Left to Right - Irakli Beridze, head of The Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute; Iain Drennan, executive director at WeProtect Global Alliance and Dana Humaid, general director of the International Affairs Bureau talk about the role of AI during a session on the safety of children at the 2022 World Government Summit. Pawan Singh / The National
Left to Right - Irakli Beridze, head of The Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute; Iain Drennan, executive director at WeProtect Global Alliance and Dana Humaid, general director of the International Affairs Bureau talk about the role of AI during a session on the safety of children at the 2022 World Government Summit. Pawan Singh / The National
Left to Right - Irakli Beridze, head of The Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute; Iain Drennan, executive director at WeProtect Global Alliance and Dana Humaid, general director of the International Affairs Bureau talk about the role of AI during a session on the safety of children at the 2022 World Government Summit. Pawan Singh / The National
Left to Right - Irakli Beridze, head of The Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute; Iain Drennan, executive director a

UAE authorities see sharp rise in reporting of global online child sexual exploitation


Nick Webster
  • English
  • Arabic

Artificial intelligence tools will play an important role in protecting children from online sexual exploitation and abuse, a summit in Dubai has heard.

AI strategies and tools can help police sift through millions of online sexual images of children to increase prosecutions and protect officers who witness distressing scenes of abuse.

A forum on online child abuse on the sidelines of the World Government Summit in Dubai heard how the United Nations interregional crime and justice research institute was rolling out the AI for Safer Children programme free to countries around the world.

Between 2019 and 2020 there has been a 106 per cent increase in the reporting of child sexual exploitation online
Lt Col Dana Humaid,
International Affairs Bureau, UAE Ministry of Interior

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, about 1.8 billion photos are uploaded on the internet every day. Of those, about 720,000 are believed to be illegal images of children.

It creates a mountain of distressing scenes for law enforcement officers to examine to understand whether children are at imminent risk.

Artificial Intelligence software can identify the most serious cases and pass on alerts to the police.

Irakli Beridze, head of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, said AI and machine learning had huge potential for prosecutions.

“This project will use AI to help combat online sexual activity involving children,” he said

“We want to build a practical global hub, to combine the knowledge of 193 member states and the involvement of about 60 law enforcement agencies.

“AI will become the most dominant technology in the years ahead and no law enforcement agency will be able to operate without it.

“This is a global problem that requires a global response.”

AI for Safer Children will take practical steps to help the prevention, detection and, ultimately, the prosecution of the perpetrators.

The programme has been translated into nine languages, including Arabic.

A huge surge in reports of online child sexual exploitation in recent years has made it difficult for law enforcement to manually examine reports and to follow up on the most vulnerable children.

Iain Drennan is the executive director at WeProtect Global Alliance, a body that works with the UAE to combat online child abuse. Pawan Singh / The National
Iain Drennan is the executive director at WeProtect Global Alliance, a body that works with the UAE to combat online child abuse. Pawan Singh / The National

Iain Drennan is the executive director at WeProtect Global Alliance, a body that works with the UAE to combat online child abuse.

“No single entity can do this on their own, and collaborations with AI can really help in this area,” he said.

“Police need tools to do the job.

“AI can help with operations to deal with the sheer volume of all referrals of child sexual abuse material.

“Companies are providing that data, so law enforcement is saturated with information to filter through.

“AI can help with that as a triage to work through and identify the most urgent cases.

“There are memes or misguided attempts at humour that can get caught up in these reports, so it can filter those.”

Every state in the US is mandated to refer all cases of online child sexual abuse to the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Their latest 2021 report showed 29.3 million referrals, of which 29.1 million were direct from electronic service providers.

“Well-being and morale of the officers involved are also important as this material is damaging,” said Mr Drennan.

“Without psychological support, looking at these images will cause you harm and can be traumatising.

“We want to ensure law enforcement officers only look at these images when they have to, and technology can help with that.”

According to the NCMEC, the number of online child abuse images exploded from 450,000 files in 2004 to more than 45 million files in 2018.

At the same time, the number of reports of URLs containing harmful images has increased from only 3,000 in 1998 to about 18.4 million today.

Lt Col Dana Humaid, director general of the International Affairs Bureau at the UAE Ministry of Interior, said technology has a huge role to play.

“Now we have these technologies in place, it is about using them correctly,” she said.

“AI and technology can be used in an investigation, and a prosecution when it is used properly.

“Between 2019 and 2020 there has been a 106 per cent increase in the reporting of child sexual exploitation online around the world.

“Some of these children are just three months old.

“We need to help law enforcement around the world gain access to this technology so it can be used effectively.”

The World Government Summit 2022 — in pictures

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

Points to remember
  • Debate the issue, don't attack the person
  • Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
  • Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
  • Listen actively without interrupting
  • Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Twin-turbocharged%204-litre%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E542bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E770Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEight-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C450%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Batti Gul Meter Chalu

Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5

RESULTS

Women:

55kg brown-black belt: Amal Amjahid (BEL) bt Amanda Monteiro (BRA) via choke
62kg brown-black belt: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Ffion Davies (GBR) via referee’s decision (0-0, 2-2 adv)
70kg brown-black belt: Ana Carolina Vieira (BRA) bt Jessica Swanson (USA), 9-0
90kg brown-black belt: Angelica Galvao (USA) bt Marta Szarecka (POL) 8-2

Men:

62kg black belt: Joao Miyao (BRA) bt Wan Ki-chae (KOR), 7-2
69kg black belt: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Gianni Grippo (USA), 2-2 (1-0 adv)
77kg black belt: Espen Mathiesen (NOR) bt Jake Mackenzie (CAN)
85kg black belt: Isaque Braz (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE), 2-0
94kg black belt: Felipe Pena (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL), 4-0
110kg black belt final: Erberth Santos (BRA) bt Lucio Rodrigues (GBR) via rear naked choke

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

THURSDAY'S FIXTURES

4pm Maratha Arabians v Northern Warriors

6.15pm Deccan Gladiators v Pune Devils

8.30pm Delhi Bulls v Bangla Tigers

Brief scoreline:

Liverpool 2

Keita 5', Firmino 26'

Porto 0

Final scores

18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)

- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)

-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)

-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)

-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)

-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

ACL Elite (West) - fixtures

Monday, Sept 30

Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)

Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)

Abu Dhabi GP starting grid

1 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)

4 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)

5 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)

6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

7 Romain Grosjean (Haas)

8 Charles Leclerc (Sauber)

9 Esteban Ocon (Force India)

10 Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)

11 Carlos Sainz (Renault)

12 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)

13 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

14 Sergio Perez (Force India)

15 Fernando Alonso (McLaren)

16 Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)

17 Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)

18 Stoffe Vandoorne (McLaren)

19 Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)

20 Lance Stroll (Williams)

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Credit Score explained

What is a credit score?

In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.

Why is it important?

Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.

How is it calculated?

The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.

How can I improve my score?

By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.

How do I know if my score is low or high?

By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.

How much does it cost?

A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

Other ways to buy used products in the UAE

UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.

Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.

Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.

For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.

Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.

At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.

Updated: March 31, 2022, 7:05 AM`