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Kathmandu, Nepal — Ten years ago, Nepali mountain guide Dawa Tashi Sherpa was fighting for his life after being hit by an avalanche on Everest which was then the deadliest disaster on the world's highest mountain. The accident, which killed 16 Nepali guides on April 18, 2014, shone a spotlight on the huge dangers they face to let high-paying foreign clients reach their dreams. Without their critical work to carve out climbing routes, fix ropes, repair ladders and carry heavy gear up the mountain, few foreign visitors could make it to the daunting peak's top. A decade ago, a wall of snow barrelled through the Nepali guides as they heaved heavy equipment up the treacherous high-altitude Khumbu icefall in the freezing dark. The force of the avalanche tossed Dawa Tashi about 10 metres (33 feet) down, injuring his rib cage, left shoulder blade and nose. Dawa Tashi, then aged 22, recalled his friends who died. Three of their bodies were never recovered. "I was lucky to survive," he told AFP. "In the hospital, whenever I tried to sleep, they would appear in front of my eyes." The disaster led to protests for improved benefits and conditions for the guides, and an unprecedented shutdown on the peak for a season. 'Tipping point' It sparked a debate about compensation for the families of injured or killed Nepali guides and mountain workers. Many are forced to rely on the charity of Western climbers — despite being employed by expedition companies and being fundamental to the multimillion-dollar industry's success. "It was very difficult back then," said Nima Doma Sherpa, who lost her husband Tsering Onchu, 33, in the avalanche. "What can you do when the main pillar of your house is not there? The children were small, and I was worried how I will educate them and how we will sustain ourselves." The government reaps hefty revenues from the lucrative climbing industry — in the last season in 2023, it earned more than $5 million from Everest fees alone. Soon after the 2014 accident, it pledged $400 to the families of those killed to cover funeral expenses. The offer was rejected by angry Nepalis, whose families received only $10,000 then in life insurance. The resulting furious dispute, with Nepalis clamoring for better death and injury benefits from the government, saw days of tension at the base camp. Sherpa guides, grief-stricken over the deaths of their colleagues, threatened to boycott climbing, throwing mountaineers' plans into disarray and canceling the season. "It was a tipping point for young Sherpas who were frustrated," said Sumit Joshi of expedition operator Himalayan Ascent, who lost three guides from his team in the avalanche that year. Since then, his Everest teams have not climbed on the anniversary date. "Ten years on, there is an improvement in their working conditions and the respect that they command," he said.  Safety standards needed In 2014, the protesters at Everest base camp made several demands. They included an improvement in insurance payouts and a relief fund from mountain royalties. "We were advocating for the Nepali climbers, ensuring they can get as much benefit as possible," said Ang Tshering Sherpa who headed the Nepal Mountaineering Association at the time. "But not all demands could be met as there were limitations." The insurance payout was increased to 1.5 million Nepali rupees ($11,250) if someone is killed. Helicopters are now allowed to fly in supplies to higher camps, decreasing the number of trips Nepalis make across the treacherous Khumbu icefall. Nepali companies have displaced foreign operators to bring in the majority of climbers, and pay and conditions have improved for guides at larger firms. But, guide Mingma G Sherpa said, little else has changed.  "They protested, but it was limited to the base camp," he said. "The main thing is that the government policies are still not good. ... we really need to set a standard for climbers to make the mountains safer." 'Wives don't agree' In 2015, a powerful earthquake triggered an avalanche that killed 18 people at Everest's base camp before the climbing season began. Last year's season started with the death of three Nepali climbers carrying expedition supplies, after they were hit by glacial ice fall and swept into a crevasse. Mingma G Sherpa said many local guides have quit the industry. "The number of Sherpas has gone down significantly. Now companies have to go look for Sherpas. In the past, Sherpas would have to go around looking for work," he said. "We want to go to climb because we know the environment there, but the family members don't want to send. The mothers and wives don't agree." Survivor Dawa Tashi, who began trekking when he was just 11, still guides climbers and returned to Everest in 2021. He is preparing to guide six Americans up the 6,461-meter-tall central Mera peak.  "There were improvements after the disaster, but it is not enough," he said, pointing to the $11,000 fee each foreigner pays to the government to climb Everest. "The government... should make a fund to safeguard the manpower," he said. "The clients would also happily pay it, knowing that it will be used to take care of their team."

