<p>What makes a proposal 'perfect'? If you are planning on popping "the question" to your partner this Valentine's Day, an Oxford University mathematician has revealed the formula behind the perfect proposal.</p>

<p>Before we reveal the formula, what do you think makes for a perfect proposal? Flowers, a fancy meal, a sandy beach at sunset? Turns out, it is none of these. As per Dr Tom Crawford, a mathematician from Oxford University, the recipe for success is hidden in numbers.</p>

<h2><strong>The formula for a 'yes'</strong></h2>

<p>"If you follow this recipe for success, you'll be giving yourself the best possible chance of getting that 'Yes'," said the mathematician.</p>

<p>The maths of a perfect proposal has a perfect score of 100. For a 'yes', the proposal must be based on four key factors that are worth 20 points each — the time of the proposal meal, the timing of the proposal itself, the amount of planning you put in and finally the cost of the engagement ring (yes, you need one).</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-pet-dog-protects-owners-body-from-wild-animals-for-48-hours-amid-heavy-snow-watch-688293">Pet dog protects owner's body from wild animals for 48 hours amid heavy snow. Watch</a></strong></p>

<p>In addition, the chances of acceptance can be boosted by some simple things, worth the last 20 points — give a heartfelt speech, create a romantic setting (think flowers and lighting), and play good music.</p>

<p>Based on a survey of 2,000 people, Dr Crawford recommends that you start your meal at 8:06 pm, and pop the question after the main course, but before dessert. The engagement ring should cost at least 2.5 months of your salary and finally, you must dedicate at least 68 days to planning the proposal.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Things that can spoil a 'perfect' proposal</strong></h2>

<p>As per the mathematician, even if you follow the formula, you can still spoil your proposal score.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ps11000-ipad-roaming-bill-forces-scotland-minister-michael-matheson-to-resign-heres-what-happened-688324">£11,000 iPad roaming bill forces Scotland minister Michael Matheson to resign. Here's what happened</a></strong></p>

<p>Checking your phone can cost you 20 points, having the TV on is another 14 points, burnt food will cost you 10 points and finally, kids in the house means a six-point deduction.</p>

<p>"In terms of things to avoid, keep those phones switched off and out of sight, drop the kids off with a babysitter, and don't burn the food!" said Crawford, as quoted by Daily Mail.</p>


What makes a proposal 'perfect'? If you are planning on popping "the question" to your partner this Valentine's Day, an Oxford University mathematician has revealed the formula behind the perfect proposal.

What makes a proposal 'perfect'? If you are planning on popping "the question" to your partner this Valentine's Day, an Oxford University mathematician has revealed the formula behind the perfect proposal. Before we reveal the formula, what do you think makes for a perfect proposal? Flowers, a fancy meal, a sandy beach at sunset? Turns out, it is none of these. As per Dr Tom Crawford, a mathematician from Oxford University, the recipe for success is hidden in numbers. The formula for a 'yes' "If you follow this recipe for success, you'll be giving yourself the best possible chance of getting that 'Yes'," said the mathematician. The maths of a perfect proposal has a perfect score of 100. For a 'yes', the proposal must be based on four key factors that are worth 20 points each — the time of the proposal meal, the timing of the proposal itself, the amount of planning you put in and finally the cost of the engagement ring (yes, you need one). Also read | Pet dog protects owner's body from wild animals for 48 hours amid heavy snow. Watch In addition, the chances of acceptance can be boosted by some simple things, worth the last 20 points — give a heartfelt speech, create a romantic setting (think flowers and lighting), and play good music. Based on a survey of 2,000 people, Dr Crawford recommends that you start your meal at 8:06 pm, and pop the question after the main course, but before dessert. The engagement ring should cost at least 2.5 months of your salary and finally, you must dedicate at least 68 days to planning the proposal. Things that can spoil a 'perfect' proposal As per the mathematician, even if you follow the formula, you can still spoil your proposal score. Also read | £11,000 iPad roaming bill forces Scotland minister Michael Matheson to resign. Here's what happened Checking your phone can cost you 20 points, having the TV on is another 14 points, burnt food will cost you 10 points and finally, kids in the house means a six-point deduction. "In terms of things to avoid, keep those phones switched off and out of sight, drop the kids off with a babysitter, and don't burn the food!" said Crawford, as quoted by Daily Mail.

According to an Oxford mathematician, THIS is the formula for a 'perfect' proposal

<p>It is rightly said that dogs are man's best friend. A canine companion has once again proven this by his unmatched loyalty. In India's Himachal Pradesh, a dog stood and guarded his master's body from wild animals amid snow for 48 hours.</p>

<p>The incident is from Bir-Billing, where Alpha, a German Shepherd stood guard over his human Abhinandan Gupta and his friend Parnita Bal Sahib's bodies at the daunting height of 9,000 feet.</p>

<h2><strong>What happened?</strong></h2>

<p>Pune residents Gupta and his friend Sahib, as per a Tribune India report had gone to the popular tourist destination Billing on Sunday (Feb 4th) afternoon by a private car. While returning to their base camp at Chogan near Bir, the friends due to heavy snow left their car midway and started making their way on foot along with the dog, Alpha.</p>

<p>But the&nbsp;duo reportedly&nbsp;slipped due to the snow and fell into a deep gorge. Footprints at the scene of the incident suggests that they tried to climb out of the gorge, but failed. They died there, probably due to the acute cold and injuries.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-one-dead-many-injured-after-portion-of-delhi-metro-station-collapses-688256">India: One dead, many injured after portion of Delhi metro station collapses</a></strong></p>

<p>A rescue team comprising paragliders and the police found their bodies with Alpha keeping guard over them. While they had signs of attack by wild animals, the dog kept their bodies from being taken away&nbsp; by wild animals like black bear and leopards.</p>

<p>He was found wailing next to them. An official said that "Alpha's continuous wailing reflected his desperation and grief as if he was hoping that the team would save his master. Alpha too had sustained injuries, but he survived and continued to guard the bodies for 48 hours till Tuesday when rescue team reached on the spot."</p>

<h2><strong>How the bodies were recovered</strong></h2>

<p>As per the report, Abhinandan Gupta's brother-in-law reported that the friends were missing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The duo was missing since Sunday, and their phones were switched off. After a frantic search of around two days they were found lying dead deep in the forest with Alpha by their side.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-noida-border-witnesses-massive-traffic-jams-as-farmers-call-for-protest-688188">India: Delhi-Noida border witnesses massive traffic jams as farmers call for protest</a></strong></p>

<p>"They were last spotted on a ridge by some other tourists. So, two teams were sent on either side of the hill. Finally, their bodies were found with the German shepherd sitting guard for the last 48 hours," said an official with the rescue team.</p>

<p>Alpha the dog was also injured. He allowed the rescue team to recover the body and accompanied them to Bir.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"In Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh, a touching scene unfolded. Two trackers lost their life , but their faithful German Shepherd stood watch for 2 days until help arrived. Even afterward, the dog's plaintive cries rejected food. Dogs, like this faithful companion, embody the… <a href="https://t.co/wyLpRHWGSu">pic.twitter.com/wyLpRHWGSu</a></p>
— Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) <a href="https://twitter.com/iNikhilsaini/status/1755479310977372183?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Abhinandan's family as per the report have reached Baijnath to collect the bodies.&nbsp;From there, the deceased along with the German Shepherd will be taken to Pathankot.</p>

<p>Talking to Tribune, Bir SHO Dalip Saklani described the scene as "heart-wrenching" and said that the police found the dog crying and guarding the body of its owner.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


It is rightly said that dogs are man's best friend. A canine companion has once again proven this by his unmatched loyalty. In India's Himachal Pradesh, a dog stood and guarded his master's body from wild animals amid snow for 48 hours.

It is rightly said that dogs are man's best friend. A canine companion has once again proven this by his unmatched loyalty. In India's Himachal Pradesh, a dog stood and guarded his master's body from wild animals amid snow for 48 hours. The incident is from Bir-Billing, where Alpha, a German Shepherd stood guard over his human Abhinandan Gupta and his friend Parnita Bal Sahib's bodies at the daunting height of 9,000 feet. What happened? Pune residents Gupta and his friend Sahib, as per a Tribune India report had gone to the popular tourist destination Billing on Sunday (Feb 4th) afternoon by a private car. While returning to their base camp at Chogan near Bir, the friends due to heavy snow left their car midway and started making their way on foot along with the dog, Alpha. But the duo reportedly slipped due to the snow and fell into a deep gorge. Footprints at the scene of the incident suggests that they tried to climb out of the gorge, but failed. They died there, probably due to the acute cold and injuries. Also read | India: One dead, many injured after portion of Delhi metro station collapses A rescue team comprising paragliders and the police found their bodies with Alpha keeping guard over them. While they had signs of attack by wild animals, the dog kept their bodies from being taken away by wild animals like black bear and leopards. He was found wailing next to them. An official said that "Alpha's continuous wailing reflected his desperation and grief as if he was hoping that the team would save his master. Alpha too had sustained injuries, but he survived and continued to guard the bodies for 48 hours till Tuesday when rescue team reached on the spot." How the bodies were recovered As per the report, Abhinandan Gupta's brother-in-law reported that the friends were missing. The duo was missing since Sunday, and their phones were switched off. After a frantic search of around two days they were found lying dead deep in the forest with Alpha by their side. Also read | India: Delhi-Noida border witnesses massive traffic jams as farmers call for protest "They were last spotted on a ridge by some other tourists. So, two teams were sent on either side of the hill. Finally, their bodies were found with the German shepherd sitting guard for the last 48 hours," said an official with the rescue team. Alpha the dog was also injured. He allowed the rescue team to recover the body and accompanied them to Bir. "In Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh, a touching scene unfolded. Two trackers lost their life , but their faithful German Shepherd stood watch for 2 days until help arrived. Even afterward, the dog's plaintive cries rejected food. Dogs, like this faithful companion, embody the… pic.twitter.com/wyLpRHWGSu — Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) February 8, 2024 × Abhinandan's family as per the report have reached Baijnath to collect the bodies. From there, the deceased along with the German Shepherd will be taken to Pathankot. Talking to Tribune, Bir SHO Dalip Saklani described the scene as "heart-wrenching" and said that the police found the dog crying and guarding the body of its owner. (With inputs from agencies)

Pet dog protects owner's body from wild animals for 48 hours amid heavy snow. Watch

<p>Social media is a wonderful place, where every day the cutest content reaches our eyes. The latest in this is a video of two adorable girls reporting on the snowfall in India's Kashmir.</p>

<p>Guaranteed to make your day, the adorable video has even been shared by famous industrialist Anand Mahindra with the caption "Sleds on Snow Or Shayari on Snow. My vote goes to the second…"</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-kashmirs-gulmarg-flaunts-its-status-as-indias-winter-wonderland-in-drone-footage-686990">Watch: Kashmir's Gulmarg flaunts its status as India's winter wonderland in drone footage</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>'Jannat'</strong></h2>

<p>In the video, the spotlight falls on two twin sisters joyously playing in&nbsp;the freshly fallen snow in Kashmir. Their vivid expressions convey sheer excitement and gratitude for the long-awaited snowfall.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The girls, brimming with enthusiasm, share that they had fervently prayed for this picturesque moment. Against the backdrop of pristine white surroundings, they poetically refer to the scene as "jannat" (heaven), offering viewers a glimpse into their enchanting winter wonderland that is Kashmir.</p>

<p>Watch the video here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sleds on Snow<br />
<br />
Or<br />
<br />
Shayari on Snow.<br />
<br />
My vote goes to the second…<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sunday?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sunday</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://t.co/qajdrVYyr7">pic.twitter.com/qajdrVYyr7</a></p>
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) <a href="https://twitter.com/anandmahindra/status/1754071584896332256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The sisters, radiating infectious joy, express how much they are relishing the moment and indulging in playful activities. "Toh hum yahan par bahot zyada enjoy kar rahe hai, masti kar rahe hain (So, we are enjoying a lot here, having a great time), they declare with palpable excitement." The video unfolds with them, showing the snowy landscape that surrounds them, and revealing&nbsp;their&nbsp;plans to make the most of this delightful occasion.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/the-best-is-yet-to-come-mark-zuckerberg-celebrates-20-years-of-facebook-687251">‘The best is yet to come’: Mark Zuckerberg celebrates 20 years of Facebook</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Viral Video</strong></h2>

<p>This video, which was shared by Mahindra on February 4, has gained close to 416 thousand views. It also has over 12,000 likes and numerous comments gushing over the cuteness.</p>

<p>"Oh My God. What a cute video. Enjoyed watching it. Worth sharing," said one user.</p>

<p>"Such a wholesome video!," commented another, while a third user said, "Cuteness overloaded."</p>


Social media is a wonderful place, where every day the cutest content reaches our eyes. The latest in this is a video of two adorable girls reporting on the snowfall in India's Kashmir.

