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Kathmandu — United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, during a visit to the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) in Nepal, emphasized that while Nepal bears the brunt of climate change impacts, it is the developed countries that are primarily responsible for causing climate change. Guterres, who arrived at ABC, situated at an elevation of 4,130 meters above sea level, via a Nepalese army helicopter, underscored the urgent need for global action.

Speaking to the local residents, Guterres acknowledged Nepal’s minimal role in contributing to climate change, stating, “The main factor of climate change is developed and industrialized countries; Nepal has no hand in this. Climate change is happening because of rich countries, but Nepal has to suffer the consequences.”

Chairman of Annapurna Rural Municipality in Kaski, Bishnu Bahadur KC, informed Guterres about the growing challenges linked to climate change. Meanwhile, Him Bahadur Gurung, Ward President of Ward No. 11 of ABC Parne, shared his childhood experiences of herding sheep in the Himalayas, shedding light on the drastic environmental changes he had witnessed over time.

Addressing the locals, Guterres noted that the rapidly melting snow in the mountains has triggered problems such as floods and landslides, severely affecting communities. He underscored the purpose of his visit to ABC, stating that he came to convey the message about the dire consequences of climate change.

Upon returning from the Annapurna base camp, Guterres spoke to journalists in Pokhara, where he expressed his commitment to raising awareness on the critical issue of climate change. He pledged to appeal to the global community to take action to protect the mountains and glaciers.

Guterres also mentioned the Climate Adaptation Fund, emphasizing its significance in aiding communities impacted by the climate crisis. He called for the fund to be effectively utilized in mitigating the consequences of climate change, recognizing the pressing need for international collaboration to address this shared global challenge.

London— A comprehensive study involving nearly 12,000 participants aged 50 or older has shed light on the potential risks associated with prolonged sitting and the role of physical activity in mitigating these risks. The research, which monitored participants using activity trackers for at least two years, presents valuable insights into the relationship between sedentary behavior and mortality.

The study divided the participants into two groups based on their daily sitting habits. A total of 5,943 individuals were found to spend less than 10.5 hours sitting every day, while 6,042 participants sat for 10.5 hours or more daily. Over the course of an average 5-year period, 7% of the participants, equating to 805 individuals, sadly passed away. Of this group, 357 were among those who spent less than 10.5 hours sitting daily, and 448 were in the group sitting for 10.5 hours or more each day.

The study further delved into the impact of physical activity on the mortality risk associated with extended sitting. Among participants who engaged in less than 22 minutes of daily physical activity, the analysis revealed that sitting for over 12 hours daily was associated with a 38% higher risk of death compared to those who sat for 8 hours.

However, the study also yielded encouraging findings. For participants who spent more than 10.5 hours daily sitting, an additional 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity was associated with a remarkable 35% lower risk of death. These results highlight the importance of incorporating regular physical activity into daily routines, especially for those who find themselves seated for prolonged periods.

The research was conducted by collating individual participant data from four different groups to investigate the impact of physical activity on the link between extended sitting and the risk of mortality. Participants provided various details that could influence the study’s outcomes, including sex, weight, smoking history, alcohol consumption, and whether they had or currently have cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes.

Nonetheless, the study does have some limitations. It was unable to repeat measurements of physical activity and sitting time to observe changes over time. Additionally, crucial factors such as diet and general health were not included in the analysis, and activity trackers were not always capable of distinguishing the specific types of activities participants engaged in.

In conclusion, the study underscores the significance of incorporating even small amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity into one’s daily routine, especially for individuals who spend long hours sitting. While it provides valuable insights into the relationship between sedentary behavior and mortality, further research is necessary to explore the broader context of health and lifestyle factors that can impact these findings.

London , October 25, 2023 — Paedophiles have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate explicit images of celebrities portrayed as children, according to a shocking report from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). The IWF’s latest findings highlight the disturbing emergence of AI systems being used to manipulate images and create illicit content.

The IWF disclosed that predators are actively circulating manipulated images of a well-known female singer transformed to appear as a child. Furthermore, dark web forums are reportedly teeming with images of child actors that have been reimagined in sexually explicit scenarios.

Perhaps even more concerning is the revelation that AI-powered image generators are now producing hundreds of pictures featuring real child abuse victims. These images are created from text instructions and have raised grave concerns about the ethical implications of AI technology.

This issue has garnered significant attention from global leaders, with Home Secretary Suella Braverman and US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas releasing a joint statement in May, vowing to combat the “alarming rise in despicable AI-generated images of children being sexually exploited by paedophiles.”

The IWF’s report documents the efforts of researchers who spent a month monitoring AI-generated content on a darknet child abuse website. They identified nearly 3,000 synthetic images that would be illegal under UK law. Analysts noted a troubling new trend, where predators take single images of real child abuse victims and use AI to create many more images depicting different forms of sexual abuse.

One particularly disturbing discovery was a folder containing 501 images of a real-world victim who had experienced sexual abuse at the age of 9-10. In this folder, predators even shared a fine-tuned AI model to enable others to produce more images of the victim.

The IWF emphasizes the high level of realism in these AI-generated images, stating that some are indistinguishable to untrained eyes. The report refrains from identifying the celebrities targeted by these manipulations.

The IWF is now working diligently to ensure this issue gains the attention it deserves. They plan to bring it to the forefront at the UK government’s AI Summit next week, held at Bletchley Park.

Within a month, the IWF’s investigations revealed a shocking 11,108 AI-generated images shared on a dark web child abuse forum. Of these, 2,978 were confirmed to violate UK law, depicting child sexual abuse. Alarmingly, over 20% of these images were classified as Category A, the most severe category. More than half of them depicted primary school-aged children, while some even showed toddlers and babies.

In June, the IWF initially warned of the potential dangers of AI in creating depraved images of children. However, it is now clear that these fears have turned into a grim reality. Susie Hargreaves, the chief executive of the IWF, lamented the situation, saying, “Our worst nightmares have come true.”

The IWF’s report underscores the tangible harm caused by AI-generated images. Although children aren’t directly harmed in their creation, these images normalize predatory behavior and can lead to misallocation of police resources as they investigate fictitious cases. New forms of offense, such as manipulating non-nude modeling photos into explicit scenarios, further complicate the work of law enforcement agencies.

As the issue continues to evolve, the fight against the misuse of AI technology in this manner remains a pressing concern for authorities and advocates of child protection.