A high-level committee on "One Nation, One Election" under the former Indian president Ram Nath Kovind, as per reports, is slated to meet on Monday (Dec 18).&nbsp;

The committee, as per reports, will review the progress made so far. This includes an appraisal of the responses by political parties on the idea of holding simultaneous polls in India.

<h2>The agenda</h2>

As per news agency PTI, the high-level committee will review progress made till now. Quoting unnamed sources, the report states while no written agenda has been circulated for the "informal" meeting, political parties' responses could be discussed.

It held its inaugural meeting back in September, and a second meeting was held in October.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-external-affairs-minister-jaishankar-to-travel-to-russia-later-this-week-670680">India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to travel to Russia later this week</a>

At the October meeting, members of the committee were informed that letters inviting suggestions on One Nation One Election had been sent to six national, 33 states and seven registered unrecognised parties.

The panel later sent a reminder to the parties asking for their response.

Previously, the committee has also heard the views of the Law Commission of India on simultaneous polls in the country. The presentation was made by the law commission's Chairperson Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Professor&nbsp;(Dr) Anand Paliwal Member and Member Secretary Khetrabasi Biswal.

The law panel could be called again on the issue.

<h2>What is One Nation, One Election?</h2>

One Nation, One Election pertains to the idea that in India, elections to the lower house of Parliament - Lok Sabha - and state Assembly polls could be held simultaneously across the nation. This includes the possibility that voting could be held around the same time.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jinping-will-not-forget-former-indian-coas-recounts-2020-galwan-clash-in-his-memoir-670698">‘Jinping will not forget,’ former Indian Army chief recounts 2020 Galwan clash in his memoir</a>

In India, until 1967, this was the norm. However, when several state assemblies were dissolved prematurely in 1968-69, it led to different polling cycles in those states.

Subsequently, in 1970, the then Lok Sabha was dissolved a year ahead of schedule, and mid-elections were held in 1971.

In 1983, the Election Commission (EC) recommended going back to the exercise of simultaneous elections. However, to date, only polls in four states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, are held alongside the Lok Sabha elections.

(With inputs from agencies)

A high-level committee on "One Nation, One Election" under the former Indian president Ram Nath Kovind, as per reports, is slated to meet on Monday (Dec 18). The committee, as per reports, will review the progress made so far.

A high-level committee on "One Nation, One Election" under the former Indian president Ram Nath Kovind, as per reports, is slated to meet on Monday (Dec 18). The committee, as per reports, will review the progress made so far. This includes an appraisal of the responses by political parties on the idea of holding simultaneous polls in India. The agenda As per news agency PTI, the high-level committee will review progress made till now. Quoting unnamed sources, the report states while no written agenda has been circulated for the "informal" meeting, political parties' responses could be discussed. It held its inaugural meeting back in September, and a second meeting was held in October. Also read | India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to travel to Russia later this week At the October meeting, members of the committee were informed that letters inviting suggestions on One Nation One Election had been sent to six national, 33 states and seven registered unrecognised parties. The panel later sent a reminder to the parties asking for their response. Previously, the committee has also heard the views of the Law Commission of India on simultaneous polls in the country. The presentation was made by the law commission's Chairperson Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Professor (Dr) Anand Paliwal Member and Member Secretary Khetrabasi Biswal. The law panel could be called again on the issue. What is One Nation, One Election? One Nation, One Election pertains to the idea that in India, elections to the lower house of Parliament - Lok Sabha - and state Assembly polls could be held simultaneously across the nation. This includes the possibility that voting could be held around the same time. Also read | ‘Jinping will not forget,’ former Indian Army chief recounts 2020 Galwan clash in his memoir In India, until 1967, this was the norm. However, when several state assemblies were dissolved prematurely in 1968-69, it led to different polling cycles in those states. Subsequently, in 1970, the then Lok Sabha was dissolved a year ahead of schedule, and mid-elections were held in 1971. In 1983, the Election Commission (EC) recommended going back to the exercise of simultaneous elections. However, to date, only polls in four states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, are held alongside the Lok Sabha elections. (With inputs from agencies)

India: High-level committee on 'One Nation, One Election' to assess progress

In the aftermath of former Tropical Cyclone Jasper, heavy rain has triggered floods, cutting off tourist-popular towns in Australia's northeast along the Great Barrier Reef.&nbsp;

The region has witnessed severe flooding, forcing evacuations and leaving residents stranded on rooftops due to rapidly rising rivers. On Monday, a crocodile, as per reports, was captured out of a storm drain, before being spotted in the middle of Queensland's residential area.

<h2>Worst natural disaster</h2>

Talking to ABC Television, Queensland state Premier Steven Miles expressed concern, stating, "We see a lot of natural disasters, and this is just about the worst I can remember."&nbsp;

"The problem is the rain won't stop and until it eases up, we can't get aerial support into remote places," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-rain-floods-batter-cyclone-hit-tamil-nadu-school-colleges-shut-down-in-some-parts-670761">India: Rain, floods batter cyclone-hit Tamil Nadu; schools, colleges shut down in some parts</a>

Jasper, now downgraded to a tropical low, caused significant damage across the state last week.

The town of Ingham, with a population of around 5,000, experienced extensive flooding.&nbsp;Conservation officials even captured&nbsp;a 2.8-metre (9-foot) crocodile in a storm drain near a gas station.&nbsp;

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Peak Aussie content here 🐊 A big crocodile has been spotted in a swollen drain in the centre of Ingham, a North Queensland town currently cut off by floodwaters. Filmed by <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abcnews</a> reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/ChloeChomicki?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChloeChomicki</a>, who is isolated like everyone else in town. <a href="https://t.co/LSg5ODkpIF">pic.twitter.com/LSg5ODkpIF</a>
— Siobhan Heanue (@siobhanheanue) <a href="https://twitter.com/siobhanheanue/status/1736516228083294526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Crocodile sightings in north Queensland are not uncommon in rural areas like rivers, lagoons, and swamps, but finding one in a storm drain is unusual.

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Croc update 🐊 Wildlife rangers, with muscle from some rather brave local police, have trapped and relocated the crocodile which was swimming in floodwaters in the middle of the North Queensland town of Ingham. 🎥 from <a href="https://twitter.com/ChloeChomicki?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChloeChomicki</a> for <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abcnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/C0iioC0l1X">pic.twitter.com/C0iioC0l1X</a>
— Siobhan Heanue (@siobhanheanue) <a href="https://twitter.com/siobhanheanue/status/1736543587737952343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Cairns, a key town serving as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and home to over 150,000 people, received approximately 600 mm (around 24 inches) of rain in just 40 hours through Monday, surpassing the December mean of 182 mm (7.17 inches) by more than triple.&nbsp;

The Cairns airport faced disruptions, with all flights cancelled or postponed, and images on social media showed planes partially submerged on the tarmac. Despite efforts to drain water, the airport struggled to cope with the volume.

<h2>Breaking records</h2>

Major flood warnings have been issued, with rivers expected to break records dating back to 1977.&nbsp;

The region is expected to face more rain as Jasper persists through Monday, with forecasts suggesting up to 300 mm (12 inches) of rain within six hours in some areas.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-car-slams-into-joe-bidens-motorcade-startling-security-officials-670701">Watch: Biden left shell-shocked as car rams into his motorcade right in front of him</a>

The impact of the floods has extended to power outages, affecting over 14,000 properties across the region.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that defence forces are on standby to initiate rescue and relief efforts. This extreme weather event comes as Australia grapples with an El Niño weather phenomenon, contributing to diverse weather extremes, from floods in the northeast to bushfire alerts in the southeast, where temperatures in some Sydney suburbs are anticipated to surpass 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

(With inputs from agencies)

In the aftermath of former Tropical Cyclone Jasper, heavy rain has triggered floods, cutting off tourist-popular towns in Australia's northeast along the Great Barrier Reef.

In the aftermath of former Tropical Cyclone Jasper, heavy rain has triggered floods, cutting off tourist-popular towns in Australia's northeast along the Great Barrier Reef. The region has witnessed severe flooding, forcing evacuations and leaving residents stranded on rooftops due to rapidly rising rivers. On Monday, a crocodile, as per reports, was captured out of a storm drain, before being spotted in the middle of Queensland's residential area. Worst natural disaster Talking to ABC Television, Queensland state Premier Steven Miles expressed concern, stating, "We see a lot of natural disasters, and this is just about the worst I can remember." "The problem is the rain won't stop and until it eases up, we can't get aerial support into remote places," he said. Also read | India: Rain, floods batter cyclone-hit Tamil Nadu; schools, colleges shut down in some parts Jasper, now downgraded to a tropical low, caused significant damage across the state last week. The town of Ingham, with a population of around 5,000, experienced extensive flooding. Conservation officials even captured a 2.8-metre (9-foot) crocodile in a storm drain near a gas station. Peak Aussie content here 🐊 A big crocodile has been spotted in a swollen drain in the centre of Ingham, a North Queensland town currently cut off by floodwaters. Filmed by @abcnews reporter @ChloeChomicki, who is isolated like everyone else in town. pic.twitter.com/LSg5ODkpIF — Siobhan Heanue (@siobhanheanue) December 17, 2023 × Crocodile sightings in north Queensland are not uncommon in rural areas like rivers, lagoons, and swamps, but finding one in a storm drain is unusual. Croc update 🐊 Wildlife rangers, with muscle from some rather brave local police, have trapped and relocated the crocodile which was swimming in floodwaters in the middle of the North Queensland town of Ingham. 🎥 from @ChloeChomicki for @abcnews pic.twitter.com/C0iioC0l1X — Siobhan Heanue (@siobhanheanue) December 18, 2023 × Cairns, a key town serving as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and home to over 150,000 people, received approximately 600 mm (around 24 inches) of rain in just 40 hours through Monday, surpassing the December mean of 182 mm (7.17 inches) by more than triple. The Cairns airport faced disruptions, with all flights cancelled or postponed, and images on social media showed planes partially submerged on the tarmac. Despite efforts to drain water, the airport struggled to cope with the volume. Breaking records Major flood warnings have been issued, with rivers expected to break records dating back to 1977. The region is expected to face more rain as Jasper persists through Monday, with forecasts suggesting up to 300 mm (12 inches) of rain within six hours in some areas. Also read | Watch: Biden left shell-shocked as car rams into his motorcade right in front of him The impact of the floods has extended to power outages, affecting over 14,000 properties across the region. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that defence forces are on standby to initiate rescue and relief efforts. This extreme weather event comes as Australia grapples with an El Niño weather phenomenon, contributing to diverse weather extremes, from floods in the northeast to bushfire alerts in the southeast, where temperatures in some Sydney suburbs are anticipated to surpass 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). (With inputs from agencies)

'Just about the worst': Cyclone Jasper brings heavy rains, flooding and crocodiles to Queensland. Watch!

Over 100 individuals in China were injured on Thursday evening, as carriages disconnected from a train on a bustling commuter line in Beijing.

As per the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, initial investigations have revealed that the train executed an emergency stop following a signal downgrade.&nbsp;

<h2>How did the accident happen?</h2>

In a statement on Friday, the commission said that the sloping terrain, coupled with icy rails, led to the carriages slipping and colliding.&nbsp;

As of Friday morning, 67 people had been hospitalised, with 25 of them kept under observation. A total of 515 individuals were sent to the hospital for medical attention. 102 had bone fractures.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-three-found-guilty-of-caroline-glachan-murder-that-took-place-27-years-ago-669809">UK: Three found guilty of Caroline Glachan murder that took place 27 years ago</a>

The South China Morning Pots (SCMP) reports that the accident on the Changping line, which serves Beijing's northern region, occurred at about 7 pm (local time).

According to the subway authorities, the conductor rail lost electricity on part of the line, which lead to sudden stoppages and delays for other trains. The cause of the power failure is yet unknown.

<h2>Line to operate as usual</h2>

Beijing Subway in a statement said that the Changping line, where the accident happened, has resumed operations with shuttle buses between Xierqi and Zhuxinzhuang, the affected stations.

"Most of the line will operate as usual on Friday and passengers will be able to change to Line 8 and Line 13 to travel to the central part of the city," stated subway authorities.&nbsp;

To ensure safety amid severe weather, fewer trains will operate at slower speeds, added the statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-black-people-immoderately-stopped-checked-by-toronto-police-finds-report-669796">Canada: Black people immoderately stopped, checked by Toronto police, finds report</a>

<h2>'My train broke in two'</h2>

Videos shared online show a stranded carriage packed with people.

On China's social media platform Weibo, pictures of passengers continuing their journey on foot along icy roads were posted with comments like "My train broke in two" accompanying the images.&nbsp;

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🚨 Beijing metro collision on Thursday left 102 people with fractures. A total of 515 individuals were sent to the hospital for examination after the last two train cars separated.: CCTV<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#China</a> <a href="https://t.co/XJ40k73DIV">pic.twitter.com/XJ40k73DIV</a>
— QuickUpdate (@BigBreakingWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigBreakingWire/status/1735584934381908030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2>China's weather woes</h2>

Recent days have seen northern China grappling with a heavy snowstorm, prompting authorities to advise residents in the Chinese capital to stay indoors. This, as per the SCMP report, has also resulted in the closure of schools and outdoor facilities.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Over 100 individuals in China were injured on Thursday evening, as carriages disconnected from a train on a bustling commuter line in Beijing. As per the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, initial investigations have revealed that the train executed an emergency stop following a signal downgrade.

