I broke down in tears when I spotted my dad in his favourite spot on Google Street View 11 years after he died By RYAN PROSSER Published: 18:18, 28 December 2024 | Updated: 18:18, 28 December 2024 e-mail View comments A grieving woman was left in tears after spotting her late father sat in his favourite spot on Google Street View 11 years after he died. Katie Scott, 49, found he had been immortalised on the search engine's 360 street imagery this month. Arthur Scott passed away in 2013 aged 83, after being diagnosed with stage three kidney failure. The Google image captured in 2009 shows Arthur sat on the bench outside his home where he used to enjoy soaking up the sun. In another photo, his German Shepherd, Elsa, is spotted wandering into the house. Elsa passed away four years before Arthur. 'When I found the image, I was so emotional,' said Katie, from Salford, Greater Manchester. 'I cried when I found it. All those memories came flooding back. 'That was his favourite spot. As soon as the sun came out, he was on that bench.' Arthur Scott pictured on a Google Street View image sitting on the bench outside his home where he loved to soak up the sun His daughter Katie was surprised to find him immortalised on the search engine's Street View feature She added: 'It was upsetting but I was happy. I don't have many photos of my dad, but we were very close. 'I've screenshotted it so I can see him all the time.' Arthur was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2008, when Katie moved into his council house with him to become his full time carer. She said: 'When he was diagnosed, we were told that he'd only have a few years left so I moved in with him to look after him. He managed to live another five years. 'It was a shock when he was diagnosed and it heartbreaking to think about losing him. 'He was so funny. He had a brilliant sense of humour and our relationship was mostly based on humour. It's been hard living without him.' Katie first discovered the image of Arthur just after he passed away. But she was 'heartbroken' when Google updated the image shortly after and thought it was lost forever. Last month, though, she learned that she could access older Google Street View images. Katie (pictured) moved in with her father in his social home to care for him full time after he was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2008 Arthur passed away in 2013 aged 83 after being diagnosed with stage three kidney failure Katie with her father Arthur when she was a child. She found the picture of her father while looking at his old home on Google Maps, using the site's historic Street View images Google Maps features a tool which allows you to view historic images from previous years, with some dating back to when Street View was first launched in 2007. Katie added: 'Just after he passed away, we were looking through old photos and we looked at the house on Google Maps and there he was. 'I looked at it a lot. When it got updated, I was heartbroken thinking I'd never see it again. I was still grieving. 'I found out on TikTok that you can look at older photos and it was lovely to see him again.' Share or comment on this article: I broke down in tears when I spotted my dad in his favourite spot on Google Street View 11 years after he died e-mail Add commentLike many embarking on the journey of mastering a new language, Megan Bednarczyk understands the challenges that come with it. The senior design manager at language-learning app Duolingo has been studying French using the popular platform for the last two years. The 30-year-old recalled how she was in Paris a year ago, determined to put what she learnt to use. “I was at a restaurant and I knew the vocabulary to use, but the second someone spoke to me in French, I froze. I had no confidence to speak the language and it was so frustrating,” she said. She fared better while on a recent trip to Paris. “This time, I had more confidence to speak French. I was given the French menu, and I ordered my meal in French,” said Bednarczyk with a hint of pride. Bednarczyk credits her confidence to daily practice. And yes, Duo, the beloved green owl mascot of Duolingo that constantly reminds her (and other users) to keep up with her lessons. She also has Lily to thank. Duolingo users would be familiar with Lily, the purple-haired, emo teenage character known for her sarcasm and moody demeanour. Lily is also the face of Duolingo Max, the platform’s newest AI-powered subscription tier which offers two exclusive features: Explain My Answer and Roleplay. It was launched in March. The two features came about after Bednarczyk and her team, which includes designers, illustrators, engineers, linguists and education experts, researched the pain points learners were facing: To understand their mistakes better and to have more opportunities for conversational practice. The New York-based designer and avid marathon runner led the design of Duolingo Max from concept to launch. She was in Singapore to speak at the Design Future Forum 2024 in October during Singapore Design Week. Explain My Answer helps users learn more about their response in a lesson, regardless of whether the answer was correct or incorrect. “Sometimes, you make a mistake but you don’t know why. Using AI, we explain the associated grammar rule with that mistake, so that you don’t make the same mistake