Facebook and Instagram launch ad-free subscription tier in EU
Facebook and Instagram are launching subscriptions in most of Europe that will remove adverts from the platforms.
People using the Meta-owned platforms will be able to pay €9.99 (£8.72) per month for an ad-free experience. It will not be available in the UK.
In January, Meta was fined €390m for breaking EU data rules around ads.
The regulator said at the time the firm could not "force consent" by saying consumers must accept how their data is used or leave the platforms.
The subscription tier will be exclusive to people in the EU, European Economic Area, and Switzerland from November.
But it will only be accessible for people aged over 18 at first, with the firm looking into how it can serve ads to young people in the EU without breaking the rules.
Meta said its new subscription was about addressing EU concerns, rather than making money.
"We believe in an ad-supported internet, which gives people access to personalized products and services regardless of their economic status," the firm wrote in a blog.
"The option for people to purchase a subscription for no ads balances the requirements of European regulators while giving users choice and allowing Meta to continue serving all people in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland.
"We respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and are committed to complying with them."
Users will be given the choice either to continue using the platforms for free - and have their data collected - or to pay and completely opt out of targeted ads by removing them.
But they could end up paying more than the initial monthly fee.
The service will cost an additional €3 per month if paid for on iOS or Android, to account for the additional fees taken by these platforms.
But this extra charge can be avoided by paying for the platform via the Facebook and Instagram websites, rather than the mobile apps.
Meanwhile, from March 2024, users must pay more money for each additional account they have on the platforms - such as having both a business and personal account.
The announcement comes after Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter, introduced an ad-free Premium+ service priced at £16 per month.
There is also a much cheaper subscription tier on X that will still feature ads but give people the option to edit posts, as well as the standard premium tier that grants people a blue checkmark amongst other benefits.
TikTok has also been testing a monthly subscription to remove ads - priced at $4.99 - but there is no indication yet that this will be rolled out globally.
Source- BBC
How far would the US go to defend Israel?
The US has pledged its unwavering support to Israel and backed that up with military aid. But with the scars of past entanglements in the region still being felt, where is the limit to US involvement?
In his first reaction to the attack on Israel by Hamas, President Biden made clear whose side he's on: "The United States has Israel's back," he said.
"To anyone thinking of taking advantage of the situation, I have one word: Don't," he added.
This warning was clearly aimed at Iran and its allies.
US troops in Iraq and Syria have been attacked several times in recent days, the Pentagon says, and a US destroyer in the Red Sea intercepted missiles fired from Yemen that were "potentially" aimed toward Israel.
The US already has a carrier strike group in the Eastern Mediterranean, soon to be joined by another in the region. Each aircraft carrier has more than 70 aircraft on board - considerable firepower. Mr Biden has also placed thousands of US troops on standby to move to the region if required.
The US is Israel's largest military backer, providing about $3.8bn of defense aid a year.
The Israeli jets bombing Gaza are American-made, as are most of the precision-guided munitions now being used. Some of the interceptor missiles for Israel's Iron Dome air defense system are also produced in the US.
The US was sending re-supplies of those weapons even before Israel requested them. And on Friday President Biden asked Congress to approve $14bn funding for its Middle Eastern ally's war chest as part of a $105bn (£87bn) military aid package.
The following day, the Pentagon announced it would send two of its most potent missile defense systems to the Middle East - a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot batteries.
But would a US president really be willing to become embroiled in another war, especially in an election year? Recent US military adventures in the region have proved costly - politically, economically, and in terms of American lives.
Michael Oren, a former US Israeli ambassador to the US, believes President Biden has already taken a first step by moving US aircraft carriers into the region. "You don't take that kind of pistol out unless you're willing to use it," he says.
But Seth G Jones, director of International Security at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, says the US would be reluctant to get directly engaged militarily in a war in Gaza.
The presence of the carrier strike groups, he says, could be useful "without firing a shot", not least because of their ability to gather intelligence and to provide air defenses. Any engagement would be "a last resort", he says.
It is primarily the threat from Israel's north, and specifically from the militant group Hezbollah, which now worries both Israel and the US.
The Iranian-backed group is a much greater threat than Hamas in Gaza. It has an arsenal of around 150,000 rockets which are more powerful and accurate than the ones used by Hamas. And it has already exchanged fire with Israel, its sworn enemy.
Mr. Oren fears Hezbollah could intervene when Israel is "already deep inside Gaza and already committed and tired".
If that happens, then Mr Oren believes there is a possibility the US would commit its sizeable airpower to strike targets inside Lebanon, though he does not see a situation in which America would commit boots on the ground.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin have both asserted that the US would respond if the situation escalates and any US personnel or military are targeted.
The US has the right to defend itself, said Mr. Austin on Sunday, and it will not hesitate to "take the appropriate action".
Mr. Jones acknowledges the risk of the conflict widening, but he believes that US deterrence "does raise the costs of risks for Iran and its proxies".
