<p>Cyber slavery has entrapped thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of Indians in Southeast Asia, where they're forced to work for online scammers targetting Indians at home and defrauding millions of dollars from them. Now the Indian government is cracking down on this new cyber crime.</p>

<p>Measures taken by the country's telecom ministry include disconnecting 21.7 million mobile phone connections as well as blocking some 226,000 handsets.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Financial fraud top cybercrime in India</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/study-financial-fraud-top-cybercrime-in-india-637367/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>An inter-ministerial panel has been set up, which includes the Home Ministry, Immigration Bureau, Financial Intelligence Unit, Reserve Bank of India, Information Technology Ministry, and National Investigation Agency (NIA).</p>

<p>Telecom operators have been asked to block incoming international "spoofed calls" that display Indian mobile numbers. Such dropped calls form 35 per cent of the incoming international calls.</p>

<p>The telecom firms are also told to give data on Indian mobile numbers using roaming facilities in Hong Kong, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines and Myanmar, The Indian Express said in a report on Monday (Sep 30).&nbsp;</p>

<p>It quoted a source as saying that 600,000 such phones were roaming in the Southeast Asia region in April-June this year.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Could tens of thousands of Indians be working for foreign cyber fraud companies?</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, government data shows that 29,466 of the 73,138 Indians who travelled to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam on visitor visas from January 2022 to May 2024 are yet to return.</p>

<p>The inter-ministerial panel has asked local governments in India to carry out thorough verifications about their backgrounds and whereabouts.</p>

<p>They predominantly hail from the states of Punjab (3,667), Maharashtra (3,233) and Tamil Nadu (3,124), said an Indian Express report.</p>

<p>Nearly 70 per cent of the 'disappeared' people had gone to Thailand from India.</p>

<h2><strong>Cyber slavery: 5,000 Indians are trapped in Cambodia</strong></h2>

<p>According to earlier Indian media reports, at least 5,000 Indians were trapped in Cambodia, the main centre of cyber slavery in Southeast Asia. Many of them had gone there thinking they were joining legitimate firms but were forced to engage in various cyber crimes.</p>

<p>Many of these crimes target Indians back home, often extorting money to the tune of more than 5 billion rupees.<br />
<br />
According to Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre data, 45 per cent of cyber crimes targeting Indians originate in Southeast Asia. Around 100,000 complaints have been registered with the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal since January 2023.</p>

<p>There have been several reports this year about Indians complaining about being trapped in Southeast Asian countries, being held against their will, or being rescued by government agencies.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uttarakhand-cyber-crime-india-us-authorities-work-together-to-uncover-36mn-fraud-716680">Also read: Uttarakhand cyber crime: India, US authorities work together to uncover $36mn fraud</a></strong></p>

<p>In May, the government reported that 360 Indians working as cyber slaves in Cambodia were repatriated in the previous five months.</p>

<p>In August, it was reported that more than 1,000 people from the southern state of Tamil Nadu who went to Southeast Asian countries like&nbsp;Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos were possibly working as cyber slaves. Other origin states include Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the same month, 47 Indians who were forced to run dating app scams were rescued in Laos.</p>

<p>Hundreds of them have been rescued so far by the Indian government or international organisations and NGOs.</p>

<h2><strong>What is cyber slavery?</strong></h2>

<p>According to the CyberPeace Foundation, cyber slavery is a modern form of slavery "that begins with online deception and evolves into physical human trafficking."</p>

<p>"It can take many different forms, such as coercive involvement in cybercrime, forced employment in online frauds, exploitation in the gig economy, or involuntary slavery."</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cambodia-telecom-scam-gangs-traffic-taiwanese-push-them-into-cyber-slavery-509374">Also read: Cambodia: Telecom scam gangs traffic Taiwanese, push them into cyber slavery</a></strong></p>

<p>Indians were 'selected' for high-paying jobs, only to be forced to work 16 hours a day under severe conditions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The illegal online work they are forced into includes money laundering, cryptocurrency fraud and dating/ love scams.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Cyber slavery modus operandi</strong></h2>

<p>According to Indian media reports, Indians from various states aged in their 20s and 30s are lured by cyber criminals for data entry jobs. Once they land in countries like Cambodia and Laos, their passports are taken away by these companies and then they are forced to make cyberfraud calls, mainly targeting Indians back home. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Many of these calls involve the online equivalent of honey trapping. The scammers ask the Indians to create fake social media profiles of women. The frauds range from cryptocurrency investments to dating.</p>

<p>Once the victims deposit money, they are ghosted and their numbers blocked.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Cyber slavery has entrapped thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of Indians in Southeast Asia, where they're forced to work for online scammers targetting Indians at home and defrauding millions of dollars from them.

Cyber slavery has entrapped thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of Indians in Southeast Asia, where they're forced to work for online scammers targetting Indians at home and defrauding millions of dollars from them. Now the Indian government is cracking down on this new cyber crime. Measures taken by the country's telecom ministry include disconnecting 21.7 million mobile phone connections as well as blocking some 226,000 handsets. Watch: Financial fraud top cybercrime in India × An inter-ministerial panel has been set up, which includes the Home Ministry, Immigration Bureau, Financial Intelligence Unit, Reserve Bank of India, Information Technology Ministry, and National Investigation Agency (NIA). Telecom operators have been asked to block incoming international "spoofed calls" that display Indian mobile numbers. Such dropped calls form 35 per cent of the incoming international calls. The telecom firms are also told to give data on Indian mobile numbers using roaming facilities in Hong Kong, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines and Myanmar, The Indian Express said in a report on Monday (Sep 30). It quoted a source as saying that 600,000 such phones were roaming in the Southeast Asia region in April-June this year. Could tens of thousands of Indians be working for foreign cyber fraud companies? Meanwhile, government data shows that 29,466 of the 73,138 Indians who travelled to Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam on visitor visas from January 2022 to May 2024 are yet to return. The inter-ministerial panel has asked local governments in India to carry out thorough verifications about their backgrounds and whereabouts. They predominantly hail from the states of Punjab (3,667), Maharashtra (3,233) and Tamil Nadu (3,124), said an Indian Express report. Nearly 70 per cent of the 'disappeared' people had gone to Thailand from India. Cyber slavery: 5,000 Indians are trapped in Cambodia According to earlier Indian media reports, at least 5,000 Indians were trapped in Cambodia, the main centre of cyber slavery in Southeast Asia. Many of them had gone there thinking they were joining legitimate firms but were forced to engage in various cyber crimes. Many of these crimes target Indians back home, often extorting money to the tune of more than 5 billion rupees. According to Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre data, 45 per cent of cyber crimes targeting Indians originate in Southeast Asia. Around 100,000 complaints have been registered with the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal since January 2023. There have been several reports this year about Indians complaining about being trapped in Southeast Asian countries, being held against their will, or being rescued by government agencies. Also read: Uttarakhand cyber crime: India, US authorities work together to uncover $36mn fraud In May, the government reported that 360 Indians working as cyber slaves in Cambodia were repatriated in the previous five months. In August, it was reported that more than 1,000 people from the southern state of Tamil Nadu who went to Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos were possibly working as cyber slaves. Other origin states include Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi. In the same month, 47 Indians who were forced to run dating app scams were rescued in Laos. Hundreds of them have been rescued so far by the Indian government or international organisations and NGOs. What is cyber slavery? According to the CyberPeace Foundation, cyber slavery is a modern form of slavery "that begins with online deception and evolves into physical human trafficking." "It can take many different forms, such as coercive involvement in cybercrime, forced employment in online frauds, exploitation in the gig economy, or involuntary slavery." Also read: Cambodia: Telecom scam gangs traffic Taiwanese, push them into cyber slavery Indians were 'selected' for high-paying jobs, only to be forced to work 16 hours a day under severe conditions. The illegal online work they are forced into includes money laundering, cryptocurrency fraud and dating/ love scams. Cyber slavery modus operandi According to Indian media reports, Indians from various states aged in their 20s and 30s are lured by cyber criminals for data entry jobs. Once they land in countries like Cambodia and Laos, their passports are taken away by these companies and then they are forced to make cyberfraud calls, mainly targeting Indians back home. Many of these calls involve the online equivalent of honey trapping. The scammers ask the Indians to create fake social media profiles of women. The frauds range from cryptocurrency investments to dating. Once the victims deposit money, they are ghosted and their numbers blocked. (With inputs from agencies)

Cyber slavery: Thousands of Indians are trapped and tens of thousands have gone missing in Southeast Asia

