Goto

Collaborating Authors

 Africa


Geospatial Foundation Models to Enable Progress on Sustainable Development Goals

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

Foundation Models (FMs) are large-scale, pre-trained artificial intelligence (AI) systems that have revolutionized natural language processing and computer vision, and are now advancing geospatial analysis and Earth Observation (EO). They promise improved generalization across tasks, scalability, and efficient adaptation with minimal labeled data. However, despite the rapid proliferation of geospatial FMs, their real-world utility and alignment with global sustainability goals remain underexplored. We introduce SustainFM, a comprehensive benchmarking framework grounded in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals with extremely diverse tasks ranging from asset wealth prediction to environmental hazard detection. This study provides a rigorous, interdisciplinary assessment of geospatial FMs and offers critical insights into their role in attaining sustainability goals. Our findings show: (1) While not universally superior, FMs often outperform traditional approaches across diverse tasks and datasets. (2) Evaluating FMs should go beyond accuracy to include transferability, generalization, and energy efficiency as key criteria for their responsible use. (3) FMs enable scalable, SDG-grounded solutions, offering broad utility for tackling complex sustainability challenges. Critically, we advocate for a paradigm shift from model-centric development to impact-driven deployment, and emphasize metrics such as energy efficiency, robustness to domain shifts, and ethical considerations.


Mysterious drones spotted over military base storing US nuclear weapons

Daily Mail - Science & tech

China's president Xi caught knifing Trump in brutal attack just hours after historic summit World's'most trusted' broadcaster the BBC doctored Trump speech a week before the election, whistleblower reveals I won't ever forget what I saw at Andy Cohen's party. He may admit he's hooking up with guys on every dating app but this is the truth about men like him: KENNEDY'Venomous' Republican split over Israel hits new low as fiery feud reaches White House America's most dangerous cities revealed: Crime, natural disaster risks and financial safety top the list of growing concerns Drivers mock new design for world's best-selling car: 'Did it already get into a wreck?' I learned the horrifying risks of'miracle' ADHD drugs and stopped taking them... but it was too late Roller coaster camera caught utter terror on people's faces after seat belt failed on 208ft ride that travels at 75mph The leafy suburb under an hour from Manhattan where wealthy New Yorkers are fleeing to escape'woke' Mamdani's socialist dystopia The five cities with America's most pleasant climate revealed - and they're all in the same state A girl, 15, bludgeoned to death in a gated enclave, a Kennedy cousin released and the brother who'knows the truth' about the death that haunts Camelot Sex aids and poppers... the sordid discoveries made by royal aides after party Andrew threw for Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell - and the truth about those massages: ROBERT JOBSON READ MORE: New Jersey UFO mystery solved! Mysterious drones were spotted near Belgium's Kleine Brogel air base, where US nuclear weapons are stored, prompting fears of a potential espionage operation. Belgium's Defense Minister Theo Francken confirmed that drones entered the base's airspace in two waves on Saturday and Sunday night.


Belgium suspects drones flying over base reported to host US nuclear weapons were 'spying'

FOX News

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .


OpenAI, Amazon sign 38bn AI deal

Al Jazeera

OpenAI has signed a new deal valued at $38bn with Amazon that will allow the artificial intelligence giant to run AI workloads across Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud infrastructure. The seven-year deal announced on Monday is the first big AI push for the e-commerce giant after a restructuring last week. Experts say this does not mean that it will allow OpenAI to train its model on websites hosted by AWS - which includes the websites of The New York Times, Reddit and United Airlines. "Running OpenAI training inside AWS doesn't change their ability to scrape content from AWS-hosted websites [which they could already do for anything publicly readable]. This is strictly speaking about the economics of rent vs buy for GPU [graphics processing unit] capacity," Joshua McKenty, CEO of the AI detection company PolyguardAI, told Al Jazeera. The deal is also a major vote of confidence for the e-commerce giant's cloud unit, AWS, which some investors feared had fallen behind rivals Microsoft and Google in the artificial intelligence (AI) race.


ChatGPT owner OpenAI signs 38bn cloud computing deal with Amazon

BBC News

OpenAI has signed a $38bn (£29bn) contract with Amazon to access its cloud computing infrastructure, as the start-up continues its run of major partnerships to secure computing power . In 2025, the ChatGPT maker has signed deals worth more than $1tn with Oracle, Broadcom, AMD and chip-making giant Nvidia. Its latest deal reduces its reliance on Microsoft. As part of the seven-year agreement, OpenAI will gain access to Nvidia graphics processors to train its artificial intelligence models. The deal follows a sweeping restructure of OpenAI last week which saw it convert away from being a non-profit and changed its relationship with Microsoft to give OpenAI more operational and financial freedom.


More than 700 officers to police Villa-Maccabi match

BBC News

Warnings of disruption and protests have come from police as more than 700 officers prepare to mount an operation in Birmingham for Aston Villa's Uefa Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Officers will be keeping the public safe and to tackle any crime and disorder on Thursday, West Midlands Police said, with police horses, dogs, the force's drone unit, and road policing officers out in the city. Planned protests include one by supporters of Palestine, who want the match to be called off. Last month, a decision to ban Tel Aviv fans from the event became the focus of parliamentary-level debate . The Israeli club later said supporters would not travel to Birmingham for safety reasons.


