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Fantasy plays: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 13The National Audiovisual Council (CNA) is notifying the European Commission about the activity of the TikTok platform, given that despite its pledge to stay clear of political advertising, the social media app has allowed independent candidate Calin Georgescu to campaign. "We are referring to the design or functioning of services, such as TikTok, including algorithmic systems and the ways they are used. We are of the opinion that TikTok algorithms have been obviously enhanced with content favorable to a certain candidate, generating imbalance in the electoral competition and endangering political pluralism. All this while the TikTok platform itself undertakes, through its own rules, not to favor politics and not to promote political content, much less a funded one. Or the questionable issues the Central Electoral Bureau has also decided to look into, related to the fact that the candidate did not declare any expenses, raise more than serious question marks," CNA member Valentin Jucan declared on broadcaster Digi 24. The CNA is requesting the European Commission, specifically the Directorate General for Communication Networks, Content and Technology, to initiate an official investigation into the TikTok platform's latest activity in Romania. "We are calling on the European Commission to ask TikTok to publish an assessment of the democratic risks related to its activity in Romania and to impose coercive measures and sanctions for all identified regulation violations. It is certain that, if the European Commission mechanisms find that our complaint is well-founded, the sanctions may be to the tune of a certain percentage of the company's global turnover," Jucan pointed out. He admitted that we will "probably" not have a result before the second round of the presidential election. "This means that all the institutions responsible for protecting democracy must set their own mechanisms in motion and convey to the society that we are really in the situation of turning towards Russia or remaining a free and pro-Western country," emphasized Jucan, who specified for AGERPRES that "the notification will be sent out in a few hours." CNA president Monica Gubernat declared in Tuesday's meeting that all social media platforms, such as TikTok, must report to the European Commission the measures they are taking to combat certain systemic risks. "I am referring to the systemic risks any platform must combat, and we should see what TikTok has done in this regard. All these platforms must report to the European Commission the measures they are taking to counter these systemic risks. At this moment, I consider that we have a systemic risk regarding unassumed political advertising, despite TikTok having pledged to steer clear of political advertising. And I would ask you to also refer in this notification to the Central Electoral Bureau's decision to ban Mr. Calin Georgescu's materials. Also, we should get in touch with Expert Forum specialists, because they too have done some analyses that I would like to attach, provided, of course, that they also agree," Monica Gubernat pointed out.

Medical technology startup Prodancy raises fundsAmazon is doubling its investment in Anthropic to $8 billion in a deepened collaboration on artificial intelligence, the companies said Friday. The e-commerce and technology behemoth will remain a minority investor in Anthropic, having pumped an initial $4 billion into the artificial intelligence developer late last year and becoming its primary cloud computing provider. "The response from AWS customers who are developing generative AI applications powered by Anthropic in Amazon Bedrock has been remarkable," said Matt Garman, chief of AWS cloud computing division. "We'll keep pushing the boundaries of what customers can achieve with generative AI technologies." Amazon is investing the additional $4 billion in Anthropic as part of an expanded alliance that includes working together on "Trainium" hardware to optimize machine learning, according to the companies. "We're looking forward to working with Amazon to train and power our most advanced AI models using AWS Trainium, and helping to unlock the full potential of their technology," said Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei. The announcement came just days after Britain's competition regulator cleared Google-parent Alphabet's investment in Anthropic, following a probe. The Competition and Markets Authority concluded that the big tech giant had not acquired "material influence" over Anthropic as a result of the deal, which was reported to have cost $2 billion. The British regulator is one of several global regulators concerned with reining in big tech companies and their partnerships with AI firms. In September, the CMA cleared Amazon's initial investment in Anthropic, saying it did not believe that "a relevant merger situation has been created." gc/mlm

Face morphing spoof attacks against biometric systems are particularly challenging for border systems to detect, and as morph attack detection systems are developed, questions have arisen about how to test such systems, and how they are affected by the quality of the images used. Progress has been made towards answers to both questions. The iMARS (image manipulation attack resolving solutions) project held an event in Brussels and online to explore the theme “ .” An iMARS workshop earlier this year shared some progress, but also the sobering news that . Two of the afternoon presentations for the event on Thursday were delivered by Christophe Busch and Matteo Ferrara of the University of Bologna. Researchers with the University of Bologna have developed an evaluation platform for MAD systems, the (BOEP), presented earlier this year in an EAB Lunch Talk. Ferrara presented the benchmarks evaluated by the BOEP for iMARS. Thes systems are divided into single-image morph attack detection (SMAD) and differential morph attack detection (DMAD). So far, six iMARS partners