again,” Bednarczyk said. Roleplay allows learners to practise real-world conversation skills with the characters in the app. For example, they might discuss future vacation plans with Oscar, go furniture shopping with Eddy, ask Bea to go for a hike , or ask Lin to help with dog-walking. “We wanted to make people speak with the characters more, rather than type out their replies. Speaking helps build up confidence more, especially in real world scenarios,” said Bednarczyk, who can attest to this. Although users aren’t talking to a live human, the AI behind this feature is responsive and interactive, meaning no two conversations will be exactly alike. After the interaction, learners get AI-powered feedback from Duo on the accuracy and complexity of their responses, as well as tips for future conversations. There is also the Video Call feature, where learners can video call Lily and have a conversation. Even though Lily isn’t real, she can remember little details about the learner and will use them in future conversations. The more proficient the learner is, the more nuanced the conversation. Bednarczyk told CNA Women that Lily is the face of Duolingo Max as she represents introverted learners and is popular for her relatable personality. “She is not easily excitable, so you really have to work hard to impress her. We picked her as she gave a more realistic experience to language learning.” Launched in 2011, Duolingo was created by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker with the aim of making education accessible to everyone. Number of users: Over 500 million learners worldwide to date, of which 74 million are active users. Languages offered: Over 100, from the world’s top five most spoken languages, namely English, Spanish, French, Japanese and German, to less commonly taught languages such as Hawaiian, Navajo and Scottish Gaelic. You can also learn High Valyrian from Game Of Thrones, and Klingon from the Star Trek series, as well as math and music. Most popular languages in Singapore: Japanese, Chinese and Spanish. How to learn: Membership levels start with the free Duolingo tier, where users go from the start to end of a course without paying a cent. It also offers two paid subscription tiers. Super Duolingo, at S$13.98 (US$10.40) per month, that allows users to fast track their learning. Bednarczyk said the majority of learners are on the Super Duolingo tier. Duolingo Max costs S$27.98 per month, which includes all the benefits of Super Duolingo and the new AI-powered features. It is currently available only for the Chinese, French for English Speakers and Spanish for English Speakers courses. Bednarczyk fully embraces AI and sees it as a partner. “AI helps take away the mundane tasks,” she said, citing an example of using AI to help her draw grids for brainstorming sessions. “I still do the strategic thinking,” she said. “I use AI as a sparring partner, to help me write the copy. It never gives me the perfect copy, but I use what it gives to shape my own thinking. I see it like a partner that enhances the work we do.” “Humans are still the final decision maker, and we are the ones asking and framing the questions to get the solutions that we need,” Bednarczyk added. Humans write the scenarios that learners see in Roleplay, making sure the initial prompt is aligned with where they are in their course. Humans also review the AI-generated explanations to ensure that answers are factually correct and have the right tone. Bednarczyk said that if not for AI, specifically GPT-4, Duolingo Max might have taken longer to create. “We knew that Duolingo had gaps and pain points, which we wanted to solve for years, but it was either too hard or took too much effort.” GPT-4 allowed the team to fill those gaps. Bednarczyk said Duolingo is not competing with other language learning apps, but rather with other social media apps. “We need to make learning engaging to keep learners coming back,” she said. This is where her design expertise comes in. Although trained in product design, designing in the digital world follows the same principles – solving a problem through design that is simple and beautiful. Duolingo’s aim is to make learning a language enjoyable and accessible, and this is done through thoughtful, innovative design. Lessons are bite-sized to fit busy learners’ schedules and take a game-like approach to foster a sense of accomplishment. The interface is intuitive, allowing users to navigate effortlessly through lessons and exercises. “We want learners to open the app, and know what to do next – creating something so simple can be hard,” said Bednarczyk. “Some of the best experiences with an app could be unmemorable, because you don’t have problems with it.” Working on a digital platform means things are constantly changing. To stay on top of the game, the team keeps up to date with the latest AI news, stays abreast of what other tech companies are doing, listens to users on their wants, and is always thinking about how others can disrupt them. Bednarczyk is constantly reminding herself and her team that “the things that you are building today will hopefully not be in the app in two years – that is how fast we innovate. If the feature is still there, it means the product is stale”. CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg .No. 1 South Carolina experiences rare sting of loss
