In a move that will give chills to fans of the dystopian movie "The Matrix", scientists have developed a wearable device that could use the human body to replace batteries.
By Umberto Bacchi, Thomson Reuters Foundation
5 Min Read
(Recasts lead, adds additional comment)
TBILISI, Feb 5 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A lie detector driven by artificial intelligence and trialled at European Union borders is the focus of a lawsuit that hopes to bring more transparency over the bloc’s funding of “ethically questionable” technology, its proponent said.
Patrick Breyer, a European lawmaker, is requesting the release of EU Research Agency (REA) documents evaluating the 4.5 million euro ($5.4 million) trial of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) lie detectors to ramp up EU border security.
“I want to create a precedent to make sure that the public . can access information on EU-funded research,” said Breyer, of Germany’s Pirate Party, who has described the technology as a “pseudo-scientific security hocus pocus”.
By Umberto Bacchi, Thomson Reuters Foundation
6 Min Read Rights activists warn a lack of clear rules allows for abuse Authorities say cameras identify people who have committed crimes
TBILISI, Feb 4 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Russian authorities are deploying facial recognition cameras to identify protesters during rallies in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in Moscow, human rights groups said, warning that the technology is being used to stifle peaceful dissent.
With more than 105,000 cameras, Moscow boasts one of the world’s most comprehensive surveillance systems - which authorities say has helped cut crime and enforce coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
Yet, since the system became fully operational last year, rights activists have noted that cameras have been used to monitor political demonstrations, with a lack of clear rules allowing for abuse of the system.
3 Min Read
TBILISI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Anti-slavery groups urged Uzbekistan on Friday to step up action to tackle baby trafficking after government figures revealed an “alarming” number of infants were being sold in the country.
Uzbek authorities recorded 185 such cases during the past four years, the interior ministry said last week, with officials citing difficult financial and social conditions as one of the main factors behind the crime.
While the annual average was little changed from the previous three-year period, trafficking experts said many cases may go undetected and expressed concern that hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could fuel the illegal baby trade.
By Umberto Bacchi
Jan 13 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Just 100 companies account for most of the profits from the world’s seas, researchers said on Wednesday, calling on them to help save the oceans from over-fishing, rising temperatures and pollution.
Together, the companies generated $1.1 trillion in revenues in 2018, or about 60% of the total, according to a study that sets out for the first time which firms profit the most from marine industries.
Oceans play a critical role in capturing planet-warming gases, absorbing around 25% of all carbon dioxide emissions. But environmentalists say much more needs to be done to protect them.
“There’s so much talk about the need for sustainable oceans … but there’s very rarely a conversation about who it is that needs to do the job,” said Henrik Osterblom, who co-authored the paper published in the journal Science Advances.