Humans have a knack for sharing intimate moments in unlikely places, as membership of the mile-high club demonstrates. So there is a significant chance that the launch of the space tourism sector may be swiftly followed by the first sex in space.

But having researched the issue, my colleagues and I believe that space tourism companies haven’t adequately prepared for the consequences of people joining what we could call the “Kármán line club” (referencing the 100km-high boundary between Earth and the rest of the cosmos).

Talk of space tourism has always been in terms of the distant future. But sub-orbital space tourism – short flights with only a few minutes of spaceflight and weightlessness – already exists. Tickets range from freebies, to costing millions of dollars.

Much longer flights are just around the corner. Companies such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX have well-established track records of developing spacecraft faster than the public sector. SpaceX’s larger and more capable Starship spacecraft will likely operate routinely in the next few years.

When, not if

Flights have been reserved and passenger lists assembled for private flights that will loop around the Moon. Spacecraft such as Starship will have the capacity for tens of passengers, in a large cabin environment, possibly with private cabins.

Considering that space travel is no longer reserved for professional astronauts, the various motivations of space tourists and upcoming spacecraft developments, we concluded that in-space sex will probably happen within the next ten years.

The real concern is not the sexual interactions themselves, but rather if they lead to human conception in space. Early orbital space tourism flights are expected to last for days to weeks, so only the early stages of human reproduction could happen in space.

Passengers will not be allowed to board if they are already known to be pregnant, although the space tourism industry does not appear to have considered concealed or unknown pregnancies. Sometimes women don’t realise they are pregnant until they go into labour.

From decades of human spaceflight, we already know weightlessness and increased levels of ionising radiation has a profound effect on our bodies. We don’t know how this will affect the physiological processes of reproduction.

Astronauts routinely suffer muscle and bone wastage as their bodies no longer have to resist the forces of gravity. On Earth, gravity influences the distribution of body fluids, such as blood. A lack of gravity can result in increased pressure inside the skull which can make people’s vision blurry and even change the brain’s structure.

Limited experiments on mouse embryos, which include one that used a mini incubator on a satellite, have shown changes in embryo viability after they were exposed to space. Knowledge of the impact on human reproduction is effectively zero, but we can assume that there will be effects.

Therefore, there is an unknown potential for developmental abnormalities in human embryos conceived in space. Additionally, there could be an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy in weightlessness conditions (when the embryo attaches outside the uterus, for example in the fallopian tubes).

Even if space tourists use contraception, we can’t be sure it will be as effective outside planet Earth. There have been no studies on how contraceptives will be affected by space environments.

Taking responsibility

For the space tourism industry, there are commercial risks of litigation, reputational damage and financial loss if people conceive during spaceflight – as well as ethical and reproductive rights issues. Our research found little evidence that the sector is taking steps to mitigate these risks. There is little anecdotal evidence from behind the scenes.

There is also a darker side to consider – the risk of sexual assault in space. Imagine trying to evade the advances of a fellow passenger or staff member during spaceflight. You would be completely trapped.

The space tourism industry and other relevant parties should urgently come together to discuss these issues and formulate a strategy to protect all those involved. A simple solution could be a combination of pre-spaceflight counselling with all space tourists about the risks of human conception in space. Legal waivers absolving the space tourism operators of liability if human conception was still to occur could also be considered.

Space tourism is already happening and it seems likely that sexual interactions between some participants will occur very soon. The question is whether the sector will be prepared for the possible consequences.

David Cullen, Professor of Bioanalytical Technology, Cranfield University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

‘It has been ascertained that in the unfortunate incident, four army jawans of an artillery unit succumbed to gunshot injuries sustained during the incident. No other injuries to personnel or loss/damage to property have been reported,’ the statement read.

‘Joint investigations with Punjab Police are being coordinated to establish the facts of the case,’ it added.

ANI reported that all the entry gates of the Army Cantt in Bathinda have been closed.

In another development which may or may not be related, about two days ago one Insas rifle with 28 cartridges had gone missing from the site.

The firing incident took place around 4.35am inside the military station, the army said.

No terror threat is suspected at this stage and search operations for the suspects are on.

Stated to be the largest defence establishment in the country, Bathinda military station is located along the National Highway- 7 on the Chandigarh-Fazilka stretch.