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Israel and Iran condemned each other's actions in the recent weeks during a tense United Nations Security Council on Sunday. Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and fired missiles on Saturday in its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, risking a major escalation. The attack was in response to a suspected Israeli strike on Iran's embassy compound in Syria. A year since war broke out in Sudan, analysts foresee no end to the conflict and say the longer it drags on, the more likely Sudan will become a breeding ground for terrorist groups. And learning how one person can control a “drone swarm.”

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

The United States and Israel say they achieved a “spectacular defeat” over an Iranian aerial attack that sent 300 munitions – more than 100 of them ballistic missiles – to Israel on Saturday. But as Sunday dawned in both places, a bigger question rose on the horizon: What happens next in this six-month conflict that threatens to envelop the Middle East? VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington.

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CAIRO — On a clear night a year ago, a dozen heavily armed fighters broke into Omaima Farouq's house in an upscale neighborhood in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. At gunpoint, they whipped and slapped the woman, and terrorized her children. Then they expelled them from the fenced two-story house. "Since then, our life has been ruined," said the 45-year-old schoolteacher. "Everything has changed in this year." Farouq, who is a widow, and her four children now live in a small village outside the central city of Wad Madani, 136 kilometers (85 miles) southeast of Khartoum. They depend on aid from villagers and philanthropists since international aid groups can't reach the village. Sudan has been torn by war for a year now, ever since simmering tensions between its military and the notorious paramilitary Rapid Support Forces exploded into street clashes in the capital Khartoum in mid-April 2023. The fighting rapidly spread across the country. The conflict has been overshadowed by the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip, which since October has caused a massive humanitarian crisis for Palestinians and a threat of famine in the territory. But relief workers warn Sudan is hurtling towards an even larger-scale calamity of starvation, with potential mass death in coming months. Food production and distribution networks have broken down and aid agencies are unable to reach the worst-stricken regions. At the same time, the conflict has brought widespread reports of atrocities including killings, displacement and rape, particularly in the area of the capital and the western region of Darfur. Justin Brady, head of the U.N. humanitarian coordination office for Sudan, warned that potentially tens or even hundreds of thousands could die in coming months from malnutrition-related causes. "This is going to get very ugly very quickly unless we can overcome both the resource challenges and the access challenges," Brady said. The world, he said, needs to take fast action to pressure the two sides for a stop in fighting and raise funds for the U.N. humanitarian effort. But the international community has paid little attention. The U.N. humanitarian campaign needs some $2.7 billion this year to get food, heath care and other supplies to 24 million people in Sudan – nearly half its population of 51 million. So far, funders have given only $145 million, about 5%, according to the humanitarian office, known as OCHA. The "level of international neglect is shocking," Christos Christou, president of the medical charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, said in a recent statement. The situation in fighting on the ground has been deteriorating. The military, headed by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, have carved up Khartoum and trade indiscriminate fire at each other. RSF forces have overrun much of Darfur, while Burhan has moved the government and his headquarters to the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. The Sudanese Unit for Combating Violence Against Women, a government organization, documented at least 159 cases of rape and gang rape the past year, almost all in Khartoum and Darfur. The organization's head, Sulima Ishaq Sharif, said this figure represents the tip of the iceberg since many victims don't speak out for fear of reprisal or the stigma connected to rape. In 2021, Burhan and Dagalo were uneasy allies who led a military coup. They toppled an internationally recognized civilian government that was supposed to steer Sudan's democratic transition after the 2019 military overthrow of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir amid a popular uprising. Burhan and Dagalo subsequently fell out in a struggle for power. The situation has been horrific in Darfur, where the RSF and its allies are accused of rampant sexual violence and ethnic attacks on African tribes' areas. The