After the 9/11 Attack, How the US Strengthen Its Life-Saving Policies?
Terrorism did not begin on September 11, 2001, but that ill-fated day changed the world. The attacks on the United States, which killed nearly three thousand innocent people, demonstrated that terrorism had evolved into a global phenomenon capable of causing massive pain and destruction anywhere. Because of the magnitude of the attacks, no one could remain on the sidelines. Because the impact of terrorism was felt everywhere, the fight had become global. Terrorists mock the human values we share and strive to uphold. Peace, equality, tolerance, and dignity for all are universal values that transcend national boundaries. They are the adhesive that holds us together. We must unite as nations and peoples of the world to protect our common humanity. Aftermath of 9/11 With 9/11 marking its 21-year mark this year, there is a chance to consider how the world and the United States have changed throughout this generation. Any assessment attempting to weigh the costs and benefits of US national security responses and approaches across four US administrations, however, will only provide a partial picture. The protective actions taken over the last 21 years have resulted in significant gains in domestic security—but these gains have come at a high human, financial, and strategic opportunity cost. The global anti-terrorism framework Long before that fateful September morning ten years ago, the United Nations was preoccupied with the issue of terrorism. For decades, the Organization has brought the international community together to condemn terrorist acts and to create an international legal framework that allows states to combat the threat collectively. Sixteen international treaties have been negotiated at the United Nations and related forums, addressing issues as diverse as plane hijacking, hostage taking, terrorism financing, explosives marking, and the threat of nuclear terrorism. Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Security Council took even more forceful action, recognizing that terrorism would continue to pose a serious threat to international peace and security in the new millennium. It passed a comprehensive resolution outlining the next steps in the fight against terrorism. This resolution calls on all UN Member States, individually and collectively, to deny terrorist haven and financial support, and to work together to bring them to justice. Following Security Council resolutions focused more on prevention, noting, for example, that extremists were using the Internet to recruit people and incite terrorist acts. The Council began to emphasize the importance of counter-terrorism measures that are consistent with states’ international legal obligations, including human rights law. A comprehensive anti-terrorism response Over the last decade, the United Nations has built on previous experience to assist states in adapting to an evolving threat that frequently involves new technologies. Although I believe we are on the right track, much more progress must be made at the national, regional, and international levels. Individual countries have made significant progress, but success is measured in relative terms, and significant disparities remain. While some countries can spend billions of dollars to combat terrorism, others struggle to implement even the most basic measures required to protect their borders and bring terrorists to justice. When a large proportion of a country’s population is impoverished, it is unsurprising that scarce resources are directed toward development rather than counter-terrorism. We recognize this and frequently propose approaches that protect the country’s economic and developmental interests while also enhancing its security. To be honest, preventing terrorist attacks is a challenge for everyone, even for countries with abundant resources and skilled personnel. Most nations’ implementation of the long list of measures envisioned by Security Council resolutions and the Global Strategy will be patchy at best. The current scenario in the USA Today, the United States is less vulnerable to foreign terrorist attacks at home, but it faces increased domestic terrorist threats. America’s global efforts to promote freedom and democratic governance have failed. Since 2005, global freedom has stagnated and deteriorated, and the significant stresses on America’s democratic system have increased dramatically. The strategic ledger that accounts for 21 years of work is decidedly mixed. There have been undeniable gains and signs of progress, but they have come at a high price and have frequently spawned new challenges. There are, however, lessons to be drawn as the United States considers a national security strategy for the next two decades Gains and indicators of progress Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States has made significant progress in securing the country from terrorism. Nonetheless, work continues as the country’s terrorist threats have evolved over the last ten years and continue to change. Following 9/11, the federal government acted quickly to create a security framework to protect the country from large-scale attacks directed from abroad, while also strengthening federal, state, and local capabilities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from domestic threats and disasters. • The United States is less vulnerable to threats from foreign terrorist networks The 9/11 attacks killed 2,977 people, the highest single death toll from a foreign attack on America. Since then, 107 Americans have died as a result of Salafi-jihadi terrorist attacks in the United States. Following 9/11, no other major foreign terrorist attacks occurred within the United States. This is the result of several lines of work. The United States established new agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, the Directorate of National Intelligence, and the National Counterterrorism Center. It also significantly increased resources for intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, to restore trust in air travel, the United States implemented new security procedures. It developed new military and intelligence capabilities that aided in the thwarting of numerous plots and the capture of terrorist operatives and leaders, most notably Osama Bin Laden in 2011. The United States significantly increased its capacity to track and disrupt terror finance networks, and it adapted its approaches to counter terror threats in the cyber realm, staying ahead of rapidly changing technologies. US military and intelligence agencies formed or strengthened counterterrorism partnerships around the world, allowing the US to accomplish more than it could on
Instead of Gen Z vs Millennials, Is It Them Vs Distraction?
