NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes have identified a supermassive black hole that has torn apart one star and is now using that stellar wreckage to pummel another star or smaller black hole, as described in our latest press release. This research helps connect two cosmic mysteries and provides information about the environment around some of the bigger types of black holes. This artist’s illustration shows a disk of material (red, orange, and yellow) that was created after a supermassive black hole (depicted on the right) tore apart a star through intense tidal forces. Over the course of a few years, this disk expanded outward until it intersected with another object — either a star or a small black hole — that is also in orbit around the giant black hole. Each time this object crashes into the disk, it sends out a burst of X-rays detected by Chandra. The inset shows Chandra data (purple) and an optical image of the source from Pan-STARRS (red, green, and blue). In 2019, an optical telescope in California noticed a burst of light that astronomers later categorized as a “tidal disruption event”, or TDE. These are cases where black holes tear stars apart if they get too close through their powerful tidal forces. Astronomers gave this TDE the name of AT2019qiz. Meanwhile, scientists were also tracking instances of another type of cosmic phenomena occasionally observed across the Universe. These were brief and regular bursts of X-rays that were near supermassive black holes. Astronomers named these events “quasi-periodic eruptions,” or QPEs. This latest study gives scientists evidence that TDEs and QPEs are likely connected. The researchers think that QPEs arise when an object smashes into the disk left behind after the TDE. While there may be other explanations, the authors of the study propose this is the source of at least some QPEs. In 2023, astronomers used both Chandra and Hubble to simultaneously study the debris left behind after the tidal disruption had ended. The Chandra data were obtained during three different observations, each separated by about 4 to 5 hours. The total exposure of about 14 hours of Chandra time revealed only a weak signal in the first and last chunk, but a very strong signal in the middle observation. From there, the researchers used NASA’s Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) to look frequently at AT2019qiz for repeated X-ray bursts. The NICER data showed that AT2019qiz erupts roughly every 48 hours. Observations from NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and India’s AstroSat telescope cemented the finding. The ultraviolet data from Hubble, obtained at the same time as the Chandra observations, allowed the scientists to determine the size of the disk around the supermassive black hole. They found that the disk had become large enough that if any object was orbiting the black hole and took about a week or less to complete an orbit, it would collide with the disk and cause eruptions. This result has implications for searching for more quasi-periodic eruptions associated with tidal disruptions. Finding more of these would allow astronomers to measure the prevalence and distances of objects in close orbits around supermassive black holes. Some of these may be excellent targets for the planned future gravitational wave observatories. The paper describing these results appears in the October 9, 2024 issue of the journal Nature. The first author of the paper is Matt Nicholl (Queen’s University Belfast in Ireland) and the full list of authors can be found in the paper, which is available online at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.02181 NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts. Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:
This release features an artist’s rendering that illustrates the destructive power of a supermassive black hole. The digital image depicts a disk of stellar material surrounding one such black hole. At its outer edge a neighboring star is colliding with and flying through the disk. The black hole sits halfway down our right edge of the vertical image. It resembles a jet black semicircle with a domed cap of pale blue light. The bottom half of the circular black hole is hidden behind the disk of stellar material. In this illustration, the disk is viewed edge on. It resembles a band of swirling yellow, orange, and red gas, cutting diagonally from our middle right toward our lower left. Near our lower left, the outer edge of the stellar debris disk overlaps with a bright blue sphere surrounded by luminous white swirls. This sphere represents a neighboring star crashing through the disk. The stellar disk is the wreckage of a destroyed star. An electric blue and white wave shows the hottest gas in the disk. As the neighboring star crashes through the disk it leaves behind a trail of gas depicted as streaks of fine mist. Bursts of X-rays are released and are detected by Chandra. Superimposed in the upper left corner of the illustration is an inset box showing a close up image of the source in X-ray and optical light. X-ray light is shown as purple and optical light is white and beige.
Headline: Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Mary Penny Kelley
Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Mary Penny Kelley mseets
Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced Boards and Commissions appointments.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging:
Adrienne A. Livengood of Winston Salem as a member at-large. Livengood previously served on the Senior Services Board and the Family Services of Forsyth County Board. Livengood has dedicated her time to raising awareness for senior care accessibility.
Debra A. Stonecipher of Asheville as a member at-large. Stonecipher is a former Boeing Executive and owner of the Knight House. Stonecipher’s advocacy for families with aging parents led her to participate in the Mayo Aging and Alzheimer’s Study; allowing her to further assist in research efforts to find a cure for the disease.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Arts Council:
Susan W. Woodson of Raleigh as a member at-large. Woodson is an Artist at 5 Points Art Gallery. She has over 30 years of experience in graphic design and founded the Roundabout Art Collective in Raleigh. She is an active member of Moondog Fine Arts.
Dr. Paul Keith Baker of Raleigh as a member at-large. Dr. Baker is the Executive Director of the Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh and a Professor of History at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Dr. Baker also has ample experience with program development and higher education.
Dr. William Henry Curry of Raleigh as a member at-large. Dr. Curry is the Music Director of the Durham Symphony Orchestra. He also has several years of experience as the Resident Conductor and Artistic Director of the North Carolina Symphony.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Auctioneers Commission:
John M. Harris of Winston-Salem as a member by the Governor’s discretion. Harris is a Principal Attorney at J. Harris Legal PLLC. He has over nine years of extensive law and government experience.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Bald Head Island Transportation Authority Board of Trustees:
Joseph Patrick Hatem of Southport as a member at-large. Hatem is a native North Carolina resident who served as the Mayor of Southport from 2019 to 2023. He has experience as an Emergency Physician and as the Chairman of the Department of Medicine for J. Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Employment Security Board of Review:
Adam Lockhart Taylor of Raleigh as a representative of employers. Taylor was the Director of Governmental Relations for the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources. His wealth of experience afforded him the opportunity to serve as Chief Deputy and later Assistant Secretary of the Division of Employment Security (DES) before serving as Senior Policy Advisor to the Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Advisory Committee onCancer Coordination and Control:
Melissa H. Smith of Wake as the North Carolina community college system representative. Smith is the Senior State Director of Health Science Programs for the NC Community College System. She previously served as the Dean of Health Sciences at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Disciplinary Hearing Commission of the North Carolina State Bar:
Scarlett Hargis of Garner as a public member. Hargis serves as a Paralegal to the General Counsel in the Office of the Governor and has been in this role since 2017. Prior to this, she was the Administrative Officer for the Attorney General in the North Carolina Department of Justice.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Council on Educational Services for Exceptional Children:
Dr. Bradley S. Stevenson of Charlotte as a representative of a private school. Dr. Stevenson is the Director of Program Administration and Clinical Services of Melmark Carolinas. Dr. Stevenson has experience working as a Behavior Analyst, a Senior Consultant, and an Educational and Behavior Consultant.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Hearing Aid Dealers and Fitters Licensing Board:
Anne Morgan Selleck of Durham as a physician preferably specializing in the field of Otolaryngology. Selleck is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has experience as a research coordinator and has a subspecialty certificate in Neurotology.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Historic Murfreesboro Commission:
Craig Lee Dennis of Murfreesboro as a member at-large. Dennis is an art teacher at Riverview Elementary School. He also serves as a Murfreesboro Town Councilman and Fire Commissioner. Additionally, Dennis spends his time as a volunteer for the Murfreesboro Historical Association and serves as the Landscape Committee Chair of the John Wheeler House.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board:
Melissa A. Lovell of Holly Springs as a member at-large. Lovell has over twenty-five years of experience as a Legal Services Practice Manager and Agency Legal Specialist for the North Carolina Department of Justice.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Human Relations Commission:
Kerry M. Wiggins of Winston-Salem as a member at-large. Wiggins is the Boards and Commissions Program Director of the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters Foundation. Previously, Wiggins was a patient advocate at Old Vineyard Behavior Health Services.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board:
Erich Crouch of Greensboro as a public member. Crouch is a former Probation Officer with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, serving the department for 27 years. He has a certification in Homeland Security and ample experience in safety training.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services:
Carolyn Floyd Robinson of Lumberton as a substance abuse services consumer or an immediate family member of a substance abuse services consumer. Robinson is the Program Director of Borderbelt Behavioral Healthcare LLC and has worked as a substance abuse professional for over 22 years.
Dr. Hany A. Kaoud of Winterville as a physician. Dr. Kaoud is the Medical Director and Psychiatrist at Easterseals PORT Health. Prior to this, he was an attending physician at Wayne UNC Health Care and a Research Assistant at California State University.
Danny Ray Graves of Charlotte as a member who is a substance abuse services professional. Graves is the Director of Clinical Supervision for the McLeod Addictive Disease Center. He is a certified Clinical Addictions Specialist and a certified Substance Abuse Counselor.
Suzanne Mizsur-Porter of Rutherfordton as a substance abuse services family member. Mizsur-Porter is the Executive Director of United Way of Rutherford County. She also served as Creative Director for EMSI Public Relations.