A heated exchange has erupted between Opposition MP Ketan Lal and Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh, with both sides launching scathing criticisms over each other’s participation at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Both were members of the Fijian delegation at the summit which concluded yesterday. The war of words first erupted when Mr Singh posted on his Facebook account stating that most of the attendees were just wasting time and were burden to their respective countries. Mr Singh had said: “In future we need to send a very lean team of professionals, experts and negotia-tors, who are objective and can deliver their hard and clear message to COP30 come next year.” Mr Lal accused Mr Singh of hypocrisy and incompetence, claiming that his late addition to the delegation, extravagant travel expenses, and limited participation in the event were a blatant misuse of taxpayer funds. “Minister Charan’s criticism of our negotiators is disappointing,” Mr Lal said. “Despite joining the delegation at the last minute, his presence added little value to Fiji’s efforts. He trav-elled business class with stopovers in Sydney and Dubai, at taxpayers’ expense, and attend two side events.” Mr Lal further criticised Mr Singh’s speeches at the event, alleging that they were written by the same dedicated staff who had been working around the clock to negotiate on Fiji’s behalf. “While others were actively engaged, Minister Charan was nowhere to be found—essentially lost at the conference,” Mr Lal claimed. However, the minister fired back with a sharp rebuttal, challenging Mr Lal’s credibility and accusing him of being unfit to negotiate for Fiji on the international stage. Mr Singh challenged Mr Lal to “refund all your air tickets and per diem claims to the State if you walk your talk.” He also criticised Mr Lal’s parliamentary career, saying: “I didn’t need 600 votes to get into Parliament like you. I came here on my own strength, with the approval of the Prime Minister, to advocate for the sugar industry, which has received zero funding the past decade.” Mr Singh did not hold back, mocking Mr Lal’s political allegiance and labelled him a “lapdog” of another political party. “You didn’t speak at any events at COP29, and you are the same person who disrespected the Prime Minister in Parliament. You’ll be history in the next General Election.” Feedback: inoke.rabonu@fijisun.com.fjCOLUMBUS, Ga. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL ) announced today that it will webcast its annual Financial Analysts Briefing on December 3, 2024 at starting 8:00 a.m. (ET) . Aflac's executive management will discuss the Company's operations and strategy for the U.S. and Japan , as well as its medium-term outlook. The presentations will be available via webcast, and you must register here prior to the event. Presentation slides will be posted on investors.aflac.com after the market closes on December 2, 2024 , and an archive of the presentations will also be available on investors.aflac.com for two weeks following the conclusion of the webcast. ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL ), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for nearly seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan . In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. 1 In Japan , Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment ( PRI ) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol . Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under " Sustainability ." FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" to encourage companies to provide prospective information, so long as those informational statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. The company desires to take advantage of these provisions. This document contains cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected herein, and in any other statements made by company officials in communications with the financial community and contained in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not based on historical information and relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments. Furthermore, forward-looking information is subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective," "may," "should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will," "assumes," "potential," "target," "outlook" or similar words as well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify as forward-looking. Aflac undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements. The company cautions readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements: difficult conditions in global capital markets and the economy, including inflation defaults and credit downgrades of investments global fluctuations in interest rates and exposure to significant interest rate risk concentration of business in Japan limited availability of acceptable yen-denominated investments foreign currency fluctuations in the yen/dollar exchange rate differing interpretations applied to investment valuations significant valuation judgments in determination of expected credit losses recorded on the Company's investments decreases in the Company's financial strength or debt ratings decline in creditworthiness of other financial institutions the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified sales associates, brokers, employees, and distribution partners deviations in actual experience from pricing and reserving assumptions ability to continue to develop and implement improvements in information technology systems and on successful execution of revenue growth and expense management initiatives interruption in telecommunication, information technology and other operational systems, or a failure to maintain the security, confidentiality, integrity or privacy of sensitive data residing on such systems interruption in telecommunication, information technology and other operational systems, or a failure to maintain the security, confidentiality or privacy of sensitive data residing on such systems subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends to the Parent Company inherent limitations to risk management policies and procedures operational risks of third-party vendors tax rates applicable to the Company may change failure to comply with restrictions on policyholder privacy and information security extensive regulation and changes in law or regulation by governmental authorities competitive environment and ability to anticipate and respond to market trends catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, as a result of climate change, epidemics, pandemics, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, war or other military action, major public health issues, terrorism or other acts of violence, and damage incidental to such events ability to protect the Aflac brand and the Company's reputation ability to effectively manage key executive succession changes in accounting standards level and outcome of litigation or regulatory inquiries allegations or determinations of worker misclassification in the United States Analyst and investor contact - David A. Young , 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667 or [email protected] Media contact - Ines Gutzmer , 762.207.7601 or [email protected] SOURCE Aflac Incorporated(The Center Square) – Momentum is with the emerging electric vehicle industry even with many question marks surrounding energy policy as the Trump administration takes office in January, observers of the industry say. “At the local and state level, there's an incredible amount of energy and action taking place to support transportation electrification,” Ben Prochazka, executive director of the Electrification Coalition, told The Center Square. With Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, playing a significant role in President-elect Donald Trump’s election and chosen with Vivek Ramaswamy to head his new Department of Government Efficiency, it is also unlikely that the electric vehicle industry will be neglected nationally. “The hope is that Elon Musk has influence in the new administration, which does look to be the case,” said Prochazka. “Hopefully, that means there’s a great recognition around the economic benefits that exist.” It remains to be seen how electric vehicle incentive or tax credit programs – different than mandates – might be affected by Trump’s moves to cut spending. Mainstream outlets have already proclaimed that Trump has an "anti-EV agenda," as a group of automakers urged him to retain a national $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric vehicle purchases. On the other hand, Prochazka said tariffs and the deregulation of the domestic automotive industry could play a positive role in the electric vehicle industry, depending on how they are "established." “With any new administration, there's always going to be question marks about what the prevailing winds are,” explained Prochazka, whose nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition engages in policy development, advocacy campaigns and consumer education. "Everything has the potential to be reevaluated and then changed." Willett Kempton is in the University of Delaware's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and has research interests in offshore wind power, electric vehicles and public environmental beliefs and values. He agrees with Prochazka that a lot is still up in the air about Trump’s policy approach to the electric vehicle industry. Certain policies could potentially "slow down" growth domestically, he said. Yet, that wouldn't permanently stop growth. “National governments can slow this growth by policy changes, but that doesn’t change the cost advantages nor the long-term trends,” Kempton told The Center Square. In the past, Republicans generally have been notably skeptical about electric vehicles and especially mandates for them, preferring those powered by fossil fuels. Reliability is among the key drivers of the party's choice when it comes to opposition of the broader green agenda of Democrats. Musk’s involvement has the potential to change that skepticism. Prochazka said he is hopeful for that, emphasizing that his organization believes that electric vehicles should not be a partisan issue. “The last election ultimately created more partisan views on electrification,” he said. “We are working really hard to make sure it's clear that transportation electrification is not a red or a blue issue, but it's really about what's better for the country, especially when you look at it through the lens of global competition. We need to maintain our automotive leadership.” For Prochazka, growing the eclectic