The Great Decoupling

Last Week, Microsoft announced its support for the establishment of Harvard Law Library's new Institutional Data Initiative (IDI) and the nonprofit open access infrastructure service CORE, operated by The Open University in the UK. The Institutional Data Initiative (IDI) aims to unlock high-quality data across the world, starting with collections at Harvard Law School Library and Boston Public Library. This initiative is part of Microsoft's commitment to open data. Additionally, Microsoft's support for CORE will help improve services for machine access to academic research content and support research on ethical ways of using academic content in the AI era. The goal is to ensure that AI reflects and benefits all communities by increasing the quantity and diversity of data available to the public. You can learn more here.

Israeli airstrikes targeting Baalbek, Lebanon, threaten some of the best-preserved ancient Roman ruins anywhere in the world. The temples of Bacchus and Jupiter, which are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites, have stood in Baalbek for over two millennia. The city is located in a region of eastern Lebanon dominated by Hezbollah, so it's become a critical target amid Israel’s offensive.