Chefs, your jobs are safe for now! Humanoid robot attempts to cook a stir-fry - but ends up flinging the food on the floor and slipping over in the mess

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Trump threatens to walk out on Norah O'Donnell as 60 Minutes EDITS OUT astonishing meltdown White House makes'venomous' split with Israel: Fiery feud engulfs Trump insiders with alliance on the brink I won't ever forget what I saw at Andy Cohen's party. He may admit he's hooking up with guys on every dating app but this is the truth about men like him: KENNEDY Sad secrets of privileged son, 20, accused of murdering his self-made single mother near their $1.9m home, then screaming'Mama' Three Americans among seven killed when avalanche obliterates Himalayan climbers' base camp Thomas Massie remarries 16 months after losing wife of 31 years... as Trump ally launches sick attack Trump stuns 60 Minutes' Norah O'Donnell as he breaks terrifying news about China and Russia nukes Ex-CIA spy shares an easy way to tell if someone is lying... and the tactic he uses to strengthen his love life Justin Baldoni's bombshell $400M case against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds is'formally ended by a judge' JD Vance declares himself'UFO' lunatic as he vows to pull back the curtain on government secrets Sex aids and poppers... the sordid discoveries made by royal aides after party Andrew threw for Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell - and the truth about those massages: ROBERT JOBSON Top Democrat lawmaker becomes international fugitive after she was freed on bail'for stealing thousands from vulnerable man, 83' George Clooney gives rare insight into life with wife Amal and their twins - as he details his relationship with his kids, lauds his'beautiful' family and brands himself'very lucky' Shohei Ohtani's wife makes rare appearance to celebrate Dodgers star's World Series win I learned the horrifying risks of'miracle' ADHD drugs and stopped taking them... but it was too late A girl, 15, bludgeoned to death in a gated enclave, a Kennedy cousin released and the brother who'knows the truth' about the death that haunts Camelot Justin Trudeau's rapper son sounds worse than ever in latest music video despite father's burgeoning romance with Katy Perry Moment'knifeman who hurt 11 people in Huntingdon train rampage storms barber shop moments after stabbing 14-year-old boy' Meghan is mocked for her new Christmas recipe... boiled water! Chefs, your jobs are safe for now! Robots might be poised to replace humans in factories and warehouses, but chefs don't need to worry about losing their jobs anytime soon. In a viral video, which has amassed over 6.3 million views, a humanoid robot attempts to make a stir-fry for its owner - with disastrous results.


JD Vance vows to 'get to the bottom' of UFO phenomena as disclosure edges closure

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Trump stuns 60 Minutes' Norah O'Donnell as he breaks terrifying news about China and Russia nukes Justin Baldoni's bombshell $400M case against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds is'formally ended by a judge' Thomas Massie remarries 16 months after losing wife of 31 years... as Trump ally launches sick attack Sex aids and poppers... the sordid discoveries made by royal aides after party Andrew threw for Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell - and the truth about those massages: ROBERT JOBSON I learned the horrifying risks of'miracle' ADHD drugs and stopped taking them... but it was too late George Clooney gives rare insight into life with wife Amal and their twins - as he details his relationship with his kids, lauds his'beautiful' family and brands himself'very lucky' Astonishing new evidence of Atlantis reveals advanced civilization preserved by Ancient Egypt's priests... before disaster hit Three Americans among seven killed when avalanche obliterates Himalayan climbers' base camp Trump's secret plan to deploy US troops to Mexico revealed with drone strikes in the works Jayden Daniels' X-ray results revealed in huge moment for the Commanders' season after QB's horror elbow injury Top Democrat lawmaker becomes international fugitive after she was freed on bail'for stealing thousands from vulnerable man, 83' I won't ever forget what I saw at Andy Cohen's party. He may admit he's hooking up with guys on every dating app but this is the truth about men like him: KENNEDY Ex-CIA spy shares an easy way to tell if someone is lying... and the tactic he uses to strengthen his love life Shohei Ohtani's wife makes rare appearance to celebrate Dodgers star's World Series win Deborra-Lee Furness' bold move after split from Hugh Jackman - and why the actor is not happy about it So many single men are taking this new drug cocktail before dates. The results in the bedroom are startling... as I discovered during one marathon session: JANA HOCKING Devastating impact of Mamdani's election will be FAR WORSE than first thought: Exclusive poll finds America's greatest city facing'historic' population wipeout Moment'knifeman who hurt 11 people in Huntingdon train rampage storms barber shop moments after stabbing 14-year-old boy' Meghan is mocked for her new Christmas recipe... boiled water! JD Vance vows to'get to the bottom' of UFO phenomena as disclosure edges closure MORE: Fierce debate erupts over'non-human' technology in space after video captures UFO surviving Hellfire strike Vice President JD Vance has joined the list of high-ranking government officials wanting answers about UFOs and extraterrestrials. In an interview released Wednesday, the vice president doubled down on his promise to'get to the bottom of' the existence of alien life .