International Criminal Court said it was investigating fresh allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region, which was the scene of genocidal war in the 2000s. A series of attacks by the RSF and allied militias on the ethnic African Masalit tribe killed between 10,000 and 15,000 people in Geneina, the capital of West Darfur near the Chad border, according to a report by United Nations experts to the Security Council earlier this year. It said Darfur is experiencing "its worst violence since 2005." With aid groups unable to reach Darfur's camps for displaced people, eight out of every 10 families in the camps eat only one meal a day, said Adam Rijal, the spokesman for the Coordination for Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur. In Kelma camp in South Darfur province, he said an average of nearly three children die every 12 hours, most due to diseases related to malnutrition. He said the medical center in the camp receives between 14 and 18 cases of malnutrition every day, mostly children and pregnant women. Not including the Geneina killings, the war has killed at least 14,600 people across Sudan and created the world's largest displacement crisis, according to the United Nations. More than 8 million people have been driven from their homes, fleeing either to safer areas inside Sudan or to neighboring countries. Many flee repeatedly as the war expands. When fighting reached his street in Khartoum, Taj el-Ser and his wife and four children headed west to his relatives in Darfur in the town of Ardamata. Then the RSF and its allies overran Ardamata in November, rampaging through the town for six days. El-Ser said they killed many Masalit and relatives of army soldiers. "Some were shot dead or burned inside their homes," he said by phone from another town in Darfur. "I and my family survived only because I am Arab." Both sides, the military and RSF, have committed serious violations of international law, killing civilians and destroying vital infrastructure, said Mohamed Osman, Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch. Food production has crashed, imports stalled, movement of food around the country is hampered by fighting, and staple food prices have soared by 45% in less than a year, OCHA says. The war wrecked the country's healthcare system, leaving only 20 to 30% of the health facilities functional across the country, according to MSF. At least 37% of the population at crisis level or above in hunger, according OCHA. Save the Children warned that about 230,000 children, pregnant women and newborn mothers could die of malnutrition in the coming months. "We are seeing massive hunger, suffering and death. And yet the world looks away," said Arif Noor, Save the Children's director in Sudan. About 3.5 million children aged under 5 years have acute malnutrition, including more than 710,000 with severe acute malnutrition, according to the World Health Organization. About 5 million people were one step away from famine, according to a December assessment by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, considered the global authority on determining the severity of hunger crises. Overall, 17.7 million people were facing acute food insecurity, it found. Aid workers say the world has to take action. "Sudan is described as a forgotten crisis. I'm starting to wonder how many people knew about it in the first place to forget about it," said Brady, from OCHA. "There are others that have more attention than Sudan. I don't like to compare crises. It's like comparing two cancer patients. ... They both need to be treated."

United Nations — Israel demanded Sunday that the U.N. Security Council act to punish and deter Iran following an unprecedented Iranian military strike on Israel that Tehran said was in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy in Syria earlier this month. “Today, the council must take action,” Israel’s U.N. envoy, Gilad Erdan, told the Security Council. “Condemn Iran for their terror; trigger the snap back mechanism and reimpose crippling sanctions; designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terror organization. Action must be taken now — not for Israel’s sake, not for the region’s sake, but for the world’s sake.” Israel requested the emergency meeting following a direct attack on its territory by Iran that it said included 170 armed drones, 120 ballistic missiles, and 30 cruise missiles. Israel said its air defenses, along with those of the United States and other allies, shot down 99% of them. Erdan criticized the council for not listening to Israel’s warnings over the years about Iran. He said the international community has been silent on the rise of “a Shiite Islamist Reich,” but with Iran’s direct attack on Israel, the regime has now been exposed. “As Iran’s mask has fallen, the world’s complacency must also fall,” the Israeli envoy said. “The mask comes off and the gloves must come on.”  He said Iran had “crossed every red line” and that Israel reserves the legal right to retaliate.  