He says if Hezbollah in Lebanon were to engage in a major offensive operation from the north of Israel, "they would likely face a pretty serious response". He notes US forces in the region have come under limited attacks from Iranian-linked groups before.
Nor is Israel asking for direct military support in its war with Hamas. Danny Orbach, professor of military history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, points out that Israel's military doctrine states it should be able to protect itself independently.
President Biden's visit to Israel this week showed that US support is conditional. He wants Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, and he does not want to see Israel occupy the Gaza Strip indefinitely. He told CBS's 60 Minutes that doing so would be a "big mistake".
US support may also be time-limited. Yaacov Katz, a military analyst and a columnist with the Jerusalem Post, believes that America's support for Israel will come under pressure as soon as its military operation begins in Gaza and the civilian casualties mount.
He believes support could soften within weeks. "I don't see Israel getting more leeway from America or the world for a ground offensive that lasts much longer," he says.
The US clearly hopes that its military support for Israel and its own bolstered military presence in the region will be enough to prevent the conflict from widening.
There are few examples of the US directly intervening on behalf of Israel. The US sending Patriot batteries to defend Israel from Iraqi Scud missile attacks, ahead of its own invasion in the 1991 Gulf War, is a rare exception.
In fact, the US has more often used its military leverage over Israel as a restraining hand.
Source- BBC
Roman Catholic priest appears in court charged with rape
A Roman Catholic priest appeared in the Family Court in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday charged with two counts of sexual offenses.
The priest, a foreign national, was arraigned on two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault and appeared on camera before Magistrate, John Ballah, sitting in his capacity as deputy president of the Family Court.
Media reports here said that the cleric is alleged to have committed unlawful sex acts on a teenage female and was not called upon to plead to the indictable offenses. He has been granted and was granted bail to appear before the Family Court, whose president would conduct a preliminary inquiry.
The court would then decide if there was enough evidence to send the matter to trial before a judge and a jury.
The priest left the court in the company of a senior member of the Diocese of Kingstown, who told CMC that he had no comments to make regarding the allegation against the priest.
Source- Caribbean Loop News
Ministry Of Health and Human Services Confirms Dengue Case
On Tuesday, 17 October 2023, the Ministry of Health and Human Services (MoHHS) received a positive confirmation from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) on a sample from a resident of Providenciales clinically suspected to have Dengue.
The Ministry maintains active surveillance considering the ongoing outbreaks in neighboring countries within the region with which the TCI has close trade and travel links. The confirmation of this case underscores the need for heightened awareness and preventive measures to protect individuals and communities from further exposure.
The Minister of Health and Human Services- The Honourable Shaun Malcolm stated that “the Ministry of Health is actively collaborating with local health care providers to monitor the situation closely and implement necessary preventive measures to ensure the well-being of the community, and that together we can all make a difference”.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that significantly threatens public health. Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. In the Americas, Aedes aegypti is the mosquito vector that is the main source of dengue transmission. These mosquitoes are also responsible for spreading zika and chikungunya. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is present in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Dengue is characterized by moderate to debilitating fever along with any of the following symptoms:
- severe headache
- pain behind the eyes
- joint and muscle pain
- fatigue
- skin rash
- nausea
- vomiting
- any warning sign
Symptoms of dengue typically last 2–7 days. Although most people will recover after about a week, Dengue Fever can escalate into life-threatening complications without timely medical intervention. Severe dengue is a medical emergency.
Warning signs of severe dengue.
Watch out for signs and symptoms of severe dengue. Warning signs usually begin in the 24–48 hours after your fever has gone away.
Immediately go to your nearest emergency room if you or a family member has any of the following symptoms.
Belly pain, tenderness
Vomiting (at least 3 times in 24 hours)
Bleeding from the nose or gums
Vomiting blood, or blood in the stool
Feeling tired, restless, or irritable
There is no specific treatment for dengue. Rest, proper hydration, and acetaminophen can be used. Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen!
To combat this growing public health challenge, we urge the community to take the following preventive measures:
1. Eliminate stagnant water: Mosquitoes that transmit dengue breed in stagnant water. Regularly empty and clean containers that can collect water, such as flowerpots, swimming pools, buckets, and old tires.
2. Use mosquito repellents: Apply mosquito repellents containing DEET according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Wear protective clothing: Cover your skin with long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes when outdoors, especially during dawn and dusk.
4. Use mosquito nets: Utilize mosquito nets while sleeping, particularly for infants, young children, and the elderly.
5. Stay informed: Seek guidance from local health authorities and remain informed about any updates or precautions related to Dengue Fever in the region.
6. Seek medical attention: If experiencing symptoms related to Dengue Fever, seek medical care immediately and avoid self-medication.
Jay-Z answers the question: $500k cash, or lunch with... Jay-Z
Would you rather have lunch with rapper Jay-Z or take $500,000 in cash?
