Most manufacturers recognise technology adoption as a critical driver of profitability and competitiveness, but current investments remain modest, with many allocating less than 10 per cent of their budgets, stated a Manufacturing Competitiveness Study of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for However, the report added that a shift towards higher investment--targeting 11-15 per cent of budgets--is expected in the next two years, particularly in Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and Big Data. Challenges such as high costs, unclear Return on Investment, and the integration of legacy systems persist, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), it said. Additionally, the report underscores the urgent need for workforce upskilling to bridge the skills gap and enable seamless adoption of advanced technologies. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) released Manufacturing Competitiveness Study, focusing on the transformative impact of smart technologies on India's manufacturing sector. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program The report, titled ' Smart Manufacturing : Unlocking India's Potential,' highlights the sector's ongoing digital transformation and its critical role in achieving the ambitious goal of increasing the manufacturing GDP share to 25 per cent in the near future. The report showcases how cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), robotics, and automation are reshaping the manufacturing landscape, driving optimization, innovation, and global competitiveness. High-capital industries like Semiconductors, Aerospace, and Automotive are leading the charge in adopting these technologies, while traditional sectors like Textiles and Food Processing are gradually transitioning towards digitalization. To address these barriers, the study recommends fostering public-private partnerships to establish shared technology hubs, increasing budget allocations for technology, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, and implementing supportive policies to encourage broader adoption of smart manufacturing. Speaking about the report, Deepak Shetty, Chairman of the Council on Manufacturing Excellence, CII and CEO & Managing Director, JCB India Limited, said, "India's manufacturing landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the rapid adoption of innovative technologies." Deepak Jain, Co-Chair of the Council on Manufacturing Excellence, CII and Chairman, Lumax Group, said, "This report highlights a transformative moment for India's manufacturing sector, where advanced technologies are reshaping processes and addressing challenges like supply chain visibility to drive industrial excellence." (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )NEW YORK (AP) — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time,” said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.
The Sacramento Kings have fired coach Mike Brown less than halfway through his third season with the team mired in a five-game losing streak, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the firing hadn't been announced by the team. ESPN first reported the firing. Brown won NBA Coach of the Year in his first season in 2022-23, when he helped Sacramento end the longest playoff drought in NBA history at 16 seasons. But Sacramento lost in the play-in tournament last year and was off to a 13-18 start this season, leading to the move to fire Brown about six months after he agreed to a contract extension through the 2026-27 season. The Kings have lost an NBA-worst nine games this season after leading in the fourth quarter with the worst one coming in Brown's final game as coach Thursday night against Detroit. Sacramento led by 10 points with less than three minutes to play only to collapse down the stretch. Jaden Ivey converted a four-point play with 3 seconds left when he made a 3-pointer in the right corner and was fouled by De’Aaron Fox. That gave the Pistons a 114-113 win, leaving the Kings in 12th place in the Western Conference. The Kings came into the season with hopes of finishing in the top six in the West and avoiding the play-in tournament after acquiring DeMar DeRozan in a sign-and-trade deal over the summer to add to a core that featured Fox, Domanta Sabonis and Keegan Murray. Fox, who is in the second-to-last year of his five-year, $163 million contract, declined to sign an extension in the offseason. He said on a podcast with Draymond Green earlier this month that he wanted to be on a team that could “compete at a high level.” Sacramento has been far from that this season, thanks in large part to an NBA-worst 3-11 record in games decided by five points or fewer. Brown publicly criticized Fox for his role in the game-winning play Thursday night, saying he should have been closer to Ivey instead of committing a foul on a close out. "You should be hugged up to your man at the 3-point line,” Brown said. “Everybody should, and why there was a closeout by Fox, I’m not sure. I got to go back and watch the tape. But for sure 100% we told our guys, can’t give up a 3, can’t give up a 3, can’t give up a 3, stay on the high side, stay on the high side.” Brown has a 107-88 record in two-plus seasons in Sacramento with a winning record in both of his full seasons. Rick Adelman is the only other coach to post a winning record in a full season since the Kings moved to Sacramento Brown previously had two stints as coach in Cleveland and spent one-plus season as Lakers coach. He has a 455-304 record and has made the playoffs in seven of his nine full seasons. He won Coach of the Year twice, also getting the award in Cleveland in 2008-09. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Best Internet Providers in St. George, UtahPredictive Safety Announces Partnership with DISA Global Solutions
Wave of Democrats slam Biden's pardon of his son HunterThe Morningside University football team welcomed Siouxland's first snow of the season Saturday with a lopsided 35-0 victory over MidAmerica Nazarene in the second round of the NAIA Football Championship Series. As the snow painted the field at Elwood Olsen Stadium the Mustangs relied on bolstering runs from running back Max Hough, who refused to meet the turf, and their swarming defense to pile on the visiting Pioneers. Morningside's Isaac Pingel (39) brings down a Pioneer ball carrier in the Mustangs' 35-0 win over Mid America Nazarene in a second round matchup of the NAIA Football Championship Series on Saturday, November 29, 2024 in Sioux City, IA.. Logan Shanks While MidAmerica Nazarene struggled all day to find its footing on offense, with the pressure from the Mustangs not helping in the frozen tundra, running back Max Hough had no issues. “Wasn’t too bad after you clean your shoes off,” Hough said. The sophomore tailback finished the game with 149 rushing yards, including three scores on the ground to lead the Mustangs offense to their commanding win over the Pioneers. He consistently shook off Pioneer defenders and made moves in open space to extend runs, finishing the game averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Hough was named the most games most outstanding offensive player, coming up in a big for the Mustangs who were in search for their first postseason win since 2022. He ripped off touchdown runs of 23 and 13 to go along with his longest run of the day which came in the third quarter. “[MidAmerican Nazarene] were coming down hard and when our o-line picked up like they did it just made big holes that were easy to see,” Hough said. Injuries to the running back room propelled Hough up the depth chart at the midway point of the season, with his performances backing the trust of his teammates and coaches. Morningside's Isaac Pingel (39) brings down a Pioneer ball carrier in the Mustangs' 35-0 win over Mid America Nazarene in a second round matchup of the NAIA Football Championship Series on Saturday, November 29, 2024 in Sioux City, IA.. Logan Shanks “[Hough] starts the season he is our fourth running back,” Morningside head coach Steve Ryan said. “All of a sudden here he is at the end of the year and he is probably a 1,000 yard back now and he’s got all those touchdowns. You always talk about next man up and all those things and [Hough] has really stepped up.” Following Saturday's second round 'snowdown', Hough eclipsed the millennium mark with 1,051 rushing yards and a dozen touchdowns in 11 games. “It feels good to just be on the field,” Hough said. “Stepping up, I knew I could do it. Team was very supportive too a long the way, offensive line makes it easy too.” Morningside Zack Chevalier (15) uncorks a pass in the Mustangs' 35-0 win against Mid America Nazarene in a second round matchup of the NAIA Football Championship Series on Saturday, November 29, 2024 in Sioux City, IA.. Chevalier finished the day 18-32 for 186 yards and one touchdown. Logan Shanks While Hough was complimented by gunslinging redshirt junior quarterback Zack Chevalier, who finished the game completing 56% of his passes for 186 yards and a touchdown, the Mustangs faced offensive lulls. Despite leading just 14-0 at halftime, the game felt more in control of Morningside thanks to its shatterproof defense that continued to halt the Pioneers. MidAmerica Nazarene was stuffed on seven of its eight third down attempts in the first half and finished the game a combined 3-for-22 on third and fourth downs. Coming out of halftime, it felt like Morningside was a second late to forcing a mistake off of Pioneers quarterback Adrian Parsons. Its front seven had been forcing him out of the pocket, and the secondary was not letting up big plays, but a big play was needed to put the game decisively in favor of the Mustangs. First team all-Great Plains Athletic Conference defensive back Dijion Walls saw his opportunity on the Pioneers debut drive of the second half and didn't let it go to waste. Parsons zipped a ball from the Mustangs six-yard line down the middle of the field, where Walls caught the ball in stride and marched down the