
The World Food Program slowly resumes food aid to Ethiopia after months of suspension and criticism
The United Nations World Food Program is slowly resuming food aid to Ethiopia nearly five months after taking the extraordinary measure of suspending aid following the discovery of a massive scheme to steal donated grain
2023-08-08 18:27

AI's 'ideal body type' sparks debate across social media
As we now know, artificial intelligence has a mind of its own – and now it's dictating what the 'ideal body type' is. A recent study by The Bulimia Project asked AI software Dall-E 2, Stable Diffusion, and Midjourney to design what social media would consider the perfect man and woman. Inevitably, the results were largely "unrealistic" and couldn't be more distorted if they tried. And it goes without saying, the so-called "perfect" person does not exist. When it came to women, the AI images swayed towards blonde hair, brown eyes and olive skin. AI-generated men, however, had a bias towards brown hair, brown eyes and olive skin. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The string of images soon went viral across social media, and it didn't take long for users to chime in on AI's "problematic" take, with one writing: "The male look is actually very unhealthy." Another joked: "So, AI is basically a 14-year-old boy with no friends?" A third added: "So I need to look like I'm made of wax?" Many more slammed the software's racial bias, with the vast majority being Caucasian. "How is AI already racist?" One person asked while another said: "So the AI is also racist. I am shocked." The Bulimia Project said: "Considering that social media uses algorithms based on which content gets the most lingering eyes, it's easy to guess why AI's renderings would come out more sexualised. "But we can only assume that the reason AI came up with so many oddly shaped versions of the physiques it found on social media is that these platforms promote unrealistic body types, to begin with." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-05-18 00:58

Toff: Drinking mindfully is a gift to yourself
When you think back to Made In Chelsea’s heyday, it seemed to be all champagne, kisses, debauchery and parties. But Georgia Toffolo, 2017 Queen of the Jungle and close pal of Stanley Johnson, says she often wasn’t drinking champagne at all. “We were always photographed with glasses of champagne in our hands, but mine was normally a non-alcoholic version,” the 28-year-old explains. “I don’t know whether people really know this.” At that time, the nation’s relationship with alcohol was in the spotlight, and how well we looked after our wellbeing became more important. Things began to change around her, says Toffolo. “People became more aware of their habits – both negative and positive. And as I was in my early 20s, I was able to ride that wave. “My attitude to wellbeing has changed hugely. I try to get balance and moderation, which is a constant battle, whether I am looking at how I eat, drink, work, or exercise. In my early 20s, it was so manic and I tried to work all the hours God sent, so the theme of my mid-20s has been trying to find moderation,” she explains. That moderation has become pertinent to her drinking habits. “I am a mindful drinker. I have been drinking since I was 18, but over the past three years, I have really tried to be more mindful.” She’s not the only one. According to new research by Harrogate Spring Water, 61% of adults are intending to try drinking in moderation in the coming months – a campaign Toffolo is supporting by debuting a new 0% summer cocktail, The Royal Raspberry Spritz, at Royal Ascot on Tuesday, June 20, at The Harrogate Spring Water Mindful Drinking Bar. A lot of people, Toffolo says, “are interspersing alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks, which is exactly what I do. “Ascot is like my Christmas. I go every day of every year but it can be a really long week,” she explains. “People go racing for so many different reasons, but you want to be on flying form. I drink loads and loads of water, feel super hydrated and feel great the next day. I spruce it up with a bit of basil or elderflower.” And because she sticks to mindful drinking, hangovers are a thing of the past, says Toffolo. “It doesn’t feel like it’s a chore, it doesn’t feel like I am losing out on anything, it is a gift to yourself. My mindset and my relationship with alcohol is so much healthier.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Should you sleep naked? Heatwave myths debunked 7 hay fever hacks to ease your symptoms this summer The pests you really don’t want invading your garden and how to deter them
2023-06-14 16:22

