The large mysterious drones reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security. In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off. The Morris County Republican was among several state and local lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the spate of sightings that range from the New York City area through New Jersey and westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia. The devices do not appear to be The dronees wereffffflown by hobbyists, Fantasia wrote. Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month and have raised growing concern among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility; and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey were larger than those typically used by hobbyists. The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once. Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to threaten public safety. The FBI has been investigating and has asked residents to share any videos, photos or other information they may have. Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, U.S. Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones. Smith said a Coast Guard commanding officer briefed him on an incident over the weekend in which a dozen drones followed a motorized Coast Guard lifeboat “in close pursuit” near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County. Coast Guard Lt. Luke Pinneo told The Associated Press Wednesday “that multiple low-altitude aircraft were observed in vicinity of one of our vessels near Island Beach State Park.” The aircraft weren't perceived as an immediate threat and didn't disrupt operations, Pinneo said. The Coast Guard is assisting the FBI and state agencies in investigating. In a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Smith called for military help dealing with the drones, noting that Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst has the capability "to identify and take down unauthorized unmanned aerial systems.” However, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Wednesday that “our initial assessment here is that these are not drones or activities coming from a foreign entity or adversary.” Many municipal lawmakers have called for more restrictions on who is entitled to fly the unmanned devices. At least one state lawmaker proposed a temporary ban on drone flights in the state. “This is something we’re taking deadly seriously. I don’t blame people for being frustrated," Murphy said earlier this week. A spokesman for the Democratic governor said he did not attend Wednesday's meeting. Republican Assemblyman Erik Peterson, whose district includes parts of the state where the drones have been reported, said he also attended Wednesday's meeting at a state police facility in West Trenton. The session lasted for about 90 minutes. Peterson said DHS officials were generous with their time, but appeared dismissive of some concerns, saying not all the sightings reported have been confirmed to involve drones. So who or what is behind the flying objects? Where are they coming from? What are they doing? “My understanding is they have no clue,” Peterson said. A message seeking comment was left with the Department of Homeland Security. Most of the drones have been spotted along coastal areas and some were recently reported flying over a large reservoir in Clinton. Sightings also have been reported in neighboring states. James Edwards, of Succasunna, New Jersey, said he has seen a few drones flying over his neighborhood since last month. “It raises concern mainly because there's so much that's unknown,” Edwards said Wednesday. “There are lots of people spouting off about various conspiracies that they believe are in play here, but that only adds fuel to the fire unnecessarily. We need to wait and see what is really happening here, not let fear of the unknown overtake us." —— AP reporters Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania; and Wayne Parry in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
Inside Intel's CEO Succession Drama: Who Will Lead the Chipmaking Giant?India is 48 per cent short in terms of broadband penetration today, even after 25 years of terrestrial mobile services. If we continue to behave the way we are (blocking the entry of new players), we will remain in this state for another 25 years and Viksit Bharat can go out of the window,” says Debashish Bhattacharya, Senior Deputy Director General, Broadband India Forum (BIF). “What they want is that existing operators pay for this spectrum through the nose, invest a lot of Capex but the new operator should be given a red carpet, free spectrum to start competing. This kind of a demand should not have come from them,” says Ravi Gandhi, a regulatory executive with Reliance Jio. The race to provide satellite broadband connectivity in India is leading to some fiery exchanges. Gandhi and Bhattacharya were but two of the voices heard during the Telecom Regulator of India’s (TRAI) Open House Discussion in November. The heated discussions were over the spectrum allocation for satellite-based communication (satcom) services. There are a whole set of other discussions too on satcom starting from cost, pricing, spectrum allocation to even voices asking about whether it is really viable. On the need for satcom, Lt Gen AK Bhatt (retd), Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA), says, “It can overcome the digital divide in difficult geographies where the cost of putting fibre is too high. Satellites are like fibre in space. In urban areas, it is useful for backhaul services, for additional capacities.” Satcom technology connects various points on Earth using the satellites orbiting in space, because of which it is able to reach remote hinterlands of the world. Watch out for trade wars, nationalism and sachet SIPs Leaderspeak on the business outlook for 2025 Year-end: Why is it a trigger for job moves? Corporates look to tread the India Way Nvidia: The lynchpin of the AI revolution Feelings run high on the issues of spectrum allocation because of the enormous investments that have