Social media is a wonderful place, where every day the cutest content reaches our eyes. The latest in this is a video of two adorable girls reporting on the snowfall in India's Kashmir. Guaranteed to make your day, the adorable video has even been shared by famous industrialist Anand Mahindra with the caption "Sleds on Snow Or Shayari on Snow. My vote goes to the second…" Also read | Watch: Kashmir's Gulmarg flaunts its status as India's winter wonderland in drone footage 'Jannat' In the video, the spotlight falls on two twin sisters joyously playing in the freshly fallen snow in Kashmir. Their vivid expressions convey sheer excitement and gratitude for the long-awaited snowfall. The girls, brimming with enthusiasm, share that they had fervently prayed for this picturesque moment. Against the backdrop of pristine white surroundings, they poetically refer to the scene as "jannat" (heaven), offering viewers a glimpse into their enchanting winter wonderland that is Kashmir. Watch the video here: Sleds on Snow Or Shayari on Snow. My vote goes to the second…#Sunday pic.twitter.com/qajdrVYyr7 — anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 4, 2024 × The sisters, radiating infectious joy, express how much they are relishing the moment and indulging in playful activities. "Toh hum yahan par bahot zyada enjoy kar rahe hai, masti kar rahe hain (So, we are enjoying a lot here, having a great time), they declare with palpable excitement." The video unfolds with them, showing the snowy landscape that surrounds them, and revealing their plans to make the most of this delightful occasion. Also read | ‘The best is yet to come’: Mark Zuckerberg celebrates 20 years of Facebook Viral Video This video, which was shared by Mahindra on February 4, has gained close to 416 thousand views. It also has over 12,000 likes and numerous comments gushing over the cuteness. "Oh My God. What a cute video. Enjoyed watching it. Worth sharing," said one user. "Such a wholesome video!," commented another, while a third user said, "Cuteness overloaded."

Kashmir’s snowfall through the eyes of adorable twin sisters. Watch viral heartwarming video

<p>Revenge is a dish best served cold, and what's colder than paying to have your ex neutered? In the United States' South Jersey area, an animal shelter is offering people some harmless fun this Valentine's Day. If you are a resident of Blackwood, New Jersey, at the small price of $50, you can "Neuter Your Ex," or rather, a cat named after your ex.</p>

<h2><strong>Valentine's Day gimmick</strong></h2>

<p>In recent years, gimmicks like naming a cockroach after your ex have become all the rage, especially around Valentine's, a day which can be hard for jaded/jilted lovers.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-bbc-releases-3000-emails-around-princess-dianas-interview-scandal-685518">BBC releases 3,000 emails around Princess Diana’s interview scandal</a></strong></p>

<p>Using the rage that many of us have for our exes, the Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center in Blackwood, New Jersey launched its "Neuter Your Ex" donation event for Valentine's Day.</p>

<p>A person can get some petty satisfaction by neutering their ex, all the while helping a feral cat.</p>

<p>As the shelter in its promotion put it, "Neuter your ex for Valentine's Day… because some things shouldn't breed."</p>

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<p>In a post on social media, the shelter explained that "the cat will then be spayed or neutered before being released back to their colony as part of our trap-neuter-return (TNR) program."</p>

<h2><strong>How do I neuter my ex?</strong></h2>

<p>All you have to do is send the animal shelter a $50 donation and share your ex's name with them via the payment platform, or by sending them a screenshot of the payment confirmation and the name.</p>

<p>There is only one condition: the shelter will accept either the first name or nicknames and won't entertain full names.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/us-brings-new-bill-to-tackle-deepfakes-post-taylor-swift-ai-nudes-scandal-685494">US brings new bill to tackle deepfakes post Taylor Swift AI nudes scandal</a></strong></p>

<p>Talking to CBS News, Eric Schwartz, director of development for Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center, said that the promotion has "absolutely taken off".</p>

<p>He said that the idea was suggested by a volunteer and that when people read the tagline "some things shouldn't breed", more often than not, even if they do not talk about it openly, "I think an image or a name comes into their mind."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Revenge is a dish best served cold, and what's colder than paying to have your ex neutered? In the United States' South Jersey area, an animal shelter is offering people some harmless fun this Valentine's Day.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and what's colder than paying to have your ex neutered? In the United States' South Jersey area, an animal shelter is offering people some harmless fun this Valentine's Day. If you are a resident of Blackwood, New Jersey, at the small price of $50, you can "Neuter Your Ex," or rather, a cat named after your ex. Valentine's Day gimmick In recent years, gimmicks like naming a cockroach after your ex have become all the rage, especially around Valentine's, a day which can be hard for jaded/jilted lovers. Also read | BBC releases 3,000 emails around Princess Diana’s interview scandal Using the rage that many of us have for our exes, the Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center in Blackwood, New Jersey launched its "Neuter Your Ex" donation event for Valentine's Day. A person can get some petty satisfaction by neutering their ex, all the while helping a feral cat. As the shelter in its promotion put it, "Neuter your ex for Valentine's Day… because some things shouldn't breed." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Homeward Bound Pet Adoption (@homewardboundnj) × In a post on social media, the shelter explained that "the cat will then be spayed or neutered before being released back to their colony as part of our trap-neuter-return (TNR) program." How do I neuter my ex? All you have to do is send the animal shelter a $50 donation and share your ex's name with them via the payment platform, or by sending them a screenshot of the payment confirmation and the name. There is only one condition: the shelter will accept either the first name or nicknames and won't entertain full names. Also read | US brings new bill to tackle deepfakes post Taylor Swift AI nudes scandal Talking to CBS News, Eric Schwartz, director of development for Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center, said that the promotion has "absolutely taken off". He said that the idea was suggested by a volunteer and that when people read the tagline "some things shouldn't breed", more often than not, even if they do not talk about it openly, "I think an image or a name comes into their mind." (With inputs from agencies)

'Some things shouldn't breed': US shelter lets jilted lovers 'neuter' their ex for Valentine's Day

<p>A former Google and Twitter executive was supposedly enjoying eating ‘Kurkure’ in the cafeteria of Beijing’s Google office when he was abruptly interrupted by a colleague. “Wow, I didn't know you were a fan of these,” the colleague warned. “Yes, of course. I grew up eating something similar as a snack in India,” replied Parminder Singh, former Managing Director of Google and Twitter. But then the response from the colleague left him red-faced.</p>

<p>It turned out that Singh was relishing crispy duck tongues all along and not ‘Kurkure.’ “Really? Are duck tongues common in India,” the colleague asked in a tone reflecting shock and surprise.</p>

<p>Singh recently took to X to narrate this funny incident to his followers. He said the incident took place when he was visiting Google's Beijing office.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-jsarwt="1" data-usg="AOvVaw2xiU6ARq5_gDsmGt6CNPSR" data-ved="2ahUKEwiXuqzmu_ODAxUeS2wGHVZ-AbcQxfQBKAB6BAgKEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/india-police-detain-punjab-man-for-impersonating-a-girl-during-examination-679963" jsname="YKoRaf">India: Police detain Punjab man for impersonating a girl during examination</a></strong></p>

<p>“I had been relishing crispy-coated duck tongues! Now, whenever I see a plate of 'kurkure', I double-check to make sure it's not Chinese tongue-di kabab,'' Singh wrote on X.</p>

<p>Singh further clarified that he was “happily adventurous’ with his food choices and accidentally eating duck tongues didn’t bother him. “Just for the record, I’m happily adventurous with my food. I have eaten everything from snakes to insects, and of course duck tongues! But when I expect kurkure, I want kurkure!” Singh wrote.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just for the record, I’m happily adventurous with my food. I have eaten everything from snakes to insects, and of course duck tongues! But when I expect kurkure, I want kurkure!</p>
— Parminder Singh (@parrysingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/parrysingh/status/1749308005198573922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Users on X were both surprised and amused by the incident, who then shared their own food mix-up experiences.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''I filled my plate with something looking like sev-bhajia in Kuala Lumpur. I found the smell a bit strange. When looked closely, every strand of sev had a pair of tiniest eyes. It was some kind of deep-fried minuscule fish!'' one user wrote.<br />
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Political analyst, Tehseen Poonawalla also commented that he loves duck tongues and finds them to be ''yummy and addictive.''</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctbtn="0" data-cthref="/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=newssearch&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiXuqzmu_ODAxUeS2wGHVZ-AbcQxfQBKAB6BAgNEAE&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wionews.com%2Ftrending%2Faliens-kidnapped-my-mom-woman-leaves-reddit-stunned-with-otherworldly-claim-682051&amp;usg=AOvVaw1VXFKuClqG7hxyw9UczlUX&amp;opi=89978449" data-jrwt="1" data-jsarwt="1" data-usg="AOvVaw1VXFKuClqG7hxyw9UczlUX" data-ved="2ahUKEwiXuqzmu_ODAxUeS2wGHVZ-AbcQxfQBKAB6BAgNEAE" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=newssearch&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiXuqzmu_ODAxUeS2wGHVZ-AbcQxfQBKAB6BAgNEAE&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wionews.com%2Ftrending%2Faliens-kidnapped-my-mom-woman-leaves-reddit-stunned-with-otherworldly-claim-682051&amp;usg=AOvVaw1VXFKuClqG7hxyw9UczlUX&amp;opi=89978449" jsname="YKoRaf">'Aliens kidnapped my mom,' woman leaves Reddit stunned with otherworldly claim</a></strong></p>

<p>“A famished me found an instant noodles cup in the snacks tray at a hotel in Guangzhou. Seeing the tiny green circle sticker relieved me. "Vegetarian food at last!" I muttered as I grabbed the cup. It had a large colourful photo of a prawn covered in noodles. &nbsp;Evidently, fish is considered vegetarian there,” a third user wrote.<br />
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<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A former Google and Twitter executive was supposedly enjoying eating ‘Kurkure’ in the cafeteria of Beijing’s Google office when he was abruptly interrupted by a colleague.

A former Google and Twitter executive was supposedly enjoying eating ‘Kurkure’ in the cafeteria of Beijing’s Google office when he was abruptly interrupted by a colleague. “Wow, I didn't know you were a fan of these,” the colleague warned. “Yes, of course. I grew up eating something similar as a snack in India,” replied Parminder Singh, former Managing Director of Google and Twitter. But then the response from the colleague left him red-faced. It turned out that Singh was relishing crispy duck tongues all along and not ‘Kurkure.’ “Really? Are duck tongues common in India,” the colleague asked in a tone reflecting shock and surprise. Singh recently took to X to narrate this funny incident to his followers. He said the incident took place when he was visiting Google's Beijing office. Also read: India: Police detain Punjab man for impersonating a girl during examination “I had been relishing crispy-coated duck tongues! Now, whenever I see a plate of 'kurkure', I double-check to make sure it's not Chinese tongue-di kabab,'' Singh wrote on X. Singh further clarified that he was “happily adventurous’ with his food choices and accidentally eating duck tongues didn’t bother him. “Just for the record, I’m happily adventurous with my food. I have eaten everything from snakes to insects, and of course duck tongues! But when I expect kurkure, I want kurkure!” Singh wrote. Just for the record, I’m happily adventurous with my food. I have eaten everything from snakes to insects, and of course duck tongues! But when I expect kurkure, I want kurkure! — Parminder Singh (@parrysingh) January 22, 2024 × Users on X were both surprised and amused by the incident, who then shared their own food mix-up experiences. ''I filled my plate with something looking like sev-bhajia in Kuala Lumpur. I found the smell a bit strange. When looked closely, every strand of sev had a pair of tiniest eyes. It was some kind of deep-fried minuscule fish!'' one user wrote. Political analyst, Tehseen Poonawalla also commented that he loves duck tongues and finds them to be ''yummy and addictive.'' Also read: 'Aliens kidnapped my mom,' woman leaves Reddit stunned with otherworldly claim “A famished me found an instant noodles cup in the snacks tray at a hotel in Guangzhou. Seeing the tiny green circle sticker relieved me. "Vegetarian food at last!" I muttered as I grabbed the cup. It had a large colourful photo of a prawn covered in noodles. Evidently, fish is considered vegetarian there,” a third user wrote. (With inputs from agencies)

Ex-Google MD munched on crispy duck tongue in Beijing thinking it was kurkure, shares story

<p>A man was detained by police in the north Indian state of Punjab earlier this month for impersonating a girl and attempting to take a recruitment exam for health workers. The man, identified as Angrez Singh from Fazilka, had appeared for the exam of multi-purpose health workers held by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, at DAV Public School in Kotkapura on January 7.</p>

<p>The man had dressed as a girl for the examination, well adorned with red bangles, a bindi, and lipstick and was seated wearing a ladies’ attire.</p>

<p>Everything went well in the first hour of the examination but investigators grew suspicious after noticing something wrong with the attire later..</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Will this new nuclear bomb spark World War III</strong></p>

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<p>The suspicion prompted the investigators to run a biometric verification process, which revealed the 25-year-old man’s true identity. It was established that the man was impersonating a female candidate, named Paramjit Kaur, from Fazilka and was wearing a wig.</p>

<p>The man was immediately apprehended and handed over to police by the University administration. Another similar incident was reported in the area some days ago, indicating the involvement of a larger network.</p>

<p>Dr Rajeev Sud, Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences was quoted by India Today TV as saying that Angrez was appearing for the exam on behalf of a girl, identified as Paramjit Kaur, a resident of Fazilka.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/doomed-private-us-moon-lander-now-destined-for-earth-to-burn-up-in-atmosphere-679888"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Doomed private US Moon lander now destined for Earth, to ‘burn up’ in atmosphere</strong></a></p>

<p>Faroidkot SP Jasmeet Singh later confirmed that the man was detained and an investigation had been initiated. "We received a complaint from Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, and we are currently investigating the matter. We will take appropriate action after completing our inquiry," he said.</p>

<p>It must be noted that Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) earlier this month conducted a recruitment exam for 806 posts of multipurpose health worker. About 7,200 candidates appeared in the exam at the centres in Kotkapura, Faridkot and Ferozepur.</p>

<p>As a result of the incident, the candidature of Paramjit Kaur was cancelled by the university administration.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A man was detained by police in the north Indian state of Punjab earlier this month for impersonating a girl and attempting to take a recruitment exam for health workers.

