Advertising and Donations - advertising-newsandtimes.comWoman wins apology and refund of almost £4,300 after claiming host’s photos were digitally manipulated
Airbnb has apologised to a woman after an apartment host falsely claimed she had caused thousands of pounds’ worth of damage and used images she says were digitally manipulated to back up his allegations.
The London-based academic was refunded almost £4,300, and an internal review of how the case was dealt with has been launched at the short-term accommodation rental company.
Pattern of ‘hostile language’ in media and debates likely to describe people of colour with less sympathy, report says
A pattern of “hostile language” in news reports and UK parliamentary debates is more likely to describe people of colour as immigrants, or with less sympathy, researchers have found.
The race equality thinktank the Runnymede Trust analysed more than 63m words from 52,990 news articles and 317 House of Commons debates on immigration between 2019 and the general election in July 2024.
South African researchers have introduced an innovative strategy aimed at combating wildlife trafficking by injecting rhinoceros horns with radioactive isotopes. This method is designed to enhance the detection of illegally trafficked horns at international borders and airports, without putting the animals at risk, reports 24brussels.
The University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg has initiated the Rhisotope Project, a collaboration with nuclear authorities and conservationists. The project allows the horns, once injected, to be identifiable by standard radiation detectors utilized in customs and security screenings.
This new approach addresses the ongoing crisis of poaching that has outpaced traditional conservation methods. A pilot program began with about 20 rhinos, and the official launch recently involved the injection of five additional animals.
James Larkin, chief scientific officer of the Rhisotope Project, confirmed, “We have demonstrated, beyond scientific doubt, that the process is completely safe for the animal and effective in making the horn detectable through international customs nuclear security systems.” He added that even “a single horn with significantly lower levels of radioactivity than what will be used in practice successfully triggered alarms in radiation detectors.”
Larkin further mentioned that tests proved horns could still be detected even when concealed within standard shipping containers, a tactic commonly employed by wildlife smugglers.
The University is actively encouraging private wildlife reserves and national conservation organizations to adopt this method as part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at deterrence.
This initiative arrives amid alarming statistics regarding rhino populations. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) indicates a substantial decline, with numbers plummeting from approximately 500,000 in the early 20th century to around 27,000 today. South Africa remains home to the largest population, estimated at 16,000 rhinos, yet around 500 are poached annually.
By integrating nuclear science into conservation efforts, the Rhisotope Project could serve as a groundbreaking measure against trafficking networks. The project’s proponents are optimistic that widespread application of this technology can bolster border security and diminish the lucrative incentives that fuel rhino poaching, largely driven by international demand far beyond African borders.
More than 1,000 SES volunteers deployed across the state as warnings issued for 28 areas
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Heavy snow is falling in the northern tablelands of New South Wales as rain batters others parts of the state.
On Saturday afternoon, the NSW SES had issued 28 warnings for residents across the Coffs coast, mid north coast, upper Hunter and New England.