Latest news with #Aimee
Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I worried for her physical safety but the online world put her in danger'
Adele Zeynep Walton's sister, Aimee, was one of 88 alleged deaths caused by Canadian national poison parcels. In her new book Logging Off, Walton calls for greater online safety to protect others The online world is no longer a digital 'other' to our 'real life' world, when so much of our lives are spent engaging with technology, from ordering our groceries online to messaging friends. To think of scrolling away on your phone as an innocuous activity - as something to mindlessly be doing for nothing more than to pass the time - is to seriously misunderstand the harm technology is causing us. Adele Zeynep Walton 's Logging Off: The Human Cost of our Digital World takes a family tragedy - the death of her sister, Aimee - as a result of mental ill-health compounded by online harms and weaves together a compelling case for greater online safety controls. The book is a landmark moment, one which makes us decide whether we, as a society, are content with the destruction the digital world is causing. The link that online harms have on the 'real-world' is clear. It's a burgeoning issue, not just for those vulnerable, but to us all. 'It's a battle we all have stakes in,' Adele writes in Logging Off. But this is not a book that tells us to remain offline, it's a manifesto for safer controls on the internet. Adele and I met in June to discuss Logging Off, and the irony is not lost on me that it is through the digital world - a video-call - that we have this conversation. We begin with the person at the heart of this book, Adele's sister Aimee and her passing. Aimee was a creative soul who loved music and art. She adored Pharrell Williams, and even performed on stage with him. But during the pandemic, Aimee's mental health deteriorated. She was diagnosed with OCD, depression, and anxiety, which she struggled to come to terms with. In a spontaneous act, she applied to a university through clearing and got a place to study. 'She had requested a quiet accommodation [from the university] because as part of her OCD she was really sensitive to sound," Adele tells me. "She was in halls, which are bad for noise.' But Aimee dropped out of the course, as 'it was partying all night, real extreme noise and just it was really, really bad. She couldn't deal with it.' When she returned to the family home in Southampton, her condition deteriorated into a crisis, which resulted in her being hospitalised for her own safety. Adele tells me that Aimee dropping out of university 'sent her into a spiral of feeling really confused about what she was meant to do next in her life.' Adele adds, 'she just felt really lost.' 'We didn't think the online world would put her in danger' Her family were concerned about Aimee's wellbeing as 'she was leaving the house and not telling us who she was seeing or where she was going,' Adele says. 'We were just primarily so worried about her physical safety. And again, we didn't think that the online world would be the thing that put her most in danger.' As it would transpire after her death, Aimee, in the months before she passed away, had been visiting a pro-suicide forum, a site in which strangers talk to other people about taking their own lives. Through this site, she procured a poison which she used to take her own life. Aimee is believed to be one of 88 people in the UK to have received this chemical from Canadian-national Kenneth Law, who is the subject of an on-going investigation by the National Crime Agency for these deaths. The forum, which The Mirror have taken a decision not to name, was where Aimee made contact with a man who flew into the UK from the US. This person spent 11 days with her in a hotel in Slough, Berkshire, before she died in 2022. 'His presence made our pain tenfold' While the man was arrested on suspicion of assisting suicide, he was later released and no further action was taken. In Logging Off, Adele details that 'his presence made our pain tenfold. How could a total stranger be the last person to see her, speak to her, touch her?' This website is now the subject of an Ofcom investigation, under the new powers of the Online Safety Act. For Adele, Ofcom's investigation into the suicide forum was come 'far too late.' She says: 'A forum that encourages, instructs and provides the means to people to end their lives assisting suicide is illegal offline. If I had put a billboard up in the street saying: Contact me if you want this substance. That would immediately be removed and I would be arrested. But online, we're allowing it to happen every single day on an unregulated scale.' The Online Safety Act was passed into law in August 2024, but Adele says that she is yet to see a change in the digital world. The Act, she tells me, has resulted in 'no change in my personal ecosystem online in terms of less harmful content being available, less extreme content being available.' 'Ofcom's investigation is far too late' She adds: 'I would love to see this forum banned and not being able to be accessed to people in the UK because it poses a public health risk.' But at time of writing, this is not the case, the forum is still active, despite the on-going OFCOM investigation. A spokesperson for OFCOM said: 'We are currently gathering and analysing evidence to determine whether a contravention has occurred… Where we identify compliance failures, we can require platforms to take specific steps to come into compliance.' They add that in the 'most serious cases' they can 'require Internet Service Providers to block access to a site in the UK.' To say that a book is necessary or important is to feel as if the words are dripping in over-exaggeration, but this is not the case with Logging Off. There is no exaggeration here: this is one of the most important books I've read. The harms of the online world affects everyone - whether it's acknowledged or realised or not. This is not a problem that will cease to harm in its own time. Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
Daily Record
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Scots student reveals terrifying moment her dad collapsed while on the phone to her