A man was detained by police in the north Indian state of Punjab earlier this month for impersonating a girl and attempting to take a recruitment exam for health workers. The man, identified as Angrez Singh from Fazilka, had appeared for the exam of multi-purpose health workers held by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, at DAV Public School in Kotkapura on January 7. The man had dressed as a girl for the examination, well adorned with red bangles, a bindi, and lipstick and was seated wearing a ladies’ attire. Everything went well in the first hour of the examination but investigators grew suspicious after noticing something wrong with the attire later.. Watch: Will this new nuclear bomb spark World War III × The suspicion prompted the investigators to run a biometric verification process, which revealed the 25-year-old man’s true identity. It was established that the man was impersonating a female candidate, named Paramjit Kaur, from Fazilka and was wearing a wig. The man was immediately apprehended and handed over to police by the University administration. Another similar incident was reported in the area some days ago, indicating the involvement of a larger network. Dr Rajeev Sud, Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences was quoted by India Today TV as saying that Angrez was appearing for the exam on behalf of a girl, identified as Paramjit Kaur, a resident of Fazilka. Also read: Doomed private US Moon lander now destined for Earth, to ‘burn up’ in atmosphere Faroidkot SP Jasmeet Singh later confirmed that the man was detained and an investigation had been initiated. "We received a complaint from Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, and we are currently investigating the matter. We will take appropriate action after completing our inquiry," he said. It must be noted that Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) earlier this month conducted a recruitment exam for 806 posts of multipurpose health worker. About 7,200 candidates appeared in the exam at the centres in Kotkapura, Faridkot and Ferozepur. As a result of the incident, the candidature of Paramjit Kaur was cancelled by the university administration. (With inputs from agencies)

India: Police detain Punjab man for impersonating a girl during examination

<p>In a digital era marked by technological leaps, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) comes with both opportunities and challenges. On Tuesday, in a stark warning, top US law enforcement and intelligence officials raised concerns about the dark potential of AI. Speaking at the International Conference on Cyber Security at Fordham University in Manhattan they suggested that artificial intelligence's evolution could amplify the risks associated with hacking, scamming, and money laundering.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>AI can help scams</strong></h2>

<p>Speaking at the cyber security conference, Rob Joyce, the Director of Cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, said that AI is now being employed by less technically savvy individuals to execute hacking operations that would have been beyond their reach otherwise.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Joyce, as reported by Reuters,&nbsp;emphasised the worrisome development and said, "It's going to make those that use AI more effective and more dangerous."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/terror-beasts-scientists-unearth-500-million-year-old-giant-predator-worms-in-greenland-676493">Terror Beasts: 500-million-year old 'giant' predator worms unearthed in Greenland&nbsp;</a></strong></p>

<p>However, on a somewhat optimistic note, he acknowledged that AI advancements are aiding US authorities in uncovering malicious activities.</p>

<p>The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is already witnessing a surge in cyber intrusions attributed to the diminished technical barriers facilitated by AI, revealed James Smith, the Assistant Director in charge of the FBI's New York field office, during the conference.</p>

<h2><strong>More than just hacking</strong></h2>

<p>The potential implications extend beyond hacking, reaching into the realm of financial crimes, according to top federal prosecutors. Damian Williams, the US Attorney in Manhattan, pointed out that AI could empower individuals who do not speak English to craft convincing messages, to scam unsuspecting victims.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-announces-13-ideas-that-won-175000-under-prestigious-niac-programme-676847">NASA announces 13 ideas that won $175,000 under prestigious NIAC programme</a></strong></p>

<p>Breon Peace, the US Attorney in Brooklyn, delved into the unsettling territory of AI-generated "deepfake" images and videos. He expressed concern that such sophisticated content could deceive banks' identity verification systems, that are designed to prevent money laundering. Peace cautioned that this could enable criminals and terrorists to exploit the financial system at scale, "undermining the system of controls that we have developed for decades".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a digital era marked by technological leaps, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) comes with both opportunities and challenges. On Tuesday, in a stark warning, top US law enforcement and intelligence officials raised concerns about the dark potential of AI.

In a digital era marked by technological leaps, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) comes with both opportunities and challenges. On Tuesday, in a stark warning, top US law enforcement and intelligence officials raised concerns about the dark potential of AI. Speaking at the International Conference on Cyber Security at Fordham University in Manhattan they suggested that artificial intelligence's evolution could amplify the risks associated with hacking, scamming, and money laundering. AI can help scams Speaking at the cyber security conference, Rob Joyce, the Director of Cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, said that AI is now being employed by less technically savvy individuals to execute hacking operations that would have been beyond their reach otherwise. Joyce, as reported by Reuters, emphasised the worrisome development and said, "It's going to make those that use AI more effective and more dangerous." Also read | Terror Beasts: 500-million-year old 'giant' predator worms unearthed in Greenland However, on a somewhat optimistic note, he acknowledged that AI advancements are aiding US authorities in uncovering malicious activities. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is already witnessing a surge in cyber intrusions attributed to the diminished technical barriers facilitated by AI, revealed James Smith, the Assistant Director in charge of the FBI's New York field office, during the conference. More than just hacking The potential implications extend beyond hacking, reaching into the realm of financial crimes, according to top federal prosecutors. Damian Williams, the US Attorney in Manhattan, pointed out that AI could empower individuals who do not speak English to craft convincing messages, to scam unsuspecting victims. Also read | NASA announces 13 ideas that won $175,000 under prestigious NIAC programme Breon Peace, the US Attorney in Brooklyn, delved into the unsettling territory of AI-generated "deepfake" images and videos. He expressed concern that such sophisticated content could deceive banks' identity verification systems, that are designed to prevent money laundering. Peace cautioned that this could enable criminals and terrorists to exploit the financial system at scale, "undermining the system of controls that we have developed for decades". (With inputs from agencies)

AI's double-edged sword: Technology making hacking easy for non-tech-savvy people, warn US officials

<p>A UK woman was left red-faced after she accidentally put her grandmother’s ashes in the washing machine. The Norfolk woman, named Briley Coates, said she was shocked to find a small black bag muddled up in the machine along with freshly cleaned clothes. It took her a moment to realise that the bag contained her nan’s ashes.</p>

<p>"I pulled my washing out when I saw the ashes at the bottom of the machine and started laughing, but I was also massively confused as to how she got in there - she was meant to be in a drawer upstairs," said the 30-year-old woman.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;UK: Labour scrutiny over closure of firm owned by PM Sunak's wife</strong></p>

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<p>However, it didn’t take her long to figure out who exactly was to be blamed for the insane act: Her two-year-old half-Norwegian Forest cat, named Menace, quite literally!</p>

<p>It turned out the cat had managed to reach the upstairs drawer and push the sealed bag full of ashes into the washing machine. The woman said her ‘naughty’ cat was playing with the bag before it slipped into the pile of clothes, that she accidentally scooped up.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/mysterious-cemetery-unearthed-in-uk-with-females-buried-in-crouched-positions-677909"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Mysterious cemetery unearthed in UK with females buried in crouched positions</strong></a></p>

<p>"He [the cat] must have pulled her bag out of the drawer after seeing the tie hanging out. He really is a menace; I've just found him running around with her in his mouth,” the woman was quoted as saying by local media.</p>

<p>"I instantly laughed, and I wasn't in any type of mood anymore. My Nan always said she would always be around, and I do believe in things like that,” the woman said.</p>

<p>"My mom absolutely loved it; she instantly said that it's my Nan playing tricks on me," she added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A UK woman was left red-faced after she accidentally put her grandmother’s ashes in the washing machine. The Norfolk woman, named Briley Coates, said she was shocked to find a small black bag muddled up in the machine along with freshly cleaned clothes.

A UK woman was left red-faced after she accidentally put her grandmother’s ashes in the washing machine. The Norfolk woman, named Briley Coates, said she was shocked to find a small black bag muddled up in the machine along with freshly cleaned clothes. It took her a moment to realise that the bag contained her nan’s ashes. "I pulled my washing out when I saw the ashes at the bottom of the machine and started laughing, but I was also massively confused as to how she got in there - she was meant to be in a drawer upstairs," said the 30-year-old woman. Watch: UK: Labour scrutiny over closure of firm owned by PM Sunak's wife × However, it didn’t take her long to figure out who exactly was to be blamed for the insane act: Her two-year-old half-Norwegian Forest cat, named Menace, quite literally! It turned out the cat had managed to reach the upstairs drawer and push the sealed bag full of ashes into the washing machine. The woman said her ‘naughty’ cat was playing with the bag before it slipped into the pile of clothes, that she accidentally scooped up. Also read: Mysterious cemetery unearthed in UK with females buried in crouched positions "He [the cat] must have pulled her bag out of the drawer after seeing the tie hanging out. He really is a menace; I've just found him running around with her in his mouth,” the woman was quoted as saying by local media. "I instantly laughed, and I wasn't in any type of mood anymore. My Nan always said she would always be around, and I do believe in things like that,” the woman said. "My mom absolutely loved it; she instantly said that it's my Nan playing tricks on me," she added. (With inputs from agencies)

UK woman left red-faced after finding her grandmother’s ashes in washing machine, blames ‘Menace’

<p>The year 2023 saw some pretty 'out there' moments that at first glance seem like something right out of a sci-fi book. From the space rock being dropped to our planet Earth, to a dangerous journey underwater that took a tragic turn, here are some moments from the departing year that belong in the science fiction aisle of a library.</p>

<h2><strong>Titan Submersible Implosion&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>On June 18th, Titan, a submersible carrying five passengers, embarked on a fascinating expedition to view the wreck of Titanic, a ship known for its tragic end. However, merely 1 hour and 45 minutes into the dive, the submersible lost contact with its mother ship, the 'Polar Prince'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Four days after it went missing, a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) discovered debris containing parts of Titan. It was found merely 500 metres (1,640.42 feet) from the bow of the Titanic.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-lets-rewind-2023-to-medical-breakthroughs-that-gave-world-hope-668897">Explained | Let's 'Rewind 2023' to medical breakthroughs that gave the world hope</a></strong></p>

<p>The Coast Guard announcing the discovery of debris said that it indicated the Titan's implosion and the instantaneous loss of all onboard — Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate; Hamish Harding, a British airline executive; Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a renowned French scientist and Titanic expert; and Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, a father-son duo.</p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/03/364126-new-wion-58.png?imwidth=3840" /></p>

<h2><strong>Alien Mummies in Mexico</strong></h2>

<p>On September 13, journalist and UFO enthusiast Jaime Maussan presented the specimens at a Mexico congressional event on UFOs or FANIs in Spanish.</p>

<p>At the time, Maussan said that the bodies believed to have been found near the mysterious ancient Nazca lines in Peru were not related to life on Earth.</p>

<p>As expected, the scientific community had its doubts. However, in November, at a Congressional hearing in Mexico, researchers declared that the previously displayed three-fingered Peruvian mummies were authentic. However, they cautiously steered away from certifying the remains' extraterrestrial origins.</p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/11/08/391965-new-wion-2023-11-08t162956628.jpg?imwidth=3840" /></p>

<h2><strong>NASA's First-Ever Report on UFOs</strong></h2>

<p>September was truly a month of extraterrestrials. Apart from the Peruvian mummies that month, NASA also unveiled a report on UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects), or UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/trending/8-aigenerated-images-that-went-viral-in-2023-1702466372303" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/trending/8-aigenerated-images-that-went-viral-in-2023-1702466372303&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwis1e6UibKDAxVZTmwGHV1_D9AQFnoECAcQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw2O8NmctanKgzpaYTcgG0pX" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/trending/8-aigenerated-images-that-went-viral-in-2023-1702466372303" target="_blank">Rewind 2023: 8 AI-Generated Images That Went Viral This Year</a></strong></p>

<p>In its report, the US space agency said that it did not find any evidence that the recently reported a spate of UFOs were of extraterrestrial origin. However, Bill Nelson, Administrator of NASA, said that the finding does not mean that the space agency is denying the possibility of life existing elsewhere in the universe.</p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/05/17/352229-new-wion-77.png?imwidth=3840" /></p>

<h2><strong>A Special Delivery From Space</strong></h2>

<p>In October, NASA successfully brought to the Earth the largest soil sample scooped from the surface of an asteroid called Bennu. The materials, dating back around 4.5 billion years, were collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe in 2020. Finally, this year, the precious samples travelled some 67,000 miles (107,826.05 kilometres) to touch down on Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"That was the moment I knew we made it home... For me, the real science is just beginning," said the Osiris-Rex mission's principal investigator Dante Lauretta at the time.</p>

<p>The celestial specimen can potentially hold answers to questions like how Earth became habitable and much more as&nbsp;asteroid samples, are composed of the 'original materials of the solar system' and are considered relics of the early solar system.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/09/24/381732-untitled-design-2023-09-24t210010052.png?imwidth=3840" /></p>

<h2><strong>Crashing Into The Moon</strong></h2>

<p>You've heard of car crashes, but 2023 was the year of a space crash. In August, Russia's first moon mission in 47 years failed, with the Luna-25 spacecraft spinning out of control and crashing into the moon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The spacecraft sought to land on the Moon's South Pole, and collect geological samples from the lunar surface. This was seen as a precursor to the eventual human colony on the moon.</p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/09/01/376706-copy-of-untitled-4.png?imwidth=3840" /></p>

<h2><strong>Dark Side of the Moon&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Soon after Russia failed, India succeeded in landing on the South Pole or the dark side of the moon. On August 23, the Chandrayaan-3 mission, with its lander Vikram and rover Pragyan, made the historic achievement, making India the first country to touch down on the unexplored side of the Earth's lunar satellite. Not just that, India also etched its name in history as only the fourth nation to touch the lunar surface.&nbsp;<br />
<img alt="Chandrayaan 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7765fb88-73fa-4349-a58f-24daee16d22d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20wion%20%2878%29.jpg" /></p>

<h2><strong>Mysterious Object Haunts Australia Beach</strong></h2>

<p>In July, a large mysterious object was found on a remote West Australian beach. Initially, it was thought to be rocket debris from India's moon mission, Chandrayaan-3. However, India denied any links to the object and the origins of this object still remain unknown. It was eventually moved to a secret location.</p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/19/368161-new-wion40.png?imwidth=3840" /></p>

<h2><strong>Life on Mars?</strong></h2>

<p>In October, NASA announced that it had found evidence that points towards the existence of life on Mars… once upon a time. Examining data collected by NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover, a team of researchers deduced that the planet in ancient times had a huge network of rivers flowing with life-giving water.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We're finding evidence that Mars was likely a planet of rivers," said the research's lead author, Benjamin Cardenas, a geoscientist at Penn State University. The findings were published in Geophysical Research Letters.</p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/10/26/389117-new-wion-13.jpg?imwidth=3840" /></p>


The year 2023 saw some pretty 'out there' moments that at first glance seem like something right out of a sci-fi book. From the space rock being dropped to our planet Earth, to a dangerous journey underwater that took a tragic turn, here are some moments from the departing year that belong in the science fiction aisle of a library.