Like other cryptocurrencies, Dogecoin (DOGE) saw a decline in value in 2022, losing about 60% of its value over the course of the year. The price of the cryptocurrency was approximately $0.088 on February 9, 2023, having decreased by over 90% from its peak of $0.7376 in May 2021. However, it remains one of the most popular cryptocurrencies. So, what is the most recent dogecoin prediction? Let’s look at some dogecoin price predictions before you find more on Doge casinos as well. 

Dogecoin History: Explained 

In 2013, Jackson Palmer and Billy Markus, two software engineers, invented Dogecoin as a mere joke. Dogecoin was designed as a parody of the initial allure of cryptocurrencies, with the image of a Shiba Inu dog, much like the well-known “Doge” meme. Markus and Jackson didn’t anticipate the coin to pick up much steam when it was introduced, yet the opposite occurred.

The developers were shocked when the price of DOGE increased by almost 300% soon after its 2013 introduction. The coin initially crossed the $2 billion market cap during this bullish trend, which persisted in the years that followed and reached a peak of $0.0170 in early 2018. Although these price rises were significant, they pale in comparison to the moves experienced by people who decided to invest in Bitcoin and other well-known cryptocurrencies.

The price of Dogecoin rose by more than 8,600% between January and May of 2021, which was the most remarkable increase in price. A significant portion of this was brought on by widespread coverage on social media and references from well-known figures like Snoop Dogg, Mark Cuban, and Elon Musk. On May 8, 2021, DOGE hit an all-time high of $0.7376, giving the coin a market worth of more than $70 billion. To attain its current price, Dogecoin’s value has dramatically decreased. Dogecoin specifically started off this year well, increasing by about 40% in January 2023. After Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, DOGE swiftly increased 150% at $0.06 to $0.015, signaling a robust rebound.

Dogecoin in the years ahead

In contrast to the substantial fees covered on the Ethereum network at the time of significant congestion, the average transaction price on the network is merely $0.15. Overall, these figures demonstrate that, despite not being the most scalable network, Dogecoin has a strong base to support future increases in transaction volume. 

This has led to an increase in the use of Dogecoin as a tipping system online. Notably, a tipping bot that enables Twitter users to tip other users was constructed, as was mentioned in a post on Dogecoin’s official subreddit last year. Due to the low transaction costs for sending DOGE to another party, this gained a lot of interest. The new Twitter verification method, which requires users to pay $8 a month to maintain or obtain a blue tick, might also use DOGE.

To Conclude

Given that DOGE’s reputation as a meme coin makes it unlikely that big corporations would start using it, this course of action appears to be the most suited for Dogecoin to take in the next few years. Due to its “approachable” design, Dogecoin may become more popular as younger generations are exposed to the cryptocurrency sector, creating opportunities for advancements in the aforementioned tipping service. 

While online sports betting and casino gambling have been available in Europe for more than two decades, bingo players are thrilled to recently get their days in the sun. Over the last 10 years or so, playing online bingo for real money has become an increasingly popular form of adult entertainment. 

As you contemplate joining in the online bingo fun, you could benefit by knowing more about the endeavor in which you are about to join. In an effort to help you make some of the right decisions, the following information should help you identify the bingo variations that you might enjoy playing most. The discussion will also focus on the reasons you should consider playing online bingo. 

Bingo Variations

Over the years, online bingo software developers have been innovating a growing number of online bingo variations. Today, many of the top online bingo sites will be offering as many as a dozen or so variations from which players can choose. 

Generally, each variation follows similar rules. That includes the prices of virtual bingo cards. What tends to differentiate each variation from the other is the amount of time it takes to complete games and some occasional rule nuances. Let’s take a brief look at the most popular bingo variations among online bingo players in Europe. 

Note: Some of these games can vary a little, so you need to read your site’s rules carefully. They usually vary because of the way the applicable software developer decided to interpret the game. 

30-Ball (speed bingo)

This variation offers a great alternative for online bingo players who just need to pass a little time. The game features a 3×3 card matrix, which allows for each game to be played in just a few minutes. 

50-Ball Bing

This variation offers a nice compromise between speed bingo and the longer variations. The game features 50 balls and five (5) tickets with ten (10) numbers (2 rows of 5 numbers) on each of those tickets. Games can end with multiple winners since there are two (2) chances to win in every game. Games can be completed in as little as 10 minutes.