Interstellar visitor proves Einstein's theory before making an unexplained shift in its path

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Trump stuns 60 Minutes' Norah O'Donnell as he breaks terrifying news about China and Russia nukes Justin Baldoni's bombshell $400M case against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds is'formally ended by a judge' Thomas Massie remarries 16 months after losing wife of 31 years... as Trump ally launches sick attack Sex aids and poppers... the sordid discoveries made by royal aides after party Andrew threw for Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell - and the truth about those massages: ROBERT JOBSON I learned the horrifying risks of'miracle' ADHD drugs and stopped taking them... but it was too late George Clooney gives rare insight into life with wife Amal and their twins - as he details his relationship with his kids, lauds his'beautiful' family and brands himself'very lucky' Astonishing new evidence of Atlantis reveals advanced civilization preserved by Ancient Egypt's priests... before disaster hit Three Americans among seven killed when avalanche obliterates Himalayan climbers' base camp Trump's secret plan to deploy US troops to Mexico revealed with drone strikes in the works Jayden Daniels' X-ray results revealed in huge moment for the Commanders' season after QB's horror elbow injury Top Democrat lawmaker becomes international fugitive after she was freed on bail'for stealing thousands from vulnerable man, 83' I won't ever forget what I saw at Andy Cohen's party. He may admit he's hooking up with guys on every dating app but this is the truth about men like him: KENNEDY Ex-CIA spy shares an easy way to tell if someone is lying... and the tactic he uses to strengthen his love life Shohei Ohtani's wife makes rare appearance to celebrate Dodgers star's World Series win Deborra-Lee Furness' bold move after split from Hugh Jackman - and why the actor is not happy about it So many single men are taking this new drug cocktail before dates. The results in the bedroom are startling... as I discovered during one marathon session: JANA HOCKING Devastating impact of Mamdani's election will be FAR WORSE than first thought: Exclusive poll finds America's greatest city facing'historic' population wipeout Moment'knifeman who hurt 11 people in Huntingdon train rampage storms barber shop moments after stabbing 14-year-old boy' Meghan is mocked for her new Christmas recipe... boiled water! Interstellar visitor proves Einstein's theory before making an unexplained shift in its path The interstellar object that continues to baffle scientists has just confirmed one of Albert Einstein's theories, more than a century after it was proposed. Scans of 3I/ATLAS as it reached its closest point to the sun have found that our home star's gravity bent the light coming from the mysterious object, just as Einstein predicted in 1915 in his theory of general relativity .


Will we EVER learn? The most common passwords are revealed - with '123456' topping the list yet again

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Trump stuns 60 Minutes' Norah O'Donnell as he breaks terrifying news about China and Russia nukes Justin Baldoni's bombshell $400M case against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds is'formally ended by a judge' Thomas Massie remarries 16 months after losing wife of 31 years... as Trump ally launches sick attack Sex aids and poppers... the sordid discoveries made by royal aides after party Andrew threw for Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell - and the truth about those massages: ROBERT JOBSON I learned the horrifying risks of'miracle' ADHD drugs and stopped taking them... but it was too late George Clooney gives rare insight into life with wife Amal and their twins - as he details his relationship with his kids, lauds his'beautiful' family and brands himself'very lucky' Astonishing new evidence of Atlantis reveals advanced civilization preserved by Ancient Egypt's priests... before disaster hit Three Americans among seven killed when avalanche obliterates Himalayan climbers' base camp Trump's secret plan to deploy US troops to Mexico revealed with drone strikes in the works Jayden Daniels' X-ray results revealed in huge moment for the Commanders' season after QB's horror elbow injury Top Democrat lawmaker becomes international fugitive after she was freed on bail'for stealing thousands from vulnerable man, 83' I won't ever forget what I saw at Andy Cohen's party. He may admit he's hooking up with guys on every dating app but this is the truth about men like him: KENNEDY Ex-CIA spy shares an easy way to tell if someone is lying... and the tactic he uses to strengthen his love life Shohei Ohtani's wife makes rare appearance to celebrate Dodgers star's World Series win Deborra-Lee Furness' bold move after split from Hugh Jackman - and why the actor is not happy about it So many single men are taking this new drug cocktail before dates. The results in the bedroom are startling... as I discovered during one marathon session: JANA HOCKING Devastating impact of Mamdani's election will be FAR WORSE than first thought: Exclusive poll finds America's greatest city facing'historic' population wipeout Moment'knifeman who hurt 11 people in Huntingdon train rampage storms barber shop moments after stabbing 14-year-old boy' Meghan is mocked for her new Christmas recipe... boiled water! The most common passwords are revealed - with '123456' topping the list yet again It's something we're all regularly warned against, but it seems that many of us are still using passwords that are incredibly easy to guess. Experts from Peec AI have analysed 100 million passwords from data breaches over the last six years to reveal the most common words, phrases, and values.