The year 2023 saw some pretty 'out there' moments that at first glance seem like something right out of a sci-fi book. From the space rock being dropped to our planet Earth, to a dangerous journey underwater that took a tragic turn, here are some moments from the departing year that belong in the science fiction aisle of a library. Titan Submersible Implosion On June 18th, Titan, a submersible carrying five passengers, embarked on a fascinating expedition to view the wreck of Titanic, a ship known for its tragic end. However, merely 1 hour and 45 minutes into the dive, the submersible lost contact with its mother ship, the 'Polar Prince'. Four days after it went missing, a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) discovered debris containing parts of Titan. It was found merely 500 metres (1,640.42 feet) from the bow of the Titanic. Also read | Explained | Let's 'Rewind 2023' to medical breakthroughs that gave the world hope The Coast Guard announcing the discovery of debris said that it indicated the Titan's implosion and the instantaneous loss of all onboard — Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate; Hamish Harding, a British airline executive; Paul-Henri Nargeolet, a renowned French scientist and Titanic expert; and Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, a father-son duo. Alien Mummies in Mexico On September 13, journalist and UFO enthusiast Jaime Maussan presented the specimens at a Mexico congressional event on UFOs or FANIs in Spanish. At the time, Maussan said that the bodies believed to have been found near the mysterious ancient Nazca lines in Peru were not related to life on Earth. As expected, the scientific community had its doubts. However, in November, at a Congressional hearing in Mexico, researchers declared that the previously displayed three-fingered Peruvian mummies were authentic. However, they cautiously steered away from certifying the remains' extraterrestrial origins. NASA's First-Ever Report on UFOs September was truly a month of extraterrestrials. Apart from the Peruvian mummies that month, NASA also unveiled a report on UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects), or UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena). Also read | Rewind 2023: 8 AI-Generated Images That Went Viral This Year In its report, the US space agency said that it did not find any evidence that the recently reported a spate of UFOs were of extraterrestrial origin. However, Bill Nelson, Administrator of NASA, said that the finding does not mean that the space agency is denying the possibility of life existing elsewhere in the universe. A Special Delivery From Space In October, NASA successfully brought to the Earth the largest soil sample scooped from the surface of an asteroid called Bennu. The materials, dating back around 4.5 billion years, were collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe in 2020. Finally, this year, the precious samples travelled some 67,000 miles (107,826.05 kilometres) to touch down on Earth. "That was the moment I knew we made it home... For me, the real science is just beginning," said the Osiris-Rex mission's principal investigator Dante Lauretta at the time. The celestial specimen can potentially hold answers to questions like how Earth became habitable and much more as asteroid samples, are composed of the 'original materials of the solar system' and are considered relics of the early solar system. Crashing Into The Moon You've heard of car crashes, but 2023 was the year of a space crash. In August, Russia's first moon mission in 47 years failed, with the Luna-25 spacecraft spinning out of control and crashing into the moon. The spacecraft sought to land on the Moon's South Pole, and collect geological samples from the lunar surface. This was seen as a precursor to the eventual human colony on the moon. Dark Side of the Moon Soon after Russia failed, India succeeded in landing on the South Pole or the dark side of the moon. On August 23, the Chandrayaan-3 mission, with its lander Vikram and rover Pragyan, made the historic achievement, making India the first country to touch down on the unexplored side of the Earth's lunar satellite. Not just that, India also etched its name in history as only the fourth nation to touch the lunar surface. Mysterious Object Haunts Australia Beach In July, a large mysterious object was found on a remote West Australian beach. Initially, it was thought to be rocket debris from India's moon mission, Chandrayaan-3. However, India denied any links to the object and the origins of this object still remain unknown. It was eventually moved to a secret location. Life on Mars? In October, NASA announced that it had found evidence that points towards the existence of life on Mars… once upon a time. Examining data collected by NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover, a team of researchers deduced that the planet in ancient times had a huge network of rivers flowing with life-giving water. "We're finding evidence that Mars was likely a planet of rivers," said the research's lead author, Benjamin Cardenas, a geoscientist at Penn State University. The findings were published in Geophysical Research Letters.

Rewind 2023: Moments this year that seemed straight out of science fiction

<p>A new viral video has captured the internet's attention. The enthralling video is from Florida's Everglades National Park, where an amateur wildlife photographer captured a thrilling predator vs prey spectacle. The video features a sizeable alligator and a massive Burmese python.</p>

<h2><strong>One for the 'home team'</strong></h2>

<p>Alison Joslyn, an amateur wildlife photographer, documented the dramatic encounter on the Shark Valley Trail. The video shot by her shows a substantial alligator triumphantly feasting on a Burmese python—an invasive trespasser in Florida's natural habitat.</p>

<p>The video, which is widely being shared across social media platforms,&nbsp;showcases the primal dynamics of the ecosystem.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-72-million-year-old-snail-fossil-from-western-romania-673898">Scientists discover 72 million-year-old Snail fossil from western Romania</a></strong></p>

<p>Watch it here:</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A rare occurrence even for Florida: an alligator feasted on a python <a href="https://t.co/QP7E2e7ehl">pic.twitter.com/QP7E2e7ehl</a></p>
— Trending News (@Trend_War_Newss) <a href="https://twitter.com/Trend_War_Newss/status/1739352177909301471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>In a conversation with Storyful, Joslyn, talking about the enthralling incident she witnessed, said: "What a thrill to come across an alligator eating a large invasive Burmese Python in Shark Valley as I was out riding my bike."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"As an amateur wildlife photographer, I knew immediately I was seeing something very special," she added.</p>

<h2><strong>Dead or alive</strong></h2>

<p>Joslyn said that at first,&nbsp;she contemplated the possibility that both the massive creatures were dead. However, to her astonishment, the alligator, seemingly unfazed, opened one of its eyes,&nbsp;nonchalantly acknowledging&nbsp;her presence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Burmese pythons are notorious for preying on various creatures, including alligators. This further intensifies the significance of this documented showdown.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/humans-can-learn-to-sleep-like-bears-to-save-their-lives-study-673901">Humans can learn to sleep like bears to save their lives: Study</a></strong></p>

<p>"Phew! Score one for the home team!" said the photographer.</p>

<p>In Florida, where the delicate ecosystems are threatened by the presence of invasive Burmese Pythons, the humane culling of the snake is permitted. Devoid of protection, the humane killing of the snakes is permitted by the FWC, particularly on private property with landowner consent. Renowned as one of the world's largest snake species, Burmese Python specimens in Florida can average between 6 feet (1.83 metres) and 9 feet (2.74 metres).</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A new viral video has captured the internet's attention. The enthralling video is from Florida's Everglades National Park, where an amateur wildlife photographer captured a thrilling predator vs prey spectacle.

A new viral video has captured the internet's attention. The enthralling video is from Florida's Everglades National Park, where an amateur wildlife photographer captured a thrilling predator vs prey spectacle. The video features a sizeable alligator and a massive Burmese python. One for the 'home team' Alison Joslyn, an amateur wildlife photographer, documented the dramatic encounter on the Shark Valley Trail. The video shot by her shows a substantial alligator triumphantly feasting on a Burmese python—an invasive trespasser in Florida's natural habitat. The video, which is widely being shared across social media platforms, showcases the primal dynamics of the ecosystem. Also read | Scientists discover 72 million-year-old Snail fossil from western Romania Watch it here: A rare occurrence even for Florida: an alligator feasted on a python pic.twitter.com/QP7E2e7ehl — Trending News (@Trend_War_Newss) December 25, 2023 × In a conversation with Storyful, Joslyn, talking about the enthralling incident she witnessed, said: "What a thrill to come across an alligator eating a large invasive Burmese Python in Shark Valley as I was out riding my bike." "As an amateur wildlife photographer, I knew immediately I was seeing something very special," she added. Dead or alive Joslyn said that at first, she contemplated the possibility that both the massive creatures were dead. However, to her astonishment, the alligator, seemingly unfazed, opened one of its eyes, nonchalantly acknowledging her presence. As per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Burmese pythons are notorious for preying on various creatures, including alligators. This further intensifies the significance of this documented showdown. Also read | Humans can learn to sleep like bears to save their lives: Study "Phew! Score one for the home team!" said the photographer. In Florida, where the delicate ecosystems are threatened by the presence of invasive Burmese Pythons, the humane culling of the snake is permitted. Devoid of protection, the humane killing of the snakes is permitted by the FWC, particularly on private property with landowner consent. Renowned as one of the world's largest snake species, Burmese Python specimens in Florida can average between 6 feet (1.83 metres) and 9 feet (2.74 metres). (With inputs from agencies)

Predator vs Prey: Alligator chomps down invasive python in Florida. Watch epic showdown here

<p>Artificial Intelligence-based image generators are very popular across the internet. Throughout 2023, AI-generated images went viral, entertaining people. However, in a startling revelation, a study by the Stanford Internet Observatory uncovered&nbsp;thousands of child sexual abuse images hidden inside a depository used to train these AI generators.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The discovery was made among the dataset of the LAION AI database. Researchers reportedly found over 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse hidden within the AI database, and more than 1,000 images were confirmed as child sexual abuse material.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/european-research-flags-ai-chatbots-for-providing-false-answers-particularly-on-elections-670063">European research flags AI chatbots for providing false answers, particularly on elections</a></strong></p>

<p>The analysis was done in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and other anti-abuse charities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We find that having possession of a LAION‐5B dataset populated even in late 2023 implies the possession of thousands of illegal images," said the researchers.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Which AI image generators used this database?</strong></h2>

<p>As per The Guardian, the database was used to train&nbsp;leading AI image-makers like Stable Diffusion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report states that many text-to-image generators are in some way derived from the LAION database. However, it goes on to say that exactly which ones use&nbsp;it isn't always clear.</p>

<p>Popular Artificial Intelligence maker OpenAI — behind DALL-E and ChatGPT, denied the use of LAION and said that it had fine-tuned its models to refuse any requests that may involve sexual content involving minors.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/alphabet-says-will-restrict-election-related-queries-on-bard-and-ai-based-search-671759">Alphabet says will restrict election-related queries on Bard and AI-based search</a></strong></p>

<p>Imagen, a text-to-image model built by Tech giant Google, was built using LAION dataset, however, the company decided against making it public in 2022. This was because an audit of the dataset "uncovered a wide range of inappropriate content, including pornographic imagery, racist slurs, and harmful social stereotypes," reports the publication.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>LAION's response</strong></h2>

<p>LAION, or Large-scale Artificial Intelligence Open Network, a non-profit, swiftly responded by temporarily removing its datasets, emphasising it&nbsp;"has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal content."&nbsp;</p>

<p>It said that "in an abundance of caution, we have taken down the LAION datasets to ensure they are safe before republishing them."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The more than 3,200 images make up merely a fraction of the 5.8 billion images contained in the dataset. However, as per the Stanford researchers, their presence probably influences AI generators' ability to generate harmful outputs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Such images, they say, facilitate the creation of realistic, explicit imagery, and enable the transformation of social media photos of clothed teens into nudes. In recent days, the latter has been a cause of concern among schools and law enforcement globally.</p>

<p>The Stanford Internet Observatory has advocated for drastic measures, urging those using LAION-5B datasets (containing over 5 billion image-text pairs) to delete or cleanse the material. Additionally, they suggest making older versions, like Stable Diffusion, less accessible, especially if used to generate abusive images without adequate safeguards.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Artificial Intelligence-based image generators are very popular across the internet. Throughout 2023, AI-generated images went viral, entertaining people. However, in a startling revelation, a study by the Stanford Internet Observatory uncovered thousands of child sexual abuse images hidden inside a depository used to train these AI generators.