Oh, let’s read this article. Wait! This ad seems good. Oh! Has someone messaged me? Why does no one message me? Wait! Did that wall always have that black mark? I need to paint my walls. Maybe I should make a Pinterest mood board for my new room decor! What is this you ask? Just a visual representation of a distracted mind. Constantly driven to distractions, on its journey. This seems to be increasingly happening in the minds of Gen Z and Millennials. Gen Z and Millennials. Terms every person who has the slightest access to the interwebs has heard or seen. But what are they? Are they rivals or long-lost siblings? Both in a way. A Millennial is anyone born between 1980 and 1995. A member of Gen Z is anyone born between 1996 and the early-mid 2000s. The main differences between the two are based on their content exposure, upbringing, and values. These little differences make up an entire culture respective to each generation with rules and ways of living of their own. Even though are 2 generations altogether, they share a fair bunch of similarities. One of them is- Attention Span. Statistically speaking, the normal attention span of a healthy teenager or adult is around 5-6 hours. But recent studies have something different to reveal. The average human has an attention span of just 8.25 seconds according to recent studies – 4.25 seconds less than in 2000. The Cause And The Effect A very “parents” reply to this, but, these generations grew up with a smartphone, and it is estimated that 96% of Generation Z own a smartphone. The importance of cell phones in Gen Z’s lives is seen in how they feel about owning one. Owning a smartphone is having the whole world at the tip of your fingers. You can hop onto any train of thought and your phone will have an answer for it. With smartphones, comes the smart lifestyle that Social Media fuels. Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) culture later plays its role in constantly bugging minds into thinking they are missing out on something. According to a survey, 82% of Gen Zs and Millennials indicated that social media had hindered their ability to focus on their academic work. Additionally, it was discovered that only 56% of men but 3 in 4 female respondents agreed that social media had influenced them to compare themselves to others. One of the common causes of such distraction is overexposure. When there is one plate in front of you with one type of biscuit, you will eat it readily. But when there are 28 plates with 369 biscuit options, the human brain starts to wander. Similarly, while living their lives, Gen Zs and Millennials. are exposed to multiple sources of entertainment, education, and pass time. This results in them being caught up with where they wish to go for 4 of the 5 options they have. The Do-It-All Culture This could be blamed on the upbringing of Millenials or Gen Z, but the way people look at work today is different and borderline unhealthy. Gen Z and Millennials spent their years being pressured through academics into careers that they have to be good at everything. No excuse, No concessions. This upbringing probably has imprinted itself on their brains resulting in the Do-It-All culture. Under this, one tries to do everything at once, in an attempt to feel productive. And end up doing neither of the tasks perfectly. Through the millennial years, they never learn to give adequate attention. Task 1 is at hand, but the mind is already planning the footsteps of task 34. The Do-It-Later Culture Totally in contrast to the above, a result of overexposure to resources. The Do-It-later Culture is when it is well-known that a task is pending. But having access to so many resources and aids, the mind lets itself relax. Thinking “I will do it. Promise. Just. After watching this”. Because there is bottom-line confidence that even if distracted and procrastinating, the work will be completed now or later. Studying Behavior According to recent data from Omnicom Media Group and Snap Inc, covid-19 increased video use across applications, including social media (61%) and streaming, both within the platforms themselves (56%) and within streaming apps on phones (52%). Users watch videos of some kind more than half the time they are using applications like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram, which do not focus on videos. Unsurprisingly, both groups boosted their overall video consumption on smartphones, with Millennials watching 51% more and Gen Z 67% more. Looking at these numbers and facts, one thing is clear- the next generation the world will get to see will be completely unique. In terms of their work culture, values, practices, and so on. We might witness that in the coming years, the world is completely changed in terms of its functioning and lifestyle. Gen Z and Millenials may not win the battle among themselves, but will definitely win one by developing a new culture.