Iran’s envoy said they had no choice but to exercise their right to self-defense following the April 1 attack on their embassy in Damascus and the Security Council’s failure to formally condemn it. Some council diplomats said the United States, France and Britain blocked a condemnation because they had questions about whether the Iranian premises were being used for covert operations. “This lawless regime has committed many atrocious crimes against our people,” Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said about Israel. “This regime blatantly and openly admitted its responsibility for the terrorist and destructive operations committed against Iranian officials, scientists and civilians, and sabotage against our peaceful nuclear infrastructure in recent years.” Israel has allegedly carried out several strikes, assassinations and cyberattacks on Iran in recent years, most targeted at their nuclear program. Israel never publicly confirms such operations. Iravani said Iran “does not seek escalation or war in the region” but would defend itself if necessary. He also emphasized that Iran does not want a conflict with the United States. “We demonstrated our commitment to peace by exercising our restraint about involving the U.S. Army in intercepting Iranian drones and missiles bound for military targets in the occupied Palestinian territories,” he said. “This underscores our dedication to deescalating tensions and avoiding the expansion of conflict.”  But he added that if the United States military initiates any operations against his country, its citizens or its security interests, Iran would “respond proportionately.” U.S. envoy Robert Wood said Washington is not seeking an escalation with Tehran but issued a warning. “And let me be clear — if Iran or its proxies take actions against the United States or further action against Israel, Iran will be held responsible,” he said. Wood said the United States would begin consulting with other countries to “explore additional measures to hold Iran accountable here at the United Nations.” He did not go into details on what that might include. He also urged the Security Council to “unequivocally condemn” Iran’s actions and call for its partners and proxies to cease their attacks. Iranian-backed groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, have fired rockets and missiles at Israel, and the Houthis have carried out attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. The U.N. secretary-general addressed the emergency meeting, appealing for a de-escalation and a lessening of tensions. “It is time to step back from the brink,” Antonio Guterres said, adding that neither the Middle East nor the world could afford more war. Most Security Council members condemned the escalation and echoed the U.N. chief’s calls for de-escalation and diplomacy, while expressing concern about the risk of widening regional turmoil.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

WASHINGTON — Top officials in Washington are attempting to avoid a widening war in the Middle East after Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel with explosive drones and missiles.  “There need to be some consequences here,” said a senior U.S. official briefing reporters Sunday afternoon on the condition of not being named.  But U.S. President Joe Biden, in his latest conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “made very clear to the prime minister last night that we do have to think carefully and strategically about risks of escalation,” especially in view of the attack causing only light damage and no significant casualties, the official said. Israeli officials insist there will be a response, but the country’s war Cabinet appears divided on how and when.  If Israel retaliates, it would be doing it alone.  “We would not envision ourselves participating in such a thing,” replied the senior administration official when asked whether the United States would participate in any military response to the Iranian attack.  It was an “incredible military achievement” by Israel, the United States and other partners in repelling “more than 300 drones and missiles” launched by Iran, according to White House national security spokesperson John Kirby. US Central Command says its forces, supported by US European Command destroyers, on Saturday and on Sunday morning "successfully engaged and destroyed more than 80 one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and at least six ballistic missiles intended to strike Israel from Iran and Yemen. This includes a ballistic missile on its launcher vehicle and seven UAVs destroyed on the ground in Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen prior to their launch." U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a statement late Saturday, said the explosive aircraft and missiles were launched from the territories of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. “We call on Iran to immediately halt any further attacks, including from its proxy forces, and to deescalate tensions,” Austin said. “We do not seek conflict with Iran, but we will not hesitate to act to protect our forces and support the defense of Israel.” He spoke by