<p><strong>California to ban legacy admissions:</strong> In elite US colleges and universities, children or relatives of top-shot politicians, celebrities, rich donors and alumni could get admission just on the basis of who they were born into. Slowly, that's changing, with California becoming the fifth state to ban the so-called 'legacy admissions.'</p>

<p>"In California, everyone should be able to get ahead through merit, skill, and hard work," Governor Gavin Newsom said after signing the relevant bill into law. "The California Dream shouldn't be accessible to just a lucky few, which is why we're opening the door to higher education wide enough for everyone, fairly."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indians-for-science-chinese-for-humanities-us-diplomat-on-courses-for-foreign-students-734915">Also read: Indians for science, Chinese for humanities: US diplomat on courses for foreign students</a></p>

<p>Phil Ting, the Democratic state legislator who wrote the bill, said "hard work, good grades and a well-rounded background should earn you a spot in the incoming class – not the size of the cheque your family can write or who you’re related to.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>These backdoor entries into Ivy League institutions happen even as millions of students take entrance tests and pay student loans years after coming out of colleges and universities.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch: US willing to intake more STEM students from India than China</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-willing-to-intake-more-stem-students-from-india-than-china-737011/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The legacy admission bans in several states come in the wake of the US Supreme Court cracking down on race-based admissions under affirmative action. The apex court asked private and public universities not to consider race as a factor in college admissions, in a decision seen by critics as targeting mainly Black students. That case put the spotlight on how white students were getting into colleges and universities through practices like legacy admissions, which was being seen as affirmative action for rich kids.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/green-cards-for-indian-students-trump-proposes-citizenship-for-foreign-students-studying-in-us-733746"><strong>Also read: Green cards for Indian students? Trump proposes citizenship for foreign students studying in US</strong></a><br />
<br />
The bill signed by Governor Newsom applies not only the public educational institutions but also to private and nonprofit ones. It will come into effect from September 2025.</p>

<p>Before California, the midwestern state of Illinois passed a bill to ban such legacy admissions. Maryland and Virginia banned legacy admissions earlier this year. Colorado was the first to pass such a bill, in 2021. &nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How bad is legacy admission practice in California?</strong></h2>

<p>Data showed that six California colleges and universities gave preferential treatment to candidates related to graduates and donors in the Fall of 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Topping the list was the University of Southern California, which admitted 1,791 students in that category. Another hallowed institution, Stanford University, admitted 295 students under this stream and Santa Clara University took in 38 students.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The new rule is expected to create a level playing field for admission to some of the most sought-after educational institutions in the world.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


California to ban legacy admissions: In elite US colleges and universities, children or relatives of top-shot politicians, celebrities, rich donors and alumni could get admission just on the basis of who they were born into.

California to ban legacy admissions: In elite US colleges and universities, children or relatives of top-shot politicians, celebrities, rich donors and alumni could get admission just on the basis of who they were born into. Slowly, that's changing, with California becoming the fifth state to ban the so-called 'legacy admissions.' "In California, everyone should be able to get ahead through merit, skill, and hard work," Governor Gavin Newsom said after signing the relevant bill into law. "The California Dream shouldn't be accessible to just a lucky few, which is why we're opening the door to higher education wide enough for everyone, fairly." Also read: Indians for science, Chinese for humanities: US diplomat on courses for foreign students Phil Ting, the Democratic state legislator who wrote the bill, said "hard work, good grades and a well-rounded background should earn you a spot in the incoming class – not the size of the cheque your family can write or who you’re related to.” These backdoor entries into Ivy League institutions happen even as millions of students take entrance tests and pay student loans years after coming out of colleges and universities. Watch: US willing to intake more STEM students from India than China × The legacy admission bans in several states come in the wake of the US Supreme Court cracking down on race-based admissions under affirmative action. The apex court asked private and public universities not to consider race as a factor in college admissions, in a decision seen by critics as targeting mainly Black students. That case put the spotlight on how white students were getting into colleges and universities through practices like legacy admissions, which was being seen as affirmative action for rich kids. Also read: Green cards for Indian students? Trump proposes citizenship for foreign students studying in US The bill signed by Governor Newsom applies not only the public educational institutions but also to private and nonprofit ones. It will come into effect from September 2025. Before California, the midwestern state of Illinois passed a bill to ban such legacy admissions. Maryland and Virginia banned legacy admissions earlier this year. Colorado was the first to pass such a bill, in 2021. How bad is legacy admission practice in California? Data showed that six California colleges and universities gave preferential treatment to candidates related to graduates and donors in the Fall of 2023. Topping the list was the University of Southern California, which admitted 1,791 students in that category. Another hallowed institution, Stanford University, admitted 295 students under this stream and Santa Clara University took in 38 students. The new rule is expected to create a level playing field for admission to some of the most sought-after educational institutions in the world. (With inputs from agencies)

California legacy admissions banned: Soon, rich kids can't get into college only based on money

<p>For the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship passengers, it was supposed to be three and half years of voyage across the world from this May. But for the past four and half months, they were stuck in Belfast, Northern Ireland. On Monday night (Sep 30), they finally set off on&nbsp;their journey, after living and befriending the locals in the Irish town.</p>

<p>The cruise ship owned by Villa Vie Residences had got stuck before it could start what was billed as the world's first continual cruise, due to a variety of troubles: from repairs to financial constraints to paperwork.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">There she goes … 👋<br />
Cruise ship stuck in Belfast for 4 months left Belfast just before midnight &amp; is now off the coast of Bangor. ⛴️ <a href="https://t.co/Qow5Vflvsi">pic.twitter.com/Qow5Vflvsi</a></p>
— Mark Simpson (@BBCMarkSimpson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCMarkSimpson/status/1840894055296778250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Finally, when the announcement was made that the residential ship would indeed depart, some of the 125 passengers shouted 'hip hip hooray' and cheered.</p>

<p>They boarded the ocean liner after 23:30 local time on Monday night.</p>

<p>But technically, their global&nbsp;voyage didn't start immediately.&nbsp;From Belfast, the ship went to a cruise terminal nearby, and then anchored offshore overnight.</p>

<p>Its global circumnavigation will start on Tuesday.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/icon-of-the-seas-worlds-largest-cruise-ship-begins-its-maiden-voyage-684499">Also read: Icon of the Seas: World’s largest cruise ship begins maiden voyage</a></strong></p>

<p>While they were stuck in cold, rainy Belfast all these months, many of the passengers were thankful for the warm welcome they received from the town.</p>

<p>One passenger was quoted by the BBC as saying he was absolutely ecstatic to embark on the cruise.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">⚓️After four long months of making Belfast their new home…<br />
<br />
🛳️Those aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey ship are finally ready to set sail!<br />
<br />
🏙️Not before saying goodbye to the city though… in style!<br />
<br />
👋The crew have set off on their ‘Bye Bye Belfast Beer Bike’ <a href="https://t.co/XLyXHt9zWm">pic.twitter.com/XLyXHt9zWm</a></p>
— Cool FM News (@newsoncool) <a href="https://twitter.com/newsoncool/status/1840362410202263561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Some passengers cried with joy when Mike Petersen, head of the US-based Villa Vie Residences, announced that the ship would leave.</p>

<p>"The exhilaration of getting on that ship, when it takes off, it will be the feeling of a lifetime," AFP news agency quoted Chicago-based actor Martino, 61, as saying.</p>

<p>"I've been in Belfast for four months and two days, but hey, who's counting,!" said another passenger Holly Hennessy, holding her cat, 'Captain'.</p>

<p><br />
<strong>WATCH: WION aboard 'The Empress' | India's first international cruise to Sri Lanka</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-aboard-the-empress-indias-first-international-cruise-to-sri-lanka-602883/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What went wrong with the cruise in Belfast?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The cruise liner was supposed to take off on the world voyage on May 30 from Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.</p>

<p>But it faced problems from the start, as repair and retrofitting&nbsp;work took longer than expected, as did the paperwork.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/norwegian-cruise-line-holdings-surges-as-profit-forecasts-sail-higher-746021">Also read: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings surges as profit forecasts sail higher</a></strong><br />
<br />
These past months, the ship went through engine repair in Belfast's Harland &amp; Wolff, the same shipyard where Titanic was built a century ago.</p>

<p>Then, the shipbuilder went broke, adding to the woes.</p>

<p>The passengers, who could rent cabins in the ship, were not allowed to sleep in it. They rented apartments or slept in hotels all these months. Some of them just travelled inside Northern Ireland, while others went further afield to Europe or other cruises.</p>

