Google Pixel’s face-altering photo tool sparks AI manipulation debate
The camera never lies. Except, of course, it does - and seemingly more often with each passing day.
In the age of the smartphone, digital edits on the fly to improve photos have become commonplace, from boosting colors to tweaking light levels.
Now, a new breed of smartphone tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are adding to the debate about what it means to photograph reality.
Google's latest smartphones released last week, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, go a step further than devices from other companies. They are using AI to help alter people's expressions in photographs.
It's an experience we've all had: one person in a group shot looks away from the camera or fails to smile. Google's phones can now look through your photos to mix and match past expressions, using machine learning to put a smile from a different photo of them into the picture. Google calls it Best Take.
The devices also let users erase, move, and resize unwanted elements in a photo - from people to buildings - "filling in" the space left behind with what's called Magic Editor. This uses what's known as deep learning, effectively an artificial intelligence algorithm working out what textures should fill the gap by analyzing the surrounding pixels it can see, using the knowledge it has gleaned from millions of other photos.
It doesn't have to be pictures taken on the device. Using the Pixel 8 Pro you can apply the so-called Magic Editor or Best Take to any pictures in your Google Photos library.
For some observers, this raises fresh questions about how we take photographs.
Google's new AI technology has been described variously by tech commentators and reviewers as potentially "icky" (The Verge), "creepy" (Tech Radar), and having the potential to "pose serious threats to people's (already fragile) trust of online content" (Cnet).
Andrew Pearsall, a professional photographer, and senior lecturer in Journalism at the University of South Wales, agreed that AI manipulation held dangers.
"One simple manipulation, even for aesthetic reasons, can lead us down a dark path," he said.
He said the risks were greater for those who used AI in professional contexts but there were implications to for everyone to consider.
"You've got to be very careful about 'When do you step over the line?'.
"It's quite worrying now you can take a picture and remove something instantly on your phone. I think we are moving into this realm of a kind of fake world."
Speaking to the BBC, Google's Isaac Reynolds, who leads the team developing the camera systems on the firm's smartphones, said the company takes the ethical consideration of its consumer technology seriously.
He was quick to point out that features like Best Take were not "faking" anything.
Camera quality and software are key to the company competing with Samsung, Apple, and others - and these AI features are seen as a unique selling point.
And all of the reviewers who raised concerns about the tech praised the quality of the camera system's photos.
"You can finally get that shot where everyone's how you want them to look- and that's something you have not been able to do on any smartphone camera, or on any camera, period," Reynolds said.
"If there was a version [of the photo you've taken] where that person was smiling, it will show it to you. But if there was no version where they smiled, yeah, you won't see that," he explained.
For Mr. Reynolds, the final image becomes a "representation of a moment". In other words, that specific moment may not have happened but it's the picture you wanted to happen created from multiple real moments.
Source- BBC
TCI'S FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 3 DAYS
GENERAL SITUATION: A FRONTAL BOUNDARY IN THE VICINITY OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS CAN GENERATE SPOTTY SHOWER ACTIVITY TODAY.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: MARINE CONDITIONS WILL BECOME VERY HAZARDOUS BEGINNING TUESDAY AND LASTING THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. BEACHGOERS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO REFRAIN FROM ENTERING THE SEAWATER AND SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT DUE TO IMPENDING LIFE-THREATENING MARINE CONDITIONS.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS TODAY. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 20%. PARTLY CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF SHOWERS TONIGHT. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 50%.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION
WINDS: NORTH TO NORTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS, INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KNOTS TONIGHT
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 88°F 31°C HEAT INDEX 100°F 38°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 81°F 27°C
SUNSET: 6:18 PM
NEXT HIGH TIDE: 3:22 PM (2.6 FT)
NEXT LOW TIDE: 9:55 PM (1.0 FT)
EXTENDED FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS: THE STATIONARY FRONT IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN PLACE THIS WEEK. AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTERACTS WITH HURRICANE TAMMY, THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL INCREASE BETWEEN IT AND THE HIGH-PRESSURE BUILDING OVER THE UNITED STATES. THIS WILL LEAD TO STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS AND ROUGH SEAS IMPACTING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS STARTING TONIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEK.
