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The American star was even more aware of the potential risks of training courses when she resumed skiing a few weeks after her harrowing crash last year.

In a giant slalom race at the World Cup, Shiffrin suffered severe injuries to her abdominal muscles and a puncture wound to her abdomen. The two-time Olympian knew that competing in training could also be a risky.

Not more, perhaps.

In a recent interview, Shiffrin said, “When I came back from injury, I was aware of the fencing on the side, a hole in the course, and where the trees were.”

The only way to train is to practice, which is the only way to do it, according to the statement, “We frequently train in conditions where the variables are just too many to control, and you have to decide occasionally: Is this unreasonably dangerous, or is this within a reasonable level of danger that we need to train, we need to practice, and this is how we can do it.”

Similar experiences were shared by French skier Alexis Pinturault.

The 2021 men’s overall World Cup champion said, “We are training in many places where it’s not really safe, yes, that’s 100% sure.”

When World Cup racer Matteo Franzoso died following a crash in preseason training in Chile, the ongoing safety debates in Alpine skiing came into sharp focus in September, less than five months before the Olympics in Milan Cortina, Italy.

The 25-year-old Italian slammed into a wooden fence 6-7 meters (20-23 feet) outside the course after smashing through two layers of safety fencing on a course in La Parva. He succumbed to cranial trauma and subsequent brain swelling two days later.

A talented French skier died after a training crash in April, making Franzoso the third young Italian skier to pass away in less than a year.

Are skiing’s risks life-threatening?

When Shiffrin returned to skiing after suffering an injury, she dealt with persistent post-traumatic stress disorder.

She resumed racing in late February, almost three months after her crash.

You start to overlook some of the risks that are actually life-threatening, according to Shiffrin, “because athletes and coaches and everybody are so used to saying that the sport has an inherent risk.”

I struggled with this because I was so afraid of the risk the entire season. You become paralyzed if you give it too much thought. However, it’s crucial to be able to determine what those risks are and find ways to minimize them as much as possible. It’s inappropriate to say that risk is inherent in the sport and that players should either accept or reject it.

Training courses typically lack the same safety standards as race courses for financial reasons.

Less safety netting is placed along the course to prevent falls when racers crash, and fewer medical staff and equipment, like helicopters for immediate transport to a hospital, are available.

The risk is present every time, according to Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill champion from Italy, who described ski racing as “an extreme sport” and said that because the speed is 80-90km/h [50-56mph] at a high level, it’s like F1 or MotoGP in downhill, super-G, but also giant slalom.

Are teams better off using more nets in preparation for the Winter Olympics?

Courses are safer in races thanks to numerous nets, Goggia claims. However, she did point out that adding more nets won’t solve the training course problems.

Before skiers can descend steeply in the early morning hours when there is overnight snowfall, safety netting should be removed, the slope cleaned of fresh snow, and the netting removed.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the local organisers are clear about how to handle this on a race day, but who is in charge during a preseason training camp?

For Goggia, it would be wrong to criticize only the team coaches because they cannot be held accountable “because a coach only teaches you how to ski.”

She recalls Franzoso’s accident in September, when three teams from Austria, Switzerland, and Italy were practicing there.

Goggia said, “I don’t believe they didn’t realize the danger.” However, there must be a completely different organization if you want to make the training slope the equivalent of the World Cup slope. We can do more, of course. But ultimately, who accomplishes it? Who wants to make a million euros of investments?

Will ski safety issues be resolved with specialized training courses?

The Italian Winter Sports Federation requested that FIS establish dedicated training facilities with safety netting similar to those used for World Cup races in countries like Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand following the tragic Franzoso accident.

FIS President Johan Eliasch stated that the organization was working to “prevent as much as possible horrible accidents happen” just before the World Cup season-opening races in Austria last weekend.

FIS collaborated with local organizers and national federations to improve safety, including setting up a race calendar that allows skiers to rest more, having more medical personnel on the ground, and using more netting to better prepare the course’s snow surface.

When training runs at speed, ensure that the safety standards are the same as they would be on the big race day, Eliasch said.

However, Austria’s women’s team coach Roland Assinger said that might be too ambitious.

Assinger, a former World Cup downhiller, said, “A risk will always remain, but we coaches try to minimize it.”