<p>The cruise liner, with 600-passenger capacity, will pass through seven continents in the coming years. It will have more than 425 stops in 147 destinations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 'perpetual&nbsp;cruise' will then repeat for the next 15 years.<br />
<br />
Well, fingers crossed.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


For the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship passengers, it was supposed to be three and half years of voyage across the world from this May. But for the past four and half months, they were stuck in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

For the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship passengers, it was supposed to be three and half years of voyage across the world from this May. But for the past four and half months, they were stuck in Belfast, Northern Ireland. On Monday night (Sep 30), they finally set off on their journey, after living and befriending the locals in the Irish town. The cruise ship owned by Villa Vie Residences had got stuck before it could start what was billed as the world's first continual cruise, due to a variety of troubles: from repairs to financial constraints to paperwork. There she goes … 👋 Cruise ship stuck in Belfast for 4 months left Belfast just before midnight & is now off the coast of Bangor. ⛴️ pic.twitter.com/Qow5Vflvsi — Mark Simpson (@BBCMarkSimpson) September 30, 2024 × Finally, when the announcement was made that the residential ship would indeed depart, some of the 125 passengers shouted 'hip hip hooray' and cheered. They boarded the ocean liner after 23:30 local time on Monday night. But technically, their global voyage didn't start immediately. From Belfast, the ship went to a cruise terminal nearby, and then anchored offshore overnight. Its global circumnavigation will start on Tuesday. Also read: Icon of the Seas: World’s largest cruise ship begins maiden voyage While they were stuck in cold, rainy Belfast all these months, many of the passengers were thankful for the warm welcome they received from the town. One passenger was quoted by the BBC as saying he was absolutely ecstatic to embark on the cruise. ⚓️After four long months of making Belfast their new home… 🛳️Those aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey ship are finally ready to set sail! 🏙️Not before saying goodbye to the city though… in style! 👋The crew have set off on their ‘Bye Bye Belfast Beer Bike’ pic.twitter.com/XLyXHt9zWm — Cool FM News (@newsoncool) September 29, 2024 × Some passengers cried with joy when Mike Petersen, head of the US-based Villa Vie Residences, announced that the ship would leave. "The exhilaration of getting on that ship, when it takes off, it will be the feeling of a lifetime," AFP news agency quoted Chicago-based actor Martino, 61, as saying. "I've been in Belfast for four months and two days, but hey, who's counting,!" said another passenger Holly Hennessy, holding her cat, 'Captain'. WATCH: WION aboard 'The Empress' | India's first international cruise to Sri Lanka × What went wrong with the cruise in Belfast? The cruise liner was supposed to take off on the world voyage on May 30 from Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. But it faced problems from the start, as repair and retrofitting work took longer than expected, as did the paperwork. Also read: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings surges as profit forecasts sail higher These past months, the ship went through engine repair in Belfast's Harland & Wolff, the same shipyard where Titanic was built a century ago. Then, the shipbuilder went broke, adding to the woes. The passengers, who could rent cabins in the ship, were not allowed to sleep in it. They rented apartments or slept in hotels all these months. Some of them just travelled inside Northern Ireland, while others went further afield to Europe or other cruises. The cruise liner, with 600-passenger capacity, will pass through seven continents in the coming years. It will have more than 425 stops in 147 destinations. The 'perpetual cruise' will then repeat for the next 15 years. Well, fingers crossed. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship leaves Belfast four months after getting stuck with passengers

<p>Mount Everest has been growing taller slowly over the years and that's not news, as the mountain was created when two tectonic plates crashed into each other over millennia. But a new study has suggested that there's a relatively sudden growth spurt in the world's tallest peak, and this time it's being attributed to "river piracy".</p>

<p>The study published in Nature Journal examined GPS measurements over the years to reach a conclusion. It found that Everest, also known as Chomolungma or Sagarmatha, was growing at 0.08 inches or 2 millimetres per year, as opposed to the regular 0.04 inches or 1mm per year.</p>

<p>The study by University College London researchers said it "uncovers a previously unrecognised, additional mechanism of rock uplift active since river capture."&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Everest is 8,849 metres tall, the nearby peak K2 is 8,611 m. The other three highest mountains in the Himalayas stand at 8,586 m, 8,516 m and 8,485 m, an elevation difference of not more than 100 m.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The researchers suggest that it could be because rocks below the mountain base are being eroded over the years by the rivers flowing in the area.</p>

<p>In science-speak, it is a phenomenon of&nbsp;'river drainage piracy' and 'river capture'.</p>

<p>The erosion of the rocks appears to affect the nearby peaks more than Mount Everest.</p>

<p>It is being caused by the merging of two rivers down below that happened tens of thousands of years ago.</p>

<p><br />
<strong>Watch: Everest faces the challenge of overcrowding, commercialisation hits Mount Everest hard</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/everest-faces-the-challenge-of-overcrowding-commercialisation-hits-mount-everest-hard-719927/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2><strong>The river capture that may be helping Everest grow</strong></h2>

<p>The 'river capture event' happened in the Kosi River drainage basin some 89,000 years ago. Kosi merged with its tributary Arun River and changed course.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The researchers&nbsp;chasing the question, 'Is there an underlying mechanism raising Everest ever higher?' looked for answers in&nbsp;surrounding rivers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Arun River&nbsp;drains a large area to the north of the Everest region before turning south.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/not-mount-everest-but-this-is-the-tallest-mountain-in-solar-system-can-humans-scale-this-749710"><strong>Also read: Not Mount Everest but THIS is the tallest mountain in solar system. Can humans scale this?</strong></a><br />
<br />
The drainage capture and river incision erode the rocks in the surrounding areas, while relatively keeping Everest intact though tectonic processes remain the basic reason for Everest's gradual growth, the researchers posited.</p>

<p>To reach their conclusion, the scientists reconstructed the capture process using computer models.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/chinese-company-makes-successful-drone-delivery-to-mt-everest-to-aid-cleanliness-operations-729717">Also read: Chinese company makes successful drone delivery to Mt Everest, to aid cleanliness operations</a></p>

<p>"Our best-fit model suggests the capture event occurred approximately 89,000 years ago and caused acceleration of downstream incision rates," wrote the researchers in the study.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We suggest that part of Chomolungma [Everest]’s anomalous elevation (~15–50 m) can be explained as the isostatic response to capture-triggered river incision, highlighting the complex interplay between geological dynamics and the formation of topographic features," said the study.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Mount Everest has been growing taller slowly over the years and that's not news, as the mountain was created when two tectonic plates crashed into each other over millennia.

Mount Everest has been growing taller slowly over the years and that's not news, as the mountain was created when two tectonic plates crashed into each other over millennia. But a new study has suggested that there's a relatively sudden growth spurt in the world's tallest peak, and this time it's being attributed to "river piracy". The study published in Nature Journal examined GPS measurements over the years to reach a conclusion. It found that Everest, also known as Chomolungma or Sagarmatha, was growing at 0.08 inches or 2 millimetres per year, as opposed to the regular 0.04 inches or 1mm per year. The study by University College London researchers said it "uncovers a previously unrecognised, additional mechanism of rock uplift active since river capture." While Everest is 8,849 metres tall, the nearby peak K2 is 8,611 m. The other three highest mountains in the Himalayas stand at 8,586 m, 8,516 m and 8,485 m, an elevation difference of not more than 100 m. The researchers suggest that it could be because rocks below the mountain base are being eroded over the years by the rivers flowing in the area. In science-speak, it is a phenomenon of 'river drainage piracy' and 'river capture'. The erosion of the rocks appears to affect the nearby peaks more than Mount Everest. It is being caused by the merging of two rivers down below that happened tens of thousands of years ago. Watch: Everest faces the challenge of overcrowding, commercialisation hits Mount Everest hard × The river capture that may be helping Everest grow The 'river capture event' happened in the Kosi River drainage basin some 89,000 years ago. Kosi merged with its tributary Arun River and changed course. The researchers chasing the question, 'Is there an underlying mechanism raising Everest ever higher?' looked for answers in surrounding rivers. The Arun River drains a large area to the north of the Everest region before turning south. Also read: Not Mount Everest but THIS is the tallest mountain in solar system. Can humans scale this? The drainage capture and river incision erode the rocks in the surrounding areas, while relatively keeping Everest intact though tectonic processes remain the basic reason for Everest's gradual growth, the researchers posited. To reach their conclusion, the scientists reconstructed the capture process using computer models. Also read: Chinese company makes successful drone delivery to Mt Everest, to aid cleanliness operations "Our best-fit model suggests the capture event occurred approximately 89,000 years ago and caused acceleration of downstream incision rates," wrote the researchers in the study. "We suggest that part of Chomolungma [Everest]’s anomalous elevation (~15–50 m) can be explained as the isostatic response to capture-triggered river incision, highlighting the complex interplay between geological dynamics and the formation of topographic features," said the study.

