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  • WFI sexual harassment: Wrestlers warn against using their platform for politics

    WFI sexual harassment: Wrestlers warn against using their platform for politics

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    New Delhi: The protesting wrestlers on Saturday warned against using their platform for political gains claiming few people are trying to take their fight justice to a different direction even as a defiant WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said he is ready to face “any kind” of probe but won’t resign from his post.

    The wrestlers’ statement came on a day many politicians including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met them at their protest site – Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

    Extending support, Kejriwal said that those who commit wrongs against women “should be hanged”, while the Congress demanded Singh’s arrest and his ouster as president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

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    On Friday, Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Singh on allegations of sexual harassment levelled by seven women wrestlers. While the first FIR pertained to allegations of a minor wrestler and was registered under the POCSO Act, the second was related to outraging modesty.

    Addressing reporters at his residence in Bishnoharpur, about 40 km from Gonda city in Uttar Pradesh, Singh said, “I am completely innocent and have full faith in the Supreme Court and Delhi Police. I am ready to face any kind of investigation.” He also said “resigning as president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is not a big deal for me, but I will not resign as a criminal.” At Jantar Mantar, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, who is one of the protesters, said they won’t let anyone use their platform for political gains.

    “A few people are trying to take our movement to a different direction and we strongly refute it. This is a fight for justice for India’s daughters,” he said, but did not mention whom he was referring to.

    A group of people was heard raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    “A lot of people have entered the protest site and trying to project it as a ‘bhadkau andolan’ but this is fight to save Indian wrestling. People who are here (assembled) are in our support but not for any political gains,” said Bajrang.

    “Politics and other things are secondary, the dignity and honour of women is first, so please don’t indulge in politics. This is players’ movement, so do not link to any political party,” he added.

    Vinesh Phogat also sought to placate the people in position of power.

    “All those, who hold constitutional posts (I want to say), that the common man also deserves respect. We respect all, we will not say anything that goes against their honour, but we should also be respected,” she told reporters.

    At Gonda, Singh took a strong exception to Vadra’s meeting with the wrestlers saying, “Today it has been seen who is behind this controversy. I have been saying from the beginning that an industrialist and the Congress have a hand in this. They are upset with me.” He, however, did not elaborate.

    In the past couple of days Congress party’s Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary, former Jammu and Kahsmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, Delhi government ministers Atishi Singh and Suarbah Bhardwaj among others have visited the protest site to extend their support to the athletes.

    “I’m not a criminal. Resigning means I have accepted their allegations,” Singh said.

    He also questioned why the wrestlers are still sitting on dharna even after FIR was lodged.

    The wrestlers had asserted they won’t leave the protest site until Singh is arrested.

    Singh claimed this is not a protest of sportspersons but of the “conspirators”. “They did not wait for the investigation report to be made public and went to the Supreme Court and there raised a new allegation. They are saying that the sport has to be saved but they are not saving the game (by doing this). They have caused a huge loss in the last four months,” he said.

    Punia also claimed they were being harassed by Delhi Police.

    “Last night, they cut our power supply, did not let us bring food and water and even mattresses and takhtas (wooden cots). Even one of the workers, who brought these things to the protest site, has not reached home. The police is not treating the athletes well.

    “Is this the honour of the country’s athletes? What’s the point of winning those medals if we had to face all these?” he asked.

    Vadra, who reached Jantar Mantar in the morning and interacted with the wrestlers, and accused the government of “protecting” Singh. She also called for his ouster from the post so that he is not able to “exert pressure” on the wrestlers and hamper their careers.

    Her party demanded that Singh should be arrested immediately and removed from all posts to help ensure a fair investigation.

    “Very serious allegations have been levelled against a BJP MP, who claims himself as a ‘Bahubali’ and on whom more than 40 cases are going on. When such serious charges are made against an MP of the ruling party, in such a situation we demand that Delhi Police should arrest this person immediately so that fair investigation can take place,” party MP Deepender Hooda said. Attacking Indian Olympic Association chief P T Usha, Hooda said one had huge expectations from her who had been a sports icon.

    “But her statements against the players that what they were doing is wrong. Usha should do some introspection on whether she should continue to occupy the position she holds, at a time when she should have stood by the players. IOA chief is not a political post, but she did not stand with the players and she disappointed the country and now she should introspect,” he said.

