New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) Artificial Intelligence has huge potential to transform the private security industry in many ways, senior IPS officer Manish Shankar Sharma has said. Addressing a two-day security-leadership summit which concluded here on Friday, the 1992 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer said Artificial Intelligence (AI) can optimise cost efficiency through automation of routine tasks like guard scheduling, incident reporting and monitoring, besides reducing operational costs. "In addition, AI can be of use in fraud detection and asset protection by deploying tools that can monitor transactions and activities in real-time, thus detecting anomalies in retail, banking, and logistics, thereby protecting assets," said Sharma, who is currently posted as an additional director general of police (ADGP) in Madhya Pradesh. The officer also said that AI offers limitless opportunities for the future and is probably the single-most exciting technology to arrive in the last several decades. "Artificial Intelligence has huge potential to transform the entire private security industry in several ways. This could be done by developing AI-driven biometric authentication and facial smart access control recognition systems which can provide seamless, efficient, and secure access management for businesses, housing societies, and industrial facilities in the country," Sharma said on the inaugural day of the summit organised by the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI). "Also, AI-powered CCTV systems with real-time video analytics can identify unusual activities or behaviours, enhancing security in the high-risk areas such as malls, hospitals and office complexes," Sharma added. Furthermore, AI-powered drones, thermal cameras, and motion sensors can improve the monitoring of large facilities such as factories, warehouses and energy plants, he said. By using AI, private security firms in the country can address long-standing challenges, improve efficiency, and build trust among the clients, ensuring sustainable growth and competitiveness in the market, the officer said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)How major US stock indexes fared Tuesday, 12/24/2024
Middle East latest: Defense minister acknowledges Israel killed Hamas leaderWisconsin faces its first losing season in 23 years and the end of a bowl streak when the Badgers host arch-rival Minnesota on Friday in the annual Big Ten battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe. Minnesota (6-5, 4-4) lost to No. 4 Penn State 26-25. Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten) lost its fourth straight, 44-25, at Nebraska in a game that was not as close as the score. "Well 1890 is the first time we played this football team coming up and this is what it's all about," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said of the rivalry. "And you wouldn't want to have it any other way, being able to end the season with one of your biggest rivals. I know our guys will be ready to go, ready to play." Wisconsin has 22 consecutive winning seasons since going 5-7 under Barry Alvarez in 2001, the longest active streak among Power 4 teams. The Badgers also have played in a bowl game in each of the last 22 seasons, the longest active streak in the Big Ten and third-longest in FBS. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell is more concerned with the rivalry game than the winning season and bowl streaks. "I'm not downplaying it, I'm not saying it's not important, I'm not saying it's another thing that's on our plate," Fickell said Monday. "But when it gets down to this last week, it's about one thing, it's about the rivalry. It's about preparing to play in the most important game of the year." The Gophers have dropped their last two games after winning four in a row. Minnesota averages 26.6 points per game, while allowing 18.5, 15th-best in the country. Max Brosmer has completed 67 percent of his passes for 221 per game with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. Daniel Jackson is the top target with 69 catches for 802 yards and three scores, and Darius Taylor is the top rusher with 730 yards at 4.8 per carry with nine touchdowns. One week after leading Oregon after three quarters, the Wisconsin defense was shredded for 473 yards and five touchdowns by Nebraska. Braedyn Locke, who took over at quarterback when Tyler Van Dyke suffered an early season-ending knee injury, has thrown at least one interception in eight consecutive games. Locke has completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 180.6 yards per game, with 12 touchdowns and 10 picks. Tawee Walker is the leading rusher with 828 yards at 4.7 per carry with 10 touchdowns. He has failed to reach 60 yards in three of the last four games. Former Wisconsin and NFL standout JJ Watt posted on social media his assessment - and frustration - with the Badgers after the Nebraska game. "Losing happens, it's part of the game. Hearing announcers talk about how much tougher and more physical Nebraska & Iowa are while getting blown out ... that's the issue," Watt wrote on X. "We are Wisconsin. Physicality, running game, great O-Line and great defense. That is our identity." Wisconsin defeated the Gophers 28-14 last after Minnesota had won the previous two meetings. The Badgers have won 7 of the last 10 and lead the storied series 63-62-8. --Field Level Media
