Among The Believers In North Korea's 'Holy Land'

The alleged birthplace of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has become a pilgrimage destination.

By Sebastien Berger 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's father and predecessor is said to have been born in a simple wooden hut on the slopes of a sacred mountain, and guide Kim Un Sim has no doubts: "Welcome to our holy land."

The North is avowedly atheist, with its own Juche ideology proclaiming that "Man is the master of all things", but quasi-religious terminology abounds at Mount Paektu, a dormant volcano straddling the border with China.

It has long been considered the spiritual birthplace of the Korean nation and -- according to Pyongyang's orthodoxy -- Kim Jong Il, son of the North's founder Kim Il Sung, came into the world at a secret guerrilla camp on its slopes, where his father was directing the fight against Korea's Japanese colonial overlords.

Now it is a place of pilgrimage for tens of thousands of North Koreans every year, who are trained from birth to revere their leaders.

Kim Jong Il "was born amid arduous conditions" guide Kim said, "not in a luxurious house, but in an ordinary, humble log cabin", with bitter winter temperatures plunging to minus 40 Celsius (Fahrenheit).

His mother Kim Jong Suk -- another member of the North's revolutionary pantheon -- could only be served soup made from dried mountain herbs and corn, she added.

"The guerrilla fighters shed tears from pity that our general -- only a few months old -- had so little to eat and brought back food and goat milk.

The story has several echoes of the Christian Nativity, from a bright star shining in the sky, a birth in adversity, and well-wishers bringing gifts to the new arrival and future leader.

Guide Kim said the secret camp, never located by the occupying Japanese in nine years, was Kim Il Sung's headquarters from 1936, from where he travelled across Korea and to bases in China "to finally accomplish the historic liberation of the country".

There was no mention of the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 that triggered Japan's World War II surrender, and with it the end of Tokyo's 35-year rule over the peninsula.

'Paektu bloodline'


The ruling Workers' Party of Korea and the Kim dynasty bases its claim to legitimacy on what it says was Kim Il Sung's pivotal role in the national struggle for independence.

Korea's foundational myth says its people are descended from King Tangun, born on Mount Paektu to a god who came to earth from heaven and a bear transformed into a woman.

Kim Jong Il's birth in the same place puts the ruling family firmly in the same tradition, a concept reinforced by the North's references to his son and successor Kim Jong Un as a member of the "Paektu bloodline".

Outside historians, though, say that the founding Kim spent most of the war in exile, as a guerrilla fighting Japanese forces in China then a battalion commander in the Soviet army.

Soviet records state his son was born in the Russian Far East village of Vyatskoye on 16 February 1941, exactly a year earlier than his official birthday.

After the war, the Mount Paektu camp was lost to the surrounding forests, the guide explained, but Kim Il Sung recognised its location on a visit to the area in 1986 and had its three huts rebuilt to ensure younger generations could be taught about "our country that he has defended and won back with his blood".

"It is the ardent wish of all the people to visit the secret camp," she added.

'Spiritual pillar'

Every year 100,000 North Koreans or more are taken on study tours to the camp, the mountain, and nearby revolutionary sites where relics of operations are preserved.

Dressing in khaki uniforms said to resemble guerrillas' outfits and carrying red flags, they march to the summit of the volcano, where an inscription in Kim Jong Il's handwriting proclaims: "Mount Paektu, holy mountain of the revolution" and a tablet on the rim declares Kim Jong Un "another unsurpassed hero received by Paektu".

The visiting troupes sing songs such as "We Will Go to Mount Paektu" and paddle joyously in Lake Chonji, its crater lake.

For ordinary workers it can be a two- or three-day trip, but for students the standard itinerary is four weeks, officials said, including a period of voluntary work on a construction site or other project.

"Everyone needs a spiritual pillar," said Ri Yong Myong, 30, who is studying Korean literature at the elite Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang after 10 years of military service.

"Rather than wealth or honour, the Korean people hold Mount Paektu, which is the holy mountain and the mountain of our great leaders, as our spiritual pillar.

"My body is full of the spirit and force of Mount Paektu so I can provide loyal service to the leader by even grinding all my bones and flesh."

Ordinary North Koreans always express wholehearted support for the authorities when speaking to foreign media, but a Western official with knowledge of the peninsula said that for many, their beliefs are deeply held.