have submitted a total of 34 SMAD algorithms. The target BPCER of below 8 percent set by the iMARS project has been achieved in all SMAD benchmarks, Ferrara says, with a morph attack classification error rate (MACER) at or below 10 percent. For DMAD, 4 iMARS partners submitted 10 algorithms. The key performance indicator in this case is BPCER of 6 percent or lower at MACER under 10 percent, and was likewise met in all benchmarks. Ferrara also reviewed the differences between NIST’s FATE MORPH and BOEP. Busch discussed the importance of being able to assess biometric sample quality to the iMars project. Large scale databases and diverse applications scenarios increase the importance of considering image quality. This helps to avoid false positives, but is also essential for interoperability. This is particular important given the many contributors to the program. They have “many different capture sites with different technology, with different levels of training,” Busch points out. A standardized concept of what is good and what is not is the motivating concept behind the development of the face image quality assessment (FIQA). These algorithms help to predict the recognition performance that can be expected, as well as assisting with the detection of morphed images. The EES system is set up with the ISO/IEC 19794-5 in mind, so that provides some requirements, and the , which OFIQ (Open Source Face Image Quality) is a reference implementation for, provides measurements for them. They must be applied to pre-enrolled reference images, live-enrolled reference images, like at an EES kiosk, and probe images, such as from a biometric automated border control gate. The unified quality score (UQS) specified by ISO/IEC 29794-1 provides the overall assessment, and defect measurement provides explainability. OFIQ software provides 28 quality measures, starting with the unified quality score, covering capture device and subject variables. Numerous algorithms have been proposed, and the iMARS project determined three criteria for assessing the proposals: accuracy, low computational complexity and the liberality of the license. Images with OFIQ-UQS above a certain threshold, perhaps around 70, will be useful enough to store and use. The success of the metric is shown in the performance improvements seen in matching performance as low-quality images are discarded, Busch explains, providing an answer to one of the central questions of the iMARS project; “How can we measure the impact of face image quality on biometric recognition performance.” Busch reviewed the quality components that go into the unified score, and how they are measured based on the position of facial landmarks and other observable characteristics. Expression neutrality has proved relatively complex, but not impossible to measure. Research published in September shows that a positive correlation between images assessed as high-quality and success in morphing attack detection (MAD). Future work will focus on demographic variability and adding missing quality components, such as motion blurring. | | | | | |Refinery upgrades crucial to overcome sector challenges: report A general view shows an oil refinery. — Reuters/File KARACHI: Refinery upgrade projects are essential to alleviate persistent challenges in the sector, which continue to heighten business risks in the absence of modernisation initiatives, says a report by the Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (Pacra). googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); The approval and implementation of refinery policies are critical for the sector’s growth, as these measures would not only enhance gross refining margins (GRMs) but also provide much-needed tax relief to the struggling industry. GRM, a key indicator of a refinery’s operational efficiency, represents the difference between total revenue from refined product sales and the cost of crude oil. Higher GRMs indicate greater value addition per barrel of crude processed, underscoring the importance of policy support to achieve operational improvements. The government is also exploring collaboration with Saudi Arabia to establish a new greenfield refinery. This facility, capable of producing hydrocarbons and renewables, would significantly bolster Pakistan’s refining capacity and align the country with global energy consumption trends, according to industry insights. Although local petroleum product production increased by 7.7 per cent year-on-year in FY24, revenue per metric tonne (MT) of refined products grew by 27.6 per cent, a slowdown compared to the 44 per cent growth recorded in FY23. Local refineries, constrained by outdated hydro-skimming technology, have faced reduced refining margins. Between CY2017 and CY2022, the average refining margin stood at 23 per cent, significantly lower than refineries equipped with advanced deep-conversion technologies like cracking and coking. To address these inefficiencies, the government has mandated all refineries to transition from hydro-skimming to deep-conversion technologies under the Brownfield Policy. This upgrade must be completed within six years from August 2023. Refineries are currently engaging with the government for further policy clarity and have expressed willingness to expand operations. The Petroleum Division has required refineries to align their production processes with Euro-V specifications within the stipulated six-year period. To support this transition, the government has offered incentives and tariff protections a minimum customs duty of 10 per cent on imported motor gasoline and high-speed diesel for six years from the policy’s notification date; customs duties exceeding 10 per cent will be deposited into the Inland Freight Equalization Margin (IFEM) pool, while duties on crude oil will be reimbursed to refineries via IFEM; and a 10 per cent tariff protection (deemed duty) will be applicable to the ex-refinery price of motor gasoline and diesel for six years from the policy notification date. These measures aim to modernise the refining sector, improve operational efficiency, and enhance the country’sTORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 21, 2024-- Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) confirmed that HawkEye 360 Cluster 11 has been successfully launched and deployed in orbit. The three-satellite Cluster is the fourth integrated by HawkEye 360 at its Virginia facility under the SFL Flex Production Program. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221327651/en/ HawkEye 360 Cluster 11 satellite undergoing vibration testing at its facility in Virginia. (Photo credit: HawkEye 360) Cluster 11 launched into a sun-synchronous orbit on December 21, 2024, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, aboard the SpaceX Bandwagon-2 mission. Ground control has established communications with the three satellites. The launch brings to 33 the total number of satellites developed for HawkEye 360 by SFL. HawkEye 360, headquartered in Herndon, VA., selected SFL to develop its radio frequency (RF) detection Clusters due to the importance of attitude control and formation flying by multiple spacecraft for accurate RF signal geolocation. Since launching the Pathfinder (Cluster 1) satellites in 2018, HawkEye 360 has cemented its position as the global leader in space-based RF data and analytics for GEOINT and Electronic Intelligence (ELINT). SFL introduced the Flex Production program to support the ambitious business models of NewSpace companies. It gives customers the option of contracting SFL to develop the first satellite, or cluster, at its Toronto facility. SFL can then assist the customer in setting up subsequent mass production at their own, or third-party, site. However, development can shift back to SFL when a new spacecraft design or technology update is requested. “Flex Production enables NewSpace companies the opportunity to leverage SFL’s Microspace expertise while satisfying the aggressive financial requirements of their business models,” said SFL Director Dr. Robert E. Zee. For HawkEye 360 Pathfinder, Clusters 2-6 and 9, SFL handled the entire development process including integration and testing at its Toronto facility. SFL is currently developing Cluster 12 with technology updates in Canada as well. HawkEye 360 conducted integration of the RF signal detection payload with the 30-kg SFL DEFIANT bus for Clusters 7, 8, 10, and 11 at its Virginia plant with technical guidance from SFL. Cluster 13 is now undergoing integration in Virginia. Established in 1998, SFL has developed 82 operationally successful smaller satellite missions totaling more than 350 cumulative years in orbit. Another 27 missions are now under development by SFL, which offers a complete suite of nano-, micro- and small satellites – including high-performance, low-cost CubeSats – that satisfy the needs of a broad range of mission types from 3 to 500 kilograms. For a comprehensive list of SFL high-performance satellite platforms, please visit https://www.utias-sfl.net/satellite-platforms/overview/ . About Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) ( www.utias-sfl.net ) SFL generates bigger returns from smaller, lower cost satellites. Small satellites built by SFL consistently push the performance envelope and disrupt the traditional cost paradigm. We build quality small satellites at low cost that work the first time and enable NewSpace companies to mass produce through our Flex Production program. Satellites are built with advanced power systems, stringent attitude control and high-volume data capacity that are striking relative to the budget. SFL arranges launches globally and maintains a mission control center accessing ground stations worldwide. The pioneering and barrier-breaking work of SFL is a key enabler to tomorrow’s cost-aggressive satellites and constellations. ( www.utias-sfl.net ) About HawkEye 360 HawkEye 360, headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, leads in defense technology, offering insights into human activity and situational trends from revolutionary radio frequency (RF) geospatial data. Its innovative space-based technology detects, characterizes, and geolocates RF signals, providing an information advantage. These analytics enable analysts to detect irregular behavior, trace suspicious activity, and reveal ships attempting to vanish, offering early warnings to drive tip-and-cue efforts and empowering global leaders with critical insights for confident decision-making. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221327651/en/ CONTACT: Dr. Robert E. Zee SFL Director 1-416-667-7400 info@utias-sfl.netFollow SFL Twitter X @SFL_SmallerSats Instagram at sfl.smallersats KEYWORD: NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MOBILE/WIRELESS NETWORKS HARDWARE TECHNOLOGY DEFENSE SATELLITE GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY AUDIO/VIDEO AIR TRANSPORT AEROSPACE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MANUFACTURING SOURCE: Space Flight Laboratory Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/21/2024 01:57 PM/DISC: 12/21/2024 01:58 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221327651/en

SOMERVILLE, N.J. , Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Specified Technologies Inc. has announced their latest Firestop Clash Management (FCM) and Firestop Locator (FSL) releases. FCM automates the process of locating and assigning firestop solutions to conditions within Autodesk ® Revit ® , enabling firestop novices to find firestop solutions like a firestop expert. In this latest release, STI has further expanded the capabilities of FCM by integrating it with their firestop documentation and compliance tool, Firestop Locator (FSL). FSL enables contractors and facilities' teams to document the status, location, and products used for any and all fire life safety services across a building. In the latest update for FSL, teams can now create custom items to track any service on their project beyond the base six (Penetration, Joint, Extinguisher, Door, Damper, and Barrier). Teams can also modify the base six items to include project specific inspection