Aimee Halstead was preparing to run her first 10k, but the shock phone call left her "conflicted". A Scots student has spoken about the terrifying moment her dad collapsed while she was on the phone to him. Aimee Halstead, 20, was getting ready to run her first-ever 10k at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on May 25. Her parents were travelling from Bathgate, West Lothian, to cheer her on, with her feeling some nerves beforehand. She called them while walking to the start line, but after being told they were on their way, her dad suddenly collapsed during the call. When she realised her mum was being serious, she was left with "no idea what to do". Aimee told our sister title Edinburgh Live: "I kept trying to text mum and I didn't know whether to run, or leave the race and go find them. "Mum was saying it was fine, to just to the race. They didn't know what hospital they were going to and she said she'd talk to me after." Her dad was rushed to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and was diagnosed with aortic stenosis, a serious condition which required open heart surgery. Aimee shared that it had been a "scary and emotional time" for her family. She continued: "I met them after at the Royal Infirmary, and doctors said he has something called aortic stenosis. Most people have about three heart valves, whereas they found out dad has only had two his whole life. He used to be a runner as well, I think just over time it's sort of worn down and unfortunately it's hit him now. 'He had to get a bunch of procedures, and they eventually told him the only way to deal with it was to have open heart surgery. It was quite scary because doctors said if he hadn't collapsed that day, and it had gone unnoticed for another month or so, it could have been a very different story. 'In a way it's lucky he collapsed, and that it happened when it did. Seeing your dad like that is so scary though, and having to hear about the surgery was awful." Aimee revealed that she found the race "not enjoyable" as she spent a large part of it conflicted over what to do. She said: "I was disappointed that my parents wouldn't be there at the finish line, but it was a nice achievement crossing the finish line because my friend did it with me. "But as soon as I crossed the finish line I had about five seconds of thinking 'great I've done it', then instantly my mind went to 'where's dad and how is he'. "It was really difficult because I didn't know that I was conflicted on whether do I even run this or do I try and find out what's happening. In that moment my mum and dad, they were kind of busy dealing with that, so I kept trying to text her and call her, but obviously she was trying to deal with my dad being unconscious and everything. "All the roads were shut after for the marathon as well, so I was trying to get an Uber. It was my first running event as well so I was already nervous." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. She now plans to fundraise for the British Heart Foundation"in honour of her dad" as she wants to make him proud. She added: "You can find a lot of information so you don't feel as alone and you know that other patients and their families have gone through this. I wanted to do it for a charity that really means something to me. "I also want to make my dad proud obviously because he's going through it right now. It was an incredibly scary and emotional time for our family, as the possibility of losing your dad is one of the scariest thoughts I've ever had "That experience has made me even more passionate about raising money for the British Heart Foundation."
Edinburgh Live
a day ago
- Health
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh student's terrifying phone call as dad collapses before 'sudden diagnosis'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh student has told of the terrifying moment her dad collapsed while on the other end of the phone. Aimee Halstead, 20, was all set up to take on her first 10k at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on May 25. Having never participated in a running event before, she admits feeling 'pretty nervous', with her parents coming through from Bathgate to cheer her on. Aimee gave them a call while walking to the festival, and was told they were on their way. While on the phone, Aimee's dad collapsed - and when she realised her mum wasn't making a joke Aimee was left with 'no idea what to do'. Now recovering from open heart surgery, her dad was found to have aortic stenosis. Aimee admits it's been a 'scary and emotional time' for her family. Before her dad was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Aimee didn't know whether to complete the 10k or find her parents. Recalling the day, she told Edinburgh Live: "I kept trying to text mum and I didn't know whether to run, or leave the race and go find them. "Mum was saying it was fine, to just to the race. They didn't know what hospital they were going to and she said she'd talk to me after. "I met them after at the Royal Infirmary, and doctors said he has something called aortic stenosis. Most people have about three heart valves, whereas they found out dad has only had two his whole life. He used to be a runner as well, I think just over time it's sort of worn down and unfortunately it's hit him now. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox 'He had to get a bunch of procedures, and they eventually told him the only way to deal with it was to have open heart surgery. It was quite scary because doctors said if he hadn't collapsed that day, and it had gone unnoticed for another month or so, it could have been a very different story. 'In a way it's lucky he collapsed, and that it happened when it did. Seeing your dad like that is so scary though, and having to hear about the surgery was awful." Aimee admitted that the 10k run was 'not enjoyable', as she spent most of it conflicted over what to do. She added "I was disappointed that my parents wouldn't be there at the finish line, but it was a nice achievement crossing the finish line because my friend did it with me. (Image: Supplied) "But as soon as I crossed the finish line I had about five seconds of thinking 'great I've done it', then instantly my mind went to 'where's dad and how is he'. "It was really difficult because I didn't know that I was conflicted on whether do I even run this or do I try and find out what's happening. In that moment my mum and dad, they were kind of busy dealing with that, so I kept trying to text her and call her, but obviously she was trying to deal with my dad being unconscious and everything. "All the roads were shut after for the marathon as well, so I was trying to get an Uber. It was my first running event as well so I was already nervous." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Aimee is now looking to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation, 'in honour of her dad' as she hopes to make him proud. She added: "You can find a lot of information so you don't feel as alone and you know that other patients and their families have gone through this. I wanted to do it for a charity that really means something to me. "I also want to make my dad proud obviously because he's going through it right now. It was an incredibly scary and emotional time for our family, as the possibility of losing your dad is one of the scariest thoughts I've ever had "That experience has made me even more passionate about raising money for the British Heart Foundation." You can help Aimee with her fundraiser here.