Artificial Intelligence-based image generators are very popular across the internet. Throughout 2023, AI-generated images went viral, entertaining people. However, in a startling revelation, a study by the Stanford Internet Observatory uncovered thousands of child sexual abuse images hidden inside a depository used to train these AI generators. The discovery was made among the dataset of the LAION AI database. Researchers reportedly found over 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse hidden within the AI database, and more than 1,000 images were confirmed as child sexual abuse material. Also read | European research flags AI chatbots for providing false answers, particularly on elections The analysis was done in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and other anti-abuse charities. "We find that having possession of a LAION‐5B dataset populated even in late 2023 implies the possession of thousands of illegal images," said the researchers. Which AI image generators used this database? As per The Guardian, the database was used to train leading AI image-makers like Stable Diffusion. The report states that many text-to-image generators are in some way derived from the LAION database. However, it goes on to say that exactly which ones use it isn't always clear. Popular Artificial Intelligence maker OpenAI — behind DALL-E and ChatGPT, denied the use of LAION and said that it had fine-tuned its models to refuse any requests that may involve sexual content involving minors. Also read | Alphabet says will restrict election-related queries on Bard and AI-based search Imagen, a text-to-image model built by Tech giant Google, was built using LAION dataset, however, the company decided against making it public in 2022. This was because an audit of the dataset "uncovered a wide range of inappropriate content, including pornographic imagery, racist slurs, and harmful social stereotypes," reports the publication. LAION's response LAION, or Large-scale Artificial Intelligence Open Network, a non-profit, swiftly responded by temporarily removing its datasets, emphasising it "has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal content." It said that "in an abundance of caution, we have taken down the LAION datasets to ensure they are safe before republishing them." The more than 3,200 images make up merely a fraction of the 5.8 billion images contained in the dataset. However, as per the Stanford researchers, their presence probably influences AI generators' ability to generate harmful outputs. Such images, they say, facilitate the creation of realistic, explicit imagery, and enable the transformation of social media photos of clothed teens into nudes. In recent days, the latter has been a cause of concern among schools and law enforcement globally. The Stanford Internet Observatory has advocated for drastic measures, urging those using LAION-5B datasets (containing over 5 billion image-text pairs) to delete or cleanse the material. Additionally, they suggest making older versions, like Stable Diffusion, less accessible, especially if used to generate abusive images without adequate safeguards. (With inputs from agencies)

Database behind AI-image generators found hiding a dark secret: Child sexual abuse content

<p>Artists like Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci are known for their artworks that have stood the test of time and even now, after centuries, continue to fascinate people. They've been scrutinised by hundreds of thousands of people, yet even today, they sometimes throw a doozy: reveal new secrets.</p>

<p>This is exactly what happened with an enormous masterpiece called "The Night Watch". Painted in the 17th-century by artist Rembrandt, it features Dutch civilian soldiers gathered in a darkened room, preparing to march out to defend their city. However, a new research recently uncovered a secret that the painting was hiding for more than 380 years.</p>

<h2><strong>Secrets galore</strong></h2>

<p>Rembrandt is known as a master of light and shadow, and for years, the art community knew that the darks of the painting hid details and the guardsmen's bodies. However, as it turns out that is not the only thing the masterpiece was hiding.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/puppy-eyes-did-humans-affect-the-evolution-of-dogs-eye-colour-research-reveals-fascinating-info-671554">Humans can't resist puppy eyes, so much so that we have impacted their eye colour</a></strong></p>

<p>As per CNN, recently, conservators used X-ray to peer below the paint and varnish of Rembrandt's "The Night Watch". This was the first evaluation of the painting to combine X-rays, spectroscopy of a paint sample and 3D digital reconstructions, in its almost 400-year history.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It revealed something really unexpected: lead.</p>

<p>They found that under the paint there was a whole layer of lead, and this finding has been detailed in journal Science Advances.</p>

<h2><strong>What is lead doing under the painting?</strong></h2>

<p>This is a never-before-seen detail when it comes to Rembrandt's art. He and his contemporaries are known to use a layer of glue to stiffen the canvas before proceeding to the 'ground layer' — a base coat of the underlying pigment.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-explains-jeffrey-epstein-scandal-continues-beyond-the-grave-heres-all-you-need-to-know-671613">WION Explains | Jeffrey Epstein scandal continues 'beyond the grave'. Here's all you need to know</a></strong></p>

<p>However, this one doesn't have that signature glue layer. Instead, it has lead. Apparently, artists sometimes used a lead-saturated layer to better protect the canvas.</p>

<p>The researchers speculate that upon the painting's completion in 1642, it hung in Amsterdam’s Kloveniersdoelen — a musketeers’ shooting range, where it would have been vulnerable to damage from moisture.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Artists like Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci are known for their artworks that have stood the test of time and even now, after centuries, continue to fascinate people.

Artists like Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci are known for their artworks that have stood the test of time and even now, after centuries, continue to fascinate people. They've been scrutinised by hundreds of thousands of people, yet even today, they sometimes throw a doozy: reveal new secrets. This is exactly what happened with an enormous masterpiece called "The Night Watch". Painted in the 17th-century by artist Rembrandt, it features Dutch civilian soldiers gathered in a darkened room, preparing to march out to defend their city. However, a new research recently uncovered a secret that the painting was hiding for more than 380 years. Secrets galore Rembrandt is known as a master of light and shadow, and for years, the art community knew that the darks of the painting hid details and the guardsmen's bodies. However, as it turns out that is not the only thing the masterpiece was hiding. Also read | Humans can't resist puppy eyes, so much so that we have impacted their eye colour As per CNN, recently, conservators used X-ray to peer below the paint and varnish of Rembrandt's "The Night Watch". This was the first evaluation of the painting to combine X-rays, spectroscopy of a paint sample and 3D digital reconstructions, in its almost 400-year history. It revealed something really unexpected: lead. They found that under the paint there was a whole layer of lead, and this finding has been detailed in journal Science Advances. What is lead doing under the painting? This is a never-before-seen detail when it comes to Rembrandt's art. He and his contemporaries are known to use a layer of glue to stiffen the canvas before proceeding to the 'ground layer' — a base coat of the underlying pigment. Also read | WION Explains | Jeffrey Epstein scandal continues 'beyond the grave'. Here's all you need to know However, this one doesn't have that signature glue layer. Instead, it has lead. Apparently, artists sometimes used a lead-saturated layer to better protect the canvas. The researchers speculate that upon the painting's completion in 1642, it hung in Amsterdam’s Kloveniersdoelen — a musketeers’ shooting range, where it would have been vulnerable to damage from moisture. (With inputs from agencies)

400 years after it was painted, 17th-century art reveals THIS secret

<p>Thrifting can at times help you find literal treasures. That is exactly what happened with a US woman. She purchased a glass vase from a local Goodwill Charity shop for merely $3.99 and managed to auction it off for a whopping $100,000 after being identified as a rare and valuable piece of Italian glassware.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>A windfall purchase</strong></h2>

<p>Jessica Vincent made the lucky find at a Goodwill thrift store in Hanover County, Virginia.&nbsp;Talking to the New York Times, she revealed that she was intrigued by the possibility of the vase' value. However, never did she imagine that it was such a magnificent find.</p>

<p>"I had a sense that it might be a $1,000 or $2,000 piece, but I had no clue how good it actually was until I did a little bit more research," she said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/redemption-story-ex-thief-battling-cancer-aids-in-return-of-cambodias-cultural-treasures-670915">Redemption story: Ex-thief, battling cancer, aids in return of Cambodia's cultural treasures</a></strong></p>

<p>Vincent said that she noticed a small 'M' on the bottom, which she suspected stood for Murano, an Italian island located near Venice, renowned for its glasswork.</p>

<h2><strong>The true value</strong></h2>

<p>Purchasing the glass vase for less than four dollars, Vincent jumped into online research. There, some enthusiasts said that they believed the vase resembled a work by the renowned Italian architect Carlo Scarpa.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Taking her curiosity further, she sent pictures of the vase to the Wright Auction House.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/completely-blockbuster-drug-uk-clears-the-way-for-drug-that-treats-hot-flushes-in-menopausal-women-670877">'Completely blockbuster drug': UK clears the way for drug that treats hot flushes in menopausal women</a></strong></p>

<p>Richard Wright, the president of the auction house, was immediately intrigued upon seeing the photos, and the vase was officially identified as part of Scarpa's 1940s "Pennellate" series.</p>

<p>"The minute I saw the photos I had a really good feeling," Wright told NYT.&nbsp;Last week, the vase fetched an impressive $107,100 at auction, finding a new home with an unidentified private art collector in Europe.</p>

<p>"I don’t even know how to feel right now, honestly—it’s just very surreal. It’s kind of like winning the lottery," said Vincent, as reported by auctioneer Richard Wright's website.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em>&nbsp;</p>


Thrifting can at times help you find literal treasures. That is exactly what happened with a US woman. She purchased a glass vase from a local Goodwill Charity shop for merely $3.

Thrifting can at times help you find literal treasures. That is exactly what happened with a US woman. She purchased a glass vase from a local Goodwill Charity shop for merely $3.99 and managed to auction it off for a whopping $100,000 after being identified as a rare and valuable piece of Italian glassware. A windfall purchase Jessica Vincent made the lucky find at a Goodwill thrift store in Hanover County, Virginia. Talking to the New York Times, she revealed that she was intrigued by the possibility of the vase' value. However, never did she imagine that it was such a magnificent find. "I had a sense that it might be a $1,000 or $2,000 piece, but I had no clue how good it actually was until I did a little bit more research," she said. Also read | Redemption story: Ex-thief, battling cancer, aids in return of Cambodia's cultural treasures Vincent said that she noticed a small 'M' on the bottom, which she suspected stood for Murano, an Italian island located near Venice, renowned for its glasswork. The true value Purchasing the glass vase for less than four dollars, Vincent jumped into online research. There, some enthusiasts said that they believed the vase resembled a work by the renowned Italian architect Carlo Scarpa. Taking her curiosity further, she sent pictures of the vase to the Wright Auction House. Also read | 'Completely blockbuster drug': UK clears the way for drug that treats hot flushes in menopausal women Richard Wright, the president of the auction house, was immediately intrigued upon seeing the photos, and the vase was officially identified as part of Scarpa's 1940s "Pennellate" series. "The minute I saw the photos I had a really good feeling," Wright told NYT. Last week, the vase fetched an impressive $107,100 at auction, finding a new home with an unidentified private art collector in Europe. "I don’t even know how to feel right now, honestly—it’s just very surreal. It’s kind of like winning the lottery," said Vincent, as reported by auctioneer Richard Wright's website. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Surreal’: US woman’s $3.99 vase, a thrift store find, sells for $100,000

<p>Amid the surge in popularity of AI chatbots, European non-profits AI Forensics and AlgorithmWatch has&nbsp;warned that the technology gives inaccurate answers to one of every three questions.</p>

<p>Research conducted by the European non-profit organisation&nbsp;found that AI chatbots gave false answers to basic questions, particularly while providing information related to elections.</p>

<h2><strong>Inaccuracies galore</strong></h2>

<p>The study focused on Microsoft’s Bing AI chatbot, now known as Microsoft Copilot, revealing that it provided inaccurate answers to one in three basic questions about candidates, polls, scandals, and voting in recent election cycles in Germany and Switzerland.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Similar inaccuracies were observed for questions about the 2024 US elections.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explained-beginning-of-an-end-human-activity-on-moon-shows-sign-of-lunar-anthropocene-669613">Explained | Humans are on the Moon and it might be the beginning of the end for our satellite</a></strong></p>

<p>Sharing their findings with The Washington Post, researchers stressed that these findings don't assert that Bing's misinformation influenced election outcomes. However, they said it does highlight concerns that AI chatbots could potentially contribute to confusion and misinformation around future elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Especially, as tech giants like Microsoft integrate chatbots into various products, including internet search, concerns rise about their impact on public access to reliable and transparent information.</p>

<p>"As generative AI becomes more widespread, this could affect one of the cornerstones of democracy: the access to reliable and transparent public information," says the researchers, as quoted by The Washington Post.</p>

<h2><strong>Is big tech doing anything about this?</strong></h2>

<p>Despite efforts by companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google to enhance reliability by allowing chatbots to search the web and cite sources, issues persist.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bing, even after providing sources, frequently gave answers that deviated from the information in the cited links, as per Salvatore Romano, head of research for AI Forensics.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/jeff-bezos-says-space-colonisation-ultimately-means-to-preserve-the-planet-669969">Bezos wants humans to colonise the solar system, while Musk has his sight set on Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>The study focused on Bing because it was among the first to include sources and is widely integrated into services available in Europe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Preliminary testing on OpenAI’s GPT-4 revealed similar inaccuracies. Notably, errors in Bing's answers were more common in languages other than English, raising concerns about the performance of US-based AI tools globally.</p>

<p>The researchers discovered factual errors in responses to questions asked in German 37 per cent of the time, compared to a 20 per cent error rate for the same questions in English.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What's the solution?</strong></h2>

<p>While Microsoft is working to address these issues ahead of the 2024 US elections, the researchers emphasise the need for users to verify information obtained from chatbots.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The problem is systemic, and they do not have very good tools to fix it," said Romano.</p>

<p>Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s head of communications, said: "We are continuing to address issues and prepare our tools to perform to our expectations for the 2024 elections."</p>

<p>"As we continue to make progress, we encourage people to use Copilot with their best judgment when viewing results. This includes verifying source materials and checking web links to learn more."</p>

<p>However, the impact of these AI chatbots on democracy, if any, is unclear. These AI chatbots all carry disclaimers, noting that they can make mistakes and encouraging users to double-check the answers.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Amid the surge in popularity of AI chatbots, European non-profits AI Forensics and AlgorithmWatch has warned that the technology gives inaccurate answers to one of every three questions.