China Distributes Wristbands To Promote Road Safety
The lives of almost 1.3 million people are cut short annually as a result of traffic accidents. There are an additional 20 to 50 million people who undergo non-fatal injuries, many of whom proceed to develop disabilities. Now there can be two broad causes for road accidents – bad roads or bad drivers. Road safety rules and signs exist everywhere. So where are we lagging? Intending to promote healthier public transport and road safety, Beijing has worked out an innovative way. To improve transport safety management, the Chinese government used digital technology and distributed wristbands among 1800 drivers. These wristbands come with sensors that can detect vital signs of distress or poor health. How Does It Work? The wristbands are an initiative by the state-run Beijing Public Transport Holding group. According to reports, these wristbands can track a user’s physiological parameters, including heart rate and blood oxygen level, as well as their sleep patterns and mental state broadly. “Providing a tracking bracelet is a way of applying technology to strengthen the management of the physical and mental health of drivers,” said Beijing Public Transport The bands have been tested before on over 40,000 drivers. The bands were able to recognize several “psychological patterns.” The Beijing Public Transport also is working towards establishing roughly 5000 sets of rules and patterns of “abnormal behavior” for the wristbands to look for. These patterns will help manage the physical and mental health of the drivers- especially those who drive on highways. A Hit of Criticism The newly introduced bands faced a bit of criticism with claims like an invasion of privacy, but the makers cleared that the data recorded by the wrist is limited to just physical and mental vitals. More Perks This year, the company wants to equip some of its vehicles with technical protection systems, including 2,000 safety warning systems and 5,000 recognition systems to track unusual driving behavior.
UK May Impose a £27 Million Fine On TikTok For Children Privacy Breach
Tiktok is one of the most popular video-posting apps right now. The app is widely used both privately and professionally, by celebrities, companies, to teenagers. The app has 1 billion users worldwide. Of those, around 62% of its users are between 10 and 29. But are the young users and the constant content being posted on the app safe? The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) claims the video-sharing platform has inappropriately processed the data of those under-13s without consent. The breach is said to have been processed for more than two years from May 2018 until July 2020. TikTok Inc. and Information Technologies UK Limited have received a “notice of intent” from the ICO, a legal document that comes before a potential penalty. Information Commissioner John Edwards said: “We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world, but with proper data privacy protections. Companies providing digital services have a legal duty to put those protections in place, but our provisional view is that TikTok fell short of meeting that requirement.” According to ICO’s investigation, the platform was found to have- processed the data of children under the age of 13 without appropriate parental consent failed to provide proper information to its users in a concise, transparent, and easily understood way processed special category data, without legal grounds to do so TikTok and Privacy TikTok has implemented a range of measures to improve user privacy and security, such as letting parents link their accounts to their kids and banning direct messaging for users under the age of 16. Recent privacy policy updates revealed that the app might collect biometric information “including faceprints and voiceprints.” While this is already quite scary and concerning, the app said the data is collected for them to enable special video effects, content moderation, and ad recommendations.
