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The CPI(M) on Sunday demanded the immediate withdrawal of an election rule amendment preventing public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage. In a statement, the CPI(M) Politburo expressed its strong objection to the amendment, restricting the access of political parties and candidates to electronic records, including video and other digital trails. The government tweaked the election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage as well as video recordings of candidates to check their misuse. Based on the recommendation of the Election Commission (EC), the Union law ministry on Friday amended Rule 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to restrict the type of "papers" or documents open to public inspection. The CPI(M) said these steps were initially introduced by the EC in consultation with political parties to ensure greater transparency, and described as "retrograde" the move to amend the rule. Proper consultations were not carried out with political parties on the issue, it alleged. "Media reports suggest that the government held consultations with the Election Commission of India while drafting the new rules. However, the Election Commission's reported concurrence was not preceded by any consultation with political parties, contrary to the established precedents over the years," the CPI(M) said. "The government's argument, which questions the locus standi of the petitioner on the conduct of the electoral process, is specious. This approach completely excludes political parties' involvement in the procedures to be followed," the Left party said. The CPI(M) said its experience, particularly during the Lok Sabha elections in Tripura, showed that charges of rigging led to the examination of videographic records within polling booths, ultimately resulting in repolls being announced in almost half the polling booths across both constituencies. "In this era, where technology is an integral part of the electoral process, the government's move represents a retrograde step," it said. "The Politburo of the CPI(M), therefore, demands the immediate withdrawal of the proposed amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules," it added. According to Rule 93, all "papers" related to elections shall be open to public inspection. The amendment inserts "as specified in these rules" after "papers". Law ministry and EC officials separately explained that a court case was the "trigger" behind the amendment. Punjab and Haryana High Court, in the recent Mahmoud Pracha vs EC case, had directed sharing all documents related to the Haryana Assembly elections, including treating CCTV camera footage as permissible under Rule 93(2), with Pracha. While documents such as nomination forms, appointment of election agents, results and election account statements are mentioned in the Conduct of Election Rules, electronic documents such as CCTV camera footage, webcasting footage and video recording of candidates during the Model Code of Conduct period are not covered. An EC functionary said, "There have been instances where such electronic records have been sought, citing the rules. The amendment ensures that only papers mentioned in the rules are available for public inspection and any other document which has no reference in the rules is not allowed for public inspection." EC functionaries said the misuse of CCTV camera footage from inside polling booths could compromise voter secrecy. They also said the footage could be used to generate fake narrative using AI. Follow us on: Facebook , Twitter , Google News , Instagram Join our official telegram channel ( @nationalherald ) and stay updated with the latest headlines

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The Arizona Cardinals were rested, relatively healthy and had been playing some of their best football in years. That's why Sunday's sobering 16-6 road loss to the Seattle Seahawks was so surprising. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Info-Tech Research Group's IT Talent Trends 2025 report details critical shifts in workforce dynamics, including the growing influence of generative AI, escalating skill shortages, and the urgent need for upskilling and reskilling. Based on survey data, the report reveals that 76% of IT managers are facing increased stress, 23% of respondents view the CEO position as the logical next step for CIOs, and 66% of IT employees see generative AI as the path to greater autonomy. The research insights in the newly released report will equip leaders with the understanding of how best to enhance talent retention, address the employee experience gap, and navigate the challenges and opportunities associated with rapid technological evolution. TORONTO, Dec. 3, 2024 /CNW/ - Info-Tech Research Group, one of the leading global IT research and advisory firms, has released its annual IT Talent Trends report. IT Talent Trends 2025 provides a data-driven analysis of the shifting dynamics in IT talent management. The report examines how generative AI, evolving skills demands, and workforce restructuring are reshaping the IT landscape and provides leaders with actionable strategies to tackle these challenges while considering how to foster innovation and employee experience in 2025. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.

