philboss app for iphone
By Dr. Gyan Pathak India’s flagship Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme announced in the Union Budget 2024-25 for decent job creation in the country did not take off even in mid-December 2024. Union Ministry of Finance is busy in making next Union Budget 2025-26, which will be tabled on February 1, 2025. India Inc is hesitant in joining the scheme, and Union Ministry of Labour and Employment is also not ready with the details of the scheme, which are likely to be notified in January 2025. EPFO is being revamped to implement the ELI Scheme. Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has held about two dozen meetings with EPFO officials and India Inc, to prepare the details of the schemes and implementation guidelines since last week of September, almost a month after the ELI Scheme was announced on July 23 in the Union Budget 2024-25. EPFO was ordered to insure that employers complete the first stage of the process of Universal Account Number (UAN) activation through Aadhaar-based OTP by November 30, 2024, starting with the latest joinee employees in the current financial year 2024-25. It was also said that in the second stage of the process, going forward, UAN activation was to be included in the state-of-the-art facility of Biometric authentication, through Face-recognition Technology. After that the employers will be required to complete the process for all employees working with them. It should also be noted that the Centre had already issued direction earlier to all ministries and departments to ensure payments of subsidy and incentives to beneficiaries of all schemes through Aadhaar Payment Bridge. Obviously, EPFO also required to ensure it for employers focused ELI scheme purportedly to create decent jobs in the country, since more than 90 per cent of the workforce in India are employed in informal jobs, both in informal sector and formal sector. ELI scheme is for formal sector, but in the last decade large number of them are informally employed through contracts, informally, or through outsourced agencies. EPFO and the India Inc just failed to complete the first stage of UAN activation by November 30. There was then no option but to extend the date. EPFO then issued a circular on December 4, 2024 extending the last date to link the UAN for the ELI scheme to December 15. Along with the extension of the deadline to activate UAN, the government has also extended the date for the Aadhaar seeding of bank accounts. EPFO wrote, “Dear Employers, the date of UAN activation and Aadhaar seeding of Bank Account has been extended till 15th December. Ensure to do the same for all employees who have joined in the current financial year, starting with the latest joinees, to avail the benefit of the Employment Linked Incentive scheme.” It was already expected not only because India Inc was hesitant and very slow in accepting the ELI scheme and not coming forward to complete the first stage of UAN activation by November 30, but also because the Union government is also yet to announce the details of the ELI Scheme. On December 11, just 4 days before the expiry of the extended date for employers to complete the first stage of UAN activation, Union Labour secretary Ms Sumita Dawra has urged India Inc to leverage the ELI Scheme while speaking at the Global Economic Policy Forum 2024 organised by CII. Urging industry to collaborate with the government she said, “ELI is designed to incentivise the hiring of additional workers, particularly in the manufacturing sector, by offsetting the cost of employing new workers. ... The scheme aims to boost labour formalisation enhance the employability of workers and support job creation in key manufacturing industries.” Obviously to lure even foreign multinational companies to work in India, she said India’s working age-population will constitute about 65% of its total population by 2030, positioning the country as a key player in addressing global labour shortages. Union Labour Secretary Ms Dawra also urged India Inc to leverage new technologies, policies and practices to make India a manufacturing powerhouse, citing the example of the country’s growing role as a hub for global capability centres (GCCs) that employ millions of Indians in sectors like engineering, technology and AI to contribute to global innovation while supporting the country’s domestic manufacturing capabilities. Union Labour Secretary Ms Dawra’s statements clearly show how desperate the Centre is to implement the ELI schemes but not able to push it forward despite the schemes seem on the surface very attractive. Three schemes A, B, and C would give Rs10,000 crore subsidies to employers under ELI scheme through EPFO for every new membership, and it was claimed that it would generate 8 million jobs, apart from skilling 10 million youths over the next five years. The Union government is struggling to formulate appropriate guidelines for the scheme for the last three months and has held meetings with representatives of employers, employees, research and academic institutions, multilateral organisations, apart from officials of various government ministries and departments including EPFO. Union labour secretary has said in the CII Global Economic Policy Forum, “I do hope the industry will be looking at the ELIs, and will be using them to make themselves more competitive.” It shows uncertainly about the effectiveness of the ELI scheme in the present form especially in regard to creation of large number of decent jobs in India. (IPA Service)
QAMISHLI, Syria (AP) — Kurdish-led fighters in Syria, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, said Tuesday they have launched a counter-offensive against the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army to take back areas near Syria’s northern border with Turkey . The Kurdish-led SDF is Washington’s critical ally in Syria, targeting sleeper cells of the extremist Islamic State group scattered across the country's east. Since the fall of the totalitarian rule of Bashar Assad earlier this month, clashes have intensified between the U.S.-backed group and the SNA, which captured the key city of Manbij and the areas surrounding it. The intense weekslong clashes come at a time when Syria, battered by over a decade of war and economic misery, negotiates its political future following half a century under the Assad dynasty’s rule. Ruken Jamal, spokesperson of the Women’s Protection Unit, or YPJ, which is under the SDF, told The Associated Press that its fighters are just over 11 kilometers (7 miles) away from the center of Manbij in their ongoing counter-offensive. She accused Ankara of trying to weaken the group’s influence in negotiations over Syria’s political future through the SNA, “Syria is now in a new phase, and discussions are underway about the future of the country,” Jamal said. “Turkey is trying, through its attacks, to distract us with battles and exclude us from the negotiations in Damascus.” A Britain-based opposition war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, says that since the SNA’s offensive in northern Syria against the Kurds started earlier this month, dozens from both sides have been killed. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke on Tuesday with Turkish Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, according to Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. Ryder said they discussed the ongoing situation in Syria, and Austin emphasized that close and continuous coordination is crucial to a successful effort to counter IS in the country. They also discussed the importance of setting the conditions to enable a more secure and stable Syria. Ankara sees the SDF as an affiliate of its sworn enemy, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which it classifies as a terrorist organization. Turkish-backed armed groups alongside Turkish jets for years have attacked positions where the SDF are largely present across northern Syria, in a bid to create a buffer zone free from the group along the large shared border. While the SNA was involved in the lightning insurgency — led by the Islamic group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — that toppled Assad, it has continued its push against the SDF, seen as Syria’s second key actor for its political future. On Monday, the SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami said its forces pushed back the Turkish-backed rebels from areas near the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River, a key source of hydroelectric power. He said the SDF also destroyed a tank belonging to the rebels southeast of Manbij. The British-based war monitor said on Tuesday that the Kurdish-led group, following overnight fighting, has reclaimed four villages in the areas near the strategic dam. Turkish jets also pounded the strategic border town of Kobani in recent days. During Syria’s uprising-turned-conflict, the Kurds carved out an enclave of autonomous rule across northeastern Syria, never fully allying entirely with Assad in Damascus nor the rebels trying to overthrow him. Even with the Assad family out of the picture, it appears that Ankara’s position won’t change, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s landmark visit to Syria maintaining a strong position on the Kurdish-led group in his meeting with HTS's de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa . “It has turned the region into a cauldron of terror with PKK members and far-left groups who have come from Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Europe," Fidan said in a news conference after the meeting. “The international community is turning a blind eye to this lawlessness because of the wardenship it provides (against IS).” With the ongoing fighting, SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi has expressed concern about a strong IS resurgence due to the power vacuum in Syria and the ongoing fighting, which has left the Kurdish-led group unable to carry out its attacks and raids on the extremists’ scattered sleeper cells. Tens of thousands of children, family members, and supporters of IS militants are still held in large detention centers in northeastern Syria, in areas under SDF control. Chehayeb reported from Beirut.