gone in. A 2023 KPMG report stated that satcom had reached a valuation of $2.23 billion and was predicted to reach $20 billion by 2028. Even legacy telcos like Bharti Airtel Ltd referred to the “lakhs of crores of rupees” of investment made by them over the past three decades. It is this investment that has made the legacy players push for auction of spectrum, citing concerns of an uneven playing field and undue advantage to new players like Elon Musk’s Starlink or Amazon’s Kuiper. Meanwhile, those against the idea of auction point out that world over spectrum is authorised by the administrative method. For now, the government appears to be leaning in favour of allocating spectrum. Yet, it is worth asking whether the technology deserves all the fanfare. Even Sateliot, one of Spain’s first satellite operators to offer IoT, has been working since 2018 and is hoping to go commercial only in 2025. In the US, companies like AT&T state that satellites can complement the existing terrestrial services but not work in isolation. As it explained in an investor call, “For a customer to only use satellite-based service, one needs enough satellites in space that are engineered with that amount of radio frequency. Also, the antenna array of those satellites needs to be large and strong enough to ensure the level of service a customer expects. The cost per bit is also very high currently to make it operationally viable.” Hence, AT&T plans to offer satellite as a complementary to fiber/wireless service. AT&T has so far launched five commercial satellites called BlueBirds. Back in India, Forrester Research has stuck its neck out and said that satcom may be dead by the time it arrives in 2025, stating that while many companies are warming up to the idea of satcom, they will be hard pressed to compete in terms of pricing. “Considering the 5G coverage in India is widespread, the space we have for satellite coverage to grow is very limited... In Kenya, when Starlink launched, it struggled to get any customers. In one or two years, they got around 4,500 customers. In India, customers are equally pricey. It’s very difficult for something like this to grow,” explains Ashutosh Sharma, Vice President and Research Director at Forrester. However, Pranav Roach, President of Hughes Network Systems India Ltd, disagreed with this prediction stating that even in the US satellite still accounts for 20-25 per cent of the network utilisation. “From a consumer point of view, availability increases tremendously. So there will be a significant uptake for satcom. But it will coexist with other technologies. Technical feasibility and cost is a function of the options available and what you need to do in an emergency. Right now, we’re still waiting for rules from TRAI for spectrum allocation. Once that comes out, we can determine the cost and prices,” Roach said. Similarly, Sateliot noted that satcom as an affordable solution could prove to be a game-changer for India. Mariona Pazos Rovira, Sateliot’s Regulatory Affairs Department said that India ranks among Sateliot’s top five countries in signed orders. However, in terms of challenges, Rovira admitted that the satellite industry in India is somewhat difficult to enter due to the lack of a framework beneficial for foreign satellite operators. “However, this is currently evolving, and I feel it will continue to improve over the next year,” she added. Nonetheless, she said the company hoped to work in India as a commercial service by 2025 or 2026. Despite the discussions around satellite’s potential, Mahesh Uppal, Director of Com First (India), stressed the need for India to make satcom a reality. “India’s fibre coverage is impressive but far from adequate. We need, but do not have, fibre reaching most homes. This is a huge and expensive undertaking. Satcom can provide easier access, if not comparable bandwidth. It’s yet to match terrestrial players’ economics. However there are important advances in the technology, which makes Satcom more promising. However, in the medium term, it is critical that sactom’s advantages are harnessed so that unconnected people and regions do not have to wait endlessly to benefit from the power of broadband internet technologies,” he said. Comments
Gun found on suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO matches shell casings at scene, police say ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — New York City’s police commissioner says the gun found on the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO matches shell casings found at the crime scene. Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said Wednesday that lab results matched suspect Luigi Mangione’s prints to a water bottle and a snack bar wrapper found near the scene of the killing. Police had said earlier that they believed the gunman bought the items at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target. Mangione is jailed in Pennsylvania on weapon and forgery charges, but he also has been charged in New York with murder in Brian Thompson's death. His lawyer has noted that Mangione is presumed innocent. Authorities are scrutinizing evidence and the suspect’s experiences with the health care industry. Arguments over whether Luigi Mangione is a 'hero' offer a glimpse into an unusual American moment Memes and online posts in support of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who's charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, have mushroomed online. Some cast Mangione as a hero. That's too far, says Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising Democrat who was almost the Democratic vice presidential nominee this year. CEO Brian Thompson's death touched off off these ripples. They offer a glimpse into how so many different aspects of 21st-century life can be surreally connected, from public violence to politics, from health care to humor, or attempts at it. FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray says he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. The announcement Wednesday comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position. His impending resignation will bring him three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations. Trump applauded the news Wednesday, saying it will end the weaponization of what he called the “Department of Injustice.