Thousands of protesters marched through Barcelona on Saturday demanding lower rents in Spain's second city. Barcelona, which has already taken action to stop the spread of holiday rental apartments, is the latest Spanish city to see protests for cheaper housing. Backed by left-wing parties and unions, the demonstrators gathered in central Barcelona behind a giant banner declaring "Lower the rents". "Today a new political cycle starts concerning housing," Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for the Catalan Tenants Union, the main organiser, told reporters. "Investors must not be allowed to come to our cities and play with the apartments like a game of Monopoly," she added. The union would target "profiteers" who are taking "half of our salaries", Arcarazo said. The demonstrators demanded a 50 percent cut in rents, leases with an unlimited term and a ban on "speculative" sales of buildings. They threatened to start a rent strike. An estimated 22,000 people took part in a similar demonstration in Madrid on October 13. Campaigns have been launched in other cities. According to the Idealista specialised website, rental prices per square metre have risen 82 percent across Spain over the past decade. The average salary has gone up by 17 percent in that time, according to the national statistics institute. Facing pressure over a housing crisis, the government in 2023 passed legislation calling for more social housing, greater restrictions on rents in high demand areas and penalties for owners who do not occupy properties. But rents have continued to rise while the government has battled city and regional authorities to get some parts of the law applied. vid-vab/tw/jm
NEW YORK (AP) — A number of President-elect Donald Trump 's most prominent Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks," Trump's transition team said Wednesday. The FBI said it was investigating. “Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She said the attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting, in which attackers initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses. The tactic has become a popular one in recent years. “In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action,” Leavitt said. Among those targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations , Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general , and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Susie Wiles, Trump's incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, the former Florida Attorney General whom Trump has chosen as Gaetz's replacement, were also targeted, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity amid the ongoing investigation. Wiles and Bondi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FBI said in a statement that it was “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees" and was "working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.” Stefanik's office said that, on Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. "New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism," her office said in a statement. “We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7." The New York State Police said a team was dispatched to sweep Stefanik’s home on Wednesday morning in response to the bomb threat but did not locate any explosive devices. A spokesman for the agency directed further questions to the FBI. Zeldin said in a social media post that he and his family had been threatened. “A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” he wrote on X . “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe. We are working with law enforcement to learn more as this situation develops.” Police in Suffolk County, Long Island said emergency officers responded to a bomb threat Wednesday morning at an address listed in public records as Zeldin’s home and were checking the property. In Florida, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office said in an advisory posted on Facebook that it “received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning.” While a family member resides at the address, they said "former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results.” Gaetz was Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration amid allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by disturbing and unprecedented violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The U.S. Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Public figures across the political spectrum have been targeted in recent years by hoax bomb threats and false reports of shootings at their homes. The judges overseeing the civil fraud case against Trump in New York and the criminal election interference case against him in Washington, D.C. were both targeted earlier this year. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who recently abandoned the two criminal cases he brought against Trump, was also the subject of a fake emergency call on Christmas Day last year. Earlier this year, schools, government buildings and the homes of city officials in Springfield, Ohio received a string of hoax bomb threats after Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs. And in 2022, a slew of historically Black colleges and universities nationwide were targeted with dozens of bomb threats with the vast majority arriving during the celebration of Black History Month. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement Wednesday that, “Anytime a Member of Congress is the victim of a 'swatting' incident, we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners. To protect ongoing investigations and to minimize the risk of copy-cats, we cannot provide more details at this time.” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the threats “dangerous and unhinged.” “This year, there was not just one but TWO assassination attempts on President Trump. Now some of his Cabinet nominees and their families are facing bomb threats,” he wrote on X . “It is not who we are in America.” ___ Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer, Colleen Long and Eric Tucker in Washington and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York contributed to this report.Lizzo's newest social media post had fans talking as they noticed her weight loss. The Instagram post that left fans talking was a carousel of selfies of the singer in a car as she rocked pigtail braids with an off the shoulder renaissance-type shirt and what appeared to be a denim skirt that billowed out with white flowy fabric. Lizzo captioned the Nov. 22 post: "Last night I wore milkmaid braids [squinting eye with tongue emoji]. Fans took to comments to make note of Lizzo looking slimmer as some gushed over her, others were shocked by the transformation. One fan said "Yo Lizzie lost mad weight" A second wrote; "Wait what???? [surprised face emoji] Is this LIZZO????" Another responded to the second saying "I was thinking the same thing. I'm mind blown. Congrats to her." A fourth said: "Hold up what?!???" Liam Payne's ex Danielle Peazer opens up in emotional post days after One Direction star's funeral Kim Kardashian slammed for small accessory after Catholic lingerie photoshoot Some were appalled in a different way and warned Lizzo not to lose too much weight: "Wait wait wait don't get to skinny now!!!" Another fan reminded people to chill and to also stop spreading Ozempic rumors: "can yall go one post without mentioning how 'skinny she’s getting' or how she’s 'using ozempic' ?? She’s been documenting her fitness and healthy eating journey this whole time." Back in September, the 36-year-old hit back at a follower's comment suggesting that she was using Ozempic for her weight loss. Lizzo explained that in the past five months, she's been concentrating on "weight training and calorie deficit." Lizzo has been candid and transparent about her health journey as she has shown her diets and workouts on social media especially on TikTok. She recently shared in October that she was no longer a vegan after four years. She elaborated that during a recent visit to Japan, she saw how "clean and delicious their food was." She ate things like "fresh sushi and fluffy egg" and she was "amazed at how good my body felt the next day." "After tests and research," Lizzo added, "I found that animal proteins helped me have more energy, lose weight and helped with my mental fog." But she did acknowledge that she still thought a vegan diet "is still the healthiest diet to have" and that while she hopes to be a raw alkaline vegan one day, her current non-vegan diet has been helping her current goals and makes her "feel good" in her body. The Truth Hurt performer in March talked to the New York Times about how she's "been methodical, losing weight very slowly" as she diets and "puts love in body" with exercises like Pilates or taking a walk. Lizzo additionally talk to the outlet about evolving the concept of body positivity (which she has been known for) into body neutrality. "I’m not going to lie and say I love my body every day. The bottom line is, the way you feel about your body changes every single day," she elaborated. "There are some days I adore my body, and others when I don’t feel completely positive." Lizzo further said in regards to people's commentary and fixation on her body: "My body is nobody’s business." DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.
As the weeks tick down on the Biden presidency, the administration has been trying to drive through a slew of much-needed consumer-finance protections. The new rules, including caps on credit card late fees, would add to some meaningful achievements that the administration has notched on behalf of American consumers, including tighter rules on banking fees and buy now, pay later services. But some of the changes face legal challenges, as Republicans push back against policies that have angered the financial industry. The outcome of these battles is just one area where consumers have a lot at stake in the coming year. Here is what I’ll be keeping close tabs on once President-elect Donald Trump takes office: What will happen to the CFPB? The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau is a relatively young agency, having been created under President Obama in 2010 in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Its efforts to add more guardrails to consumer banking, medical billing and other areas of consumer finance are popular among Democrats but often opposed by the financial industry. Following an at times bizarre leadership battle during the first Trump administration, the Supreme Court upheld the authority of the president to fire the agency’s head. So look for Trump to dismiss current director Rohit Chopra and install someone unlikely to continue the agency’s existing initiatives, such as capping credit card late fees; closing a loophole that allows high overdraft fees; and fighting improper medical billing practices. It’s even possible the entire agency will get dismantled, although that would be harder to accomplish with Republicans’ narrow House and Senate majorities. But who knows — Trump ally Elon Musk already has called for the CFPB to be “deleted.” Will boycotts return? During Trump’s first term, there were many calls