Karon F. Johnson of Durham as a developmental disability’s family member. Johnson is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the owner of a Private Therapy Practice and has experience working within the Crisis Unit at the Chapel Hill Police Department.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission:
Mildred Christmas of Raleigh as a member at-large. Christmas spent over 17 years as a State Procurement Specialist in the Department of Administration. She also served as the Records Management Analyst for the State Records Center in the Department of Cultural Resources for 14 years.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the NCWorks Commission:
Rebecca Irene Axford of Hillsborough as a workforce representative/labor representative. Axford is the International Representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Education Department for the state of North Carolina.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Board of Examiners for Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors:
Jeffrey Clark Farlow of Greensboro as a plumbing contractor. Farlow is the Executive Vice President at InfraPros, LLC. Farlow is an established leader for Facility Automation and Operations. He has been recognized for guiding the company in Green Building Technology and awarded the Distech Controls International Green Building Award for innovation and work in energy-saving strategies.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Private Protective Services Board:
David E. Poston of Shelby as a member who is licensed under 74C-4. Poston is a former Patrol Deputy and Polygraphist/Background Investigator for Clay County’s Sheriff’s Office. He is a licensed private investigator and polygraph examiner who concentrates on defendant criminal case review and pre-trial polygraph testing, employee theft, espionage, and sabotage, as well as pre-employment and family advocacy.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission:
Patrick H. Bell of Raleigh as a licensed real estate broker. Bell is the Vice President of Land Acquisition Carolinas for The Kolter Group and serves as a board member on eight homeowner associations. He is also a former land acquisition manager and commercial real estate broker.
Melvin Alston of Greensboro as a licensed real estate broker. Alston is the President of Alston Realty Group, Inc. He is also the Guilford County Commissioner Board Chair, representing district 8.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Council on Sickle Cell Syndrome:
The Honorable Gladys A. Robinson of Raleigh as a member at-large. Senator Robinson is the Deputy Minority Leader of the North Carolina Senate for the State of North Carolina. Senator Robinson also serves on the Southern Regional Education Board.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Supplemental Retirement Board of Trustees:
Rajinder Singh of Cary as a member experienced in finance and investments. Singh has held various roles as a Global Financial Services Executive throughout his 25-year career. Singh also serves as a director on the boards of Sagen Canada, India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Lanier T. McRee of Raleigh as a member experienced in finance and investment who is also a state employee. McRee works as the Assistant State Budget Officer for the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management. Previously, McRee worked as the principal budget analyst for the North Carolina General Assembly.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service:
Samantha C. Arrington Sliney of Whispering Pines as a member who is a representative of the military or veterans. Sliney is an attorney advisor for the Department of the Army- Joint Operations Command. She also serves as defense counsel for the New Jersey Air National Guard. Sliney also advocates and leads the Department of the Air Force Women’s Initiatives Team as their Co-Chair.
Good evening, everyone! It is an honor to be here with you tonight to celebrate the 59th year of Singapore’s independence.
Ambassador Lui, thank you for inviting me for this wonderful occasion and for providing me with the opportunity to say a few words.
The summer certainly flew by, didn’t it? It seems like just yesterday we were watching the new Midshipmen, including Midshipman Fourth Class Liang Yinze Garcia, being sworn in at the Naval Academy on I-Day.
Under Secretary Lago, thank you for your career dedicated to public service and leadership at the International Trade Administration.
Assistant Secretary Kang, thank you for your important work at the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, shaping and maintaining a secure international landscape.
And I must also mention my wife Betty, who is here with us tonight and has been by my side throughout our forty years of marriage which included a naval career, a career in the private sector, and once more, service to our Navy and Marine Corps Team.
I am grateful to be here to not only celebrate Singapore’s independence, but also celebrate the strong relationship between Singapore and the United States.
Singapore is a favorite port call of our Navy and Marine Corps—from the incredible food, shopping, and nightlife to the melting pot of cultures to the memorable skylines of Marina Bay.
Our partnership crucially extends outside of the “Little Red Dot” and the U.S., into all of our shared waters.
For many years, Singapore has been a major security cooperation partner to the United States, and indeed a regional leader within both ASEAN and the larger Indo-Pacific region.
And this is critically important, because as you have seen and read in the news, we face tremendous uncertainty in the world today.
Together, Singapore and the United States have a steadfast strategic relationship—across numerous spheres—and we share a common and significant interest in preserving the rules-based international order.
Alongside our partners, Singapore participated in Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea to deter further escalation and protect innocent commercial shipping against Iranian-aligned Houthi attacks.
At the same time, Singapore—like the United States—supported relief efforts and aided affected civilians in Gaza.
The United States and Singapore are also dedicated to improving our ability to collaborate and operate with partners.
This year, we conducted the 29th iteration of the world’s largest international maritime exercise, our biennial Rim of the Pacific—or RIMPAC—Exercise.
Held in the waters off Hawaii, RIMPAC 2024 included 29 nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, over 150 aircraft, and more than twenty-five thousand personnel!
This year, the Republic of Singapore Navy led a task unit of Republic of Korea, Mexico, and United States ships, and we were proud to sail alongside the RSN’s Formidable-class frigate RSS Stalwart.
During the exercise, RSS Stalwart successfully launched two Aster surface-to-air missiles at high-speed drone targets, neutralizing both simulated missile targets and validating key anti-air warfare capabilities and tactics.
Our Navy’s cooperation with Singapore also occurs within the classroom.
Our Naval Academy Midshipmen have the privilege of attending Nanyang Technological University as semester exchange students, and our Navy and Marine Corps Naval Postgraduate students have the unique opportunity to study at the National University of Singapore’s Temasek Defence Systems Institute.
I should note that my son John attended National University of Singapore for a summer exchange and studied wastewater electrolysis.
The United States has, since 1992, enjoyed hosting Republic of Singapore Navy Midshipmen at my alma mater, the United States Naval Academy.
Twelve years ago, Midshipman—now Lieutenant Colonel—Sam Tan wrote a new chapter in our Naval Academy history and yours!
Sam graduated number one in the Great Class of 2012, the first international Midshipman to receive the honor.
It was wonderful to host him once more during RIMPAC this year as the Commanding Officer of RSS Stalwart.
It is my sincere hope that the partnership between Singapore and the United States continues to grow, especially amidst the uncertainty and challenges we face in the world today.
Ambassador Lui, I thank you again for inviting me tonight, and for all you do to further this ironclad relationship between Singapore and the United States.
Again, it is an honor to be with you all this evening. May God continue to grant our nations and our people with fair winds and following seas.
Admiral Houston, thank you for that kind introduction and for your leadership of our Navy nuclear team.
It is an absolute honor to be here with all of you today in beautiful New Jersey—the birthplace of the United States Submarine Force—to commission our fleet’s newest Virginia Class submarine, USS New Jersey (SSN 796).
Mayor Perry, thank you for supporting our service members and their families who are stationed, train, and work here at Naval Weapons Station Earle. And thank you for all you have done to make today possible.
Governor Murphy, thank you for your presence today and for your advocacy of our maritime services in New Jersey.
Representative Norcross, Representative Smith, and Representative Pallone, welcome and thank you for your support of our men and women in the armed forces.
President Boykin and Vice President Runkle, thank you for your partnership building the Navy our Nation needs.
Dr. DiMarco, on behalf of this crew and our Navy, thank you for serving as ship sponsor for the USS New Jersey.
In this role, you will forever be the connection between this warship, her crew, and the legacies of so many servicemembers from New Jersey.
To the crew of USS New Jersey and your families, thank you for your service and sacrifice. Our Navy families shoulder the burdens of our absence, and service in defense of our country is only possible because of the love, support, and sacrifice of our loved ones.
I am grateful to have had the support of my wife Betty and our four sons throughout my own naval career, a career in business, and now as Secretary of the Navy.
To the rest of our Navy team, the commissioning committee, and our partners in industry: thank you for your unwavering support—this commissioning was made possible only by your tireless efforts.
New Jersey and Call to Service
This modern marvel behind me is the culmination of years of hard work and collaboration amongst government, industry, and the crew.
The Navy’s newest Virginia-Class Fast Attack Submarine, USS New Jersey, is the third commissioned ship named to honor the contributions and support provided by the state of New Jersey.
Our Navy’s Submarine Force is formidable—a lethal combination of one of the most powerful platforms available today manned by our Nation’s best and brightest.
SSN 796 brings tremendous firepower to our Fleet and indeed our Nation—providing our commanders a valuable asset which strengthens our national security.
And this submarine honors not only the legacy of the ships who bore the name USS New Jersey before her—both battleships.
The first New Jersey was part of the Great White Fleet and circumnavigated the globe. Following the end of the Great War, USS New Jersey (BB 16) brought our soldiers back home from Europe.