FORECAST FOR TUESDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF SHOWERS. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 40%. PARTLY CLOUDY WITH SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AT NIGHT. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 20%.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION
WINDS: NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET, BUILDING UP TO 8 FEET IN THE EVENING
SUNRISE: 6:48 AM
SUNSET: 6:17 PM
HIGH TIDE: 3:40 AM (2.3 FT) 4:22 PM (2.6 FT)
LOW TIDE: 9:50 AM (0.7 FT) 10:50 PM (0.7 FT)
FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS POSSIBLE BECOMING MOSTLY FAIR WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS POSSIBLE AT NIGHT.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT
WINDS: NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS
SEAS: 6 TO 9 FEET IN NORTHEAST SWELL
SUNRISE: 6:48 AM
SUNSET: 6:16 PM
HIGH TIDE: 4:47 AM (2.3 FT) 5:18 PM (2.6 FT)
LOW TIDE: 11:00 AM (0.7 FT) 11:41 PM (0.7 FT)
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK:
HURRICANE TAMMY IS LOCATED A FEW HUNDRED MILES NORTH OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 80 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. TAMMY IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 7 MILES PER HOUR. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST OR NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY.
1. SOUTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA: A LOW-PRESSURE SYSTEM LOCATED OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA COULD FORM A SHORT-LIVED TROPICAL DEPRESSION BEFORE THE SYSTEM MOVES INLAND OVER NICARAGUA BY EARLY TUESDAY.
CHANCE OF FORMATION THROUGH 7 DAYS...MEDIUM...60 PERCENT.
Billionaires should face a minimum tax rate
Billionaires should face a minimum tax rate, according to a report that found some of the world's mega-wealthy are paying little to no tax.
The EU Tax Observatory said most people pay a higher rate than the super-rich, who, it said, are able to use complex business structures for avoidance.
It suggested a minimum 2% tax rate on billionaires' global wealth would raise $250bn (£205bn) a year.
There are around 2,500 billionaires with a combined wealth of $13 trillion.
The report by the EU Tax Observatory, part of the Paris School of Economics, examined how successful efforts to ensure individuals and companies pay their fair share have been over the past 10 years.
It said that the automatic sharing of the wealthy's account information across more than 100 countries had significantly reduced offshore tax evasion.
However, billionaires are able to get away with paying tax rates equal to 0% or 0.5% of their wealth "due to the frequent use of shell companies to avoid income taxation", it said.
Quentin Parrinello, a senior policy adviser at the EU Tax Observatory, told the BBC that global billionaires "structure their wealth so it does not generate a lot of taxable income".
He acknowledged that countries implementing a 2% tax on billionaires may sound "utopian", but "so was the idea of asking Swiss banks to exchange tax information with tax authorities 10 years ago and now this is a central provision of the fight against tax evasion".
While the report commended an agreement in 2021 between 140 different countries to make sure companies pay at least 15% in corporation tax, it said that the plan had been "dramatically weakened" since then by a "growing list of loopholes".
Joseph Stiglitz, the Nobel Prize-winning American economist, suggested in an introduction to the report that unfairness in taxation poses a risk to democracy.
"If citizens don't believe that everyone is paying their fair share of taxes - and especially if they see the rich and rich corporations not paying their fair share - then they will begin to reject taxation.
"Why should they hand over their hard-earned money when the wealthy don't? This glaring tax disparity undermines the proper functioning of our democracy; it deepens inequality, weakens trust in our institutions, and erodes the social contract."
Mr Parrinello suggested that countries could use the next G20 summit, which takes place nearly a year from now in Brazil, to discuss a tax for the mega-wealthy.
He said that while international agreements are preferable, "we also need to be realistic" and said there are proposals outlined in the EU Tax Observatory report that countries can pursue unilaterally.
Some of the world's richest people have pledged to give the majority of their wealth away. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, philanthropist Melinda French Gates, and billionaire investor Warren Buffett set up the "Giving Pledge" in 2010 to "set a new standard of generosity among the ultra-wealthy".
Following a series of tax changes in 2013, Mr Buffett conceded that even though his tax rate had risen he was still paying a lower percentage than his secretary.
"I'll probably be the lowest-paying taxpayer in the office," he said at the time.
Mr. Stiglitz said that addressing tax fairness and collecting revenues was "critical" for society, "as countries around the world face the challenges of climate change, pandemics, and inequality, and as governments have to make essential investments in education, health, infrastructure, and technology".
One of the relatively recent signees to the Giving Pledge is MacKenzie Scott, an author and former wife of Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos.
As part of their divorce four years ago, she was handed a 4% stake in the online retailing giant. Ms Scott has since given away around $14bn and, according to Forbes magazine, is currently worth around $33.6bn.