    During his visit, Kejriwal said every Indian who loves the country should stand with the wrestlers in their struggle.

    Extending his support, he said those who commit such wrongs against women “should be hanged”.

    “All these women players who have brought laurels to the country are our daughters, they must get justice. No matter how powerful the accused is, he should be given the harshest punishment,” he later said in a tweet in Hindi.

    Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is appearing for the wrestlers in the Supreme Court, in a tweet said, “Wrestler Protest: Electricity and Water cut off but they will wrestle and succeed. While the accused has no conscience to wrestle with!”

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • ‘The problem child’: FBI’s Hill allies warn it is fueling surveillance angst

    ‘The problem child’: FBI’s Hill allies warn it is fueling surveillance angst

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    At least, not enough for Congress to re-up the program without changes, according to some of the intelligence community’s biggest allies.

    “The FBI is absolutely the problem child in FISA and 702. The abuses are abhorrent. Director [Christopher] Wray is not a compelling advocate for FISA or 702, because he’s not been a compelling advocate for reform,” House Intelligence Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said in an interview.

    Turner added that while Wray had “attempted and advanced” some reforms, the FBI director’s effort was “disconnected” from congressional oversight.

    Another lawmaker, who also supports extending the program with reforms, put it more bluntly: “I don’t think the FBI, the DOJ, has the credibility with the Republican side any longer to make an argument.”

    Back in 2020, then-Attorney General Bill Barr was deeply involved in making the pitch to Republicans during a fight on an unrelated surveillance provision. Yet the lawmaker, granted anonymity to speak frankly, warned Attorney General Merrick Garland against trying to play a similar role this time: “Bill Barr among Republicans is very different than Merrick Garland.”

    In the meantime, negotiators are already signaling that they will likely miss the Dec. 31 deadline to re-up the warrantless surveillance program. There’s no chance Congress would agree to a long-term extension as is, but lawmakers are quietly making backup plans to avoid a lapse.

    Congress’ tensions with the FBI are multi-faceted, encompassing both Section 702 and the broader surveillance law it’s housed under, known as FISA. That’s in addition to the political tensions that have further frayed the relationship between some House Republicans and law enforcement agencies like the FBI and DOJ.

    When it comes to 702 specifically, lawmakers don’t believe the FBI stays within the guardrails of a highly shrouded surveillance program, pointing to a bulk of reported abuses. And it’s gotten personal, too: An FBI analyst used the program to improperly search for a U.S. lawmaker’s name about three years ago, reportedly over fears that he was being targeted by a foreign government.

    Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) recently disclosed he believed he was the one who was the subject of the search. Now, LaHood is leading the House Intelligence Committee’s 702 talks.

    But even more pervasive among Republicans, both in and outside of the Capitol, is a general distrust of the FBI fueled in part by the bureau’s clashes with Trump. House Republicans are conducting a sweeping probe into claims of politicization of the Justice Department and the bureau, which fringes of the conference have backed Trump’s calls to “defund.”

    The skepticism over the FBI played out publicly when Wray testified before both the House and Senate Intelligence committees, fielding warnings from both sides of the aisle.

    He responded to those red flags by touting recent improvements to the surveillance program, pointing to a 93 percent decrease between 2021 and 2022 in the number of FBI searches for U.S. persons — a statistic critics have argued belies how large the number was to begin with. He also noted the creation of an Office of Internal Audit that he said is focused specifically on FISA.
    Administration officials are also expanding their scope as they try to make the case for 702 reauthorization, arguing that it is critical on everything from countering cyberattacks and China to tracking Russia’s moves in Ukraine.

    The Justice Department has also been offering lawmakers briefings to walk them through the compliance changes they have made in recent years. Those changes include new internal guardrails, like requiring additional layers of review before certain searches can take place, as well as new mandatory training, according to a DOJ memo released earlier this year.

    “We clearly have work to do, and we are eager to do it with this committee, to show that we can be worthy stewards of these important authorities,” Wray told House lawmakers.

    He’ll be back soon, too. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), said he expects both Wray and Garland to appear before his panel for routine oversight hearings.

    The FBI declined to comment for this article.

    Data and talking points are unlikely to tamp down tensions; House Republicans say there’s little the FBI or DOJ could say to regain the conference’s favor. Rather, an appearance before Jordan’s panel, which is stocked with surveillance skeptics, is likely to showcase why the bureau shouldn’t be making the direct pitch about extending the program.