That has been the theoretical viral question asked of many - pitting a large sum of money against a chance to listen to the first hip-hop billionaire's pearls of wisdom.
And now finally, Jay-Z himself has shared his thoughts on the problem that the internet has been grappling with for years.
"You got to take the money," the 99 Problems rapper said.
When asked by CBS Morning's Gayle King if he would miss out on his wisdom for the money, Jay-Z said: "You got all that in the music for $10.99. Take the $500,000, go buy some albums and listen to the albums.
"If you piece it together and really listen to the music... it's all there.
"Everything I said was going to happen, happened. Everything I said I wanted to do, I've done. There's the blueprint
"The blueprint to me and my life and my journey is there already."
Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, has had an aspirational rise from selling drugs on the street as a 13-year-old to selling over 140 million records.
He later turned his success into a sprawling business empire that includes investments in record labels, sports teams, clothing brands, and alcohol. It has made him a billionaire.
He is now valued at $2.5bn, according to Forbes.
TikTok is littered with videos of people pondering the question, on podcasts and in street interviews.
Music journalist Sowmya Krishnamurthy on X, formerly known as Twitter, declared the debate "over" after Jay-Z's answer.
But radio personality Rickey Smiley said he would take the dinner to talk to him and learn from him. "That's something you just can't buy."
Earlier this month, a viral video emerged of Jay-Z fist-bumping a fan who told him he'd rather take the $500k.
Jay-Z's comments were part of a wider interview with CBS and a tour of an exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library celebrating the life and work of the hip-hop legend.
The rapper is married to singer Beyonce, and they have three children.
Source- BBC
Cricket World Cup 2023
Afghanistan beat Pakistan for the first time in one-day cricket by pulling off their highest successful chase in the format in a World Cup thriller.
Ibrahim Zadran made 87, Rahmanullah Gurbaz smacked 65 and Rahmat Shah struck an unbeaten 77 as Afghanistan reached their target of 283 with eight wickets and six balls to spare.
Afghanistan is up to sixth, leaving holders England bottom of the table.
Captain Babar Azam earlier made 74 as Pakistan posted 282-7 in Chennai.
Teenage spinner Noor Ahmad was the pick of the Afghanistan bowlers, taking 3-49.
It is Afghanistan's first win over Pakistan in ODIs at the eighth attempt, with their total of 286-2 seeing them eclipse their previous record successful chase of 276-8 when set 274 to beat the United Arab Emirates in 2014.
It is also only Afghanistan's third World Cup win, after victories over Scotland in 2015 and England earlier in this tournament.
The Afghanistan fans in the crowd went wild when skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi hit the winning runs, the players saluting them with a lap of honor, some draped in the national flag.
The match brought back memories of another thriller between the sides at Headingley in the 2019 World Cup, though it is Afghanistan who came out on top this time to finally beat their neighbor in this format.
It also proved Afghanistan's victory over England in Delhi was no fluke as they coped admirably under pressure during the run chase.
Openers Gurbaz and Zadran made a blistering start to ensure they stayed ahead of the required rate, putting on 130 for the first wicket, their second-century stand of the tournament.
Gurbaz top-edged to Usama Mir at third man and Zadran was caught behind off Hassan Ali 13 runs short of a century, but Afghanistan showed resilience to maintain their momentum.
Rahmat hit five fours and two sixes in his composed knock, as Afghanistan became the first chasing team in World Cup history to have their top three all make half-centuries.
He was ably supported by Hashmat, who hit 48 not out from 45 balls, in an unbroken third-wicket partnership worth 96 to see Afghanistan over the line.
After beginning the tournament with back-to-back wins, Pakistan have now lost three in a row to leave their semi-final hopes in jeopardy.
They began well with the bat and reached 56-0 after the powerplay, their best 10-over total batting first at this World Cup, but their innings ground to a halt as they were well shackled by Afghanistan's spin-heavy attack.
The star with the ball for Afghanistan was 18-year-old Noor, playing just his fourth ODI and making his World Cup debut.
The left-arm wrist-spinner took the key wickets of Abdullah Shafique, who made 58 from 75, Muhammad Rizwan, and skipper Babar to help pin Pakistan down in the middle overs.
When Babar's attritional 92-ball knock ended in the 42nd over, Pakistan were wobbling on 206-5, though Iftikhar Ahmed injected some much-needed impetus late on with a spritely 40 from just 27 balls, including four sixes.
He put on 73 for the sixth wicket with Shadab Khan, who hit 40 from 38, as they lifted Pakistan to what seemed an imposing score before both were dismissed in the final over.
Afghanistan showed tremendous maturity and calmness in the chase, though their cause was helped by sloppy Pakistan fielding, which left team director Mickey Arthur absolutely seething in the dugout.
Pakistan stay in Chennai for their next match against South Africa on Friday. Afghanistan heads to Pune to take on Sri Lanka on Monday.
Source- BBC
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