Mount Everest is growing a bit faster than usual. And a 'river capture' may have to do with it

<p>SP Oswal, the CEO of India's largest textile group Vardhaman, is the latest victim of cyber criminals who extorted 70 million rupees from him in an elaborate scheme that put him in a so-called 'digital custody'. Two people have been arrested from the eastern state of Assam in this connection and most of the money recovered.</p>

<p>Speaking to Indian media, 82-year-old Oswal said the fraudsters posed as Indian regulators, investigative agency sleuths, police, and the Chief Justice of India in a fake 'Supreme Court hearing' over Skype, to make him pay for a 'money laundering' case in which he was, according to them, a co-accused along with Jet Airways founder Naresh Goel.<br />
<br />
<strong>Watch: Digital arrest: The growing threat of cyberattacks</strong><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/digital-arrest-the-growing-threat-of-cyberattacks-750495/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The lid was blown on the fraud after Oswal, the recipient of one of India's top civilian honours the Padma Bhushan, refused to pay more money, and filed a police case and told the fraudsters he would rather die in police custody.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/can-you-be-digitally-arrested-lucknow-doctor-duped-over-334k-in-cybercrime-750476"><strong>Also read: Can you be digitally arrested? Lucknow doctor duped of over $334K in cybercrime</strong></a><br />
<br />
The Ludhiana Police on Sunday (Sep 29) arrested two suspects from Assam. Seven other suspects, from states including West Bengal and Delhi, have been identified. Some 52 million rupees have been recovered from the fraudsters' accounts.</p>

<p>"My ordeal is nothing short of a movie script to make others aware of such fraudsters,” Indian Express newspaper quoted him as saying.</p>

<h2><strong>Here is what happened to SP Oswal</strong></h2>

<p>In the first call on August 27, a fraudser posing as Telecom Regulatory Authority of India official asked him to press nine to prevent disconnection from telecom services. He pressed nine. Then a cyber criminal posing as an official from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)&nbsp;called him about his suspected involvement in the money laundering case against Naresh Goel.</p>

<p>Oswal, who told the paper that he never met Goel in his life, said the fraudsters sent him documents with Mumbai police insignia.</p>

<p>Then the 'CBI team' took him into 'digital custody over Skype' after sending him an order to this effect on his WhatsApp.</p>

<p>"They repeatedly told me not to share anything with anyone as it would be a violation of surveillance rules and I could be imprisoned for three to five years. They started my digital surveillance...and said I could not leave the house without their permission. I never used Skype, nor knew how to. They created my Skype account and started digital surveillance," he was quoted as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/over-75-indians-were-exposed-deepfakes-as-many-struggled-to-distinguish-between-fake-and-real-report-715440">Also read Around 75% Indians have encountered deep fake content in last one year: Report</a></strong></p>

<p>Then he was made to appear for a fraudulent Supreme Court hearing over Skype in which one criminal even posed as India's chief justice. “He banged the hammer on the table twice and said ‘Order, Order, please present your case’. I thought he was actually Justice [CJ] Chandrachud as they claimed,” Oswal said.</p>

<p>"They do and say things in such a way that one gets manipulated and believe what they are saying is true. They used to keep me under surveillance even in the night and I was told to keep my phone on the bedside and keep Skype on. I would not get proper sleep as someone watched over me all the time,” Oswal told the newspaper.</p>

<p>After the staged court hearing, a copy of the order was shared on WhatsApp, directing him to transfer money to a so-called Secret Supervision Account.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Oswal made the transactions in order to avoid being arrested.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On August 29, he went out for a hopsital visit, and spoke to a colleague about what happened to him in the preceding two days. The colleague said it was a fraud.</p>

<p>"Later when I confronted the accused as they asked for more money, they threatened me with immediate arrest. They also sent a fake arrest warrant issued by ED Mumbai ordering my arrest within two hours. I said I would prefer to die in police custody but won’t transfer more money,” Oswal told the paper.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


SP Oswal, the CEO of India's largest textile group Vardhaman, is the latest victim of cyber criminals who extorted 70 million rupees from him in an elaborate scheme that put him in a so-called 'digital custody'.

SP Oswal, the CEO of India's largest textile group Vardhaman, is the latest victim of cyber criminals who extorted 70 million rupees from him in an elaborate scheme that put him in a so-called 'digital custody'. Two people have been arrested from the eastern state of Assam in this connection and most of the money recovered. Speaking to Indian media, 82-year-old Oswal said the fraudsters posed as Indian regulators, investigative agency sleuths, police, and the Chief Justice of India in a fake 'Supreme Court hearing' over Skype, to make him pay for a 'money laundering' case in which he was, according to them, a co-accused along with Jet Airways founder Naresh Goel. Watch: Digital arrest: The growing threat of cyberattacks × The lid was blown on the fraud after Oswal, the recipient of one of India's top civilian honours the Padma Bhushan, refused to pay more money, and filed a police case and told the fraudsters he would rather die in police custody. Also read: Can you be digitally arrested? Lucknow doctor duped of over $334K in cybercrime The Ludhiana Police on Sunday (Sep 29) arrested two suspects from Assam. Seven other suspects, from states including West Bengal and Delhi, have been identified. Some 52 million rupees have been recovered from the fraudsters' accounts. "My ordeal is nothing short of a movie script to make others aware of such fraudsters,” Indian Express newspaper quoted him as saying. Here is what happened to SP Oswal In the first call on August 27, a fraudser posing as Telecom Regulatory Authority of India official asked him to press nine to prevent disconnection from telecom services. He pressed nine. Then a cyber criminal posing as an official from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) called him about his suspected involvement in the money laundering case against Naresh Goel. Oswal, who told the paper that he never met Goel in his life, said the fraudsters sent him documents with Mumbai police insignia. Then the 'CBI team' took him into 'digital custody over Skype' after sending him an order to this effect on his WhatsApp. "They repeatedly told me not to share anything with anyone as it would be a violation of surveillance rules and I could be imprisoned for three to five years. They started my digital surveillance...and said I could not leave the house without their permission. I never used Skype, nor knew how to. They created my Skype account and started digital surveillance," he was quoted as saying. Also read Around 75% Indians have encountered deep fake content in last one year: Report Then he was made to appear for a fraudulent Supreme Court hearing over Skype in which one criminal even posed as India's chief justice. “He banged the hammer on the table twice and said ‘Order, Order, please present your case’. I thought he was actually Justice [CJ] Chandrachud as they claimed,” Oswal said. "They do and say things in such a way that one gets manipulated and believe what they are saying is true. They used to keep me under surveillance even in the night and I was told to keep my phone on the bedside and keep Skype on. I would not get proper sleep as someone watched over me all the time,” Oswal told the newspaper. After the staged court hearing, a copy of the order was shared on WhatsApp, directing him to transfer money to a so-called Secret Supervision Account. Oswal made the transactions in order to avoid being arrested. On August 29, he went out for a hopsital visit, and spoke to a colleague about what happened to him in the preceding two days. The colleague said it was a fraud. "Later when I confronted the accused as they asked for more money, they threatened me with immediate arrest. They also sent a fake arrest warrant issued by ED Mumbai ordering my arrest within two hours. I said I would prefer to die in police custody but won’t transfer more money,” Oswal told the paper. (With inputs from agencies)

SP Oswal, CEO of Vardhman Textiles, latest victim of 'digital custody': Fraudsters even faked a SC hearing

<p>Moo Deng, the baby hippo in Thailand became a global viral sensation in the past few weeks, and some people are minting money from the memecoin named after the adorable animal who's winning hearts by just being herself.</p>

<p>Moo Deng became internet-famous after videos of her running around, playing, eating, sleeping, and being bathed and slapped&nbsp;by zookeepers went viral.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-viral-baby-pygmy-hippo-who-has-inspired-make-up-looks-merchandise-and-more-758656">Also read: Watch: Viral baby pygmy hippo who has inspired make-up looks, merchandise and more</a></strong></p>

<p>As the frenzy over Moo Deng intensified with her becoming a meme, a memecoin was launched on 11 September on Solana, a decentralised blockchain platform.</p>