The world’s safest training program, “Copper Mountain,” is located in Colorado, USA, with countless B nets and A netting from top to bottom. Because it’s financially impossible to invest those millions, South America also has a lot of B nets, but not at the same level.

Prior to Franzoso’s passing, the Austrian federation began shipping additional safety nets to their overseas training camps.

Was it sufficient? It was a first step, Ski Austria’s general secretary Christian Scherer said. However, the national federations must work together.

Scherer argued that ski resorts in the area should be in charge of organizing safer training programs.

Who pays for the Olympic and FIS upgrades to winter sports safety?

That is the inquiry. According to Eliasch, FIS has distributed “nearly 100 million]euros, $117 billion]” to its member federations over the past four years, “so that they have the resources.”

Eliasch added that Austria and Switzerland, two of the world’s leaders, “have so much money” that they could put more money into training course security.

This can be challenging for a smaller [federation]. We do intervene and provide, Eliasch said.

Former world champion in downhill and super-G, Austrian speed specialist Vincent Kriechmayr hoped “that the big federations would cooperate and coordinate a little bit better in areas where all nations train.”

Assinger referred to some locations that FIS believes should support in-season training camps as “certainly a good idea.”

An airplane that crashed on Tuesday while traveling to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kwale, Kenya, is visible in surveillance footage. The aviation disaster involved the pilot and ten tourists traveling together. Unknown is the cause of the collision.

14 people were killed and one of the survivors were killed in the three additional attacks on boats alleged to have been involved in illegal narcotic trafficking in the waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean, according to the United States.

In a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday morning, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth described the strikes as a “national security measure.”

“Over the past two decades, the Department has defended other countries. We are now defending our rights, Hegseth wrote.

However, the bombing campaign has been criticized as a form of extrajudicial killing and a global law violation.

Hegseth explained in his post that all three airstrikes occurred on Monday. One missile struck two boats as they were floating, causing both to become engulfed in flames in the accompanying video.

At the time of the initial strike, eight men were aboard the pair of ships. A second attack hit a boat with three people and a small boat with four men in it.

Which of the three attacks had a survivor in the first instance was unknown. Hegseth did point out that Mexican authorities were directing search-and-rescue missions.

No one of the victims was identified, and no evidence was presented to the public to refute the claims of drug trafficking.

increasing attacks

The first time multiple strikes were announced in a single day was with the string of attacks on Monday.

A survivor has also been confirmed for the second time since September 2 when the bombing campaign first commenced.

Two survivors, both of whom were repatriated to their home countries on October 16, were reportedly left by another strike.

One, named Andres Fernando Tufino, was unarmed and released in Ecuador. Jeison Obando Perez, the other, is still in a Colombian hospital.

The total number of deaths that have been reported from Monday’s strikes is 57. 14 maritime vessels were targeted, the majority of them small boats, in the course of the two-month-long campaign, which included at least 13 airstrikes.

However, it seems as though the attacks are moving faster. The US announced 10 additional attacks this month after bombing three vessels in September.

Six attacks occurred in the last week, including those on October 21, October 22, and overnight on October 24 due to the string of attacks that occurred on Monday.

The recent bombing campaign is necessary, according to US President Donald Trump’s administration, to stop illegal drugs from entering US soil.

However, international experts and human rights organizations have warned that missile attacks are against international law, including the UN Charter.

Non-combatants can typically not be used lethal military force against them outside of a conflict. Additionally, critics have criticized the decision to bomb the boats’ intended US destinations.

This month, Miroslav Jenca, the UN’s assistant secretary-general for the Americas, addressed the UN Security Council, “We continue to emphasize the necessity for all efforts to combat transnational organized crime to be conducted in accordance with international law.”

However, the Trump administration has started referring to drug cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations” in Latin America.

In a “non-international armed conflict,” the US president wrote a memo to Congress in September, claiming that he thought drug dealers were “unlawful combatants.”

However, legal experts have doubted that justification because drug trafficking is viewed as a criminal offense rather than a violent act.

US Congress tenses

Trump’s campaign to bomb the United States and the US military’s expansion in the Caribbean Sea have also raised domestic legal concerns.

The US Constitution’s Article 1 gives Congress exclusive authority to declare war.