Over 100 individuals in China were injured on Thursday evening, as carriages disconnected from a train on a bustling commuter line in Beijing. As per the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, initial investigations have revealed that the train executed an emergency stop following a signal downgrade. How did the accident happen? In a statement on Friday, the commission said that the sloping terrain, coupled with icy rails, led to the carriages slipping and colliding. As of Friday morning, 67 people had been hospitalised, with 25 of them kept under observation. A total of 515 individuals were sent to the hospital for medical attention. 102 had bone fractures. Also read | UK: Three found guilty of Caroline Glachan murder that took place 27 years ago The South China Morning Pots (SCMP) reports that the accident on the Changping line, which serves Beijing's northern region, occurred at about 7 pm (local time). According to the subway authorities, the conductor rail lost electricity on part of the line, which lead to sudden stoppages and delays for other trains. The cause of the power failure is yet unknown. Line to operate as usual Beijing Subway in a statement said that the Changping line, where the accident happened, has resumed operations with shuttle buses between Xierqi and Zhuxinzhuang, the affected stations. "Most of the line will operate as usual on Friday and passengers will be able to change to Line 8 and Line 13 to travel to the central part of the city," stated subway authorities. To ensure safety amid severe weather, fewer trains will operate at slower speeds, added the statement. Also read | Canada: Black people immoderately stopped, checked by Toronto police, finds report 'My train broke in two' Videos shared online show a stranded carriage packed with people. On China's social media platform Weibo, pictures of passengers continuing their journey on foot along icy roads were posted with comments like "My train broke in two" accompanying the images. 🚨 Beijing metro collision on Thursday left 102 people with fractures. A total of 515 individuals were sent to the hospital for examination after the last two train cars separated.: CCTV#China pic.twitter.com/XJ40k73DIV — QuickUpdate (@BigBreakingWire) December 15, 2023 × China's weather woes Recent days have seen northern China grappling with a heavy snowstorm, prompting authorities to advise residents in the Chinese capital to stay indoors. This, as per the SCMP report, has also resulted in the closure of schools and outdoor facilities. (With inputs from agencies)

'My train broke in two': Over 100 injured as carriages detach from train owing to icy tracks in Beijing

The Royal Mint, the United Kingdom's coin producer, has introduced a new series of&nbsp;coins featuring the once mighty overlords that ruled the Earth before humans: Dinosaurs.&nbsp;

Its new series of collectable 50p coins showcase dinosaur species.

<h2>'Tales of Earth'</h2>

The coins have been released in partnership with the United Kingdom's Natural History Museum.

The first coin of this series features the apex predator Tyrannosaurus Rex, aka&nbsp;T-rex.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-giant-blue-dragon-monster-haunted-prehistoric-waters-of-the-pacific-ocean-72-million-years-ago-669185">A giant blue dragon mosasaur roamed the Pacific waters 72 million years ago</a>

This collection comes in&nbsp;three parts. It has two more coins, one of which will display the Stegosaurus, and a third one will have Diplodocus.

Prices of the coin start at £11 ($13.90), and the most expensive join in this collection is the Gold Proof Coin carrying the price tag of £1,220 ($1541.51). The coins are available for purchase on the Royal Mint website.

<h2>The Dinosaurs&nbsp;</h2>

This collection, as per Reuters, is the first time the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex has been depicted on a UK fifty pence. It is the only carnivore dinosaur featured in this collection. The other two — Stegosaurus and Diplodocus, are both herbivores.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/awfulbut-thats-what-happens-in-war-israelis-want-hamas-crushed-despite-gaza-casualties-669472">'Awful...but that's what happens in war': Israelis want Hamas crushed despite Gaza casualties</a>

Paleo-artist Robert Nicholls is behind the design of these coins, which was done in collaboration with the Natural History Museum's Professor Paul Barrett.

The coin designs, as per the news agency, offer accurate reconstructions of the dinosaurs and their habitats, based on current understanding. To bring the huge creatures to life, some coins will even feature colours.&nbsp;

<h2>Design challenges</h2>

Talking to Reuters, Nicholls explained that the designs were constructed from the inside out, focusing on getting their anatomy and proportions right. However, featuring such large creatures on the small 50p coins was a challenge.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/killer-instinct-cats-kill-more-than-2000-species-globally-triggers-conservation-concern-669256">Killer instinct: Cats kill more than 2,000 species globally, trigger conservation concern</a>

"T-rex is a very big animal and trying to make something that big look large on such a small coin is a real challenge. So what I did with T-rex was to make sure we were looking up at the animal so that helps give it a sense if scale, make it look large which is difficult to do on such a small coin," he said.

"So the unique challenge for the diplodocus coin was fitting an animal so long, with such a long tail and long neck, into essentially a round shape. That was really difficult to overcome. So I managed to do it by using forced perspective and bringing the head towards us and twisting the tail away from us."

(With inputs from agencies)

The Royal Mint, the United Kingdom's coin producer, has introduced a new series of coins featuring the once mighty overlords that ruled the Earth before humans: Dinosaurs.

The Royal Mint, the United Kingdom's coin producer, has introduced a new series of coins featuring the once mighty overlords that ruled the Earth before humans: Dinosaurs. Its new series of collectable 50p coins showcase dinosaur species. 'Tales of Earth' The coins have been released in partnership with the United Kingdom's Natural History Museum. The first coin of this series features the apex predator Tyrannosaurus Rex, aka T-rex. Also read | A giant blue dragon mosasaur roamed the Pacific waters 72 million years ago This collection comes in three parts. It has two more coins, one of which will display the Stegosaurus, and a third one will have Diplodocus. Prices of the coin start at £11 ($13.90), and the most expensive join in this collection is the Gold Proof Coin carrying the price tag of £1,220 ($1541.51). The coins are available for purchase on the Royal Mint website. The Dinosaurs This collection, as per Reuters, is the first time the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex has been depicted on a UK fifty pence. It is the only carnivore dinosaur featured in this collection. The other two — Stegosaurus and Diplodocus, are both herbivores. Also read | 'Awful...but that's what happens in war': Israelis want Hamas crushed despite Gaza casualties Paleo-artist Robert Nicholls is behind the design of these coins, which was done in collaboration with the Natural History Museum's Professor Paul Barrett. The coin designs, as per the news agency, offer accurate reconstructions of the dinosaurs and their habitats, based on current understanding. To bring the huge creatures to life, some coins will even feature colours. Design challenges Talking to Reuters, Nicholls explained that the designs were constructed from the inside out, focusing on getting their anatomy and proportions right. However, featuring such large creatures on the small 50p coins was a challenge. Also read | Killer instinct: Cats kill more than 2,000 species globally, trigger conservation concern "T-rex is a very big animal and trying to make something that big look large on such a small coin is a real challenge. So what I did with T-rex was to make sure we were looking up at the animal so that helps give it a sense if scale, make it look large which is difficult to do on such a small coin," he said. "So the unique challenge for the diplodocus coin was fitting an animal so long, with such a long tail and long neck, into essentially a round shape. That was really difficult to overcome. So I managed to do it by using forced perspective and bringing the head towards us and twisting the tail away from us." (With inputs from agencies)

Prehistoric Pounds: UK Royal Mint's dinosaur 50p coin series takes a leap into the past

Meta Platforms used thousands of pirated books to train its AI models, alleges a new copyright lawsuit filed on Monday (Dec 11) night.&nbsp;

The tech giant reportedly did this despite warnings from their lawyers about the legal peril of doing so. The lawsuit as per Reuters was initially brought this summer.

<h2>Skipping permissions</h2>

Monday's filing consolidates two separate lawsuits brought against Facebook and Instagram by comedian Sarah Silverman, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon and other prominent authors. They allege that Meta has used their works to train its artificial intelligence language model, Llama, without permission.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/epic-games-epic-win-jury-finds-google-guilty-of-monopolistic-practices-in-antitrust-trial-668853">Epic Games' 'epic' win: Jury finds Google guilty of monopolistic practices in antitrust trial</a>

Previously, their claims also said that the AI model's output also violates their copyrights. However, in November, US District Judge Vince Chhabri criticised the claim that the text generated by Llama copies or resembles the author's work. Dismissing the claim, Chhabri allowed the authors to amend most of their claims.&nbsp;

As evidence, the authors have submitted Discord chat logs of a Meta-affiliated researcher, who can be seen discussing the procurement of the dataset. This, as per the news agency, can be a potentially significant piece of evidence that could prove that Meta knew that its use of the books may not be protected by US copyright law.

<h2>What is there in the chat logs?</h2>

In the chat logs, as quoted in the complaint, researcher Tim Dettmers, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, describes his back-and-forth with Meta's legal department. In it, he talks about whether the use of book files as training data would be "legally OK".

"At Facebook, there are a lot of people interested in working with (T)he (P)ile, including myself, but in its current form, we are unable to use it for legal reasons," Dettmers wrote in 2021.&nbsp;

Here, The Pile refers to an open-source language modelling data set Meta has acknowledged it was using to train its first version of Llama.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-to-ban-use-of-ai-biometric-surveillance-by-police-without-judicial-authorisation-report-668888">EU to ban use of AI biometric surveillance by police without judicial authorisation: Report</a>

According to the complaint, a month before this, Dettmers wrote that Meta lawyers told him "the data cannot be used or models cannot be published if they are trained on that data."

Here, the researcher refrains from describing the specific concerns voiced by lawyers, however, his counterpart makes mention of "books with active copyrights," and says they are the biggest likely source of worry. They also say that training on the data should "fall under fair use."

As per the US Copyright Office, the fair use doctrine allows for the use of "limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports".

<h2>Llama</h2>

Llama is Meta's large language model (LLM). The tech giant released its first version in February 2023. At the time, it published a list of datasets used to train the language model. The list included "the Books3 section of ThePile," which, as per the complaint quoting the person who assembled the dataset, contains 196,640 books.

A second version, dubbed Llama 2 was made available for commercial use this summer. It is free for use for companies with monthly active users of less than 700 million.

<h2>AI and copyrights</h2>

As Artificial Intelligence drives a craze, artists across art forms have come forward alleging unlawful use of their content. In 2023, big tech companies were met with a slew of lawsuits that accuse them of ripping-off copyright protected works. IF successful, these lawsuits would not only generate significant compensation for the content creators, but also drive up the cost of building the data dependent models, somewhat dampening the generative AI craze.

 
&nbsp;

Meta Platforms used thousands of pirated books to train its AI models, alleges a new copyright lawsuit filed on Monday (Dec 11) night. The tech giant reportedly did this despite warnings from their lawyers about the legal peril of doing so.

Meta Platforms used thousands of pirated books to train its AI models, alleges a new copyright lawsuit filed on Monday (Dec 11) night. The tech giant reportedly did this despite warnings from their lawyers about the legal peril of doing so. The lawsuit as per Reuters was initially brought this summer. Skipping permissions Monday's filing consolidates two separate lawsuits brought against Facebook and Instagram by comedian Sarah Silverman, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon and other prominent authors. They allege that Meta has used their works to train its artificial intelligence language model, Llama, without permission. Also read | Epic Games' 'epic' win: Jury finds Google guilty of monopolistic practices in antitrust trial Previously, their claims also said that the AI model's output also violates their copyrights. However, in November, US District Judge Vince Chhabri criticised the claim that the text generated by Llama copies or resembles the author's work. Dismissing the claim, Chhabri allowed the authors to amend most of their claims. As evidence, the authors have submitted Discord chat logs of a Meta-affiliated researcher, who can be seen discussing the procurement of the dataset. This, as per the news agency, can be a potentially significant piece of evidence that could prove that Meta knew that its use of the books may not be protected by US copyright law. What is there in the chat logs? In the chat logs, as quoted in the complaint, researcher Tim Dettmers, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, describes his back-and-forth with Meta's legal department. In it, he talks about whether the use of book files as training data would be "legally OK". "At Facebook, there are a lot of people interested in working with (T)he (P)ile, including myself, but in its current form, we are unable to use it for legal reasons," Dettmers wrote in 2021. Here, The Pile refers to an open-source language modelling data set Meta has acknowledged it was using to train its first version of Llama. Also read | EU to ban use of AI biometric surveillance by police without judicial authorisation: Report According to the complaint, a month before this, Dettmers wrote that Meta lawyers told him "the data cannot be used or models cannot be published if they are trained on that data." Here, the researcher refrains from describing the specific concerns voiced by lawyers, however, his counterpart makes mention of "books with active copyrights," and says they are the biggest likely source of worry. They also say that training on the data should "fall under fair use." As per the US Copyright Office, the fair use doctrine allows for the use of "limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports". Llama Llama is Meta's large language model (LLM). The tech giant released its first version in February 2023. At the time, it published a list of datasets used to train the language model. The list included "the Books3 section of ThePile," which, as per the complaint quoting the person who assembled the dataset, contains 196,640 books. A second version, dubbed Llama 2 was made available for commercial use this summer. It is free for use for companies with monthly active users of less than 700 million. AI and copyrights As Artificial Intelligence drives a craze, artists across art forms have come forward alleging unlawful use of their content. In 2023, big tech companies were met with a slew of lawsuits that accuse them of ripping-off copyright protected works. IF successful, these lawsuits would not only generate significant compensation for the content creators, but also drive up the cost of building the data dependent models, somewhat dampening the generative AI craze.

Meta flouted copyrights to train its AI 'Llama' despite warning from lawyers, claims lawsuit by authors

The atmospheric drama of a red sprite is often accompanied by a green ghostly glow if you only look close enough to spot it.

Colloquially dubbed as "mesospheric ghosts," this phenomenon have been observed in last few years. But, till date, it had puzzled the scientific community. However, now, a study has an explanation that may tell us how these 'green ghosts' are formed.

<h2>Sprites and ghosts</h2>

As per Astronomy, high up in the atmosphere, near the edge of space, sometimes, before a thunderstorm evaporates away, a dazzling flash of red appears briefly. These are called sprites and have been properly observed in the last few years.&nbsp;

Since 2019, scientists discovered that one in 100 sprites, which fall under the umbrella of transient luminous events (TLEs) is accompanied by an elusive, mysterious 'green ghost'.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-giant-blue-dragon-monster-haunted-prehistoric-waters-of-the-pacific-ocean-72-million-years-ago-669185">This giant 'blue dragon' monster haunted prehistoric waters of the Pacific Ocean 72 million years ago</a>

Writing in Nature Communications, study author María Passas-Varo said: "TLEs are generated as a result of the intense electrical activity associated with lightning discharges."