The North's teachings were "all-pervading", he said, drawing a comparison with "medieval Europe and the role of the church and doctrine".

"For the average person there's nothing to challenge the narrative."

Copyright AFP. All rights reserved.

Mount Paektu is a place of pilgrimage for tens of thousands of North Koreans every year

 Photo: AFP / Ed JONES

#USURY
Mastercard and Visa accused of cashing in on pandemic with excessive fees

The fees being charged have doubled in the last two years which could force retailers to pass on the extra costs to their consumers

By Nina Siena

October 22, 2020 

Mastercard and Visa are in hot water as The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has accused them of charging "excessive fees" while cashing in on the pandemic. The fees being charged by the payment firms have doubled in the last two years, which could force retailers to pass on the extra costs to their consumers.

In an interview with the BBC, BRC head of finance policy Andrew Cregan said, "It is vital that the government takes action to tackle excessive card costs. It is an abuse of a dominant market position by these companies."

The BRC revealed their findings showing the average cost of a cash transaction to retailers is only 1.42p while payments made through debit cards costs retailers 5.88p. Credit cards on the other hand, cost 18.4p.

The duopoly of Mastercard and Visa controls about 98% of the UK market. However, numbers from the latest Payments Survey show they have the least competitive layer of the card payments ecosystem due to their complex billing structures. This by itself could potentially lead to increased abuses of their card schemes.

The BRC is pushing the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to conduct investigations regarding the existing card schemes of these big players.

As credit card bills are expected to rise by another £40 ($68.50 CAD) a year, retail and hospitality trade organisations have joined forces to call for legal actions to rein in and tackle card fees as recent events have forced industries to accept only card payments in observation of the pandemic social distancing rules.

British Independent Retailers Association commercial director Jeff Moody said small local shops are being penalised as they are unable to negotiate for better fees with these payment firms compared to the contracts given to large national chains.

"With card transactions now the majority of their payment transactions, these costs are therefore being felt by consumers," Moody adds.

In response to these accusations, Mastercard said, "Digital payments are the most effective way of receiving and making payments for business and by their nature are significantly less costly than cash."

The card company added that they do not hold any strong belief in the BRC's report as this does not represent the facts of the entire UK payments industry.

High on the agenda of many of the nation's retailers: what they call Mastercard's and Visa's dominance over translations and the fees involved. The NRF is seeking to block a class action settlement against the credit card issuers, saying the ruling doesn't go far enough is leaching the two companies that handle 80 percent of the nation's swipes. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for Friday in Washington. REUTERS

UK

Grab your turkey early as shortage looms over Christmas dinner 2020
The British Poultry Council (BPC) said the problem is due to a shortage of skilled workers that process the meat

By Nina Siena

Updated October 22, 2020 

This year's Christmas dinner may end up to be not so joyous as the traditional feast is under threat of running low on turkey supply. The British Poultry Council (BPC) said the problem is due to a shortage of skilled workers that process the meat. The council is urging the government to exempt the workers from quarantine rules to ensure retail markets are fully stocked for the holiday season.

About 1.000 EU workers are required to keep turkey stock supplies from running aground. According to the BBC, the proposed exemption would cover seasonal workers coming from Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia at the end of October 2020.

But with the crippling pandemic, workers will not come to Britain if they have to undergo a 14-day quarantine before starting work. The type of skilled people needed in turkey processing are not available among UK workers.

A spokeswoman for the government said, "We recognise and appreciate our dedicated farmers who continue to work tirelessly during this challenging time to keep our nation fed. We are working with industry to assess needs and ensure a steady supply of British turkeys as we approach Christmas."

Meanwhile, BPC head Richard Griffiths expressed his concerns. "The great British Christmas cannot survive without access to non-UK labour."

"Turkey producers are heavily reliant on licensed and trained EU workers with specific farming, processing, and butchery skills. These skills cannot be replaced without a lengthy training and recruitment period."

Griffiths also points out that there is a deficiency of UK workers with the right training and qualifications required to slaughter and process about nine million turkeys that have been reared for the Christmas season.

These workers have been specifically trained for this job in Watok - Welfare of Animals at Time of Killing. They are licensed to slaughter animals which means they all hold certificates of competence issued by the Food Standards Agency. It takes at least 12 weeks to attain basic slaughter and knife skills.

"It will be unfeasible to train and up-skill UK workers within the short window available," Griffiths said.