phone Sunday for the third time during the weekend with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Biden convened a hastily arranged video conference Sunday of leaders of the Group of Seven nations to coordinate a united diplomatic response to the Iranian attack. “With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilization of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided,” the G7 leaders said in a group statement issued after their meeting. “We will continue to work to stabilize the situation and avoid further escalation. In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilizing initiatives.” Biden spoke by phone with Netanyahu on Saturday evening to “reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.” Biden told Netanyahu, according to media reports, that since the Iranian attack caused only minimal casualties and damage, Israel should not retaliate against Iran. Both Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have been calling leaders in the region to make it clear that while Washington does not seek a direct military confrontation with Tehran, the United States will not hesitate to continue to defend Israel. Biden had rushed back to Washington from a visit to Delaware earlier Saturday and convened a meeting in the White House Situation Room with key officials of his Cabinet as Iran launched the unprecedented attack after vowing to retaliate over an April 1 suspected Israeli airstrike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the strike. The U.S. military began moving extra troops and equipment to sites in the Middle East, defense officials confirmed Friday. It has about 40,000 troops in the region. The U.S. Navy moved two guided-missile destroyers capable of intercepting drones and incoming missiles closer to Israel in anticipation of the Iranian attack, The Wall Street Journal reported. U.S. Navy Red Sea forces have previously intercepted long-range missiles launched toward Israel from Yemen by the Iranian-allied Houthi forces. The Biden administration's response to the Iranian attack will be closely watched by his political opponents, coming less than seven months before a general election rematch between the Democratic Party incumbent and his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump. Trump, speaking Saturday at a rally in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, claimed the attack “would not have happened if we were in office." He did not elaborate on how. “God bless the people of Israel,” he said. “They are under attack right now. That's because we show great weakness.”   House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has failed to permit a floor vote on bipartisan legislation passed by the Senate providing security aid to Israel and Ukraine, is accusing Biden’s administration of undermining Israel and appeasing Iran and that “contributed to these terrible developments.”  A Republican congressman, Mike Turner of the state of Ohio, is calling for a more robust response from Biden.  “I think the administration needs to take seriously that this attack has happened. It's unprecedented and certainly it needs to be viewed as an escalation. This is an escalating conflict,” Turner, who chairs the intelligence committee in the House, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program Sunday. Democrat Chris Coons, of Biden’s home state of Delaware, is urging lawmakers to pass Biden’s request for military aid to Israel. "The House should promptly pass this coming week the long-delayed national security supplemental to ensure that our Israeli allies have everything they need to defend themselves from attacks by Iran and its proxies,” he said.

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Augusta, Georgia — American Scottie Scheffler won his second Masters title with an ice-cool four stroke victory at Augusta National on Sunday. Scheffler, the world number one and 2022 Masters winner, shot a final round four-under par 68 to end on 11-under for the tournament with Masters first-timer Ludvig Aberg of Sweden finishing as the runner-up. It was a classic display of calmness and precision from Scheffler, who kept his focus after making bogies on the fourth and seventh holes to run away with the contest on the back nine. Scheffler began the round with a one-shot lead over fellow American Collin Morikawa but the contest took a decisive turn on the ninth hole. Morikawa double-bogeyed and Scheffler made birdie and the three-stroke swing left the 24-year-old Aberg his closest challenger after the turn. But after Aberg double-bogeyed the 11th, the outcome was in Scheffler’s safe hands and the 27-year-old Texan made sure of victory with birdies on 13, 14 and 16. The win is Scheffler's third victory of the season coming after his wins at Bay Hill and the Players Championship last month.

A private high school in California has provided scholarships to three refugee students — one from Ukraine and two from Afghanistan. VOA’s Genia Dulot has the story of an American educator who has even opened her home to the two Afghans teens as they complete their studies.