    “When Jim Jordan is out there talking about cutting the funding for the FBI, you know, and there’s … intense skepticism about the FBI, I’m not sure that the right first step for my Republican colleagues is to spend a lot of time with the leadership of the FBI,” Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said in an interview.

    And the House GOP has another relevant appearance coming up on their docket: DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz will testify before a Judiciary subpanel on Thursday, an appearance first reported by POLITICO, as the committee launches its formal work on 702. He’s all but guaranteed to face questions about his previous findings of widespread errors within warrant applications made to the shadowy FISA surveillance court.

    It’s left the Biden administration with a tricky question: If the FBI or DOJ can’t be called upon to make the case, who can?

    Turner pointed to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and CIA Director Bill Burns as two people who are having to “overcome” some of the frustrations with the FBI. Jordan, meanwhile, asked who in the administration he could work with on 702 reauthorization, only pointed to Turner.

    Indeed, it seems unavoidable that the Intel chair and other lawmakers who are committed to renewing the program in some form will have to lead the sales pitch.

    That rough sledding doesn’t even factor in negotiations with a Democratic-controlled Senate and White House. And supporters are likely to have to contend with a coalition of libertarian-minded Republicans and privacy-minded Democrats in both chambers who are likely to want to go further if not let the program sunset altogether.

    “At this point, we’re pulling together all of our partners that are necessary to find a clear path for reauthorization that also satisfies the real need for reform and … people’s perception that reform and reauthorization cannot be separated,” Turner said.

    But he acknowledged that renewing Section 702 in some form is “certainly going to be difficult to accomplish” by year’s end.

    One option lawmakers have mulled is passing a short-term extension of the program, giving Congress more time to craft a deal on a longer reauthorization with changes. But questions remain about the viability of such a move and what supporters might trade in exchange for more time.

    Himes, who is working closely with Turner, also floated Washington’s favorite back-up plan — a discharge petition, which would allow Republicans to work with Democrats to force a vote — in case GOP detractors make it otherwise impossible to bring to the floor.

    “Because this authority is so important, I do think we need, you know, a Plan A, a Plan B and a Plan C,” Himes said.

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    #problem #child #FBIs #Hill #allies #warn #fueling #surveillance #angst
    ( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

  • Air India pilots’ unions reject proposed pay structure, warn of industrial unrest

    Air India pilots’ unions reject proposed pay structure, warn of industrial unrest

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    New Delhi: In a major development, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) of Air India have rejected the new pay structure proposed by the airline.

    The primary bone of contention is the reduction in flying allowance from 70 hours to 40 hours every month under the new structure, which the pilots believe is unfair.

    The two unions have warned of possible ‘industrial unrest’ if the management goes ahead with the new terms without their consent. While Air India has stated that it will “continue to engage with the remainder of its staff”, the airline has taken a tough stance on the issue, saying that there are “no recognised unions in Air India”.

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    This is the first wage revision offered by the Tata group-owned Air India since its takeover last year, and it will affect all 3,000 pilots across its four airlines – Air India, Air India Express, Air Asia India, and Vistara.

    The pilots’ unions have instructed their members to reject the new employment conditions and wage structure offered by the management.

    An agreement has been put in place for the employees to sign by April 25, but the two unions have stated that they will contest the terms and conditions, with their pilots refusing to sign the revised employment and compensation terms.

    The two unions have warned of potential industrial unrest if the company takes any coercive or victimising action against their members.

    In a joint statement, the unions stated that the company reiterated that “all previous understandings, representations and agreements of whatever nature that have been entered into with us are null & void and that the company further has the right to change any terms and conditions”.

    “The term cost to the company for an assumed flying of 70 hrs is deliberately misleading and creates an impression of a generous compensation and accompanying benefits package. The actual guaranteed money being offered is only for 40 hrs. Effectively, any time a pilot is on leave or is unavailable due to recurrent training requirements or document/licence renewals, not to mention any sick leave, there is an automatic pay cut involved,” the statement read.

    “The so-called rationalisations of allowances is not in line with any industry practices as projected by HR. Further, blanket consent is sought for any leave or insurance policy that the company may come up with & which is subject to amendment or outright withdrawal.