field. “I just looked at the quarterback,” Walls said. “I know that probably what I wasn’t supposed to do but I seen the ball and I went to go make a play.” Mustang defensive back Dijion Walls (6) picks off a pass and returns it 100 yards for a touchdown in Morningside's 35-0 victory over Mid America Nazarene in a second round matchup of the NAIA Football Championship Series on Saturday, November 29, 2024 in Sioux City, IA.. Logan Shanks A program record 100-yards later, Walls returned the ball to the opposite endzone to put the Mustangs up 21-0 to heavily swing momentum in his team's favor. “I thought that was the play of the game,” Ryan said. “We came out and we sputtered on that first drive and they took it all the way down. To make that interception in the endzone and take it 100 yards was really exciting to see.” Walls now sits with seven interceptions on the season and continues to come up big for Morningside's secondary which held the usually elite Parsons to 183 yards and two picks. “[Walls] likes the big moment,” Ryan said. “It is part of the nature of being the corner. He always draws the toughest assignments. He just loves those opportunities, he lives for those opportunities. He stepped up big today.” The energizing pick-six from Walls was the highlight of Morningside's lockdown defensive performance, which benefited heavily from 7.5 tackles for loss and five quarterback hits. The Mustangs clinched their fourth straight game allowing fewer than 10 points and look to keep up their stonewall ways in the quarterfinals. “They kept playing,” Ryan said. “They didn’t give up big plays on defense and kept them out of the offense.” “This is a huge one but we are on to the next one,” Walls said. The Journal’s Jared McNett shows how to download and browse the Sioux City Journal's app. Jesse Brothers
Dollar gains amid escalating geopolitical tensionsWith more than half of the 16 teams still mathematically alive to make the conference championship game, the Big 12 will command a lot of attention in the final week of the regular season. No. 14 Arizona State and No. 17 Iowa State would play for the Big 12 title and likely College Football Playoff spot on Dec. 7 if they both win Saturday and there's a four-way tie for first place. There are seven other teams that begin this week with hopes, slim in most cases, of getting into the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Last week it was No. 19 BYU and No. 23 Colorado that had the inside track to the championship game. Arizona State beat the Cougars and Kansas knocked off the Buffaloes, and here we are. "Everybody counted us out, I think, two weeks ago," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said after his team beat Utah 31-28. "We didn't flinch. We didn't waver. And we just keep fighting." The Cyclones were national darlings the first half of the season as they won seven straight games to match the best start in program history. Back-to-back losses to Texas Tech and Kansas followed. Now they've won two straight heading into "Farmageddon," their rivalry game against Kansas State at home. "Right now they've got the pen and they continue to write the story," Campbell said of his players, "and I hope they will continue to write it the way they've got the ability to write it. Unwavering. Tough, mentally tough, physically tough. This group has stood for it every step of the way." Arizona State has been an even better story than the Cyclones. The Sun Devils have six more wins than they did last season, when they went 3-9. They were picked to finish last in their first year in the Big 12. They'll go for their fifth straight victory when they play at Arizona on Saturday. "These guys came off no momentum and everybody doubting them, and everybody is still doubting them. That's what makes this special," second-year coach Kenny Dillingham said. "Hopefully the expectations become higher. I don't know if there's a way we can exceed expectations more than we're exceeding them right now." Checking in on five of the Top 25: The Ducks were idle Saturday after clinching a spot in the Big Ten championship game with their win at Wisconsin on Nov. 16. Oregon can go 12-0 in the regular season for the first time since 2010 if it beats Washington at home this week. Oregon's only two losses last season came against the Huskies, both decided by three points. The first was a top-10 matchup in the regular season and the second was a top-five matchup in the Pac-12 championship game. The Ducks are 19 1/2-point favorites this time, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Buckeyes' showdown with upstart Indiana combined with Michigan's dropoff after winning the national championship have lowered the volume on this week's meeting with the Wolverines at the Horseshoe. If Michigan beats Ohio State a fourth straight time and it keeps the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten championship game and playoff ... well, there'll be lots of noise in Columbus then. The Lone Star Showdown returns to the gridiron for the