Haiti gang attack on journalists covering a hospital reopening leaves 2 dead, several woundedWhat's New Prominent Democratic National Committee ( DNC ) fundraiser Lindy Li has announced her departure from the Democratic Party , citing a toxic internal culture and backlash over her critiques of Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden . In a series of media appearances, Li has claimed that allies of Donald Trump have been more "humane" to her than her former party. Newsweek has reached out to Lindy Li, Donald Trump's spokesperson, and the DNC for comment. Why It Matters Li likened her exit to "leaving a cult," sparking debate about dissent within the party. Her departure follows a series of events in which she questioned Vice President Kamala Harris's political ambitions and President Joe Biden's fitness for office. She also voiced support for Donald Trump's defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth. These statements triggered significant backlash, including accusations of disloyalty and social media campaigns to discredit her. Li reported losing 40,000 followers on social media within days. What To Know In an appearance on Fox News , Li described her departure as akin to escaping a restrictive and punitive environment. "It's like leaving a cult," she said, explaining that she was ostracized for questioning Harris's political ambitions and Biden's leadership abilities. "This past week has been harrowing for me," Li said during an interview with Piers Morgan on Wednesday. "On Saturday, I went on Fox & Friends and said, 'Democrats have a stench of loser hanging over them.' As soon as I said that, there were boycott campaigns against me—unblock, unfollow campaigns." Her criticism intensified after she expressed support for Pete Hegseth and again described the Democratic Party as having a "stench of loser." The remarks prompted swift retaliation, including accusations of disloyalty and coordinated efforts to undermine her online presence. "I lost tens of thousands of followers because I dared to tell the truth," Li said. "In a cult, you can't tell the truth or ask questions, but I'm done with that." Li's decision, seen by some as emblematic of growing discontent within the party, has provoked sharp backlash from current members. It has also sparked broader conversations about the Democrats ' future as the 2024 election approaches. Despite the criticism, Li expressed optimism about the incoming Trump administration. She noted tech billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos donating to Trump's inauguration and suggested that a new era of "prosperity" might be on the horizon. What People Are Saying Keith Edwards, Democratic strategist, on Bluesky: "Grifter @lindyli has announced she's leaving the Democratic Party. How long until she's wearing a MAGA hat?" Tim Ryan, former Ohio congressman, in The New York Times : "The Dems got pinned as the status quo party on inflation, instability, insecurity, and every other issue facing working people. Trump was the change candidate in a year when 65 percent of people thought we were on the wrong track." What Happens Next Li has hinted at aligning with conservative organizations, stating her desire to work with groups that exhibit "common decency." She also confirmed during an interview with Fox Business that she will attend Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025.
ShipMoney announces partnership with Megga Telecom to provide crews with seamless Data Roaming experienceMITCHELL — For 54 years, Barb Feilmeier has transformed gingerbread from a simple holiday treat into a canvas for extraordinary creativity. Feilmeier’s journey into the world of gingerbread architecture began quite unexpectedly in 1970, when, as a stay-at-home mother of four, she came across a recipe for a gingerbread house in Family Circle magazine. What started as a modest holiday project soon evolved into an annual tradition, setting her on a path that would transform her into a master of edible architecture — a path that, over time, would incorporate both creative and technical skills. ADVERTISEMENT What began with a simple church soon evolved into increasingly elaborate creations. As Feilmeier honed her craft, her designs became more intricate, transforming from local landmarks like the South Dakota State Capitol to globally recognized icons such as the Vatican. Now 83, Feilmeier approaches every project with scientific precision. She begins by visiting and photographing her chosen building, taking meticulous measurements. Paper models and scaled drawings precede any baking, ensuring architectural accuracy. "I do it by creating detailed paper models before even touching the dough," Feilmeier said. Feilmeier’s architectural accuracy comes from a combination of her background in medical technology and her love for math. It’s this precision that allows her to carefully plan and assemble each gingerbread structure, making sure every window, roof, and door fits perfectly. "The trickiest part is usually the roof," Feilmeier said. "The angles are hard to get just right. But that's the fun part—it's all about the challenge," she said. Feilmeier's approach to gingerbread architecture is whimsical, with a keen eye for transforming everyday items into architectural elements. She sees potential building materials in every grocery store aisle. As her expertise has grown, so has her ability to manage every step of the process, from mixing the dough to assembling the final details. And her knack for improvisation comes in handy when things go wrong. ADVERTISEMENT “One year, I was putting together St. Peter’s Basilica, and I accidentally knocked off the whole front of it. It shattered on the floor, and I had to start over,” she said. "I've learned to always make extra dough in case I need a do-over." Despite her evolving techniques, Feilmeier remains loyal to her original 1970 recipe. "I still use the same recipe from 1970 because it works," Feilmeier said. This dedication to tradition stands in stark contrast to modern gingerbread house kits, which Feilmeier dismisses as "terrible." The secret to her creations' sturdiness lies in the frosting — a simple mixture of egg white and powdered sugar that hardens to create a durable structure. "The kits have soft frosting that never gets hard so they fall apart," Feilmeier said. Beyond the technical precision, Feilmeier’s work is also a testament to her creativity and resourcefulness. Take, for example, her latest creation, a gingerbread replica of First Lutheran Church in Mitchell—where Life Savers become stained glass windows, and Hersheys and Kit-Kats serve as sturdy doors. Her creativity hasn't gone unnoticed. Joan Anderson, a longtime admirer, speaks to her remarkable approach. ADVERTISEMENT "I am amazed at the creativity and ingenuity that Barb puts into each creation," Anderson said. "And although she has been making gingerbread creations for over 50 years, each one involves new challenges. I refer to her as my 'master gingerbread artist' friend." Feilmeier has crafted everything from the grand Victorian Beckwith House in Mitchell to the majestic Mount Vernon, each with its own unique challenges and innovations. One of her most memorable projects was the Corn Palace, where she decided to forgo the roof entirely. "I decided it was boring to put a roof on it. It's just a big roof. So I left the roof off and did the inside. I did the stage and seats. I just piled up crackers and made seats and did a railing out of pretzels," Feilmeier said. Her recreation of the Vern Eide Chevrolet dealership in town showcased her attention to interior detail. She left the roof off that creation as well to display various rooms, including a paint room and mechanics' area, complete with tiny fondant figures representing salesmen and mechanics. Feilmeier often finds inspiration from her travels. After a trip to Rome, she tackled the Vatican. Her journey to Ireland resulted in a replica of Kilcolgan Castle. Yet, not all of her most meaningful projects are grand or distant. Some of her creations are drawn from closer to home. Over the years, she has crafted gingerbread replicas of the homes she's lived in, the church where she was married, and even her daughter’s motorhome. ADVERTISEMENT Despite her skill, Feilmeier has no interest in formal competitions. When her family took her to a national gingerbread house competition, she was more amused than intimidated. For her, it’s never been about perfection or prestige—it’s about the joy of creating. "Everything