    “Suffice it to say that this is not an all-inclusive list but merely a selection of some of the most outlandish and labour-hostile provisions that we have come across to date. This is dishonourable and how the management is trying to force it down the employees’ throats is outright unethical,” it added.

    “Nor has the blatant attack on our rights as workmen to bargain collectively or seek legal redressal for any injustice or victimisation gone unnoticed. Where is the company requirement all of a sudden to forcibly promote almost all the permanent workmen of the union to the so-called Senior Commander management cadre? It is clear from all this that there is a concerted effort to gut the unions and isolate pilots into individual boxes where they can be exploited and victimised at will by the HR department,” the statement said.

    Meanwhile, Air India’s spokesperson has defended the new compensation structure, which includes parity among different groups, recognition of managerial and supervisory roles for experienced pilots, and individual contracts sent to pilots and cabin crew for necessary paperwork.

    “The managerial and supervisory role played by the experienced pilots is also being recognised in the form of designating them as Senior Commander as also offering them a special monthly allowance. The contracts reflecting these enhancements were individually sent to the pilots and cabin crew for necessary paperwork,” said the spokesperson.

    The spokesperson also claimed that a large number of pilots and cabin crew have already accepted the new contracts, and the salary improvements and advancement opportunities they enable.

    “The airline will continue to engage with the remainder of its staff through this process as currently there is no recognised union in Air India,” the spokesperson said.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • China to quickly gain air superiority in Taiwan attack, US leaks warn

    China to quickly gain air superiority in Taiwan attack, US leaks warn

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    London: China would probably establish air superiority very rapidly in any attack on Taiwan, according to leaked US intelligence assessments that raise disturbing questions about the self-ruled island’s military readiness, media reports said.

    The documents emerged as G7 foreign ministers met to discuss a common China strategy and Beijing briefly halted flights over part of the East China Sea on Sunday.

    The classified documents seen by the Washington Post reveal that Taiwan’s military leaders doubt their air defences can “accurately detect missile launches” and that only about half of the island’s aircraft are capable of effectively engaging the enemy.

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    The documents also said Taiwan feared moving its aircraft to shelters could take up to a week, leaving them vulnerable to missile strikes, and that China’s use of civilian ships for military purposes was hampering US intelligence’s ability to predict an invasion, The Guardian reported.

    Pentagon analysts concluded China’s air force would find it far easier to establish early air superiority than Russia did in its invasion of Ukraine, it added.

    China views Taiwan as part of its territory to be retaken one day, by force if necessary. Chinese President Xi Jinping has expanded and modernised the People’s Liberation Army and China’s armed forces are thought to be 14 times the size of Taiwan’s.

    Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said in a statement to the Washington Post that it “respects outside opinions about its military preparedness” but its response to recent Chinese military exercises showed officers were “absolutely capable, determined and confident”.

    Taiwan last week staged large-scale emergency response drills enacting scenarios including missile and chemical weapons attacks, after China held its latest military exercises around the island, 100 miles (160km) off the Chinese mainland.

    Flights out of northern Taiwan were delayed on Sunday morning after China launched a satellite rocket that dropped debris into waters north of the capital, Taipei. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said the incident posed no threat to “our nation’s territory”, The Guardian reported.

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    #China #quickly #gain #air #superiority #Taiwan #attack #leaks #warn

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Hyderabad: Experts warn of hot summer due to pause in rainfall

    Hyderabad: Experts warn of hot summer due to pause in rainfall

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    Telangana records negligible rainfall in February, harsh summer ahead

    Hyderabad: The India Meteorological Department-Hyderabad (IMD-H) has predicted very dry and hot days ahead. The city’s already high temperatures may rise even further without any rain, making it difficult for people to leave during the day.

    With the last of the spring rain over, daytime temperatures could reach 36 degrees Celsius, said IMD-H.

    The Telangana State Development Planning Society, night time temperatures would soar upto 23 degrees Celsius, although it is anticipated that some districts like Nirmal, Adilabad, Kumuram Bheem Asifabad, Jagtial, Nizamabad, and Mancherial will receive very light to moderate rains over the course of the next three days.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • It’s not just TikTok: French also warn against WhatsApp, Instagram

    It’s not just TikTok: French also warn against WhatsApp, Instagram

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    PARIS — In a typically French move, France’s top lawmakers are refusing to side with the United States and single out China’s TikTok.

