía.

Por si te lo perdiste: OpenAI anunció el martes el cierre de Sora, la aplicación de texto a video similar a TikTok que, hay que reconocerlo, logró crear contenido de aspecto muy realista.

Su lanzamiento marcó un punto de inflexión para los videos generados por IA, elevándolos del ámbito de imágenes en movimiento chapuceras a los sofisticados deepfakes (para bien o para mal).

La reversión de Sora forma parte de un cambio más amplio dentro de OpenAI, que en su día fue el líder indiscutible en la carrera de la IA y que ahora se enfrenta a una seria competencia de rivales como Anthropic y Google.

A principios de este mes, el director de aplicaciones de OpenAI comunicó al personal que la empresa no podía permitirse el lujo de distraerse con tareas secundarias, según informó el Wall Street Journal.

La compañía está reforzando sus productos principales, entre los que se incluyen una versión actualizada de ChatGPT centrada en el trabajo de oficina y una herramienta de codificación llamada Codex.

Las descargas de Sora se dispararon tras su lanzamiento exclusivo por invitación en septiembre, alcanzando más de un millón de usuarios activos diarios en poco más de un mes, según datos de Similarweb. Sin embargo, la novedad se desvaneció rápidamente.

El uso alcanzó su punto máximo a principios de noviembre y luego se desplomó. Las descargas han caído un 70 % desde noviembre, y los usuarios activos diarios han disminuido un 34 %.

Ese fue el primer tropiezo: OpenAI creó una máquina realmente sofisticada y esperaba que todos disfrutaran usándola tanto como sus ingenieros. Pero los videos con IA, incluso los más avanzados, le quitan gran parte de la gracia a la simple navegación.

La alegría que los humanos experimentamos al ver, por ejemplo, un video de un husky con acento italiano o un gato bailando al ritmo del éxito de Nelly de 2005, “Grillz”, proviene en parte de saber que alguien más vivió algo gracioso en la vida real y logró capturarlo en el momento.

Cuando una versión generada por IA de lo mismo aparece en nuestras redes sociales, se siente como hacer trampa. La persona que publica ese video no presenció nada impresionante ni inusual. Simplemente escribió unas palabras en un cuadro y subió el resultado.

Pero más allá de las cuestiones filosóficas sobre la autenticidad, internet no tardó en sortear las restricciones de contenido de Sora.

La gente usó la aplicación para generar videos falsos de mujeres estranguladas o cubiertas con una misteriosa sustancia blanca, personas cometiendo delitos y figuras públicas con uniformes de estilo nazi.

Menos de un mes después del lanzamiento de Sora, OpenAI tuvo que suspender los videos de algunas figuras históricas después de que los usuarios crearan representaciones irrespetuosas de M

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN

(CNN) — When chef René Redzepi issued an apology to staff for past behavior and announced he was stepping away from Noma, one of the highest-rated restaurants in the world, the news made big headlines — but was anyone really surprised?

Yes, Redzepi had one of the biggest fine-dining reputations to lose. As the culinary force behind the Danish foraging revolution, he had risen to global prominence turning diners onto a world of flavors harvested from forests and foreshores, then tweezered into delicate dishes.

But in an era of superstar chefs celebrated for unbridled passion and exacting standards, the revelation that another among their ranks had been accused of toxic behavior — with a report by The New York Times alleging that Redzepi punched employees, jabbed them with kitchen implements and slammed them against walls — will, for many, simply reinforce preconceptions of life in a Michelin-starred kitchen.

Yet the reaction from the fine-dining world has been significant. Some chefs and industry figures described the moment as a potential turning point — a long-overdue reckoning with a culture that has, for decades, blurred the line between discipline and harm in pursuit of culinary greatness.

Some are already predicting an unsettling time in the industry as fingers point at other chefs with questionable reputations. And that could have further repercussions for an industry already stretched as rising prices eat away at profit margins and scare away customers.

“This is kind of a watershed moment for our industry, because we’re all thinking through this in real time,” Adrienne Cheatham, a James Beard Award-nominated chef and co-host of “The Chef’s Cut” podcast said during a recent episode. Such behavior had been “kind of swept under the rug for so long.”

“This is causing a lot of us to look back at stuff that we went through, people that we worked for, past behaviors. And it’s also probably going to cause some people to examine the way they behave and say, ‘Oh sh**, is somebody going to come for me next?’”

‘Silence doesn’t get us anywhere’

While not everyone in the industry is convinced, there have been reports of chefs and restaurant owners becoming increasingly concerned about similar narratives coming out and anecdotal tales of restaurants now pre-emptively screening workers for behavioral red flags.

Whatever the consequences, Hassel Aviles, co-founder of the nonprofit hospitality and food industry advocacy group Not 9 to 5, feels it’s important that these stories are shared.

“I think if you’re scared, that says a lot,” says Aviles, who previously spent around two decades working in the hospitality industry. “Why wouldn’t we want people to come forward and share stories of their lived experience working in this industry?

“The problem is, silence doesn’t get us anywhere. That’s why it’s been this way for so long.”

Before Redzepi, others have also been called out for creating hostile kitchens, prompting periodic calls for reform and, occasionally, consequences.

In 2015, French chef Yannick Alléno denied allegations of physically abusing and bullying staff at Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris. Tom Kitchin, one of the youngest chefs ever to be awarded a Michelin star, su