is perfect at the competition. I would be laughed out of the contest," Feilmeier said. "I don't care enough to make them perfect. I use frosting to cover up all my sins. You can cover up a lot of mistakes with frosting." While the ephemeral nature of her creations means they don't last long, Feilmeier carefully documents each project. She maintains a detailed scrapbook containing plans and photos of every gingerbread structure she's made over the past 54 years. Despite her meticulous documentation, Feilmeier doesn't become attached to the physical creations themselves. This year’s gingerbread house will be on display at First Lutheran Church, but once the holidays are over, Feilmeier will pack up her creation and throw it out. "If no one wants it, I have no problem throwing it out," she said. "I'm sick of it by the time it's all finished. I love the process, but I’m ready to move on to the next one." In fact, Barb is already thinking about next year’s project. She and her husband plan to visit Paris this summer, and she’s already got her sights set on Notre Dame for her 55th anniversary of gingerbread building. "I've done the Vatican. I think I can do Notre Dame" Feilmeier said. "It will be my 55th year, and that would be crowning if I can do it."Creating and maintaining an effective team, whether in business or education, has never been more important than today. After surviving the worst global pandemic in a century, and navigating economic challenges in an ever-changing political environment, ensuring you already have an effective team can be daunting. Perhaps in higher education, with the potential of lower enrollments, rising expenditures and more limited financial resources for funding higher wages, finding and keeping your IT team will be difficult. In some ways, just keeping your employees engaged has become a global challenge. According to a 2024 on the state of the global workplace, “the majority of the world’s employees continue to struggle at work and in life, with direct consequences for organizational productivity.” The study also estimated $8.9 trillion was lost in global GDP due to this problem. Given today’s nimble work population, if higher education cannot afford current salary levels, and the institutional environment is already poor, employees will simply move on to more promising job opportunities. So, to create and maintain a successful team, in your IT department and throughout your campus, you should carefully define, analyze and review your work environment from the top down. A September 2024 article on the business website Upwork titled, " ," lists a number of important and helpful steps you can take to achieve this goal. As we all reflect upon our staff and our general work environment in higher education, especially over the past several years, I pulled together a top 25 to-do list for the upcoming year. The list is in no particular order, but intended to recognize the dedication of the IT staff, which at times are forgotten or go unnoticed. The list is also intended to consider all the technological tools at our disposal, how to use them effectively, how to leverage educational technology in the future, and how to lead and manage our employees. 1. Work to recruit and retain the very best IT staff for my institution. 2. Protect my campus from a major cyber or ransomware attack. 3. Make certain all of our institutional data backups are both secure and fully tested, so we can confidently rely upon them for full operational use. 4. Before the next big decision at a meeting, ask the question, “Who should have been at the table who hasn’t been invited before?” 5. Provide special thanks to the staff at the help desk. Provide the staff with coffee, treats and make them feel they are valued. Offer them praise and validation for jobs well done. 6. Whatever direction the political winds are blowing, make sure our students, faculty and staff are thought of as essential to our country’s successful and peaceful future. 7. Ensure AI is utilized ethically and incorporate the elements of transparency, impartiality, accountability, reliability, security and privacy. 8. Continue working to ensure instruction can be supplemented and supported with educational technology which fosters individualized learning for each student. 9. Make use of technology which is translucent — meaning it’s there when you need it but doesn’t overtake the classroom or the moment, or interfere with important social interaction or conversation. 10. Make certain the CIO or CTO always has a seat at the table for administrative discussions and decisions. 11. Have all faculty, staff and students continually utilize good cybersecurity practices. 12. Create an environment where campus administrators support and practice cybersecurity protocols, and consistent cyber training occurs. 13. Ensure the IT department can communicate clearly, concisely, consistently and effectively to the campus community. 14. Work diligently to promote the concept of servant leadership throughout IT and the campus. Manage others as you would prefer to be managed yourself. 15. Foster IT leadership that leads with purpose, collaboration and teamwork. 16. When leading, celebrate successes as well as acknowledging failures. Learn from both to chart a successful course for the future. 17. Strive for a work-life balance, both for yourself and staff. 18. Provide training and professional development opportunities for team members. 19. Ensure you have developed a team atmosphere and a culture of trust. 20. Encourage IT leadership and staff to get out of the office and travel the campus to meet and greet faculty, staff and students on a regular basis. 21. Create a work environment with clear goals, measurable objectives and expectations. 22. Work to empower staff and appropriately delegate responsibility so there can be mutual professional growth and development. 23. Encourage staff to take calculated risks and learn from them. 24. Manage but don’t micromanage. 25. Continually motivate your IT staff with positivity. Tackling some or all of these items takes strong, resilient and empathetic leadership. Sam Walton, a well-known American businessperson and founder of Walmart and Sam’s Club, probably said it best: “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish.” The upcoming months may bring a fair amount of uncertainty and dynamic challenges. The key for leaders and managers is to believe that positive change can pay long-term dividends. The one-word quote from the hit TV series , from the coach himself, makes for a perfect parting message: “BELIEVE.” We can achieve a great deal by following and sharing each of these wishes to ensure our mutually productive future. Believe me.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) is to ask the Ministry of Finance to exempt the retrospective tax for merger and acquisition (M&A) deals of listed companies, as part of its moves to boost the sluggish domestic exchange. It also aims to push the Thai stock market as a listing hub for flagship businesses in sectors with the potential to grow, such as healthcare, data centres, and food and beverage. The Jump+ project will be launched next year to boost market capitalisation. SET president Asadej Kongsiri said during an interview with the Bangkok Post that listed companies are considering acquiring businesses outside the stock market, but they are concerned over potential negative consequences. "In the process of business expansion, there may be a merger along the way and sometimes the companies on the SET want to acquire non-listed peers," he said. Consequently, the SET is preparing to ask for support from the Ministry of Finance by avoiding retrospective tax collection for those businesses pursuing M&As. "That would help companies expand and grow to their goals faster without being afraid of having their accounting audited retrospectively," said Mr Asadej. These companies would grow, and that will allow the government to collect more tax revenue in the future. In turn, it would let more companies enter the official tax system, he added. JUMP+ PROJECT Mr Asadej revealed that the SET aims to increase the value of stocks and the market capitalisation of the Thai bourse through the Jump+ project, which is similar to a successful initiative by South Korea's stock exchange. Currently, there are more than 800 companies listed on the Thai bourse, with a market cap of roughly 17 trillion baht. Several companies have a large amount of assets and cash, with only a small portion of