Chicago, Illinois — London-based model Alexsandrah has a twin, but not in the way you'd expect: Her counterpart is made of pixels instead of flesh and blood. The virtual twin was generated by artificial intelligence and has already appeared as a stand-in for the real-life Alexsandrah in a photo shoot. Alexsandrah, who goes by her first name professionally, in turn receives credit and compensation whenever the AI version of herself gets used — just like a human model. Alexsandrah says she and her alter-ego mirror each other "even down to the baby hairs." And it is yet another example of how AI is transforming creative industries — and the way humans may or may not be compensated. Proponents say the growing use of AI in fashion modeling showcases diversity in all shapes and sizes, allowing consumers to make more tailored purchase decisions that in turn reduces fashion waste from product returns. And digital modeling saves money for companies and creates opportunities for people who want to work with the technology. But critics raise concerns that digital models may push human models — and other professionals like makeup artists and photographers — out of a job. Unsuspecting consumers could also be fooled into thinking AI models are real, and companies could claim credit for fulfilling diversity commitments without employing actual humans. "Fashion is exclusive, with limited opportunities for people of color to break in," said Sara Ziff, a former fashion model and founder of the Model Alliance, a nonprofit aiming to advance workers' rights in the fashion industry. "I think the use of AI to distort racial representation and marginalize actual models of color reveals this troubling gap between the industry's declared intentions and their real actions."   Women of color in particular have long faced higher barriers to entry in modeling and AI could upend some of the gains they've made. Data suggests that women are more likely to work in occupations in which the technology could be applied and are more at risk of displacement than men. In March 2023, iconic denim brand Levi Strauss & Co. announced that it would be testing AI-generated models produced by Amsterdam-based company Lalaland.ai to add a wider range of body types and underrepresented demographics on its website. But after receiving widespread backlash, Levi clarified that it was not pulling back on its plans for live photo shoots, the use of live models or its commitment to working with diverse models. "We do not see this (AI) pilot as a means to advance diversity or as a substitute for the real action that must be taken to deliver on our diversity, equity and inclusion goals and it should not have been portrayed as such," Levi said in its statement at the time. The company last month said that it has no plans to scale the AI program. The Associated Press reached out to several other retailers to ask whether they use AI fashion models. Target, Kohl's and fast-fashion giant Shein declined to comment; Temu did not respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, spokespeople for Nieman Marcus, H&M, Walmart and Macy's said their respective companies do not use AI models, although Walmart clarified that "suppliers may have a different approach to photography they provide for their products, but we don't have that information." Nonetheless, companies that generate AI models are finding a demand for the technology, including Lalaland.ai, which was co-founded by Michael Musandu after he was feeling frustrated by the absence of clothing models who looked like him. "One model does not represent everyone that's actually shopping and buying a product," he said. "As a person of color, I felt this painfully myself." Musandu says his product is meant to supplement traditional photo shoots, not replace them. Instead of seeing one model, shoppers could see nine to 12 models using different size filters, which would enrich their shopping experience and help reduce product returns and fashion waste. The technology is actually creating new jobs, since Lalaland.ai pays humans to train its algorithms, Musandu said. And if brands "are serious about inclusion efforts, they will continue to hire these models of color," he added. London-based model Alexsandrah, who is Black, says her digital counterpart has helped her distinguish herself in the fashion industry. In fact, the real-life Alexsandrah has even stood in for a Black computer-generated model named Shudu, created by Cameron Wilson, a former fashion photographer turned CEO of The Diigitals, a U.K.-based digital modeling agency. Wilson, who is white and uses they/them pronouns, designed Shudu in 2017, described on Instagram as the "The World's First Digital Supermodel." But critics at the time accused Wilson of cultural appropriation and digital Blackface. Wilson took the experience as a lesson and transformed The Diigitals to make sure Shudu — who has been booked by Louis Vuitton and BMW — didn't take away opportunities but instead opened possibilities for women of color. Alexsandrah, for instance, has modeled in-person as Shudu for Vogue Australia, and writer Ama Badu came up with Shudu's backstory and portrays her voice for interviews. Alexsandrah said she is "extremely proud" of her work with The Diigitals, which created her own AI twin: "It's something that even when we are no longer here, the future generations can look back at and be like, 'These are the pioneers.'" But for Yve Edmond, a New York City area-based model who works with major retailers to check the fit of clothing before it's sold to consumers, the rise of AI in fashion modeling feels more insidious. Edmond worries modeling agencies and companies are taking advantage of models, who are generally independent contractors afforded few labor protections in the U.S., by using their photos to train AI systems without their consent or compensation. She described one incident in which a client asked to photograph Edmond moving her arms, squatting and walking for "research" purposes. Edmond refused and later felt swindled — her modeling agency had told her she was being booked for a fitting, not to build an avatar. "This is a complete violation," she said. "It was really disappointing for me." But absent AI regulations, it's up to companies to be transparent and ethical about deploying AI technology. And Ziff, the founder of the Model Alliance, likens the current lack of legal protections for fashion workers to "the Wild West." That's why the Model Alliance is pushing for legislation like the one being considered in New York state, in which a provision of the Fashion Workers Act would require management companies and brands to obtain models' clear written consent to create or use a model's digital replica; specify the amount and duration of compensation, and prohibit altering or manipulating models' digital replica without consent. Alexsandrah says that with ethical use and the right legal regulations, AI might open up doors for more models of color like herself. She has let her clients know that she has an AI replica, and she funnels any inquires for its use through Wilson, who she describes as "somebody that I know, love, trust and is my friend." Wilson says they make sure any compensation for Alexsandrah's AI is comparable to what she would make in-person. Edmond, however, is more of a purist: "We have this amazing Earth that we're living on. And you have a person of every shade, every height, every size. Why not find that person and compensate that person?"