    This week, top members of France’s National Assembly strongly encouraged fellow MPs to “limit” their use of social media apps and messaging services, according to a damning internal email seen by POLITICO. The recommendation does include Chinese-owned TikTok — at the heart of a storm on both sides of the Atlantic — but also features American platforms such as Snap and Meta’s WhatsApp and Instagram, alongside Telegram, founded by Russian-born brothers, and Signal.

    “Given the particular risks to which the exercise of their mandate exposes MPs using these applications, we wish to appeal to your extreme vigilance and recommend that you limit their use,” wrote Marie Guévenoux and Eric Woerth from Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party and Eric Ciotti from conservative Les Républicains.

    France’s narrative of putting Chinese and American companies in the same basket is in stark contrast to moves by other European countries, including the Dutch government, which decided to target apps from countries that wage an “offensive cyber program” against the Netherlands, such as China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.

    But refusing to pick sides and follow the United States’ geopolitical lead is a long political tradition in France, which is often accused of anti-American bias. During the Cold War, French President Charles de Gaulle tried to position his country as an alternative between the U.S.’s capitalism and the Soviet Union’s communism. 

    “France has not mourned the loss of its power and is trying to resurrect the so-called third way, also carried by [European commissioner] Thierry Breton,” said Asma Mhalla, a tech geopolitics lecturer at Columbia University and Sciences Po. “This will serve as a political argument to put French sovereignty and French tech back on the table,” she added, arguing that the next step will likely be to promote French apps instead.

    And indeed, the top lawmakers’ letter encourages members of parliament to use French software WIMI for project management and collaborative work.

    Their main issue with foreign social media apps is that Chinese and American laws are extraterritorial. The personal data gathered via the platforms — including contacts, photos, videos, and both professional and personal documents — could be used by foreign intelligence services, they argued in their email.

    During Macron’s tenure, France has fought tooth and nail against the U.S. Cloud Act, a piece of legislation that allows American authorities to seize data stored on American servers even if they’re located abroad. Paris has even come up with a specific set of rules for cloud services to try and shield European data from Washington’s extraterritorial reach.

    In China, an intelligence law also requires domestic technology companies to hand over data to state authorities on subjects anywhere in the world.

    “The U.S. are well aware that all their arguments used against TikTok — namely that Chinese law is extraterritorial — awkwardly echo what the Europeans have been reproaching them for some time,” said Mathilde Velliet, a researcher in tech geopolitics at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI).

    “On the other hand,” she added, “the U.S. also believes they cannot be put on the same footing as China, because they’re a European ally with a different political and security relationship, and because it’s a democracy.”

    Washington and EU capitals including Paris and Brussels also engage in dialogue on data security issues and cyber espionage, which is not the case with Beijing.

    In the National Assembly’s corridors, however, the top lawmakers’ decision to call out foreign platforms from both the U.S. and China was very much welcome. “It’s all starting to look like a third way, which would be European sovereignty,” said Philippe Latombe, an MP from Macron’s allied party Modem. “And that’s good news.”

    Océane Herrero contributed reporting.

    This article has been updated.



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    #TikTok #French #warn #WhatsApp #Instagram
    ( With inputs from : www.politico.eu )

  • Resolve issues or Bandh on April 30: Telangana auto drivers warn govt

    Resolve issues or Bandh on April 30: Telangana auto drivers warn govt

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    Hyderabad: Auto drivers' JAC urge CM to hike auto fares

    Hyderabad: Telangana Auto Drivers’ JAC convenor Mohammed Amanullah Khan on Thursday demanded that the state government solve auto drivers’ problems and difficulties, including an increase in auto fares before the inauguration of the new secretariat building fixed on April 30.

    “Otherwise, the auto drivers in the Twin Cities would observe a one-day ‘Auto Bandh’ on the day and plan to gherao the building and prevent its inauguration,” they said.

    Amanullah Khan announced that the auto drivers in the twin cities would gherao the state secretariat’s new building from 5 am on April 30 and will block all side roads and ultimately prevent the inauguration of the building.

    He urged chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to ‘set his own house on order’ first before stepping into national politics. He wondered how the chief minister would go ahead and inaugurate the new secretariat building which was built with the money of poor people by ‘crushing’ them economically without settling the auto drivers’ pending demands.