The second New Jersey was known as the “Big J.”
She was the most decorated battleship in our Navy’s history—fighting in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
During her 47-year career, she took part the two largest naval battles in history, the Battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf, and supported the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
She received 19 battle and campaign stars, six Navy Unit Commendations, and at least 11 Meritorious Unit Citations.
This submarine also honors the legacy of the great people from New Jersey.
Because people—our Sailors and Marines—are our greatest strength, and force resilience and readiness begin and end with them.
Our Sailors, including those from New Jersey, raised their right hands to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
In turn, through their willing service and sacrifice, we as Americans wake up every day in a nation which values and protects democracy—a nation which strives every day to become a more perfect Union.
I thank the future Navy and Marine Corps Officers from Rutgers University who presented the colors for us today.
These men and women will lead our Sailors and Marines, and some, if they are lucky, may one day even serve on this submarine.
I am proud to stand here today as we welcome another “player to the field,” manned by an all-volunteer force of Sailors who have dedicated their careers and their lives in service to our Nation.
And she will honor all those from New Jersey, sailing to protect our freedom from deep below the ocean’s waves.
Closing
To the Sailors of the USS New Jersey, you are about to embark on a great adventure as you bring this ship to life.
On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you all for the work you have already done, for the sacrifices you have already made, and all that you will accomplish in the future.
May God continue to watch over this ship, her crew, their families, and may they have fair winds and following seas wherever they may sail.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
WASHINGTON – Two men from Indiana pleaded guilty on Oct. 3, 2024, to assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Donald Lee Moss, 62, of Elizabethtown, Indiana, and James Link Behymer, 61, of Hope, Indiana, each pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers before U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. The two men will be sentenced on Feb. 13, 2025.
According to court documents, at about 2:00 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., a group of Metropolitan Police (MPD) officers, wearing riot gear, walked toward the Lower West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol building as angry and violent rioters descended on, and surrounded, the officers and began shouting obscenities and curses at them.
The surrounded officers repeatedly issued commands to “move back.” They also began to move rioters away from their positions with their hands and batons. At approximately 2:01 p.m., Behymer approached the MPD officers with his friend, Donald Lee Moss. An MPD officer then extended his hand toward Behymer and said, “Sir, step back for your own safety.” Other officers directed Behymer and Moss to move back, but they did not. Behymer raised his right arm with a closed fist and repeatedly shouted, “USA! USA! USA!” At the same time, Moss pointed toward the U.S. Capitol building and shouted, “This is our f— house!”
At 2:01 p.m., an MPD officer extended their hand, attempting to keep Behymer back. Behymer then swung his fist down, striking the officer’s wrist. A few seconds later, the MPD officer placed their right hand on Behymer to keep him back; however, Behymer swung his left fist downward and struck the officer’s arm a second time while Moss forcibly shoved the officer’s hand off Behymer.
Behymer continued to shout, “USA! USA! USA!” and Moss told the officer to “Get your f— hand off of him!” as the mob constricted the officers’ movements and pushed into them. Some members of the mob threw objects, including a traffic cone, at the officers. Amidst the chaos, rioters screamed: “F— You! F— Nazis!”, “Go back to the Gestapo training camp!” “You’re the traitors!” and “You wanna take us all on?!” Shortly after striking the officer’s arm, Moss leaned in and forcefully pushed another MPD officer from behind.
At approximately 2:02 p.m., Behymer was at the front of the rioters, physically pressed into the officers. A rioter shouted at police: “Y’all surrounded.” Behymer then grabbed an officer’s hand and baton while the officer attempted to keep Behymer away. At approximately 2:03 p.m., Behymer re-engaged with police—again grabbing an officer’s baton.
Ten minutes after assaulting and opposing officers on the Lower West Terrace, at approximately 2:13 p.m., Behymer and Moss entered the U.S. Capitol building through the Senate Wing doors. At approximately 2:21p.m. Moss stood at a shattered window and waived other rioters towards the Capitol building, encouraging them to enter the building. The two men then made their way toward the Crypt and the hallway linking toward the Senate Wing Doors. At about 2:31 p.m., Moss carried a chair across the Crypt lobby and placed it directly in the path of the retractable ceiling door to prevent the door from closing.
Moss and Behymer exited the Capitol at approximately 2:41 p.m. and 2:43 p.m., respectively At about 2:48 p.m., rioters broke through a barricade set up by Capitol Police at the Senate Wing doors. Roughly two minutes later, Behymer and Moss re-entered the Capitol again via the Senate Wing doors and walked toward the Crypt before exiting at 3:34 p.m.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana provided valuable assistance.
The FBI’s Indianapolis and Washington Field Offices are investigating this case. Moss was listed as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #401 on the FBI’s website. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 44 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,504 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Mech Dara, an award-winning Cambodian journalist and one of the kingdom’s last remaining independent media voices, was arrested on Monday, September 30. He has been detained over a social media post for “incitement to disturb social security”, and faces up to two years in jail.
The news of Dara’s arrest has saddened and disturbed many within Cambodia and elsewhere. But it will have shocked few. Dara’s courageous journalism has made him a persistent thorn in the side of Cambodia’s ruling class.
No stranger to harassment and intimidation by Cambodia’s increasingly repressive state apparatus, Dara had told me when we last met that he was considering applying for political asylum abroad. Life had become impossible in Cambodia.
From humble beginnings, Dara built his reputation on a dogged commitment to justice, whose work includes exposing human rights abuse, illegal logging, land grabs and labour struggles in his homeland. These are rife in a notoriously corrupt state that ranks 141 out of 142 countries worldwide on the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index.
Most recently, however, Dara’s investigations have focused on uncovering abuse in Cambodia’s cyberscam industry. Dara’s reporting, which in 2023 earned him a “Hero” commendation by the US State Department, revealed how the industry often involves cyberscam compounds staffed by victims of human trafficking.
His investigations have disclosed how these people are compelled under the threat of physical torture and financial extortion to perform acts of deception and fraud on targets across China, the US, Europe and beyond, through fake romances or cryptocurrency schemes.
The UN estimates that at least 100,000 people have been tricked into participating in this criminal industry, which is now said to be worth more than US$12 billion (£9.1 billion) per year in Cambodia.
Dara has turned to identifying the political and business elites in Cambodia whose complicity enables the criminal syndicates who run the compounds to flourish with impunity.
Some of his best-known work linked the LYP Group, which is owned by prominent Cambodian businessman and state senator, Ly Yong Phat, to the operation of scam compounds in Cambodia’s Koh Kong province. Ly Yong Phat continues to deny any involvement.
The timing of Dara’s arrest may be no coincidence. He was detained 18 days after the US treasury department sanctioned Ly Yong Phat for his role in serious human rights abuse related to the treatment of trafficked workers.
Dara’s arrest is believed by some to be an act of retaliation intended to send a chilling message to those who challenge the vested interests of Cambodia’s incumbent kleptocracy: be silent or you will be silenced.
It continues a pattern of the Cambodian oligarchy’s waging of “lawfare” against members of civil society, using the court system to intimidate and muzzle critics. It is the surest sign yet that Cambodia’s new prime minister, Hun Manet, intends to follow his predecessor’s pathway into intensifying authoritarianism.
The son rises
Cambodia’s self-proclaimed “strongman” leader, Hun Sen, stepped down as prime minster in August 2023 after nearly 40 years in power. He chose Manet, his oldest son, as his successor.
A dynastic succession does not typically indicate a democratic transfer of power. Yet hopes were raised that Manet might reverse the increasingly authoritarian trajectory of his father’s rule.
Where Hun Sen came of age fighting on the frontlines of Cambodia’s civil war, Hun Manet has had a more worldly upbringing. He was educated in the US and UK, and obtained a PhD in economics from the University of Bristol.
Cambodian prime minister, Hun Manet, who succeeded his father Hun Sen in 2023. Sa sola / Shutterstock
Some observers believed that the softly spoken and sharp-suited Manet might possess a more liberal worldview than that of his father, ushering a new era of renewed democracy.
Hun Sen’s reign in Cambodia was characterised by an increasing reliance on what researcher Neil Loughlin terms the “politics of coercion” to cement his hold on power. The Hun family are at the centre of a network of tightly entwined business and state elites that exert a stranglehold over Cambodia’s politics and economy.
This kleptocratic coalition is accused of asset-stripping the kingdom of its once-abundant natural resources, enriching themselves at the cost of impoverishing the many. As a result, popular dissent has grown.
To quell any threat to its longevity, the ruling Cambodian People’s party (CPP) has led a concerted crackdown on freedoms of association, assembly and expression. Over the past decade, this has included the shuttering of almost all independent news outlets, the dissolution of the opposition Cambodian National Rescue party, and the detention of its leader, Kem Sokha, under house arrest.
As the architect of the Paris Peace Accords that brokered the end to Cambodia’s civil war, the old guard of the party has sought to legitimise its heavyhanded approach by stressing the continued need to preserve order and stability to prevent descent into further unrest.