These happen in the mesosphere, Earth's layer of atmosphere that extends from about 31 to 53 miles (50 to 85 kilometres) above ground and is located above the stratosphere.

Passas-Varo, a space scientist at the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia in Spain, explains that "the specific type of TLE that forms depends on factors such as the altitude, the type of lightning discharge, and the characteristics of the atmospheric layers involved."

<h2>What they found</h2>

The scientist and her team spent more than four years&nbsp;gathering data of around 2,000 sprites to determine which elements or atmosphere are responsible for the unique hue of these 'green ghosts'.

Using an instrument called the Granada Sprite Spectrograph and Polarimeter, or GRASSP, they examined the light from sprites.&nbsp;

"To record these rare phenomena, you have to aim the spectrograph … at the altitude where the ghost is likely to appear, which becomes a matter of luck combined with expertise," says Passas-Varo.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-on-anniversary-of-orions-historic-return-to-earth-nasa-shared-its-fiery-reentry-video-669159">Watch | NASA video shows Orion re-entering Earth at 32 times the speed of sound</a>

"In almost four years of recording, from more than 2,000 spectra, we have just 42 spectra from the top of a sprite," she said, adding that out of those, only one, which occurred Sept 21, 2019, was a strong enough signal to study.

What they found was a surprise. As per Astronomy, the researchers found that metals like iron and nickel are located high up in the atmosphere, much higher than they expected to find them.

This study lays the groundwork for future atmospheric research by providing a rare, yet valuable glimpse into the mesosphere. There's "still a lot of work to do," says María Passas-Varo.

(With inputs from agencies)

The atmospheric drama of a red sprite is often accompanied by a green ghostly glow if you only look close enough to spot it. Colloquially dubbed as "mesospheric ghosts," this phenomenon have been observed in last few years.

The atmospheric drama of a red sprite is often accompanied by a green ghostly glow if you only look close enough to spot it. Colloquially dubbed as "mesospheric ghosts," this phenomenon have been observed in last few years. But, till date, it had puzzled the scientific community. However, now, a study has an explanation that may tell us how these 'green ghosts' are formed. Sprites and ghosts As per Astronomy, high up in the atmosphere, near the edge of space, sometimes, before a thunderstorm evaporates away, a dazzling flash of red appears briefly. These are called sprites and have been properly observed in the last few years. Since 2019, scientists discovered that one in 100 sprites, which fall under the umbrella of transient luminous events (TLEs) is accompanied by an elusive, mysterious 'green ghost'. Also read | This giant 'blue dragon' monster haunted prehistoric waters of the Pacific Ocean 72 million years ago Writing in Nature Communications, study author María Passas-Varo said: "TLEs are generated as a result of the intense electrical activity associated with lightning discharges." These happen in the mesosphere, Earth's layer of atmosphere that extends from about 31 to 53 miles (50 to 85 kilometres) above ground and is located above the stratosphere. Passas-Varo, a space scientist at the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia in Spain, explains that "the specific type of TLE that forms depends on factors such as the altitude, the type of lightning discharge, and the characteristics of the atmospheric layers involved." What they found The scientist and her team spent more than four years gathering data of around 2,000 sprites to determine which elements or atmosphere are responsible for the unique hue of these 'green ghosts'. Using an instrument called the Granada Sprite Spectrograph and Polarimeter, or GRASSP, they examined the light from sprites. "To record these rare phenomena, you have to aim the spectrograph … at the altitude where the ghost is likely to appear, which becomes a matter of luck combined with expertise," says Passas-Varo. Also read | Watch | NASA video shows Orion re-entering Earth at 32 times the speed of sound "In almost four years of recording, from more than 2,000 spectra, we have just 42 spectra from the top of a sprite," she said, adding that out of those, only one, which occurred Sept 21, 2019, was a strong enough signal to study. What they found was a surprise. As per Astronomy, the researchers found that metals like iron and nickel are located high up in the atmosphere, much higher than they expected to find them. This study lays the groundwork for future atmospheric research by providing a rare, yet valuable glimpse into the mesosphere. There's "still a lot of work to do," says María Passas-Varo. (With inputs from agencies)

How are atmospheric 'green ghosts' formed? We might finally have an answer

The poor in the United Kingdom are wrestling with the same hardships they were facing 15 years ago. As per a new report by&nbsp;the Centre for Social Justice, an independent think-tank, there’s a “yawning gap between those who can get by and those stuck at the bottom”.

<h2>Divide despite wealth</h2>

In a 300-page report published on Sunday, the think tank showed evidence of a deep divide in Britain.&nbsp;

As per CNN, it shows that the nation's economic stagnation has made tackling poverty harder. Furthermore, the cost-of-living crisis has made hardships experienced by those least well-off harder.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/your-anxiety-is-lying-to-you-saying-no-to-plans-isnt-all-that-bad-finds-study-668806">Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study</a>

Sophia Worringer, Deputy Policy Director at the Centre for Social Justice, emphasised the stark contrast and said, "We have uncovered a nation of two halves."&nbsp;

"The general public for the most part can get by, and then there is this cohort of people whose lives are marked by family breakdown, physical and mental ill-health; who live in crime-ridden communities and experience multiple barriers to work."

<h2>Echoes of the Victorian Age</h2>

The think tank warns that the UK is "sliding back into the two nations of the Victorian era, marked by a widening gulf between mainstream society and a… poverty-stricken underclass."

Drawing parallels between the current situation and the Victorian Age, it says that the modern Britain is becoming similarly "entrenched" with extreme social inequality marked by poverty, family breakdown, joblessness, addiction, educational failure and more.&nbsp;

<h2>Stagnant wages, pandemic and more</h2>

"For too many, Britain is broken and the gap between the haves and have-nots is in danger of becoming a chasm," says the report's foreword, signed by Mervyn King, a former Bank of England governor, and others.

The report points out that average weekly wages in Britain have remained more or less the same since the 2008 financial crisis.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/epic-games-epic-win-jury-finds-google-guilty-of-monopolistic-practices-in-antitrust-trial-668853">Epic Games' 'epic' win: Jury finds Google guilty of monopolistic practices in antitrust trial</a>

Furthermore, the pandemic lockdowns worsened key drivers of poverty, and had a "catastrophic effect on the nation’s social fabric."

During lockdowns, domestic abuse helpline calls surged by 700 per cent, and mental health issues escalated, especially among young people.

"One in 5 young people were left facing mental health challenges after the pandemic."

It also found that severe school absence increased by 134 per cent, while welfare payments rose significantly to 1.2 million people availing it.&nbsp;

The report warns that if the current trend continues, by 2030, a quarter of children between the ages of five and 15 will suffer from a mental health disorder. 
&nbsp; 
Authors of the report, as per CNN, are working on "an ambitious suite of policy recommendations" which will be released next spring to help tackle "the root causes of poverty". Without a strategy to do so, "our future is looking very poor," warned Worringer.

(With inputs from agencies)

The poor in the United Kingdom are wrestling with the same hardships they were facing 15 years ago. As per a new report by the Centre for Social Justice, an independent think-tank, there’s a “yawning gap between those who can get by and those stuck at the bottom”.

The poor in the United Kingdom are wrestling with the same hardships they were facing 15 years ago. As per a new report by the Centre for Social Justice, an independent think-tank, there’s a “yawning gap between those who can get by and those stuck at the bottom”. Divide despite wealth In a 300-page report published on Sunday, the think tank showed evidence of a deep divide in Britain. As per CNN, it shows that the nation's economic stagnation has made tackling poverty harder. Furthermore, the cost-of-living crisis has made hardships experienced by those least well-off harder. Also read | Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study Sophia Worringer, Deputy Policy Director at the Centre for Social Justice, emphasised the stark contrast and said, "We have uncovered a nation of two halves." "The general public for the most part can get by, and then there is this cohort of people whose lives are marked by family breakdown, physical and mental ill-health; who live in crime-ridden communities and experience multiple barriers to work." Echoes of the Victorian Age The think tank warns that the UK is "sliding back into the two nations of the Victorian era, marked by a widening gulf between mainstream society and a… poverty-stricken underclass." Drawing parallels between the current situation and the Victorian Age, it says that the modern Britain is becoming similarly "entrenched" with extreme social inequality marked by poverty, family breakdown, joblessness, addiction, educational failure and more. Stagnant wages, pandemic and more "For too many, Britain is broken and the gap between the haves and have-nots is in danger of becoming a chasm," says the report's foreword, signed by Mervyn King, a former Bank of England governor, and others. The report points out that average weekly wages in Britain have remained more or less the same since the 2008 financial crisis. Also read | Epic Games' 'epic' win: Jury finds Google guilty of monopolistic practices in antitrust trial Furthermore, the pandemic lockdowns worsened key drivers of poverty, and had a "catastrophic effect on the nation’s social fabric." During lockdowns, domestic abuse helpline calls surged by 700 per cent, and mental health issues escalated, especially among young people. "One in 5 young people were left facing mental health challenges after the pandemic." It also found that severe school absence increased by 134 per cent, while welfare payments rose significantly to 1.2 million people availing it. The report warns that if the current trend continues, by 2030, a quarter of children between the ages of five and 15 will suffer from a mental health disorder. Authors of the report, as per CNN, are working on "an ambitious suite of policy recommendations" which will be released next spring to help tackle "the root causes of poverty". Without a strategy to do so, "our future is looking very poor," warned Worringer. (With inputs from agencies)

‘A nation of two halves’: UK’s persistent wealth inequality, poverty pushing it back into Victorian era

Fortnite maker Epic Games has won&nbsp;its high-profile antitrust trial against Alphabet's Google. On Monday, the Jury in the case decided that Google wields an illegal monopoly through its Play app store. Google said that it would appeal. However, the ruling could upend the entire app store economy if it holds.

<h2>The case</h2>

Back in 2020, Epic sued both Google and Apple. It accused the tech titans of abusing their control of the Play Store and App Store, their respective online shops for selling apps.

It also accused Google of taking action to quash competitors and charging unduly high "tax" fees of up to 30 per cent to app developers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/ai-to-determine-if-the-person-watching-porn-is-too-young-heres-how-667162">AI to determine if the person watching porn is too young. Here's how</a>

As per Reuters, among the more sensational allegations was that&nbsp;to conceal its anti-competitive behaviour, Google had a system for deleting texts and internal messages.&nbsp;

Jurors found Google guilty of various illegal strategies to maintain its app store monopoly on Android phones.

If the ruling holds, it has the potential to give developers more sway over how their apps are distributed and how they profit from them.

<h2>Google to Appeal&nbsp;</h2>

The ruling marks a stunning, albeit rare, defeat for Google, which alongside Apple operates one of the world's largest app stores.&nbsp;

Following it, Google said that it would seek rectification via an appeal.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/taken-our-time-to-get-this-right-meta-to-roll-out-end-to-end-encryption-for-facebook-and-instagram-667011">'Taken our time to get this right': Meta to roll out end-to-end encryption for Facebook &amp; Instagram</a>

"We will continue to defend the Android business model and remain deeply committed to our users, partners, and the broader Android ecosystem," said Wilson White, vice president of government affairs and public policy at Google.

Google has denied any wrongdoing. The company argued that it competes "intensely on price, quality, and security" against Apple's App Store.

Watch |&nbsp;Google and Epic Games face off at trial over Play Store rules

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<h2>Proof of Google's 'illegal' practices</h2>

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the ruling on the social media site X.

In a statement on its website, Epic said that the verdict "proves that Google's app store practices are illegal, and they abuse their monopoly to extract exorbitant fees, stifle competition and reduce innovation."

Epic's similar antitrust case against Apple failed in September 2021, when a US judge largely ruled in favour of the iPhone maker.

(With inputs from agencies)

Fortnite maker Epic Games has won its high-profile antitrust trial against Alphabet's Google. On Monday, the Jury in the case decided that Google wields an illegal monopoly through its Play app store.

Fortnite maker Epic Games has won its high-profile antitrust trial against Alphabet's Google. On Monday, the Jury in the case decided that Google wields an illegal monopoly through its Play app store. Google said that it would appeal. However, the ruling could upend the entire app store economy if it holds. The case Back in 2020, Epic sued both Google and Apple. It accused the tech titans of abusing their control of the Play Store and App Store, their respective online shops for selling apps. It also accused Google of taking action to quash competitors and charging unduly high "tax" fees of up to 30 per cent to app developers. Also read | AI to determine if the person watching porn is too young. Here's how As per Reuters, among the more sensational allegations was that to conceal its anti-competitive behaviour, Google had a system for deleting texts and internal messages. Jurors found Google guilty of various illegal strategies to maintain its app store monopoly on Android phones. If the ruling holds, it has the potential to give developers more sway over how their apps are distributed and how they profit from them. Google to Appeal The ruling marks a stunning, albeit rare, defeat for Google, which alongside Apple operates one of the world's largest app stores. Following it, Google said that it would seek rectification via an appeal. Also read | 'Taken our time to get this right': Meta to roll out end-to-end encryption for Facebook & Instagram "We will continue to defend the Android business model and remain deeply committed to our users, partners, and the broader Android ecosystem," said Wilson White, vice president of government affairs and public policy at Google. Google has denied any wrongdoing. The company argued that it competes "intensely on price, quality, and security" against Apple's App Store. Watch | Google and Epic Games face off at trial over Play Store rules Proof of Google's 'illegal' practices Epic CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the ruling on the social media site X. In a statement on its website, Epic said that the verdict "proves that Google's app store practices are illegal, and they abuse their monopoly to extract exorbitant fees, stifle competition and reduce innovation." Epic's similar antitrust case against Apple failed in September 2021, when a US judge largely ruled in favour of the iPhone maker. (With inputs from agencies)

Epic Games' 'epic' win: Jury finds Google guilty of monopolistic practices in antitrust trial

Kenya is in the throes of its third nationwide blackout in three months. The power blackout hit the East African nation on Sunday (Dec 10) evening.