to boycott Trump products and companies that did business with the Trump family. The boycotts made a few waves — Shoes.com and Nordstrom’s both dropped Ivanka Trump’s fashion line, and Under Armour’s chief executive had to address consumer complaints after he made favorable comments about Trump. But most of the actions appeared short-lived. In his second administration, Trump’s cabinet picks of wealthy business owners and other controversial characters could incite a new round of protests. Interestingly, the app formerly known as Twitter is one space where boycotts were able to gather momentum in Trump’s first term. But Musk has since acquired control of the company, rebranding it X. Will anti-Trump consumers find their way to Bluesky or another platform to organize retail resistance? It’s certainly possible that Musk, who along with biotech company founder Vivek Ramaswamy is slated to lead a government-efficiency initiative for Trump, will see a growing backlash to his Tesla brand. Will the estate tax exemption be extended? The tax reform legislation enacted in 2017 as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act significantly reduced the federal tax on big estates. But the increase in the basic exclusion amount to $13.99 million for an individual will sunset at the end of 2025, reverting to its base of $5 million if Congress doesn’t intervene. Trump has made promises about reducing income taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security, but he hasn’t indicated whether he would support extending the estate tax exemption. A higher exclusion would be in line with his overall ethos of reducing taxes on individuals. The exemption only affects wealthy Americans, but cutting the exemption in half would have a significant impact on estate planning in 2025. Funds distributed during the exemption, even while the owner of the estate is alive, will be held to the currently high basic exclusion amount. That is motivation for those with multimillion-dollar estates to consider gifting funds to heirs by the end of 2025 to shield the money from a potentially higher tax liability starting in 2026. Will retirement plans get another refresh? The SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act 2.0 has been in effect for a few years, but 2025 will usher in the requirement that employers automatically enroll eligible workers into 401(k) or 403(b) plans. This includes a minimum contribution rate of 3%. Employees can opt out, but the auto-enroll feature will hopefully increase participation and help more Americans prepare for retirement. But lower-income Americans may not find this move particularly helpful. Some might find it impossible to sacrifice part of a paycheck to a retirement account, while others work for employers who don’t offer retirement plans. While it’s hard to know what the new administration will focus on, a possible bipartisan solution, proposed by economists Teresa Ghilarducci and Trump first-term veteran Kevin Hassett, would make a version of the federal Thrift Savings Plan available to private-sector workers. Hassett, who served as the head of the Council of Economic Advisers in the first Trump administration, will be returning to the White House as director of the National Economic Council, though it’s uncertain whether he’ll take up the mantle of retirement plans. The proposal would generally be good for Americans’ financial well-being — and it probably would be popular with Trump’s base. If Trump 2.0 is anything like his first term, then we should expect a frenetic and sometimes-disjointed approach to policymaking. Democrats and consumer advocates will surely fight efforts to halt or roll back consumer protections, but with Congress and the White House in Republicans’ hands, the deck is stacked against them.
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Cowboys G Zack Martin, CB Trevon Diggs out vs. Commanders
The Dallas Cowboys ruled out right guard Zack Martin and cornerback Trevon Diggs with injuries on Saturday, one day prior to a road game against the Washington Commanders. Martin has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries and didn't practice at all this week before initially being listed as doubtful to play on Friday. He also physically struggled during Monday night's loss to the Houston Texans. Martin, who turned 34 on Wednesday, has started all 162 games played in 11 seasons with the Cowboys. He's a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a seven-time first-team All-Pro. Diggs has been dealing with groin and knee injuries. He was listed as questionable on Friday before being downgraded Saturday. Diggs, 26, has 37 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games this season. The two-time Pro Bowl pick led the NFL with 11 picks in 2021 and has 20 in 57 games. The Cowboys elected not to activate receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) for the game. He returned to practice earlier this week and he was listed as questionable on Friday. Dallas activated offensive tackle Chuma Edoga (toe) and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) off injured reserve Saturday, placed safety Markquese Bell (shoulder) on IR and released defensive end KJ Henry. Tight end Jake Ferguson (concussion) was previously ruled out. Tight end Princeton Fant was elevated from the practice squad to replace him. Cornerback Kemon Hall also was elevated from the practice squad. --Field Level MediaNoneJennifer Garner’s Dog Birdie Dies: 'Held on' Until Violet Came Home
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