Her former husband of 25 years, Mr Bezos is the world's third richest man with a fortune of $148bn. Last year, he told CNN he wanted to give away the majority of his wealth.
Elon Musk, owner of X, formerly Twitter and co-founder and leader of Tesla and SpaceX, is currently the world's richest man, according to Forbes, with a fortune of $225bn.
Source- BBC
Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith 'healing the relationship' after revealing separation
Jada Pinkett Smith has said she and Will Smith are concentrating on "healing the relationship" after revealing last week they had been separated for seven years.
She also indicated that the couple may live together again in the future.
Speaking to the Today Show on Sky's US partner network NBC, Pinkett Smith, 52, said: "We are in a place now that we are in a deep healing space.
"And we are really concentrating on healing the relationship between us...
"We are working very hard at bringing our relationship together, back to a life partnership."
"He can't be this perfect idealized husband. I have to be able to accept him for the human he is," she added.
"He has to accept me for the human I am. And we want to love each other there."
She also agreed with presenter Hoda Kotb when asked whether the couple could live together in the same house again.
As part of publicity for her book Worthy, Pinkett Smith previously revealed she had considered a legal divorce but said she could not go through with it. She also said the couple are living separately.
"I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through whatever and I just haven't been able to break that promise," she told NBC last week.
Meanwhile, Will Smith responded to Pinkett Smith's claims, telling The New York Times that his wife's memoir "kind of woke him up".
"When you've been with someone for more than half of your life, a sort of emotional blindness sets in, and you can all too easily lose your sensitivity to their hidden nuances and subtle beauties."
Pinkett Smith and Smith, 55, married in 1997 and have two children together - Jaden, 25, and 22-year-old Willow. Will has a third child, 30-year-old Trey, from a previous relationship.
Pinkett Smith admitted in 2020 that she had a years-long affair with singer August Alsina.
Source- Sky News
TOURISM AND HEALTH PROGRAM
The recent COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that a healthy host community with strong safeguards is among the first to recover from a health disruption. It also highlighted the need for tourism-specific health policies and programs. The exponential spread of COVID-19 resulting from travel had the most devastating effect on modern tourism.
On Tuesday 10 October 2023, a team from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)’s Regional Tourism and Health Program (THP), led by Dr. Lisa Indar, Director, of Surveillance Disease Prevention and Control Division, engaged with the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourism and Health Steering Committee at the Ministry of Health and Human Services, Providenciales, in order to update and strengthen the TCIs Tourism and Health Program (THP). Simultaneously, the CARPHA lead for their Environmental Health Laboratory, visited the National Public Health Laboratory’s site in Grand Turk for a walk-through to assess the feasibility of upgrading the laboratory to perform Foodborne Disease (FBD) and Waterborne Disease (WBD) testing locally.
This follow-up mission focused on strengthening visitor-based surveillance, registration of additional tourism entities, strengthening FDB surveillance, and reviewing laboratory capacity.
A targeted Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Methodologies training session was conducted by the CARPHA team at Beaches TCI, where over 100 Beaches staff participated resulting in Beaches being awarded the Caribbean Travelers’ Health Assurance Stamp for Healthier Safer Tourism (HST).
The HST award was launched in November 2020 and is a measurable and verifiable traveler’s health assurance and recognition award for tourism entities that are implementing the recommended proactive health monitoring and safety measures. The HST Stamp is endorsed by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), and World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Awardees with the HST Stamp are eligible for the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp.
Pine Cay and The Sands at Grace Bay also received the HST award after meeting the criteria of consistently reporting to the THiS and having their staff trained in IPC methods.
The THP is one of CARPHA’s innovative programs that addresses health, food safety, and environmental sanitation (HSE). Real-time, early warning and reaction surveillance systems, response, guidelines, capacity building, HSE standards, policy, advocacy, partnerships, and a travelers’ health award are solutions to the HSE threats affecting sustainable tourism in the Caribbean. The goal is to enhance the health, safety, and security of citizens and visitors while contributing to the sustainability and resilience of Caribbean tourism and the economies of its states.
The TCI was the first Caribbean country to officially launch the THP on June 22, 2016, leading the way regionally for enhancing the health and safety of the tourism product. The TCI has recently been working with CARPHA to reinvigorate and strengthen its program following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commenting on the visit, Minister of Health and Human Services, Hon. Shaun Malcolm noted “It is important to adopt a multi-faceted cross-sector approach to provide real-time early warning and response, using the Tourism and Health Information System (THiS)”. He went on to say that “this multipronged approach stimulates a rapid and coordinated response to effectively manage and protect both the local population and the industry from any potential public health threats”.