debt. Nonetheless, they do not have a plan to expand their business. "These companies are classified as having a lazy balance sheet, but they have growth potential," Mr Asadej noted. If a listed company has developed a business expansion plan and future investment, they will be able to increase their stock value, whether they grow in their current business or a new business. The Jump+ initiative is a growth acceleration platform designed to enhance the value creation journey of high-potential listed firms across the Thai capital market. Through this voluntary programme, the SET will empower listed companies by driving operational excellence, advancement in ESG (environmental, social and governance), and adoption of analytical tools and artificial intelligence (AI). Participants will gain access to advisory services and communication channels to enhance market visibility, along with benefits and incentives from the SET, government agencies and partners. The SET will also introduce a new index tracking the performance of successful Jump+ companies and provide analysis reports in partnership with the Investment Analysts Association to support their investment decisions. A group index, possibly called the SET Jump Plus Index, would be set up if a large number of companies participated in the programme, noted Mr Asadej, adding that this initiative would be implemented from the first half of 2025. LISTING HUB According to the president, the SET aims to be a listing hub for flagship Thai businesses, or industries that have strengths and high growth potential, and that are in investment trends. Target businesses include healthcare, wellness, data and cloud centres, and electronic parts. "We are preparing to meet with relevant agencies, including the Board of Investment, the Finance Ministry, and foreign embassies to help attract companies from all over the world to invest in Thailand," Mr Asadej said. "This is a long-term plan that may not be completed in my term. But it must be started to put the Thai stock market in the spotlight and increase the bourse's potential in the long term." Additionally, information spreads through social media and various other channels very quickly nowadays. They contain both the truth and untruths. Therefore, proper and effective communication and warnings provided to investors must be carried out more quickly. He added that the SET is considering the use of AI to help analyse small stocks to provide investors with better information for their investment decisions. One of the pain points nowadays is that investors can only see analysis of large stocks. It is not worth it for brokers to analyse smaller stocks that investors do not trade often. "Now there is technology that can do it. It is a basic analysis that can be translated into many languages for investors to choose from. It helps them access investment information more comprehensively," Mr Asadej said. RISK FACTORS Mr Asadej said that US-China trade is an external factor that could have implications for the Thai stock market in terms of both opportunities and risks. During the first Donald Trump administration from 2017 to 2021, there were US$130 trillion worth of manufacturing relocations from China to the rest of Asia, of which only 10% was captured by Thailand. Vietnam attracted a significant portion due to various factors such as its natural resources and a young workforce whose skill sets were better than that of the Thai population. When Trump returns to the White House next month, Thailand should adjust itself to be capable of seizing the opportunities, including manufacturing relations that are better than during the first Trump administration, said Mr Asadej. Another risk factor is that Trump will increase import taxes on countries that have a trade surplus with the US. Among the members of Asean, Thailand ranks second in terms of its trade surplus with the US and 12th within Asia. "We must closely monitor the US tax policies under the Trump government on countries where China has production bases, including Thailand," Mr Asadej said. As for domestic factors, Mr Asadej believes the political situation is more stable now and the economy is bouncing back thanks to the recovery in tourism to pre-pandemic levels and the government's faster budget disbursement. However, the energy and petrochemical groups, which are heavyweight stocks on the SET, are being pressured by the global economic slowdown while the high level of supply in the market has affected the profits of many companies. Those factors have resulted in a decrease in the total profits of listed firms on the SET overall. In future, it will be necessary to increase contributions from other industries on the SET to balance that of the energy sector, Mr Asadej added.
CARLSBAD, Calif. , Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT ), a global leader in satellite communications, today announced that it has completed the divestiture of its Energy Services System Integration (SI) business to US-based private investment firm MAG Capital Partners. No further transaction details were announced. Gary Chase , Chief Financial Officer, Viasat said: "We are focused on taking strategic actions and continuously looking at ways to enhance our financial position and unlock value. This transaction is part of Viasat's strategy to actively manage our portfolio. While the SI business is a vibrant, stand-alone operation, it has minimal strategic synergies with our core growth businesses. "It made strong sense for the future of the SI business – its employees and customers – to find a new owner prioritizing large-scale telecoms project work to allow the business to reach its full potential. In MAG Capital Partners, we believe we have found an owner that will help the business continue to expand. We appreciate the many contributions of our SI colleagues and wish them continued success." SI, which was included in Viasat's acquisition of RigNet in 2021, provides engineering design, procurement services, shop assembly, factory acceptance testing, and "day 2" support for telecom systems installed on critical infrastructure projects. Approximately 80 employees currently engaged in the SI business will transfer to the new company, Nessco. The agreement includes the sale of the company's SI facility in Aberdeen, Scotland . No locations are expected to close as a result of the sale. Imperial Capital, LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Viasat in connection with the sale of the SI business. About Viasat Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. With offices in 24 countries around the world, our mission shapes how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate and connect. Viasat is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, reliable, secure, affordable, fast connections to positively impact people's lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea, while building a sustainable future in space. In May 2023 , Viasat completed its acquisition of Inmarsat, combining the teams, technologies and resources of the two companies to create a new global communications partner. Learn more at www.viasat.com , the Viasat News Room or follow us on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , X or YouTube . Copyright © 2024 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat Signal are registered in the U.S and in other countries to Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements that refer to the enhancement of financial performance and unlocking of value resulting from the active management of Viasat's portfolio; the number of employees expected to transfer to the new company; and the number of locations expected to close as a result of the sale. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of any existing or future satellite; unexpected expenses related to our satellite projects; risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, launch, operational or deployment failure or degradation in satellite performance; increasing levels of competition in our target markets; our ability to successfully implement our business plan on our anticipated timeline or at all; changes in the global business environment and economic conditions; and our level of indebtedness and ability to comply with applicable debt covenants. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in our SEC filings available at www.sec.gov , including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason. SOURCE Viasat, Inc.
Climate Change Karma: Who is to be blamed?
Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump says he'll “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole. Trump said that he will direct the Department of Justice to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated.” Trump was vague on what specific actions he may take. 21 dead as Mozambique erupts in violence after election court ruling MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country’s highest court confirmed ruling party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections has killed at least 21 people, including two police officers. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court’s announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. Prosecutors find workers in 'slavery like' conditions at Chinese car company site in Brazil RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) — A task force led by Brazilian prosecutors says it has rescued 163 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like” conditions at a construction site in northeastern Brazil, where Chinese electric vehicle company BYD is building a factory. The Labor Prosecutor’s Office released videos of the dorms where the construction workers were staying, which showed beds with no mattresses and rooms without any place for the workers to store their personal belongings. In a statement issued Monday, the prosecutor’s office said the workers had been hired in China by Jinjian Group, one of the contractors on the site, which is located in Camaçari, a city in the Salvador metropolitan region. NFL players who use platform to share their faith say it's their duty to spread their love of Jesus ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions. Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus. A month later, Bates told The Associated Press it is a duty to share his faith. The NFL is filled with players and coaches who feel the same way, such as Houston's C.J. Stroud, Atlanta's Kirk Cousins, and Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens. Stunning photos show lava erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano HONOLULU (AP) — Lava is erupting from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano for the second straight day. The eruption has stayed within Kilauea’s summit caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and no homes are threatened. Molten rock began spewing out of the volcano before dawn on Monday when fissures opened in the caldera floor and shot lava high into the air. It then oozed across the caldera floor. Scientists expect activity to fluctuate in coming days. The lava paused Monday afternoon but fountains reemerged Tuesday morning. The eruption has occurred in an area that’s been closed to the public since 2007 due to hazards including crater wall instability and rockfalls. Haiti gangs fire on journalists covering a planned hospital reopening, leaving casualties PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Suspected gang members have opened fire on journalists in Haiti’s capital as they were covering the attempted reopening of the country’s largest hospital, wounding or killing an unknown number of people. The country's interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the vicious Christmas Eve attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. Radio Télé Métronome said earlier on Tuesday that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded in the shooting. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Hurricane-force winds bear down on California, latest in stretch of extreme weather LOS ANGELES (AP) — California has been hit hard by extreme weather over the past several weeks. Atmospheric rivers, which are long stretches of wet air that can produce heavy rains, brought a record-setting rainfall before Thanksgiving. A series of atmospheric rivers are producing strong waves and storms near Santa Cruz this week. Thousands were left under evacuation warnings and orders because of a fire around Malibu. Climate change means that strong storms will be responsible for a greater share of the state's yearly precipitation and the periods between those events will be drier. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by vendor technology in its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled.Children of the wealthy and connected get special admissions consideration at some elite U.S. universities, according to new filings in a class-action lawsuit originally brought against 17 schools. Georgetown’s then-president, for example, listed a prospective student on his “president’s list” after meeting her and her wealthy father at an Idaho conference known as “summer camp for billionaires,” according to Tuesday court filings in the price-fixing lawsuit filed in Chicago federal court in 2022. Although it’s always been assumed that such favoritism exists, the filings offer a rare peek at the often secret deliberations of university heads and admissions officials. They show how schools admit otherwise unqualified wealthy children because their parents have connections and could possibly donate large sums down the line, raising questions about fairness. Stuart Schmill, the dean of admissions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a 2018 email that the university admitted four out of six applicants recommended by then-board chairman Robert Millard, including two who “we would really not have otherwise admitted.” The two others were not admitted because they were “not in the ball park, or the push from him was not as strong.” In the email, Schmill said Millard was careful to play down his influence on admissions decisions, but he said the chair also sent notes on all six students and later met with Schmill to share insight “into who he thought was more of a priority.” The filings are the latest salvo in a lawsuit that claims that 17 of the nation’s most prestigious colleges colluded to reduce the competition for prospective students and drive down the amount of financial aid they would offer, all while giving special preference to the children of wealthy donors. “That illegal collusion resulted in the defendants providing far less aid to students than would have been provided in a free market,” said Robert Gilbert, an attorney for the plaintiffs. Since the lawsuit was filed, 10 of the schools have reached settlements to pay out a total of $284 million, including payments of up to $2,000 to current or former students whose financial aid might have been shortchanged over a period of more than two decades. They are Brown, the University of Chicago, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Northwestern, Rice, Vanderbilt and Yale. Johns Hopkins is working on a settlement and the six schools still fighting the lawsuit are the California Institute of Technology, Cornell, Georgetown, MIT, Notre Dame and the University of Pennsylvania. MIT called the lawsuit and the claims about admissions favoritism baseless. “MIT has no history of wealth favoritism in its admissions; quite the opposite,” university spokesperson Kimberly Allen said. “After years of discovery in which millions of documents were produced that provide an overwhelming record of independence in our admissions process, plaintiffs could cite just a single instance in which the recommendation of a board member helped sway the decisions for two undergraduate applicants." In a statement, Penn also said the case is meritless that the evidence shows that it doesn't favor students whose families have donated or pledged money to the Ivy League school. “Plaintiffs’ whole case is an attempt to embarrass the University about its purported admission practices on issues totally unrelated to this case," the school said. Notre Dame officials also called the case baseless. “We are confident that every student admitted to Notre Dame is fully qualified and ready to succeed,” a university spokesperson said in a statement. The South Bend, Indiana, school, though, did apparently admit wealthy students with subpar academic backgrounds. According to the new court filings, Don Bishop, who was then associate vice president for enrollment at Notre Dame, bluntly wrote about the “special interest” admits in a 2012 email, saying that year's crop had poorer academic records than the previous year's. The 2012 group included 38 applicants who were given a “very low” academic rating, Bishop wrote. He said those students represented “massive allowances to the power of the family connections and funding history,” adding that “we allowed their high gifting or potential gifting to influence our choices more this year than last year.” The final line of his email: “Sure hope the wealthy next year raise a few more smart kids!” Some of the examples pointed to in this week's court filings showed that just being able to pay full tuition would give students an advantage. During a deposition, a former Vanderbilt admissions director said that in some cases, a student would get an edge on the waitlist if they didn’t need financial aid. The 17 schools were part of a decades-old group that got permission from Congress to come up with a shared approach to awarding financial aid. Such an arrangement might otherwise violate antitrust laws, but Congress allowed it as long as the colleges all had need-blind admissions policies, meaning they wouldn't consider a student’s financial situation when deciding who gets in. The lawsuit argues that many colleges claimed to be need-blind but routinely favored the children of alumni and donors. In doing so, the suit says, the colleges violated the Congressional exemption and tainted the entire organization. The group dissolved in recent years when the provision allowing the collaboration expired. The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .†̃President Musk's growing power shapes Washington politics
Investor interest in automotive aftermarket M&A will remain high in 2025 as favorable tailwinds, including an increasingly aging car parc, more miles traveled, and the proliferation of new technologies, continue to drive the industry forward, according to an industry report released by the Automotive Aftermarket investment banking team at Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL). (PRNewsfoto/Brown Gibbons Lang & Company) Investor interest in automotive aftermarket M&A will remain high in 2025 as favorable tailwinds, including an increasingly aging car parc, more miles traveled, and the proliferation of new technologies, continue to drive the industry forward, according to an industry report released by the Automotive Aftermarket investment banking team at Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL). (PRNewsfoto/Brown Gibbons Lang & Company) The BGL Automotive Aftermarket Insider – AAPEX/SEMA Show Recap
South Florida sees dozens of luxury high-rise buildings start to sink
Kazakh Embassy staff named honorary Seoul citizenSecond round washed out at the Australian PGAGC Aesthetics® anuncia una década de evaluación clínica de los implantes mamarios PERLETM
On Friday 22nd November — or Fake Black Friday as it's come to be known — we've seen deals pour in from huge brands such as Samsung, Google, and, of course, Apple. At the time of writing, we've already been treated to Black Friday Apple MacBook deals , Black Friday Apple AirPods deals , and Black Friday Apple iPad deals . As mentioned in our Does Apple do Black Friday guide ?, these deals haven't come from the tech giant itself as Apple typically doesn't host Black Friday deals. Instead, our predictions were right (obviously), and reputable UK retailers are hosting brilliant Apple Black Friday offers. Black Friday sales are the perfect time to invest in higher-cost tech products, as you can snag a range of incredible deals on gadgets from reputable retailers such as John Lewis and Amazon , as well as networks like O2 and Three , and if you’ve got your eyes set on an Apple Watch, you’re in for a treat. On Black Friday 2023, the best prices for Apple Watches included: the Apple Watch 9 for £379 (£20 off) and £769 (£30 off) for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and if you didn't mind sporting an older model, you could save £100 on the Apple Watch SE. Last year, John Lewis was the cheapest UK retailer for Apple Watch Black Friday offers. So, how does Black Friday 2024 fare for Apple Watch deals? It's time to jump right in. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest reviews, insights and offers, covering everything from TVs to new gaming tech. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy . You can unsubscribe at any time. Jump to: Which UK retailer has the best Apple Watch price this Black Friday? Best Black Friday Apple Watch deals at a glance Best Apple Watch deals we've found in today's UK Black Friday sales Which UK retailer has the best Apple Watch price this Black Friday? During Black Friday 2023, we saw that John Lewis was the cheapest UK retailer for Apple Watch Black Friday offers. This Black Friday, it looks like John Lewis has reigned superior once again. At the time of writing, the UK retailer has discounts on the Apple Watch Series 10 42mm and 46mm, plus the Apple Watch Series 10 with GPS + Cellular, and the Apple Watch Series 9. Shop Apple Watches at John Lewis Best Black Friday Apple Watch deals at a glance: Apple Watch Series 10 | £399 £379 (save £20 or 5%) Apple Watch Series 10 | £429 £409 (save £20 or 5%) Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular | £499 £479 (save £20 or 4%) Apple Watch Series 9 GPS + Cellular | £649 £629 (save £20 or 3%) Apple Watch Ultra 2 | £899 £869 (save £30 or 3%) Best Apple Watch deals we've found in today's UK Black Friday sales What's the deal: The Apple Watch Series 10, which was released a couple of months ago, currently has a £20 discount at John Lewis, taking the price to £379 from £399. Why we chose it: The Technology team are thrilled to see the 2024 version of the Apple Watch discounted in the Black Friday sales. We like the Apple Watch Series 10 for its fantastic features; the Apple Watch Series 10 is kitted out with watchOS 11 and has an all-new speaker that can play audiobooks and podcasts without the need for AirPods. Apple has also added new depth and water temperature sensors, and the battery has had a major upgrade, meaning you can now charge the smartwatch to 80% in just 30 minutes. Buy Apple Watch Series 10 for £399 £379 (save £20 or 5%) at John Lewis What's the deal: The 46mm of the Apple Watch Series 10 also has a £20 discount at Amazon and John Lewis, taking the price from £429 to £409 this Black Friday. Why we chose it: If you're in the market for a sleek smartwatch, the display size and the thinness of the Apple Watch Series 10 certainly achieves this. The 2024 Apple Watch Series 10 has the biggest display size yet (an increase of 30% from the Apple Watch Series 9), making it larger than the Apple Watch Ultra. As well as the fantastic display size, the Series 10 has a thinner casing at just 9.7mm, which is 10% thinner than any other model, so it will look and feel less bulky. Buy Apple Watch Series 10 for £429 £409 (save £20 or 5%) at Amazon Buy Apple Watch Series 10 for £429 £409 (save £20 or 5%) at John Lewis What's the deal: You can save £20 on the Apple Watch Series 10 with GPS + Cellular when you buy at John Lewis this Black Friday. When it comes to smartwatches with Cellular, it means you can send a text, make a call and stream music without having to have your iPhone nearby. Why we chose it: When you purchase the Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular at John Lewis, you can save £5 on an Apple Watch strap when you use the code APPLESTRAP at the checkout. Buy Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular for £499 £479 (save £20 or 4%) at John Lewis What's the deal: John Lewis is certainly delivering with the Apple Watch Black Friday deals; for a limited time only this November, you can bag the Apple Watch Series 9 with GPS + Cellular for £629 instead of £649. Why we chose it: As well as saving £20 on the Apple Watch Series 9 GPS + Cellular, you can get three months of Apple services: Apple Music and Apple Fitness+. Buy Apple Watch Series 9 GPS + Cellular for £649 £629 (save £20 or 3%) at John Lewis What's the deal: At Amazon this Black Friday, you can get £30 off the Apple Watch Ultra 2, with the price dropping from £899 to £869. Why we chose it: If you're serious about sport or you're a keen adventurer, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the smartwatch for you. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes with advanced features for runners, cyclists, swimmers, hikers, and divers. The smartwatch is encased in a rugged titanium case and comes with a bright always-on Retina display. Plus, for peace of mind, the smartwatch boasts incredibly accurate precision dual-frequency GPS. Buy Apple Watch Ultra 2 for £899 £869 (save £30 or 3%) at Amazon For even more Black Friday offers, check out the best Black Friday LEGO deals , Black Friday Kindle deals , Black Friday smartphone deals .The war unleashed by Russia almost three years ago in Ukraine is rightly recognized as one of the great crimes of the twenty-first century. Understandably, little attention has been paid so far to the impact the conflict is having on Ukraine’s international image. And yet amid the trauma and horror of Russia’s invasion, there are growing signs that the unprecedented media spotlight on Ukraine since 2022 is gradually helping to transform global perceptions of the country. As a result, Ukraine is now finally emerging from a prolonged period of international obscurity that has hindered the country’s progress for centuries. International ignorance of Ukraine has been a feature since long before the country regained independence in 1991. Following the Soviet collapse, little was done to address this lack of outside awareness or strengthen Ukraine’s national brand in the global arena. This low profile helped set the stage for Russia’s disinformation efforts, with foreign audiences often prepared to believe all manner of outlandish lies about a country that was otherwise unknown to them. Thanks to the recent media focus on Ukraine, Kremlin propagandists are now finding that their distortions are not so readily accepted. This is an ongoing process, but it is already possible to identify a number of important facts about Ukraine that have taken root in the international consciousness since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. 