    The auto drivers pending demands are an increase in Auto meter charges on par with the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and every auto should be provided Rs 10,000 towards payment of annual insurance certificate charges and other expenses, a ban on bikes and Taxis like in Delhi, ban on registration of new electric autos and instead conversion of all existing autos into electric autos plying in GHMC area with the govt.

    “The subsidy, new auto permits should be issued without restriction just like the new permits are issued to Ola, Uber and other cabs without restriction as this would stop black marketing of new autos business going on in twin cities non-stop automatically. Issue necessary guidelines to stop the private auto financiers ever-rising harassment and stoppage of corruption and harassment going on in the transport and police departments,” the JAC demanded.

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    #Resolve #issues #Bandh #April #Telangana #auto #drivers #warn #govt

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Doctors warn against self-medication in H3N2 flu

    Doctors warn against self-medication in H3N2 flu

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    Lucknow: With influenza A subtype H3N2 virus claiming two lives in India, one each in Karnataka and Haryana, doctors in Lucknow have urged people to avoid self-medication.

    Sheetal Verma, senior faculty department of microbiology at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) said, “The influenza A virus sub-type H3N2 is nothing new but as people are experiencing longer spells of cough, self-medication should be strictly avoided. There is nothing to panic. This variant does not lead to a pandemic but taking precautions against it will certainly help.”

    She said that it is better for people experiencing fever, cough or respiratory distress to consult a doctor instead of buying a drug over-the-counter because this flu variant is different.

    According to doctors, the precautions people should take include — keeping body immunity adequate and avoiding close contact with unknown people, particularly avoiding crowded places.

    Abhishek Shukla, Secretary General of the Association of International Doctors, said, “A majority of those experiencing a longer spell of cough these days have poor body immunity may be due to age (elderly) or due to some other pre-existing illness.”

    P.K. Gupta, former President, IMA, Lucknow, said, “Children and elderly are the most vulnerable. They are advised to avoid cold weather conditions during the morning and late evening. This will reduce the chance of getting infected. Everyone should avoid self-medication.”

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • They warn of great RISK due to TikTok’s EXTREME BEAUTY filter | Artificial intelligence

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    Mexico.- Who does not like to be attractive in photos? If you are one of those people, you will thank the Artificial Intelligence (AI) As much as I. A ‘extreme beauty’ filter on TikTok has caused a stir on the social platform due to its impressive accuracy and realism.

    ‘Extreme beauty’ filter uses Artificial Intelligence to enhance facial features of users, leaving them with a strikingly beautiful appearance.

    The photo tool that has been created by software company Perfect Corp uses deep learning technology to scan and improve the appearance of users.

    The use of the AI in image editing applications It is not new, there are already applications on the market that allow users to improve their selfies through the use of deep learning algorithms, but the level of realism offered by Perfect Corp has attracted attention.

    Some of the facial modifications that the TikTok option can perform are: wrinkle removal, complexion improvement, skin whitening, eyebrow liner, droopy eyelid reduction, greater intensity in eye color, teeth whitening, among many others.

    If you are a lover of selfies and want to try the ‘extreme beauty’ filter, you should not do much more than go to the Chinese application and enter the recording section.

    Despite the promise of this tool, some TikTok users are concerned about the impact it could have on self-esteem and perception of the body of people, especially those who are vulnerable to social pressure and aesthetic ideals.

    We recommend you read:

    This technology has also been criticized for its potential to perpetuate unrealistic standards of beauty and for the negative effect it can have on mental health.

    My name is Juan Pablo Chaidez Aispuro, born in Culiacán, Sinaloa into a small family that originally consisted of four people: father, mother and two children. From my early years I showed a taste for watching the news and staying informed. I was a graduate of the 2014 – 2018 generation of the degree in Journalism, from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS), the first in that career since its opening. Regarding professional experience, I was able to gain learning during a period of six months in the sports area of ​​the Noroeste newspaper, where I did professional internships. Later, I had the opportunity to spend another six months in the ranks of Radio Sinaloa, particularly in the news program Informativo Puro Sinaloa, of the state government. There I covered local issues, recorded voice for the newscast, contributed content for other broadcasts and had live participation. Since 2020 I have been in Debate, a company that opened the doors for me to integrate as a web reporter, and months later to hold the position of Editor on the Debate.com.mx site.

    see more

    #warn #great #RISK #due #TikToks #EXTREME #BEAUTY #filter #Artificial #intelligence

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    ( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )

  • World risks descending into a climate ‘doom loop’, warn thinktanks

    World risks descending into a climate ‘doom loop’, warn thinktanks

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    The world is at risk of descending into a climate “doom loop”, a thinktank report has warned.