<p>The value of Moo Deng Token soared nearly 1400 per cent&nbsp;a week and by last week, it was at a market capitalisation of&nbsp;$300 million, according to cryptocurrency observers.</p>

<p>In a matter of 15 days, a&nbsp;$800 investment in Moo Deng grew to $3.5 million, according to data from Arkham.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Moo Deng: Two-month-old pint-sized Hippo goes viral for cuteness</strong><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/moo-deng-two-month-old-pint-sized-hippo-goes-viral-for-cuteness-759252/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>There are now memecoins for Moo Deng's mother Jonah as well as siblings&nbsp;Moo Toon and Moo Waan.</p>

<p>An unofficial Twitter fan page for Moo Deng has amassed nearly 50,000 followers, further fueling interest in the token, wrote Crptobriefing.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">unbothered. moisturized. happy. in my lane. focused. flourishing<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/moodeng?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#moodeng</a> <a href="https://t.co/W6IegMFO5A">pic.twitter.com/W6IegMFO5A</a></p>
— kristina🦒 (@kristinakovv) <a href="https://twitter.com/kristinakovv/status/1835798979717874027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So crazy buying of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MOODENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MOODENG</a>!<br />
<br />
The whale withdrew 2,000 <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24SOL&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$SOL</a>($311K) from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OKX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OKX</a> to buy $MOODENG again!<br />
<br />
So far, the whale has spent 27,848 <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24SOL&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$SOL</a>($4.34M) to buy 17.73M $MOODENG at $0.245, becoming the second-largest holder of $MOODENG.<a href="https://t.co/MNpTOqbZ6z">https://t.co/MNpTOqbZ6z</a> <a href="https://t.co/r0BRHdL6Ew">pic.twitter.com/r0BRHdL6Ew</a></p>
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) <a href="https://twitter.com/lookonchain/status/1840285973701374143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Moo Deng the baby hippo: What you need to know</strong></h2>

<p>Moo Deng was born in July 2024 in Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Chonburi province.</p>

<p>She is a&nbsp;pygmy hippopotamus, an endangered species from West Africa.</p>

<p>There are only 2,000 pygmy hippos in the wild.</p>

<p>After her videos started going viral, big companies also joined the frenzy, with Microsoft,&nbsp;DreamWorks, and Universal Pictures creating and sharing memes on social media around her image.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="in">ctrl + alt + Moo Deng <a href="https://t.co/GpB4J7Th3u">pic.twitter.com/GpB4J7Th3u</a></p>
— Windows (@Windows) <a href="https://twitter.com/Windows/status/1837537304094650458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Even&nbsp;German football club Bayern Munich joined the action, sharing memes of Moo Deng 'reactions' to their UEFA League performance.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Moo Deng, the baby hippo in Thailand became a global viral sensation in the past few weeks, and some people are minting money from the memecoin named after the adorable animal who's winning hearts by just being herself.

Moo Deng, the baby hippo in Thailand became a global viral sensation in the past few weeks, and some people are minting money from the memecoin named after the adorable animal who's winning hearts by just being herself. Moo Deng became internet-famous after videos of her running around, playing, eating, sleeping, and being bathed and slapped by zookeepers went viral. Also read: Watch: Viral baby pygmy hippo who has inspired make-up looks, merchandise and more As the frenzy over Moo Deng intensified with her becoming a meme, a memecoin was launched on 11 September on Solana, a decentralised blockchain platform. The value of Moo Deng Token soared nearly 1400 per cent a week and by last week, it was at a market capitalisation of $300 million, according to cryptocurrency observers. In a matter of 15 days, a $800 investment in Moo Deng grew to $3.5 million, according to data from Arkham. Watch: Moo Deng: Two-month-old pint-sized Hippo goes viral for cuteness × There are now memecoins for Moo Deng's mother Jonah as well as siblings Moo Toon and Moo Waan. An unofficial Twitter fan page for Moo Deng has amassed nearly 50,000 followers, further fueling interest in the token, wrote Crptobriefing. unbothered. moisturized. happy. in my lane. focused. flourishing#moodeng pic.twitter.com/W6IegMFO5A — kristina🦒 (@kristinakovv) September 16, 2024 × So crazy buying of #MOODENG! The whale withdrew 2,000 $SOL($311K) from #OKX to buy $MOODENG again! So far, the whale has spent 27,848 $SOL($4.34M) to buy 17.73M $MOODENG at $0.245, becoming the second-largest holder of $MOODENG.https://t.co/MNpTOqbZ6z pic.twitter.com/r0BRHdL6Ew — Lookonchain (@lookonchain) September 29, 2024 × Moo Deng the baby hippo: What you need to know Moo Deng was born in July 2024 in Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Chonburi province. She is a pygmy hippopotamus, an endangered species from West Africa. There are only 2,000 pygmy hippos in the wild. After her videos started going viral, big companies also joined the frenzy, with Microsoft, DreamWorks, and Universal Pictures creating and sharing memes on social media around her image. ctrl + alt + Moo Deng pic.twitter.com/GpB4J7Th3u — Windows (@Windows) September 21, 2024 × Even German football club Bayern Munich joined the action, sharing memes of Moo Deng 'reactions' to their UEFA League performance. (With inputs from agencies)

Moo Deng the baby hippo is making some people millions in crypto: It's the 'Mooney' honey

<p>A diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in New York has agreed to pay $323 million to 530 child sexual abuse survivors in a move that will result in the largest bankruptcy of a US diocese.</p>

<p>The Diocese of Rockville Centre in Long Island, New York told a bankruptcy hearing on Thursday (Sep 26) that the settlement will cover the liabilities of all the parishes under it.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Pope Francis meets survivors of sexual abuse by church clergy</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pope-francis-meets-survivors-of-sexual-abuse-by-church-clergy-621898/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The diocese has 1.2 million members in Nassau and Suffolk counties.</p>

<p>A diocese consists of a large area of the Catholic Church under a single Bishop. A parish is an individual Catholic community with its own church.</p>

<p>Under the settlement, each of the 135 parishes in the diocese will have to file their own bankruptcy suits. This would provide the parishes with legal protections in exchange for subjecting their assets and liabilities to court oversight, the diocese’s attorney Corinne Ball said in court.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/16-nuns-denounce-pope-francis-break-from-catholic-church-under-excommunicated-bishop-724730">Also read: 16 nuns denounce Pope Francis, break from Catholic Church under excommunicated Bishop</a></strong></p>

<p>The settlement comes in the wake of four years of tough negotiations in the wake of hundreds of lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by priests.</p>

<p>Martin Glenn, the bankruptcy judge hearing the case called the deal “enormous progress”.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Earlier, the survivors had rejected the diocese’s $200mn settlement offer.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/german-catholic-church-lost-half-a-million-members-in-one-year-heres-why-610530"><strong>Also read: German Catholic church loses half a million members in one year. Here's why</strong></a><br />
<br />
As per the new agreement, Rockville Centre will fork out $234.8mn to a settlement fund, with four insurers contributing $85.3mn, Reuters news agency reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2020, burdened by the mounting legal costs caused by the child abuse lawsuits.</p>

<p>At least 24 dioceses in the US filed for bankruptcy in recent years when a statute of limitations was lifted, allowing child sex abuse survivors to sue over decades-old abuse.</p>

<p>The Rockville case could become the template for several other dioceses facing similar bankruptcies over other child sex abuse cases involving the Catholic Church.</p>

<p>The archdiocese of New Orleans recently proposed that it and its affiliates settle the bankruptcy it filed in May 2020 for just $62.5mn, Reuters said in the report.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in New York has agreed to pay $323 million to 530 child sexual abuse survivors in a move that will result in the largest bankruptcy of a US diocese.

A diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in New York has agreed to pay $323 million to 530 child sexual abuse survivors in a move that will result in the largest bankruptcy of a US diocese. The Diocese of Rockville Centre in Long Island, New York told a bankruptcy hearing on Thursday (Sep 26) that the settlement will cover the liabilities of all the parishes under it. Watch: Pope Francis meets survivors of sexual abuse by church clergy × The diocese has 1.2 million members in Nassau and Suffolk counties. A diocese consists of a large area of the Catholic Church under a single Bishop. A parish is an individual Catholic community with its own church. Under the settlement, each of the 135 parishes in the diocese will have to file their own bankruptcy suits. This would provide the parishes with legal protections in exchange for subjecting their assets and liabilities to court oversight, the diocese’s attorney Corinne Ball said in court. Also read: 16 nuns denounce Pope Francis, break from Catholic Church under excommunicated Bishop The settlement comes in the wake of four years of tough negotiations in the wake of hundreds of lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by priests. Martin Glenn, the bankruptcy judge hearing the case called the deal “enormous progress”. Earlier, the survivors had rejected the diocese’s $200mn settlement offer. Also read: German Catholic church loses half a million members in one year. Here's why As per the new agreement, Rockville Centre will fork out $234.8mn to a settlement fund, with four insurers contributing $85.3mn, Reuters news agency reported. The diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2020, burdened by the mounting legal costs caused by the child abuse lawsuits. At least 24 dioceses in the US filed for bankruptcy in recent years when a statute of limitations was lifted, allowing child sex abuse survivors to sue over decades-old abuse. The Rockville case could become the template for several other dioceses facing similar bankruptcies over other child sex abuse cases involving the Catholic Church. The archdiocese of New Orleans recently proposed that it and its affiliates settle the bankruptcy it filed in May 2020 for just $62.5mn, Reuters said in the report. (With inputs from agencies)

New York Catholic diocese to pay $323mn to 530 child sex abuse survivors, in largest US diocese bankruptcy

<p>India on Friday (Sep 27) strongly deplored the vandalism of a Hindu temple of&nbsp;BAPS in the US state of California, where the graffiti 'Hindus go back' was painted earlier this week.</p>

<p>In a post on its X handle, the Consulate General of India, San Francisco, said it "strongly deplores the act of vandalism" which took place on the night of 24 September at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Temple Vandalised In US With Anti-Hindu Messages, Water Supply Cut</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/temple-vandalised-in-us-with-anti-hindu-messages-water-supply-cut-762333/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The consulate has taken up the matter with local authorities "to take immediate action against those responsible", it added.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Consulate General of India, San Francisco strongly deplores the act of vandalism which took place on September 24th night at <a href="https://twitter.com/BAPS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BAPS</a> Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California. &nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/CGISFO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cgisfo</a> has taken up the matter with local authorities to take immediate action against…</p>
— India in SF (@CGISFO) <a href="https://twitter.com/CGISFO/status/1839325037301841976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The temple of BAPS, or Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, was vandalised after it criticised anti-Hindu sentiments.</p>

<p>Besides the 'Hindus go back' message, the vandals also wrote expletives addressed at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.</p>

<p>In a post on X, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said the graffiti was spray-painted on the temple building by the vandals who also damanged some water pipes.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/second-baps-temple-vandalised-in-us-in-less-than-10-days-with-anti-hindu-messages-762042">Also read: 'Hindumisia on rise in the US': Second BAPS temple vandalised in a month with anti-Hindu messages</a></strong></p>

<p>“Detectives from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Gang Suppression Unit, which investigates hate crimes in Sacramento County, responded to the scene and began their investigation. Allied State and Federal law enforcement agencies were also notified of the incident and will assist with the investigation,” it said.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hindu-temples-in-bangladesh-threatened-to-pay-half-a-million-for-celebrating-durga-puja-761700">Also Read: Hindu temples in Bangladesh threatened to pay $4200 for celebrating Durga Puja</a></strong></p>

<p>In the recent past, several BAPS temples in the US and Canada have been targeted in a similar manner.</p>

<p>Ahead of Modi's&nbsp;recent visit to the US, the BAPS temple in New York's Melville was painted with expletives on September 17.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another BAPS temple in Edmonton, Canada was desecrated in July.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


India on Friday (Sep 27) strongly deplored the vandalism of a Hindu temple of BAPS in the US state of California, where the graffiti 'Hindus go back' was painted earlier this week.

India on Friday (Sep 27) strongly deplored the vandalism of a Hindu temple of BAPS in the US state of California, where the graffiti 'Hindus go back' was painted earlier this week. In a post on its X handle, the Consulate General of India, San Francisco, said it "strongly deplores the act of vandalism" which took place on the night of 24 September at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California. Watch: Temple Vandalised In US With Anti-Hindu Messages, Water Supply Cut × The consulate has taken up the matter with local authorities "to take immediate action against those responsible", it added. The Consulate General of India, San Francisco strongly deplores the act of vandalism which took place on September 24th night at @BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California. @cgisfo has taken up the matter with local authorities to take immediate action against… — India in SF (@CGISFO) September 26, 2024 × The temple of BAPS, or Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, was vandalised after it criticised anti-Hindu sentiments. Besides the 'Hindus go back' message, the vandals also wrote expletives addressed at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. In a post on X, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said the graffiti was spray-painted on the temple building by the vandals who also damanged some water pipes. Also read: 'Hindumisia on rise in the US': Second BAPS temple vandalised in a month with anti-Hindu messages “Detectives from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Gang Suppression Unit, which investigates hate crimes in Sacramento County, responded to the scene and began their investigation. Allied State and Federal law enforcement agencies were also notified of the incident and will assist with the investigation,” it said. Also Read: Hindu temples in Bangladesh threatened to pay $4200 for celebrating Durga Puja In the recent past, several BAPS temples in the US and Canada have been targeted in a similar manner. Ahead of Modi's recent visit to the US, the BAPS temple in New York's Melville was painted with expletives on September 17. Another BAPS temple in Edmonton, Canada was desecrated in July. (With inputs from agencies)

BAPS temple in US vandalised: India deplores vandals who painted 'Hindus go back' graffiti

<p>For Elon Musk, looks like it didn't 'sink in' that he was not invited for a business summit in the UK. The billionaire has reacted on X, the social media platform he owns, with a cryptic post saying the UK releases paedophiles while jailing people for social media posts.</p>

<p>"I don’t think anyone should go to the UK when they’re releasing convicted pedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts," the Tesla boss&nbsp;said in the post on Thursday (Sep 26).</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I don’t think anyone should go to the UK when they’re releasing convicted pedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1839198182586118224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Musk did not provide much context in his post, but he may have been referring to the sentencing of two men for posts on X and Facebook, during the hate-inspired violence that ravaged Britain in August. The other part of his post may be a criticism of the UK's scheme of early release of prisoners due to congestion in its jails. Some of those released are sex offenders.</p>

<p>Tyler Kay, 26, was sentenced more than three years in jail in August for his posts on X calling for mass deportation of migrants and for attacks on hotels in the UK that were housing asylum seekers. Jordan Parlour, 28, was jailed for 20 months for Facebook posts calling for an attack on a hotel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>What seems to have gotten the beef of the SpaceX founder is that he was not included in the list of invitees for Britain's International Investment Summit in October, to be hosted by Prime Minister Kier Starmer. The ambitious summit aims to bring leading investors to Britain in a bid to help its ailing economy.</p>

<p>During the August violence, Musk had made several critical posts against the British government, and specifically Starmer.</p>

<p>The riots were sparked after false rumours that the culprit in a stabbing attack in Southport was an immigrant. Three children were killed in that attack.</p>

<p>Musk, the world's richest man, said on X at the time that UK was going into a civil war and even&nbsp;compared it to the erstwhile Soviet Union.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/civil-war-is-inevitable-elon-musk-vs-keir-starmer-showdown-on-uk-rioting-747577"><strong>Also read: 'Civil war is inevitable': Elon Musk vs Keir Starmer showdown on UK rioting</strong></a></p>

<p>He called the British prime minister “two-tier Keir,” over what he felt was the less harsh action by police on non-white perpetrators of violence.</p>

<p>He also reshared a conspiracy theory that UK was building camps in the Falkland Islands to house rioters, before deleting it.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-riots-elon-musk-calls-uk-pm-two-tier-keir-compares-britain-to-soviet-union-747832"><strong>Also read: UK riots: Elon Musk calls PM 'two-tier Keir', compares Britain to Soviet Union</strong></a></p>

<p>The British government at the time pushed back against Musk, calling his comments deplorable and unjustifiable.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: UK: Keir Starmer rejects Elon Musk's 'civil war' remark</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-keir-starmer-rejects-elon-musks-civil-war-remark-747670/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2023, Musk was invited for, but didn't attend, a similar business summit held by the previous Conservative government, led at the time by Rishi Sunak.</p>

<p>He then appeared at a fireside chat with Sunak in November during the AI Safety Summit, of which he was a key organiser.</p>

<p>Starmer's Labour party politicians had criticised Sunak for his closeness to the tech billionaire, and the fact that he was treated like royalty, with the Tory PM appearing to be beholden to him.</p>

<p>It's not the first time that Musk has had run-ins with governments.</p>

<p>His negative comments on the UK comes a few days after his online spat with Brazil, whose Supreme Court banned X in the Latin American country.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


For Elon Musk, looks like it didn't 'sink in' that he was not invited for a business summit in the UK. The billionaire has reacted on X, the social media platform he owns, with a cryptic post saying the UK releases paedophiles while jailing people for social media posts.