and maintenance requirements and any other details that they would like to be tracked. With this new integration, decisions made during the design phase of a building using FCM are seamlessly passed into FSL during the construction phase, giving implementation teams a jump start on work to be done. This integration also improves data integrity and eliminates the guesswork in the field of determining what firestop systems and products are to be used where. "We're proud of the latest releases of FCM and FSL and look forward to continuing to support the fire life safety community," says Justin Pine, Sr. Manager of Software & Services. Specified Technologies Inc. promotes life and building safety by developing innovative fire protection systems and accompanying digital tools that help stop the spread of fire, smoke, and hot gases. Our SpecSeal® and EZ Path® product lines are engineered for easy installation and deliver powerful performance, often resulting in lower installed costs. Since firestopping is our only business, we concentrate all our resources on providing the highest quality, fully tested, innovative firestopping solutions. Contact: Jess Bern ; jbern@stifirestop.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/specified-technologies-inc-unveils-firestop-clash-management-and-locator-updates-302314629.html SOURCE Specified Technologies, Inc.Caprock Group LLC lifted its stake in Packaging Co. of America ( NYSE:PKG – Free Report ) by 2.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,465 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after buying an additional 63 shares during the quarter. Caprock Group LLC’s holdings in Packaging Co. of America were worth $534,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Boston Partners lifted its holdings in Packaging Co. of America by 49.3% during the first quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,446,303 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $274,421,000 after purchasing an additional 477,487 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC raised its position in shares of Packaging Co. of America by 34.3% during the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 1,027,585 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $187,596,000 after purchasing an additional 262,315 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Packaging Co. of America by 164.3% during the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 401,360 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $73,272,000 after buying an additional 249,483 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Packaging Co. of America by 41,151.7% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 155,519 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,499,000 after buying an additional 155,142 shares during the period. Finally, Mizuho Securities USA LLC increased its stake in Packaging Co. of America by 1,800.2% in the 3rd quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC now owns 130,583 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $28,128,000 after buying an additional 123,711 shares in the last quarter. 89.78% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Packaging Co. of America Stock Up 0.5 % Shares of PKG opened at $246.43 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 2.95 and a quick ratio of 1.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $22.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.35 and a beta of 0.76. Packaging Co. of America has a 1 year low of $153.58 and a 1 year high of $248.62. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $224.82 and its 200-day simple moving average is $202.27. Packaging Co. of America Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 15th were given a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 16th. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.03%. Packaging Co. of America’s dividend payout ratio is currently 58.28%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, SVP Donald R. Shirley sold 8,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $240.20, for a total transaction of $1,921,600.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 15,725 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,777,145. The trade was a 33.72 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Also, CFO Robert P. Mundy sold 12,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $240.62, for a total value of $3,007,750.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 43,954 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,576,211.48. This represents a 22.14 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold 31,000 shares of company stock valued at $7,500,905 over the last ninety days. 1.60% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets PKG has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Citigroup boosted their price objective on Packaging Co. of America from $199.00 to $221.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Packaging Co. of America from $235.00 to $253.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Truist Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $252.00 price objective (up previously from $242.00) on shares of Packaging Co. of America in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Packaging Co. of America from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $221.60. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on PKG Packaging Co. of America Profile ( Free Report ) Packaging Corporation of America manufactures and sells containerboard and corrugated packaging products in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Packaging, Paper, and Corporate and Other. The Packaging segment offers various containerboard and corrugated packaging products, such as conventional shipping containers used to protect and transport manufactured goods; multi-color boxes and displays that help to merchandise the packaged product in retail locations; and honeycomb protective packaging products, as well as packaging for meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, processed food, beverages, and other industrial and consumer products. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PKG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Packaging Co. of America ( NYSE:PKG – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Packaging Co. of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Packaging Co. of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Breakout stocks to buy or sell: The Indian stock market continued to trade sideways throughout the week as the Nifty 50 index failed to break above the 200-DEMA hurdle, which was placed at 23,850. The 50-stock index closed 82 points north at 23,832 on Friday; the BSE Sensex finished 259 points up at 78,732, while the Bank Nifty index ended 162 points higher at 51,333 on the last trade session of the truncated week. Subdued movement continues in the Mid-cap and Small-cap indices, whereas the Nifty Mid-cap 100 Index fell by 0.26% while the Nifty Small-cap Index gained 0.15%. Declining shares outnumbered the advancing shares for the eighth day on the trot, where the advance-decline ratio stood at 0.96 on BSE. Amongst the sectoral indices, Nifty Pharma, Auto, and Healthcare gained the most, while Nifty Metal, PSU Banks, and OIL/GAS were significant losers. Sumeet Bagadia's breakout stock recommendations Sumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking, believes that the overall Indian stock market sentiment is range-bound as the Nifty 50 index has failed to break above the 200-DEMA hurdle, which was placed at 23,850. The Choice Broking expert said the 50-stock index has made immediate support at 23,500, whereas the crucial support for the frontline index is at 23,250. He noted that the current range of the Nifty 50 index is 23,200 to 23,850, and a bullish or bearish trend can be assumed on the breakage of either side of the range. Bagadia suggested investors look at those stocks that look strong on the technical chart. Speaking on the outlook for the Indian stock market today , Sumeet Bagadia said, "Overall, India's stock market bias is sideways to positive as the Nifty 50 index has failed to break above the 200-DEMA hurdle, which places at the the23,850 mark. The 50-stock index has immediate support placed at 23,500 and crucial support at 23,250. So, the frontline index of Dalal Street is trading in a broader range of 23,250 to 23,850 range. A bullish or bearish trend can be assumed on the breakage of either side of this range. So, one should look at stocks that look strong on the technical chart. Looking at breakout stocks for intraday trading can be a good option." Regarding breakout stocks to buy today , Sumeet Bagadia recommended buying these five shares: DCX Systems, Manaksia Coated Metals, Camlin Fine Sciences, Sikko Industries, and Le Travenues Technology (IXIGO). Stocks to buy today 1] DCX Systems: Buy at ₹ 355.60, target ₹ 380, stop loss ₹ 343; 2] Manaksia Coated Metals: Buy at ₹ 112, target ₹ 120, stop loss ₹ 108; 3] Camlin Fine Sciences: Buy at ₹ 132.25, target ₹ 142, stop loss ₹ 127; 4] Sikko Industries: Buy at ₹ 107.84, target ₹ 115, stop loss ₹ 104; and 5] IXIGO: Buy at ₹ 177.85, target ₹ 190, stop loss ₹ 171. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.Fantasy plays: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 13Dubai [UAE], November 26 (ANI/WAM) -- Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) participated in the Global Women's Forum, hosted by the Dubai Women Establishment from 26-27 November under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The forum themed 'The Power of Influence' saw extensive engagement from local, regional, and international organisations, alongside experts and specialists from diverse fields. Also Read | Blue Origin Forced To Remove Astronaut Emily Calandrelli's Space Video Amid Sexist and Misogynistic Backlash. Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Kalbat, CEO of the Rail Agency at RTA, spoke at a session titled 'Future Transport Trends Supporting Gender Balance', offering insights into innovative strategies for promoting inclusivity in transportation. The session addressed critical topics, including future transport trends and their role in fostering gender balance within the industry. Discussions emphasised the importance of women's involvement in shaping sustainable transport solutions and highlighted how innovation and technology can empower their participation. Key areas of focus included the challenges and opportunities for achieving diversity and inclusivity in the sector, as well as strategies to create a balanced work environment that supports both genders. Also Read | Bangladesh: Lawyer Killed in Chittagong After Clashes Over Hindu Priest Chinmoy Krishna Das’ Arrest, Muhammad Yunus Orders Probe. Participants explored the profound impact of women's contributions in enriching decision-making processes and fostering diverse perspectives in transport projects. The discussion also underscored the need to cultivate inclusive workplace environments that nurture the next generation of female leaders in the transport industry. Speakers examined the role of digital transformation and emerging technologies in promoting gender balance and identified actionable opportunities to advance supportive policies for women's participation in transport and infrastructure projects. Additionally, the session reviewed local and global trends in sustainable transport and the unique benefits these developments can offer to women in the sector. The Global Women's Forum Dubai (GWFD) provides a platform to explore new strategies for enhancing gender balance and raising women's participation in the economy and society worldwide. The transformative influence of technology across various fields is a key focus of the forum. Key themes at this year's edition include digital transformation, artificial intelligence, blockchain, Internet of Things, fintech, healthcare digitisation, entrepreneurship, and clean and sustainable energy solutions. (ANI/WAM) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.

