China has accused the United States of spreading disinformation after reports emerged that the Biden administration had called for ByteDance, Ltd., the Chinese owner of TikTok, to sell its stakes in the app. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters that America has not presented evidence that Tiktok threatens national security and was using data security as an excuse to suppress foreign companies.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. is threatening a ban on the app unless ByteDance divests. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin demanded that American stop “spreading disinformation about data security” and provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory environment for foreign businesses.

TikTok’s popularity is soaring among teenagers in the United States with two-thirds reportedly using it; however controversies surrounding their data collection methods have sparked concerns regarding user privacy and possible misuse by governments. Earlier this month, US National Security Agency director Paul Nakasone warned about Tiktok’s algorithmic control over users’ data collection leading to government surveillance.

ByteDance claims that changing ownership will not solve any problems relating to safeguarding US user data flows or access as algorithms remain under company control regardless of ownership changes issued by governments wishing to suppress their production processes.

The Treasury Department declined to comment on the matter as tensions between China and America continue escalating over tech industry giants such as Huawei and ZTE being banned from trade with US firms due to national security concerns.

New genetic evidence suggests that high caffeine levels in a person’s blood may be associated with lower weight. According to Dipender Gill at Imperial College London, who contributed to the study, it does not mean drinking more coffee will lead to weight loss but instead provides another piece of evidence linking caffeine consumption to lower weight.

Previous observational studies suggested a link between caffeine consumption and lower weight, but the study conducted by Gill’s team used genetic differences in how people breakdown caffeine in a randomised trial.

The team analysed data from previous studies that sequenced people’s DNA and tracked their health. The findings revealed those genetically predisposed to have higher caffeine levels had a lower body mass index (BMI) and fat mass compared with people with lower levels of caffeine. They also reported having a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes linked to being overweight.

Although caffeine affects metabolism and energy levels, researchers warn against changing coffee-drinking habits based on these results. If anything, they suggest avoiding milky or sugary coffee drinks as caffeinated beverages could have other detrimental effects including disrupting sleep patterns.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), around 70,000 individuals fell prey to romance scams in 2022, losing over $1.3 billion combined in total. The median loss per victim was reportedly $4,400. Many of these romance scams were conducted using sexually explicit images obtained from victims through extortion.

What are romance scams?

Romance scamming involves a perpetrator creating a fake online persona and forming relationships with unsuspecting targets who eventually trust them. Then, they ask their targets to loan them money or offer personal information that can allow the scammers access to the victim’s bank accounts and other financial affairs.

Who is being targeted by sextortion-based romance scams?

The data from FTC reveals that individuals aged between 18 and 29 years are six times more likely than older consumers to report falling for this type of scam. Sextortion scams occur when attackers persuade targets to send intimate photos or videos, threatening to share them on social media unless the victim pays up.

Other popular romance scam methods

Sextortion-based attacks, although prevalent today, are only one of several techniques attackers use. Young people and older adults alike should beware if someone asks for monetary support while claiming military service abroad, hospitalization of themselves or a close relative or business investments.

Preventing Romance Scams

To protect oneself from romance scammers:

1. Beware professions that seem too good to be true:Maintain caution against perpetrators who purport high-ranking positions in government organizations, international corporations or armed forces—these could all be fake personas;
2. Avoid third-party conversations:If someone insists on moving your conversations out of public platforms like Instagram DMs and into private messaging apps such as Telegram;
3. No financial support before meeting:Do not part with any cash before establishing trust and verifying their identity;
4. No personal details shared without knowing intentions first:It could be dangerous to hand over sensitive personal information until trust has been established;

If you think you’ve fallen prey what should you do?

1. Contact the appropriate authorities right away if scammed;
2. Contact your bank if payments were made through banking channels;
3. If gift cards were used as payment options keep receipts safe and inform relevant verification centers;

In conclusion romance fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated so it’s important to remember always to maintain vigilance against anything which seems suspicious even when involved romantically.