Space Telescopes Hubble And James Webb Releases Images of DART Asteroid Strike
The James Webb and Hubble telescopes on Thursday revealed their initial images of a spacecraft deliberately crashing into an asteroid, marking the first time the two most powerful space telescopes have observed the same celestial object. Telescopes around the world turned their gaze towards the space rock Dimorphos earlier this week for a historic test of Earth’s ability to defend itself against a potential future life-threatening asteroid. On Monday night, 11 million kilometers (6.8 million miles) from Earth, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) impactor slammed into its pyramid-shaped target to the joy of astronomers. Following the impact, a massive cloud of dust was seen expanding out of Dimorphos and its larger brother Didymos, which it orbits, in images captured by telescopes positioned on Earth. While those images showed matter spraying out over thousands of kilometers, the James Webb and Hubble images “zoom in much closer”, said Alan Fitzsimmons, an astronomer at Queen’s University Belfast involved in observations with the ATLAS project. Terrifying Yet Beautiful Visuals From Space James Webb’s images were shown in red because the telescope operates primarily in the infrared spectrum, which allows it to peer further into the universe than ever before. The images from Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 were blue because it shows the impact on visible light. Hubble images from 22 minutes, 5 hours, and 8.2 hours after impact show the expanding spray of matter from where DART hit on the asteroid’s left. The accurate measure of DART’s success will be exactly how much it diverted the asteroid’s trajectory, so the world can start preparing to defend itself against more giant asteroids that could head our way in the future. “The problem we have at the moment is that there’s still a lot of dust and debris around the asteroids… How quickly astronomers can make that measurement will depend on exactly how efficient DART was,” said Fitzsimmons
Dogs Can Sniff Out Stress From Their Owners’ Breath and Sweat
Dogs are known stress relievers. After a long hard day, spending some time with your little dog proves to make one feel a lot better and light. It was recently discovered that dogs can smell stress in our breath and sweat. Can these furry creatures get any better? The Study Acute stress alters the chemical composition of human breath and sweat. In the latest study, researchers took samples of human participants’ sweat and breath taken before and after they completed a challenging mathematical task. 36 human volunteers were given a task to count from 9000 backward out loud in units of 17, for three minutes. They took samples from the volunteers before and after solving the task and presented to the Dogs. According to the study published in the scientific article PLOS One, the dogs were able to recognize the before and after samples with 90% accuracy. “While it is likely that in a real-life context dogs are picking up on our stress from a variety of context cues, we have shown using a laboratory study that there is a confirmed odor component that is likely contributing to dogs’ ability to sense when we feel stressed,” said Animal Psychologist, Clara Wilson. The dogs trained with a clicker-and-kibble method to indicate the sample in which they can sniff out stress. The study shows how strong of a sense of smell dogs possess and the way human bodies alter themselves in various situations. Such studies prove how and why dogs are preferred for emotional support and therapy as they truly understand and detect human emotions better than any other animal. A dog can not only understand your psychological state through your behavior but also can provide companionship and relief.
Nothing To Hide But Everything to Fear: Teenagers Towards Digital Freedom
When it comes to the dangers of social media, cyberbullying and sexual predators get the most attention. However, digital freedom has many more subtle or hidden dangers that are influencing a whole generation of teenagers as they grow into young adults. With 89% of teenagers owning a smartphone and 70% using social media multiple times daily, these digital threats affect celebrities. Indeed, 38% of young people reported that social media has a negative impact on their self-esteem. The Advantages Of Social Media Teens can use social media to create online identities, communicate with others, and build social networks. These networks can provide valuable support to teens, particularly those who are excluded or have disabilities or chronic illnesses. Teens use social media for entertainment as well as self-expression. Furthermore, the platforms can expose teenagers to current events, allow them to interact across geographic boundaries, and teach them about a variety of topics, including healthy behaviors. Teens may benefit from social media that is amusing or distracting, or that provides a meaningful connection to peers and a large social network. Why Should You Be Concerned? Contextualizing Digital Freedom To Youth Did you know that over 210 million people worldwide are addicted to social media and the internet? While you may wish to blame your adolescent for lacking self-control, it’s essential to understand what they’re up against. Thousands of Ph.D.-level researchers are working on social media platforms to determine what level of digital freedom is appropriate for the youth. The platform earns more money the more time your teen spends on social media. Social Media’s Immediate Dangers Here are some of the potential risks that your teen may face while using various social media channels: 1. Inappropriate, upsetting, or adult-themed content exposure Of course, you don’t want your adolescent exposed to adult-themed or pornographic content. The danger of social media is that this material can be sent to your child by strangers or trusted sources. Even if your child’s social networking sites are restricted to known friends or their profiles are set to private, they may still be at risk. 2. Teenagers with dubious judgment In teenagers, the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for good judgment) is still not fully developed. Poor judgment combined with easy access to a global audience can lead to some terrifying scenarios 3. Oversharing in inappropriate and dangerous ways Even being emotionally vulnerable with the wrong person can have disastrous consequences for someone who suffers from low self-esteem or depression. We lose control of the information we share on the internet. 4. Cyberbullying 59% of US teens have been bullied or harassed online, with Instagram being the most popular platform for bullying. In addition, one in every five young people has skipped school due to cyberbullying. Cyberbullying has been linked to teen depression and can even lead to increased vulnerability and depression later in life. 5. Constantly comparing their relationships to all the “ideal” relationships Teens seeing online can lead to a distorted understanding of what relationships are supposed to be like. Relationships are messy, complicated, and often boring. Social media can be beneficial. It allows your teen to stay in touch with friends while boosting self-esteem if used correctly. However, there are risks associated with social media. A certain level of digital freedom must be observed, which you should discuss with your child. Make sure that social media is a tool that your family uses, not one that your family uses.