60-Ball Bingo

This is a fairly new option in the world of online bingo. What sets this variation apart from the others is the game’s flexibility. The 60-ball games allow bingo operators to add their own twists. Tombola’s 60-ball bingo game Blocks and Playtech’s Deal or No Deal The Big Draw Live are two of the more popular game iterations. Please read the rules carefully. Games run about 15 minutes long.

75-Ball Bingo

This variation is the one typically used in live bingo halls. Virtual bingo cards feature a 5×5 matrix or 20 squares with winning combinations going down, across, and diagonal. It’s also common for operators to designate special variants like Blackout (fill the entire card) and other creative patterns. Games can run from 15 minutes to 30 minutes.

80-Ball Bingo

While this variation adds five (5) more balls than the 75-ball variation, the virtual bingo card is actually smaller. It has a 4×4 matrix or 16 squares with winning combinations going down, across, or in a specially designated pattern. Because of the smaller card, games run from 15 minutes to about 20 minutes. 

90-Ball Bingo

Again, this variation is played with a virtual bingo card that is smaller than a 75-ball or 80-ball card. It has a 3×5 matrix or 15 squares. What makes this variation unique is each game has three (3) winners. The first winner is the first player to cover one (1) row. The second winner is the first player to cover two (2) rows. The third winner is the first player to cover all spaces and score a Blackout. 

Why Online Bingo?

While bingo halls still seem to be drawing good crowds, the number of online bingo players just keeps growing. So, why online bingo instead of a bingo hall? If you need the motivation to give online bingo a go, here are a few reasons:

• Easy access to as many as a dozen bingo variations and different game price levels
• The action is much faster from one game to the next
• Online bingo sites offer welcome bonuses and plenty of opportunities to secure other benefits 
• Convenience – online bingo sites are available 24/7/365 with no need to travel
• Chance to play bingo with players from all over the world – chat options are available

Sound good? Give it a go.

App-based aggregators such as Ola, Uber and Rapido have been banned from plying bike taxis on the road without commercial permits.

The government, which had earlier sought to impose a levy of INR 1,00,000 for the same, has sent a warning now that any violation will result in penal action.

The government said running bike taxis would be considered a violation of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The 2019 Amendment to the Act again made it clear that aggregators cannot operate without a valid licence.

‘It has been brought to the notice that two-wheelers having non-transport (private) registration mark/numbers are being used to carry passengers on hire which is a purely commercial operation and a violation of Motor Vehicle Act, 1988,’ a transport department notice read.

‘Any violation of the decision will result in a first offence penalty of INR 5,000 under Section 192 of the Act; second or more offences will lead to fines of INR 10,000, impounding of the vehicle and even imprisonment. In addition, the driving license of the driver will be suspended for a minimum period of three years,’ the notice added.

The Union Budget 2023 will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the Parliament on February 1.

A year ago, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid out a vision for India’s growth in the next 25 years. Infrastructure investment and increasing agriculture output, cutting reliance on imports are all part of the plan, but some serious work still needs to be done on course.

Experts therefore predict Budget 2023 is likely to be growth-oriented with a focus on manufacturing, infrastructure, and the rural economy. 

The Modi government is likely to continue promote growth with a focus on local manufacturing and exports, keeping in sync with the ‘Make-in-India’ agenda, particularly a demand-driven strategy.

While the Indian economy rode out the pandemic better than most globally, inflation coupled with increasing taxes have been burdensome for the salaried class. Relief on that front, both direct and indirect would be a legitimate expectation.

By most estimates, India is now the world’s most population and easily has the largest youth population on the planet.

The need for higher disposable incomes along with tax exemptions and widening of slabs, while also addressing the issue of unemployment and making housing affordable for the working class and rural citizens are long-term goals.

The first part of the budget session 2023 is expected to continue till February 10. The complete session is likely to begin on January 31 and is expected to conclude on April 6 with a recess in between. 

India has now issued a notice to Pakistan, on January 25, seeking modification of the treaty, signed in September 1960.

The notice was sent to Islamabad through respective Commissioners as per provisions of the treaty. The action was necessitated as Pakistan has refused to discuss and resolve the issue of India’s Kishenganga and Ratle Hydro Electric Projects for the last five years, despite India’s efforts, sources said.

The modifications have been sought to make it easier for Pakistan to enter into intergovernmental negotiations, within 90 days, and rectify the ‘material breach’ of the un. This process would also update IWT to incorporate the lessons learned over the last 62 years.