Amid the surge in popularity of AI chatbots, European non-profits AI Forensics and AlgorithmWatch has warned that the technology gives inaccurate answers to one of every three questions. Research conducted by the European non-profit organisation found that AI chatbots gave false answers to basic questions, particularly while providing information related to elections. Inaccuracies galore The study focused on Microsoft’s Bing AI chatbot, now known as Microsoft Copilot, revealing that it provided inaccurate answers to one in three basic questions about candidates, polls, scandals, and voting in recent election cycles in Germany and Switzerland. Similar inaccuracies were observed for questions about the 2024 US elections. Also read | Explained | Humans are on the Moon and it might be the beginning of the end for our satellite Sharing their findings with The Washington Post, researchers stressed that these findings don't assert that Bing's misinformation influenced election outcomes. However, they said it does highlight concerns that AI chatbots could potentially contribute to confusion and misinformation around future elections. Especially, as tech giants like Microsoft integrate chatbots into various products, including internet search, concerns rise about their impact on public access to reliable and transparent information. "As generative AI becomes more widespread, this could affect one of the cornerstones of democracy: the access to reliable and transparent public information," says the researchers, as quoted by The Washington Post. Is big tech doing anything about this? Despite efforts by companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google to enhance reliability by allowing chatbots to search the web and cite sources, issues persist. Bing, even after providing sources, frequently gave answers that deviated from the information in the cited links, as per Salvatore Romano, head of research for AI Forensics. Also read | Bezos wants humans to colonise the solar system, while Musk has his sight set on Mars The study focused on Bing because it was among the first to include sources and is widely integrated into services available in Europe. Preliminary testing on OpenAI’s GPT-4 revealed similar inaccuracies. Notably, errors in Bing's answers were more common in languages other than English, raising concerns about the performance of US-based AI tools globally. The researchers discovered factual errors in responses to questions asked in German 37 per cent of the time, compared to a 20 per cent error rate for the same questions in English. What's the solution? While Microsoft is working to address these issues ahead of the 2024 US elections, the researchers emphasise the need for users to verify information obtained from chatbots. "The problem is systemic, and they do not have very good tools to fix it," said Romano. Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s head of communications, said: "We are continuing to address issues and prepare our tools to perform to our expectations for the 2024 elections." "As we continue to make progress, we encourage people to use Copilot with their best judgment when viewing results. This includes verifying source materials and checking web links to learn more." However, the impact of these AI chatbots on democracy, if any, is unclear. These AI chatbots all carry disclaimers, noting that they can make mistakes and encouraging users to double-check the answers. (With inputs from agencies)

European research flags AI chatbots for providing false answers, particularly on elections

<p>Meta Platforms used thousands of pirated books to train its AI models, alleges a new copyright lawsuit filed on Monday (Dec 11) night.&nbsp;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h2><strong>Skipping permissions</strong></h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h2><strong>What is there in the chat logs?</strong></h2>

<p>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".</p>

<p>"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;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>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."</p>

<p>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."</p>

<p>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".</p>

<h2><strong>Llama</strong></h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h2><strong>AI and copyrights</strong></h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


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

<p>2023 was a year of medical breakthroughs. As science progresses, scientists around the world are working hard to improve the quality of human life. This year, several notable, exciting medical advancements made headlines. From successful pig kidney transplant&nbsp;into humans to the world's first whole eye transplant, let's rewind to the year's most notable medical breakthroughs.</p>

<h2><strong>World's first whole eye transplant</strong></h2>

<p>In the United States, in November, surgeons performed the world's first transplant of an entire eye. The patient, a 46-year-old military veteran from Arkansas, had survived a work-related high-voltage electrical accident that destroyed the left side of his face, nose, mouth and left eye. In addition to the eye, a partial-face transplant was also done by the team from NYU Langone Health.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The mere fact that we transplanted an eye is a huge step forward, something that for centuries has been thought about, but it's never been performed," the team lead Dr Eduardo Rodriguez, said at the time.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/entertainment/bollywood/yearender-2023-actors-who-made-their-ott-debut-this-year-1701022719315" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/entertainment/bollywood/yearender-2023-actors-who-made-their-ott-debut-this-year-1701022719315&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj0-N-S3omDAxUyR2wGHchDDjYQFnoECAcQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw3KT-rKPi5BeVr_3M1gLU7z" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/entertainment/bollywood/yearender-2023-actors-who-made-their-ott-debut-this-year-1701022719315" target="_blank">Yearender 2023: Actors Who Made Their OTT Debut This Year</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>First no-rejection kidney transplant</strong></h2>

<p>In September, in the United Kingdom, an eight-year-old Indian-origin girl, Aditi Shankar, became the first child to have gone through a special type of kidney transplant. The transplant was a breakthrough, as it didn't require the little girl&nbsp;to take long-term drugs to stop the potential rejection of the newly transplanted&nbsp;organ.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The little girl's immune system was reprogrammed using stem cells from the donor, Aditi's mother Divya.</p>

<h2><strong>Genetically modified pig kidney survives one month in human body</strong></h2>

<p>In the United States, in August, surgeons transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead patient. The organ worked for a record 32 days and could help bridge the significant organ donation gap.</p>

<h2><strong>A kill switch for cancer</strong></h2>

<p>Scientists from UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Sacramento in California discovered a "kill switch" that could be used to trigger the death of cancer cells. It is called the CAR T-cell therapy, and it involves genetically modifying T cells collected from a patient's blood.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/sports/rewind-2023-top-5-sporting-moments-for-india-1701707420309" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/sports/rewind-2023-top-5-sporting-moments-for-india-1701707420309&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjs2aWK3omDAxWPbGwGHZ-6CKwQFnoECAcQAQ&amp;usg=AOvVaw2alTY_0bw9Qkoru4aDySRl" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/sports/rewind-2023-top-5-sporting-moments-for-india-1701707420309" target="_blank">Rewind 2023: Top 5 Sporting Moments For India</a></strong></p>

<p>The therapy showed promising results in leukaemia and other 'liquid' cancers, but showed "meagre" success against solid tumours, and breast, bowel, and lung cancers.</p>

<h2><strong>Blood test for detecting depression</strong></h2>

<p>A study by McGill University in Canada analysed blood samples from more than 60 teenagers to identify specific molecules which can be used as markers for depression. This can help in the early detection of teenagers at risk of psychological diseases like depression.</p>

<h2><strong>World's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine</strong></h2>

<p>In May, the US Foods and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. The medicine that took 60 years to develop can safeguard patients 60 years of age and older from lower respiratory tract sickness brought on by RSV.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/yearender-2023-the-fabulous-year-that-taylor-swift-has-had-667924">Yearender 2023: The fabulous year that Taylor Swift has had</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>New plant toxin-based antibiotic</strong></h2>

<p>As the world grapples with antibiotic resistance, a group of British, German and Polish scientists discovered a plant toxin that has a unique method of attacking bacteria. The potential new antibiotic has been named albicidin and works differently than existing antibiotic medicines.</p>

<h2><strong>3D printing to rid of invasive surgeries</strong></h2>

<p>In March, researchers from Australia announced that they had invented a snake-like soft robot that can print living cells from the inside of a patient's body. 3D bio-printing is already used for medical procedures. However, this can help eliminate the need for invasive surgeries.</p>

<h2><strong>World's first Alzheimer's treatment</strong></h2>

<p>In June, the US FDA approved Lecanemab (Leqembi), a drug that significantly helped combat the progression of Alzheimer's during clinical trials. It is the first drug that targets the underlying cause of Alzheimer's, slowing down the disease's progress.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<h2><strong>CRISPR gene editing for sickle cell disease</strong></h2>

<p>The world's first CRISPR-based gene therapy for sickle cell disease was given the green light in the UK (in November) and in the US (in December). The therapy called CASGEVY works by correcting faulty haemoglobin genes in a patient's bone marrow stem cells so that they can produce normal, functioning HB cells.</p>

<h2><strong>Artificial liver</strong></h2>

<p>In September, China made the headlines for reportedly developing a stem-cell-based 'artificial liver' that can work outside the human body. A boon for thousands suffering from liver failure, the bio-artificial liver can perform functions such as detoxification and protein synthesis typically carried out by the liver.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Tiny robot surgeon</strong></h2>

<p>The University of Leeds has developed a tiny robot that can travel deep into the lungs and detect early signs of cancer. It is only 2 millimetres in diameter and is transported into the smallest bronchial tubes using magnets. As per researchers, during testing on a cadaver, the magnetic tentacle robot travelled 37 per cent deeper than standard equipment, that too with significantly less tissue damage.</p>

<p>In 2024, the global community looks forward to many more significant medical advancements, many of which are expected to involve Artificial Intelligence (AI).&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


2023 was a year of medical breakthroughs. As science progresses, scientists around the world are working hard to improve the quality of human life. This year, several notable, exciting medical advancements made headlines.

2023 was a year of medical breakthroughs. As science progresses, scientists around the world are working hard to improve the quality of human life. This year, several notable, exciting medical advancements made headlines. From successful pig kidney transplant into humans to the world's first whole eye transplant, let's rewind to the year's most notable medical breakthroughs. World's first whole eye transplant In the United States, in November, surgeons performed the world's first transplant of an entire eye. The patient, a 46-year-old military veteran from Arkansas, had survived a work-related high-voltage electrical accident that destroyed the left side of his face, nose, mouth and left eye. In addition to the eye, a partial-face transplant was also done by the team from NYU Langone Health. "The mere fact that we transplanted an eye is a huge step forward, something that for centuries has been thought about, but it's never been performed," the team lead Dr Eduardo Rodriguez, said at the time. Also read | Yearender 2023: Actors Who Made Their OTT Debut This Year First no-rejection kidney transplant In September, in the United Kingdom, an eight-year-old Indian-origin girl, Aditi Shankar, became the first child to have gone through a special type of kidney transplant. The transplant was a breakthrough, as it didn't require the little girl to take long-term drugs to stop the potential rejection of the newly transplanted organ. The little girl's immune system was reprogrammed using stem cells from the donor, Aditi's mother Divya. Genetically modified pig kidney survives one month in human body In the United States, in August, surgeons transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead patient. The organ worked for a record 32 days and could help bridge the significant organ donation gap. A kill switch for cancer Scientists from UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Sacramento in California discovered a "kill switch" that could be used to trigger the death of cancer cells. It is called the CAR T-cell therapy, and it involves genetically modifying T cells collected from a patient's blood. Also read | Rewind 2023: Top 5 Sporting Moments For India The therapy showed promising results in leukaemia and other 'liquid' cancers, but showed "meagre" success against solid tumours, and breast, bowel, and lung cancers. Blood test for detecting depression A study by McGill University in Canada analysed blood samples from more than 60 teenagers to identify specific molecules which can be used as markers for depression. This can help in the early detection of teenagers at risk of psychological diseases like depression. World's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine In May, the US Foods and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. The medicine that took 60 years to develop can safeguard patients 60 years of age and older from lower respiratory tract sickness brought on by RSV. Also read | Yearender 2023: The fabulous year that Taylor Swift has had New plant toxin-based antibiotic As the world grapples with antibiotic resistance, a group of British, German and Polish scientists discovered a plant toxin that has a unique method of attacking bacteria. The potential new antibiotic has been named albicidin and works differently than existing antibiotic medicines. 3D printing to rid of invasive surgeries In March, researchers from Australia announced that they had invented a snake-like soft robot that can print living cells from the inside of a patient's body. 3D bio-printing is already used for medical procedures. However, this can help eliminate the need for invasive surgeries. World's first Alzheimer's treatment In June, the US FDA approved Lecanemab (Leqembi), a drug that significantly helped combat the progression of Alzheimer's during clinical trials. It is the first drug that targets the underlying cause of Alzheimer's, slowing down the disease's progress. Also read | Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study CRISPR gene editing for sickle cell disease The world's first CRISPR-based gene therapy for sickle cell disease was given the green light in the UK (in November) and in the US (in December). The therapy called CASGEVY works by correcting faulty haemoglobin genes in a patient's bone marrow stem cells so that they can produce normal, functioning HB cells. Artificial liver In September, China made the headlines for reportedly developing a stem-cell-based 'artificial liver' that can work outside the human body. A boon for thousands suffering from liver failure, the bio-artificial liver can perform functions such as detoxification and protein synthesis typically carried out by the liver. Tiny robot surgeon The University of Leeds has developed a tiny robot that can travel deep into the lungs and detect early signs of cancer. It is only 2 millimetres in diameter and is transported into the smallest bronchial tubes using magnets. As per researchers, during testing on a cadaver, the magnetic tentacle robot travelled 37 per cent deeper than standard equipment, that too with significantly less tissue damage. In 2024, the global community looks forward to many more significant medical advancements, many of which are expected to involve Artificial Intelligence (AI). (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | Let's 'Rewind 2023' to medical breakthroughs that gave the world hope

<p>An Australian teenager narrowly escaped death after being bitten by a blue-ringed octopus, which just so happens to be one of the world's most toxic animals. He had a lucky escape after accidentally picking up the deadly octopus while picking shells at a popular beach near Perth.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>From bad to worse</strong></h2>

<p>As per a report in the local news publication Perth Now, the incident almost took a turn for the worse. The young man, 18-year-old Jacob Eggington, was collecting shells for his young niece.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He had just taken out shells from his pocket to give to her when he spotted the blue-ringed octopus.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/enormous-pliosaur-sea-monster-skull-with-razor-sharp-teeth-found-on-uks-jurassic-coast-668290">Enormous Pliosaur 'sea monster' skull with razor-sharp teeth found on UK's Jurassic Coast</a></strong></p>

<p>Jacob's brother Joshua told 7News Perth that as soon as the teenager "saw the octopus, he yelled really loudly."</p>

<p>"Just a few seconds later and the toddler would have been holding it." This could've proven deadly.</p>

<p>"That's probably when the more dramatic thoughts (started), to think what could have happened. So in the same way, he did get bit, but, but he probably saved one of his niece’s or nephew’s life," he added.</p>

<h2><strong>Blue-ringed octopus bite</strong></h2>

<p>Jacob was rushed to Rockingham Hospital, where he had to undergo emergency treatment for more than six hours for the blue octopus sting. If the deadly marine animal had bitten the toddler, it could've been fatal.</p>

<p>As per Murdoch University marine scientist professor Jennifer Verduin, a bite from the blue-ringed octopus can kill within 30 minutes.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ancient-fossil-shows-teenager-tyrannosaur-feasted-on-two-baby-dinos-before-dying-study-668463">As a teenager, the tyrannosaur only ate baby dinosaurs, and a fossil is proof</a></strong></p>

<p>The deadly cephalopod injects its victims with Tetrodotoxin, a chemical that stops nerves from signalling to muscles. It rapidly weakens and paralyses muscles, leading to respiratory arrest and eventually death.&nbsp;There is no antivenom, which makes encounters with the ocean animal&nbsp;extremely dangerous.</p>

<p>Issuing a warning ahead of the summer holidays, Verduin said, "They're very good at hiding so we wouldn't normally see them that often, but they are there."</p>

<p>Beachgoers have been asked to wear reef shoes to protect themselves. In case someone gets bit, they should seek immediate medical treatment, warns the report.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


An Australian teenager narrowly escaped death after being bitten by a blue-ringed octopus, which just so happens to be one of the world's most toxic animals. He had a lucky escape after accidentally picking up the deadly octopus while picking shells at a popular beach near Perth.

