A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House saysA 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House saysPresident of Barstool Sports Dave Portnoy commits $60,000 to keep Baltimore pizza shop open
Vijay Gir is a Certified Blockchain Expert with over 8 years of experience in the blockchain industry. He has a deep passion for sharing his knowledge of blockchain, cryptocurrency, and web3 technologies. For the past 7 years, Vijay has been dedicated to writing about these transformative topics, helping others stay informed and understand the evolving landscape of decentralized technologies. a silent closing? Bitcoin is hovering around $96,316 with a slight dim of 0.35% from December opening. A few minutes ago it was over 2%, however as we approach christmas eve, it looks like Santa is preparing the gift. Current Momentum: A Mixed Bag December started with Bitcoin flirting with record highs, but it's now down $15,000 from last week's peak. Still, BTC has climbed by 2.28% in the past two hours, showing that short-term traders are staying active. Zooming out,...Spain's monarch pays tribute to the victims of Valencia floods in his Christmas Eve speech
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 1:56 p.m. ESTInventory management software and drone technology provider now includes freezer and cold storage warehouse environments. Traditionally, staff across food and beverage, pharma and healthcare, health and beauty, and chemicals and technology have had to physically cycle count in harsh freezer environments. But now, Gather AI says, drones do the counting, and employees can comfortably view the results from a dashboard away from the cold. Gather AI computer vision technology enables drones to fly autonomously through warehouses with no GPS, WiFi, or infrastructure changes needed. The machine learning algorithm analyzes inventory pictures and reads and interprets far beyond the barcode including lot codes, text, expiration dates, case counts, and occupancy information. Warehouse operators can compare their real-time physical inventory with the warehouse management system (WMS) data. Gather AI says its solution scans ten times faster than traditional means in the freezer environment — up to 900 pallets per hour — and improves inventory accuracy by up to 70%. RELATED CONTENT RELATED VIDEOS Related ArticlesDubai, Paris, London, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, New York City, Rome, Florianópolis, Barcelona, and Bangkok Shine as Top Travel Destinations in Summer 2025
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.GE Aerospace has successfully demonstrated a one-megawatt hybrid electric propulsion system as part of a $5.1 million research and development contract with the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory (ARL). Under the Applied Research Collaborative Systematic Turboshaft Electrification Project (ARC-STEP) contract, GE Aerospace researched, developed, tested, and evaluated a megawatt (MW) class electrified power plant. This work aimed to identify and enhance technologies applicable to future Army air vehicle propulsion systems and military electrified ground vehicles. “GE Aerospace has a nearly 50-year legacy as the powerplant for Army Aviation from the proven T700 engine to the new revolutionary T901 engine,” said John Martin, Director of Turboshaft Advanced Programs at GE Aerospace. “ARC-STEP builds on that legacy and refines technologies along a path for hybrid electric propulsion for both the US Army and the world.” Hybrid electric propulsion system The successful demonstration featured a CT7 turboshaft engine paired with an electric machine and power electronics produced by GE Aerospace. During the testing conducted at the GE Aerospace Research Center in Niskayuna, New York, experts from both the US Army and GE Aerospace collaborated to investigate and integrate technologies that enable the development of lightweight, efficient, reliable, and safe hybrid-electric propulsion systems. The effects of hybrid electric propulsion on the efficiency and effectiveness of different platform types were also analyzed during the demonstration. “It’s exciting to see the successful demonstration of ARC-STEP, which has enhanced our understanding of the potential for MW-class series hybrid systems to power future Army air and ground vehicles,” Dr. Mike Kweon, program manager of DEVCOM ARL’s Versatile Tactical Power and Propulsion Essential Research Program (VICTOR ERP), said. “Often, power and propulsion systems are significant bottlenecks in advancing transformational capabilities. I look forward to seeing how ARC-STEP will shape the direction of power systems for the Army’s future air and ground vehicles.” The efforts associated with this Army contract support GE Aerospace’s work in hybrid electric propulsion. This includes the Hybrid Electric Experiment (HEX) program in collaboration with Sikorsky and the NASA Electric Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project. The goal is to develop a megawatt-class integrated hybrid electric powertrain and demonstrate its flight readiness for single-aisle aircraft. ARC-STEP, HEX, and EPFD are helping GE Aerospace continue building extensive experience with hybrid electric systems and power generation. CT7 turboshaft engine GE Aerospace has highlighted the operational versatility of its CT7 family of turboshaft and turboprop engines, which are utilized globally in various aviation environments. The company notes that the CT7-2 engine, offering 2,000 shaft horsepower, is recognized for its durability, fuel efficiency, and adaptability. It serves helicopters in multiple roles, including executive transport, firefighting, and rescue missions. Additionally, the CT7-8 engine family, with shaft horsepower ranging from 2,500 to 3,000, is tailored to meet the rigorous demands of modern medium-lift helicopters. This engine suits executive transport, search and rescue, passenger transport, and the oil and gas sectors. The efforts associated with this Army contract support GE Aerospace’s work in hybrid electric propulsion. This includes the Hybrid Electric Experiment (HEX) program in collaboration with Sikorsky and the NASA Electric Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project. The goal is to develop a megawatt-class integrated hybrid electric powertrain and demonstrate its flight readiness for single-aisle aircraft. To date, GE Aerospace has delivered over 1,500 CT7 engines, collectively accumulating 30 million flight hours, underscoring their reliability and performance in the field.
Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has appealed to Christians in the country to embrace peace unity, especially during festive period. In a statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, on Tuesday, Atiku urged Nigerians to emulate life of Jesus Christ. He said: “Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, extends heartfelt Christmas felicitations to the Christian community in Nigeria as they celebrate the 2024 commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. “In his message, Atiku implored Nigerians to embrace a life of love and unity, drawing inspiration from the joyous spirit of the Christmas season. “He urged citizens to be guided by compassion and selflessness, encouraging them to cherish the significance of Christmas as a time for reflection and togetherness. Speaking further, Atiku berated President Bola Tinubu’s administration over economic challenges facing the country. He said: “The Waziri Adamawa, however, did not shy away from pointing out the failure of current political leaders to make the necessary sacrifices for the nation’s collective good. “He condemned the lack of leadership, which has resulted in widespread suffering and preventable deaths across the country. “Yet, despite these grave challenges, Atiku appealed to Nigerians to remain united, to embrace one another with love, and to confront the root cause of their struggles, poor leadership. “With love and unity, there is no obstacle too great to overcome. Let us, therefore, come together to share love and joy with all people of goodwill.”A s Barbados marked 58 years of independence and the third anniversary of becoming a republic, Prime Minister Mia Mottley blended her address to the nation with reflection and her vision for the nation’s future. Speaking during the annual Independence Day parade at Kensington Oval, she focused on the themes of resilience, self-reliance, and economic progress while paying tribute to Shirley Chisholm and welcoming a high-level U.S. congressional delegation. The event celebrated the country’s journey through historical struggles and triumphs while laying the groundwork for a brighter future. Mottley acknowledged the trials that Barbados has overcome throughout its history, from the scars of slavery and colonialism to contemporary challenges like climate change and economic crises. “We stand in the shadow of great people who came and sacrificed for us,” the prime minister said. “We have endured the worst aspects of slavery and colonialism, and today, as a nation, we continue to turn from cheek to cheek — from pandemics to cost-of-living crises, from climate to violence and instability.” You Might Be Interested In Crystal Beckles-Holder, 2nd runner up in regional competition Business owners disappointed Police investigate shooting She also stressed that resilience is not only a hallmark of Barbados’ past but also its future. “We must not allow petty things to colour our lives and stimulate them into vast proportions of evil. To dwell on every slight and catch it close to our breasts and nourish it will corrode our thinking,” she declared. Quoting Shirley Chisholm, she added, “Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith. And the first battle is won, my brothers and sisters, when we fight for belief in ourselves.” The Prime Minister highlighted the significant strides made to transform Barbados’ economy. Chief among these was the reduction in the national debt-to-GDP ratio, from a staggering 177 per cent to below 100 per cent, a feat she attributed to prudent financial management and a people-centred approach. “Six and a half years ago, we assumed the government as the third most indebted country in the world in terms of debt to GDP per capita,” Mottley said. “Today, we stand with those problems literally melting away behind us, and by next year, I fully anticipate that our debt-to-GDP ratio will be down to less than 100 per cent.” She noted that this progress was achieved not merely through fiscal measures but through investments in people. “We’ve ensured that you have been able to go back to the University of the West Indies and all tertiary institutions free of charge because, without education, we have nothing.” Her government, she noted, had also invested in essential infrastructure, including buses, garbage trucks, and modernised social services. “We cannot fall into the habit of leaving things unattended for a decade as happened before,” she warned. A focal point of the celebrations was the tribute to Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress and the first woman to run for President of the United States. Born to Barbadian parents, Chisholm’s legacy was celebrated as an inspiration for Barbadians and women globally. “Today we chose to salute one great person, and her name is Shirley Anita Chisholm,” Mottley declared. “We can say she achieved mighty things and laid a pathway that still waits for the full fruition of its promise.” Encouraging young people to learn about Chisholm’s life, the prime minister said, “She told us that nobody’s going to do anything for us. That’s what we know as a country, and that’s why I say we must get up and prepare our own way.” The tribute coincided with the centenary of Chisholm’s birth, a milestone also highlighted by Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader and Leader of the House Democratic Caucus. “Shirley Chisholm would be proud that Barbados is now led by two groundbreaking, history-making, and trailblazing women, the president and the prime minister,” he said in his address. Jeffries is in Barbados along with a delegation that includes influential members like Representatives Maxine Waters and Barbara Lee. He lauded Barbados for its leadership on critical issues like climate change and economic development, referencing a recent agreement between the Export-Import Bank of the United States and Barbados to provide $500 million in funding for renewable energy, water infrastructure, and cybersecurity. “This historic agreement will bring thousands of good-paying jobs and tremendous economic development,” Jeffries stated. Meanwhile, as she addressed the existential threat of climate change, Mottley painted a stark picture of its impact on Barbados, including the devastation of Hurricane Beryl, which affected 90 per cent of the island’s fishing industry. “We now know that the first six months of the year bring drought and the next six months bring rain we can’t hide from,” she said. “But smallness makes us nimble, and we must remain agile in facing the world’s problems.” As part of her forward-looking vision, the prime minister announced “We Gathering 2025,” a year-long initiative to bring Barbadians from the diaspora back home to celebrate their heritage. “Come home, come home, come home,” she urged. “We will merge together as one people, recognising that we have a solemn duty to work not only to build this country but to make this planet a better place.” She also called for peace at all levels of society, emphasising the importance of respect, self-discipline, and non-violence. “Geography does not limit aspirations and never should,” she said. (RG)
Trump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don't expect big revelations