The president has been given executive authority to engage in in-depth military combat, but the War Powers Resolution Act of 1973 mandates that Congress receive a report on those actions within 48 hours. Additionally, it restricts the scope and duration of such actions without congressional approval.

Critics worry that the Trump administration will soon start launching more military operations in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific, as well as along Venezuela’s and Colombia’s coasts.

Trump has asserted on numerous occasions that launching such attacks requires no authorization from the Congress.

“I don’t believe we’ll have to request a declaration of war.” I believe that we will simply murder those who enter our nation with drugs. OK? On October 23, he declared to a reporter that we would kill them.

The Caribbean and Pacific airstrikes coincide with the region’s growing military presence.

The Pentagon made the announcement last week that it would send the USS Gerald R Ford carrier group, which will include naval destroyers and an air wing, to South American waters.

On Capitol Hill, Trump’s actions have sparked bipartisan concern. For instance, Kentucky’s Republican Senator Rand Paul has repeatedly referred to the military strikes as “extrajudicial killings.”

Democratic Senator Mark Kelly claimed in an interview with the ABC News program This Week on Sunday that the Trump administration had not adequately justified the strikes.

“This is legal, but the White House and the Department of Defense were unable to provide a logical explanation.” They were trying to explain this in vain, he claimed.

Kelly acknowledged that the White House had some evidence of drug trafficking, but he argued that it was insufficient and did not cover all deadly boat bombings.

He claimed that “we were given some evidence that does not support the narrative the White House is telling to the American people.”

The recent wave of boat strikes have been confined to the US Congress’s limited efforts so far.

For instance, Democratic Rep. Jason Crow introduced a resolution that needed congressional approval in September.

However, it has not yet been put to a vote on the resolution. A similar attempt earlier this month that would have required Congress’s consent to continue strikes was rejected by the Senate.

Without the consent of Congress, President Trump is not able to launch military strikes in the Caribbean or anywhere else.

Foreign policy expert Matthew C. Waxman wrote for the Council on Foreign Relations this month to remind them that the US has not yet taken a decisive course to stop the bombing campaign.

In an article published on October 15th, Waxman wrote that lawmakers are still facing a backlash against the Trump administration because “Congress continues to be the most crucial check on the president.”

As Zuwena Mohamed, a singer alias Shilole, took to the stage wearing the governing Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party’s emblematic green on a hot September day in Dodoma, Tanzania’s capital, chants and drumbeats filled Jamhuri Stadium.

The 37-year-old posted photos and videos to her 11 million Instagram followers, telling them, “We are seeking votes for our candidate, Mama Samia Suluhu Hassan — our mother,” adding: “We are seeking votes for our candidate, our mother, with all our effort and commitment.”

Her account, which features a profile picture of the president as well as pro-government content, goes beyond simple celebrity support. As Tanzania prepares to vote on October 29th, it represents a significant chapter in the digital battle that is raging.

However, those who believe the election was rigged in favor of the ruling party are using social media platforms as platforms for dissent. In order to avoid being retaliated by the government, many people use anonymous accounts or pseudonyms.

Debates post their online content.

In the nation of 69 million people who registered to vote, there are more than 37 million. However, the primary is currently being challenged by President Hassan’s CCM, Africa’s second-longest-governing party, and its main opposition, Luhaga Mpina, who is the main candidate for president.

Tundu Lissu, the Chadema’s leader, was detained in April and is currently facing treason charges.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International have claimed that the exclusions are a result of a wider crackdown on dissent through harassment, kidnapping, and censorship. This has been refuted by the government (PDF). Government spokesman Gerson Msigwa refuted a September HRW report, saying that concerns about political parties’ ability to participate in political processes ahead of the general election are “unfounded and misleading.” According to Msigwa, the government is “major” concerned about abductions and that it is “committed to human rights, good governance, and fair elections.

Political debates have increasingly taken place online, according to Abel Kinyondo, a political researcher at the University of Dar-es-Salaam, as many Tanzanians fear speaking openly due to potential government reprisals.

He told Al Jazeera, “If you stop people from speaking openly, they will go online where they can hide their identities and be free to say things they wouldn’t dare to do in public.”