"That will pose a risk to affordability and potentially force people to go without food this Christmas," he added.

Griffiths warned that if seasonal vacancies do not get filled up, this will cause a significant impact on the production, supply and cost of food during the holidays.

Here is exactly why Trump's supporters like him

One of the reasons for Trump's enduring popularity, despite everything he has said and done, is that his supporters believe he has behavioral integrity.

By Rangapriya Kannan, Craig Barkacs

Updated October 23, 2020 1

"How can Trump supporters still like him after that?"

This question has been asked with greater frequency since the last presidential debate, which is widely being called the worst one in history, and President Trump's subsequent COVID-19 diagnosis. The question itself is not new and has been repeatedly asked in some form or another since the 2016 elections.

As with most complex phenomena, the true answer is likely a combination of factors, but there is one answer that has not yet been offered. While many remain baffled as to how Trump supporters continue to like him despite his latest act of bullying, lying, egotism or vulgarity, we suggest that it is in fact because of those incidents that they do.

Let us explain. In psychology, there is a value-neutral concept known as behavioral integrity. It refers to the perception that an individual or group is behaving in a way that aligns with what they say, that they do what they say they will do, and that their messaging is consistent.

Research shows that when followers perceive a leader figure to demonstrate behavioral integrity, it bolsters their feelings of trust and confidence. An important clarification to be made here is that whether the leader in question actually does these things or not (e.g., does he actually do what he says he will do?) is not important to this concept, only that he is perceived as doing these things.

One of the reasons for Trump's enduring popularity, despite everything he has said and done, is that his supporters believe he has behavioral integrity. They perceive that his actions align with his words, they perceive that he does what he promises to do, and they perceive that his messaging is consistent (again, whether he really does these things or not does not matter).

A second clarification that needs to be made is that while many of his supporters may certainly agree with what he says or does, not all of his supporters necessarily do. Rather, even for those who might not support Trump, what they appreciate in Trump is the (perceived) consistency and authenticity with which he says and does the things that he does. An article in the Los Angeles Times, published after the first debate, included a quote from a voter named Jay Williams, 35, a Black construction worker, that captures this perfectly:

US President Donald Trump's rallies feature chants of 'lock him up' against opponent Joe Biden.

Supporters of US President Donald Trump attend a rally at Orlando Sanford International Airport in Sanford, Florida

Williams was not particularly bothered that Trump had refused to condemn white supremacists. "Donald Trump will stand up for what he believes in," he said. "Whether we agree with it or not, he fully believes in it. I would say, in a way, you have to admit it's admirable that he stands firm. But at the same time, you know, it is what it is." He shrugged. "Most of the U.S. presidents were white supremacists," he said. "Trump's just more honest."

Honesty and authenticity are traits that have often been attributed to Trump (and, for that matter, to Bernie Sanders), and it has been speculated that authenticity may be a reason why both Trump and Sanders enjoy a certain fierce loyalty from their supporters. According to business theorist Jeffrey Pfeffer, however, the reality is that we do not grant power to those who are authentic and honest — we grant power to those who project confidence and strength and often that means their displaying traits we say we don't want our leaders to have: self-aggrandizement, shameless lying, and never admitting to mistakes.

Besides, dogged consistency is not the same thing as authenticity. To make people believe you have behavioral integrity, you need to appear consistent but you don't necessarily need to be authentic.

In point of fact, Trump often does not do what he says he will do. He does not live in a way that aligns with his professed values. And he does not have consistent messaging. Yet for a number of reasons these discrepancies do not matter to his loyalists. One reason for this is that he has effectively discredited the media in the eyes of his followers such that reports of his inconsistencies are seen as "fake news."

Trump himself has admitted that the reason he consistently attacks the media is so that when negative stories are published about him no one will believe them. Some of his supporters may even acknowledge that he is not as consistent as it may seem, but they do not care so long as he is consistent about the things that they care about most, and that he consistently goes after those they do not like, be they immigrants, career politicians, or liberal media.

Finally, another reason that Trump supporters may be stubborn in their support is that they crave consistency (i.e. behavioral integrity) in their own words and actions as well as in their leader's. Robert Cialdini, the guru of psychological influence, calls this the "Consistency" Principle of Persuasion, which holds that once people commit to an idea or course of action, they naturally wish to remain consistent with it because if they do not, it creates the discomfort of cognitive dissonance.

Research bears this out. One study, for instance, found that the more people were presented with evidence that threatens their beliefs and opinions, the more they clung to those beliefs and opinions, potentially explaining why the more Trump flaunts his narcissism and arrogance, or the more his political opponents point it out, the more fiercely his supporters defend him.

Like many observers of the current political situation in our country, we are deeply perturbed by the vicious divisiveness, spirit of animosity, and lack of trust in the democratic process that informs so much of our public discourse. But to continually express bewilderment over the obstinacy of Trump supporters does not fix the problem. True healing can only begin with understanding. When we understand that the perceived consistency of Trump's behavior, not its moral content, is precisely why his supporters like him, and that this comes from a natural tendency of human nature, it is then that we can form strategies to counter this self-reinforcing pattern.

Rangapriya (Priya) Kannan is the chair and professor of the Department of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the founder-director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Catalyzer at the University of San Diego School of Business. 

Craig Barkacs, J.D., is a professor of business law and ethics in the Master's in Executive Leadership and MBA Programs at the University of San Diego School of Business.

(This article first appeared in IBTimes U.S. edition.)

GM VS TESLA 

GMC unveils "world's first supertruck" – the Hummer EV
By Aaron Turpen
October 20, 2020

Because it's aiming for hyper truck status, the GMC Hummer EV's sneak unveil included a lot of hardcore off-road
GMC

After serving up shady photos and line drawing silhouettes, GM has finally unveiled the 2022 GMC Hummer EV. Billed by GM as "the world's first supertruck," the Hummer EV will be the first all-electric GMC vehicle and enter production in Michigan next year.

A video, backed by a cover version of Led Zepplin's Immigrant Song, shows the Hummer EV flying across the snow, jumping the tundra, and splashing sand in the desert as a narrator provides facts and figures for the new vehicle.


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AUTOMOTIVE
In videos: The Hummer EV shows off its 8 best off-road talents

The Hummer EV will be a pickup, not an SUV, and will be powered by a 1,000-hp (745.7-kW) electric drive and boast 11,500 lb-ft (15,592 Nm) of torque. That equates to a 0-60-mph (96.5-km/h) sprint of about 3 seconds, which is comparable to the upcoming Cybertruck. All this we already knew.

In case those following behind forget what you're driving
GMC

Now it's confirmed the GMC Hummer EV will also include GM's new SuperCruise driver assistance technology, which offers hands-free highway driving with lane changing. The system has a myriad of safety features built in and, as one GM spokesperson put it (when asked), "will not likely slam into parked emergency vehicles."

Four-wheel steering, another thing GMC teased about the new Hummer not long ago, is further showcased and shown in action. The wheel movement works similar to how four-wheel steering works on many supercars and race cars, slightly turning the rear wheels in tandem with the front to offset drag and improve turning radius. With the Hummer EV this would, of course, also equate to better driving off-road and a "crab crawl" feature for low speeds.

The Hummer EV will use Ultium batteries (a GM exclusive) and have an estimated range of over 350 miles (563 km) per charge. DC fast charging of up to 150 kW will also be available on the new Hummer for much faster charge times, promising up about 100 miles (160 km) of charge in about 10 minutes.

The GMC Hummer EV is, surprisingly, a pickup truck. From this photo, we can see that GMC's MultiPro tailgate is also a part of the Hummer's design.
GMC

For off-road enthusiasts, the GMC Hummer EV comes with 35-inch tires made for grip and the rig can accommodate up to 37-inch tires for those who really want to get dirty. A six-inch air ride suspension, which lifts not just bodywork but the frame as well, adds a lot more capability than most factory off-pavement rigs have out of the box.

For visibility, up to 18 cameras are mounted on the Hummer EV (depending on options), including underbody forward- and rear-facing as well as forward and rear trail and side-view cameras. Body armor and rock sliders finish the deal with the protection needed when doing the kind of things the Hummer EV is said to be capable of.

From photos and the video, it's also clear that the GMC Hummer EV was made to be different from other GM vehicles on the road and to distinguish its battery-electric design. LED lighting under the headlamps shows charging state as the truck charges, and the "grille" is a thin, six-bar design that features the letters "H U M M E R," one on each bar. Removable roof panels stow in the front trunk, opening the truck to the air, making this one of the first convertible production trucks seen in decades (following the Jeep Gladiator, of course).

The Hummer EV will go up for pre-order next year, with deliveries slated for 2022. Pricing will start at US$112,595 for the first up "Edition 1", with prices to drop over the subsequent years, reaching $80,000 for a 2024 model.

Be sure to check the gallery for the newly released photos of the new Hummer from GM for and check out the video below.

Source: GMC

 

Hummer EV from GM is shaping up to be Tesla's biggest Cybertruck competitor

The original version of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle was used by the United States military in 1985.

By John Diente October 22, 2020 

Elon Musk recently drew media attention when he surprised the tech industry with another price cut for Tesla's Model S sedan. This was apparently in response to Lucid Motors' launch of its first EV – the Air. While the automotive market might see the aforementioned two battle it out for a place in the garage of interested buyers, General Motors (GM) presents direct competition to the upcoming Cybertruck. The Hummer EV is perhaps the most sensational comeback of a popular platform that stopped production a few years back.

The original version of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) was used by the United States military in 1985. Called the "Humvee" by those in service at the time, it was a rugged machine built by AM General, which was eventually acquired by GM in 1998. Although it was known for its all-terrain performance, its mileage and fuel economy were not exactly ideal for regular consumers.

The Hummer EV, on the other hand, appears to be the company's groundbreaking attempt to eventually shift from traditional combustion engines to an emission-free lineup in the years to come. As with any electrification, manufacturers often introduce innovative functionalities to set it apart from other marques in the same range. According to reports that the all-electric pickup truck will ship with a Crab Mode setting.

It reportedly gives the Hummer EV remarkable mobility to navigate uneven terrain and other hazards along its path. Once activated, all four wheels will turn in the same direction to practically allow it to move sideways (hence its name). As a safety precaution, operators can only engage in this when the vehicle is moving at low speed. Furthermore, Extract Mode is an adaptive air suspension system that can lift the body up to six inches for clearance.

The original version of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) was used by the United States military in 1985. Photo: GMC

Powering the zero-emission truck is a 24-module double-stacked battery unit that runs three heavy-duty motors. The Hummer EV can reportedly produce up to 1,000 horsepower with 11,500 lb-ft of torque. Like most EVs, the batteries are embedded within the floor, which is why the underside is lined with a steel plating for added protection. On a full charge, GM claims it can manage a range of up to 350 miles.

HEY KENNEY;

Fiat Chrysler to invest in electric car production in Canada

The company has agreed to invest up to Can$1.5 billion (US$1.1 billion) in southern Ontario's Windsor plant.

By AFP News

October 16, 2020 05:01 BST

Fiat Chrysler (FCA) has committed to a multi-year investment in assembling electric vehicles in Canada and to add up to 2,000 new jobs, a union representing some of the carmaker's workers announced Thursday.

The company has agreed to invest up to Can$1.5 billion (US$1.1 billion) in southern Ontario's Windsor plant as part of a tentative three-year deal with union Unifor, the group's national president Jerry Dias said in a statement.

Under the deal, Fiat Chrysler's investment would outfit the factory to assemble plug-in hybrids and battery-powered vehicles, with at least one new model in 2025, he added.

Up to 2,000 jobs would be added to the Windsor plant in 2024, according to the union, which comes after roughly 1,500 positions were cut at the factory earlier this year.

The Brampton assembly plant would also see Can$50 million in investment, which woud allow additional models to be produced there.

Workers must still ratify the deal through a virtual vote set for Sunday and Monday.

Fiat Chrysler (FCA) has agreed to invest up to Can$1.5 billion (US$1.1 billion) in southern Ontario's Windsor plant as part of a tentative three-year deal with union Unifor, the group's national president Jerry Dias said. 

This tentative deal is based on the one struck with Ford workers in Canada and includes a five percent pay bump.

Unifor plans to launch talks with General Motors next week to renew their deal.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government and the province of Ontario announced last week investments of Can$295 million each in a Ford factory billed as the largest electric vehicle plant in North America.

The three large North American groups as well as Japanese carmakers Toyota and Honda have a total of some 44,000 workers on assembly lines in Ontario, according to Unifor.

jl/jm/mdl


Copyright AFP. All rights reserved.

Translation tools, air purifiers: Face masks go high-tech
As masks become the norm worldwide, tech companies are rolling out weird and wonderful models to both guard against infection and cash in on a growing trend.

By Catherine Lai, with Harumi Ozawa in Tokyo

October 21, 2020 

From monitoring vital signs to filtering filthy air and even translating speech into other languages, the coronavirus-fuelled boom in mask-wearing has spawned an unusual range of high-tech face coverings.

As masks become the norm worldwide, tech companies and researchers are rolling out weird and wonderful models to both guard against infection and cash in on a growing trend.

Tech companies are looking to cash in on the growing trend of mask-wearing while also helping guard against coronavirus. Photo: AFP / Roslan RAHMAN

One of the wackiest comes from Japan, where start-up Donut Robotics has created a face covering that helps users adhere to social distancing and also acts as a translator.

The "C-Face" mask works by transmitting a wearer's speech to a smartphone via an app, and allows people to have a conversation while keeping up to 10 metres (32 feet) apart.

"Despite the coronavirus, we sometimes need to meet directly with each other," Donut Robotics chief executive Taisuke Ono told AFP.

Taisuke Ono's start-up Donut Robotics has created a mask that helps users adhere to social distancing and also acts as a translator. Photo: AFP / Philip FONG

The lightweight silicone device could have immediate benefits for people such as doctors who want to communicate with patients from a distance, the company says.

It can translate speech from Japanese into English, Korean and other languages -- a function that will become more useful once travel restrictions are eventually eased.

Why advertise with us
 

Devices that provide health data or translation services would be of huge benefit to doctors and nurses on the front line of the battle against the virus. Photo: AFP / Roslan RAHMAN

But it does not offer protection from Covid-19 on its own, and is designed to be worn over a regular face covering when it goes on sale in February for about 4,000 yen ($40).

Donut Robotics raised nearly 100 million yen ($950,000) via crowdfunding to develop it, a success Ono believes was driven by a desire for innovations to make life easier during the pandemic.

"We may be able to fight the virus with technology, with human wisdom," he said.

A face mask developed in Singapore can provide protection to medical staff and could monitor vital signs of migrant workers in crowded dormitories, where there was a huge spike in infections earlier this year. Photo: AFP / Roslan RAHMAN

Another face mask developed in Singapore is aimed at protecting medics treating Covid-19 patients.

It has sensors that monitor body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels, and relay data to a smartphone via a Bluetooth transmitter.

"Many of these frontline workers will be exposed to patients when they are taking their vital signs," Loh Xian Jun, one of the scientists behind the invention, told AFP.

"This poses a health risk to the nurses, and we wanted to think about a way to reduce such risk."

Its inventors say the device could also monitor vital signs of migrant workers in crowded dormitories, which incubated massive virus outbreaks in the city-state this year.

They hope to trial it in the near future and market it commercially.

For those seeking to combat the effects of pollution in smog-choked cities, South Korea's LG Electronics has developed an air purifier mask.

The futuristic white device, which fits snugly around the wearer's mouth, nose and chin, is equipped with two filters on either side and fans to aid airflow.

The filters are similar to those in the company's home air purifiers, and can block 99.95 percent of harmful particles.

Thousands have already been made available to medical staff and it will also be rolled out in shops in the future, the company says.

Copyright AFP. All rights reserved.

Evo Morales leaves Argentina for Venezuela: report

Morales on Monday signaled his intention to return to Bolivia.

By AFP News October 24, 2020 

Bolivia's former president Evo Morales left Argentina for Caracas late Friday in an official Venezuelan aircraft, the official Argentine news agency Telam said.

Morales, who has been in exile in Buenos Aires since December, flew out of Ezeiza international airport at 5:15 pm (2015 GMT) bound for the Venezuelan capital, Telam said.

Local media said the leader of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) was due to return to the Argentine capital on Sunday.

Former Bolivian president Evo Morales, pictured here on October 22, 2020, left Argentina for Venezuela on Friday, a report said

 Photo: AFP / JUAN MABROMATA

Morales on Monday signaled his intention to return to Bolivia after his leftist heir Luis Arce's sweeping presidential election victory last weekend.

Bolivia's electoral commission on Friday confirmed Arce's victory, returning the MAS to power just under a year after Morales resigned and fled Bolivia following weeks of protests over his controversial reelection.

Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, served for almost 14 years but last year stood for -- and initially won -- an unconstitutional fourth consecutive term. Bolivia's constitution limits a president to two successive terms.

Copyright AFP. All rights reserved.

Colorado fires raze through East Troublesome as evacuations clog highway

SERIOUSLY THAT'S IT'S NAME
Cars have jammed the highway in Larimer County as a thick layer of smoke washed over the area and blocked out the sun.

By Nina SienaOctober 23, 2020 13:27 BST

Colorado fires raging through East Troublesome continue to engulf homes and businesses causing residents to evacuate in a frenzy with long lines of cars jamming the highway. The small town of Estes Park was seen crawling with hundreds of residents fleeing the area in a panic, while those who have already fled can only watch their homes burn down on their home security cameras.

The fire, which is located around the area of Grimes Peak on the Arapaho National Forest, has burned more than 170,000 acres of forest land and only 5% of it has been contained. Most residents fleeing their homes in a rush are in shock as evacuations across Grand County are continuously being implemented. Cars are piling up and clogging the highway in Larimer County as a thick layer of smoke washed over the area, blocking out the sun.

According to CNN meteorologist Brandon MIller, the strong winds and the dry weather conditions are part of what fuels the explosive expanse of the fires in Colorado. Forecasts on the weather are predicted to stay the same for the next couple of days with some light rain that could turn into snow over the weekend. This could provide firefighters a much needed window to contain the flames. Currently, about 93% of the West is experiencing a period of drought. Reports from The National Interagency Fire Centre showed that 60 large fires have burned through more than 3.9 million acres across the country.

In a latest update, Incident Commander Noel Livingston said the fire grew and razed through 50,000 acres on Thursday. He said the way the fire has grown is really unheard of in that particular part of the world.

The incident command has put out orders for additional resources to fight the fire while authorities are still conducting investigations on what caused it.

In an interview, a woman who had lost everything was still trying to come to grips on what had happened to her home.

"You think of the craziest things like the Christmas presents you just bought for your grandkids, and the bedrooms you prepared for them. And you never think it's going to happen to you."

REUTERS/The Pike Hotshots/U.S.

Anti-poaching motion sensor recognizes when wildlife is on the run
By Nick Lavars
October 20, 2020

A baby African elephant on the move
fouroaks/Depositphotos

Modern sensors have given conservationists a powerful new tool in the fight against poaching, with the ability to track the whereabouts of endangered animals as they wander through the wild. A new research project at the University of Twente could harness this technology in yet another useful way, by mixing motion sensors with machine learning to recognize when wildlife is responding to a nearby threat.

The work was carried out by University of Twente’s Jacob Kamminga who is a member of a research group developing small, autonomous sensors for a range of applications. Kamminga developed the wildlife motion sensor as part of his PhD, hoping to offer a way of detecting distinct movement patterns in response to the presence of humans.

The sensor is an inertial measurement unit that includes an accelerometer, gryoscope and magnetometer, which can be attached to the animal to gather motion data as it carries out activities. This is analyzed by onboard artificial intelligence, which then classifies the movements and relays them to a mobile network or satellite connection when it detects a sudden change.

Kamminga used the sensor to classify eleven different movement patterns of goats, sheep and horses using mostly what he calls “unlabeled data,” meaning that the sensor only had to be trained on a small set of animal movements. He also found that in most cases, the sensor worked just as well when reduced to a single accelerometer, which made it far more efficient.

Using artificial intelligence to analyze animal motion could lead to some interesting possibilities for anti-poaching groups

“I added a gyroscope as well, that measures rotation,” Kamminga says. “This can make it some more accurate, but this comes with a cost. It consumes 100 times more energy than the accelerometer. In most cases, just the accelerometer is accurate enough.”

Using artificial intelligence to analyze animal motion in this way could lead to some interesting possibilities for anti-poaching groups, who could setup the system so they receive alerts when an endangered species is moving in response to a very specific threat. Beyond that, the system could combine with other wildlife tracking tools to assist in overall efforts to preserve biodiversity.

"Linking wild animal movement recorded using sensors with remotely sensed imagery and GIS (geographic information systems) models is promising technology to better understand the ecological requirements of species, as well as inform management and policy decisions with conservation outcomes and biodiversity,” says Professor Andrew Skidmore, who was involved in the work.

Kamminga’s PhD thesis is available online here.

Source: University of Twente