Large parts of the nation, including the main airport in the capital, Nairobi, a major transport hub connecting East Africa to Asia, Europe and other parts of the world, have been left paralysed due to the power outage.

<h2>Engineers working to 'restore normalcy'</h2>

As per VOA, the outage on Sunday began around 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). It is the third national power supply failure in just three months.

State-run Kenya Power blamed the blackout on a "system disturbance" which it said was being looked at by technicians who were working to "restore normalcy".

"We have lost electricity supply to various parts of the country due to a suspected fault affecting the power system," it said in a statement.

"We are working to restore normalcy within the shortest time possible. An update on the restoration progress will be issued in due course. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience caused."

As per the report, among the key establishments impacted by Sunday's blackout were the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, as well as Eldoret Airport in western Kenya. In both places, power generators didn't kick in after the power grid failure.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kenyan-minister-issues-rare-apology-after-blackout-plunged-main-airport-terminal-into-darkness-629523">Kenyan minister issues ‘rare’ apology after blackout plunges main airport terminal into darkness</a>

Some parts of the nation reported that power was restored after around two hours.

<h2>Kenya and blackouts</h2>

Just last month, in a similar power outage, it took engineers over 12 hours to restore power in most parts of Kenya.

In Kenya, state-run Kenya Power enjoys a monopoly when it comes to supply and distribution of electricity. For years, the utility provider has been accused of poor service delivery and corruption, which as per the report has led to soaring costs of electricity in Kenya.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-fukushima-conspiracy-revived-after-thousands-of-fish-mysteriously-appear-in-japan-668309">WATCH | Fukushima conspiracy revived after thousands of fish mysteriously&nbsp;appear&nbsp;in&nbsp;Japan</a>

On August 25, the worst power outage ever proved to be the longest disruption in Kenya's history. In some parts of the country, including in the capital Nairobi, it took almost 24 hours for the power to be restored. The cause of this massive blackout remains a mystery to date. However, the power company blamed a failure at Africa's largest wind farm for the outage.

<h2>Kenyans demand answers</h2>

Following the power outage on Sunday, Kenyans took to social media to demand answers for the frequent blackouts. Others mocked Kenya Power, saying it was worse than its peers in Nigeria and South Africa, where load shedding is done frequently.

(With inputs from agencies)

Kenya is in the throes of its third nationwide blackout in three months. The power blackout hit the East African nation on Sunday (Dec 10) evening. Large parts of the nation, including the main airport in the capital, Nairobi, a major transport hub connecting East Africa to Asia, Europe and other parts of the world, have been left paralysed due to the power outage.

Kenya is in the throes of its third nationwide blackout in three months. The power blackout hit the East African nation on Sunday (Dec 10) evening. Large parts of the nation, including the main airport in the capital, Nairobi, a major transport hub connecting East Africa to Asia, Europe and other parts of the world, have been left paralysed due to the power outage. Engineers working to 'restore normalcy' As per VOA, the outage on Sunday began around 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). It is the third national power supply failure in just three months. State-run Kenya Power blamed the blackout on a "system disturbance" which it said was being looked at by technicians who were working to "restore normalcy". "We have lost electricity supply to various parts of the country due to a suspected fault affecting the power system," it said in a statement. "We are working to restore normalcy within the shortest time possible. An update on the restoration progress will be issued in due course. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience caused." As per the report, among the key establishments impacted by Sunday's blackout were the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, as well as Eldoret Airport in western Kenya. In both places, power generators didn't kick in after the power grid failure. Also read | Kenyan minister issues ‘rare’ apology after blackout plunges main airport terminal into darkness Some parts of the nation reported that power was restored after around two hours. Kenya and blackouts Just last month, in a similar power outage, it took engineers over 12 hours to restore power in most parts of Kenya. In Kenya, state-run Kenya Power enjoys a monopoly when it comes to supply and distribution of electricity. For years, the utility provider has been accused of poor service delivery and corruption, which as per the report has led to soaring costs of electricity in Kenya. Also read | WATCH | Fukushima conspiracy revived after thousands of fish mysteriously appear in Japan On August 25, the worst power outage ever proved to be the longest disruption in Kenya's history. In some parts of the country, including in the capital Nairobi, it took almost 24 hours for the power to be restored. The cause of this massive blackout remains a mystery to date. However, the power company blamed a failure at Africa's largest wind farm for the outage. Kenyans demand answers Following the power outage on Sunday, Kenyans took to social media to demand answers for the frequent blackouts. Others mocked Kenya Power, saying it was worse than its peers in Nigeria and South Africa, where load shedding is done frequently. (With inputs from agencies)

Lights out: Kenya power grid fails again, third nationwide blackout hits nation

Cats are amazing, graceful creatures that make great pets. However, as per a new analysis of more than 15 studies, cat parents may be at humongous risk from schizophrenia and other related disorders.

<h2>The analysis</h2>

A team of researchers from Australia ran an analysis of 17 studies spanning almost 44 years. These studies are from 11 countries around the world.

The researchers discovered a curious association "between broadly defined cat ownership and increased odds of developing schizophrenia-related disorders," writes the team from the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/this-japan-town-will-pay-you-a-million-yen-to-live-thereon-one-condition-667520">This Japan town will pay you a million Yen to live there...on one condition</a>

<h2>How did the idea come about?</h2>

The idea that owning cats may have something to do with schizophrenia risk was first proposed in a 1995 study. It suggested that the cause may be a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, of which felines are the only definitive host.

Subsequent studies also found that being around cats during early years aka childhood might make someone more susceptible to developing schizophrenia. But, it needs to be noted that not every study found an association.

Other studies, as per Science Alert, have linked exposure to cats to higher scores&nbsp;on scales that measure traits related to schizophrenia. However, again, not every study showed this connection.

<h2>Toxoplasma gondii</h2>

A parasite that can be transmitted through undercooked meat, contaminated water, bite from an infected cat or its faeces.&nbsp;

In the US, an estimated&nbsp;40 million people may be infected, without any obvious symptoms.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mislabelled-fossil-reveals-truly-surprising-secrets-from-the-time-of-dinosaurs-667557">Mislabelled fossil reveals 'truly surprising' secrets from the time of dinosaurs</a>

Once the parasite enters our body, it can infiltrate out the central nervous system and influence neurotransmitters. T.gondii has also been linked to personality changes, the start of psychotic symptoms and some neurological disorders, one of which is schizophrenia.

However, there is no proof that in such cases, the parasite was passed to&nbsp;humans via cats.

Despite that, researchers say,&nbsp;"after adjusting for covariates, we found that individuals exposed to cats had approximately twice the odds of developing schizophrenia."

(With inputs from agencies)

Cats are amazing, graceful creatures that make great pets. However, as per a new analysis of more than 15 studies, cat parents may be at humongous risk from schizophrenia and other related disorders.

Cats are amazing, graceful creatures that make great pets. However, as per a new analysis of more than 15 studies, cat parents may be at humongous risk from schizophrenia and other related disorders. The analysis A team of researchers from Australia ran an analysis of 17 studies spanning almost 44 years. These studies are from 11 countries around the world. The researchers discovered a curious association "between broadly defined cat ownership and increased odds of developing schizophrenia-related disorders," writes the team from the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research. Also read | This Japan town will pay you a million Yen to live there...on one condition How did the idea come about? The idea that owning cats may have something to do with schizophrenia risk was first proposed in a 1995 study. It suggested that the cause may be a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, of which felines are the only definitive host. Subsequent studies also found that being around cats during early years aka childhood might make someone more susceptible to developing schizophrenia. But, it needs to be noted that not every study found an association. Other studies, as per Science Alert, have linked exposure to cats to higher scores on scales that measure traits related to schizophrenia. However, again, not every study showed this connection. Toxoplasma gondii A parasite that can be transmitted through undercooked meat, contaminated water, bite from an infected cat or its faeces. In the US, an estimated 40 million people may be infected, without any obvious symptoms. Also read | Mislabelled fossil reveals 'truly surprising' secrets from the time of dinosaurs Once the parasite enters our body, it can infiltrate out the central nervous system and influence neurotransmitters. T.gondii has also been linked to personality changes, the start of psychotic symptoms and some neurological disorders, one of which is schizophrenia. However, there is no proof that in such cases, the parasite was passed to humans via cats. Despite that, researchers say, "after adjusting for covariates, we found that individuals exposed to cats had approximately twice the odds of developing schizophrenia." (With inputs from agencies)

Owning cats might up your risk of developing schizophrenia, study suggests

Income Tax (I-T) department raids on companies belonging to Dhiraj Sahu, a member of the Indian parliament, ended on Sunday (Dec 10) after more than three days.&nbsp;

The raids led to the recovery of&nbsp;more than 353 crore Indian rupees (a staggering 42 million US dollars), which happens to be the largest cash haul in a single operation. It has now snowballed into a major political controversy as it involves a Congress leader.&nbsp;

<h2>The largest haul</h2>

As per reports, counting the massive cash haul could not be finished in a day or two. While the reason for this is reportedly the day-to-day operations of the State Bank of India branch involved in counting, a leader of the ruling party BJP quipped, "Even the [currency counting] machines are tired of counting."

Taking to X, Kiren Rijiju, India's Minister of Earth Sciences wrote in Hindi, "Even the machines are tired of counting the notes of Congress' corruption!! Why is Congress party always associated with corruption?"

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मशीनें भी कांग्रेस के भ्रष्टाचार के नोट गिनते-गिनते थक गई हैं !! कांग्रेस पार्टी हमेशा भ्रष्टाचार से क्यों जुड़ी रहती है? <a href="https://t.co/US2PhN6xp5">https://t.co/US2PhN6xp5</a> <a href="https://t.co/rBIi6ddwBV">pic.twitter.com/rBIi6ddwBV</a>
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/1733876128350167539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Over $42 million (₹350 crore) has been recovered. This as per reports amounted to 176 bags of cash. Three banks were roped in for the counting, which used 40 currency counting machines. The Hindustan Times reports that soon after the counting started, currency counting machines "gave in" due to the huge amounts of cash,&nbsp;and more had to be brought in.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-vows-every-penny-will-be-returned-as-2397-mln-cash-found-in-raids-on-properties-linked-to-congress-mp-667876">$34.7mn cash seized in I-T raids on Cong MP’s properties; Modi vows ‘every penny will have to be returned’</a>

Nine teams of about 80 people from the various banks and tax departments worked day and night to complete the counting. The raid involved a whopping 200 officials&nbsp;— including security personnel, drivers and other staff.

<h2>Dhiraj Sahu's old tweet against corruption goes viral</h2>

As the buzz over the raids spread, on X, formerly Twitter, an old post by Sahu went viral.

Writing about black money in the nation, in 2022, Sahu said: "I feel pained seeing so much corruption and black money in the country even after noteban. This is beyond my understanding how people can accumulate so much of black money. Only Congress can uproot corruption from the party."

Sharing a screenshot of the now-viral tweet, BJP's IT Cell chief Amit Malviya made a satirical post on X. "Dhiraj Prasad Sahu has a dark sense of humour," he said.

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Dhiraj Prasad Sahu has a dark sense of humour. 😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CorruptionKiDukan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CorruptionKiDukan</a> <a href="https://t.co/2esDCyip1O">pic.twitter.com/2esDCyip1O</a>
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) <a href="https://twitter.com/amitmalviya/status/1733751877219848553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-lawyer-makes-shocking-claim-says-state-of-assam-originally-part-of-myanmar-not-india-667886">Indian lawyer makes shocking claim, says state of Assam originally 'part of Myanmar, not India'</a>

<h2>'Nothing to do with the party': INC</h2>

Congress has, however, distanced itself from Sahu. Seeking clarification from the MP, the national party said it is "a personal matter of Dheeraj Sahu."

Speaking to media, Congress' Jharkhand in-charge and All India Congress Committee (AICC) member Avinash Pandey said: "It is a collective business of his joint family. That family has been in business for over 100 years. Only he can give information about from where he got such a huge amount of money but since he is associated with the Congress and is a Rajya Sabha member of our party, the Congress has sought a clarification from him."&nbsp;

During a press meet in Ranchi, he also said, "This incident has nothing to do with the Congress."&nbsp;

"The party has already made it clear that this is a personal matter of Dheeraj Sahu. At the same time it would not be right to comment on anything until the official statement comes from the Income Tax and related agencies," he added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/wont-take-oath-in-front-of-akbaruddin-owaisi-because-telangana-bjp-mla-t-raja-singh-667869">'Won't take oath in front of Akbaruddin Owaisi because...': Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh</a>

Addressing BJP's anger over the incident Alamgir, Jharkhand Congress MLA and Minister in the Cabinet of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, said it was the job of the opposition to speak against the Congress.

"As far as raids are concerned, the law is doing its job. It is all happening because Mr. Dheeraj Sahu’s name is associated with the Congress. He is a well-known businessman of the country and his business is not in one State, rather in many States. The Congress will neither talk to rescue him nor to release him in this case," he said

<h2>BJP demands Sahu's arrest</h2>

On Sunday, BJP leaders, as per a PTI report, staged a protest outside Raj Bhavan in Jharkhand, demanding the arrest of Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu.

Former Minister and State Vice-President Gangotri Kujur, and former Minister and MLA CP Singh also participated in the protest.

There, Singh, as per The Hindu, alleged that the Congress had been the "mother of corruption" since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru.

"Be it the Jeep scam or the Bofors scam, the Congress is the mother of corruption. The property of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi was attached in the National Herald case. [Bhupesh] Baghel has done Mahadev app scam. Whoever is born in the Congress gets involved in corruption. Today when action is being taken against people involved in the scam, everyone including the Congress, JMM, RJD, SP, Trinamool, JD(U), and the Left parties are having problems," he said.

The BJP leader also demanded that the Governor of Jharkhand must investigate using the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Singh also called for Dhiraj Sahu's arrest and said an FIR should be registered against him. Previously, reacting to the I-T raids, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed that "every penny looted from the people" will have to be returned.