For Elon Musk, looks like it didn't 'sink in' that he was not invited for a business summit in the UK. The billionaire has reacted on X, the social media platform he owns, with a cryptic post saying the UK releases paedophiles while jailing people for social media posts. "I don’t think anyone should go to the UK when they’re releasing convicted pedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts," the Tesla boss said in the post on Thursday (Sep 26). I don’t think anyone should go to the UK when they’re releasing convicted pedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 26, 2024 × Musk did not provide much context in his post, but he may have been referring to the sentencing of two men for posts on X and Facebook, during the hate-inspired violence that ravaged Britain in August. The other part of his post may be a criticism of the UK's scheme of early release of prisoners due to congestion in its jails. Some of those released are sex offenders. Tyler Kay, 26, was sentenced more than three years in jail in August for his posts on X calling for mass deportation of migrants and for attacks on hotels in the UK that were housing asylum seekers. Jordan Parlour, 28, was jailed for 20 months for Facebook posts calling for an attack on a hotel. What seems to have gotten the beef of the SpaceX founder is that he was not included in the list of invitees for Britain's International Investment Summit in October, to be hosted by Prime Minister Kier Starmer. The ambitious summit aims to bring leading investors to Britain in a bid to help its ailing economy. During the August violence, Musk had made several critical posts against the British government, and specifically Starmer. The riots were sparked after false rumours that the culprit in a stabbing attack in Southport was an immigrant. Three children were killed in that attack. Musk, the world's richest man, said on X at the time that UK was going into a civil war and even compared it to the erstwhile Soviet Union. Also read: 'Civil war is inevitable': Elon Musk vs Keir Starmer showdown on UK rioting He called the British prime minister “two-tier Keir,” over what he felt was the less harsh action by police on non-white perpetrators of violence. He also reshared a conspiracy theory that UK was building camps in the Falkland Islands to house rioters, before deleting it. Also read: UK riots: Elon Musk calls PM 'two-tier Keir', compares Britain to Soviet Union The British government at the time pushed back against Musk, calling his comments deplorable and unjustifiable. Watch: UK: Keir Starmer rejects Elon Musk's 'civil war' remark × In 2023, Musk was invited for, but didn't attend, a similar business summit held by the previous Conservative government, led at the time by Rishi Sunak. He then appeared at a fireside chat with Sunak in November during the AI Safety Summit, of which he was a key organiser. Starmer's Labour party politicians had criticised Sunak for his closeness to the tech billionaire, and the fact that he was treated like royalty, with the Tory PM appearing to be beholden to him. It's not the first time that Musk has had run-ins with governments. His negative comments on the UK comes a few days after his online spat with Brazil, whose Supreme Court banned X in the Latin American country. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk accuses UK of releasing paedophiles, apparently after being snubbed for business summit

<p>Indians in the Arab nation of Oman are falling victim to scams, leading the country's embassy to issue a warning.</p>

<p>Calls are being made from telephone numbers pretending to be from the embassy. The callers assure resolution of issues related to passports and immigration, in return for money.</p>

<p>The embassy advisory this week asked Indians to be cautious about such suspicious calls.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/two-people-arrested-for-posing-as-brad-pitt-and-scamming-two-women-of-350000-762230">Also read: Two people arrested for posing as Brad Pitt and scamming two women of $350,000</a></strong><br />
<br />
“Attention Indian nationals in Oman: Beware of calls from spoofed numbers claiming to be from the Embassy,” the embassy said in a notice, which was also posted on its X account.</p>

<p>Indians have reported getting such calls, from numbers such as +180071234.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Gen Z loses the most to online scams, report reveals</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gen-z-loses-the-most-to-online-scams-report-reveals-755202/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>"All Indian nationals are advised that 80071234 is the 24/7 toll-free helpline number for the Community Welfare Wing of the Embassy and is not used for outgoing calls. Any calls from the spoofed number +180071234 are fraudulent,” said the advisory.</p>

<p>"If you receive a suspicious call, please verify the information directly with the Embassy using the official helpline".</p>

<p>Here is the advisory:</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">📢 Important Notice!<br />
<br />
Attention Indian nationals in Oman: Beware of calls from spoofed numbers claiming to be from the Embassy! Please see 👇🏻 <a href="https://t.co/n0yGCQWXxP">pic.twitter.com/n0yGCQWXxP</a></p>
— India in Oman (Embassy of India, Muscat) (@Indemb_Muscat) <a href="https://twitter.com/Indemb_Muscat/status/1838583450946646383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The Oman government has been fighting online and telephone scams. Those who have been victims of such scams can also report to Oman Police emergency helpline at 9999, the Royal Oman Police's Cyber Extortion hotline at 80077444 or send an email to info@rop.gov.om.</p>

<p>This is not the first time that fraudsters pretending to be from the Indian embassy made calls to Indian expatriates, asking for personal information and offering help on various issues in return for payments.</p>

<p>Last June, the embassy issued a similar notice, asking Indians not to entertain calls that "falsely claim association with the embassy and ask for payments related to alleged documentation problems."</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/hong-kong-office-employee-loses-more-than-25-million-after-video-call-with-deepfake-chief-financial-officer-686908">Also read: Hong Kong firm loses over $25mn after employee’s video call with deepfake ‘chief financial officer’, others</a></strong></p>

<p>The Muscat Daily cited an Indian who got one such call, who said the caller "asked for my passport details and requested an update. He said that because of the summers, facilities were now available to update the details online for a fee."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Indians in the Arab nation of Oman are falling victim to scams, leading the country's embassy to issue a warning. Calls are being made from telephone numbers pretending to be from the embassy.

Indians in the Arab nation of Oman are falling victim to scams, leading the country's embassy to issue a warning. Calls are being made from telephone numbers pretending to be from the embassy. The callers assure resolution of issues related to passports and immigration, in return for money. The embassy advisory this week asked Indians to be cautious about such suspicious calls. Also read: Two people arrested for posing as Brad Pitt and scamming two women of $350,000 “Attention Indian nationals in Oman: Beware of calls from spoofed numbers claiming to be from the Embassy,” the embassy said in a notice, which was also posted on its X account. Indians have reported getting such calls, from numbers such as +180071234. Watch: Gen Z loses the most to online scams, report reveals × "All Indian nationals are advised that 80071234 is the 24/7 toll-free helpline number for the Community Welfare Wing of the Embassy and is not used for outgoing calls. Any calls from the spoofed number +180071234 are fraudulent,” said the advisory. "If you receive a suspicious call, please verify the information directly with the Embassy using the official helpline". Here is the advisory: 📢 Important Notice! Attention Indian nationals in Oman: Beware of calls from spoofed numbers claiming to be from the Embassy! Please see 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/n0yGCQWXxP — India in Oman (Embassy of India, Muscat) (@Indemb_Muscat) September 24, 2024 × The Oman government has been fighting online and telephone scams. Those who have been victims of such scams can also report to Oman Police emergency helpline at 9999, the Royal Oman Police's Cyber Extortion hotline at 80077444 or send an email to info@rop.gov.om. This is not the first time that fraudsters pretending to be from the Indian embassy made calls to Indian expatriates, asking for personal information and offering help on various issues in return for payments. Last June, the embassy issued a similar notice, asking Indians not to entertain calls that "falsely claim association with the embassy and ask for payments related to alleged documentation problems." Also read: Hong Kong firm loses over $25mn after employee’s video call with deepfake ‘chief financial officer’, others The Muscat Daily cited an Indian who got one such call, who said the caller "asked for my passport details and requested an update. He said that because of the summers, facilities were now available to update the details online for a fee." (With inputs from agencies)

Oman: Fraudsters targeting Indians, embassy issues warning. What is the scam?