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. The Trump and Biden teams insist they're working hand in glove on foreign crises WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t think much of Joe Biden’s foreign policy record. He frequently casts the outgoing Democratic president as a feckless leader who shredded American credibility around the world during his four-year term. But the Trump and Biden national security teams have come to an understanding that they have no choice but to work together as conflicts in Gaza, Syria and Ukraine have left a significant swath of the world on a knife’s edge. It’s fuzzy how much common ground Biden and Trump’s teams have found as they navigate crises that threaten to cause more global upheaval as Trump prepares to settle back into the White House. Syrians flock to morgues looking for loved ones who perished in Assad's prisons DAMASCUS (AP) — Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Now Syrians around the world are circulating images of the corpses in hopes that they will see slain loved ones whose fate had been a mystery. At the morgue visited by The Associated Press on Wednesday in Damascus, families flocked to a wall where some of the pictures were pinned in a haunting gallery of the dead. Relatives desperately scanned the images for a recognizable face. Some of the prisoners died just weeks ago. Others perished months earlier. US warns Russia may be ready to use new lethal missile against Ukraine again in 'coming days' WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh cited a U.S. intelligence assessment in telling reporters on Wednesday that an attack could come “in the coming days.” She says the U.S. does not consider the Oreshnik missile a game changer on the battlefield. But that Russia is using the weapon to intimidate Ukraine as both sides wrestle for an advantage that will give them leverage in any negotiations to end the war. The Russian Defense Ministry also is warning it may retaliate against Kyiv for an attack on a military base in the Rostov region in southern Russia on Wednesday. Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 33 including children, Palestinian medics say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 33 people. One of the strikes hit a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north, killing 19. A separate strike outside nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital killed a woman and her two children, and another strike in central Gaza killed at least seven people. Israel's military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses militants of hiding among them, putting their lives in danger. Local health officials say Israel’s retaliatory offensive after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 has killed over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Hannah Kobayashi, missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search, is found safe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe. That’s according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Kobayashi vanished last month in Los Angeles. The missing Hawaii woman's disappearance prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation. It was not immediately clear where she was found, but police previously said she had voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico. The LAPD said Wednesday the department will wrap up its investigation. Kobayashi's family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages. Kobayashi’s mother and sister said they are “grateful” she has been found safe. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly? ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament. Key issues include during which part of the year to stage the tournament, where to play the games, whether alcohol will be allowed at all and how to protect workers rights in the massive construction projects required to host the World Cup.Rape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell says
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The Department of Consumer Affairs is set to launch three new apps in a bid to enhance consumer protection against deceptive online practices known as "dark patterns". These apps — 'Jago Grahak Jago App,' 'Jagriti App,' and 'Jagriti Dashboard' — will be launched on Dec. 24, coinciding with National Consumer Day, according to an official statement released on Sunday. Dark patterns refer to manipulative design strategies that trick consumers into making choices they might not otherwise make, such as hidden charges or misleading subscription traps. In 2023, the Central Consumer Protection Authority issued guidelines outlining 13 specific dark patterns, including practices like false urgency, basket sneaking, confirm shaming, forced action, subscription traps, interface interference, bait and switch, drip pricing, disguised advertisements, trick wording, SaaS billing and rogue malwares, which undermine transparency and consumer rights. Previously, the CCPA has taken action against major companies like IndiGo airlines and BookMyShow for employing such tactics. For instance, BookMyShow was criticised for automatically adding a donation charge without consumer consent, a practice categorised as 'basket sneaking'. Following CCPA intervention, the platform now offers consumers the option to opt-in for such contributions. Similarly, IndiGo faced scrutiny for using "confirm shaming" tactics in its app, which pressured users into confirming purchases. After CCPA's intervention, IndiGo revised its wording to "No, I will not add to the trip" , to be more neutral, enhancing clarity for consumers. The wordings used earlier were “ No I will take risk” , which amounted to ‘confirm shaming’ which is a dark pattern. In another issue, the airline was directed to address the issue