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Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo — At least 12 people were killed and more than 50 are still missing after heavy rain caused a ravine to collapse onto a river in southwest Democratic Republic of Congo, a local official and a civil society leader said Sunday. The landslide occurred around midday Saturday in Dibaya Lubwe commune in Kwilu province. It sent a cascade of clay and debris down to the banks of the Kasai River, where a boat was docking, and people were washing clothes. Interim provincial Governor Felicien Kiway said, 12 bodies had been pulled from the rubble so far, including nine women, three men and a baby. "Around 50 people are missing but we are continuing to search through the clay," he said, adding that the chances of finding survivors were thin as the incident had occurred 12 hours prior. The coordinator of a local civil society group, Arsene Kasiama, said the landslide also fell on people shopping at a market. He gave a death toll of 11, with seven seriously injured survivors and more than 60 people still missing. Poor urban planning and weak infrastructure across the Congo make communities more vulnerable to extreme rainfall, which is becoming more intense and frequent in Africa due to warming temperatures, according to climate experts.

Islamabad — Pakistan will host high-level meetings with Saudi Arabia on Monday and Tuesday to enhance economic and energy cooperation between the two allied nations.  Officials said that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan will lead his delegation, which will include officials from the ministries of water and agriculture, energy, investment and industry and mineral resources. “This visit is aimed at lending positive impetus to enhanced bilateral cooperation and mutually rewarding economic partnerships,” according to a Pakistani foreign ministry statement.  The visit comes more than a week after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif traveled to Saudi Arabia for wide-ranging bilateral talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.  A joint statement issued after the visit said that both leaders had “affirmed their commitment to expediting the first wave of the investment package worth $5 billion, which was discussed previously.”  Sunday’s Pakistani statement said that the talks with the Saudi delegation are scheduled “essentially to follow up on the understanding reached” during Sharif’s meeting with the Saudi crown prince on April 7. Cash-strapped Pakistan is seeking Saudi investments to strengthen its current account deficit. Additionally, it must signal to the International Monetary Fund that Islamabad can meet the foreign financing requirements, which have been a key demand from the global lender in previous bailout programs. Critics remain skeptical about official claims of imminent Saudi investments resulting from this week’s talks between the two countries. They say various figures for Saudi investments have been officially cited several times in recent years, but nothing has materialized to date. Middle East tensions Analysts predict that escalating tensions in the Middle East will be a key topic of discussion in the talks between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which shares a 900-kilometer (559-mile) border with Iran.  Israel announced Sunday that Iran launched 320 warheads against it in “an unprecedented attack” but that its air defenses, along with those of the United States and other supportive countries, shot down 99% of them. The Iranian attack was a response to a suspected Israeli strike on Tehran’s embassy in Damascus two weeks ago.  The meetings between Pakistani and Saudi officials “likely originally envisaged to focus on economic and energy cooperation will take on a decidedly more geopolitical focus,” Michael Kugelman, the director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Pakistan said Sunday it was watching with “deep concern” the developments in the Middle East.  “Today’s developments demonstrate the consequences of the breakdown of diplomacy. … It is now critically urgent to stabilize the situation and restore peace. We call on all parties to exercise utmost restraint and move towards de-escalation,” a foreign ministry statement said in Islamabad.