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: Minister for education Nara Lokesh emphasised the need for reforms in the education system aimed at benefiting students. Speaking during a meeting with World Bank representatives and education officials, he outlined plans to implement technology-driven strategies to enhance educational outcomes. Lokesh highlighted the SALT (Student Assessment and Learning Tools) initiative, which will tailor curricula and teaching methods based on individual student capabilities. He also introduced a system to track students’ progress through a dashboard. To ensure transparency, Lokesh revealed plans to launch an app for teacher transfers, free from political interference. He expressed a desire to share Andhra Pradesh’s successful education models with the World Bank and learn from global best practices. Key officials from the education department also participated in the meeting.Obama Democracy Forum will convene to focus on tools for bipartisan dialogue
OpenAI to partner with military defense tech companyMEXICO CITY: The growing popularity of Chinese sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks has shaken up Mexico’s luxury car market, hitting sales of traditionally dominant brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. According to industry experts, Mexicans are increasingly switching from traditionally dominant sedans to Chinese vehicles due to a combination of comfort, technology and price. It is no small feat in a country home to factories of foreign brands such as Audi and BMW, and where until a few years ago imported Chinese cars were stigmatized, as in other parts of the world. According to the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA), the high-end segment of the market registered a sales drop of 8.1 percent from January to November. Audi’s sales slumped by 21.9 percent, while BMW, which includes the Mini brand, saw no growth in Latin America’s second-largest economy, home to 129 million people. Mercedes-Benz suffered a 9.8 percent decline, according to the state-run statistics institute INEGI. In contrast, Motornation, which sells the BAIC, JMC and Changan brands in Mexico, saw an 8.8 percent increase in sales in the first 11 months of this year, while those of Jetour rose 131 percent, it said. Chinese firms now control 9.3 percent of the Mexican market, according to the AMDA. They have brought stiff competition to the pickup truck segment, with many of the features of high-end models offered by premium brands, the association’s president Guillermo Rosales told AFP. Traditionally, the premium segment included sedan-type vehicles with luxury engines and top-of-the-range features. However, over the past decade consumer preferences have shifted toward utility vehicles such as pickup trucks, minivans and SUVs. Asian brands also benefited from an exemption from import tariffs on electric vehicles that was in effect in Mexico from 2020 until October 1. As in other Latin American countries, Mexicans are becoming more used to seeing Chinese brands on the streets that were unknown to them until about five years ago. Miguel Reyes, a 71-year-old retiree, said that choosing a Chinese car over others was “simple arithmetic.” “I needed a car that had the necessary technology, such as steering assist, to make driving safer,” Reyes said. As well as the design and comfort, the “competitive” price was another factor, said Reyes, who paid around 550,000 pesos—roughly $27,000. A similar model from a traditional brand would have cost him between $40,000 and $50,000, he said. According to Gerardo Gomez, an expert at the data and analytics company J D Power, there are around 30 Chinese brands in Mexico, with vehicles ranging from compacts to luxury cars. “They can offer you anything at any point in the range.” BYD offers an electric pickup truck for more than a million pesos ($50,000) but also a compact car for $17,000. Zeekr, a premium electric brand, sells luxury models for around $40,000. Chinese cars’ growing presence in Mexico, which is itself a major exporter of vehicles, comes at a time when China is a source of contention between the United States, Mexico and Canada, partners in a regional free trade agreement. During his campaign, US President-elect Donald Trump suggested that China was building car factories in Mexico to sell vehicles in the United States. Canadian officials have accused Mexico of being a springboard for Chinese products in the region—a claim denied by Mexican authorities. Trump has also threatened to impose 25 percent tariffs on both Mexico and Canada unless they stop flows of migrants and drugs. According to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, only seven percent of the components of cars manufactured in the Latin American country are Chinese. “There’s no evidence from anywhere that proves that Mexico is being used as a springboard” for Chinese products, said Diego Marroquin, a trade policy specialist at the Wilson Center in the United States. “It’s a political narrative that comes from the United States and now from Canada.” Sheinbaum said last month that she would propose to the United States and Canada a Chinese import substitution plan, noting that in the case of Mexico alone, the trade deficit with the Asian giant amounted to $80 billion. – AFP
Ransomware attack on software supplier disrupts operations for Starbucks and other retailersTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus’ authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 20 more people that rights activists describe as political prisoners, a statement on the president’s website said Saturday. The announcement came amid persistent oppression in the run-up to presidential elections next month that are likely to extend Lukashenko’s decades-long rule. Belarusian officials did not provide the names of those released, but the statement posted on the website of the president said that all of them had been convicted of “crimes of an extremist nature.” The statement said the group included 11 women and 14 of those pardoned suffered from chronic illnesses. “All of those released repented for their actions and appealed to the head of state to be pardoned,” the presidential administration said in a statement, using wording familiar from a series of previous group pardons in the past six months. Saturday’s announcement marks the eighth such pardon by Lukashenko since the summer of 2024. In all, 207 political prisoners have been freed, according to Belarus’ oldest and most established human rights group, Viasna. Most were jailed following mass anti-government protests in 2020, when Lukashenko secured his sixth term in a vote widely condemned as fraudulent. According to Viasna, over 1,250 political prisoners remain behind bars. No prominent opposition figures, many of whom have not been heard from for months on end, have been released. They include Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Viasna founder Ales Bialiatski ; Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who planned to challenge Lukashenko at the ballot box in 2020 but was jailed before the vote; and Viktar Babaryka, who was also imprisoned after gaining popularity before the election. The mass pardons come amid a new wave of repression, said Viasna activist Pavel Sapelka, as Minsk prepares to hold new presidential elections in January 2025 that are likely to hand