Urbanization Causing Biggest Floods: Better Lifestyle, But At What Cost?
Floods! Huge waves crash toward you, not caring if it is a forest, bare land, or a well-established urban colony. Floods are a terrifying natural calamity the world could go through. Causing loss of family, homes, documents, and hope. According to statistics, a small flood occurs once every two years, and a moderate flood once every five years. A massive surge is predicted to occur only once in fifty or a hundred years. But this same year, the world has seen several scarring floods, affecting thousands of people. Why are so many parts of the world facing such severe floods all at once? These floods are to be called “Urban Floods.” What are Urban Floods? Urban Floods have more to them than “water overflow in urban areas.” With the significant growth in urbanization and urban living plans and spaces, flood risks have increased by 1.8 to 8 times. The reason is the excessive water logging caused by developed areas. The excess water has nowhere to go. The water is then clogged and blocked in drains and sewage systems with no proper cleaning and channeling system. The clogged water is bound to overflow with the smallest amount of rain, which can lead to disastrous events like floods and hurricanes. The inadequate infrastructure seen in most urban neighborhoods is a threat to every person residing in these areas. Half of the lakes have vanished over the past few decades thanks to reclamation for real estate. Up to three-fourths of all lakes in the urban district are destroyed by illegal encroachments. These water bodies are significant catchment sites for incoming rainfall, making this a huge problem. Bengaluru Floods, 2022 India’s IT hub is always affected every year due to floods triggered by rains. Bengaluru received around 18 cm of rainfall and even more in other areas. Thunderstorms and heavy rains occur in a shear zone encompassing southern Karnataka. The opposing wind flow brings heavy rain-bearing clouds to the zone. The floods hit the city of Bengaluru on August 30th. The rains were so heavy, people were stuck in traffic in the busier areas of the city for over five hours. Companies suffered huge losses due to poor administration in the city. California Floods, 2022 Strong winds and flooding rains struck southern California, causing flash floods that spread to sections of western Arizona. Winds as high as 109 mph made trees and power lines fall. California is also warned of more flooding, heavy rains, and flooding in the next weeks. The state is already prone to catastrophic “mega-fires” that destroy acres of vegetation and towns. Africa Floods, 2022 Floods hit Africa earlier this year in April. The calamity caused the death of 400 people and displaced more than 40,000 people. 12,000 houses were destroyed in the southeast part of South Africa. Through flood hazard maps, it was seen that the houses were in proximity to waterways/rivers. Any Solutions? Networks and organizations are working towards helping cities and regions identify, plan and implement projects to increase resilience to urban flooding impact. Focus Areas- Encouraging public involvement and participation in a complete and integrated water management plan to control urban flooding. Supporting and assisting cities affected by urban floods is as essential—faster actions with measures like rescue operations and response strategies. Promoting the sustainable drainage, storage, entry, return, and integration of water in urban ecosystems to help cities prepare for floods (blue-green infrastructure).