An Australian teenager narrowly escaped death after being bitten by a blue-ringed octopus, which just so happens to be one of the world's most toxic animals. He had a lucky escape after accidentally picking up the deadly octopus while picking shells at a popular beach near Perth. From bad to worse As per a report in the local news publication Perth Now, the incident almost took a turn for the worse. The young man, 18-year-old Jacob Eggington, was collecting shells for his young niece. He had just taken out shells from his pocket to give to her when he spotted the blue-ringed octopus. Also read | Enormous Pliosaur 'sea monster' skull with razor-sharp teeth found on UK's Jurassic Coast Jacob's brother Joshua told 7News Perth that as soon as the teenager "saw the octopus, he yelled really loudly." "Just a few seconds later and the toddler would have been holding it." This could've proven deadly. "That's probably when the more dramatic thoughts (started), to think what could have happened. So in the same way, he did get bit, but, but he probably saved one of his niece’s or nephew’s life," he added. Blue-ringed octopus bite Jacob was rushed to Rockingham Hospital, where he had to undergo emergency treatment for more than six hours for the blue octopus sting. If the deadly marine animal had bitten the toddler, it could've been fatal. As per Murdoch University marine scientist professor Jennifer Verduin, a bite from the blue-ringed octopus can kill within 30 minutes. Also read | As a teenager, the tyrannosaur only ate baby dinosaurs, and a fossil is proof The deadly cephalopod injects its victims with Tetrodotoxin, a chemical that stops nerves from signalling to muscles. It rapidly weakens and paralyses muscles, leading to respiratory arrest and eventually death. There is no antivenom, which makes encounters with the ocean animal extremely dangerous. Issuing a warning ahead of the summer holidays, Verduin said, "They're very good at hiding so we wouldn't normally see them that often, but they are there." Beachgoers have been asked to wear reef shoes to protect themselves. In case someone gets bit, they should seek immediate medical treatment, warns the report. (With inputs from agencies)

An extremely poisonous octopus bit an Australian teen. He is lucky to be alive

<p>A "gas station in space" may soon become a reality. Orbit Fab, an American company, is developing a system for on-orbit refuelling that includes fuel ports, refuelling shuttles, and orbital gas stations (refuelling tankers).</p>

<p>However, the on-orbit refuelling won't come cheap, its cost will start from a whopping $20 million.</p>

<h2><strong>The company behind it</strong></h2>

<p>The company has conducted tests, launched a fuel depot demonstrator, and is planning its next launch in 2024 for a mission with the Air Force Research Lab.</p>

<p>"We are delivering fuel in geostationary orbit for a mission that is being undertaken by the Air Force Research Lab," said CEO Daniel Faber.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/playing-action-video-games-for-an-hour-significantly-boosts-alertness-study-668167">Playing action video games for an hour significantly boosts alertness: Study</a></strong></p>

<p>"At the moment, they're treating it as a demonstration, but it's getting a lot of interest from across the US government, from people that realise the value of refuelling," he added.</p>

<p>The company also has its first private customer lined up: Astroscale, a Japanese satellite servicing company, for its satellite designed for refuelling called LEXI. It is scheduled for launch in 2026.</p>

<h2><strong>Why does this matter?</strong></h2>

<p>Currently, the space is full of debris, a large part of which is made up of satellites, and space vehicles that have run out of fuel.</p>

<p>This initiative, as per CNN, comes as there is a growing interest in on-orbit servicing, which is seen as essential for a safe and sustainable development of space.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-detect-oldest-black-hole-ever-observed-its-a-million-times-the-mass-of-sun-report-668329">Astronomers detect oldest black hole ever observed. It's a million times the mass of Sun: Report</a></strong></p>

<p>Simone D’Amico, an associate professor of astronautics at Stanford University, noted that this is key to the safe and sustainable development of space.</p>

<p>"Could you imagine a ground mobility infrastructure, roads and cities, without gas stations and auto repair shops? Could you imagine single-use cars or aeroplanes?" he asked.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The development of space infrastructure and the proliferation of space assets is reaching a critical volume that is not sustainable any more without a change of paradigm."</p>

<p>"It's probably the only company in the world that has positioned itself to deploy 'gas stations' in orbit," said the Stanford University who has no affiliation with Orbit Fab.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I think Orbit Fab's approach is really visionary and can pay off in the mid to long term. However, it has high risk in the short term, since satellites have to be designed having reusability and refuelling in mind," he added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A "gas station in space" may soon become a reality. Orbit Fab, an American company, is developing a system for on-orbit refuelling that includes fuel ports, refuelling shuttles, and orbital gas stations (refuelling tankers).

A "gas station in space" may soon become a reality. Orbit Fab, an American company, is developing a system for on-orbit refuelling that includes fuel ports, refuelling shuttles, and orbital gas stations (refuelling tankers). However, the on-orbit refuelling won't come cheap, its cost will start from a whopping $20 million. The company behind it The company has conducted tests, launched a fuel depot demonstrator, and is planning its next launch in 2024 for a mission with the Air Force Research Lab. "We are delivering fuel in geostationary orbit for a mission that is being undertaken by the Air Force Research Lab," said CEO Daniel Faber. Also read | Playing action video games for an hour significantly boosts alertness: Study "At the moment, they're treating it as a demonstration, but it's getting a lot of interest from across the US government, from people that realise the value of refuelling," he added. The company also has its first private customer lined up: Astroscale, a Japanese satellite servicing company, for its satellite designed for refuelling called LEXI. It is scheduled for launch in 2026. Why does this matter? Currently, the space is full of debris, a large part of which is made up of satellites, and space vehicles that have run out of fuel. This initiative, as per CNN, comes as there is a growing interest in on-orbit servicing, which is seen as essential for a safe and sustainable development of space. Also read | Astronomers detect oldest black hole ever observed. It's a million times the mass of Sun: Report Simone D’Amico, an associate professor of astronautics at Stanford University, noted that this is key to the safe and sustainable development of space. "Could you imagine a ground mobility infrastructure, roads and cities, without gas stations and auto repair shops? Could you imagine single-use cars or aeroplanes?" he asked. "The development of space infrastructure and the proliferation of space assets is reaching a critical volume that is not sustainable any more without a change of paradigm." "It's probably the only company in the world that has positioned itself to deploy 'gas stations' in orbit," said the Stanford University who has no affiliation with Orbit Fab. "I think Orbit Fab's approach is really visionary and can pay off in the mid to long term. However, it has high risk in the short term, since satellites have to be designed having reusability and refuelling in mind," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Space gas stations: American startup aims to revolutionise space technology

<p>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;</p>

<h2><strong>How can I get the money?</strong></h2>

<p>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.</p>

<h2><strong>Why Suzuki?</strong></h2>

<p>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;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>However, two years into the campaign, the town has failed to attract a single Suzuki, reports The Guardian.</p>

<p>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."</p>

<p>"One person made some initial inquiries, but it didn't go any further than that," he added.</p>

<h2><strong>Why is the town paying people to live there?</strong></h2>

<p>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;</p>

<p>On the other hand, the number of foreigners rose to a record high of almost three million, reports The Guardian.</p>

<p>As per the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research forecasts, Japan's population will fall to just 87 million by 2070.</p>

<p>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;</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Japan's fertility rate has witnessed a steady decline since 1975 when it first fell below 2.0.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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

<p>Pornography is freely available on the internet, and is often accessed by children. To protect the young ones from accessing inappropriate porn content online, Britain has now proposed a new age-check guidance that may use artificial intelligence.</p>

<h2><strong>How will AI do that?</strong></h2>

<p>As per a Reuters report, Artificial Intelligence will evaluate if a viewer looks of age. It would do so by analysing the viewer's feature. This, as per the report, would likely require the user to click and upload a selfie.</p>

<p>This comes as Britain on Tuesday (Dec 5th) recommended a new age-check guidance to protect children from accessing pornography online. The nation recently passed the Online Safety Act that requires websites and applications that display and/or publish pornographic material to ensure that children under the age of 18 years do not stumble across pornography on their service.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/350-year-old-steamy-explicit-sketch-expected-to-sell-for-half-million-dollars-see-it-here-667104">350-year-old steamy, 'explicit' sketch expected to sell for half million dollars. See it here!</a></strong></p>

<p>"Regardless of their approach, we expect all services to offer robust protection to children from stumbling across pornography, and also to take care that privacy rights and freedoms for adults to access legal content are safeguarded," said media regulator Ofcom CEO Melanie Dawes, as reported by the news agency.</p>

<p>Among its guidance are other proposals like photo identification matching, making it mandatory for users to upload a photo ID such as passport or driving licence to prove their age, and even credit card checks. Further suggestions include open banking — where to confirm that they are over 18, users can authorise their bank to share information with online porn sites.</p>

<p>The regulator, as per Reuters, spoke against weak verification methods like self-declaration of age, online payment methods that do not have any age restrictions, and disclaimers or warnings. It said that these would no longer meet the standards in its new guidance, which is expected to be published in early 2025.</p>

<h2><strong>Britain and pornography</strong></h2>

<p>In Britain, the legal age to watch porn is 18 years or more. However, as per a 2021-2022 study by the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England, on average, children first access pornographic content online at the young age of 13. Nearly a quarter of children actually stumble across porn at an even younger age — around 11 years. Shockingly, one in 10 people reported seeing their first porn content at the tender young age of nine years.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/world/europe/how-young-is-too-young-to-watch-porn--1675153977278" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/world/europe/how-young-is-too-young-to-watch-porn--1675153977278&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjz3J72-fyCAxUpa_UHHUaVBMYQFnoECAgQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw3WRUx5covEa5QUObvR6J9_" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/world/europe/how-young-is-too-young-to-watch-porn--1675153977278" target="_blank">How young is too young to watch&nbsp;porn?</a></strong></p>

<p>In spite of that, not everyone is in favour of mandatory age verification. The Institute of Economic Affairs, a free-market think tank, contends that it threatens user privacy and that by increasing the amount of sensitive data held by third parties, this could potentially expose users to breaches and abuse.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Pornography is freely available on the internet, and is often accessed by children. To protect the young ones from accessing inappropriate porn content online, Britain has now proposed a new age-check guidance that may use artificial intelligence.

