slot game new version Despite commanding over 60% of India’s overall smartphone market, Chinese smartphone brands are finding it difficult to make a significant impact in the high-value premium segment (priced above $600/₹50,000). This market is still dominated by Apple and Samsung, which together control more than 94% of the share, with little room for competitors. Chinese brands, including OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo, Realme, and Xiaomi, have made strides in India’s mid-range and budget categories. However, their presence in the premium segment remains minimal, despite constant innovation and efforts to enhance after-sales services. According to IDC data for the third quarter of 2024, Apple and Samsung saw their combined share increase to over 94%, up from 90% a year earlier. In contrast, Chinese brands like OnePlus and Vivo have struggled. OnePlus saw its share drop from 3.4% to 2.4%, while Vivo’s share plummeted from 0.8% to just 0.2% during the same period. As the premium segment grew by 85% year on year, Chinese brands’ lack of traction has been noticeable. Industry analysts, including Upasana Joshi from IDC India, explain that the premium segment is still a two-horse race between Apple and Samsung, with Chinese brands unable to compete effectively at these price points. Despite their efforts, Chinese vendors are yet to win significant consumer loyalty in the above-$600 category, where the perception of premium quality remains closely tied to established players like Apple and Samsung. Several factors contribute to Chinese brands’ challenges in the premium segment: Despite these challenges, Chinese brands remain committed to competing in the premium segment. OnePlus, Vivo, and others are now focusing on technological differentiation and offering premium after-sales services, such as doorstep repairs, 24/7 customer support, and loyalty discounts. Sanyam Chaurasia, an analyst at Canalys, suggests that while initial interest is often high, Chinese brands need a long-term strategy to build brand loyalty and customer trust in the premium market. Offering financing options and luxurious packaging might attract customers, but sustained success will depend on long-term consumer satisfaction. Brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Realme have expanded their portfolios to include premium devices aimed at competing directly with flagship models from Apple and Samsung. However, despite these efforts, their market share has remained limited. Sudhin Mathur, Chief Operating Officer at Xiaomi India, acknowledges that although Xiaomi is unlikely to see immediate gains in the premium segment, the company will continue to push forward with industry-first offerings. Xiaomi’s average selling price (ASP) is around ₹18,000, while the industry ASP is climbing towards ₹24,000, reflecting the growing premiumisation trend in the market. Experts predict that over the next few years, Chinese brands will continue to chase the premium market more aggressively. This shift will involve not only enhancing the hardware but also focusing on experiential software features, ensuring a premium user experience. Anuj Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer at Xiaomi, mentioned that 2024 marked the first year with a full portfolio of flagship devices, which helped boost sales of Xiaomi’s lower-end products. While flagship phones may not yet be bestsellers, improvements in areas like camera quality are gradually improving customer satisfaction. Even in the $400-$600 range (₹30,000-₹50,000), Apple and Samsung continue to dominate. These brands hold over 45% of the market share in this segment, with previous-generation models being more popular than newer launches from Chinese competitors. Vivo, however, has emerged as the leader in this range, with a 20% market share, while OnePlus’ share has fallen from 37% in Q3 2023 to 14% in Q3 2024. While Chinese smartphone brands remain dominant in the budget and mid-range segments, their efforts to break into the premium market will require ongoing innovation and consumer trust-building. The road to success in the high-value segment will involve not only improving product offerings but also enhancing the brand experience to shift consumer perceptions and loyalty away from Apple and Samsung. ALSO READ : Technical Issue Temporarily Halts American Airlines Flights During Holiday SurgeYour child’s ski boots can impact their overall skiing experience and may even undermine their love for the sport if they find the boots awkward fitting and uncomfortable. In addition to comfort, the ability to retain warmth and be breathable are important qualities your kid’s ski boot should have. If your child is ready to hit the slopes and you’re looking for the ideal pair of boots, ensure you choose one that provides comfort and inspires confidence, such as our top pick, Fischer Junior/Kids