Tesla shares just reached a new all-time high following Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, propelling the company to a massive $1.5 trillion valuation as of December 18, 2024. This graphic, via Visual Capitalist's Marcus Lu , highlights the most valuable automakers by market cap worldwide as of Dec. 13, 2024, based on figures from CompaniesMarketCap.com . Tesla accounts for nearly half of the market capitalization among global carmakers. Its valuation surpasses the combined value of the next 29 automakers. Trailing far behind Tesla, the four other top automakers on the list are Toyota ($231 billion), BYD ($107 billion), Xiaomi ($98 billion), and Ferrari ($81 billion). Investors believe Elon Musk’s close relationship with Trump, along with Musk’s growing role in government, will serve as a powerful catalyst for Tesla. Additionally, some of the stock’s recent gains hinge on expectations that Trump’s planned corporate tax cuts will benefit U.S. manufacturers, including Tesla. Tesla’s stock has also regained popularity due to investor expectations that its Robotaxi and Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology will drive a new phase of growth. Year-to-date, Tesla’s stock is up 57%. However, Tesla’s massive market cap is not reflected in its production numbers. In 2023, Tesla sold 1.8 million vehicles, while Toyota sold 11.2 million vehicles during the same period. Tesla’s success has further extended Elon Musk’s lead as the richest person on Earth. In December 2024, Musk’s net worth reached $462 billion, far ahead of Jeff Bezos in second place at $243 billion. If you enjoyed this topic, check out this graphic showing where Tesla and BYD make their cars.The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance has found that the mobile surveillance system was used in pinpointing the location of the victims of the enforced disappearance prior to picking them up secretly. "Interviews with the victims and the members of the Armed Forces confirm that mobile technology was integral to the surveillance process. In interviews, RAB and military officers indicated that 'silent pick-ups'—unobtrusive abductions—were virtually impossible without mobile surveillance to pinpoint the victim's location with precision," said the Commission report, reports BSS. The five-member commission, led by retired justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, recently presented the report, titled "Unfolding the Truth," to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna. Prior to the establishment of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) as an independent agency, the report said that the mobile surveillance was conducted through its predecessor, the National Monitoring Centre (NMC), which was housed within the DGFI (Directorate General of Forces Intelligence) Headquarters. The DGFI provided dedicated surveillance systems, which were also used by other forces, such as RAB and DB, implicating the DGFI in abetting the commission of enforced disappearances by forces other than its own, it said, adding that the NMC hosted dedicated consoles manned by personnel from various agencies, working in rotating shifts. A former DG of DGFI also confirmed to the Commission that his organization provided logistics support related to surveillance to various law enforcement teams whilst NMC was housed at the DGFI Headquarters. This operational structure again highlights significant coordination among security forces and since the establishment of the NTMC, surveillance activities have transitioned to this independent agency, it said. However, preliminary reports suggest that some surveillance capabilities still reside within individual forces. The extent of these capabilities remains an active line of inquiry, particularly because there appears to be no judicial oversight on the surveillance process, the Commission report said. "Despite the lack of judicial oversight, several victims reported signs of surveillance prior to their abductions," it said. For example, the report said that one victim revealed that his captors referenced a private phone conversation about his wife's dental treatment, suggesting that mobile surveillance had been conducted beforehand. Other victims described receiving suspicious phone calls shortly before their abductions, during which no one spoke at the other end of the line, it also said. "These calls were presumably used to pinpoint the victim’s location," it added. In another instance, the report said that eyewitnesses recounted how the security forces entered a room, instructed the occupants to place their phones in a line, and, when a call came to one of the phones, detained the individual who claimed it. "That person was never seen again," it said.

Lawyers for a voting machine company that’s suing Fox News want to question founder Rupert Murdoch about his contentious efforts to change his family trust , the attorneys told a court Monday. Election-tech company Smartmatic's $2.7 billion defamation suit regards Fox's reporting on 2020 voting fraud claims. But Smartmatic’s attorneys suggest the separate succession fight over Murdoch's media empire might shed light on any Fox Corp. involvement in editorial matters. It's an important, if technical, question as Smartmatic seeks to hold the deep-pocketed Fox parent company responsible for statements that the news network aired. Fox contends that there's no such liability and that it was engaging in journalism, not defamation, when it broadcast election-fraud allegations made by then-President Donald Trump 's attorneys. Rupert Murdoch may already have given a deposition — out-of-court questioning under oath — in the defamation suit. Such records aren't public at this stage, but plans for his deposition were briefly mentioned at a 2022 hearing. Smartmatic now is seeking to talk to Murdoch about his efforts to rewrite his plans for his businesses after his death. The matter is playing out behind closed doors and in sealed files in a Nevada probate court. The New York Times has reported that Rupert Murdoch wants to keep his eldest son, Lachlan , in charge of the conglomerate's newspapers and television networks in order to ensure a continued conservative editorial outlook . Smartmatic wants to get the 93-year-old patriarch on record while the probate matter plays out, company attorney Edward Wipper told a judge Monday. Fox News lawyer K. Winn Allen said the probate case “has nothing at all to do with” Smartmatic's claims and is “not appropriate” fodder for the suit. Fox Corp. declined to comment after court. Fox News' lawyers, meanwhile, want Smartmatic to provide records about a U.S. federal criminal case against people, including Smartmatic co-founder Roger Piñate, accused of scheming to bribe a Filipino election official . Piñate has