A false dawn
Manet has been keen to present himself as part of a new guard, ready to reengage with major powers such as the US and EU. Both the US and EU had cooled relations with Cambodia following the democratic deficits unleashed during Hun Sen’s premiership.
Yet the cyberscam story and its growing repercussions have embarrassed Cambodia on the international stage. By apparently censoring Mech Dara for uncovering the scandal, rather than seeking to control party elements responsible for the cyberscam scourge, Manet appears to be showing where his true loyalties and sentiments lie.
Dara is but one of a long line of dissenters charged with “incitement” by the CPP-controlled courts. With its explicit reference to the conjured threat of renewed social chaos, it harks to the CPP’s past as custodian of order and stability.
The heavyhanded nature of the arrest itself, where Dara was apprehended by a convoy of six military vehicles while on vacation with his family, is also straight out of the CPP’s historic playbook. Persecution not by stealth but by flourish, it sends a wider message to civil society to deter any would-be imitators.
More crucially, it signals a forceful intent to preserve the power, plunder and impunity of Cambodia’s elites, and a commitment to the continued silencing of dissenting voices who threaten their supremacy.
Sabina Lawreniuk receives funding from UKRI’s Future Leaders Fellowship scheme.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nicolas Forsans, Professor of Management and Co-director of the Centre for Latin American & Caribbean Studies, University of Essex
Mexico’s first female president, leftwing academic and climate scientist Claudia Sheinbaum, has set out her agenda. She pledged to maintain the social policies of her mentor and predecessor, the widely popular former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (commonly known by his initials, AMLO).
She promised a transition to green energy, and set out the need for new infrastructure in railways, ports and airports. Sheinbaum inherits a US$1.79 trillion (£1.4 trillion) economy closely integrated to that of the US – in fact, Mexico has the second-largest economy in Latin America. It is also the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world with 128 million people.
Despite social policies that have seen 9.5 million Mexicans lifted from poverty during AMLO’s six-year term, 36% of Mexicans are still poor and 7% live in extreme poverty. Access to health services remains problematic, and has worsened for those living in deprivation.
Gross domestic product per capita, a measure of wealth, actually fell during the previous administration, which means the “average” Mexican is worse off now than at the start of AMLO’s presidency. And next year, the central bank estimates GDP will grow by only 1.2%, which will inevitably constrain Sheinbaum in her early years in office.
While campaigning, she promised to continue the social and political policies of her predecessor. Now in office, she will not only grapple with the country’s security situation but also navigate serious economic and fiscal challenges.
In 2018, AMLO took office in a relatively stable fiscal environment. His predecessor, Enrique Peña Nieto, had implemented significant reforms early in his term aimed at reducing reliance on oil revenues and energy subsidies.
Nieto also sought to strengthen the country’s two stabilisation funds. The Oil Revenue Stabilisation Fund is aimed at protecting Mexico’s budget from fluctuations in oil revenues. Meanwhile, the Budget Income Stabilisation Fund seeks to stabilise budget revenues from non-oil sources, such as taxes.
These funds have been crucial for maintaining economic stability given the volatility of commodity prices, especially since oil has historically been a key contributor to Mexico’s public finances. However, under AMLO’s administration, both funds were used to plug gaps, leaving them depleted and raising concerns about the country’s ability to weather economic downturns. The country has not balanced its books since 2007.
High energy subsidies introduced in 2019 are putting a strain on public finances. Driven by a commitment by AMLO to shield consumers from rising international oil prices, subsidies increased as a result of the COVID pandemic in 2020, and again in 2022 amid the war in Ukraine.
The recent rise in social spending to fund universal state pensions, social programmes and debt servicing has created considerable strain, pushing the deficit close to 6% of GDP. Mexico’s debt-to-GDP ratio is 50% this year, up from its 2018 level.
The tax issue
In most countries, tax revenues are used to fund social investment. But Mexico’s ability to raise taxes has been extremely limited – tax revenues amount to just 17% of the country’s GDP, below the Latin American average of 22%, and well below that of countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) at 34%.
Mexico has a large informal economy, with many workers and businesses not registered with tax authorities. Corruption, inefficiencies in tax administration and lack of trust in government institutions have led to low tax compliance, while efforts to increase taxes on the wealthy have met political resistance.
Mexico has high levels of income inequality, and the wealthiest segments of society contribute relatively little to the overall tax revenue. Instead, the country had historically relied on oil revenues – which have declined – to fund public services and investment.
AMLO had launched popular social programmes aimed at reducing poverty and inequalities. Now Sheinbaum has promised increased social spending while maintaining “fiscal responsibility” and not reforming tax (at least in her early presidency). That promise seems unrealistic. Without a change of approach, a fiscal crisis looms.
However, she is expected to be a more pragmatic president than her predecessor. In part because she is less ideology-driven, but also because she won’t have a choice. If she wants to boost the economy and keep reducing poverty, she will need to attract foreign investment and encourage the private sector to play a much bigger role.
Infrastructure will be a key focus, not least to ensure Mexico can benefit from the process of “near-shoring” – the relocation by multinationals of key processes away from Asia closer to the US market in order to minimise supply chain disruptions.
Mexico stands to gain from the current desire by many companies to operate closer to the USA. As a result of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and its predecessor Nafta (North American Free Trade Agreement), Mexico enjoys tariff-free trade with its northern neighbours.
But the country has not fully benefited from those opportunities. It lacks a consolidated investment promotion strategy and needs to produce more energy, ensuring it is from cleaner sources.
It’s expected that Sheinbaum will continue government efforts to lift disadvantaged Mexicans out of poverty.
Companies keen to invest in Mexico need access to low-emission hydrocarbons, as well as renewable energy. But AMLO viewed oil as a key part of Mexico’s sovereignty, eradicating previous reforms that had opened up the energy sector to private companies and preventing private investment in renewable energy. Instead, public finances were used to prop up ailing state-owned oil monopoly Pemex and national electricity company CFE.
Given the fiscal challenges Sheinbaum inherits, Mexicans can expect the private sector to play a much greater role in infrastructure investment and in making the green energy transition a reality.
As mayor of Mexico City, she championed public-private partnerships (PPP) while promoting solar energy. But to entice factories from Asia, she will also have to weaken the grip of the criminal organisations which are believed to control as much as a third of Mexico.
During her tenure as mayor she halved the number of murders in the capital. But attempting to replicate this success throughout the country will be no small undertaking.
Nicolas Forsans does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The UK has agreed to transfer sovereignty of the largely uninhabited Chagos archipelago to Mauritius. The islands have been known as the British Indian Ocean Territory since being administratively detached in 1965 from what was then the colony of Mauritius. Except for the US military base on Diego Garcia at the southern tip of the archipelago, the islands have been uninhabited since 1973.
As Mauritius takes back control, there are big environmental implications.
These 247,000 square miles (640,000km²) of remote seas include among the most pristine tropical coral reef ecosystems on our planet. Chagos is nearly three times the area of the British Isles. In 2010, it became the world’s largest marine protected area that bans any form of fishing.
The shallow water coral reefs account for 1.5% of the global total. Like coral reefs elsewhere around the planet, the marine ecosystems of Chagos are threatened by climate change with rising sea levels and warming waters. Unlike most places, however, these reefs don’t currently face the extra stresses such as pollution and physical damage that come with the presence of people.
Whether the islands remain uninhabited is a major factor in the potential environmental repercussions of Mauritian sovereignty. Future scenarios are highly dependent on how the UK and Mauritius engage with the displaced Chagossian community.
Chagossians have long campaigned for a right to return to the islands and need to be part of future plans. This would require establishment of infrastructure and livelihoods. The UK government has previously explored resettlement options with detailed feasibility studies. Addressing possible resettlement will form an important part of how Mauritius takes forward management of the environment in Chagos.
The environmental consequences of a change in management and human activity could be good or bad. Any environmental benefits or damage will depend very much on what, if any, development takes place and how it is managed. The presence of people could cause damage, but it doesn’t need to.
Economic activity and infrastructure can support the capacity to do research and to take action to help habitats adapt to climate change. This could include, for example, transplanting strains of coral with better resistance to marine heatwaves.
Island restoration efforts that began when Chagos was a British territory could become much easier if facilitated from local settlements rather than relying on long-distance expeditions. This includes the removal of rats from certain islands to help ground-nesting birds. Rat eradication also helps the health of surrounding coral reefs. The presence of people as observers could help deter unregulated fishing from vessels sailing into these quiet waters.
There is substantial scientific research by people from around the globe, including from the Zoological Society of London, already taking place on the ecosystems of Chagos. This supports informed ecological management under the current administration.
The government of Mauritius needs to continue supporting this, including plans for a Mauritian marine protected area in Chagos. Limited settlement and different zones allowing some uses including fishing are proposed. Funding and support for Mauritius to grow its ability to manage these islands is promised in the sovereignty transfer announcement. This is vital for a future Mauritian administration to be able to take forward environmental action.
Mauritius should embrace cooperation with the UK and other regional partners. The neighbouring Republic of Seychelles, for example, has extensive experience with the management of its own lightly inhabited outer islands, similar to those of the Chagos. Mauritius already cooperates with Seychelles in the world’s first joint management area of underwater extended continental shelf, the Mascarene plateau that covers approximately 150,000 square miles.
The announcement of an agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago might end years of dispute between the UK and Mauritius governments over jurisdiction. But it marks the humble beginnings of what will be complex, difficult and important work. There will inevitably be disputes between the two countries and other people involved, not least Chagossian citizens, in how these globally important ecosystems are managed.
It is vital for the environment of Chagos that there is an effective handover. Approaching sovereignty transfer, Mauritius needs to continue the current level of environmental engagement. There may later be reintroduction of economic activities, such as limited commercial fisheries or the resettlement of people with potential tourism development.
Importantly, environmental outcomes can be successfully addressed whether people return or not. But this needs careful evidence-informed planning and robust management. And Mauritius needs to build effective working partnerships with the UK, Chagossians, scientists and the wider global community to deliver a sustainable future for the Chagos archipelago.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Adam Moolna has dual citizenship of the UK and Mauritius, and has previously worked on environmental and conservation partnerships with Seychelles’ government-owned Islands Development Company
Next generation of Zoom AI Companion to pull in information from across Zoom Workplace, empowering users to get more done
New custom add-on for AI Companion to offer advanced customization capabilities, including new Zoom AI Studio
Zoom Tasks expands Zoom Workplace capabilities to help users detect, recommend, and complete tasks throughout their workday
SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) kicked off Zoomtopia 2024 and unveiled new AI-first work platform innovations for Zoom Workplace and Zoom Business Services that will transform team communication, collaboration, and productivity and help customers get more done.
Zoomtopia 2024 announcements include Zoom AI Companion 2.0, a new add-on option to customize and personalize AI Companion, Zoom Tasks to help users take action across Zoom Workplace, and enhanced employee and customer experience innovations underpinned by cutting-edge AI.
“At Zoom, we’re not just reimagining communication—we’re revolutionizing the entire work experience. Our vision is to create an AI-first work platform for human connection that empowers teams to achieve more than ever,” said Eric S. Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom. “With AI Companion already enhancing productivity, we are helping our customers transform the way they work. This is more than an evolution; it’s a complete overhaul of how we get things done in the digital age.”
Zoom AI innovations
Zoom’s mission is to deliver an AI-first work platform for human connection. This AI-first approach to Zoom Workplace and Zoom Business Services allows individuals and teams to free up time and focus on what they do best: engaging, connecting, and delivering creative and insightful work.
Zoom’s federated approach to AI allows its tech stack to dynamically select from multiple AI models to provide high-quality outputs; is responsible and provides customers with controls; and helps users drive enhanced collaboration, optimize time, and prioritize tasks effectively. Additionally, Zoom AI Companion is included at no additional cost with the paid services in eligible Zoom accounts so that users can harness the benefits of AI across all of their workstreams and get more done.
Zoom AI Companion 2.0 Zoom is dedicated to continuously improving AI Companion, giving its customers access to its most up-to-date and high-quality AI tools to make the user experience more seamless and productive. New capabilities of AI Companion 2.0 will include:
Persistent: Users can now engage with AI Companion via a convenient, persistent side panel, with seamless availability throughout Zoom Workplace, delivering an AI-first user interface (UI) that seamlessly integrates graphical and conversation UIs to allow for better information flow across Zoom Workplace.
Expanded context: AI Companion gains advanced contextual understanding based on what the user is looking at in the Zoom Workplace app and on previous conversations to provide intelligent suggestions and responses that come with citations to help users stay on top of their workday.
Advanced synthesis: AI Companion can pull in interactions from across Zoom Workplace, and, when connected, information from Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Google Calendar, and uploaded files from Microsoft Office and Google Docs to help users summarize content and interactions and get caught up fast.
Connected to the web: AI Companion will be able to answer user questions and look up information from the web in real time.
Takes action: AI Companion will be able to detect, track, and complete actions across different workloads in Zoom Workplace to help users get more done.
AI Companion 2.0 will be available in the coming weeks at no additional cost with paid services in Zoom Workplace accounts.
Custom add-on for AI Companion A new optional add-on that allows for a customized and personalized AI Companion experience for individual customers will provide expanded data access to apps beyond Microsoft and Google email and calendar services and additional company data sources to expand its knowledge, allow customization with company glossaries, offer enhanced search capabilities, and be able to take action on the user’s behalf. The personalization capabilities will help improve AI Companion’s performance on the customer’s account and empower them to scale staff development efforts with a personalized coach and help save time and resources with custom avatar clips. Key components of the new add-on include:
Customized experience with AI Studio: Organizations can tailor the AI Companion experience to their unique business needs with custom dictionaries, meeting summaries, and knowledge collections, helping improve response accuracy by connecting to company data sources.
Connected third-party apps: Get comprehensive insights with the option to connect third-party data sources that integrate with Zoom’s AI capabilities to allow AI Companion to get answers and orchestrate actions across third-party apps like Atlassian (Jira & Confluence), Glean, Workday, Zendesk, ServiceNow, Box, Asana, Hubspot, and more.
Personalization: With the custom AI Companion add-on, individuals can also grow their skills with personal coaching capabilities and save time and production costs with custom avatars for Zoom Clips, which help users scale video clip creation and avoid multiple takes by using a personalized AI-generated avatar to create clips with a user-provided script.
Custom AI Companion add-on will be available for $12 per user per month and is planned to launch in the first half of 2025. Visit the Zoom newsroom for more information on Zoom’s latest AI innovations.
Zoom Workplace advancements
Stay on top of the workday With Zoom Workplace, employees can easily stay on top of their day and get more done. New innovations include an AI-first product, Zoom Tasks, which will use AI Companion to help detect, recommend, and complete tasks for a user based on conversations from across Zoom Workplace; Zoom Phone AI-first enhancements, including real-time queries, which will provide summaries of Zoom Phone calls as they happen and Zoom Phone voicemail generation that a user can set up so AI Companion can automatically create personalized voicemail greetings from their voiceprint that are tailored to the user’s calendar events, such as travel schedules, to avoid manual voicemail greeting updates.
Collaborate more effectively Zoom Workplace users will be able to have more productive meetings and collaborate more effectively with AI Companion meeting agendas and real-time summaries that help them make sure the most important topics are covered and keep meetings on track; scale their efforts with a library of pre-selected avatars in Zoom Clips to generate professional video content from text; Zoom Docs will offer new organization and permission options for finer control, new Data Table views and columns for collaboration on projects, APIs and workflow automation, and AI Companion skills to help streamline writing by generating content from templates tailored for writing scenarios and additional data sources.
These Zoom Workplace enhancements are included at no added cost with the paid services in Zoom Workplace accounts.
In-person experiences Zoom announced AI Companion for in-person meetings, which provides meeting summaries and action items via the Zoom Workplace app on a mobile device. For in-office meetings, AI Companion is expanding within Workspace Reservation to recommend what days employees should go into the office based on when their teammates are there, and recommend rooms based on location and size, making it easier to coordinate, collaborate with teammates, and optimize in-office space.
Employee engagement New AI-first employee engagement solutions that help foster connection include AI Companion for Workvivo, which helps keep employees informed, engaged, and connected by creating content faster, and Workvivo EmployeeInsights, which helps measure employee engagement, happiness, and performance.
Zoom Customer Experience Zoom introduced enhancements to self-service solutions and improved agent and management support features to help provide world-class customer experiences.
Zoom’s self-service chatbot, Zoom Virtual Agent, now includes multi-intent detection to handle more complex customer issues. It can process several problems within a single engagement and automatically update customer intents based on learnings from active trends or common queries. Zoom is also launching an AI virtual voice agent to bring Zoom Virtual Agent’s capabilities into self-service voice calls.
The new Auto Quality Management allows supervisors to gain comprehensive insights into agent performance, automatically scoring customer interactions.
New AI Expert Assist capabilities include dynamic agent guides—AI Expert Assist analyzes the conversation context, notices which steps the agent has already taken, and then guides them to the relevant next step.
Visit the Zoom newsroom for more information about these customer experience announcements and additional innovations for sales and marketing.
Industry-specific offerings
Different types of workers, whether it’s based on where they work or their industry, have unique needs, so Zoom announced new tailored solutions enhanced with AI.
For frontline workers, Zoom Workplace for Frontline provides a mobile-centric experience to drive employee productivity, engagement, and collaboration. It includes AI Companion-generated shift summaries, on-shift communications, work management, insights, and more.
For healthcare, Zoom Workplace for Healthcare will include AI Companion 2.0 to help personnel get more done. Healthcare customers will also be able to purchase a custom AI Companion for Healthcare add-on to provide customization and personalization capabilities with healthcare dictionaries and access to third-party data sources like electronic healthcare records.
The new Zoom Workplace for Clinicians offering helps clinicians save time by automating the clinical workflow. A key part of the solution is clinical notes, which will use specialized healthcare AI to help reduce documentation overhead and improve doctor-patient interactions.
For education, Zoom Workplace for Education will include AI Companion 2.0, along with education-specific enhancements like lesson planning, lecture summaries, personalized feedback, and in-class student engagement, as well as capabilities for students, such as AI Companion-generated live notes, Zoom Docs, and more. A custom AI Companion for Education add-on will provide additional access to third-party data sources like student information systems, Learning Management Systems, and other institutional content.
Tune in to Zoomtopia today for the Americas and tomorrow, October 10 for APAC, EMEA, and Japan to learn more about these innovations, and visit the Zoom blog for product updates.
About Zoom Zoom’s mission is to provide an AI-first work platform for human connection. Reimagine teamwork with Zoom Workplace — Zoom’s open collaboration platform with AI Companion empowers teams to be more productive. Together with Zoom Workplace, Zoom’s Business Services for sales, marketing, and customer experience teams, including Zoom Contact Center, strengthen customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Get more information at zoom.com.
The statements contained here are for informational purposes only and may not be incorporated into any contract. Any services, products, or functionality referenced that are not currently available are subject to change at Zoom’s sole discretion and may not be delivered as planned or at all. Customers who purchase from Zoom should make their purchase decisions based on currently available pricing, features, and functions.
Zoom Public Relations Lacretia Nichols press@zoom.us
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
INDIANAPOLIS—A federal jury has convicted Aaron Strong, 46, of New Castle, of three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of witness tampering, following a five-day trial.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Aaron Strong was employed as a police officer with the New Castle Police Department. At the time the events occurred, Strong was a Lieutenant and served as Commander of the Henry County S.W.A.T. Team. Between 2017 and 2019, Strong engaged in a pattern of excessive use of force against a New Castle resident during the course of an arrest, and two detainees at the Henry County Jail.
On July 12, 2017, Strong was part of a group of law enforcement and correctional officers that responded to reports that inmates were intoxicated at the Henry County Transition Center, a dormitory-style area of the facility designated for detainees who posed a lower security risk. When officers arrived and directed detainees to get on the ground, detainees proceeded to lay on the ground or get to their knees. Inmate “T.C” was laying on the ground when Lieutenant Strong encountered him. In response to a comment made by the inmate, Strong stomped on T.C.’s head multiple times, causing significant bodily harm.
During the same incident, inmate “E.S.” initially got to his knees when officers ordered him to get on the ground, before eventually laying on the ground as directed. In response to the inmate’s delay in getting all the way to the ground, Lieutenant Strong shot him in the back with a “bean bag” shotgun round at point-blank range—approximately four feet away. The shot fractured the victim’s spine. All of the events at the Henry County Transition Center that day were captured on video. Other responding officers were so disturbed by Strong’s conduct that they immediately reported the incident to supervisors. As a result of Strong’s actions, the New Castle Police Department removed Strong from its S.W.A.T. Team.
On August 18, 2019, New Castle Police engaged in a foot pursuit of “J.W.,” the subject of an investigation. After J.W. lowered himself to the ground, put his hands up and said, “I’m done,” officers began the process of putting him under arrest. As J.W. was lying face down and other officers were working to place him in handcuffs, Lieutenant Strong, without provocation, began to strike the arrestee on his arms, neck, and head with an expandable baton, resulting in significant bodily injury. In an attempt to cover up his illegal use of force against J.W., Strong knowingly made false statements to an Indiana State Police Trooper during the investigation of the 2019 incident.
A second defendant, former Henry County Reserve Deputy Adam Guy, was acquitted by the jury of a single count of witness tampering related to the 2019 incident.
“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to serve our communities. Their jobs are difficult, dangerous, and noble,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Aaron Strong is not noble. He repeatedly and unlawfully abused his position of authority to inflict violence, injury, and pain—with no lawful justification. He then lied to cover it up. Our community deserves better. Together with our partners at the Department of Justice, the FBI, and Indiana State Police, our federal prosecutors will continue to seek accountability for police who illegally assault those they are sworn to protect.”
“Aaron Strong is a repeat offender who defied his oath and abused his law enforcement authority to violently and unlawfully assault multiple individuals,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant put his fellow officers in danger and grievously injured people in his custody, whose wellbeing and rights he had a legal and moral duty to protect. Strong betrayed the law enforcement profession when he told lie after lie in an effort to cover up his crimes and derail an independent investigation. This unanimous jury verdict makes clear a core principle in our country – law enforcement officers are not above the law and will be held accountable for their crimes.”
The FBI and Indiana State Police investigated this case, with the cooperation and assistance of the New Castle Police Department and Henry County Sheriff’s Office. Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt presided over the trial. Strong is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Blackett and the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section Trial Attorney Alec Ward, who prosecuted this case.
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a $52 million multistate settlement with Marriott International, Inc. (Marriott) over a multi-year data breach of one of its guest reservation databases. A multistate investigation found that one of Marriott’s subsidiaries, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide (Starwood), had intruders in its system for four years without getting detected, leading to a data breach that affected 131.5 million customers nationwide, including millions of New Yorkers. Today’s settlement with 50 attorneys general requires Marriott to significantly overhaul and strengthen its data security to protect customers’ private information and pay $52 million in penalties, of which New York will receive $2.29 million.
“When people book a hotel stay for travel or work, they shouldn’t have to worry that their personal data and credit card information will be stolen,” said Attorney General James. “Marriott let cybercriminals live in its database for years and millions of people had their information stolen as a result. Protecting customers’ private information should be a top priority, not a last resort, for all companies. I am proud to stand with my fellow attorneys general to hold Marriott accountable and to protect customers.”
Starwood operates hundreds of hotels nationwide, including hotels in New York. Marriott acquired Starwood in 2016 and took control of its computer network and databases. A multistate investigation discovered that from July 2014 until September 2018 intruders accessed and stayed on Starwood’s databases undetected for years. This intrusion led to the breach of 131.5 million customers’ personal information. The theft impacted people nationwide and exposed personal information, including contact information, gender, dates of birth, legacy Starwood Preferred Guest information, reservation information, and hotel stay preferences, as well as a limited number of unencrypted passport numbers and unexpired payment card information.
Today’s settlement requires Marriott to significantly strengthen and continually improve its cybersecurity practices. Some of the specific measures include:
An independent third-party assessment of Marriott’s information security program every two years for a period of 20.
Data minimization and disposal requirements, which will lead to less customer data being collected and retained.
Implementation of a comprehensive Information Security Program, including regular security reporting to the highest levels within the company, including the Chief Executive Officer, and enhanced employee training on data handling and security.
Increased vendor and franchisee oversight, with a special emphasis on risk assessments for “Critical IT Vendors,” and clearly outlined contracts with cloud providers.
In the future, if Marriott acquires another entity, it must promptly assess the acquired entity’s information security program and develop plans to address deficiencies as part of the integration into Marriott’s network.
As part of the settlement, Marriott will allow customers to delete their data that is stored with the hotel if they wish to do so. Marriott must also offer multi-factor authentication to customers for their loyalty rewards accounts, such as Marriott Bonvoy, and conduct reviews of those accounts to ensure there is no suspicious activity.
Joining Attorney General James in signing today’s settlement are the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.
Attorney General James has taken major actions to hold companies accountable for having poor cybersecurity and to improve data security practices. In August 2024, Attorney General James and a multistate coalition secured $4.5 million from a biotech company for failing to protect patient data. In July 2024, Attorney General James launched two privacy guides, a Business Guide to Website Privacy Controls and a Consumer Guide to Tracking on the Web, to help businesses and customers protect themselves. In July 2024, Attorney General James issued a consumer alert to raise awareness about free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services available for millions of customers impacted by the Change Healthcare data breach. In March 2024, Attorney General James led a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general in sending a letter to Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta) addressing the recent rise of Facebook and Instagram account takeovers by scammers and frauds. In January 2024, Attorney General James reached an agreement with a Hudson Valley health care provider to invest $1.2 million to protect patient data.
For New York, this matter was handled by Deputy Bureau Chief Clark Russell of the Bureau of Internet and Technology, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Kim Berger. The Bureau of Internet and Technology is a part of the Division for Economic Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D’Angelo and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
The School of Business’ 2024-25 Equity Now Speaker Series will kickoff this month with a presentation by Lauren Cleary, an ethics and compliance professional at Patagonia, the popular outdoor equipment and apparel brand.
Cleary’s presentation is titled “Building Trust in Business: The Power of Privacy in Organizations,’’ and it will be livestreamed beginning at 6 p.m. on Oct. 21. To register for the event, please visit our registration page.
“I believe trust is the most valuable currency in business,’’ Cleary said. “If a company isn’t doing what it says it is or is hiding things, that trust will erode, and that’s really the beginning of the end.’’
Cleary is particularly invested in safeguarding the personal data of Patagonia’s customers. She will share examples of how privacy challenges are handled in a large and highly regarded organization like Patagonia, which has staked its reputation on quality, sustainability, activism, and a staunch commitment to its values.
“Understanding the importance of privacy is critical throughout an organization and in every industry,’’ Cleary said. “Whether your expertise is in marketing, legal, or another field, having a strong privacy policy to guide decisions is an invaluable and necessary asset.’’
That privacy policy should be both intentional transparent and easy to understand, she said.
“What I hope to impart to those in attendance is that they become inspired to serve as privacy advocates throughout their careers. Whether they are creating a new app or handling customer data, I hope they will always consider the impact of the decisions they make,’’ she said. “I hope they see customer privacy not as a constraint or a burden, but as an opportunity to build stronger trust with their communities.’’
Cleary is the first of four speakers in Equity Now Speaker Series, which features expert insights on how law and policy can create diversity, equity and fairness in both organizations and society. The series is organized by UConn business law professor Robert Bird and is conducted in affiliation with the Academy of Legal Studies in Business, Virginia Tech, Indiana, Boston and Temple universities.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Bill comes after the Supreme Court decision gutted anti-corruption laws
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) in introducing the Stop Corrupt Gratuities Act to strengthen federal corruption laws after the U.S. Supreme Court made it easier for state and local officials to accept “gratuities” for official actions. The Stop Corrupt Gratuities Act makes it clear that gratuities and other gifts of value outside of official duties, intending to reward or to be a reward, are criminal acts under federal law. The bill strengthens public trust in state and local government officials by clearly banning corrupt payments, veiled gifts, or the exchange of any valuables intended to influence decision-makers.
“Let’s call a spade a spade: when money exchanges hands after an official action, that’s a bribe. Leaving corruption unchecked undermines the integrity of our democracy, which is why it needs to be addressed immediately. It’s disappointing that our activist majority on the Supreme Court, already mired in ethical scandals of its own, took a knife to the ethical standards meant to protect other institutions against unethical ‘gratuities,’ and bribes,” said Senator Welch. “This commonsense bill will help protect our democratic institutions from corruption and increase accountability.”
“Gratuities that change hands after the completion of an official action are bribes, plain and simple,” said Senator Merkley. “This crooked and corrupt practice is a clear threat to the integrity of our democratic institutions and should be banned. We must put the people ahead of the privileged and powerful—my Stop Corrupt Gratuities Act does just that by providing a simple fix to strengthen federal anti-bribery laws.”
“Bribery is bribery, and we need to fight back against Donald Trump’s extremist Supreme Court’s attempts to rig our government for the wealthy and well-connected,” said Senator Warren. “The Stop Corrupt Gratuities Act will help make sure our state and local officials are working for the American people, not the highest bidder.”
Decided by the Supreme Court earlier this year, the Snyder v. United States case stems from the corrupt actions of the former mayor of Portage, Indiana, who awarded a $1.1 million contract to purchase garbage trucks and then accepted a $13,000 “gratuity” from the same truck company afterward. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that state officials may accept “gratuities” from people who wish to reward them for their official actions, weakening federal anti-corruption statute.
The Stop Corrupt Gratuities Act is endorsed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Transparency International U.S., Project On Government Oversight (POGO), and Public Citizen.
Read the full text of the bill.
Iceland was elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council today at the UN General Assembly in New York. Nineteen countries put forward their candidatures for eighteen available seats on the Council for a three-year term from 2025 to 2027. Iceland’s candidature is supported by all Nordic States.
“We are grateful for the broad support we received in today’s election. Serving on the Human Rights Council is a great responsibly that Iceland takes seriously,” says Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs. Iceland received 174 out of 183 votes in the election.
Iceland has previously been a Member of the Council for half a term in 2018-2019, filling the seat vacated by the United States.
“The international community is facing significant challenges with human rights increasingly under threat in too many places. Our main priority for our upcoming term on the Council will be working together with other states to promote and protect human rights for all. We will focus especially on gender equality, children’s rights and LGBTQI+ rights,” said Thórdís Kolbrún.
The Human Rights Council consists of 47 countries, based in Geneva. Of these, seven represent the group of Western European and other states (WEOG), thirteen are from Africa, thirteen from the Asia-Pacific region, eight from Latin American and Caribbean countries, and six from Eastern European countries.
VISAKHAPATNAM, INDIA – Australia, Japan, and U.S. forces joined the host Indian Navy for an opening ceremony to celebrate the launch of field-training exercise Malabar 2024 in Vishakhapatnam, India, on Oct. 9.
The ceremony and associated shore-phase activities will be followed by scheduled at-sea exercises involving in the Bay of Bengal, India.
“I’m fired up to be here today with my counterparts as our navies train together in the Indian Ocean to strengthen our combat readiness, maritime integration, and interoperability,” said Adm. Steve Koehler, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. “Malabar is a great example of a combined team operating together in order to deter conflict and reinforce our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
This year marks the 28th iteration of the Malabar exercise, which began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between the United States and India. The exercise has since evolved in scope and complexity and now includes Japan and Australia. This marks the fifth time that all four nations have participated in Malabar to advance the collective planning, integration and employment of advanced warfare tactics across participating nations.
“Malabar 2024 reaffirms Indian Navy’s commitment to maritime security and cooperation among like-minded nations in the Indo-Pacific,” said Vice Adm. Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command (ENC). “Our joint efforts aim to enhance operational synergy and foster stronger bonds of friendship. Together, we look towards safeguarding our shared values and achieve peace and stability in the region.”
At-sea exercises are scheduled to include combined training in the surface, sub-surface, air and information domains.
Eight ships and nearly a dozen aircraft are scheduled to take part in the exercise.
“It has been 17 years since the JMSDF participated in Malabar for the first time in 2007,” said JMSDF Vice Adm. Katsushi Omachi, commander in chief, Self Defense Fleet. “I believe Malabar will contribute to the peace and stability, as well as the rules-based maritime order, which lead to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Japan-U.S.-India-Australia collaboration is now getting closer than before and I am expecting the multilateral bonds among the navies will deepen.”
Representing the U.S. in the exercise are a P-8 Poseidon aircraft assigned to Commander, Task Force 72 and the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105), which operates under Commander, Task Force 70 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.
The Murasame-class destroyer JS Ariake (DD 109) is representing the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Australia is represented by the Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate HMAS Stuart (FFH 153) and a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The host contingent from India includes the first-in-class guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi (D 61), as well as at least four other surface combatants and aircraft.
Australian, Indian, Japanese, and U.S. maritime forces routinely operate together across the Indo-Pacific in support of regional security and stability.
“Exercise Malabar is a significant Indo-Pacific maritime activity that deepens interoperability and collaboration among key regional partners,” Australia’s Joint Force Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Jonathan Ley, said. “Australia has participated in previous iterations of Exercise Malabar, was honoured to host the exercise in 2023 and is pleased to participate again in 2024 as part of the Australian Defence Force’s ongoing program of regional presence and engagement.”
The lead of this year’s exercise is India. The Malabar planning and exercise lead rotates each year among participating nations, along with the exercise location to demonstrate the combined ability to exercise across the entire Western Pacific and Indian Ocean.
U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Headline: How AI is poised to transform air travel, from reservations and check-in to baggage handling
Introducing a new industry reference architecture for airlines and airports
The aviation industry is entering a new era: airlines and airports worldwide are on the brink of transformation, driven by the power of generative AI. This powerful technology is creating new value at every stage of the aviation ecosystem, revolutionizing the way we fly and operate. From personalized travel offers to instant responses for customer service requests, AI is enhancing every step of your journey, making travel smoother and more personalized than ever before.
Generative AI is also transforming the core operations of airlines and airports. Research shows that up to 35% of flight delays can be reduced through AI-powered decision-making—saving time, reducing stress, and increasing safety for both travelers and staff.1
AI is also reshaping the workforce. With streamlined tasks and smarter tools, staff can dedicate more time to enhancing the passenger experience—both on the ground and in the air. AI-powered personalization can increase revenue per passenger by 10 to 15%. At the same time, intelligent AI chatbots can reduce customer service costs by up to 30%, creating significant value for both airlines and airports.2
This is the future of aviation. AI is not just a tool—it’s a revolution, creating value across the entire industry. Microsoft has developed a new industry reference architecture enabling AI for a seamless traveler journey, efficient airline operations, and enhanced airport operations.