After celebrating Christmas holidays in a Alibag, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan on Sunday returned to Mumbai with his family members including wife Gauri, daughter Suhana and son AbRam. The Khan family was spotted arriving at the Jetty, Gateway of India, in Mumbai. What captured everyone's attention was SRK lovingly holding his pet dog in his arms. Shah Rukh was seen donning a black oversized hoodie and cargo pants. He covered his face with the hoodie's cap. Gauri opted for a white shirt that she paired with a yellow blazer and black flared pants. Fans left in awe after seeing SRK with his "furry friend". View this post on Instagram A post shared by SRK VIBE (@_srkvibe2.0) In no time, fans flooded social media with SRK and his pet dog's visuals. "So cute," a social media user commented. "How adorable," another one wrote. Suhana's rumoured boyfriend and actor Agastya Nanda was also spotted with them. He looked uber cool in a black t-shirt paired with blue denim and a black cap. Suhana was seen wearing a black crop top and blue denims. She twinned with Agastya in a black cap. Meanwhile, on the work front, SRK in November attended the Global Freight Summit in Dubai, where he got candid about his personal and professional life. During the conversation with the moderator, SRK not only talked about his stardom but also shared how he dealt with failures. Urging people to introspect rather than dwell on their failures, he said, "When you fail, you should not believe that your product or service or job went wrong. Maybe you just misunderstood the ecosystem you were working in. You have to understand how people are reacting. If I cannot elicit an emotion from the people I cater to, then my product is not going to work how wonderful it may be." When asked if he is critical of his work sometimes, Shah Rukh candidly admitted, "Yes, I am. I hate feeling this way, and I cry a lot in my bathroom. I don't show it to anyone. You must believe that the world is not against you. If your film did go wrong, it's not because of you or some conspiracy. You have to accept that you made it badly, and then you have to move on." He also emphasised how one should be focused on learning how to move on from failures. "There are moments of despair but there are moments which say, 'shut up, get up and get on with it'. You have to do it because the world is not against you. You should not believe that things are going wrong only for you. Life moves on. Life does what it does. You cannot start blaming life for what it does," he added. After taking break from the films for over four years, SRK returned to the silver screen with Siddharth Anand's 'Pathaan' in January 2023. In the film, SRK donned an action avatar and left everyone in awe. The film broke several records at the box office and managed to grab a name in the list of one of the highest-grossing films in the Indian film industry. The film marked SRK's first hit after his sabbatical of four years post delivering a series of duds like 'Zero' and 'Jab Harry Met Sejal'. After 'Pathaan', King Khan returned to theatres in September with 'Jawan'. The film once again saw SRK in an action avatar. The film collected over Rs 1000 cr at the worldwide box office. 'Jawan' redefined box office success, captivating audiences with its gripping storyline and stellar performances, and rewriting record books along the way. In the coming months, SRK will be seen headlining 'King' film. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)Trump, Biden and Obama pay tribute to ‘public servant’ Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100

ATLANTA — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington. As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race, held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating their neighbors’ pets, he didn't just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris hold their fists in the air after she delivered a concession speech after the 2024 presidential election Nov. 6 on the campus of Howard University in Washington. “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris' loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. Supporters cheer during a community rally with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris on Oct. 27 in Philadelphia. AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women's concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people. Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,''' she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Where can Black women feel supported and flourish financially? When posed that question, Dr. Lori Martin, a professor of African and African American studies and sociology at Louisiana State University, had this to say: "A livable place for Black women is safe, and for women with children, it is home to schools where all students have access to an excellent education. It would also be diverse, with a visible and thriving Black community, including Black businesses." While the socioeconomic realities of our current time touch all corners of the country, there are pockets of the U.S. where the wealth gap narrows and Black women have more opportunities. MoneyGeek analyzed data on income, the cost of crime , homeownership , and poverty levels from 164 cities across the United States to rank the best — and worst — cities for Black women to live and financially flourish in. MoneyGeek ranked 164 cities with populations greater than 65,000 from the best to the worst for Black women. The ranking includes analysis of income, poverty rate, homeownership, educational attainment and health insurance gaps between Black women and the entire population nationally and locally. The size of the local Black population and the cost of crime in the area were included in the ranking to reflect the presence of the Black community and safety, respectively. Southfield — a suburb of Detroit — and Pearland — a Houston suburb — ranked as the top two cities in the analysis. Notably, Southern cities make up the majority of cities in the top 25, with 13 located in this region. In contrast, Minneapolis, Minnesota, ranked as the worst city for Black women. In Minneapolis, Black women face high poverty rates in absolute and relative terms and have low rates of health insurance coverage compared to the cities analyzed. Meanwhile, Miami ranks as the second least favorable city, with a significant local income gap — there, white men earn almost triple the income of