with the "skip" button on the "selection of seat" page and redesign their web check-in page. Accordingly, the airline addressed the issue of 'preferential seating’ by modification of their website and app by providing a disclaimer on the left side of "skip button", where it is written that "You can skip preferred seat selection and complete your booking. IndiGo will auto-assign a seat prior to your travel”. The new apps are designed to strengthen the CCPA's ability to fight these unfair practices in the digital marketplace, according to the statement. These apps will serve multiple functions; the 'Jago Grahak Jago App' will alert users about potentially unsafe URLs during their online activities, while the 'Jagriti App' will allow consumers to report suspected dark patterns directly. The 'Jagriti Dashboard' will enable the CCPA to generate real-time reports on e-commerce sites, facilitating quicker identification and resolution of consumer complaints. These initiatives stem from extensive research conducted by students at IIT(BHU) and are powered by advanced AI technology. They aim to create a more transparent digital marketplace, improve consumer awareness of their rights, and encourage ethical design practices among companies.Allahabad HC quashes two FIRs against M3M India
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WASHINGTON (AP) — A person accused of accosting U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a Capitol Office building pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a misdemeanor assault charge. Witnesses told police that James McIntyre, 33, of Chicago, shook Mace's hand in an “exaggerated, aggressive” manner after approaching the South Carolina Republican in the Rayburn House Office Building on Tuesday evening, according to a police affidavit. Mace, who is identified only by her initials in a court filing, posted a string of social media messages about the incident. She said she was “physically accosted” at the Capitol, and she thanked President-elect Donald Trump for calling her Wednesday morning to check on her condition. “I’m going to be fine just as soon as the pain and soreness subside,” Mace wrote. Mace declined to be treated by a paramedic after her encounter with McIntyre, who was arrested Tuesday by the Capitol Police, the affidavit says. Mace told police that McIntyre said, “Trans youth serve advocacy,” while shaking her hand. Last month, Mace proposed a resolution that would prohibit any lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.” Mace said the bill is aimed specifically at Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride — the first transgender person to be elected to Congress. A magistrate judge ordered McIntyre’s release after an arraignment in Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Efforts to reach an attorney for McIntyre weren't immediately successful. The Associated PressBrendan Rodgers praises Celtic and Cameron Carter-Vickers’ mentality
US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer
Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 27.11.2024Michigan's defense of national title fell short, aims to cap lost season with win against Ohio State
Green also contributed eight rebounds for the Rams (6-0). Cam Estevez scored 15 points, shooting 5 for 6 from beyond the arc. Jamarques Lawrence shot 4 for 9, including 3 for 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points. The Rams picked up their sixth straight victory. Orlando Lovejoy finished with 28 points, seven assists and two steals for the Titans (3-5). Legend Geeter added 11 points, six rebounds and four steals for Detroit Mercy. Jared Lary also had 10 points and six rebounds. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Wales boss details unusual injuries in wake of Euro play-off win over IrelandMichigan's defense of national title fell short, aims to cap lost season with win against Ohio State
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25 , making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Revolutionary Glitch or Hidden Secret? Discover the Mystery of m2st34LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James says he’s The NBA’s all-time leading scorer and Los Angeles Lakers star posted on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, and Instagram on Wednesday to announce that he’s stepping away from his pages. James has 159 million followers on Instagram, 52.9 million on X. James started the farewell by Kevin Durant’s longtime manager, posted to X on Oct. 24. “We can all acknowledge that sports is the last part of society that universally brings people together. So why can’t the coverage do the same?” Kleiman wrote that day. “It’s only click bait when you say it. When the platform is so big, you can make the change and allow us all an escape from real life negativity. I for one find it all a waste of breath.” James, on Instagram, posted a screengrab of Kleiman’s post and added the caption, “Damn shame what it’s come to.” Kleiman has posted only a handful of times since his Oct. 24 post, and evidently, James isn’t planning to post much — or anything — until further notice. Related Articles His announcement came one day after he said “everybody on the Internet called me a liar all the time” when he said he was watching Dalton Knecht’s college games last year at Tennessee — long before the Lakers drafted the sharpshooting guard. “And with that said I’ll holla at y’all! Getting off social media for the time being. Y’all take care,” James posted, followed by emojis of a hand holding up two fingers — often symbolizing someone leaving a place — and a crown, a nod to his “King James” moniker. James, the NBA’s oldest active player — he turns 40 next month — is a four-time NBA champion and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, the most recent of those coming earlier this year at the Paris Games. The Lakers are 10-4, winners of six straight and next play Thursday at home against Orlando.
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Newsom pledges EV buyer rebate if Trump kills $7,500 credit