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 by India and Pakistan, after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory of the pact.

It set a structure for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding the use of waters of several rivers. India got control over the eastern rivers Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej, while westernthe Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum were given to Pakistan.

Under the agreement, India has about 20% of the total water carried by the Indus system, which can be used for limited irrigation use and unlimited non-consumptive use for such applications as power generation.

The treaty also lays down detailed regulations for India in building projects over the western rivers.

Pakistan had in 2015 sought a neutral expert to examine its technical objections to India’s ‘Kishenganga’ and ‘Ratle’ Hydro Electric Projects. 

Pakistan withdrew the next year unilaterally and proposed that a Court of Arbitration adjudicate its objections.

Two simultaneous processes are in contravention of the graded mechanism of dispute settlement, sources said, adding that India then made a separate request for the matter to be referred to a neutral expert.

Government sources said that despite repeated efforts by India to find a mutually agreeable way forward, Pakistan refused to discuss the issue during the five meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission from 2017 to 2022. At Pakistan’s continuing insistence, the World Bank has recently initiated actions on both the neutral expert and Court of Arbitration processes, they said.

‘India has always been a steadfast supporter and a responsible partner in implementing IWT in letter and spirit. However, Pakistan’s actions have adversely impinged on the provisions of IWT and their implementation, and forced India to issue an appropriate notice for modification of IWT,’ government sources said.

Return to player

Slots are a technically complex product. It involves many details, including mechanics, volatility, RNG, RTP, etc. Meanwhile, we completely agree with casino-howto.com that the RTP is one of the most important items on that list. Under this abbreviation, there is information about the ratio of the number of bets made to the number of payouts for a certain number of spins. The provider itself calculates this figure on the basis of a million or more spins. It is probably even fair to say that RTP is not as informative as it says because no user will bet that much. However, there are some nuances here. In any case, once you hit the “wave” of success, you will know how much you will still get back in the form of payouts.

As for table games, such as roulette, the situation with RTP is a little different. Although this parameter exists, it does not play such a big role as in slots. Each player can independently influence your payout, using different betting strategies and playing styles. So, for example, if you play classic blackjack, most likely the return, in the long run, will be 99.40%. However, this percentage can be lowered due to the wrong strategy.

In order to have a better chance of winning, the user needs to keep an eye on the RTP set by the developer. The idea is to choose games with returns as close to 100% as possible. In this case, it is fair to say that the model algorithm is set up for a more generous return.

House edge

We have worked out what RTP is. But some may wonder: where does the remaining RTP interest go? And that’s where an indicator called House Edge comes in. This parameter tells us how much money from bets goes as income to the operator. It is also, like RTP, calculated as a percentage. It is not set by an operator but by a provider when creating a product. There is no slot with a 100% payout and no game where the casino would not have a financial return. House edge is present in most gambling games: slots, table and card games, lotteries, bingo, and keno.

This indicator is very informative if you want to minimise your losses. It is expected that if the casino has a large advantage in the long run, the payout will be reduced and vice versa, if the House Edge is low, you can expect a more profitable session for the player. This parameter allows us to understand how much will be paid to the operator. Let me explain. Let’s take a game with a House Edge of 2.36% and a situation where players made bets of 500,000 USD during some period of time. If this parameter works perfectly, the casino will receive 11,800 USD from them. The rest of the money will be paid out to the players.

The profitability of operators varies greatly. Its percentage depends on the type of game chosen. The casino gets the lowest revenue from video poker and blackjack – only 0.46% and 0.5%, respectively. The biggest advantage is in Keno (20-40%) and Sic Bo (varying from 2.78% to 33.33% depending on the game). If you know the second-party advantage, you will be able to choose a game with an adequate ratio of player return to home advantage.

In conclusion

In video slots, it is customary to keep track of the RTP. This percentage always remains the same. That is, if the game is set by the provider RTP 96.5%, we can calculate that the casino receives 3.5% of the bets player. In other types of gambling, it is impossible to specify the correct yield for the player because of the specific rules and algorithms of the game. Each player can actually influence the outcome for better or for worse. That is why RTP in table, card and other games is given as an approximate value. In this regard, House Edge plays the biggest role in such models.