vehicle industry is an issue of both “national and economic security.” “The automotive sector is a trillion dollar a year industry that has millions and millions of jobs that are a part of the U.S. automotive sector," he said. "So, as the world goes electric, we need to compete so that we can not only maintain our current market share, but hopefully grow it. There’s a global race to electrification.” There are nearly 2.5 million electric vehicles registered throughout the nation, with the highest percentage of those in California. Even then, only 2.5% of the vehicles in California are electric vehicles and only 6.8% of the vehicles sold nationwide in 2024 were electric. Kempton and Prochazka say the transition to electric vehicles will be inevitable and that America should be the nation leading it. “The shift to electric vehicles is worldwide and there are so many advantages to EVs that this will proceed,” Kempton said. “In most territories, clean energy is already the lowest-cost electricity source and largest amount of new generation being installed. These are driven by market forces and producer projections of where the most future growth will be. So, I would not call these ‘movements’ but rather markets or growth trends and adoption of new technologies.” Only 38% of United States adults say they would even consider buying an electric vehicle. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Prochazka said he believes that will continue to change, both as there are nationally moves to protect the economic interests of the United States and as more people get familiar with electric vehicles. “We need to also make sure the U.S. is moving as quickly as possible, so that we can compete with the sort of global efforts to electrify,” he said. “Most people have not gotten behind the wheel and have not plugged one in. I think it’s something that people really just need to try, because then they'll realize this is a much better vehicle. It's just about getting people behind the wheel.”
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Hydrogen has been called the “ Swiss army knife ” of decarbonisation because it can do many things. But not all of them make sense. Today, the world uses about 100 megatonnes of hydrogen per year (MT/y), but this is produced almost entirely from fossil fuels. To use hydrogen for decarbonisation, we must shift to emissions-free forms. Global forecasts for green hydrogen produced from renewable sources vary widely, ranging from today’s demand (100 MT/y) to an optimistic 700 MT/y by 2050. Bloomberg’s recent 2050 forecast suggests a downward trend. Even so, shifting today’s demand to green hydrogen poses significant challenges. In our research, we use the “ clean hydrogen ladder ” to sort and quantify different uses of green hydrogen. The hydrogen ladder ranks hydrogen applications from ‘unavoidable’ (where it provides the best option for decarbonisation) to ‘uncompetitive’ (where better zero-carbon alternatives exist). Liebreich Associates , CC BY-SA Hydrogen demand in New Zealand Our research shows New Zealand’s total demand for green hydrogen would be around 2.8 Mt/y if all technically feasible applications switched to hydrogen. If we prioritise uses where green hydrogen is the only decarbonisation option, demand would be up to 1 MT/y. Fertiliser, methanol, shipping, steel, jet aviation and long-term energy storage would require about 1 MT/y. Author provided , CC BY-SA Fertiliser and methanol are at the top of the list. They are considered “unavoidable” because there are no other alternatives for decarbonisation. Together, they would require about 0.2 MT/y. Next on the list are things like shipping and jet fuel (through hydrogen-based synthetic fuels), steel production and long-term grid storage. These could add another 0.7 MT/y. At the other end of the ladder is where hydrogen is uncompetitive because there are better alternatives, like battery electric cars or heat pumps. To produce 1 MT/y of green hydrogen, New Zealand would need to triple the installed capacity of renewable power plants and build out a massive 10 GW of electrolysers (devices that uses electricity to obtain hydrogen from water). Long-term hydrogen storage A strategic use of hydrogen is long-duration storage to move cheap solar energy from summer to winter, beyond what hydropower reservoirs can balance. Hydrogen can be stored in complex chemical structures, BBQ-sized tanks and gas tankers (ships). But very large amounts of hydrogen will need to be held underground, with depleted natural gas reservoirs offering the most promising sites. There are several challenges to be addressed to transfer hydrogen into storage at three or more kilometres underground – and get it back up again. First, as a molecule, hydrogen is not well behaved. It tends to flow through materials that might contain it. This means we need to use specialised (expensive) materials along with careful leak detection. Second, recent discoveries of thriving microbial communities in New Zealand’s gas fields raise the prospect of renewable gases becoming a food source for microbes rather than an energy source. Ironmaking Another pressing application for hydrogen is to decarbonise steel production (which accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions ). Today, coal is used to strip oxygen from iron ore and provide combustion