RC4 60 Thermoshape Alpine On/Off-Piste Ski Boots . There are several types of ski boots for kids, such as rear-entry and front-entry designs as well as performance and adjustable boot options. Rear-entry boots allow your child to slip in their feet from the back, while front entry includes a tongue that opens forward and allows the child to slide in their foot from the top. Another type is performance boots, which are made for older kids who want a better performance from their footwear. The adjustable ski boot is another option, and it is a great choice for kids who grow out of their footwear quickly. It’s easy to think your child’s boots are too small because they feel stiff and tight, but some boots are designed to be stiff. To avoid making a mistake with the sizing, take your child with you to the ski shop to get them sized. You can speak to a ski technician to learn more about the fit process. Let your child try on the boot with the liner while wearing socks. If the liner is tight, then the boots may be too small. If your child is just starting with skiing and is only confident skiing on green runs, they are considered a beginner. Their category is intermediate if they can ski confidently on the blue square terrains. However, they are advanced if they can ski anything on the mountain. Kids’ ski boots usually come with ratings depending on their experience level. The boots with a lower flex rating are designed for beginners and are comfortable to wear but deliver less on performance. Those with a higher rating are usually less comfortable but provide better performance. Some children may end up abandoning skiing because they’d rather be doing something else other than constantly taking their boots on and off. Front-entry and rear-entry ski boots are easy to wear, so choose either of these options for a fussy child. Your child’s boots should grip the floor properly to minimize their chance of falling when skiing. This feature is known as slip resistance and is often determined by the type of material used to fabricate the outsole of the boots. Generally, slip-resistant soles are textured and made of rubber. Waterproof ski boots are made of nonporous materials and can keep your child’s feet dry even when submerged in water. There are water-resistant boots designed to repel water, but these won’t prevent your child’s feet from getting wet in heavy rain or snow. Most kids’ ski boots cost $25-$40. Some expensive options are made with high-quality waterproof material, costing up to $60. A. Ski boots have a different sizing for shoes, called Mondo sizing, which measures the inside of the foot. To get the right size for your child, use a tape measure to measure the length of their feet, then check the size chart to get the correct size. A. If your child is just starting with skiing, choose a pair of boots that can easily flex, like front-entry ski boots. Fischer Junior/Kids RC4 60 Thermoshape Alpine On/Off-Piste Ski Boots What you need to know: These ski boots are an excellent choice for beginner skiers thanks to their soft flex design and thermoformable technology. What you’ll love: These Soma-Tec boots are designed to enable maximum control and prevent the ankle and knee joints from twisting when skiing. They also include a micro-adjustable buckle system for quick and easy adjustment. They feature a thermoformable boot liner designed to give an adapted fit. What you should consider: Some users mentioned that the sizing isn’t accurate. Salomon T3 RT Ski Boots What you need to know: These ski boots come in three unique colors and are suitable for both boys and girls. What you’ll love: These boots are made with polyurethane, which gives them unique durability. They are also easy to put on or off and include micro-adjustments in the buckle to ensure a custom fit. What you should consider: They might run small for children with big feet. Rossignol Comp J4 Ski Boots Kid’s What you need to know: These ski boots are designed with comfort in mind thanks to their comfort liners and unique diagonal buckles. What you’ll love: They include liners that are made with soft materials and designed to give optimal comfort and all-day cushioning. They also feature diagonal buckles that offer a more natural foot wrapping and excellent heel support. What you should consider: The buckles are made of thin metal wire, which might not be very durable. Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change. Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

Apple’s AI-Powered Notification Summary Feature “Threatening Journalism”Fifty years ago this month I moved to Sacramento and a few months later, just after Jerry Brown became governor, began covering politics for the long-defunct Sacramento Union newspaper. I have lived in five different homes — soon to be six — and my workplaces have always been in downtown Sacramento, near the Capitol. That [...]

Gary O’Neil accepts criticism from Wolves fans after heavy defeat at Everton

Aviva Siegel, a former hostage and the wife of American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, said Tuesday that she had witnessed and experienced torture by the Hamas terrorists who abducted her and roughly 250 other Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. Siegel, 63, spoke with Marc Beckman of the Some Future Day podcast about her experiences. She was released in an eight-day truce last November — one that Hamas later broke — but Keith remains behind, one of the “ American Seven ” who are still in Gaza, three of whom are thought to be alive. Siegel was born in South Africa and moved to Israel when she was a child. She met Siegel when he was a student from North Carolina visiting Israel. He remained in Israel after they fell in love, and the two of them eventually settled on a communal farm in southern Israel, Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Siegel recalled how the terrorists invaded their bomb shelter on October 7 after shooting and wounding Keith, her husband of 43 years. They broke his ribs in the process of abducting him, and took the couple to Gaza in Keith’s car. In Gaza, they were met by crowds of civilians — including women and children — who cheered the terrorists bringing hostages from Israel. They were forced into a tunnel, where they were later joined by other hostages, many wounded. They would be moved from one location to another 13 times before Aviva was freed. In one tunnel, she said, she was convinced that they would die for lack of oxygen. They were denied food and water for whole days at a time, she said. At one point, she personally witnessed a Hamas terrorist molesting one of the female Israeli hostages. She was later told that the molestation was frequent, though rarely in the open. Another time, several Hamas terrorists bound a female hostage and beat her brutally. When the young girl returned, wounded and crying, Siegel asked her why she had not screamed. She replied that she had not wanted to give the terrorists the satisfaction of hearing her screaming. She and Keith had promised to remain strong for each other, and she hoped to see him again. The suffering they endured was so intense from the first moments, she said, that anyone who understood it would not have allowed them to be held in Gaza at all. She said that while she was hopeful that President-elect Donald Trump could bring the hostages home, she did not want to stop urging President Joe Biden to do the same: January 20 might be too late. Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days , available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency , now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak .Denver, CO, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bobby Rusnak, franchisee and Area Director for Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Colorado and Wyoming, has become a key figure in the brand’s regional operations. His journey with Dickey’s began in 2016 when he stepped in to assist his family during a challenging period. In 2021, Rusnak officially took ownership of the business, evolving into a leadership role that combines operational excellence with a dedication to franchisee support and community engagement. “My role is to support the brand and my fellow franchisees while ensuring we deliver exceptional barbecue experiences to our guests,” Rusnak said. “As an Area Director, I’m focused on strengthening operations and helping franchisees overcome challenges, one store at a time.” Rusnak oversees 15 locations across Colorado, balancing ownership of his stores with responsibilities as an Area Director. This includes guiding franchisees in stabilizing operations and adhering to the high standards Dickey’s is known for. “Bobby’s ability to lead by example and his deep understanding of the challenges franchisees face make him an exceptional Area Director,” said Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Capital Group. “He is a true partner in growing the brand and supporting our franchisees in achieving their goals.” Laura Rea Dickey , CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., added, “Bobby’s story embodies the heart of our brand—stepping up for family and community. His leadership as an Area Director strengthens not only the Dickey’s franchise system but also the relationships we value so deeply with our owner-operators.” Under Rusnak’s leadership, Dickey’s locations in Colorado continue to deliver the slow-smoked barbecue experience that has defined the brand for over 80 years. His commitment ensures franchisees have the tools and resources they need to thrive. “Stepping into this role was about doing what was needed to stabilize and grow the business,” Rusnak said. “It’s rewarding to see the impact we’re making in our communities and across the region.” Bobby Rusnak’s journey underscores Dickey’s dedication to empowering franchisees and fostering a collaborative network that drives success. About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. Founded in 1941 by The Dickey Family, Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. is the world’s largest barbecue concept and continues as a third-generation family-run business. For over 80 years, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has served millions with its signature Legit. Texas. Barbecue.TM Slow-smoked over hickory wood-burning pits, Dickey’s barbecued meats are paired with a variety of southern sides. Committed to authentic barbecue, Dickey’s never takes shortcuts—because real barbecue can’t be rushed. With over 866 restaurants across eight concepts in the U.S. and several countries, Dickey’s Barbecue Franchise and Dickey’s Restaurant Brands continues to grow under the leadership of Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Capital Group, and Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Inc. Dickey’s has been recognized on Newsweek’s 2022 "America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains" list, Nation’s Restaurant News 2024 top fast-casual brands for value, and USA Today’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards. The brand has also ranked in the Top 20 of Fast Casual’s “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” for four of the past five years. Additional accolades include Entrepreneur's Top 500 Franchise and Hospitality Technology’s Industry Heroes list. The brand has been featured by Fox News, Forbes, Franchise Times, The Wall Street Journal, and People Magazine . For more information, visit www.dickeys.com . For information about becoming a franchise partner, visit www.dickeysfranchise.com . Attachment Bobby Rusnak

Northwestern University engineers are the first to successfully demonstrate quantum teleportation over a fiber optic cable already carrying Internet traffic. The discovery, published in the journal Optica, introduces the new possibility of combining quantum communication with existing Internet cables — greatly simplifying the infrastructure required for for advanced sensing technologies or quantum computing applications. "This is incredibly exciting because nobody thought it was possible," said Northwestern's Prem Kumar, who led the study. "Our work shows a path towards next-generation quantum and classical networks sharing a unified fiber optic infrastructure. Basically, it opens the door to pushing quantum communications to the next level." An expert in quantum communication, Kumar is a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering, where he directs the Center for Photonic Communication and Computing. How it works Only limited by the speed of light, quantum teleportation enables a new, ultra-fast, secure way to share information between distant network users, wherein direct transmission is not necessary. The process works by harnessing quantum entanglement, a technique in which two particles are linked, regardless of the distance between them. Instead of particles physically traveling to deliver information, entangled particles exchange information over great distances — without physically carrying it. "In optical communications, all signals are converted to light," Kumar explained. "While conventional signals for classical communications typically comprise millions of particles of light,...Gary O’Neil accepts criticism from Wolves fans after heavy defeat at Everton

Black plastic kitchen utensil risks were overstated. But you should still toss them, group saysSM Lee cabinet ministers to make official visit to China from Nov. 24 to 29, 2024

UK's Starmer To Push Green Energy Ties On Norway Trip

New Channel Additions Offer Comedic, Iconic, and Women's Entertainment Content LOS ANGELES , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cineverse (NASDAQ: CNVS ), a next-gen entertainment studio, announced today that its free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels "Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan", "Comedy Dynamics", "The Bob Ross Channel" and "The Dove Channel" are now available on Google TV Freeplay. Google TV Freeplay is your home for free live TV on Google TV – no app download, install or subscription required. In addition to exploring the new Cineverse channels, Google TV users in the U.S. can catch news, sports, movies, hit TV shows and more, right from the Your apps row or the Live tab. "Launching these FAST channels on Google TV Freeplay allows us to bring an even broader audience a diverse array of beloved and trusted content," said Alexandra Viglione , Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Cineverse . "From Cesar Millan's expert dog training to the timeless inspiration of Bob Ross , these channels provide something for everyone in the family." Channel Highlights Include: Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan: Nine seasons of problem-solving and advice for dog owners, featuring Cesar Millan's signature approach. Comedy Dynamics: A robust stand-up comedy library featuring some of the industry's top comedians. The Bob Ross Channel: Nearly 400 episodes of the iconic "Joy of Painting" series that has inspired generations of artists. Dove Channel: Where heartwarming stories await – from light-hearted romance and inspiring drama to heartwarming holiday escapes. Google TV is a trademark of Google LLC. ABOUT CINEVERSE Cineverse's advanced, proprietary technology drives the distribution of over 70,000 premium films, series, and podcasts to more than 150 million unique viewers monthly. From providing a complete streaming solution to some of the world's most recognizable brands, to super-serving their own network of fan channels, Cineverse (NASDAQ: CNVS ) is powering the future of entertainment. For more information, please visit cineverse.com . Contacts: For Media The Lippin Group for Cineverse, [email protected] For Investors Julie Milstead , [email protected] SOURCE Cineverse Corp.London toy ‘shop’ window where nothing is for sale

( MENAFN - Jordan Times) LONDON - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will visit Norway on Monday where he is expected to tout a "green industrial partnership" on renewable energy and carbon capture to tackle climate change. It comes as Starmer's new Labour government seeks ways to meet its commitments to completely decarbonise the UK's electricity production by 2030, reduce emissions by at least 81 per cent compared to 1990 levels by 2034 and become carbon-neutral by 2050. To be formally signed in the spring, the agreement with Oslo would help Britain "seize the opportunities from a new era of clean energy, driving investment into the UK and boosting jobs both now and in the future", Starmer was cited as saying in a statement from his office. Precise details of the partnership's contents were not made available ahead of Starmer's meeting with his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store. At the beginning of October, the Labour government announced 22 billion pounds ($28 billion) in investment over 25 years to develop carbon capture and storage on two former industrial estates in the north of England. Carbon capture, utilisation and storage is a technology that seeks to eliminate emissions created by burning fuels for energy and from industrial processes. The carbon is captured and then stored permanently in various underground environments. "Our partnership with Norway will make the UK more energy secure, ensuring we are never again exposed to international energy price spikes ...," said Starmer. Quoted in the Downing Street release, Norway's Prime Minister Store hailed the agreement as "important to facilitate more green jobs both in Norway and the UK, and for advancing the green transition". The two North Sea countries already have extensive energy ties, with Norway being one of the UK's main suppliers of gas. Several Norwegian companies already have a strong presence in the British market. Norwegian energy giant Equinor has partnered with BP in a number of carbon capture and storage projects in the UK, while Vagronn is also involved in a floating wind farm project in Scotland. The UK's ambition to become "a world-leader in carbon capture" comes despite doubts over the technology's effectiveness at tackling global warming given the costs and complexity involved. It has however been advocated by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA), especially for reducing the CO2 footprint of difficult to decarbonise industries like cement and steel. MENAFN19122024000028011005ID1109014840 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.UVALDE, Texas — A Texas judge on Thursday refused to throw out criminal charges accusing the former Uvalde schools police chief of putting children at risk during a slow response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting. Pete Arredondo said he was improperly charged and that the shooter was responsible for putting the victims in danger in the school attack on May 24, 2022. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed. Arredondo also said he was scapegoated for the halting police response. Nearly 400 law enforcement agents rushed to the scene in rural South Texas but waited more than 70 minutes to confront and kill the gunman in a fourth-grade classroom. Judge Sid Harle handed down the ruling during a hearing in a Uvalde courtroom, and set a trial date for Oct. 20, 2025. Several victim family members attended the hearing but left without comment. Arredondo has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, each of which carried a punishment of up to two years in jail. He and former Uvalde schools officer Adrian Gonzales are the only officers who have been charged for their actions that day. Gonzales has not asked the judge to dismiss his charges but could at a later date. Gonzales and Arredondo attended the hearing in person. Nico LaHood, an attorney for Gonzales, said he will ask for the trial to be moved out of Uvalde County because he believes his client cannot receive a fair trial there. “Everybody knows everybody,” in Uvalde, LaHood said. The indictment against Arredondo alleges he did not follow his active shooter training and made critical decisions that slowed the police response while the gunman was “hunting” his victims. It alleges that instead of confronting the gunman immediately, Arredondo caused delays by telling officers to evacuate a hallway to wait for a SWAT team, evacuating students from other areas of the building first, and trying to negotiate with the shooter while victims inside the classroom were wounded and dying. Arredondo’s attorneys say the danger that day was not caused by him, but by the shooter. They argued Arredondo was blamed for trying to save the lives of the other children in the building, and have warned that prosecuting him would open many future law enforcement actions to similar charges. “Arredondo did nothing to put those children in the path of a gunman,” said Arredondo attorney Matthew Hefti. The massacre at Robb Elementary was one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, and the law enforcement response has been widely condemned as a massive failure. Nearly 150 U.S. Border Patrol agents, 91 state police officers, as well and school and city police rushed to the campus. While terrified students and teachers called 911 from inside classrooms, dozens of officers stood in the hallway trying to figure out what to do. More than an hour later, a team of officers breached the classroom and killed the gunman. Within days of the shooting, the focus of the slow response turned on Arredondo, who was described by other responding agencies as the incident commander in charge. Multiple federal and state investigations have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers. Several victims or their families have filed multiple state and federal lawsuits. ___ Associated Press reporter Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed.

The Pakistan Telecommuni-cation Authority (PTA) has resumed the registration of virtual private network (VPN) service providers, allowing companies to acquire class licences for data services at fees ranging from Rs100,000 to Rs300,000. According to PTA officials, the licensing initiative aims to bring VPN providers under regulatory oversight. Following the implementation, providers will be required to operate with locally registered data centres and comply with Pakistan's data protection laws. According to sources, the class licensing framework will enable the PTA to monitor and regulate VPN services effectively. Crucially, the PTA will gain access to user data and browsing history under licensing conditions, a move designed to bolster cybersecurity measures. The measure will also empower the authority to detect and trace cyberattacks more effectively. The initiative has come in light of consultations with stakeholders, including the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), which formally requested the registration process to streamline operations. Sources added that VPN providers must adhere to local data protection regulations, ensuring compliance with domestic laws. Furthermore, companies offering these services will need to establish local data centres to facilitate monitoring and regulatory requirements. Earlier, the PTA had announced the resumption of granting class licences for data services to providers in Pakistan. "VPN service providers are required to obtain Class Licence for Data (Data Services) to provide VPN and related services," the statement read. Previously, the telecom regulator issued licences to companies offering internet, cellular services, and vehicle trackers. However, it has now introduced a new category for VPNs under licensed services. The plan aims for local companies - operating under Pakistan's laws, licence terms, and regulatory provisions - to provide proxy services to users. The shift enables the regulator to exert greater control over these companies compared to the current scenario, where most VPN providers are foreign entities. Documents available on PTA's website reveal that the terms of licences for existing service providers would also extend to any company offering VPN services. One provision specifies that companies must "[p]romptly provide all information, as and when desired by the Authority [PTA], which helps it to quantify proliferation of the technologies or services whether technical, regulatory or financial in nature". COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see ourBENGALURU: India's tech industry is poised to expand to $350 billion by 2030, up from $254 billion in the 2023-24 financial year, Nasscom 's president Rajesh Nambiar told TOI. The sector's expansion reflects a CAGR of 6.4%. "We will work towards getting to about a $350-billion mark by 2030. Of course, the growth rate came down significantly in the last two years. But even with all of that, we are seeing a lot of green shoots. I believe that we are in a pivotal moment. The emergence of GenAI has transformed the global landscape. Our focus must transition from AI PoCs to achieving measurable return on investments that we can put together on the board," said Nambiar. He succeeds his predecessor Debjani Ghosh, who completed her term in Nov. Prior to that, Nambiar was chairman and MD of Cognizant India. Nasscom initially forecasted the tech sector's revenues of $350 billion for FY26, driven by demand for advanced technologies such as cloud computing and analytics. However, the IT industry body had to reset these growth estimates, extending the timeline by five years to achieve the targeted figures. The Indian IT services sector faces a significant slowdown in the last fiscal , with minimal expansion in both revenue and employment. IT exports grew a modest 3.3% in constant currency, reaching $199 billion in FY24. This represents a substantial decline from the previous year's 11.4% growth, marking one of the sector's lowest growth rates. Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!

Romance scammer duped £17k from me with deepfakesTecno launches Pop 9 smartphone in India, offers Mediatek Helio G50 SoCBy ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “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. Related Articles National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department’s operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.” He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden. On the campaign trail, Trump often called for expanding the federal death penalty — including for those who kill police officers, those convicted of drug and human trafficking, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens. “Trump has been fairly consistent in wanting to sort of say that he thinks the death penalty is an important tool and he wants to use it,” said Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school. “But whether practically any of that can happen, either under existing law or other laws, is a heavy lift.” Berman said Trump’s statement at this point seems to be just a response to Biden’s commutation. “I’m inclined to think it’s still in sort of more the rhetoric phase. Just, ‘don’t worry. The new sheriff is coming. I like the death penalty,’” he said. Most Americans have historically supported the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to decades of annual polling by Gallup, but support has declined over the past few decades. About half of Americans were in favor in an October poll, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans backed capital punishment for murderers in 2007. Before Biden’s commutation, there were 40 federal death row inmates compared with more than 2,000 who have been sentenced to death by states. “The reality is all of these crimes are typically handled by the states,” Berman said. A question is whether the Trump administration would try to take over some state murder cases, such as those related to drug trafficking or smuggling. He could also attempt to take cases from states that have abolished the death penalty. Berman said Trump’s statement, along with some recent actions by states, may present an effort to get the Supreme Court to reconsider a precedent that considers the death penalty disproportionate punishment for rape. “That would literally take decades to unfold. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight,” Berman said. Before one of Trump’s rallies on Aug. 20, his prepared remarks released to the media said he would announce he would ask for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers. But Trump never delivered the line. One of the men Trump highlighted on Tuesday was ex-Marine Jorge Avila Torrez, who was sentenced to death for killing a sailor in Virginia and later pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old girl in a suburban Chicago park several years before. The other man, Thomas Steven Sanders, was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and slaying of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana, days after shooting the girl’s mother in a wildlife park in Arizona. Court records show he admitted to both killings. Some families of victims expressed anger with Biden’s decision, but the president had faced pressure from advocacy groups urging him to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The ACLU and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were some of the groups that applauded the decision. Biden left three federal inmates to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Michelle L. Price and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

Mumbai: Former MP Poonam Mahajan inaugurated the pilot project of Gau Raksha Kavach, by Ridlan AI Foundation to address critical challenges in cow welfare. The QR code based neck collars are designed to save cows from road accidents at night and also store the healthcare records of the animal. On Wednesday, Ridlan AI Foundation launched its newly designed Gau Raksha Kavach, which leverages AI and QR-based technology to protect cows by ensuring timely healthcare and enhanced safety. The initiative was launched by former MP from Mumbai North Central constituency Poonam Mahajan. Former MP Poonam Mahajan inaugurates Gau Raksha Kavach, a QR code-based initiative by Ridlan AI Foundation to protect cows and ensure their health | File Photo The key features of the Gau Raksha Kavach includes QR-Based Tags, which send notifications to caretakers for timely vaccinations and deworming, preventing the spread of diseases. The QR code can be scanned to access the digital healthcare record of the animal for better health monitoring and management. It is attached to a reflective collar, which is designed to improve visibility during night and help prevent road accidents involving cows. The initiative was launched in partnership with Sanatan Dharma Sabha and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, further strengthening its foundation in the principles of gau seva and dharma. "Our honourable Prime Minister inspires us to engage in gau seva while embracing technological innovation for societal growth. The Gau Raksha Kavach is a testament to our commitment to building AI-first solutions with seva bhaav, safeguarding gaumata from diseases and road accidents. This initiative aligns with our cultural ethos and vision for a better Bharat," said a spokesperson for the NGO.

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(The Center Square) – Legislators in Washington, D.C., have taken a number of steps over the past few days to push for insurance and pharmaceutical reforms to be passed before the end of the year. On Wednesday, a bicameral group of Republican and Democrat lawmakers held a press conference discussing the need for pharmacy benefit manager reform to protect small pharmacies across the country and “save lives.” “Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or an independent, we all want the same thing. We want accessible, affordable, quality health care,” said Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga. “We’re not here today to just discuss one bill or to discuss just one patient’s story. We're here because there's broad, bipartisan pharmacy benefit manager, or PBM, reform that is needed to save lives.” Pharmacy benefit managers are the middlemen responsible for managing the drug prices covered by health insurance plans. According to the Harvard Political Review , the problem with pharmacy benefit managers is that they “have vertically integrated with pharmacy chains and health insurers through massive conglomerates.” That then allows them to abuse their power to cut out small pharmacies and increase prices. Carter also signed a letter that was released last week calling on the Department of Justice to dig into the role pharmacy benefit managers played in the opioid epidemic. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., Deborah Ross, D-N.C., and Cliff Benz, R-Ore., all joined him in signing that letter. “The opioid crisis has devastated communities in North Carolina and across the country, and PBMs may have fueled it by prioritizing profits over people,” Ross said on social media . “That’s why I joined a letter calling on the DOJ to investigate their role and hold these bad actors accountable.” The letter looked at recent reports on the largest pharmacy benefit managers, CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and OptumRx which state that they “colluded and conspired to steer patients towards OxyContin in exchange for $400 million.” OxyContin is a trade name for the narcotic oxycodone hydrochloride, a painkiller available by prescription only. This and the general “lack of transparency” is just one of the many complaints that legislators aired on Wednesday. “My colleagues who are joining me today, Democrats and Republicans ... all recognize that PBMs are decreasing the accessibility, the affordability, and therefore the quality of health care in America,” Carter said. “We have an opportunity, right now, to advance bipartisan legislation that increases reporting requirements, which would heighten transparency and shine a light on the opaque practices of these PBMs.” Carter was also joined by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., who is leading the effort to get legislation passed in the U.S. Senate. “This year, we're losing about one pharmacy a day in America,” Lankford said. “We want leadership to be able to take this up and to bring it up in the end-of-year package ... Stop holding up legislation that is bipartisan, bicameral, and solving a problem that Americans need solved.”