1. Ukraine is not Russia The fact that Ukraine is not Russia may seem insultingly obvious when viewed from a Ukrainian perspective, but in reality this was the fundamental image problem facing the country in 2022. Indeed, it is no coincidence that on the eve of the full-scale invasion, Vladimir Putin published an entire essay denying the legitimacy of a separate Ukrainian state on the grounds that Ukrainians are actually Russians (“one people’). Putin did not invent this narrative of Ukraine denial himself. His predecessors have been insisting that Ukraine is an inalienable part of Russia since at least the eighteenth century, and have ruthlessly manipulated the historical record to support their arguments. Throughout the Tsarist and Soviet eras, anyone attempting to counter this Great Russian narrative or highlight Ukraine’s long statehood struggle was treated as a dangerous heretic subject to the harshest of punishments. For generations, Russia was able to impose its imperial propaganda on international audiences, with Ukrainians silenced and Ukraine misleadingly portrayed as an intrinsic part of Russia’s own historical heartlands. It was therefore understandable that when an independent Ukraine appeared on the map in 1991, many had trouble distinguishing it from Russia. This created much confusion and went some way to legitimizing subsequent Russian attempts to reassert its authority over Ukraine. The full-scale invasion has changed all that. Since February 2022, international perceptions of the relationship between Russia and Ukraine have undergone a radical transformation as global audiences have witnessed the ferocity of the Russian attack and the determination of Ukraine’s national defense. The war unleashed by Vladimir Putin has killed hundreds of thousands and shattered millions of lives; it has also destroyed the myth of Russians and Ukrainians as “one people.” As the invasion approaches the three-year mark, it is now safe to say that anyone who continues to insist on the indivisibility of Russia and Ukraine is either acting in bad faith, or is so stunningly ignorant that their opinion can be disregarded. As the world watches the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold, UkraineAlert delivers the best Atlantic Council expert insight and analysis on Ukraine twice a week directly to your inbox. 2. Ukraine is huge Prewar Ukraine’s low international profile encouraged many to imagine the country as an obscure and irrelevant statelet whose fate mattered little to the wider world. Meanwhile, very few people seemed to appreciate that Ukraine was in fact the largest country wholly in Europe. That is no longer the case. Throughout the past three years, the map of Ukraine has featured relentlessly in the international press. Even casual observers have grown familiar with the outline of the country, and cannot have failed to notice how large it looms over its European neighbors. Media coverage of battlefield developments has also helped to underline the sheer size of Ukraine. Despite regular war reports of major offensives and record advances, the overall picture of the front lines has changed little since the first year of the war, underlining the comparative vastness of Ukraine. While Ukraine may still appear small when compared to Russia, it is a huge country by European standards. Growing awareness of this fact is helping to shape perceptions of Ukraine’s geopolitical significance. 3. Ukraine is an agricultural superpower Prior to 2022, Ukraine was probably best known to many around the world as the site of the Chornobyl disaster. Associations with the world’s worst nuclear accident were particularly unfortunate as Ukraine is anything but a radioactive wasteland. In reality, the country’s real claim to fame is as the breadbasket of Europe. Ukraine’s fabled black soil is among the most fertile land in the entire world, making much of the country a giant garden of agrarian abundance. Since 2022, Russia’s invasion has helped educate international audiences about Ukraine’s crucial role in global food security. Extensive media coverage of Russia’s Black Sea naval blockade has underlined the importance of Ukrainian agricultural exports, with disruption caused by Moscow’s interference leading to famine fears in Africa and price hikes on basic foodstuffs throughout the West. Growing awareness of Ukraine’s status as an agricultural superpower has undermined Kremlin efforts to portray the invasion as a strictly local affair, and has mobilized international opposition to the war. 4. Ukraine is an innovation hub For decades, international perceptions of Ukraine were plagued by lazy cliches depicting the country as a terminally corrupt backwater on the vodka-soaked fringes of Eastern Europe. These deeply unflattering caricatures of Ukrainian stagnation were always misleading. They are now also hopelessly outdated. Since 2022, Ukraine has demonstrated that it is a sophisticated high tech nation capable of more than holding its own in the most technologically advanced war the world has ever seen. Ukraine’s ability to develop, deploy, and update its own domestically-produced weapons systems on an almost daily basis has done much to debunk the negative stereotypes of old and establish the country’s reputation as a leading innovation hub. Ukrainian defense tech companies have been responsible for a string of particularly innovative battlefield solutions that have caught the eye of global defense industry giants and helped Ukraine even up the odds against the country’s far larger and wealthier enemy. For example, ground-breaking Ukrainian marine drones have turned the tide in the Battle of the Black Sea and forced Russia’s entire fleet to retreat from Crimea, while Ukrainian long-range drones routinely strike targets deep inside Russia. As a result, “Made in Ukraine” is now recognized as a stamp of quality throughout the international security sector. This image transformation is already attracting international investors and will shape Ukraine’s economic development for decades to come, with the country’s defense industry and broader tech sector set to be in high demand. 5. Ukraine is united The full-scale invasion has seriously undermined longstanding Russian efforts to portray Ukraine as a country irrevocably split along geographical and ideological lines. The narrative of a divided Ukraine has been a mainstay of Kremlin propaganda since the Soviet era, and has been central to the disinformation that has accompanied the escalating Russian aggression of the past two decades. For many years, this crude oversimplification of Ukraine’s regional complexities proved superficially persuasive among international audiences, but it has been decisively debunked by Ukraine’s united response to Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ukrainians across the country have overwhelmingly rallied in opposition to the invading Russians, with residents in supposedly “pro-Russian” cities such as Odesa and Kharkiv proving no less determined to defend themselves and their homes. This is not to say that regional diversity is no longer a feature in today’s Ukraine, of course. On the contrary, Ukraine remains just as subject to regional differences as any other large European nation. However, the Russian invasion has shattered the myth of a terminally divided Ukraine and proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the vast majority of Ukrainians bitterly oppose the idea of a Russian reunion. Peter Dickinson is editor of the Atlantic Council’s UkraineAlert service. Further reading The views expressed in UkraineAlert are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s online media association said two reporters were killed and several others were wounded in a gang attack on Tuesday on the reopening of Port-au-Prince’s biggest public hospital. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and they forced the closure of the General Hospital early this year. Authorities had pledged to reopen the facility Tuesday but as journalists gathered to cover the event, suspected gang members opened fire in a vicious Christmas Eve attack. Robest Dimanche, a spokesman for the Online Media Collective, identified the dead journalists as Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean. Dimanche said an unspecified number of reporters had also been wounded in the attack, which he blamed on the Viv Ansanm coalition of gangs. Haiti’s interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. “I send my sympathies to the people who were victims, the national police and the journalists,” Voltaire said, pledging “this crime is not going to go unpunished.” A video posted online by the reporters trapped inside the hospital showed what appeared to be two lifeless bodies of men on stretchers, their clothes bloodied. One of the men had a lanyard with a press credential around his neck. Radio Télé Métronome initially reported that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded. Police and officials did not immediately respond to calls for information on the attack. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. They forced the closure of the General Hospital early this year during violence that also targeted the main international airport and Haiti’s two largest prisons. Authorities had pledged to reopen the facility Tuesday but as journalists gathered to cover the event, suspected gang members opened fire. Video posted online earlier showed reporters inside the building and at least three lying on the floor, apparently wounded. That video could also not be immediately verified. Johnson “Izo” André, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of a gang known as Viv Ansanm, which that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince , posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. Haiti has seen journalists targeted before. In 2023, two local journalists were killed in the space of a couple of weeks — radio reporter Dumesky Kersaint was fatally shot in mid-April that year, while journalist Ricot Jean was found dead later that month. In July, former Prime Minister Garry Conille visited the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, more widely known as the General Hospital, after authorities regained control of it from gangs. The hospital had been left ravaged and strewn with debris. Walls and nearby buildings were riddled with bullet holes, signaling fights between police and gangs. The hospital is across the street from the national palace, the scene of several battles in recent months. Gang attacks have pushed Haiti’s health system to the brink of collapse with looting, setting fires, and destroying medical institutions and pharmacies in the capital. The violence has created a surge in patients and a shortage of resources to treat them. Haiti’s health care system faces additional challenges during the rainy season, which is likely to increase the risk of water-borne diseases. Poor conditions in camps and makeshift settlements have heightened the risk of diseases like cholera, with over 84,000 suspected cases in the country, according to UNICEF. Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-americaChinese "Space Transportation" company, Lingkong Tianxing Technology, has successfully tested its new JinDou400, also known as JinDouyun, ramjet detonation engine nearly twice the altitude of commercial passenger planes and more than doubling the Concorde's fastest speeds during its test. The state-of-the-art engine's successful Mach 4 flight (3,106 mph / 5,000 km/h) at 65,000 ft (19,812 m) marks a crucial step for the Chinese company as the engine is going to be the heart of the future Yunxing supersonic passenger plane, also designed by Space Transportation. Traditional ramjet engines work by relying on the aircraft's speed to scoop up and compress air into the engine. This compressed air mixes with fuel, ignites, and produces thrust. The engine doesn't have moving parts like turbines or compressors. It relies solely on the fast-moving air. The JinDou400, however, uses detonation combustion instead of a regular, steady burning flame. It creates controlled explosions ( ) in the combustion chamber which are far more powerful and efficient than regular combustion (at high speeds), allowing the engine to produce more thrust with less fuel and work effectively, but only at much higher speeds. The exact dimensions of the JinDou400 engine haven't been publicly confirmed, but reports suggest the engine measures roughly 10 ft (3 m) in length and about 12 inches (0.3 m) in diameter. The JinDou400 produces an impressive 882 lbf of thrust (400 kgf), which is fairly remarkable for an engine of that size. As ramjets forego moving parts like the compressor and turbine components found in traditional turbojets, the design is more compact, lightweight, efficient, and cost-effective to produce. Those advantages also have a downside: ramjets are entirely ineffective at low speeds and are often accompanied by turbojets to handle subsonic flight, where the airspeed isn't enough to feed . A Yunxing prototype airframe has reportedly been flown successfully at Mach 4 on October 26th, 2024, , and Space Transportation "aims to have a full-sized supersonic passenger jet ready for its maiden flight in 2027." If the Yunxing seems familiar, it's likely because its design closely resembles the already proven high-speed airframe of the hybrid turbojet/ramjet-shod SR-71 Blackbird. The Blackbird had a publicly confirmed speed of Mach 3.3 (2,193 mph / 3,529 km/h) at an altitude of 85,069 ft (25,929 m). There are reports of it having flown faster, but nothing on official record. The full capabilities of , though 26 years out-of-service, remain classified. The Yunxing promises to be significantly faster than the SR-71 using its JinDouyun ramjet detonation engines. The Yunxing is also said to incorporate VTOL capabilities into its design. That is, it will be capable of vertical take-off and landing, a feature unique to an aircraft of that design and speed rating. The technology that will be used for VTOL capabilities hasn't been released yet, but we'll certainly update when that information becomes public. American company Astro Mechanica believes it also offers a solution for both subsonic supersonic speeds with its . Its unique design uses electric motors to power a turbine and compressor separately, allowing it to "switch modes" from turbofan to turbojet, to ramjet, effectively. Boom Supersonic is another US-based company looking to and have already garnered interest from airline companies like United Airlines. In the meantime, we'll all still be eagerly awaiting . Source:It turns out, Vice President Sara Duterte is, indeed, a poor copy of her father—a problematic original to begin with. Not only does she lack her father’s spontaneity and wit, she is also far from what the mathematician Nassim Taleb famously described as ”antifragile.” Amid manifold controversies over her conduct in both the Department of Education and as the Vice President of the Philippines, her trust and approval ratings have nosedived—underscoring the absence of the so-called ”Teflon effect.” Popularity is never a perfect indicator of either political capital or competence. But for the notorious dynasty from Davao, popularity ratings were always their main bragging right. Sara Duterte, however, is now beginning to struggle even in that department. According to the latest Pulse Asia Survey, which was conducted between Nov. 26 and Dec. 3, Sara Duterte had a net approval rating of only 22 percent. As many as 28 percent of respondents were unhappy with her performance and as many as 22 percent remained undecided. In fact, her barely majority approval rating (50 percent) was mainly due to inelastic support from her home island of Mindanao (80 percent) and relatively high support from Class E or poorest Filipinos (68 percent). Her support in the National Capital Region, the country’s seat of power, is now down to only 34 percent, though slightly higher in Luzon (40 percent). On a quarterly basis, Sara Duterte’s approval rating was down by 10 percent nationwide and 20 percent in the Visayas. Crucially, she also saw a 13 percent drop in her approval ratings in Mindanao, reflecting potential fractures in the “Solid South” vote base if current trend lines hold. Her numbers are a far cry from the heyday of the “UniTeam” when Sara Duterte enjoyed a solid majority across all major demographics and near-universal support in Mindanao. Back in September, I explained in these pages (“Dutertismo: A Scam Exposed?”) how throughout “a succession of public relations disasters, followed by even more disastrous performance during multiple legislative hearings, Sara Duterte has exposed herself as a poor copy of her father.” Over the succeeding weeks, she worsened her situation by openly threatening the lives of the President, the First Lady and the Speaker of the House. Aside from her own personal limitations and abysmal performance in office, however, Sara Duterte is suffering from another structural weakness: the absence of “fear factor.” Throughout his singularly destructive reign, former president Rodrigo Duterte maintained sky-high approval ratings, which only partly reflected his art for performative governance. Yes, Duterte was a master of the ”Art of Budol,” namely projecting strength and competence while gradually setting democratic institutions and our economy on fire. But Duterte also knew how to scare people. It’s quite telling that as many as eight out of 10 Filipinos expressed fear of ending up as a victim of extrajudicial killings, according to the Social Weather Stations. Duterte’s monopoly of assistance funds coupled with the weaponization of cyber libel laws during the COVID-19 pandemic sealed the deal. Urban poor Filipinos, who constitute the majority of voters, constituted the demographic that was hit hardest by extrajudicial killings. In an exhaustive journal article entitled “Pretending to Support?” Japanese social scientists Yuko Kasuya and Hirofumi Miwa systematically examined how “preference falsification” could be the best explanation for Duterte’s historic approval ratings, especially among class D voters. As I repeatedly asked pollsters back in the day: What is the incentive of respondents to honestly express dissatisfaction with President Duterte when they just watched a neighbor gunned down in impunity the other day? Duterte’s loss, however, is not necessarily the Marcos camp’s gain. President Marcos’ approval ratings are below 50 percent, which is extremely low compared to his two immediate predecessors. His cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, is doing even worse, with barely a quarter of voters approving his performance. Overall, what we are witnessing is ”mutual destruction” between the two most powerful dynasties in the country. The biggest winners, so far, are the Tulfo brothers. While Erwin and Ben Tulfo are vying for the top spots in next year’s senatorial race, Sen. Raffy Tulfo has overtaken Sara Duterte in pre-election surveys for the 2028 presidential race. Dutertismo may be on the way out, but ”Tulfismo” is having its moment in the sun. In many ways, unabashed populism is seemingly still the only game in town. —————- Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . [email protected]