heat. Renewable electricity could supply heat and hydrogen to replace coal. The so-called hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (H2-DRI) process is feasible at scale, as demonstrated by Midrex , HYBRIT and POSCO . In collaboration with Victoria University of Wellington, in a project on zero-carbon production of metals , we found that electricity prices below NZ$0.13/kWh are necessary for hydrogen steel making to compete with the standard coal-based process . Solar PV is already significantly below these costs during daytime and close with battery backup. Exporting hydrogen New Zealand’s interim hydrogen roadmap suggests hydrogen exports of about 0.5 MT/y. Meeting domestic hydrogen demand is challenging enough, but export ambitions add another layer of complexity. Hydrogen is difficult to transport because it is a very light gas that takes up a lot of space. But it can be densified. Previous research explored the feasibility of hydrogen exports from New Zealand , looking at cryogenic liquefaction, ammonia conversion and toluene hydrogenation. Liquid hydrogen, while lower in cost, boils at minus 253°C and requires specialised insulated transport vessels, with notable losses expected from boil-off. On top of that, the infrastructure to ship large quantities of liquid hydrogen around the globe does not currently exist. Ammonia, transported at minus 33°C, suffers less from boil-off and is more practical. Next-generation catalysts such as those from Liquium could make ammonia even more favourable. The third option, toluene-MCH, involves higher costs, but is being tested at a commercial scale in Japan. Recent research highlights a fourth alternative, e-methanol produced from green hydrogen . E-methanol is promising because of its modularity and because we already know how to transport and store it. However, other researchers see e-methane as more promising as it could leverage existing port and pipeline infrastructures. The cost of hydrogen In terms of costs, hydrogen has a long way to go. To reduce costs, electrolysers can be scaled up, though this increases equipment expenses and creates a trade-off between capital and operating costs . Additionally, electrolysers rely on expensive and scarce materials like platinum and iridium. Our research focuses on developing low-cost electrolysers by utilising earth-abundant materials. Interestingly, other alternatives for emissions-free hydrogen are emerging. So-called “gold” and “orange” hydrogen (from natural accumulation or enhancement of olivine to serpentine, respectively) are good examples. Tantalisingly, New Zealand’s unique geology offers the potential of both finding “gold” and inducing “orange” hydrogen. Ultimately, the success of hydrogen will depend on competitiveness against alternative solutions, mainly electrification and biofuels. For applications with no easy alternative, emissions-free hydrogen is a direct option. Jannik Haas receives funding from MBIE to work on topics related to energy systems and holds clean energy stocks. Aaron Marshall receives funding from MBIE to work on water electrolysers and energy-related technology. He has received funding from NZIMMR for energy storage technology. He is a co-founder and shareholder of Ternary Kinetics which is developing liquid organic hydrogen carrier technology and has minor shareholdings in a range of energy companies. Andy Nicol receives funding from MBIE to undertake research into underground storage of hydrogen. David Dempsey receives funding from MBIE to undertake research into underground storage of hydrogen. Ian Wright has previously received funding from Natural Environment Research Council (UK) relevant to this topic, and has been a member of the Research Council UK (RCUK) Energy Programme Scientific Advisory Committee. Matthew J Watson receives funding from MBIE. He serves as an advisor to and has ownership stakes in both NILO and Aspiring Materials and holds other publicly traded stocks in the energy sector. Rebecca Peer receives funding from MBIE to research topics related to energy transitions.Tensions high as U.N. climate talks result in new deal
None1 2 3 Nagpur: Senior BJP leader Krishna Khopde , who has won the Nagpur East assembly seat for the fourth time, dismissed speculation about seeking a ministerial post despite growing demands from party workers. "The thought of seeking a ministerial post doesn't even cross my mind. The party's faith in me is my greatest reward. I will continue to focus on development and follow the party's directive," Khopde told TOI while celebrating his historic win. Khopde won with a record margin of 1,15,288 votes, cementing his dominance in the constituency and reinforcing BJP's stronghold in the region. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who got whom IPL 2025 Auction: Updated Full Team Squads Known for his grass roots connection and focus on developmental issues, Khopde attributed his success to the transformative initiatives he has championed in Nagpur East. "Projects like flyovers, cement roads in previously inaccessible areas, strengthening the water supply with new overhead tanks, and Smart City projects such as a fire station and skill development centre have changed the face of this part of the city," he said. Criticizing past govts for neglecting the area, he assured voters that even more ambitious projects are planned for the future. Khopde's consistency as a leader is evident in his electoral track record. First elected in 2009 after defeating Congress veteran Satish Chaturvedi, Khopde has steadily increased his victory margins over the years. He surpassed his 2014 margin of 35,216 votes and his 2019 margin of 24,017 votes, polling 1,63,390 votes in 2024 — an unparalleled across Vidarbha's 62 assembly seats. The MLA also emphasized the crucial role of women voters in his victories. "Women have been a backbone of my electoral success. Their trust reflects our commitment to addressing their concerns and improving their lives through developmental policies," he said. Khopde's leadership during the Lok Sabha elections further enhanced his stature when he secured a lead of 73,371 votes for Union minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur East, earning him the title of a "modern-day Shrikrishna". Looking ahead, Khopde is expected to play a pivotal role in bolstering BJP's performance in the upcoming Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections. His development-centric approach and consistent engagement with voters make him a crucial asset for the party as it seeks to retain its hold over the civic body. On his future in state politics, Khopde remained grounded. "My focus is on delivering results and addressing people's issues. Whether in assembly elections or NMC polls, my efforts will always align with the party's vision of inclusive development," he said.MUMBAI: Come 2025, the Indian telecom sector could see a hiring rush for new opportunities created by satellite communications as the government finalizes the regulatory processes for such services. ET Year-end Special Reads It's all Gucci for Indians' luxury craving even as economy shows wrinkles Investing in 2025: Will domestic funds continue to counter FPI sell-offs amid rising valuations? 2024 exposed the underbelly of India's Silicon Valley Although the introduction of satcom services is in a wait-and-watch mode and the numbers are yet unclear, the sector could create the need for highly skilled talent in space technologies to manage operations from India once players such as Elon Musk 's Starlink , Amazon 's Kuiper , Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and the Reliance Jio- SES JV foray into the satcoms race, hiring experts said. Still, India's telecom workforce growth is expected to remain stable in the upcoming fiscal at 31%, similar to 30% in FY25, and 31% in FY24, recruiting firms Randstad, TeamLease and Quess Corp have said. This does not include expected hirings in the satcoms segment. The telecom hiring in FY26 would majorly be driven by rural expansion, 6G preparedness and focus on advanced network technologies. While temporary field jobs will see an uptick from projects like BharatNet and 4G/5G network expansion, staffing firms are gearing up to hunt new talent on the corporate side as well in areas like cybersecurity, AI, and satellite communications. Though the satellite broadband space is yet to take off, the sector could create significant new job opportunities as India already ranks 5th in space technologies. 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Many pointers, including spectrum allocation mode are in the recommendations stage. Once we have the final policy draft and launch announcement, it will be good to comment about it," said Subburathinam P, chief operating officer - staffing, TeamLease Services. Steady Climb Randstad expects India's telecom workforce to grow from 5 million in FY24 to 5.7 million in FY25. This follows a steady growth trend from 2.5 million in FY22 to 4 million in FY23, the company said. According to Quess, over FY23, there is a 33% increase in the telecom sector hiring in FY24. TeamLease, in turn, said the associate workforce is expected to grow at 8-9% in 2025. "Telecom companies continued to actively hire field sales executives, customer relationship executives, retail executives, installation engineers, fibre repair executives, and cell site repair staff during this period," TeamLease's Subburathinam P said. Besides connectivity solutions, data management, and cybersecurity roles, AI in network management and customer service will create new opportunities in telecom, he explained. However, regulatory challenges could impact the pace of hiring. "In FY25, the primary growth levers will be rural expansion of 5G networks and the preparation for 6G advancements," said Viswanath PS, MD & CEO, Randstad India. "Key roles will focus on customer acquisition, service, backend network optimisation, technical support, and field operations. However, core infrastructure roles such as tower and equipment installations may see a decline as urban network projects are nearing completion," he said. Upskilling Need But, there is a widening demand-supply gap for skilled professionals - already at around 2 million and projected to grow- that highlights the urgent need for targeted skilling initiatives, Viswanath said. According to Quess, over FY23, there is also a 33% increase in telecom hirings in 2024 in network and front-end roles, driven by 5G expansion. Edge computing, as in moving data processing and storage closer to the data source, has also been a major trend. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 31, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )