Futurology Today

Oxford University Press (OUP) will no longer publish a controversial academic journal sponsored by China’s Ministry of Justice after years of concerns that several papers in the publication did not meet ethical standards about DNA collection.

A statement published on the website of Forensic Sciences Research (FSR) states that OUP will stop publishing the quarterly journal after this year.

FSR is a journal that comes from China’s Academy of Forensic Science, an agency that sits under the Ministry of Justice. The academy describes FSR as “the only English quarterly journal in the field of forensic science in China that focuses on forensic medicine”. It has been published by OUP since 2023.

Several papers published in FSR have attracted criticism because they study genetic data from Uyghurs and other heavily surveilled ethnic minorities in China. Critics say subjects in the studies may not have freely consented to their DNA samples being used in the research and that the studies could help to enhance the mass surveillance of those populations.

One study, published in 2020, analysed blood samples from 264 Uyghurs in Ürümqi, the capital of the Xinjiang region in north-west China. The paper states that the people giving the samples consented to the research and that their data was anonymised.

The lead author on the study is affiliated with China’s state security apparatus via the Xinjiang Police College, which provided a research grant.

[...]

Yves Moreau, a professor of engineering at the University of Leuven in Belgium who focuses on DNA analysis, first raised concerns about OUP’s relationship with FSR and about several studies. He said he was grateful for OUP’s decision but that the brief public statement on the matter “fails to address the important issues at stake”.

[...]

In recent years there has been increasing scrutiny about the ethical standards of genetic research papers from China. Last year, a genetics journal from a leading scientific publisher retracted 18 papers from China due to concerns about human rights.

The concerns centre on whether or not vulnerable populations in China can freely refuse to participate, especially when researchers come from organisations, such as the police, affiliated with state security. There are also concerns that this kind of forensic DNA sampling could produce research that enhances the mass surveillance of those populations.

Moreau said: “Forensic genetics is an area where specific caution is needed because this is the research that powers police DNA identification and databases. While DNA identification is a valuable technique to help solve crimes, it can raise privacy and ethical issues.” He added that the mass surveillance of minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet made China a particularly challenging country to enforce international norms about ethical research and human rights.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/42205785

The directive puts these renewable energy projects under heightened scrutiny at Interior in a move that could slow approvals and construction.

Not my favorite outlet, but only one with coverage.

From Goutam Das

SPECIES :- Indian Eagle Owl (হুতুম পেঁচা)

DEVICE :- Nikon D7500 with 200-500 mm lens.

DATE :- February 2023.

PLACE :- Purulia, West Bengal.

India is blessed with so many wonderful owl species!

From Pete Taylor

Just caught this stunning female in the last of the light.

No matter the ball type or style you play, get a grip, fake a throw, and dodge a ball, here at the dball community for all. https://lemmy.world/c/Dodgeball

I first began playing dodgeball at the age of 14 in 2001 at after school free play events, and the hosts got the inspiration to get the ball rolling from the NES Super Dodgeball video game. At the time, I was completely unaware of any existence of competitive events for the sport, but 12 years later, I was selected to represent my country on the international level, and I've now gained experience with the sport in 7 countries.

I'm ready to return to Ukraine, to help them stay active and healthy through the sport of dodgeball, and to help them practice their English. In 2021 I hosted a few English speaking clubs and dodgeball practices in Odesa, Ukraine. I recently released a free downloadable early access alpha version of a simple 2D video game about dodgeball and idioms, to help people who are learning English, and having proceeds of game sales to create more dodgeball events and English speaking clubs in Ukraine, and more, which you can read more about on this Lemmy post at https://lemmy.world/post/33040433

qr code is the squares code that, if used with a qr code scanner redirects me automatically to a website or to download a pkpass file, right?

after downloading said pkpass file to my android, any wallet application like fosswallet should recognize it and add it to the local library (on my android device), right?

what other formats do transportation authorities use?

To those residing in Germany, is pkpass use widespread there? What are common formats used there?

At least 20 Palestinians have been killed in a crush at a food distribution site in southern Gaza run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. It happened after GHF guards used teargas or pepper spray on hungry crowds arriving at the centre, Palestinian health authorities and witnesses said.

Fifteen people died from suffocation after teargas was fired at the crowd, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement.

“All of the 15 arrived at the hospital already dead with obvious symptoms of lack of oxygen. You can see blue marks, vomit, blue lips, swelling faces – all symptoms of suffocation,” Dr Mohammed Zaqqout, the director of hospitals for Gaza, said. “We couldn’t save any of the 15 we received because they were already dead on arrival.”

cross-posted from: https://floss.social/users/akademy/statuses/114867280998375643

The #Akademy2025 program is live!

Get ready to dive into the future of KDE: discover the latest innovations in desktop & mobile, how KDE Eco is building a greener tech world, and what’s next for Plasma, community growth, and powerful dev tools.

https://akademy.kde.org/2025/program/

#KDE #FOSS #TechEvent #community

@akademy@lemmy.kde.social

This was for querying package delivery status. I finally got one right after many attempts. The layout, layers, colors change after every attempt so good luck on figuring out which letters count.

Starbucks is requiring some remote workers to return to its headquarters and increasing the number of days that corporate employees are required to work in an office.

In a letter to employees posted on Monday, Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said corporate employees would need to be in the office four days a week starting in early October instead of three days a week.

The Seattle-based company said that all corporate “people leaders” must be based in either Seattle or Toronto within 12 months. That is a change from February, when it required vice presidents to relocate to Seattle or Toronto.

Australia, the UK, and the U.S. are joining forces to build nuclear-powered submarines and integrate AI into military tech. From the Australia-U.S. strategic alliance to $368 billion in investments and shipyard bottlenecks — here’s how AUKUS is reshaping the balance of power and why it’s rattling China.

AUKUS aims to develop nuclear submarines and embed AI in military command systems. This push is driven by the U.S. and its allies’ need to maximize influence in the Indo-Pacific, spurred by China’s rapid military growth. Former NNSA deputy administrator F. Rose called Australia’s pursuit of nuclear subs a strategic game-changer against China. The reasoning is straightforward: any potential conflict would likely center on air and naval operations, and Australia’s subs would make a major impact.

Australia plans to acquire up to eight nuclear subs, a major win for U.S. naval influence. Unsurprisingly, China isn’t thrilled. Its attempts to raise concerns through the IAEA and invoke the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty have fallen flat.

AUKUS faces practical hurdles: Australia’s limited infrastructure, the program’s steep cost, and U.S. shipyard constraints. Australia has zero experience operating nuclear subs and only one research reactor. Still, its navy is already sending sailors to the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power School in Charleston, with 12 officers now serving on Virginia-class subs.

The projected cost of AUKUS ranges from $268 to $368 billion, covering U.S. Virginia-class sub purchases, construction of SSN-AUKUS subs in Australia, and major naval infrastructure investments. Despite the eye-watering price tag, Australia’s successive governments remain committed to the U.S. partnership.

One unresolved issue is U.S. shipyard capacity. The U.S. Navy currently builds just 1.2 subs annually but needs a steady 2.3 to meet AUKUS commitments. Australia is injecting funds to modernize U.S. shipyards, and as a stopgap, the U.S. will deliver three Virginia-class subs by 2030.

U.S. Defense Secretary P. Hagstrom views China as the primary threat, and Australia’s role as an ally offers strategic leverage. Its investment in U.S. industry aligns perfectly with Trump’s “America First” policy: countering China while boosting jobs.

This feels like a Cold War-style standoff. The U.S. aim is clear: bolster its military edge, curb China’s Indo-Pacific influence, and strengthen its own and allies’ defense industries. China, in turn, is forced to respond.