The Minister of Tourism, Hon. Josephine Connolly expressed her excitement at the program's revitalization, stating, "This real-time reporting system ensures the health and safety of visitors and front-line workers and by extension, our host community. We anticipate the further re-engagement and enrollment of other accommodation and service providers. "
Biden's visit is a high-stakes gamble
For an American president, turning up in a warzone is an extraordinary move.
Joe Biden's trip to the Middle East on Wednesday was always going to be a high-stakes gamble.
But he is now flying into an even more volatile situation, after the bombing of a hospital in Gaza that is thought to have killed hundreds of Palestinians.
Hamas has blamed an Israeli air strike, but Israel said the blast at Al Ahli hospital was caused by rockets fired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Mr. Biden had planned to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and Arab leaders in Jordan.
But just before Air Force One took off from Joint Base Andrews, the summit in Amman was suddenly canceled.
President Biden would have wanted to look like an honest broker dealing with both sides in the Middle East.
He now faces the embarrassment of being told by the leaders of Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority that they have no confidence in his ability to end the violence, which they say is in breach of international law.
There is no doubt whose side President Biden is on when it comes to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The president described the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October - which left more than 1,400 Israelis dead - as "sheer evil", and said the country had a right and a duty to defend itself.
His hastily organized visit is designed to further demonstrate America's firm solidarity with the Jewish state.
But he is having to balance his support for Israel's aim of destroying Hamas with his deep concerns about the civilian and humanitarian costs.
And while he has publicly warned of the need to operate by the "rules of war", the message he delivers behind closed doors could be sterner.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US and Israel stood for the rule of law, "unlike Hamas".
"This is a foundational element of the discussions we've had with the Israelis forever, and we will continue doing that," he said.
The US wants Israel to allow aid into Gaza, and for it to allow safe passage for trapped Americans in Gaza.
After nearly eight hours of talks with Mr Netanyahu on Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had made good progress towards these goals, yet still nothing has been agreed.
President Biden is also crucially aware that global public sentiment could quickly change, and support for Israel might evaporate when overwhelmed by images of Palestinian casualties and suffering.
There is also a very real fear that the more brutal the assault on Gaza, the greater the chance that it could trigger a wider conflict in the region with other countries getting involved.
Then there are inevitable security concerns.
The apparatus that accompanies the president abroad is formidable at the best of times, and a short-notice trip to a conflict zone will be a considerable challenge.
Mr Blinken and his entourage were forced to seek shelter in a bunker as air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv on Monday - that would be a difficult look for a president.
This could be one situation in which Mr Biden's age becomes an advantage, not a problem.
He has been visiting Israel for 50 years, and he has known Mr. Netanyahu for 40 years, describing theirs as a "frank relationship".
That will allow for a more robust exchange of views than those that can be shared between leaders who don't have that kind of personal history.
President Biden has clear ideas about what he believes should and should not happen next.
He thinks it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza.
He has said there needs to be a Palestinian Authority and a path to a Palestinian state, even though there has been no progress towards Palestinian statehood for many years.
He will surely want to put the maximum pressure he can on Israel to operate more carefully in Gaza, and to end the conflict as quickly as possible.
The US has consistently been Israel's most loyal and committed ally.
Regardless of who is in the White House, there has always been broad support for the Jewish state and its right to exist in safety and security.
President Biden has for decades been one of the politicians most outspoken in his backing for Israel, saying in 1986 that "were there not an Israel, the United States of America would have to invent an Israel to protect our interests in the region".
Now it is time for the US president to use all the influence and leverage he has at his disposal to try to limit the bloodshed and loss of life and prevent an all-out war across the Middle East.
All while events on the ground are making it harder than ever.
Source- BBC
AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes criticised for posting topless photo of himself getting massage during meeting
AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes has been criticized for posting a photo of himself getting a massage during a meeting.
Mr Fernandes shared the image on LinkedIn with the caption: "Was a stressful week and Veranita Yosephine suggested a massage.
"Got to love Indonesia and AirAsia culture that I can have a massage and do a management meeting."
Ms Yosephine is the boss of the Malaysia-based airline's operation in Indonesia, but it's unclear who Mr Fernandes was speaking to in the video call.
The picture shows Mr Fernandes in a glass-walled meeting room while a woman in a face mask massages his neck.