Lukashenko a seventh term in office. “Lukashenko is sending contradictory signals (to the West), pardoning some but jailing twice as many political prisoners in their place,” Sapelka said. “Repression is intensifying and authorities are trying to root out any signs of dissent before the January elections.” Belarusian authorities engineer harsh conditions for political prisoners, denying them meetings with lawyers and relatives, and depriving them of medical care. At least seven political prisoners have died behind bars since 2020, according to Viasna. Lukashenko , who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for more than 30 years, is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, allowing Russia to use his country’s territory to send troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.Daniel Jones is a free agent and another coach of a contending team got asked about the possibility of adding him to their quarterback room on Tuesday. The Lions currently have second-year player Hendon Hooker behind Jared Goff on the active roster and Jake Fromm is on their practice squad. At a press conference, head coach Dan Campbell was asked if the team has considered adding Jones to the mix. “We haven’t really talked about that,” Campbell said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press . “The name’s come up but it’s not like we’ve sat down and talked so I don’t want to give you a yes or a no.” Hooker spent his rookie season rehabbing a knee injury and has appeared in three games to close out lopsided wins this season. He’s thrown nine passes in those games and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said recently that he’d like to get Hooker more work , but doesn’t want to disrespect opponents on the wrong end of a blowout. If the Lions aren’t willing to gamble on the possibility that they’ll have Hooker learning on the job in do-or-die moments, they could bring Jones to Detroit for the final weeks of the season.
Geode Capital Management LLC Has $23.06 Million Position in Thermon Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:THR)NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration has launched its own news service, with city employees producing a “news magazine” on the city’s official YouTube channel. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration has launched its own news service, with city employees producing a “news magazine” on the city’s official YouTube channel. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration has launched its own news service, with city employees producing a “news magazine” on the city’s official YouTube channel. Segments of “City News” will highlight New Orleans’ “rich culture, diverse communities, and untold stories,” the administration said in a news release. “City News is designed to meet the community where they are,” Deputy Press Secretary Kourtney Williams said in the release. “The ongoing mission is to connect with the people of New Orleans.” A city spokesperson did not respond to questions about the new outlet, which is expected to cover “news, in-depth features and inspiring stories” in New Orleans. Details were not released about whether Cantrell will participate in its coverage, how much it will cost or how it will be funded. Williams will co-host the program with Raven Frederick, a digital communications director on Cantrell’s staff. Steven Martinez, a multimedia manager for the city, will work on production. The release also named three producers. It was unclear if they were already city employees. Cantrell for months has avoided attention from traditional media outlets amid a federal investigation and political challenges from the City Council. She launched a podcast in April, which her team said would “bridge the gap” between New Orleans residents and their local officials, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported. The podcast has released just two episodes, the newspaper said. Advertisement
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The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) says it vehemently condemns the recent racially charged remarks made by Government Member of Parliament Everald Warmington targeted at Opposition leader Mark Golding. During a political meeting at the Tivoli Gardens High School in Kingston, Warmington declared that "he would rather die than be led by a white, British man," referring to Golding. He further suggested that the Opposition leader should "seek office in Britain, where he believes he would be more comfortable." The PSOJ says these inflammatory remarks, delivered from a position of political authority and before an audience at an educational institution, represent a dangerous and deliberate attempt to inject racial division into Jamaica's political discourse. “These statements are particularly alarming as they threaten to resurrect one of the darkest chapters in Jamaica's political history,” said the organisation in a statement today. “The PSOJ must emphasise that such rhetoric eerily echoes the divisive political discourse in Jamaica's past which was marked by deep social upheaval, economic instability, and tragic political violence. We cannot and must not allow our nation to be dragged backwards into an era where political differences were inflamed by racial and class divisions, resulting in profound national trauma that took generations to heal,” it added. PSOJ renewed its call for Warmington to be held accountable for his conduct. “We especially condemn that these statements were made at the Tivoli Gardens High School, an educational institution where young minds are shaped. The corrosive effect of such rhetoric on our youth cannot be understated. This incident poses a serious risk of normalising discriminatory speech among our future generations, who deserve exemplary leadership from their elected officials rather than displays of divisive politics that harken back to our nation's darkest days.” The PSOJ says the Office of the Political Ombudsman, now operating within the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), should urgently intervention in the situation. “The current situation demands a comprehensive review of enforcement mechanisms within the Political Code of Conduct, with the establishment of clear, enforceable consequences for breaches of this nature. “The integration of the political ombudsman's office into the ECJ framework makes this moment particularly crucial for demonstrating institutional effectiveness in addressing serious violations of political conduct. The PSOJ acknowledges this dual mandate but emphasises that this restructuring must not result in any diminishment of the office's authority to address such egregious breaches of proper political conduct.” The PSOJ says Jamaica's business community stands united in rejecting any attempt to reintroduce divisive racial politics into the national discourse, saying such behaviour not only undermines democratic principles and social cohesion but also threatens the stable business environment that is crucial for sustained economic growth and development. “Our international partners and potential investors closely monitor our political stability and social climate. The inflammatory rhetoric of this nature risks damaging Jamaica's reputation as a mature democracy and an attractive destination for investment.” Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com .