World Mental Health Day 2022: Ways to Cure Empty Feelings and Identity Crisis
As residents of the 21st century, prioritizing mental health should be no breaking news. Taking a few minutes from our busy days to spend with yourself is all your mind needs at times. World Mental Health Day takes efforts to organize support for mental health and increase awareness of global challenges. The 10th of October is known as world mental health day every year. The world federation for mental health started the program for mental health in 1992. The federation has been advocating the importance of mental health for 62 years. They produce research papers and educational material for the general public with the aim of increasing mental health awareness. This Year’s World Mental Health Day The theme- Make Mental Health & Well-Being For All A Global Priority– speaks about how mental health is for all. As a society, we can move towards a mentally sound world by joining hands. Prioritizing and including mentally beneficial activities should be a common practice globally, which is the focus of this year’s theme. As the world goes through a pandemic, it is more important than ever for people to go out seeking mental health services. The pandemic has affected all of us, in ways that can go unnoticed. The whole mentality around mental health needs to be changed. Seeking help doesn’t mean someone is “crazy”. That is what this year’s theme wants to highlight for mental health and seeking help to be prioritized and normalized. Changing Perspectives There is a certain stigma around mental health. Making it some type of taboo to even discuss. If a person talks about their latest therapy session, they will face rolled eyes. If a child voices their need to seek help, they will be told to concentrate on their studies. This perspective needs to be changed. Therapy at any stage of life is valid. At any stage, taking time out for yourself doesn’t mean you are lonely. Refusing to do something in the foresight of your mental health is not being selfish. If this perspective changes, several severe illnesses might be checked and properly diagnosed before it is too late. Many will lead a life not feeling a weight on their chests. People will feel free from previous guilts, traumas and incidences. Ways To Ensure Mental Well-Being Mental well-being is an integral part of our overall health. It’s the knowledge that we are separate from our problems and the belief that we can handle those problems. Mental health is something one can work on just like physical health. like there are physical workouts, there are several mental health exercises to perform. 1. Connect with people Maintaining healthy relationships with people can act as an escape for your mind. Spending time with people you trust builds a sense of belongingness and self-worth. A close-knit circle gives you emotional support and an opportunity to support others. 2. Music Music is a healer. There is music out there that will speak to you and help you deal with a lot of issues. Listening to happy tunes increases creative thinking and brain power. 3. Learning New Languages Languages are a source of communication. A way for you to express yourself better and effectively. Numerous studies have shown that bilingualism can increase creativity, visual-spatial skills, and memory levels. 4. Change A Little Thing In Your Routine Sometimes the mind gets bored of how monotonous things go, which can result in lethargy. Choose a different errand route, and change your daily music playlist. Change your mode of transport. Just a little change makes a lot of difference. 5. Help Others People don’t understand the power and satisfaction behind helping others. It can be assisting someone with their attire or helping others with life crises. Any amount of kindness brings happiness to both sides. Treat people with kindness. 6. Mindfulness Possibly the best thing one can do is, live in the moment. Focus on the task in front of you or the day you are living. Regretting the past won’t change it, and stressing about the future won’t Living in the moment helps you appreciate your surroundings and enjoy life. Pictures credit: Michael Driver (UK) & Pedro Gonçalves (Brazil)
OnlyFans Earning Statistics Rose All-Time High In Past 2 Years
OnlyFans has paid its reclusive owner more than $500 million (£433 million) in the last two years, as the British-based subscriber platform synonymous with pornography reported record profits. The site’s Ukrainian-American 40-year-old owner, Leonid Radvinsky, is the sole shareholder in a business that has seen profits skyrocket, with users spending $4.8 billion on the site last year. OnlyFans is now one of the most financially successful British tech start-ups in recent years, succeeding were more mainstream companies have failed. According to the company’s most recent financial statements, OnlyFans earning statistics increased by 615% in a year to $432 million. What kind of services are provided by Onlyfans? The London-based company, founded in 2016, provides a portal for people to sell content subscriptions directly to their followers, with a 20% cut. Although OnlyFans is best known for pornography and hosts a diverse range of content, it announced last year that it would discontinue before reversing its decision a week later. About the founder of Onlyfans Radvinsky is the sole owner of OnlyFans’ holding company, Fenix International Ltd., and has a background in adult entertainment and direct marketing. Microsoft Corporation sued Radvinsky in 2004 for allegedly sending millions of deceptive emails to Hotmail customers. His attorneys responded that the allegations were without merit, and the case was eventually dismissed. OnlyFans earning statistics increased to $932 million in the period, up from $358 million the previous year, as OnlyFans more than doubled the number of subscribers and increased the number of creators by more than a third, according to the annual report. This year’s priorities for OnlyFans include cyber-security, content moderation, government relations, and promoting its new video streaming service OFTV.