Author: News Room

xAI has released an iOS app in the US for its Grok chatbot, as spotted earlier by TechCrunch. The standalone app version of the chatbot, which xAI calls a beta, can perform the same functions as the one built into X, as it can field real-time information, answer questions, and generate images.xAI started testing Grok’s standalone iOS app in December in a handful of countries. There’s no word on when it may come to Android. Though Grok was initially only available to X Premium subscribers, the platform started letting all users access the chatbot last month, bringing it in line…

A series of wildfires are tearing through densely populated parts of the Los Angeles, Calif. area. Five people have been reported dead. About 130,000 have been asked to evacuate. Nearly 2,000 homes and other buildings have been destroyed after the fires charred about 108 square kilometres. There are five fires in progress: The Lidia fire, the Hurst fire, the Eaton fire, the Sunset fire and the Palisades fire. Follow along for the latest updates 4:30 p.m. EST: The Eaton fire is approaching Mount Wilson “There are firefighters on the grounds but the power is out at the Observatory so communication is…

Most Canadians are planning to book vacations over the next year but a new survey shows that they are adopting a risky plan to save money — skipping travel insurance. A new survey from TD Insurance, conducted by Maru Public Opinion, reveals that despite rising costs and economic pressures, most Canadians surveyed (68 per cent) are still planning to travel for pleasure in the next 12 months.But a third of them will not be purchasing travel insurance for their trip.According to the survey, 78 per cent said they are planning to cut back on non-essential spending on trips. Of the…

Milledgeville, Georgia, Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — One of the great American writers, Flannery O’Connor is a world-renowned icon of southern gothic fiction — but she was also a visual artist, and a newly discovered collection of her work will soon be unveiled to the world. Totaling 39 pieces — from oil paintings and a self-portrait, to wood-burned illustrations and linoleum-block prints — the collection will be revealed this March at O’Connor’s alma mater of Georgia College & State University (GCSU), in Milledgeville, Georgia, where she lived most of her life and completed her greatest works. “Scholars continue to…

Last weekend, an Alberta man was arrested and released for intimate partner violence at a northern Ontario hotel just hours after being charged and released for assaulting a teen with a weapon at the same location. Officers responded to the first call around 9 p.m. Jan. 4. The 49-year-old suspect from Chestermere, Alta., was charged with assaulting and forcibly confining a 14-year-old — who they didn’t know — at a hotel on Railway Street in Cochrane, Ont. Escalated violence The accused was released with conditions and hours later, around 3 a.m. Jan. 5, police…

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he thinks U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is drumming up drama on Canadian statehood to detract from tariff talks. “What I think is happening in this is President Trump, who’s a very skillful negotiator, is getting people to be somewhat distracted by that conversation,” Trudeau said in an interview on CNN with Jake Tapper. Trudeau said he thinks Trump is doing this to take focus off the reality that “25 per cent tariffs on oil and gas, and electricity, and steel and aluminum and lumber and concrete and everything the American consumers buy…

Clearwater, Florida, Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Robert Nikic, CEO of Why Unified®, is transforming the franchising with a technology-driven platform that makes franchise ownership more accessible and scalable. Why Unified(R) has grown to become one of the most recognized franchise networks in the United States, securing a spot on the Inc. 5000 list with a remarkable 7,191% three-year growth rate, ranking #35 nationally. A New Vision for Franchising Robert Nikic’s leadership stems from his recognition of the barriers that traditional franchise models pose. High costs, operational challenges, and limited scalability often deter aspiring business owners. Why Unified(R) addresses these…

Tarrytown, New York, Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP (ENTA) is proud to announce the addition of Carolyn M. Kwiat, M.D., to its Bay Ridge West office, located at 9020 Fifth Avenue, Third Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11209. Dr. Kwiat is a highly respected allergist and immunologist with a wealth of experience in the field and will begin seeing both Adult and Pediatric patients in Bay Ridge West, effective May 1, 2025. The Bay Ridge West office of ENTA is equipped with the latest technology and staffed by a team of talented and experienced physicians, nurses,…

TORONTO, Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Seneca Polytechnic is thrilled to announce a generous new grant of $660,000 from RBC Future Launch, a part of RBC and RBC Foundation’s 10-year, $500 million commitment to help Canadian youth prepare for the jobs of tomorrow. This generous donation will be directed towards the Seneca Nanji Foundation School of Nursing, aiming to boost student retention and increase the number of nursing graduates entering the healthcare sector each year. “We are incredibly grateful for RBC Future Launch’s support and its commitment to the future of health care,” said Maria May, Dean, Seneca Nanji…

DAYTONA, FL, Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sentrics, a leading provider of technology solutions for senior living communities, has appointed Brian Dawson as its new Chief Executive Officer. With nearly 30 years of experience in the senior living industry, Dawson is committed to driving innovation, strengthening company culture and delivering best-in-class solutions that enhance the lives of seniors and the communities that serve them. Dawson has been an integral part of Sentrics since its inception, previously serving as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. His leadership journey began at Silversphere, where he was a third-generation President before its acquisition by…