After criticism on social media that his actions were inappropriate, the picture was taken down from his LinkedIn profile after a few days.
"So unprofessional and disrespectful," said one user on X.
"He should be setting an example of good work ethics and culture, not flaunting his body and privilege."
Another user called it "gross" and said it "impacts work ethics".
Mr Fernandes was born in Malaysia and moved to the UK as a boy to attend the prestigious Epsom College.
The 59-year-old entrepreneur bought AirAsia from the Malaysian government in 2001 and turned it into a successful low-cost carrier.
Mr Fernandes also set up the Caterham Formula One team and used to be the co-owner of west London football club Queens Park Rangers.
Source- Sky News
X begins charging new users $1 a year in New Zealand, Philippines
Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter, has started charging new users in New Zealand and the Philippines $1 (£0.82) a year to access key features, as part of a new trial.
They include the ability to tweet, retweet, like posts, and reply to posts.
Those who opt out of the subscription fee will only be able to read posts, watch videos, and follow accounts.
The social media platform said that the aim is to "reduce spam, manipulation of our platform, and bot activity".
New accounts will also be required to verify their phone number, though Mr. Musk has said that it will still be free to create "read-only" accounts, which do not have key features.
Last month, the bosses of X, Tesla, and SpaceX suggested that all X users may have to pay for access.
Since Mr Musk bought Twitter for $44bn last year, it has seen a continuous revenue decline.
While there is a clear financial interest for the company to charge users, the controversial billionaire has said that getting people to pay for the service is aimed at tackling bots.
He has previously said that a bot costs "a fraction of a penny" to make. "But if somebody even has to pay a few dollars or something, some minor amount, the effective cost to bots is very high".
Paid subscribers of an enhanced service, called X Premium, now pay for more features like longer posts and increased visibility on the platform.
X Premium currently costs $8 a month in the US. The price differs depending on which country a subscriber resides in, while other users can still use X for free.
One risk of putting X behind a paywall is that the platform may lose a large chunk of its users. That in turn, could drive down advertising revenue, which currently accounts for the vast majority of the company's income.
In recent weeks, the company has been investigated by the European Union for the possible spread of terrorist and violent content and hate speech, after Hamas's attack on Israel.
It has also been fined by Australia's internet safety watchdog for failing to cooperate with a probe into anti-child abuse practices.
Source- BBC
England book Euro 2024 spot with 3-1 win over scandal-hit Italy
England booked their place at next summer's European Championship with a 3-1 win over defending champion Italy at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday.
England had to come from behind following Gianluca Scamacca’s first goal for the Azzurri. But two goals from Harry Kane — including a penalty — and a Marcus Rashford strike gave Gareth Southgate’s team the victory it needed to secure at least a top-two finish in its group.
Italy, which is embroiled in another football scandal, could face the prospect of playoffs and even failure to qualify for a second straight major tournament. The Azzurri lost a playoff to North Macedonia last year and didn’t qualify for the World Cup, just a year after winning the pandemic-delayed Euro 2020. They also missed out on the 2018 World Cup after losing a playoff to Sweden.
England leads Group C, three points ahead of Ukraine, which won 3-1 at Malta, and six points above Italy.
The Azzurri play North Macedonia and Ukraine in their final qualifying matches next month.
Italy traveled to England without a number of players through injury and a betting scandal. Premier League midfielders Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Zaniolo left the Italy camp last week after being questioned by police over alleged involvement in an illegal betting ring.
It was the first time Italy had played England at Wembley since beating Southgate’s team on penalties to win the European Championship in 2021.
The Azzurri took the lead in the 15th minute when Giovanni Di Lorenzo rolled the ball across from the right and Davide Frattesi completely missed the ball but Scamacca fired into the roof of the net.
That was Scamacca’s first goal for Italy — coming in his 13th appearance — and he nearly had a second eight minutes later but he fired just wide of the left upright.
England leveled in the 32nd minute when Kane converted a penalty after Jude Bellingham had been brought down by Di Lorenzo.
Both teams had good chances on the stroke of halftime as Rashford drew a good save from Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Destiny Udogie had an effort parried at the other end.
England turned the match around completely in the 57th minute when Bellingham sprinted from inside his own half and spread it to Rashford, who then cut inside from the left and thumped the ball into the back of the net.
Kane sealed the match in the 77th minute as he took advantage of some poor Italy defending to get on the end of a long ball and race forward before beating Donnarumma.
Source- Loop Sports