(With inputs from agencies)

Income Tax (I-T) department raids on companies belonging to Dhiraj Sahu, a member of the Indian parliament, ended on Sunday (Dec 10) after more than three days. The raids led to the recovery of more than 353 crore Indian rupees (a staggering 42 million US dollars), which happens to be the largest cash haul in a single operation.

Income Tax (I-T) department raids on companies belonging to Dhiraj Sahu, a member of the Indian parliament, ended on Sunday (Dec 10) after more than three days. The raids led to the recovery of more than 353 crore Indian rupees (a staggering 42 million US dollars), which happens to be the largest cash haul in a single operation. It has now snowballed into a major political controversy as it involves a Congress leader. The largest haul As per reports, counting the massive cash haul could not be finished in a day or two. While the reason for this is reportedly the day-to-day operations of the State Bank of India branch involved in counting, a leader of the ruling party BJP quipped, "Even the [currency counting] machines are tired of counting." Taking to X, Kiren Rijiju, India's Minister of Earth Sciences wrote in Hindi, "Even the machines are tired of counting the notes of Congress' corruption!! Why is Congress party always associated with corruption?" मशीनें भी कांग्रेस के भ्रष्टाचार के नोट गिनते-गिनते थक गई हैं !! कांग्रेस पार्टी हमेशा भ्रष्टाचार से क्यों जुड़ी रहती है? https://t.co/US2PhN6xp5 pic.twitter.com/rBIi6ddwBV — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) December 10, 2023 × Over $42 million (₹350 crore) has been recovered. This as per reports amounted to 176 bags of cash. Three banks were roped in for the counting, which used 40 currency counting machines. The Hindustan Times reports that soon after the counting started, currency counting machines "gave in" due to the huge amounts of cash, and more had to be brought in. Also read | $34.7mn cash seized in I-T raids on Cong MP’s properties; Modi vows ‘every penny will have to be returned’ Nine teams of about 80 people from the various banks and tax departments worked day and night to complete the counting. The raid involved a whopping 200 officials — including security personnel, drivers and other staff. Dhiraj Sahu's old tweet against corruption goes viral As the buzz over the raids spread, on X, formerly Twitter, an old post by Sahu went viral. Writing about black money in the nation, in 2022, Sahu said: "I feel pained seeing so much corruption and black money in the country even after noteban. This is beyond my understanding how people can accumulate so much of black money. Only Congress can uproot corruption from the party." Sharing a screenshot of the now-viral tweet, BJP's IT Cell chief Amit Malviya made a satirical post on X. "Dhiraj Prasad Sahu has a dark sense of humour," he said. Dhiraj Prasad Sahu has a dark sense of humour. 😂#CorruptionKiDukan pic.twitter.com/2esDCyip1O — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) December 10, 2023 × Also read | Indian lawyer makes shocking claim, says state of Assam originally 'part of Myanmar, not India' 'Nothing to do with the party': INC Congress has, however, distanced itself from Sahu. Seeking clarification from the MP, the national party said it is "a personal matter of Dheeraj Sahu." Speaking to media, Congress' Jharkhand in-charge and All India Congress Committee (AICC) member Avinash Pandey said: "It is a collective business of his joint family. That family has been in business for over 100 years. Only he can give information about from where he got such a huge amount of money but since he is associated with the Congress and is a Rajya Sabha member of our party, the Congress has sought a clarification from him." During a press meet in Ranchi, he also said, "This incident has nothing to do with the Congress." "The party has already made it clear that this is a personal matter of Dheeraj Sahu. At the same time it would not be right to comment on anything until the official statement comes from the Income Tax and related agencies," he added. Also read | 'Won't take oath in front of Akbaruddin Owaisi because...': Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh Addressing BJP's anger over the incident Alamgir, Jharkhand Congress MLA and Minister in the Cabinet of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, said it was the job of the opposition to speak against the Congress. "As far as raids are concerned, the law is doing its job. It is all happening because Mr. Dheeraj Sahu’s name is associated with the Congress. He is a well-known businessman of the country and his business is not in one State, rather in many States. The Congress will neither talk to rescue him nor to release him in this case," he said BJP demands Sahu's arrest On Sunday, BJP leaders, as per a PTI report, staged a protest outside Raj Bhavan in Jharkhand, demanding the arrest of Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu. Former Minister and State Vice-President Gangotri Kujur, and former Minister and MLA CP Singh also participated in the protest. There, Singh, as per The Hindu, alleged that the Congress had been the "mother of corruption" since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru. "Be it the Jeep scam or the Bofors scam, the Congress is the mother of corruption. The property of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi was attached in the National Herald case. [Bhupesh] Baghel has done Mahadev app scam. Whoever is born in the Congress gets involved in corruption. Today when action is being taken against people involved in the scam, everyone including the Congress, JMM, RJD, SP, Trinamool, JD(U), and the Left parties are having problems," he said. The BJP leader also demanded that the Governor of Jharkhand must investigate using the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Singh also called for Dhiraj Sahu's arrest and said an FIR should be registered against him. Previously, reacting to the I-T raids, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed that "every penny looted from the people" will have to be returned. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained: Currency machines 'give in' as I-T raids in India recover $42mn from Congress' Dhiraj Sahu

K Chandrasekhar Rao, the former chief minister of the south Indian state of Telangana, was hospitalised after a fall on Thursday night (Dec 7).&nbsp;

The news came just after his party faced drubbing in the recently-held local assembly elections.

<h2>Evaluation ongoing</h2>

The 69-year-old&nbsp;popularly known as KCR is undergoing treatment at Yasodha Hospital. Citing sources in KCR's office, the news agency PTI reported that a fracture is suspected, and doctors at the superspecialty hospital are evaluating the condition of the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) president.

A surgery might be required.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/narendra-modi-launches-scathing-attack-at-opponents-in-telangana-calls-brs-and-congress-equal-sinners-663422">PM Narendra Modi launches scathing attack on opponents in Telangana, calls BRS and Congress 'equal sinners'</a>

As per an ANI report, BRS leader&nbsp;was at his farmhouse in Erravalli at the time of the injury.

The leader's daughter,&nbsp;BRS MLC K Kavitha, said that KCR had suffered a "minor injury" and that he would be fine soon.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, she wrote:&nbsp;"BRS supremo KCR Garu sustained a minor injury and is currently under expert care in the hospital. With the support and well-wishes pouring in, Dad will be absolutely fine soon. Grateful for all the love."

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BRS supremo KCR Garu sustained a minor injury and is currently under expert care in the hospital. With the support and well-wishes pouring in, Dad will be absolutely fine soon. 
Grateful for all the love 🙏🏼
— Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaoKavitha/status/1732970632265249260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2>PM Modi wishes KCR a speedy recovery</h2>

Following the&nbsp;Bharat Rashtra Samiti chief's hospitalisation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi prayed for his recovery.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/over-400-indian-students-studying-abroad-died-since-2018-canada-with-highest-fatalies-centre-667453">Over 400 Indian students studying abroad died since 2018; Canada with highest fatalies: Centre</a>

On X, Modi posted: "Distressed to know that former Telangana CM KCR Garu has suffered an injury. I pray for his speedy recovery and good health."

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Distressed to know that former Telangana CM Shri KCR Garu has suffered an injury. I pray for his speedy recovery and good health.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1732981865160859739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from agencies)

K Chandrasekhar Rao, the former chief minister of the south Indian state of Telangana, was hospitalised after a fall on Thursday night (Dec 7). The news came just after his party faced drubbing in the recently-held local assembly elections.

K Chandrasekhar Rao, the former chief minister of the south Indian state of Telangana, was hospitalised after a fall on Thursday night (Dec 7). The news came just after his party faced drubbing in the recently-held local assembly elections. Evaluation ongoing The 69-year-old popularly known as KCR is undergoing treatment at Yasodha Hospital. Citing sources in KCR's office, the news agency PTI reported that a fracture is suspected, and doctors at the superspecialty hospital are evaluating the condition of the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) president. A surgery might be required. Also read | PM Narendra Modi launches scathing attack on opponents in Telangana, calls BRS and Congress 'equal sinners' As per an ANI report, BRS leader was at his farmhouse in Erravalli at the time of the injury. The leader's daughter, BRS MLC K Kavitha, said that KCR had suffered a "minor injury" and that he would be fine soon. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, she wrote: "BRS supremo KCR Garu sustained a minor injury and is currently under expert care in the hospital. With the support and well-wishes pouring in, Dad will be absolutely fine soon. Grateful for all the love." BRS supremo KCR Garu sustained a minor injury and is currently under expert care in the hospital. With the support and well-wishes pouring in, Dad will be absolutely fine soon. Grateful for all the love 🙏🏼 — Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) December 8, 2023 × PM Modi wishes KCR a speedy recovery Following the Bharat Rashtra Samiti chief's hospitalisation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi prayed for his recovery. Also read | Over 400 Indian students studying abroad died since 2018; Canada with highest fatalies: Centre On X, Modi posted: "Distressed to know that former Telangana CM KCR Garu has suffered an injury. I pray for his speedy recovery and good health." Distressed to know that former Telangana CM Shri KCR Garu has suffered an injury. I pray for his speedy recovery and good health. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 8, 2023 × (With inputs from agencies)

India: Former Telangana chief minister KCR hospitalised after fall, might need surgery

What's in a name? For a small town in Japan, a lot. The shrinking town of Kainan in Japan's Wakayama prefecture is offering people with a particular surname millions of Yen to relocate there. Do you qualify for the 'moolah,' here's all you need to know.&nbsp;

<h2>How can I get the money?</h2>

To get ¥1 million (around $6,940), which just so happens to be the minimum reward, all you need is the surname 'Suzuki'. A further ¥1 million will be given for each child under 18 years of age.

<h2>Why Suzuki?</h2>

Suzuki happens to be Japan's second most common surname. Furthermore, the town has a rather fascination association with 'Suzuki', it is the name's birthplace.&nbsp;

Kainan launched the campaign to repopulate back in 2021. At the time, they estimated that around 750,000 Suzukis live in Tokyo and the neighbouring prefectures of Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-supporter-ex-cop-sentenced-to-11-years-in-jail-for-role-in-jan-6-riots-667415">US: Trump supporter ex-police chief sentenced to over 11 years in jail for role in Jan 6 riots</a>

However, two years into the campaign, the town has failed to attract a single Suzuki, reports The Guardian.

Talking to the publication, Tomonari Fujita, head of the town’s urban development division, said: "I can confirm that not a single Suzuki-san has relocated to Kainan so far."

"One person made some initial inquiries, but it didn't go any further than that," he added.

<h2>Why is the town paying people to live there?</h2>

Across Japan, prefectures have been witnessing a steady decline in the number of residents. In 2022, the population of Japanese nationals fell by a record 800,000 to 125.4 million.&nbsp;

On the other hand, the number of foreigners rose to a record high of almost three million, reports The Guardian.

As per the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research forecasts, Japan's population will fall to just 87 million by 2070.

In 2022, for the sixth year in a row, Japan witnessed a fall in its number of births. In 2021, the nation saw a 3.5 per cent fall from the previous year (2020). It had just 811,604 births, which is the lowest level on record, as per data by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-sees-record-breaking-fall-in-birth-rate-was-elon-musk-right-will-the-country-cease-to-exist-484729">Japan sees record-breaking fall in birth rate. Was Elon Musk right, will the country 'cease to exist'?</a>

In fact, this is the lowest number of births in the country's 123-year history; the country began keeping records in 1899, and the year 2021 saw the lowest numbers ever.

The country's total fertility rate, which is the number of children a Japanese woman will have in her lifetime, has also fallen by 0.30 points to 1.30 per woman.

Japan's fertility rate has witnessed a steady decline since 1975 when it first fell below 2.0.

Incidentally, if you were to look at news items on the nation's birth rates for the past few years, every year this record gets broken. Voicing concern, in May 2022, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had spoken about Japan's falling birth rate, warning that the country may soon "cease to exist" adding that it would be a great loss for the world.

On X, (known as Twitter back then), "At risk of stating the obvious, unless something changes to cause the birth rate to exceed the death rate, Japan will eventually cease to exist. This would be a great loss for the world."

(With inputs from agencies)

What's in a name? For a small town in Japan, a lot. The shrinking town of Kainan in Japan's Wakayama prefecture is offering people with a particular surname millions of Yen to relocate there.

What's in a name? For a small town in Japan, a lot. The shrinking town of Kainan in Japan's Wakayama prefecture is offering people with a particular surname millions of Yen to relocate there. Do you qualify for the 'moolah,' here's all you need to know. How can I get the money? To get ¥1 million (around $6,940), which just so happens to be the minimum reward, all you need is the surname 'Suzuki'. A further ¥1 million will be given for each child under 18 years of age. Why Suzuki? Suzuki happens to be Japan's second most common surname. Furthermore, the town has a rather fascination association with 'Suzuki', it is the name's birthplace. Kainan launched the campaign to repopulate back in 2021. At the time, they estimated that around 750,000 Suzukis live in Tokyo and the neighbouring prefectures of Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa. Also read | US: Trump supporter ex-police chief sentenced to over 11 years in jail for role in Jan 6 riots However, two years into the campaign, the town has failed to attract a single Suzuki, reports The Guardian. Talking to the publication, Tomonari Fujita, head of the town’s urban development division, said: "I can confirm that not a single Suzuki-san has relocated to Kainan so far." "One person made some initial inquiries, but it didn't go any further than that," he added. Why is the town paying people to live there? Across Japan, prefectures have been witnessing a steady decline in the number of residents. In 2022, the population of Japanese nationals fell by a record 800,000 to 125.4 million. On the other hand, the number of foreigners rose to a record high of almost three million, reports The Guardian. As per the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research forecasts, Japan's population will fall to just 87 million by 2070. In 2022, for the sixth year in a row, Japan witnessed a fall in its number of births. In 2021, the nation saw a 3.5 per cent fall from the previous year (2020). It had just 811,604 births, which is the lowest level on record, as per data by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare. Also read | Japan sees record-breaking fall in birth rate. Was Elon Musk right, will the country 'cease to exist'? In fact, this is the lowest number of births in the country's 123-year history; the country began keeping records in 1899, and the year 2021 saw the lowest numbers ever. The country's total fertility rate, which is the number of children a Japanese woman will have in her lifetime, has also fallen by 0.30 points to 1.30 per woman. Japan's fertility rate has witnessed a steady decline since 1975 when it first fell below 2.0. Incidentally, if you were to look at news items on the nation's birth rates for the past few years, every year this record gets broken. Voicing concern, in May 2022, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had spoken about Japan's falling birth rate, warning that the country may soon "cease to exist" adding that it would be a great loss for the world. On X, (known as Twitter back then), "At risk of stating the obvious, unless something changes to cause the birth rate to exceed the death rate, Japan will eventually cease to exist. This would be a great loss for the world." (With inputs from agencies)

This Japan town will pay you a million Yen to live there...on one condition

Africa's first trial of two combination vaccines for HIV has been halted after researchers concluded that the drug was not working.&nbsp;

<h2>The drug</h2>

The vaccines as per the Guardian were under testing and&nbsp;subjects included 1,500 people from Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa, aged between 18 and 40.