    It said simply coping with the escalating impacts of the climate crisis could draw resources and focus away from the efforts to slash carbon emissions, making the situation even worse.

    The damage caused by global heating across the globe is increasingly clear, and recovering from climate disasters is already costing billions of dollars. Furthermore, these disasters can cause cascading problems including water, food and energy crises, as well as increased migration and conflict, all draining countries’ resources.

    The researchers, from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and Chatham House, said a current example of the impact of the climate crisis complicating efforts to reduce emissions and other action was the debate over whether keeping the global temperature rise below 1.5C – the international goal – was still possible.

    Those arguing 1.5C was still possible risked perpetuating complacency that today’s slow pace of action was sufficient, the researchers said, while those arguing it was not possible risked supporting fatalism that little that could now be done, or “extreme approaches” such as geoengineering.

    Avoiding a doom loop required a more honest acceptance by politicians of the great risks posed by the climate crisis, the researchers said, including the looming prospect of tipping points and of the huge scale of the economic and societal transformation required to end global heating. This should be combined with narratives that focused on the great benefits climate action brought and ensuring policies were fairly implemented.

    “We’ve entered, sadly, a new chapter in the climate and ecological crisis,” said Laurie Laybourn, an associate fellow at IPPR. “The phoney war is coming to an end and the real consequences now present us with difficult decisions. We absolutely can drive towards a more sustainable, more equitable world. But our ability to navigate through the shocks while staying focused on steering out the storm is key.”

    The report said: “This is a doom loop: the consequences of the [climate] crisis draw focus and resources from tackling its causes, leading to higher temperatures and ecological loss, which then create more severe consequences, diverting even more attention and resources, and so on.”

    It noted that, for example, Africa’s economy was already losing up to 15% of GDP a year to the worsening effects of global heating, cutting into funds needed for climate action and emphasising the need for support from developed countries, which emit the most carbon dioxide.

    “The thing I’m most concerned about is that we’re not factoring in the cascading risks to societies,” said Laybourn. “It’s not just the big city-smashing storms we should be concerned about, it’s the consequences that ripple through our globalised systems.”

    “For the UK, it may not necessarily be the sheer cost of responding to disasters that’s the biggest distraction. It could be that it has to deal at the same time with a food price shock and resurgent nativism, playing off fears about so-called climate refugees,” he added.

    Laybourn said the narratives used to describe the situation were very important. For example, he said, greener transport was not simply about switching to electric vehicles, but about better public transport and redesigned cities that meant people were closer to the jobs, education and healthcare they needed. This in turn meant reevaluating local authority budgets and taxes to implement the change.

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    Unfairness in climate policy could drive the doom loop, Laybourn said, because if people felt unaffordable changes were being forced on them they would reject the need for a green transition. But, he added: “If you have fairness at the heart of things, it can instead be a virtuous circle, if you’re in a situation where people recognise that switching to a heat pump and having better insulation will be better for them regardless of the climate crisis.”

    Making progress on climate action resilient to difficulties posed by climate impacts was also crucial. “I’m a massive fan of citizens’ assemblies, because if people feel they have a role in decision making, they’re more likely to maintain their support, even in a future in which the shocks start to rack up. They become moments where we actually do build back better,” said Laybourn, unlike after the 2008 crash and Covid pandemic.

    Bob Ward, of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change at the London School of Economics, said: “This report rightly highlights the critical point we have reached, namely the increasing likelihood that global temperature will rise by more than 1.5C. This does not mean that we should abandon the target.

    “Our main aim should still be radical emissions cuts to try to avoid breaching 1.5C, but we should now also be considering what happens if we continue to fail.

    “This will mean bringing temperatures back down [and] we will have to invest in geoengineering options such as carbon dioxide removal and even solar radiation management. But it also means we will have to spend far more on dealing with [climate] damage, which will make it more difficult to make the transition to a sustainable, inclusive and resilient world.”

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    ( With inputs from : www.theguardian.com )