pleaded not guilty. Smartmatic isn't charged in the criminal case, and Smartmatic attorneys have said the matter was irrelevant to the defamation suit. Fox lost prior bids for a court order to get the information, but a hearing on the network's renewed request is set next week. It's unclear how soon Judge David B. Cohen will decide on that request or on Smartmatic's bid to dig into the Murdoch family trust case. Both requests are part of pretrial information-gathering, and no trial date has been set. Smartmatic says it was a small player, working only with California's heavily Democratic Los Angeles County, in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. In subsequent Fox News appearances, Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell portrayed Smartmatic as part of a multi-state scheme to steal the vote from the Republican. Federal and state election officials , exhaustive reviews in battleground states and Trump’s own attorney general found no widespread fraud that could have changed the outcome of the 2020 election. Nor did they uncover any credible evidence that the vote was tainted. Dozens of courts, including by judges whom Trump had appointed, rejected his fraud claims. Fox News ultimately aired an interview with an election technology expert who refuted the allegations against Smartmatic — an interview done after the company demanded a retraction . The network is countersuing Smartmatic , claiming it violated a New York law against baseless suits aimed at squelching reporting or criticism on public issues. The New York defamation suit is one of several stemming from conservative-oriented news outlets' reports on Trump’s 2020 vote-rigging claims. Smartmatic recently settled with One America News Network and Newsmax . Fox News settled for $787 million last year with Dominion Voting Systems, another election-technology company that sued over conspiracy theories blaming its election equipment for Trump’s 2020 loss. Jennifer Peltz, The Associated PressEDMONTON - Alberta election officials say they are working to get the word out as they deal with a Canada Post strike ahead of a Christmas-week byelection in Lethbridge-West. Because of the postal workers’ strike, Elections Alberta cannot send “Where to Vote” cards to voters, and it says special mail-in ballots must be shipped through a courier service or dropped off in person ahead of the Dec. 18 vote. The office has a plan in motion to inform residents using print, radio, media and online ads, and by distributing flyers across the riding with general information. Elections Alberta spokesperson Robyn Bell said if people are concerned about weather or travel plans getting in the way, there are many ways they can vote and information is available on the Elections Alberta website or by phone. She noted byelections tend to have lower turnouts than general elections, averaging only about 31 per cent of electors over the past five years. “The Canada Post strike presents a unique challenge that we haven’t seen in recent years,” she said. The last time an Alberta byelection was held so close to Christmas was on Dec. 14, 2017. Although Bell said Elections Alberta aims to be in a state of election readiness at all times, the timing of the Lethbridge vote has been a political football. The vote will fill a vacancy created July 1 when NDP Lethbridge-West legislature member Shannon Phillips resigned. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi had repeatedly urged Premier Danielle Smith to call it once both his party and the governing United Conservative Party had their candidates in place in September. Nenshi said Smith waited until the last second to call the race because, he said, lower voter turnout only benefits the UCP. “The premier had all summer and all fall to call this election, and she decided to wait till the last second because she doesn’t want people to vote,” he told reporters in the legislature Wednesday. Smith has said that she was waiting for Nenshi - who does not have a seat in the legislature - to declare his intentions to run for a seat so that two byelections could be called at once. On Monday, Smith pointed to the de facto appointment of one of her MLAs in the interim during question period in the legislature. “We have a fantastic MLA who’s been doing double duty, representing both ridings of Lethbridge-East and Lethbridge-West, and we’re grateful for his efforts in doing so,” she said, referring to Affordability Minister Nathan Neudorf. Earlier this week, the NDP’s executive director, Garett Spelliscy, penned a letter to Alberta’s chief electoral officer on Monday calling for “robust voter outreach” to ensure turnout isn’t low. He also noted that, as of Sunday, the Elections Alberta website listed the wrong election date. Bell said that was due to a human error, and all their materials have since been updated. “It’s really unfortunate that it happened in the first place - the NDP were the ones to notify us of the mistake, and we took immediate actions to correct it,” she said. The NDP candidate is Rob Miyashiro while John Middleton-Hope is running under the UCP banner. Advance voting begins on Dec. 10. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024.

Hyderabad: It was a moment of pride for the transgender community of Telangana as 39 transgenders recruited as traffic police assistants in the police department recently, performed the “traffic drill” before Hyderabad police commissioner CV Anand at the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) of Hyderabad police department on Sunday, December 22. The newly recruited traffic police assistants from the transgender community performing the traffic drill at the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) in Hyderabad on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/1EX2dypE6v These new traffic police assistants who have received training for 15 days will begin their duties starting Monday, December 23. The transgender traffic police assistants have been posted with the same status as Home Guards. A post shared by The Siasat Daily (@siasatdaily) Addressing them, CV Anand said that their performance in their new duties was crucial as the state government was contemplating inducting the transgenders into various other government departments based on this pilot project. He also said that the entire country was looking at the initiative in Telangana which would set a new precedent for social acceptance of the community which has suffered social stigma for ages. Terming the government’s initiative as “innovative and revolutionary,” CV Anand said that it was a great opportunity for the transgenders to integrate with society and that stationing them at traffic signals was one of the most suitable jobs for them, as they were all well acquainted with such locations.