first time since 2011, when Texas and Texas A&M were in the Big 12. The Longhorns head to No. 20 Texas A&M on a four-game win streak. The Aggies have lost two of three after Saturday's four-overtime loss at Auburn. The winner advances to the Southeastern Conference championship game against Georgia. The Broncos are tied with Notre Dame for the second-longest active win streak, at nine games, and they seem to have adopted a survive-and-advance mantra. They trailed 23-point underdog Wyoming in the fourth quarter before winning 17-13 and clinching a spot in the Mountain West championship game. They won their previous game, 42-21 against San Jose State, but didn't pull away until the fourth quarter. Two weeks ago they beat a three-win Nevada team 28-21. Just when you think Illinois is about to cash in for the season, they do what they did against Rutgers. The Illini were down 31-30 when they lined up for a 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds left. Ethan Moczulski missed. But wait. Rutgers called timeout before the snap, and Bret Bielema thought better of trying another kick and sent his offense back on the field. Luke Altmyer passed to Pat Bryant for the winning 40-yard touchdown. The Illini won't play for the Big Ten title, but they have a chance for nine wins and a nice bowl. Ohio State played in three of the five regular-season top-five matchups and won three of them. The Buckeyes lost to Oregon and beat Penn State and Indiana. ... Kansas' 37-21 win over Colorado made the Jayhawks the first FBS team with a losing record to beat three straight Top 25 opponents. The Jayhawks, who were 2-6 a month ago, will be bowl eligible if they win at Baylor. ... Nebraska ended the longest power conference bowl drought with its 44-25 win over Wisconsin. The Cornhuskers haven't played in a bowl since 2016. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!None
This visit’s success is imperative Sri Lanka’s new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is on a State visit to India, his first foreign trip. Dissanayake was given a high ceremonial welcome by his counterpart, President Droupadi Murmu, and received with warmth by Prime Minister Modi at Rashtraprati Bhavan. In the joint statement released thereafter, India has pledged to supply LNG gas to Sri Lanka, enhance INR-LKR trade settlements between the two countries, boost education and technology exchanges and encourage Indian FDI in Sri Lanka. It is clear that India recognises a new Sri Lanka – one that has moved on from just security concerns, to one that can be a premier partner in making South Asia a progressive economic region in an uncertain global economy. Dissanayake brings a different politics to Sri Lanka domestically and internationally. His National People’s Power (NPP) won the Presidential elections on 21 September, and the 12 November Parliamentary election with a two-thirds majority – a first for Sri Lanka, indicating that all Sri Lankans, across ethnic and economic lines, voted for his ‘clean Sri Lanka’ manifesto. Within two weeks of Dissanayake’s win, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had travelled to Colombo and invited the new President to make a State visit to India at the earliest. This visit’s success is imperative. Sri Lanka has been South Asia’s highest GDP per capita economy, reaching a peak of $ 4,388 in 2017, a productive, medium and small enterprises machine. Its fall, in five years, to $ 3,431 per capita, was a blow to a country accustomed to a good life. This is what Dissanayake has vowed to reverse. Already, since he was elected President in September, he has confirmed that Sri Lanka will continue with its 17th IMF programme but with increased social spending to reduce high poverty. He is improving governance by adopting anti-corruption measures, digitising government and modernising agriculture. The bilateral agreements with India will help him continue these efforts. Dissanayake acknowledged India’s significant assistance through Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. India promised to continue that support. It has agreed to help Sri Lanka in the digitalisation of its public services, a model which India has pioneered and which will help achieve some of the promises NPP made for targeted social protection. On his part, Dissanayake reiterated he would respect India’s security concerns and not allow Sri Lanka to be used against India. No specific mention was made of the $ 440 million Adani wind power project for Sri Lanka, signed in 2023, which Dissanayake had said he would reconsider or annul if elected. It’s a promising start, and there’s much more that can elevate the bilateral to make it like the close cooperation visible between Thailand, Cambodia and Laos PDR, for instance, in the Greater Mekong sub-region. First, Sri Lanka can broaden its engagement beyond Tamil Nadu to all four southern Indian states, through business-to-business (B2B) ties. Traditionally, Indian and Sri Lankan business collaborations have been led by the two apex