Pornography is freely available on the internet, and is often accessed by children. To protect the young ones from accessing inappropriate porn content online, Britain has now proposed a new age-check guidance that may use artificial intelligence. How will AI do that? As per a Reuters report, Artificial Intelligence will evaluate if a viewer looks of age. It would do so by analysing the viewer's feature. This, as per the report, would likely require the user to click and upload a selfie. This comes as Britain on Tuesday (Dec 5th) recommended a new age-check guidance to protect children from accessing pornography online. The nation recently passed the Online Safety Act that requires websites and applications that display and/or publish pornographic material to ensure that children under the age of 18 years do not stumble across pornography on their service. Also read | 350-year-old steamy, 'explicit' sketch expected to sell for half million dollars. See it here! "Regardless of their approach, we expect all services to offer robust protection to children from stumbling across pornography, and also to take care that privacy rights and freedoms for adults to access legal content are safeguarded," said media regulator Ofcom CEO Melanie Dawes, as reported by the news agency. Among its guidance are other proposals like photo identification matching, making it mandatory for users to upload a photo ID such as passport or driving licence to prove their age, and even credit card checks. Further suggestions include open banking — where to confirm that they are over 18, users can authorise their bank to share information with online porn sites. The regulator, as per Reuters, spoke against weak verification methods like self-declaration of age, online payment methods that do not have any age restrictions, and disclaimers or warnings. It said that these would no longer meet the standards in its new guidance, which is expected to be published in early 2025. Britain and pornography In Britain, the legal age to watch porn is 18 years or more. However, as per a 2021-2022 study by the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England, on average, children first access pornographic content online at the young age of 13. Nearly a quarter of children actually stumble across porn at an even younger age — around 11 years. Shockingly, one in 10 people reported seeing their first porn content at the tender young age of nine years. Also read | How young is too young to watch porn? In spite of that, not everyone is in favour of mandatory age verification. The Institute of Economic Affairs, a free-market think tank, contends that it threatens user privacy and that by increasing the amount of sensitive data held by third parties, this could potentially expose users to breaches and abuse. (With inputs from agencies)

AI to determine if the person watching porn is too young. Here's how

<p>A steamy sketch from more than three centuries ago has earned the "explicit" tag by the auction house selling it.</p>

<p>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).</p>

<h2><strong>'The French Bed'</strong></h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tragic-year-boris-johnsons-apologies-over-covid-19-pandemic-handling-met-with-signs-of-dead-cant-hear-667029">Boris Johnson's apologies over COVID-19 pandemic handling met with signs of 'dead can't hear'. Watch!</a></strong></p>

<p>It is part of a collection named "Old Masters I" that goes on auction on Thursday (Dec 7).</p>

<h2><strong>What is explicit about the etching?</strong></h2>

<p>"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.</p>

<p>You can see it here:</p>

<p><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" /></p>

<p><em><sup>(Image credit: Christie's website)</sup></em></p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>"They seem to have just tumbled onto the bed, with the trousers and skirts off, but shirts still on."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/moo-d-boosting-therapy-this-farm-offers-relaxation-through-unique-cow-cuddling-sessions-665959">Moo-d boosting therapy: This farm offers relaxation through unique cow cuddling sessions</a></strong></p>

<p>Christie describes the Rembrandt piece as "one of a small number of explicitly erotic prints" by the Dutch painter.</p>

<p>"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."</p>

<p>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."</p>

<p>However, the auction house goes on to say that the painting isn't "crass or obscene".</p>

<p>"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."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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

<p>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;</p>

<p>Welcomed by the rhythmic beats of 'dhol,' Javeria, who entered India legally, was granted a 45-day visa.</p>

<h2><strong>A long wait</strong></h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>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."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><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'.<br />
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She says, "I am extremely happy...I want to convey my special thanks… <a href="https://t.co/E0U00TIYMX">pic.twitter.com/E0U00TIYMX</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1732183953627656529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Love knows no borders</strong></h2>

<p>Javeria and Sameer's story echoes similar cross-border love stories that in recent days have captivated the attention of netizens online.</p>

<p>Previously, Seema Haider, another Pakistani woman, had ventured into India to join Sachin Meena, her online gaming acquaintance-turned-romantic partner.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/shedding-colonial-baggage-navy-to-indianise-non-officer-ranks-announces-pm-modi-666472">Shedding colonial baggage: Navy to 'Indianise' non-officer ranks, announces PM Modi</a></strong></p>

<p>The agencies sought clarification on the circumstances of Haider's journey.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Travelling from Pakistan's Karachi, she travelled through Nepal to reach Uttar Pradesh's Noida. There, the couple started living together.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>"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.</p>

<p>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.</p>


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

<p>Canada is facing a problem that is increasingly getting more and more drastic: homelessness.</p>

<p>Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has predicted that by the end of this decade, the problem is going to almost triple in terms of numbers.</p>

<h2><strong>Homelessness and Canada</strong></h2>

<p>In Canada, currently, as per estimates by the Homeless Hub, a research organisation run by York University, there are somewhere between 150,000 to 300,000 people experiencing homelessness.</p>

<p>As per a prediction by an Artificial Intelligence algorithm, by 2030, the number of homeless in Canada will grow to about 550,000 to 570,000.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uk-discloses-immigration-reforms-stricter-visas-aim-to-curb-soaring-migration-666389">UK discloses immigration reforms: Stricter visas aim to curb soaring migration</a></strong></p>

<p>The prediction has been made by HelpSeeker, a Calgary-based technology company's predictive AI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking at a press conference on Monday (Dec 4th), Alina Turner, CEO of HelpSeeker, said that the prediction "doesn't mean that we're going to be looking at visible homelessness."</p>

<p>"We have layers of visibility, we have rough sleeping, an encampment, we've got people that are in those unsafe situations (and) we have people that are couch surfing," CTV News quotes her as saying.</p>

<h2><strong>How did the AI predict this?</strong></h2>

<p>HelpSeeker's AI prediction used a variety of data sourced from municipalities across Canada. This included the country's shelter usage, hidden homelessness estimates, inflation trends, unemployment numbers and other factors like housing and rental stock.</p>

<p>The prediction also factored in the expected population growth, which, as per Statistics Canada, could reach between 42.9 million and 52.5 million in 2043.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/landmark-stability-ai-vs-getty-images-copyright-lawsuit-to-move-ahead-to-trial-666377">Landmark Stability AI vs Getty Images copyright lawsuit to move ahead to trial</a></strong></p>

<p>Compounding the variety of factors, the AI predicted that homelessness will increase by around 83 per cent by the end of this decade.</p>

<p>Overall, close to a million Canadians are at risk of homelessness. This includes hidden homelessness — those couch-surfing and not enrolling in shelters — that, as per the AI, could number around 300,000 people by 2030.</p>

<p>It predicted that those living in absolute homelessness conditions, i.e., without a physical home and spending nights in emergency shelters, could reach around 200,000 by 2030.</p>

<h2><strong>How can the problem be dealt with?</strong></h2>

<p>Researchers as per the CTV News report say that increasing beds with medical care by 103,000, and an additional 50,000 recovery and transitional care beds, 30,000 emergency shelter beds and 1.3 million non-market housing units could help tackle the issue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per HelpSeeker estimates, this would cost Canada more than $169 billion to build. A further $16 billion each year would be needed for the maintenance.</p>

<p>However, Turner warns that "If we're not able to build these systems now, these trajectories are going to go unchanged."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Canada is facing a problem that is increasingly getting more and more drastic: homelessness. Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has predicted that by the end of this decade, the problem is going to almost triple in terms of numbers.

Canada is facing a problem that is increasingly getting more and more drastic: homelessness. Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has predicted that by the end of this decade, the problem is going to almost triple in terms of numbers. Homelessness and Canada In Canada, currently, as per estimates by the Homeless Hub, a research organisation run by York University, there are somewhere between 150,000 to 300,000 people experiencing homelessness. As per a prediction by an Artificial Intelligence algorithm, by 2030, the number of homeless in Canada will grow to about 550,000 to 570,000. Also read | UK discloses immigration reforms: Stricter visas aim to curb soaring migration The prediction has been made by HelpSeeker, a Calgary-based technology company's predictive AI. Speaking at a press conference on Monday (Dec 4th), Alina Turner, CEO of HelpSeeker, said that the prediction "doesn't mean that we're going to be looking at visible homelessness." "We have layers of visibility, we have rough sleeping, an encampment, we've got people that are in those unsafe situations (and) we have people that are couch surfing," CTV News quotes her as saying. How did the AI predict this? HelpSeeker's AI prediction used a variety of data sourced from municipalities across Canada. This included the country's shelter usage, hidden homelessness estimates, inflation trends, unemployment numbers and other factors like housing and rental stock. The prediction also factored in the expected population growth, which, as per Statistics Canada, could reach between 42.9 million and 52.5 million in 2043. Also read | Landmark Stability AI vs Getty Images copyright lawsuit to move ahead to trial Compounding the variety of factors, the AI predicted that homelessness will increase by around 83 per cent by the end of this decade. Overall, close to a million Canadians are at risk of homelessness. This includes hidden homelessness — those couch-surfing and not enrolling in shelters — that, as per the AI, could number around 300,000 people by 2030. It predicted that those living in absolute homelessness conditions, i.e., without a physical home and spending nights in emergency shelters, could reach around 200,000 by 2030. How can the problem be dealt with? Researchers as per the CTV News report say that increasing beds with medical care by 103,000, and an additional 50,000 recovery and transitional care beds, 30,000 emergency shelter beds and 1.3 million non-market housing units could help tackle the issue. As per HelpSeeker estimates, this would cost Canada more than $169 billion to build. A further $16 billion each year would be needed for the maintenance. However, Turner warns that "If we're not able to build these systems now, these trajectories are going to go unchanged." (With inputs from agencies)

AI paints shocking picture of the future of homelessness in Canada

<p>You've heard of therapy dogs, but now there's a new breed of therapy animal on the streets. In the East Riding of Yorkshire, cuddly cows are the new sue shot way for relaxation.</p>

<h2><strong>Cow cuddling</strong></h2>

<p>In Arram's Dumble Farm, cow cuddling sessions have become a regular happening in the last nine months.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Once a dairy herd, the bovines are now popular therapy animals that sell out their weekend cuddling sessions well in advance.</p>

<p>"It's a gentle way to stop and relax," explains Fiona Wilson, head farmer at Dumble Farm.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How did cow cuddling start at the farm?</strong></h2>

<p>Dumble Farm, as per The Telegraph, is one of many farms in Britain that have become the victim of market forces.&nbsp;Just three decades ago, Britain had around 30,000 dairy farms. Today the number is less than 10,000.</p>

<p>"We didn’t have much hope for the future when we were milking and we’d become quite miserable in the last couple of years," said Wilson, as quoted by the Telegraph.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-on-edge-suspicious-packages-with-fake-baby-covered-in-blood-found-outside-us-israeli-embassies-665919">New Zealand on edge: Suspicious packages with fake baby covered in blood found outside US, Israeli embassies</a></strong></p>

<p>"We were stuck in a rut. Milk prices dropped dramatically while electricity was climbing. We were working 14 hours every day of the year and losing money. The cost of regulation is onerous. Unless you’re a corporate farm in a big milk-producing region, it's impossible to live like that."</p>

<p>In January 2022, the farmers decided to sell their dairy herd and diversify.</p>

<p>However, they could not rid of all the cows and kept some out of emotional attachment.&nbsp;They then decided to embrace cow cuddling, which had become something of a phenomenon globally.</p>

<p>"We started practising with the cows about a year ago and began inviting customers in during the spring," explained Wilson.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It took a few months for the cows to get used to it, and get into the right routine so they were all sitting down at the right time," she said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-groundbreaking-new-drug-is-all-set-to-increase-life-span-of-large-dogs-665809">This groundbreaking new drug is all set to increase life span of large dogs</a></strong></p>

<p>"Some people like that therapeutic thing of being around animals," said the head farmer, adding, "it's calming to sit next to them. Stroking them, grooming them: you can focus on it. It's a gentle way to stop and relax."</p>

<p>At Dumble farms, visitors get to spend 45 minutes sitting beside the retired dairy cows. They spend the time stroking and grooming the large, docile creatures.</p>

<h2><strong>Animals and therapy</strong></h2>

<p>In recent years, animal therapy has grown in popularity, with common pet animals like cats and dogs in the spotlight.</p>

<p>As per Rachel Harland, consultant psychiatrist and medical director of the Bristol's Priory Hospital, "There is a lot of evidence about animals being good for us."</p>

<p>"Hormones and endorphins are released when we're around animals, which make us happier. They lower your blood pressure and level out cortisol, the stress hormone."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


You've heard of therapy dogs, but now there's a new breed of therapy animal on the streets. In the East Riding of Yorkshire, cuddly cows are the new sue shot way for relaxation.

You've heard of therapy dogs, but now there's a new breed of therapy animal on the streets. In the East Riding of Yorkshire, cuddly cows are the new sue shot way for relaxation. Cow cuddling In Arram's Dumble Farm, cow cuddling sessions have become a regular happening in the last nine months. Once a dairy herd, the bovines are now popular therapy animals that sell out their weekend cuddling sessions well in advance. "It's a gentle way to stop and relax," explains Fiona Wilson, head farmer at Dumble Farm. How did cow cuddling start at the farm? Dumble Farm, as per The Telegraph, is one of many farms in Britain that have become the victim of market forces. Just three decades ago, Britain had around 30,000 dairy farms. Today the number is less than 10,000. "We didn’t have much hope for the future when we were milking and we’d become quite miserable in the last couple of years," said Wilson, as quoted by the Telegraph. Also read | New Zealand on edge: Suspicious packages with fake baby covered in blood found outside US, Israeli embassies "We were stuck in a rut. Milk prices dropped dramatically while electricity was climbing. We were working 14 hours every day of the year and losing money. The cost of regulation is onerous. Unless you’re a corporate farm in a big milk-producing region, it's impossible to live like that." In January 2022, the farmers decided to sell their dairy herd and diversify. However, they could not rid of all the cows and kept some out of emotional attachment. They then decided to embrace cow cuddling, which had become something of a phenomenon globally. "We started practising with the cows about a year ago and began inviting customers in during the spring," explained Wilson. "It took a few months for the cows to get used to it, and get into the right routine so they were all sitting down at the right time," she said. Also read | This groundbreaking new drug is all set to increase life span of large dogs "Some people like that therapeutic thing of being around animals," said the head farmer, adding, "it's calming to sit next to them. Stroking them, grooming them: you can focus on it. It's a gentle way to stop and relax." At Dumble farms, visitors get to spend 45 minutes sitting beside the retired dairy cows. They spend the time stroking and grooming the large, docile creatures. Animals and therapy In recent years, animal therapy has grown in popularity, with common pet animals like cats and dogs in the spotlight. As per Rachel Harland, consultant psychiatrist and medical director of the Bristol's Priory Hospital, "There is a lot of evidence about animals being good for us." "Hormones and endorphins are released when we're around animals, which make us happier. They lower your blood pressure and level out cortisol, the stress hormone." (With inputs from agencies)

Moo-d boosting therapy: This farm offers relaxation through unique cow cuddling sessions

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