Trial of the vaccines was part of a PrEPVacc study — an African-led, European-supported HIV prevention study.&nbsp;It began in December 2020 but was stopped last month after an interim review of the progress.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/your-everyday-shampoo-has-chemicals-you-cant-even-fathom-says-study-666935">Your everyday shampoo has chemicals you can't even fathom, says study</a>

"Vaccinations to PrEPVacc trial participants have been stopped because an analysis of the data collected so far by our independent data-monitoring committee has led them to conclude that there is little or no chance of demonstrating that the vaccines we are testing are reducing the risk of acquiring HIV," said the trial director from the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and assistant professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene &amp; Tropical Medicine, Dr Eugene Ruzagira.

<h2>What was so special about the trial?</h2>

For the first time, the trial combined the evaluation of experimental HIV vaccines and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Even as the trial of the vaccines was stopped, one for the PrEP pill will continue.

Funded with a €15 million ($16.18 million) grant from the EU's European &amp; Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership, the PrEPVacc trials tested two different combinations of HIV. This was done to see if either could prevent infection in populations&nbsp;particularly at risk of infection.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-say-they-can-predict-organs-age-through-a-blood-test-667209">Scientists say they can ‘predict’ age of organs through a blood test</a> 
&nbsp; 
"We do clinical trials because we don’t know the answer to questions. It was important to find out whether the combination vaccine regimens in PrEPVacc, developed over 20 years, should be ruled out or further developed for preventing HIV," said Proffesor Jonathan Weber, who works with Imperial College London, one of the trial's sponsors.

For Africa, where more than 25 million people live with HIV, an effective vaccine against the infection was "a critical goal," said Prof Pontiano Kaleebu, PrEPVacc’s chief investigator at UVRI.&nbsp;

"It is a goal that must have even greater urgency now that no HIV vaccines are being trialled for efficacy anywhere in the world," he added, as quoted by The Guardian.

(With inputs from agencies)

Africa's first trial of two combination vaccines for HIV has been halted after researchers concluded that the drug was not working. The drug The vaccines as per the Guardian were under testing and subjects included 1,500 people from Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa, aged between 18 and 40.

Africa's first trial of two combination vaccines for HIV has been halted after researchers concluded that the drug was not working. The drug The vaccines as per the Guardian were under testing and subjects included 1,500 people from Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa, aged between 18 and 40. Trial of the vaccines was part of a PrEPVacc study — an African-led, European-supported HIV prevention study. It began in December 2020 but was stopped last month after an interim review of the progress. Also read | Your everyday shampoo has chemicals you can't even fathom, says study "Vaccinations to PrEPVacc trial participants have been stopped because an analysis of the data collected so far by our independent data-monitoring committee has led them to conclude that there is little or no chance of demonstrating that the vaccines we are testing are reducing the risk of acquiring HIV," said the trial director from the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and assistant professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Dr Eugene Ruzagira. What was so special about the trial? For the first time, the trial combined the evaluation of experimental HIV vaccines and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Even as the trial of the vaccines was stopped, one for the PrEP pill will continue. Funded with a €15 million ($16.18 million) grant from the EU's European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership, the PrEPVacc trials tested two different combinations of HIV. This was done to see if either could prevent infection in populations particularly at risk of infection. Also read | Scientists say they can ‘predict’ age of organs through a blood test "We do clinical trials because we don’t know the answer to questions. It was important to find out whether the combination vaccine regimens in PrEPVacc, developed over 20 years, should be ruled out or further developed for preventing HIV," said Proffesor Jonathan Weber, who works with Imperial College London, one of the trial's sponsors. For Africa, where more than 25 million people live with HIV, an effective vaccine against the infection was "a critical goal," said Prof Pontiano Kaleebu, PrEPVacc’s chief investigator at UVRI. "It is a goal that must have even greater urgency now that no HIV vaccines are being trialled for efficacy anywhere in the world," he added, as quoted by The Guardian. (With inputs from agencies)

Trial of groundbreaking HIV vaccine halted in Africa

Alan Hostetter, a retired US police chief, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison over his participation in the notorious January 6, 2021 assault on US Capitol Hill.&nbsp;

On Thursday, a Washington court passed the sentence based on his July conviction on charges, including conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and entering a restricted building with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

<h2>Unwavering support</h2>

An unwavering Donald Trump supporter, Hostetter chose to represent himself at the trial. All through it, he never wavered from his belief that President Joe Biden had stolen the election from Trump.

The 135 months, or a little more than 11 years' sentence awarded to him, was only slightly less than the 12.5 years requested by prosecutors.&nbsp;

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As per a KTLA report citing the United States Department of Justice, on January 6, 2021, the 59-year-old ex-policeman brought tactical gear, pepper spray and hatchets to the government building.

He was retired from law enforcement and, at the time of the attack on Capitol Hill, he worked as a yoga instructor.&nbsp;

Leading up to the riot at Capitol Hill, Hostetter gave several inflammatory speeches in which he echoed Trump's claims and said that the election was fraudulent. He also called for the execution of Trump's political rivals.&nbsp;

<h2>What happened on Jan 6?</h2>

On January 6, 2021, hundreds of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building, home to the US Congress. The riot attempted to try to disrupt the official certification of Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.&nbsp;

The action was sparked by a fiery speech from Trump himself. However, the 2024 US presidential election&nbsp;hopeful has not directly been implicated in the event.

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To date, more than 1,230 of the hundreds that rallied at Capital Hill have been charged for their crimes related to the riot, said the Justice Department. More than 720 have been convicted, and of these, more than 450 will serve prison time.

In December 2022, a congressional commission investigating the January 6 riot recommended criminal charges against Trump. The charges suggested include aiding an insurrection and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Donald Trump, who has already been indicted for racketeering in Georgia, is set to go on trial in Washington in March. He faces the charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the November 2020 election won by contender Biden.

(With inputs from agencies)

Alan Hostetter, a retired US police chief, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison over his participation in the notorious January 6, 2021 assault on US Capitol Hill.

Alan Hostetter, a retired US police chief, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison over his participation in the notorious January 6, 2021 assault on US Capitol Hill. On Thursday, a Washington court passed the sentence based on his July conviction on charges, including conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and entering a restricted building with a deadly or dangerous weapon. Unwavering support An unwavering Donald Trump supporter, Hostetter chose to represent himself at the trial. All through it, he never wavered from his belief that President Joe Biden had stolen the election from Trump. The 135 months, or a little more than 11 years' sentence awarded to him, was only slightly less than the 12.5 years requested by prosecutors. Also read | Donald Trump appears in New York court, calls fraud trial 'witch hunt and corrupt' As per a KTLA report citing the United States Department of Justice, on January 6, 2021, the 59-year-old ex-policeman brought tactical gear, pepper spray and hatchets to the government building. He was retired from law enforcement and, at the time of the attack on Capitol Hill, he worked as a yoga instructor. Leading up to the riot at Capitol Hill, Hostetter gave several inflammatory speeches in which he echoed Trump's claims and said that the election was fraudulent. He also called for the execution of Trump's political rivals. What happened on Jan 6? On January 6, 2021, hundreds of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building, home to the US Congress. The riot attempted to try to disrupt the official certification of Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. The action was sparked by a fiery speech from Trump himself. However, the 2024 US presidential election hopeful has not directly been implicated in the event. Also read | US President's son Hunter Biden faces new criminal charges in federal tax case To date, more than 1,230 of the hundreds that rallied at Capital Hill have been charged for their crimes related to the riot, said the Justice Department. More than 720 have been convicted, and of these, more than 450 will serve prison time. In December 2022, a congressional commission investigating the January 6 riot recommended criminal charges against Trump. The charges suggested include aiding an insurrection and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Donald Trump, who has already been indicted for racketeering in Georgia, is set to go on trial in Washington in March. He faces the charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the November 2020 election won by contender Biden. (With inputs from agencies)

US: Trump supporter ex-police chief sentenced to over 11 years in jail for role in Jan 6 riots

India: Cyclone Michaung leaves behind a trail of destruction 

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms will now start fully encrypting messages on its social media platforms by default.

Announcing the launch, Loredana Crisan, Head of Messenger on the Meta website said, "We take our responsibility to protect your messages seriously, and we’re thrilled that after years of investment and testing, we’re able to launch a safer, more secure and private service."

<h2>Here's what to expect from Meta's new update</h2>

From this week onwards, the social media giant&nbsp;will begin automatically shifting Facebook users to end-to-end encryption for their messages. The global rollout, she said, will "take a number of months to complete".

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Facebook Messenger had the option for users to turn on end-to-end encryption since 2016. However, now this will be the default setting for both calls and messages.

On Instagram, too, users will be shifted to Meta's new end-to-end encryption by default.

<h2>What is end-to-end encryption?</h2>

The encryption feature secures communication, making it so that messages etc. can only be read by the sender and the recipient. This can help keep users safe from hackers, fraudsters, and criminals.

Users will be prompted to set up a PIN for the recovery of the encrypted messages in case they lose, change or add a device.

Meta's product WhatsApp, another popular instant messaging app, introduced the feature back in 2014, completing the rollout in April 2016.

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Crisan says that Meta "has taken years to deliver because we've taken our time to get this right."

"Our engineers, cryptographers, designers, policy experts and product managers have worked tirelessly to rebuild Messenger features from the ground up. We’ve introduced new privacy, safety and control features along the way like delivery controls that let people choose who can message them, as well as app lock, alongside existing safety features like report, block and message requests," she added.

The change means that Facebook and Instagram users would not have to turn on the encryption feature, which allows a message to be read only by the sender and its recipients.

<h2>What other features have been introduced?</h2>

Messenger users can now edit their messages for up to 15 minutes after sending them. Disappearing messages on the application will now last for 24 hours.

Furthermore, to increase privacy controls, Messenger will now allow users to control their read receipts. Additionally, there is an upgrade to the quality of images users can share, along with the introduction of "added fun layouts".

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Another feature similar to that available in WhatsApp is that voice messages can now be sped up to 1.5x and 2x speeds.&nbsp;

End-to-end encryption has been a bone of contention between companies and governments. The British government had urged Meta back in September not to roll out encryption on Instagram and Facebook Messenger without safety measures to protect children from sexual abuse.

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms will now start fully encrypting messages on its social media platforms by default. Announcing the launch, Loredana Crisan, Head of Messenger on the Meta website said, "We take our responsibility to protect your messages seriously, and we’re thrilled that after years of investment and testing, we’re able to launch a safer, more secure and private service.

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms will now start fully encrypting messages on its social media platforms by default. Announcing the launch, Loredana Crisan, Head of Messenger on the Meta website said, "We take our responsibility to protect your messages seriously, and we’re thrilled that after years of investment and testing, we’re able to launch a safer, more secure and private service." Here's what to expect from Meta's new update From this week onwards, the social media giant will begin automatically shifting Facebook users to end-to-end encryption for their messages. The global rollout, she said, will "take a number of months to complete". Also read | Ancestry website 23andMe confirms recent data breach affected 6.9 million users Facebook Messenger had the option for users to turn on end-to-end encryption since 2016. However, now this will be the default setting for both calls and messages. On Instagram, too, users will be shifted to Meta's new end-to-end encryption by default. What is end-to-end encryption? The encryption feature secures communication, making it so that messages etc. can only be read by the sender and the recipient. This can help keep users safe from hackers, fraudsters, and criminals. Users will be prompted to set up a PIN for the recovery of the encrypted messages in case they lose, change or add a device. Meta's product WhatsApp, another popular instant messaging app, introduced the feature back in 2014, completing the rollout in April 2016. Also read | Landmark Stability AI vs Getty Images copyright lawsuit to move ahead to trial Crisan says that Meta "has taken years to deliver because we've taken our time to get this right." "Our engineers, cryptographers, designers, policy experts and product managers have worked tirelessly to rebuild Messenger features from the ground up. We’ve introduced new privacy, safety and control features along the way like delivery controls that let people choose who can message them, as well as app lock, alongside existing safety features like report, block and message requests," she added. The change means that Facebook and Instagram users would not have to turn on the encryption feature, which allows a message to be read only by the sender and its recipients. What other features have been introduced? Messenger users can now edit their messages for up to 15 minutes after sending them. Disappearing messages on the application will now last for 24 hours. Furthermore, to increase privacy controls, Messenger will now allow users to control their read receipts. Additionally, there is an upgrade to the quality of images users can share, along with the introduction of "added fun layouts". Also read | Google launches Gemini, its most advanced AI model that powers Bard, intensifying competition with OpenAI Another feature similar to that available in WhatsApp is that voice messages can now be sped up to 1.5x and 2x speeds. End-to-end encryption has been a bone of contention between companies and governments. The British government had urged Meta back in September not to roll out encryption on Instagram and Facebook Messenger without safety measures to protect children from sexual abuse.

'Taken our time to get this right': Meta to roll out end-to-end encryption for Facebook & Instagram

A steamy sketch from more than three centuries ago has earned the "explicit" tag by the auction house selling it.

The sketch is being sold by international auction house Christie's and is expected to sell for around half a million dollars or GBP 250,000-400,000 (USD 313,748–501,998).

<h2>'The French Bed'</h2>

The etching in question is titled "The French Bed" and was drawn by Dutch Painter Rembrandt around 350 years ago in 1646. To view it online on Christie's website, users have to click past an "explicit content" warning.

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It is part of a collection named "Old Masters I" that goes on auction on Thursday (Dec 7).

<h2>What is explicit about the etching?</h2>

"The French Bed"&nbsp;or Het Ledikant is a monochrome picture, hidden away behind the sign "EXPLICIT CONTENT. This lot contains explicit material and mature subject matter," on Christie's website.

You can see it here:

<img alt="Rembrandt " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d569f9d-b241-4226-b3a3-aef49e5f7f77" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20wion%20-%202023-12-07T115254.807.jpg" />

(Image credit: Christie's website)

It depicts a man and a woman on a four-poster bed passionately engaged in lovemaking. The couple is depicted to be semi-clothed and amorous.&nbsp;

"They seem to have just tumbled onto the bed, with the trousers and skirts off, but shirts still on."

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Christie describes the Rembrandt piece as "one of a small number of explicitly erotic prints" by the Dutch painter.

"The delicately named ‘French Bed’ is one of a small number of explicitly erotic prints by Rembrandt, and one of the rarest etchings in his entire oeuvre."

They further write that the woman looks at her lover with a smile, and "the perplexing fact that she has three arms and hands adds to the vivacity of the scene."

However, the auction house goes on to say that the painting isn't "crass or obscene".

"It is to Rembrandt’s credit—and very much in line with his humane and slightly subversive character – that he did not try to classicise, moralise or otherwise elevate his print. Nor is it in any way crass or obscene, and that's makes this etching so charming and light-hearted: they are just two young people having a good time together."

(With inputs from agencies)

A steamy sketch from more than three centuries ago has earned the "explicit" tag by the auction house selling it. The sketch is being sold by international auction house Christie's and is expected to sell for around half a million dollars or GBP 250,000-400,000 (USD 313,748–501,998).

A steamy sketch from more than three centuries ago has earned the "explicit" tag by the auction house selling it. The sketch is being sold by international auction house Christie's and is expected to sell for around half a million dollars or GBP 250,000-400,000 (USD 313,748–501,998). 'The French Bed' The etching in question is titled "The French Bed" and was drawn by Dutch Painter Rembrandt around 350 years ago in 1646. To view it online on Christie's website, users have to click past an "explicit content" warning. Also read | Boris Johnson's apologies over COVID-19 pandemic handling met with signs of 'dead can't hear'. Watch! It is part of a collection named "Old Masters I" that goes on auction on Thursday (Dec 7). What is explicit about the etching? "The French Bed" or Het Ledikant is a monochrome picture, hidden away behind the sign "EXPLICIT CONTENT. This lot contains explicit material and mature subject matter," on Christie's website. You can see it here: (Image credit: Christie's website) It depicts a man and a woman on a four-poster bed passionately engaged in lovemaking. The couple is depicted to be semi-clothed and amorous. "They seem to have just tumbled onto the bed, with the trousers and skirts off, but shirts still on." Also read | Moo-d boosting therapy: This farm offers relaxation through unique cow cuddling sessions Christie describes the Rembrandt piece as "one of a small number of explicitly erotic prints" by the Dutch painter. "The delicately named ‘French Bed’ is one of a small number of explicitly erotic prints by Rembrandt, and one of the rarest etchings in his entire oeuvre." They further write that the woman looks at her lover with a smile, and "the perplexing fact that she has three arms and hands adds to the vivacity of the scene." However, the auction house goes on to say that the painting isn't "crass or obscene". "It is to Rembrandt’s credit—and very much in line with his humane and slightly subversive character – that he did not try to classicise, moralise or otherwise elevate his print. Nor is it in any way crass or obscene, and that's makes this etching so charming and light-hearted: they are just two young people having a good time together." (With inputs from agencies)

350-year-old steamy, 'explicit' sketch expected to sell for half-a-million dollars

On Wednesday (Dec 6), the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) released a disturbing report on the state of poverty among children globally.&nbsp;

More than one in five, or around 69 million children, live in poverty, that too just in the world's 40 richest countries.

<h2>A childhood spent in poverty</h2>

The high numbers, as per AFP, are despite an around 8 per cent drop in child poverty rates from 2012 to 2014 and 2019 to 2021. The drop was witnessed in the 40 European Union and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries assessed.&nbsp;

Despite that, at the end of 2021, more than 69 million were still living in poverty in those countries, as per the report.

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As per UNICEF Innocenti, the United Nations agency's research arm, "This is equivalent to around 6 million children out of a total child population of 291 million."

"For most children, this means that they may grow up without enough nutritious food, clothes, school supplies or a warm place to call home," said Bo Viktor Nylund of UNICEF Innocenti.

Highlighting the impact of such struggles on young people's physical and mental health, the report called for action to ensure children's well-being. Evoking political will, it stressed that children aren't automatically lifted out of poverty by a country's wealth.

<h2>Main observations</h2>

The data, as per AFP, is based on relative poverty — around 60 per cent of a country's national median income — which is often used by developed countries to establish their poverty levels.

Blasting Britain and France for their particularly bad standings, UNICEF reported that since 2012, the biggest setbacks have been witnessed in the richest countries. While in Britain there were half a million or 19.6 per cent more poor children, in France the numbers increased by 10.4 per cent.

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As per the report, in the European Union, children of non-EU nationality parents are 2.4 times more likely to live in poverty.

While the United States saw a 6.7 per cent decrease in the number of children living in poverty, it still means that one in four children continues to live in relative poverty.&nbsp;

There was a greater risk of poverty among children from single-parent families and minority backgrounds. Among the minorities in the US, 30 per cent of African American children and 29 per cent of Native American children live below the national poverty line. In comparison, only 10 per cent or one-in-10 non-Hispanic white children face the hardships that come with being poor.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

On Wednesday (Dec 6), the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) released a disturbing report on the state of poverty among children globally.

On Wednesday (Dec 6), the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) released a disturbing report on the state of poverty among children globally. More than one in five, or around 69 million children, live in poverty, that too just in the world's 40 richest countries. A childhood spent in poverty The high numbers, as per AFP, are despite an around 8 per cent drop in child poverty rates from 2012 to 2014 and 2019 to 2021. The drop was witnessed in the 40 European Union and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries assessed. Despite that, at the end of 2021, more than 69 million were still living in poverty in those countries, as per the report. Also read | AI paints shocking picture of the future of homelessness in Canada As per UNICEF Innocenti, the United Nations agency's research arm, "This is equivalent to around 6 million children out of a total child population of 291 million." "For most children, this means that they may grow up without enough nutritious food, clothes, school supplies or a warm place to call home," said Bo Viktor Nylund of UNICEF Innocenti. Highlighting the impact of such struggles on young people's physical and mental health, the report called for action to ensure children's well-being. Evoking political will, it stressed that children aren't automatically lifted out of poverty by a country's wealth. Main observations The data, as per AFP, is based on relative poverty — around 60 per cent of a country's national median income — which is often used by developed countries to establish their poverty levels. Blasting Britain and France for their particularly bad standings, UNICEF reported that since 2012, the biggest setbacks have been witnessed in the richest countries. While in Britain there were half a million or 19.6 per cent more poor children, in France the numbers increased by 10.4 per cent. Also read | Watch: In this Japanese restaurant, people pay not for food, but to get slapped for just $2 As per the report, in the European Union, children of non-EU nationality parents are 2.4 times more likely to live in poverty. While the United States saw a 6.7 per cent decrease in the number of children living in poverty, it still means that one in four children continues to live in relative poverty. There was a greater risk of poverty among children from single-parent families and minority backgrounds. Among the minorities in the US, 30 per cent of African American children and 29 per cent of Native American children live below the national poverty line. In comparison, only 10 per cent or one-in-10 non-Hispanic white children face the hardships that come with being poor.

69 million children in 'rich' countries living in poverty: UNICEF

A flight travelling from India's Ahmedabad to Dubai had to make an emergency landing after a medical emergency was reported.

On Tuesday (Dec 5), a SpiceJet plane, flight SG-15, had to initiate an emergency landing in Pakistan's Karachi after a passenger aboard the craft presented signs of a suspected heart attack.

<h2>What happened?</h2>

Flight SG-15 made an emergency landing at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport around 9:30 pm on Tuesday, reported officials.

As per a PTI report, the medical emergency onboard involved a young man.

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"The Boeing 737 aircraft was going from Ahmedabad to Dubai when a 27-year-old passenger, Dharwal Darmesh, suffered a suspected heart attack and needed medical attention," said a spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as reported by the news agency.

<h2>At Karachi airport</h2>

The spokesperson said that a medical team of the CAA were present at the airport to give immediate, emergency medical attention to the passenger.

He said a medical team of the CAA gave emergency medical attention to the passenger whose sugar level had fallen and who was experiencing palpitations.

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"After getting medical treatment, the passenger has recovered, and the flight has also been refuelled and will fly on to Dubai," the official said.

In a statement released on Tuesday night, a spokesperson for SpiceJet announced that the plane flying from Ahmedabad to Dubai was diverted to Karachi.

"On December 5, 2023, SpiceJet Boeing 737 aircraft operating flight SG-15 (Ahmedabad-Dubai) was diverted to Karachi due to a medical emergency," said the statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

A flight travelling from India's Ahmedabad to Dubai had to make an emergency landing after a medical emergency was reported. On Tuesday (Dec 5), a SpiceJet plane, flight SG-15, had to initiate an emergency landing in Pakistan's Karachi after a passenger aboard the craft presented signs of a suspected heart attack.

A flight travelling from India's Ahmedabad to Dubai had to make an emergency landing after a medical emergency was reported. On Tuesday (Dec 5), a SpiceJet plane, flight SG-15, had to initiate an emergency landing in Pakistan's Karachi after a passenger aboard the craft presented signs of a suspected heart attack. What happened? Flight SG-15 made an emergency landing at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport around 9:30 pm on Tuesday, reported officials. As per a PTI report, the medical emergency onboard involved a young man. Also read | Joseph Emerson, off-duty pilot who tried to shut down plane mid-air, indicted on 84 counts "The Boeing 737 aircraft was going from Ahmedabad to Dubai when a 27-year-old passenger, Dharwal Darmesh, suffered a suspected heart attack and needed medical attention," said a spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as reported by the news agency. At Karachi airport The spokesperson said that a medical team of the CAA were present at the airport to give immediate, emergency medical attention to the passenger. He said a medical team of the CAA gave emergency medical attention to the passenger whose sugar level had fallen and who was experiencing palpitations. Also read | Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun threatens to blow up parliament after failed assassination bid "After getting medical treatment, the passenger has recovered, and the flight has also been refuelled and will fly on to Dubai," the official said. In a statement released on Tuesday night, a spokesperson for SpiceJet announced that the plane flying from Ahmedabad to Dubai was diverted to Karachi. "On December 5, 2023, SpiceJet Boeing 737 aircraft operating flight SG-15 (Ahmedabad-Dubai) was diverted to Karachi due to a medical emergency," said the statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Dubai-bound SpiceJet flight diverted to Karachi after medical emergency on board

In another heartening tale of cross-border romance, Javeria Khanum, a Pakistani woman, crossed the Attari-Wagah border into India to unite with her fiancé, Sameer Khan, a resident of India's Kolkata.&nbsp;

Welcomed by the rhythmic beats of 'dhol,' Javeria, who entered India legally, was granted a 45-day visa.

<h2>A long wait</h2>

Talking to news agency ANI, Javeria expressed her elation upon finally being granted the visa. She revealed that she had been trying to obtain a visa for the last five years.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/dubai-bound-spicejet-flight-diverted-to-karachi-after-medical-emergency-onboard-666725">Dubai-bound SpiceJet flight diverted to Karachi after medical emergency onboard</a>

Conveying her heartfelt gratitude to the Government of India for granting her the stay, she said: "I am extremely happy and wish to convey my special thanks to the Government of India for granting me a stay here. We have been in a relationship for the past five years. We were trying to secure a visa for a long time and finally, it happened. I have been granted a 45-day visa."

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Amritsar, Punjab: A Pakistani woman, Javeria Khanum arrived in India (at the Attari-Wagah border) to marry her fiancé Sameer Khan, a Kolkata resident. She was welcomed in India to the beats of 'dhol'. 
 
She says, "I am extremely happy...I want to convey my special thanks… <a href="https://t.co/E0U00TIYMX">pic.twitter.com/E0U00TIYMX</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1732183953627656529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Love knows no borders</h2>

Javeria and Sameer's story echoes similar cross-border love stories that in recent days have captivated the attention of netizens online.

Previously, Seema Haider, another Pakistani woman, had ventured into India to join Sachin Meena, her online gaming acquaintance-turned-romantic partner.

However, unlike Javeria, Seema had entered India illegally, which prompted intelligence agencies to request a comprehensive report from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Uttar Pradesh Police regarding her unauthorised entry.

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The agencies sought clarification on the circumstances of Haider's journey.&nbsp;

Travelling from Pakistan's Karachi, she travelled through Nepal to reach Uttar Pradesh's Noida. There, the couple started living together.

Nevertheless, legal repercussions followed, as Seema was arrested on July 4 for entering India without a visa. Sachin also faced charges for harbouring an illegal migrant.

"Intelligence agencies have asked for a report from SSB and UP Police to find out how she managed to cross over without being vetted and verified by police personnel stationed at the border. We have also demanded a report from UP Police on how she entered India via the UP border and stayed with her partner for many days," said an official at the time.

After spending five days in jail, they were granted bail and were allowed by a court to live together as long as the case against them continued,&nbsp;reported PTI.

In another heartening tale of cross-border romance, Javeria Khanum, a Pakistani woman, crossed the Attari-Wagah border into India to unite with her fiancé, Sameer Khan, a resident of India's Kolkata.

In another heartening tale of cross-border romance, Javeria Khanum, a Pakistani woman, crossed the Attari-Wagah border into India to unite with her fiancé, Sameer Khan, a resident of India's Kolkata. Welcomed by the rhythmic beats of 'dhol,' Javeria, who entered India legally, was granted a 45-day visa. A long wait Talking to news agency ANI, Javeria expressed her elation upon finally being granted the visa. She revealed that she had been trying to obtain a visa for the last five years. Also read | Dubai-bound SpiceJet flight diverted to Karachi after medical emergency onboard Conveying her heartfelt gratitude to the Government of India for granting her the stay, she said: "I am extremely happy and wish to convey my special thanks to the Government of India for granting me a stay here. We have been in a relationship for the past five years. We were trying to secure a visa for a long time and finally, it happened. I have been granted a 45-day visa." #WATCH | Amritsar, Punjab: A Pakistani woman, Javeria Khanum arrived in India (at the Attari-Wagah border) to marry her fiancé Sameer Khan, a Kolkata resident. She was welcomed in India to the beats of 'dhol'. She says, "I am extremely happy...I want to convey my special thanks… pic.twitter.com/E0U00TIYMX — ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2023 × Love knows no borders Javeria and Sameer's story echoes similar cross-border love stories that in recent days have captivated the attention of netizens online. Previously, Seema Haider, another Pakistani woman, had ventured into India to join Sachin Meena, her online gaming acquaintance-turned-romantic partner. However, unlike Javeria, Seema had entered India illegally, which prompted intelligence agencies to request a comprehensive report from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Uttar Pradesh Police regarding her unauthorised entry. Also read | Shedding colonial baggage: Navy to 'Indianise' non-officer ranks, announces PM Modi The agencies sought clarification on the circumstances of Haider's journey. Travelling from Pakistan's Karachi, she travelled through Nepal to reach Uttar Pradesh's Noida. There, the couple started living together. Nevertheless, legal repercussions followed, as Seema was arrested on July 4 for entering India without a visa. Sachin also faced charges for harbouring an illegal migrant. "Intelligence agencies have asked for a report from SSB and UP Police to find out how she managed to cross over without being vetted and verified by police personnel stationed at the border. We have also demanded a report from UP Police on how she entered India via the UP border and stayed with her partner for many days," said an official at the time. After spending five days in jail, they were granted bail and were allowed by a court to live together as long as the case against them continued, reported PTI.

Love triumphs over borders: Pakistani woman granted visa, crosses into India for marriage

Ancestry website 23andMe has confirmed that a recent breach has led to the leak of data belonging to around 6.9 million users.&nbsp;

The data includes things like users' display names, their ancestry reports, profile pictures, and more.

<h2>Who was affected by the breach?</h2>

Andy Kill, 23andMe's spokesperson, in an email statement to The Verge, said that the breach affected around 5.5 million users who had DNA Relatives enabled. This feature matches users with similar genetic makeups, i.e., it matches people with other members they may share ancestry with.&nbsp;

Another 1.4 million people had data related to their family tree profiles accessed.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the ancestry website said that "threat actors" used a credential surfing attack to access "a very small percentage" of "Credential Stuffed Accounts" user accounts.&nbsp;

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This, as per the Verge, amounts to around 14,000 users. However, using the DNA Relatives feature on these 'credential stuffed accounts', the hackers&nbsp;accessed the additional information from millions of other profiles.&nbsp;

"Based on its investigation, 23andMe has determined that the threat actor was able to access a very small percentage (0.1 per cent) of user accounts in instances where usernames and passwords that were used on the 23andMe website were the same as those used on other websites that had been previously compromised or were otherwise available (the 'Credential Stuffed Accounts')."

"We still do not have any indication that there has been a data security incident within our systems," it said.

<h2>The data these 'threat actors' accessed</h2>

The first public signs of trouble for 23andMe appeared in October, when a threat actor, as per the SEC filing, posted online a claim to have 23andMe users’ profile information.

At the time, 23andMe confirmed that user information was up for sale on the dark web.&nbsp;

The Verge reports that the 5.5 million DNA Relatives profile&nbsp;leaks include users who weren't a part of the initial credential-stuffing attack.&nbsp;

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Leaked data includes information like their display names, predicted relationships with others, the amount of DNA users share with matches, ancestry reports, self-reported locations, ancestor birth locations, family names, profile pictures, etc.

For the remaining 1.4 million users, who also participated in the DNA Relatives feature, their family tree profiles were accessed. This means that information like the display names, relationship labels, birth year, and self-reported locations were accessed.&nbsp;

The company said that it was still in the process of notifying users affected by the breach. Additionally, it now requires two-step verification for new and existing users who&nbsp;have been asked to reset their passwords.

"We are in the process of notifying affected customers, as required by law," it said in a blog post.

"We have taken steps to further protect customer data, including requiring all existing customers to reset their password and requiring two-step verification for all new and existing customers. The company will continue to invest in protecting our systems and data."

(With inputs from agencies)

Ancestry website 23andMe has confirmed that a recent breach has led to the leak of data belonging to around 6.9 million users. The data includes things like users' display names, their ancestry reports, profile pictures, and more.

Ancestry website 23andMe has confirmed that a recent breach has led to the leak of data belonging to around 6.9 million users. The data includes things like users' display names, their ancestry reports, profile pictures, and more. Who was affected by the breach? Andy Kill, 23andMe's spokesperson, in an email statement to The Verge, said that the breach affected around 5.5 million users who had DNA Relatives enabled. This feature matches users with similar genetic makeups, i.e., it matches people with other members they may share ancestry with. Another 1.4 million people had data related to their family tree profiles accessed. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the ancestry website said that "threat actors" used a credential surfing attack to access "a very small percentage" of "Credential Stuffed Accounts" user accounts. Also read | El Salvador's Bitcoin investments surge: Bukele confirms profit amid cryptocurrency rally This, as per the Verge, amounts to around 14,000 users. However, using the DNA Relatives feature on these 'credential stuffed accounts', the hackers accessed the additional information from millions of other profiles. "Based on its investigation, 23andMe has determined that the threat actor was able to access a very small percentage (0.1 per cent) of user accounts in instances where usernames and passwords that were used on the 23andMe website were the same as those used on other websites that had been previously compromised or were otherwise available (the 'Credential Stuffed Accounts')." "We still do not have any indication that there has been a data security incident within our systems," it said. The data these 'threat actors' accessed The first public signs of trouble for 23andMe appeared in October, when a threat actor, as per the SEC filing, posted online a claim to have 23andMe users’ profile information. At the time, 23andMe confirmed that user information was up for sale on the dark web. The Verge reports that the 5.5 million DNA Relatives profile leaks include users who weren't a part of the initial credential-stuffing attack. Also read | Wells Fargo faces lawsuit over alleged overtime violations amid unionisation push Leaked data includes information like their display names, predicted relationships with others, the amount of DNA users share with matches, ancestry reports, self-reported locations, ancestor birth locations, family names, profile pictures, etc. For the remaining 1.4 million users, who also participated in the DNA Relatives feature, their family tree profiles were accessed. This means that information like the display names, relationship labels, birth year, and self-reported locations were accessed. The company said that it was still in the process of notifying users affected by the breach. Additionally, it now requires two-step verification for new and existing users who have been asked to reset their passwords. "We are in the process of notifying affected customers, as required by law," it said in a blog post. "We have taken steps to further protect customer data, including requiring all existing customers to reset their password and requiring two-step verification for all new and existing customers. The company will continue to invest in protecting our systems and data." (With inputs from agencies)

Ancestry website 23andMe confirms recent data breach affected 6.9 million users 

Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, as per reports, has been appointed as the new Vice Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy.

Citing people in the know, the Hindustan Times reported that Vice Admiral Tripathi will ascend to the crucial role in early January 2024.

<h2>Who is Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi?</h2>

Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi is currently serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.

Previously, he served as the Chief of Personnel (COP) and Director General of Naval Operations (DGNO) at Naval Headquarters.&nbsp;

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His earlier appointments included Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy and Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF).

Vice Admiral Tripathi was commissioned into the Indian Navy in July 1985.&nbsp;

<h2>Vice Chief of the Naval Staff</h2>

Starting January 2023, Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi will take over the prestigious post of Vice Chief of the Naval Staff from Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, who has been serving in the position since April 1, 2023.&nbsp;

As per the report, Vice Admiral Tripathi's extensive experience and leadership in the naval domain make him a strategic choice for this intrinsic position.

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Vice Chief of the Naval Staff is a statutory position in the Indian Armed Forces. The Vice Chief is the deputy of the Chief of the Naval Staff and is usually the second highest-ranking officer of the Indian Navy.

<h2>Other notable appointments</h2>

According to the HT report, another noteworthy change involves Vice Admiral Srinivas Vennam, who has been appointed as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command.

Vice Admiral Vennam is currently serving as&nbsp;Inspector General Nuclear Safety. 
&nbsp;

Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, as per reports, has been appointed as the new Vice Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. Citing people in the know, the Hindustan Times reported that Vice Admiral Tripathi will ascend to the crucial role in early January 2024.

Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, as per reports, has been appointed as the new Vice Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. Citing people in the know, the Hindustan Times reported that Vice Admiral Tripathi will ascend to the crucial role in early January 2024. Who is Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi? Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi is currently serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command. Previously, he served as the Chief of Personnel (COP) and Director General of Naval Operations (DGNO) at Naval Headquarters. Also read | Senior US official discusses alleged foiled plot to kill Pannun during visit to India His earlier appointments included Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy and Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF). Vice Admiral Tripathi was commissioned into the Indian Navy in July 1985. Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Starting January 2023, Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi will take over the prestigious post of Vice Chief of the Naval Staff from Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, who has been serving in the position since April 1, 2023. As per the report, Vice Admiral Tripathi's extensive experience and leadership in the naval domain make him a strategic choice for this intrinsic position. Also read | ISRO brings back Chandrayaan-3 Propulsion Module to Earth's orbit Vice Chief of the Naval Staff is a statutory position in the Indian Armed Forces. The Vice Chief is the deputy of the Chief of the Naval Staff and is usually the second highest-ranking officer of the Indian Navy. Other notable appointments According to the HT report, another noteworthy change involves Vice Admiral Srinivas Vennam, who has been appointed as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command. Vice Admiral Vennam is currently serving as Inspector General Nuclear Safety.

Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi to be the new Vice Chief of Naval Staff

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots were killed in action when their aircraft crashed during training at the Air Force Academy, in the Dindigul district of&nbsp;the Southern Indian state of Telangana.&nbsp;

As per Indian Air Force officials, the pilots include an instructor and one cadet.

<h2>How it unfolded</h2>

The crash, as per an ANI news agency report, happened around 8:55 am on Monday (December 4).

Their aircraft, a Pilatus trainer, crashed during training near Toopran in Telangana's Medak district.

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Talking to ANI, Superintendent of Police (SP), Medak said that "it's a Training Aircraft from Dindigul airport. There were two people inside the aircraft, one trainer and a trainee. The airport staff and clue team are on the spot. The firefighters doused the fire."

"They are trying to find out if there are any survivors. they are combing the area to find if there are body remains. Further details awaited," said SP Rohini Priyadarshini.

<h2>Defence minister expresses anguish</h2>

Reacting to the tragic news, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Anguished by this accident near Hyderabad. It is deeply saddening that two pilots have lost their lives. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families."

As of now, the cause of the crash is unknown. However, as per the IAF, a "Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident."

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In a statement, the IAS said, "A Pilatus PC 7 Mk II aircraft met with an accident today morning during a routine training sortie from AFA, Hyderabad. It is with deep regret that the IAF confirms both pilots onboard the aircraft sustained fatal injuries. No damage to any civil life or property has been reported. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident."

(With inputs from agencies)

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots were killed in action when their aircraft crashed during training at the Air Force Academy, in the Dindigul district of the Southern Indian state of Telangana.

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots were killed in action when their aircraft crashed during training at the Air Force Academy, in the Dindigul district of the Southern Indian state of Telangana. As per Indian Air Force officials, the pilots include an instructor and one cadet. How it unfolded The crash, as per an ANI news agency report, happened around 8:55 am on Monday (December 4). Their aircraft, a Pilatus trainer, crashed during training near Toopran in Telangana's Medak district. Also read | India and Maldives core group to discuss usage of Indian military platforms Talking to ANI, Superintendent of Police (SP), Medak said that "it's a Training Aircraft from Dindigul airport. There were two people inside the aircraft, one trainer and a trainee. The airport staff and clue team are on the spot. The firefighters doused the fire." "They are trying to find out if there are any survivors. they are combing the area to find if there are body remains. Further details awaited," said SP Rohini Priyadarshini. Defence minister expresses anguish Reacting to the tragic news, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Anguished by this accident near Hyderabad. It is deeply saddening that two pilots have lost their lives. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families." As of now, the cause of the crash is unknown. However, as per the IAF, a "Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident." Also read | Cyclone Michuang: Chennai, nearby districts lashed by over 20 cms of rain; cyclone to further intensify In a statement, the IAS said, "A Pilatus PC 7 Mk II aircraft met with an accident today morning during a routine training sortie from AFA, Hyderabad. It is with deep regret that the IAF confirms both pilots onboard the aircraft sustained fatal injuries. No damage to any civil life or property has been reported. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident." (With inputs from agencies)

Tragedy at Telangana Air Force academy: Two Indian Air Force pilots killed in aircraft crash during training

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