chambers of commerce in India, the CII and FICCI in New Delhi, and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in Colombo, which are big business focussed. As geography determines trade flows, these B2B ties can expand with the states and cities geographically closest to Sri Lanka and most importantly, between the smaller businesses chambers and firms. For both countries, MSMEs are the base on which their economies run. This needs sincere effort, and activation by more inbound business visits and participation in trade fairs for instance, to build trust which translates into actual deals. Specific sectors of mutual business interest could include food processing, textiles and garments, auto-parts and IT-related services. Second, New Delhi and Colombo can consider piloting a regional Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) 2 scheme in Sri Lanka. The PLI scheme lies at core of the Government of India’s efforts to build domestic capabilities in sophisticated manufacturing industries including solar panels, electric vehicles and electronics components. This has led to success and reduced India’s dependence on imports of those items into which it seeks inroads into, such as green energy and energy security. A limited extension of the domestic PLI scheme to Indian business to make solar panels in Sri Lanka will limit the risks of overseas investment and build regional supply chains in the neighbourhood – a key goal for India’s China+1 strategy. Third, it’s time to conclude an upgraded India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA). India-Sri Lanka trade negotiations resumed under former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and there was expectation of an early harvest investment agreement in 2024. This was to be the agreement that sets the terms and conditions for foreign direct investment, thereby promoting bilateral business and protection for investors. However, such talks paused as the new Sri Lankan government took stock of trade negotiations in order to develop its FTA stance. India’s commerce ministry, now on a roll and negotiating FTAs with several countries, can re-start bilateral FTA talks with a view to concluding an investment agreement in 2025 and a comprehensive trade deal in 2026, covering expanded goods coverage, services trade, investment and trade facilitation. There can also be a built-in agenda for including new trade issues such as intellectual property, competition policy and government procurement, when the conditions are right. To alleviate domestic Sri Lankan concerns about opening up, India can maintain asymmetrical treatment for Sri Lanka in the new deal - and consider providing some aid for trade. This will help to foster B2B ties, stimulate inward investment, provide for market access, and regulatory cooperation. Fourth, improving physical connectivity is vital for trade and tourism. Indigo and Air India have increased flights between Indian cities and Colombo airport. Palaly Airport in Jaffna has been modernised to enable flights to and from South India and the ferry service has been re-started to cover 60 nautical miles from Nagapattinam to Kangesanthurai. This is showing results particularly in northern Sri Lanka, where projects have been co-financed by Indian aid and Sri Lankan public expenditure. The Adani Group has co-invested with John Keels holding, Sri Lanka’s largest conglomerate, in developing the West Container terminal in Colombo port which largely tranships to India. Indian finance for an undersea oil pipeline and an electricity transmission line, agreed to in 2023 but not begun are important next projects for Sri Lanka’s energy security and supportive of power trade during off-peak times. So too is the upgrading of Sri Lanka’s digital connectivity by drawing on India’s successful national roll out of digital public infrastructure. However, the notion of a land bridge between the two countries such as motorway/railway bridge between Denmark and Sweden, has provoked scepticism in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s economy is stabilising in 2024 from a crippling debt default and economic crisis in 2022. Indian aid and an IMF program were instrumental in the economic turnaround. Tourism arrivals during the European winter season have increased, bringing in much need foreign exchange – tourism receipts were $ 2.5 billion in Jan-Oct. 2024, an increase of 59% over Jan-Oct. 2023. To its credit, Sri Lanka’s new Government has reiterated support for the IMF programme and the new Budget is eagerly awaited in early 2025. Apart from limited fiscal space for social spending, the island faces the serious risk of repayments (capital) on its external debt starting in 2028 if it is unable to generate sufficient foreign exchange though trade-led growth. Working in partnership with the IMF and World Bank, India should stand ready to help if Sri Lanka falters a second time. Such enhanced cooperation with Sri Lanka is almost a necessity. India is facing a hostile neighbourhood in 2025. Ties