“Losing hope,”

TikTok has gained a lot of popularity as a platform for political opinions in a nation with more than 49 million internet users and a majority of the population who is under 18 for the first time.

This week, a TikTok user discovered a page with the hashtag #MO29, which refers to a planned election-day protest. Another joke included the president receiving an award for “best leadership in the water sector”: Tanzania has recently experienced water shortage issues that have caused frequent water shortages.

Human rights activist Ananilea Nkya, who previously worked on X, said on Monday, “I have never seen so many citizens losing hope about the fate of their lives as this year.”

Tanzanians from other countries have also voiced their opposition to the upcoming election by expressing their opposition.

Mange Kimambi, a US-based activist with 2.4 million Instagram followers, has urged Tanzanians to protest on election day, claiming that the electoral commission should have been overhauled.

Tanzanians who are urging one another to join the planned demonstration have shared their calls for protest in large numbers on social media platforms throughout the nation.

The electoral commission has warned that discouraging citizens from voting may constitute a criminal offence, according to local media, without specifically mentioning Kimambi.

In a radio interview, deputy police commissioner David Misime compared the calls for protests on social media platforms to the ability of the authorities to track online activity, noting that even those who create fake accounts can hide.

control over the digital landscape

CCM supporters, like former Miss Tanzania Faraja Nyalandu, are actively campaigning online for the party’s reelection. In a recent Instagram video, Nyalandu described President Hassan as “a compassionate leader who truly works for the people.”

According to Imani Masiga, the party’s digital head, “young people support CCM because of the president’s efforts to empower youth,” adding that influencers are not compensated for their support.

He acknowledged that some famous people may receive “transport or accommodation” at campaign events, but he argued that the majority of them voluntarily participate in rallies.

He added that CCM didn’t restrict online content.

Criticization is present. We can’t expect everyone to back the president, which Masiga said. You’ll find that critics are still active and free if you follow social media closely. We take criticism seriously when it is constructive.

However, Tech &amp, Media Convergence (TMC), a local digital rights organization, is making every effort to protect information online.

In a report (PDF) released this month, TMC stated that there was “a systematic and intensifying campaign by state authorities to control the pre-electoral information environment. “The digital landscape, which once held the promise of expanding civic participation, is now increasingly viewed as a site of increased state control.

Since May, there have been network disruptions for YouTube and government accounts that have been hacked. The government gave no details on how “online patrols” would operate, but in August the government ordered police to conduct “online patrols” to track down those who “achieve disruption to the peace,” according to local media.

The popular Tanzanian social networking site JamiiForums was suspended by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority for 90 days for posts that “disrespected” the president and the government, according to a statement (PDF) released in September.

According to TMC’s report, the government’s crackdown on social and digital platforms is a result of “increasing online censorship, surveillance, and regulatory pressure that threaten the integrity of the electoral process.”

This is not a series of singular incidents; rather, it is a deliberate effort to manage public discourse, silence dissention, and shrink civic space.

TMC has warned that state-driven narratives can fill the information gap left by silencing independent voices and platforms. According to its report, that eroded pluralism is a possibility that voter apathy will increase.

Today, very few people speak out loudly. According to local media, one who did was Humphrey Polepole, a former CCM insider, who accused the party of conducting a rigged election and claimed the electoral commission had been politically compromised.

He was reportedly abducted from his Dar-es-Salaam home on October 6 shortly after making his allegations public on YouTube and Instagram. According to the police, investigations are raging.

Police patrols have increased on the streets of several cities in recent weeks, a sign that there is increased security in advance of possible demonstrations and elections.

stakes are higher than the screen.

Analysts like Kinyondo urged CCM to concentrate on fulfilling its promises, including promoting better access to healthcare, education, water, electricity, and housing, rather than controlling online narratives.

The most populous country in the East African region, Tanzania, has significant potential for sustainable and inclusive growth, according to the World Bank, given its strategic location and abundance of natural resources.

However, the pace of economic development has slowed, and nearly half the world’s population still resides below the $3 per day poverty line.

It’s like fighting a pig in the mud, Kinyondo said, “You can’t win that battle if CCM starts competing with social media users to produce propaganda.”

“CCM should concentrate on implementing its manifesto and fulfilling its promises, while the opposition should concentrate on opposing.”