Disclaimer:

• As per the Public Gambling Act of 1867, all Indian states, except Goa, Daman and Sikkim, prohibit gambling
• Land-based casinos are legalized, with certain guidelines, in Goa and Daman, as per the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act 1976  
• Land-based casinos, Online gambling and E-gaming (games of chance) are legalized in Sikkim under the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Rules 2009
• Only some Indian states have legalized online/regular lotteries as per and subject to the conditions laid down by state laws. Kindly refer to the same here
• Horse racing and betting on horse racing, including online betting, is permitted only in a licensed premise in select states. Kindly refer to the 1996 Judgement by the Supreme Court Of India here and for more information
• This article does not endorse or express the views of Qrius and/or any of its staff.

According to a survey conducted by the municipality of Joshimath, cracks appeared in over 500 houses in the town over a year, rendering them inhabitable. 

Cracks in Policymaking and Planning Too?

Director of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Kalachand Sain spoke to news agency PTI and pointed at Joshimath’s vulnerable foundations as the cause.

The town, Mr. Sain noted, was developed on the debris of a landslide triggered by an earthquake more than a century ago.

Mr. Sain also noted that the downflow of the Himalayan rivers coupled with heavy rainfall, characteristic of the area, in addition to the flashfloods in the Rishiganga and Dhauliganga rivers last year might have aggravated the issue.

Moreover, being the gateway to the holy town of Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib, and skiing destination Auli, Joshimath has seen unplanned construction activities, as well as huge influx of pilgrims and tourists, which is bound to take its toll on a fragile, mountainous ecosystem.

What Is Land Subsidence?

Subsidence is a gradual settling or sinking of the Earth’s surface, which can be brought on by both natural and human forces.

This phenomenon occurs when large amounts of groundwater have been withdrawn from certain types of rocks, such as fine-grained sediments.

The rock compacts because the water is partly responsible for holding the ground up. When the water is withdrawn, the rocks falls in on itself.

While land subsidence cannot be reversed, it can be slowed, and in some cases, it can be checked significantly.

Once the evacuation of Joshimath is completed, experts have suggested that microzonation of the town, replanning of its drainage system and rainwater outlets, and assessment of rock strength among other measures be made a priority. 

Authorities will begin the demolition work of affected hotels and houses on Tuesday. 

The demolition work will be supervised by the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) fielded to assist the local administration.

As of now, 678 buildings have been marked unsafe. 

FPCCI former president and BMP Chairman Mian Anjum Nisar has said that the number is likely to drop further amid debt repayment obligations of more than USD 8 billion in the first quarter of 2023.

The country has made repayments of USD 600 million and USD 415 million to two Dubai-based commercial banks. According to reports, Pakistan after the loan repayments will be left with less than 25 days of import cover.

Pakistan has been reeling under economic distress due to fast-depleting foreign exchange reserves, weakening rupee, and worsening macroeconomic cues, said the former FPCCI president.

This comes as the gap between inter-bank and open-market US dollar rates has widened by over ₹ 24, highlighting the difference in how the greenback is being valued in two formal marketplaces in Pakistan, reported The Frontier Post newspaper.

Customers are being charged ₹ 50-60 to the US dollar for a transaction.

According to Mian Anjum Nisar, the current situation in Pakistan has forced commercial banks to be selective in opening LCs even for sectors such as healthcare, as it has been unable to open Letters of Credit (LCs) as per its usual banking cycle.

He said that economists are predicting an imminent humanitarian and healthcare crisis in Pakistan unless strict action is taken by the State Bank of Pakistan, Ministry of Finance and other institutions to avert the disaster.

A recent The Express Tribune report said that Pakistan citizens are left to bear the brunt of rulers’ failed policies that resulted in historic inflation, jacked up petroleum prices, and devalued rupee, as well as warnings of impending bankruptcy among other things.

In what appears to be the country’s closest brush with nightmarish default, the ruling parties found themselves bankrupt, both financially and intellectually amid Pakistan’s economy facing a collapse.

Since the change of government in April, the parliament remained dysfunctional, assemblies were on the verge of being dissolved, terrorism reared its ugly head yet again, and political turmoil kept intensifying with each passing day, hurting the economy, reported The Express Tribune.

Amid all of this, it was the year of the rise of the populist narrative and the PML-N-led ruling alliance tried its best to avoid snap polls; even local bodies elections after seeing PTI’s winning streak in by-elections and got itself labelled as the one running away from polls.

Throughout the year, the political elite failed to agree to play by any rules of the game amid the falling economic health of the country, reported The Express Tribune.