with Bangladesh are strained; debt-distressed Maldives reluctantly accepted a short-term liquidity inflow of an RBI swap after China cooled about request for aid. Nepal’s PM K.P. Sharma Oli just signed a framework agreement with China to implement the Belt & Road Initiative’s infrastructure projects. Struggling economically under Taliban rule, Afghanistan risks becoming a regional centre for narcotics trade and illegal migration, as does Myanmar to India’s East. Relations with Pakistan remain in cold storage. These issues concern both India and Sri Lanka. An economic partnership in South Asia that works can become a model for others, enhance India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and India’s status as a regional power.Connect all the Tech for 50% Off With This Black Friday Deal on a 6-in-1 USB-C Hub
An ex-detective accused of abusing women died in an apparent suicide as his trial was starting
MALAGA, Spain (AP) — The last man to face — and beat — Rafael Nadal in professional tennis, 80th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp , converted his 10th match point Friday to finally close out a 6-4, 6-7 (12), 6-3 victory over Daniel Altmaier and help the Netherlands reach its first Davis Cup final by sweeping Germany. Tallon Griekspoor, who is ranked 40th, sealed the 2-0 win for the Dutch in the best-of-three-match semifinal by hitting 25 aces and coming back to defeat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4. When it ended, appropriately, on an ace, Griekspoor shut his eyes, dropped to his knees and spread his arms wide. “We have been talking about this for two, three years,” Griekspoor said. “We believed in ourselves so much. We always felt like this was possible. To do it now feels unbelievable.” The other semifinal is Saturday, with No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner and defending champion Italy taking on Australia . The championship will be decided Sunday. “We don’t have that top 5 player. We don’t that top 10 player. We don’t have that top 15 player,” Dutch captain Paul Harhuuis said. “But it’s a team effort. ... So proud of these guys.” In Friday's opener, van de Zandschulp was up a set and just a point away from leading 5-2 in the second when Altmaier began playing more aggressively and interacting more with the German fans, yelling and throwing uppercuts or raising his arms after key points. In the tiebreaker, Altmaier managed to save five match points before converting his own fourth set point to extend the contest. But van de Zandschulp — who upset four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz at the U.S. Open — quickly moved out front in the final set, even if he eventually needed five more match points in the last game before serving it out. “At some point, I didn’t know what to do any more on the match points,” van de Zandschulp said. “I had the toughest match of my life on Tuesday (against Nadal), so everything that comes next is maybe a little bit easier.” In the quarterfinals, van de Zandschulp outplayed Nadal for a 6-4, 6-4 result that marked the end of the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s career because the Netherlands went on to eliminate Spain 2-1. The 38-year-old Nadal announced last month that the Davis Cup would be his final event before retiring. Presumably because people purchased tickets ahead of time with plans to watch Nadal compete in the semifinals, there were hundreds of unoccupied blue or gray seats surrounding the indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martina Carpena in southern Spain on Friday. Now truly a neutral site, the place was not nearly as loud and rowdy as on Tuesday, although there were shouts of “Vamos, Rafa!” that drew laughter while van de Zandschulp played the 88th-ranked Altmaier. It took Griekspoor more than 75 minutes and nearly two full sets to figure out how to break No. 43 Struff and then did it twice in a row — to lead 6-5 in the second set, and then go up 1-0 in the third. That was plenty, because Griekspoor saved the only two break points he faced. The Netherlands hadn’t been to the semifinals since 2001. The Germans — whose best current player, two-time major finalist Alexander Zverev, is not on the team in Malaga — have won three Davis Cups, but not since 1993, when 1991 Wimbledon champion Michael Stich led them to the title. AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennisWalmart testing employee worn body cameras
Opendoor: Beaten And Forgotten
Notable quotes by Jimmy CarterWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift. His presidential transition team did not respond to questions about positions on visas for highly skilled workers or the debate between his supporters online. Instead, his team instead sent a link to a post on X by longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller that was a transcript of a speech Trump gave in 2020 at Mount Rushmore in which he praised figures and moments from American history. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.