Black women. Income disparity is a key measure of how well Black women are doing today. For each city in the analysis, we calculated the local Equal Pay Day — the day in the following year when Black women would make an equivalent amount as white men — using the median income of Black women working full time and the median income of white men working full time in each locality. In Carson, California, the median pay of Black women is higher than the median pay of white men. However, in Evanston, Illinois, Black women make just over a third of white men's earnings, meaning they would need to work until September 24, 2024, to earn the equivalent of a white man's 2022 pay. Economic challenges faced by Black women include restricted career advancement opportunities, insufficient health insurance, and inadequate retirement savings. Survey data from Goldman Sachs indicates that 42% of Black women perceive limited career growth opportunities compared to 35% of U.S. adults, and merely 43% are able to obtain health insurance through their employer, in contrast to 53% nationwide. Additionally, 71% of Black women feel they are living paycheck to paycheck, compared to 63% of the general population. The intersection of racial and gender bias contributes to these challenges, resulting in low-wage jobs and a considerable wealth gap. Our analysis validates this, demonstrating that Black women who work full-time, year-round, earn 64 cents for every dollar white men earn working full-time, year-round. Less access to economic opportunities puts Black women at a disadvantage in building wealth. The FDIC's National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households found that 11.3% of Black households were unbanked compared to just 2.1% of white households. Unbanked households are credit invisible — that is, they don't have a credit history and, therefore, can't build credit. Having no credit history makes it difficult to utilize credit cards to manage cash needs and mortgages to buy homes. Advocating for economic opportunities for Black women The struggle for economic equity remains a persistent challenge for Black women in America, who have historically faced systemic wage disparities and employment obstacles. However, there are tools and resources that can provide Black women with economic opportunities and empowerment. Dr. Ukanwa shares additional solutions, such as: 1. Invest in education: Research has already shown that degrees increase lifetime earnings, close some societal gaps, and increase job security. But if degrees are not your path, it also means continuing to build that knowledge and expertise in something you can be the best at. Figure out your expertise and what you bring to the table. 2. After building your expertise in a field, build your reputation and personal brand: With an excellent reputation and personal brand, people will start to seek you out rather than the other way around. This increases the worth of your expertise. 3. Find out what your expertise is worth: Educate yourself on how to negotiate . Negotiate to be paid what you are worth. 4. Get into the habit of ownership: Build your own equity, which decreases the dependence on someone else for your income. For example, this could be your own business, stocks , or real estate. To rank the best cities for Black women, MoneyGeek analyzed data from the American Community Survey , MoneyGeek's Safest Cities and Safest Small Cities and Towns studies, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The analysis started with over 500 places in America with populations of 65,000 or more. Places without granular data about Black women or lacking other data points for the analysis were removed to get to the final set of 164 cities. The ranking of the best cities for Black women was based on eight factors: safety, Black population, educational attainment, poverty rates, income, employment, health insurance, and homeownership. Each factor was weighted equally and scaled to a score between 0 and 1. The factors were calculated as follows: Safety (full weight): This metric equally comprises two metrics. Percent of local population that is Black (full weight): This percentage represents the proportion of Black individuals within a city's total population, as reported by the United States Census Bureau's five-year American Community Survey (ACS) from 2021, the most recent data available. Educational attainment (full weight): This metric equally comprises two metrics. Poverty rate (full weight): The percentage point difference between the city's rate of Black women earning at or above the poverty level and the rate of all women living above the poverty level nationally. This finding comes from the 2021 Census ACS five-year data, the latest available source covering over 200 cities. Income (full weight): This factor equally comprises two metrics. Employment (full weight): The difference in percentage points between the Black female employment rate and the white male employment rate in the locality. Health insurance (full weight): This metric reveals the percentage point difference between Black women (ages 19-64) and white men (ages 19-64) with health insurance. This information comes from the Census ACS five-year data from 2021, the most recent data source available. Black female homeownership (full weight): This factor comprises three metrics. The full data set can be found here . This story was produced by MoneyGeek and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

How to watch Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys: TV channel, streaming info“We’re all just pieces on the board to be played in the pursuit of power and spice,” says Nez, really putting the themes of Dune: Prophecy in bold font in case they’re unclear. Now that those pieces are in place, the writers of HBO’s new prestige drama are able to define the rules of the game in this second episode, “Two Wolves.” It’s clearly going to be a show about not only how power is gained but how it is maintained, through not just force but mental manipulation. By dispensing with some of the hoity-toity set-up of the premiere, “Two Wolves” moves at a better clip, even if it still struggles a bit with some of the common trappings of modern TV, including some bloated storytelling and, even worse, drab filmmaking. Still, the performers already seem like they’re getting more attuned to the voices of their characters, which is what’s most likely to really hold this show together moving forward. “Two Wolves” opens with the fallout of the deaths that ended the premiere , the young Pruwet Richese and the Emperor’s Truthsayer Kasha. The Sisterhood is discussing the latter, noting that Kasha knew something horrible was coming. She had a vision that came true. When Valya and Tula learn that Pruwet died the same way, they suspect that “The Burning Truth” that Mother Raquella spoke of years ago is coming to fruition. Valya decides to go to Salusa Secundus to learn more and takes Theodosia with her. It’s revealed that the story going around Secundus is that it was the boy’s “thinking machine” that burned him alive, but there’s tension in the air over the obvious lie. Emperor Javicco Corrino goes to Desmond to get to the bottom of what happened, both on Arrakis and to his potential child son-in-law, and discovers that his soldier thought he was operating under the Emperor’s implied demands. “What I did I did for you, and I can do it again,” he says. They send Desmond off to “the suspensor cells,” and Mark Strong sells the wheels turning in Javicco’s mind, wondering if having a human weapon as his closest ally may be better than having a member of the Sisterhood or a politically driven marriage. The character who takes the most interesting journey this week is Sister Lila (Chloe Lea), a young acolyte who is the great-great-granddaughter of Raquella and the daughter of Dorotea, the sister that Valya murdered years earlier. Tula wants to use a technique known as The Agony (sounds fun!) to basically send Lila to the underworld, where she can communicate with lost relatives, and get to the bottom of Raquella’s vision and how it’s playing out today. It’s revealed that Raquella had something called “Tiran-Arafel”: the prophecy of a tyrannical force that would destroy the Sisterhood. Is that force working through Desmond Hart? Maybe Lila can get some answers. After a bit of a diversion to remind viewers that this is on HBO in a sex scene between Constantine and Pruwet’s barely-grieving sister Shannon (Tessa Bonham Jones), Prophecy spins back to the seat of power as Javicco tells the Empress about what’s happening with Desmond. He was swallowed by a sandworm and came out different . She’s the first to verbally express that having an ally who can burn people with his mind might come in handy if there’s a war on the horizon. It’s a thought that Javicco carries into a fight with Duke Ferdinand Richese (Brendan Cowell) about what happens now that the marriage is off. It’s interrupted by Valya—good timing!—who arrives just in time to see Javicco lie about there not being a suspect in the killing. She also informs them about the death of Kasha and insists on interrogating Desmond about both deaths. He admits to killing Pruwet for “justice” and Kasha because she was “unworthy.” It’s not a mystery, although it does feel like Desmond is hiding his true motives. Another theme emerges as it becomes clear that what the Sisterhood is asking of Lila is dangerous. It’s about the “Sisterhood,” not the “Sisters”—or rather, the system, not the individual (and how the former uses the latter to survive). That’s always a key dynamic in any show with this kind of political subtext. The main world-building development this episode comes with the revelation that there is a strong resistance seeking to topple the Corrino regime, and that swordmaster Keiran Atreides is basically a mole, even bringing the rebels hologram maps of the palace. Will he be a liability because he cares about Nez? Probably. That’s made even clearer in a later scene between him and Nez as they spar and flirt under some of the drabbest lighting on TV this year. Turn some lights on! We all know this is an epidemic now on TV, but there’s no reason for a show like this to look washed-out as often as it does. Use color, shadow, light, anything. Nez and Atreides are shot so poorly in this scene that they almost look A.I. Now that my rant is over—sorry—let’s go back to the pair of series-crucial scenes that end the episode. First, Lila goes through The Agony. After some CGI shots of blue stuff overtaking red stuff in her system, she’s in what looks like purgatory, surrounded by whispering sisters with shrouds over their heads. (Again, it’s so drab.) She learns of “a weapon born in war,” which is presumably Desmond, before things go very wrong. Dorotea appears and shows Lila what happened to her—when Talya used her Voice to murder her—before saying, “You stole my future. Now I’m taking your hope.” Lila appears to die, or maybe she’s just stuck in the Upside Down forever. Yikes. Finally, Desmond starts to use his Fire Force on Ferdinand, and Valya learns the true extent of his powers. He wants to wipe out every trace of The Sisterhood. It’s power vs. logic, might vs. faith. She goes to use the Voice on him, and it doesn’t work. “It’s not that no one will hear you,” he says to a shocked Valya. “It’s that they’ll hear you and just won’t care.” Stray observationsThe Dallas Cowboys ruled out right guard Zack Martin and cornerback Trevon Diggs with injuries on Saturday, one day prior to a road game against the Washington Commanders. Martin has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries and didn't practice at all this week before initially being listed as doubtful to play on Friday. He also physically struggled during Monday night's loss to the Houston Texans. Martin, who turned 34 on Wednesday, has started all 162 games played in 11 seasons with the Cowboys. He's a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a seven-time first-team All-Pro. Diggs has been dealing with groin and knee injuries. He was listed as questionable on Friday before being downgraded Saturday. Diggs, 26, has 37 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games this season. The two-time Pro Bowl pick led the NFL with 11 picks in 2021 and has 20 in 57 games. The Cowboys elected not to activate receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) for the game. He returned to practice earlier this week and he was listed as questionable on Friday. Dallas activated offensive tackle Chuma Edoga (toe) and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) off injured reserve Saturday, placed safety Markquese Bell (shoulder) on IR and released defensive end KJ Henry. Tight end Jake Ferguson (concussion) was previously ruled out. Tight end Princeton Fant was elevated from the practice squad to replace him. Cornerback Kemon Hall also was elevated from the practice squad. --Field Level Media