Holiday childcare costs up with fewer places available, survey finds
Fewer than a quarter of local authorities in England have enough holiday childcare provision for parents working full-time and costs have risen across Great Britain since last year, new research has found. Six weeks of summer childcare for each school-age child could cost almost £1,000, according to the Coram Family and Childcare charity’s annual survey. It said families in Great Britain face costs of £943 per child for this holiday period, which is £538 more than they would pay for after-school childcare in six weeks of term time. The research, based on surveys from local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales between April and June, found that the cost of holiday childcare has risen 3% since 2022. A place at a holiday club now costs an average of £157 per week – 2.3 times higher than the cost of an after-school club during term time, the charity said. Wales has the highest weekly price at £168, followed by Scotland at £157 and England at £156. While costs have risen, availability has decreased, according to the charity, with just 24% of local authorities in England saying they have enough holiday childcare for parents working full-time, down 2% on last year. Provision for eight to 11 year-olds has dropped by 7% on last year, with 23% of local authorities saying they have enough for this age group. The high of cost of holiday childcare is going to put a further strain on families’ already stretched budgets Megan Jarvie, Coram Availability of holiday childcare for disabled children in England has also continued to fall, Coram said, with just 5% of local authorities reporting they have enough to meet local demand, down from 7% in 2022. In Scotland, there has also been a drop in the proportion of local authorities reporting sufficient childcare – down 15% for 12 to 14 year olds, down 14% for children living in rural areas, down 12% for parents working full time and down 11% for eight to 11 year olds. No local authorities in Scotland reported having enough holiday childcare in all areas for disabled children, working parents, parents working atypical hours or children in rural areas. While Wales also has low levels of sufficient childcare for disabled children (5%) and 12 to 14 year olds (5%), the proportion of local authorities reporting sufficient childcare in all areas across all categories of holiday childcare, except parents working atypical hours and children in rural areas, has risen. Local authorities in Wales report the highest level of sufficiency of holiday childcare in all areas for parents working full time (18%), followed by four to seven year-olds and eight to 11 year-olds at 14%. Costs and availability of holiday childcare varies depending on where families live, the charity said, stating that parents in inner London pay up to 25% more than those in the East of England – £177 per week compared to £142. In the East Midlands, some holiday childcare places cost 104% more than the national average, while others are 58% less, Coram said. The charity is calling on the Government to extend childcare funding announced in the Spring Statement to include support during school holidays. Megan Jarvie, from Coram, said: “The high of cost of holiday childcare is going to put a further strain on families’ already stretched budgets. Even if families are able to afford these costs, many will struggle to find a place as we have found shortages right across the country. “Starting school doesn’t mean that childcare needs end. Instead, many find that it becomes more challenging to find options that are right for their family, particularly during the long school holidays. “New Government funding to help improve childcare options during term time is welcome – but families need childcare right through the year.” Coram is also calling on those in charge in England, Scotland and Wales to increase support for family information services to provide good quality holiday childcare information and ensure access to local provision that meets families’ needs, expand provision of school holiday activity and food programmes, and improve the accessibility of holiday childcare for children with special educational needs and disability (Send). Rapid price increases in essentials like food, housing and energy bills have left a growing number of the families we work with stretched and barely keeping their finances afloat Jamie Masraff, OnSide chief executive The Local Government Association (LGA) said “concerted investment and recruitment of quality staff” is needed to ensure correct provision for disabled children, and said it was “disappointing” that the Government had not extended childcare support to include summer holidays. Councillor Louise Gittins, chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, said: “While councils recognise the importance of ensuring there is sufficient provision available for children with Send, it can be difficult to ensure the right provision is available, particularly given the challenging situation that many providers face at the moment.” A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, backed by £200 million per year to 2025, provides healthy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families over the holidays. “We are also investing £30 million to test new and innovative approaches to short respite breaks for families of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.” Youth organisation OnSide called for the HAF scheme to be expanded to working parents, saying it is “increasingly hearing from working families who don’t qualify but are struggling to afford holiday clubs”. Its chief executive, Jamie Masraff, said: “Rapid price increases in essentials like food, housing and energy bills have left a growing number of the families we work with stretched and barely keeping their finances afloat. For too many, there’s simply nothing left to pay for vital summer childcare.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live How to create a kitchen herb garden What is trail running and should we all be doing it? These are the women making waves in the cycling world
2023-07-18 15:53

Hayley Atwell stuns in gorgeous gown as she accompanies Tom Cruise at 'Mission: Impossible 7' UK premiere
'Mission: Impossible 7 Dead Reckoning Part One', which has a staggering $290 million budget, is set to hit US theaters on July 12
2023-06-23 16:27

The Best TV Deals for June 2023
If you want to beat the heat this summer with a good Netflix Original or
2023-06-01 06:51

Target on the defensive after removing LGBTQ+-themed products
Target once distinguished itself as being boldly supportive of the LGBTQ+ community
2023-05-25 05:47

This App Will Help You Find the Perfect Camping Spot This Summer
The Dyrt makes finding and booking campsites around the country stress-free.
2023-05-13 05:17

'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for September 26, 2023
If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for
2023-09-26 08:21

You probably don't need a $1K bed frame, but Thuma's is ridiculously easy to assemble
Whether you're a recent college grad with a starter apartment full of IKEA, or someone
2023-05-20 18:25

And just like that, Gloria Steinem makes a cameo in 'Sex and the City'
And Just Like That... has strived to prove itself socially-conscious throughout its one-and-a-half released seasons.
2023-07-06 23:27

Climate change boosts risk of extreme wildfires 25%: study
Climate change has sharply boosted the risk of fast-spreading wildfires, according to a Californian study published Wednesday that offers lessons for prevention after recent disasters...
2023-08-30 23:19
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