<p>Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, will use the voices of celebrities like legendary British actress Dame Judi Dench and American wrestler-actor John Cena for its artificial intelligence chatbot.</p>

<p>Other AI voice options for users include American actress Kristen Bell as well as actor-comedians Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/openai-cto-mira-murati-2-research-executives-announce-exit-joining-wave-of-high-profile-departures-762067">Also read: OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, 2 research executives announce exit, joining wave of high-profile departures</a></strong><br />
<br />
CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the celebrity chatbots at Meta's annual Connect conference on Wednesday (Sep 25).</p>

<p>Users can opt for one of these five celebrities for the digital assistant of Meta, which is similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT.</p>

<p>Earlier reports had said that Meta offered millions of dollars to several celebrities to be the voice of its AI chatbot.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last week, Zuckerberg shared a video of Cena in the run-up to the chatbot announcement.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAEQq8lvpvD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAEQq8lvpvD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAEQq8lvpvD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAEQq8lvpvD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Mark Zuckerberg (@zuck)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Meta debuted its AI chatbots in September 2023. They had the personalities of model Kendall Jenner and rapper Snoop Dogg, but did not seem to work. Those bots were yanked by the social media giant.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Meta rolls out verified plans in India</strong><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/meta-rolls-out-verified-plans-in-india-741932/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The new voiced chatbots will be launched first in the US and other English-speaking regions.</p>

<p>The celebrity-voiced chatbots will be featured across the Meta apps: WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/you-phone-is-listening-to-your-conversations-firm-working-for-fb-google-confirms-755911">Also read:&nbsp;Your phone is listening to your conversations, firm working for FB, Google confirms</a></p>

<p>Meta's move into the chatbots comes as compensation is intensifying with Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Google parent Alphabet in the field of generative AI.</p>

<p>OpenAI had introduced a similar voiced chatbot this May, but it became controversial after actress Scarlett Johansson complained about it being too similar to her voice, in spite of her having declined to take part in the project.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, will use the voices of celebrities like legendary British actress Dame Judi Dench and American wrestler-actor John Cena for its artificial intelligence chatbot.

Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, will use the voices of celebrities like legendary British actress Dame Judi Dench and American wrestler-actor John Cena for its artificial intelligence chatbot. Other AI voice options for users include American actress Kristen Bell as well as actor-comedians Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key. Also read: OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, 2 research executives announce exit, joining wave of high-profile departures CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the celebrity chatbots at Meta's annual Connect conference on Wednesday (Sep 25). Users can opt for one of these five celebrities for the digital assistant of Meta, which is similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT. Earlier reports had said that Meta offered millions of dollars to several celebrities to be the voice of its AI chatbot. Last week, Zuckerberg shared a video of Cena in the run-up to the chatbot announcement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Zuckerberg (@zuck) × Meta debuted its AI chatbots in September 2023. They had the personalities of model Kendall Jenner and rapper Snoop Dogg, but did not seem to work. Those bots were yanked by the social media giant. Watch: Meta rolls out verified plans in India × The new voiced chatbots will be launched first in the US and other English-speaking regions. The celebrity-voiced chatbots will be featured across the Meta apps: WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram. Also read: Your phone is listening to your conversations, firm working for FB, Google confirms Meta's move into the chatbots comes as compensation is intensifying with Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Google parent Alphabet in the field of generative AI. OpenAI had introduced a similar voiced chatbot this May, but it became controversial after actress Scarlett Johansson complained about it being too similar to her voice, in spite of her having declined to take part in the project. (With inputs from agencies)

Meta launches AI chatbot in voices of Judi Dench, John Cena, other celebrities

<p>A court in Japan on Thursday (Sep 26) acquitted Iwao Hakamata, the world's longest-serving death row inmate, half a century after he was arrested and sentenced to death on the basis of some 'blood-stained cloths' found near the site of the quadruple murders.</p>

<p>Hakamata was sentenced to death over the killings of a senior manager, the manager's wife and two children at the miso factory where he worked. Miso is a local food seasoning of Japan.</p>

<p>The victims were found stabbed to death in 1966 in their house that had been burnt down.&nbsp;Hakamata was arrested in the same year, and his death sentence was finalised in 1980.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjL-dDIr-CIAxVCb2wGHUUrCPMQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-could-get-its-first-female-prime-minister-on-friday-after-the-toss-up-vote-761931" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-could-get-its-first-female-prime-minister-on-friday-after-the-toss-up-vote-761931&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjL-dDIr-CIAxVCb2wGHUUrCPMQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE">Japan could get its first female Prime Minister on Friday after ‘toss-up’ vote</a></strong></p>

<p>The Shizuoka District Court on Thursday said the investigators had fabricated evidence, at the end of the retrial that captured the imagination of the Japanese people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 88-year-old former professional boxer spent nearly five decades as a death row inmate. He was released from prison in 2014 following new evidence. The retrial began in October 2023.</p>

<p>"There were three instances of fabrication of evidence" including five pieces of clothing that Hakamata was alleged to have worn during the incident and his confession, Kyodo news agency quoted the court as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The court also said his confession was forced "by inflicting physical and mental pain," describing his questioning as "inhumane."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjL-dDIr-CIAxVCb2wGHUUrCPMQxfQBKAB6BAgLEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-rises-in-asia-power-index-clinches-third-spot-after-surpassing-japan-761905" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-rises-in-asia-power-index-clinches-third-spot-after-surpassing-japan-761905&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjL-dDIr-CIAxVCb2wGHUUrCPMQxfQBKAB6BAgLEAE">India rises in Asia Power Index, clinches third spot after surpassing Japan</a></strong></p>

<p>The bloodstained cloths, used as evidence against Hakamata, were found in a miso tank near the site of the murders 14 months later.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The defence team said the colour of blood could not remain red in the tank&nbsp;for such a long time. The court agreed to this argument.</p>

<p>In 2023 March, the Tokyo High Court had ordered the retrial, citing the strong possibility of&nbsp;investigators planting the five pieces of clothing.</p>

<p>The high court in 2018 had initially decided not to reopen the case. But&nbsp;the Supreme Court in 2020 ordered it to re-examine its ruling, Kyodo news agency reported.</p>

<p>Hakamada,&nbsp;who maintained his innocence throughout all these years, was helped by his elder sister, Hakamada Hideko.</p>

<p>Hideko, who was 33 at the time of his arrest, was a firm supporter of her brother, appearing in court to support him for all these five decades.</p>

<p>Iwao wrote to his family from prison every day, NHK said in a report.&nbsp; "I am not the culprit. I am screaming every day," he wrote to his mother in 1967, a year after his arrest.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A court in Japan on Thursday (Sep 26) acquitted Iwao Hakamata, the world's longest-serving death row inmate, half a century after he was arrested and sentenced to death on the basis of some 'blood-stained cloths' found near the site of the quadruple murders.

A court in Japan on Thursday (Sep 26) acquitted Iwao Hakamata, the world's longest-serving death row inmate, half a century after he was arrested and sentenced to death on the basis of some 'blood-stained cloths' found near the site of the quadruple murders. Hakamata was sentenced to death over the killings of a senior manager, the manager's wife and two children at the miso factory where he worked. Miso is a local food seasoning of Japan. The victims were found stabbed to death in 1966 in their house that had been burnt down. Hakamata was arrested in the same year, and his death sentence was finalised in 1980. Also read: Japan could get its first female Prime Minister on Friday after ‘toss-up’ vote The Shizuoka District Court on Thursday said the investigators had fabricated evidence, at the end of the retrial that captured the imagination of the Japanese people. The 88-year-old former professional boxer spent nearly five decades as a death row inmate. He was released from prison in 2014 following new evidence. The retrial began in October 2023. "There were three instances of fabrication of evidence" including five pieces of clothing that Hakamata was alleged to have worn during the incident and his confession, Kyodo news agency quoted the court as saying. The court also said his confession was forced "by inflicting physical and mental pain," describing his questioning as "inhumane." Also read: India rises in Asia Power Index, clinches third spot after surpassing Japan The bloodstained cloths, used as evidence against Hakamata, were found in a miso tank near the site of the murders 14 months later. The defence team said the colour of blood could not remain red in the tank for such a long time. The court agreed to this argument. In 2023 March, the Tokyo High Court had ordered the retrial, citing the strong possibility of investigators planting the five pieces of clothing. The high court in 2018 had initially decided not to reopen the case. But the Supreme Court in 2020 ordered it to re-examine its ruling, Kyodo news agency reported. Hakamada, who maintained his innocence throughout all these years, was helped by his elder sister, Hakamada Hideko. Hideko, who was 33 at the time of his arrest, was a firm supporter of her brother, appearing in court to support him for all these five decades. Iwao wrote to his family from prison every day, NHK said in a report. "I am not the culprit. I am screaming every day," he wrote to his mother in 1967, a year after his arrest. (With inputs from agencies)

Iwao Hakamata: World's longest-serving death row inmate declared innocent 50 years after 4 murders

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Vinod Janardhanan

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.