India.com
4 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Bad news for this telecom company, to layoff 55000 employees by…, not Ratan Tata's TCS or Narayana Murthy's Infosys, it is…
British telecommunications giant BT is now assuming additional reductions in employment after the development of artificial intelligence. They recently announced more that 55,000 job cuts by 2030 which is higher than their earlier plans. CEO of the British telecommunications company BT, Allison Kirkby revealed this in a Sunday interview with the Financial Times. He said that progress in AI technology might result in additional reductions at the company. BT in 2023 had planned to cut up to 55,000 jobs by 2030, to reduce its cost base by the end of this decade. However, he also informed the FT that this strategy 'did not reflect' the 'full potential' of artificial intelligence. As now BT has increasingly used AI to change operations in areas like customer service. 'Depending on what we learn from AI … there may be an opportunity for BT to be even smaller by the end of the decade,' Kirkby said. The company is planning to use generative AI to assist with sales and support operations in BT and its mobile network division, EE. By December, the firm reported that EE's virtual assistant, Aimee, was able to manage up to 60,000 customer conversations weekly. BT is not only one company which is planning automation in full swing. The Swedish payments firm Klarna is also taking initiatives to use AI in customer service operations. In 2024, Klarna had revealed that its OpenAI-powered AI assistant was performing the work of 700 full-time customer service agents.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Capital DJ gives birth and reveals baby's sweet name as she's flooded with messages
Capital FM star Aimee Vivian has announced the arrival of her first child after she skipped the Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, as she went into labour Capital FM 's Aimee Vivian has announced the arrival of her firstborn, having missed the Summertime Ball. After her noticeable absence from Wembley Stadium's festivities on Sunday, she took to social media to share her joyous news. Mariah Carey, Benson Boone, KSI, Lola Young, Busted vs McFly, Zara Larsson, Dasha, Reneé Rapp and Jessie J were among the stellar performers at the event. Film icon Will Smith surprised fans with an appearance alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff, Tate McRae, Myles Smith and JADE, entertaining a colossal crowd of 80,000. Whilst Aimee's fellow Capital FM presenters Jordan North, Sian Welby, and Chris Stark were spotted enjoying the bash, Aimee was notably absent. The much-loved DJ chose this moment to explain why she wasn't there, delighting followers with news that she's now a mum as reported by the Mirror. Aimee expressed: "Wishing my @capitalofficial and all of you an amazing Summertime ball day. Sad to miss it but as you might of guessed by my silence on here, our new little addition has arrived so we have very much been in our newborn love bubble. Swapping backstage at Wembley for watching on YouTube with milk in one hand and a nappy in the other this year. Update on baby soon x." The Capital DJ later shared a touching snippet, revealing the name of her daughter with the first snapshot. She enthused: "Charli Carter. The girl who stole my heart forever." Aimee's celebrity mates were quick to offer their congratulations as Sonny Jay remarked: "Ahh mate not the same without you! All the love to you all today." Love Island alum Kem Cetinay chimed in: "Will be missed! Congrats." Capital's official profile also chimed in, saying: "miss you momma." The radio presenter disclosed her pregnancy in February with an endearing black and white clip. She displayed a cake which declared "coming soon" alongside an ultrasound snapshot and a pair of charming tiny boots. Aimee divulged: "Been cooking up something special." The couple has now welcomed their bundle of joy into the world, with Aimee's husband preferring to avoid the limelight. The DJ has been with Capital FM for a decade and is currently working with Sonny. She went on maternity leave three weeks prior, humorously noting: "BRB off to go birth another listener." She went on to express gratitude: "Thank you all for being a part of the last nine months, what a laugh we have had. To the incredible team at @capitalofficial and my @gemnashh and @lukejprior you absolutely rock! Finally thank you to my parents who came in to support the last two days. Another life chapter done, Be back on air soon x." At the event on Sunday, as celebrities took to the red carpet and anticipation built, attendees voiced worries about whether it would proceed. A notice from the organisers was shared on the big screens inside the venue. An announcement at the stadium read: "We have had to pause the show temporarily. Please remain in the stadium. We hope to restart shortly. Thank you." Although not officially confirmed, it's understood by fans in attendance that a short-lived power failure was to blame. Luckily, the technical hitch was quickly resolved, allowing the event to proceed without major disruption.