Create connected mobility experiences with AI-powered solutions >
Seamless traveler journey
The experience begins the moment a traveler considers a trip. They can interact with an AI-powered mobile app to explore options, book flights, and receive personalized recommendations. Throughout their journey, the app serves as a digital assistant, providing real-time updates on flight status, gate changes, and the weather at the destination. At the airport, travelers can navigate through a touchless experience, from check-in to security, using biometric identification and e-boarding passes on their mobile devices. The app continues to assist by guiding them to their gate, offering lounge access, and updating any travel alerts.
Once on board, the digital assistant ensures a comfortable experience by allowing travelers to control in-flight entertainment, order food and items from the onboard shop, and adjust seating preferences through their mobile device. The journey concludes with the app facilitating a smooth arrival process, including customs and baggage claim guidance, and arranging for ground transportation. Throughout this journey, AI and machine learning algorithms work behind the scenes to anticipate needs, offer timely assistance, and personalize the travel experience.
Air India passengers, for example, now get answers to all their questions from planning to arrival at their fingertips. Their AI.g virtual assistant, powered by Microsoft AI services, quickly proposes a travel itinerary for passengers, finds answers about check-in options and flight status, recommends the best food options, finds the next business lounge or helps with lost luggage. Another example is Saudia Airlines. The flag carrier of Saudi Arabia developed an AI-powered travel companion for their passengers using Microsoft technology to enable travel-related services like: planning and booking, refund management, and exploring new destinations.
Efficient airline operations
AI working on data platforms enhances efficiency and customer experience across various segments of the airline value chain.
In aircraft handling, AI-powered predictive maintenance can forecast potential issues before they occur, minimizing downtime and ensuring timely operations. Ground support equipment can be optimized using AI algorithms to streamline processes and reduce delays.
In ground operations, AI can manage complex logistics, from baggage handling to fuel management, by analyzing vast amounts of data to optimize workflows and resource allocation. This leads to smoother operations and can significantly reduce turnaround times for aircraft.
Flight operations benefit from AI through advanced analytics that can assist in route planning, weather forecasting, and fuel consumption optimization. By leveraging historical data and real-time inputs, AI can provide pilots and flight planners with insights that lead to safer and more cost-effective flights.
For marketing and sales, AI enables personalized customer experiences by analyzing customer data to tailor offerings and promotions. This can lead to increased customer loyalty and revenue as airlines can offer the right product to the right customer at the right time.
In customer support, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants provide around the clock support, handling inquiries and resolving issues promptly. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also frees up human agents to deal with more complex queries, enhancing overall service quality.
Lufthansa, for example, developed the one data platform built on Microsoft Azure to provide self-service applications and leverage cognitive AI services like image and speech recognition.
“Leveraging Microsoft Azure’s robust cloud capabilities, we’ve transformed Lufthansa’s operations with a unified data platform. This innovation empowers us to optimize every aspect of our service, from ground operations to in-flight experiences, ensuring punctuality and safety across our global network—continuing to use AI will help us advance to the level.”
Ganesh Swaminathan, Head of Platforms, Lufthansa Group Digital Hangar
American Airlines, the world’s largest airline, is using Azure as its preferred cloud platform. Their team members now use the ConnectMe app for the latest crew information while the airline is using AI to reduce taxi time and turn times at gates.
Microsoft AI
Enhanced airport operations
Generative AI and data platforms also play a pivotal role in enhancing airport operations, catering to the needs of tens of thousands of passengers daily. Airports can optimize their critical infrastructure management, such as energy, water, and climate control. The integration of AI into security and emergency services significantly enhances their capabilities, providing a safer and more secure environment for travelers. Connected transportation systems such as buses and trains benefit from predictive analytics and real-time data processing capabilities, leading to improved scheduling and passenger flow management.
In the realm of commerce, which encompasses retail stores and restaurants within the airport, generative AI and data platforms offer valuable insights into consumer behavior, enabling businesses to tailor their services and inventory to meet the dynamic needs of passengers.
The logistics and supply chains for cargo, fuel, and baggage are also transformed by these technologies, with AI-powered systems facilitating better tracking, forecasting, and management of resources. This results in a more streamlined and cost-effective operation, reducing delays and enhancing the overall passenger experience. Fraport has introduced FraportGPT, an example of an employee-facing app powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to streamline internal processes.
“Fraport’s company GPT app, powered by Generative AI, has been a resounding success, swiftly adopted by our team. It’s not just streamlined our processes; it’s accelerated skill acquisition, empowering our employees to master new competencies with unprecedented speed.”
Christian Wrobel, Chief Data Architect, Fraport AG
Together with Microsoft, Miami International Airport (MIA) has developed a centralized data hub environment, known as the Common Data Environment (CDE), to store, manage, and share business data, apps, and business process flows. This is crucial for breaking down data silos and ensuring data accessibility for analysis and helps unlocking additional value from generative AI.
“By integrating various data sources, including on-premises, cloud, and edge environments, we provide a unified and scalable platform for data management. This is the basis, and together with our partner Microsoft we will now be able to leverage advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and IoT to gain insights, make data-driven decisions, and drive innovation.”
Maurice Jenkins, Chief Innovation Officer, Miami International Airport
The overarching reference architecture and partners
Our common architecture for airports and airlines is built among core elements with the ultimate goal to create AI-enhanced experiences for everyone, from passengers to ground personnel: the creation of user-facing applications, data storage and analytics, and data ingestion and integration of existing data systems.
Figure 1: Industry reference architecture for airlinesFigure 2: Industry reference architecture for airports
The AI-enhanced experiences are tailored to each user group.
For passengers, it is all about a smooth journey from origin to destination, with plenty of time to enjoy travel with retail, entertainment, and restaurant offers.
Ground staff and customer service focus on making the passenger experience smooth, even when something goes wrong.
Pilots and crew members require support for coordination, communication, and the reduction of their management overload.
For technicians, it is about knowing where to go next, reducing cognitive workload for maintenance and repair tasks, and automating documentation.
Terminal managers require support to manage traffic, ensure security, and provide travel comfort.
For airside operators, it is about managing baggage, refueling, and safety.
Different user groups require different backend applications and data sources. The user-facing applications layer describes some of the common front-end experiences that can be built using Microsoft services.
End users require mobile and web applications built using services such as Azure API Management, Azure App Service and Azure Functions. Developers create AI-powered user experiences leveraging services such as Azure OpenAI Service. These applications can be deployed in Azure tenants and can scale to millions of users.
Business users leverage Dynamics 365 (Customer Service, Finance, Project Operations, and Customer Insights) to manage business operations, such as claims, promotions, and ticketing. Dynamics 365 has built-in custom agents for many common business use cases such as customer service, sales, finance, field service, and customer insights.
Front line workers are fully integrated in the business with customized workflows and automated operations with custom AI, tailored to their needs and the ergonomics of their workplaces—wherever fixed terminals, mobile devices, or augmented reality. Microsoft Copilot Studio facilitates the creation of custom AI agents to support their work. Power Apps enables the creation of custom user interfaces, while Power Automate enables the creation of business workflows.
With Microsoft 365 Copilot, employees can collaborate and communicate using Microsoft products such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook.
The operation of airports and airlines generates large amounts of data. The data storage and analytics layer describes how to securely store business data to support operations and create insights.
Microsoft Dataverse is a scalable data platform that securely stores and manage business data. The data model is a structure framework that organizes data in tables with relationships. It is possible to use industry models to harmonize and integrate business data across multiple applications.
Microsoft Fabric is an end-to-end data and analytics platform that includes real-time analytics capabilities. OneLake is a unified logical data lake that centralizes and simplifies data management, with multiple analytical engines and workspaces. Fabric enables organizations to process and analyze data for timely insights and decision making.
Airports and airlines are established businesses. It is important to integrate existing data systems, such as connected assets as well as existing systems. Messaging services on Azure enables connectivity to assets and devices using standardized communication protocols such as Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) with Azure Event Grid, or data streams like Apache Kafka using Azure Event Hubs. Serverless solutions like Azure Functions provide compute to process messages.
We’re also proud to collaborate with leading partners driving innovation in aviation.
Amadeus and Microsoft have formed a global strategic partnership that harnesses cloud technology to innovate and explore new products and solutions and create smoother travel experiences.
SAP deployments on Azure provide robust cloud solutions tailored to customer needs.
Our partnership with SITA, and their SITA Mission Control solution, helps duty personnel anticipate and respond to real-time changes during flight operations.
We also integrate independent software vendors (ISVs), such as SmartKargo, PROS, and Satavia, to contribute to a smarter, more connected aviation ecosystem.
Creating frontline worker experiences
Frontline worker experiences are highly customized to the task and require constant adaptation. The power of low-code platforms like Power Apps and Copilot Studio significantly reduce the time to value, allowing for rapid development and deployment of tailored solutions. These platforms enable the integration of multiple data sources, such as location-based services, logistical information from Dynamics 365, and documentation search. Additionally, task support is enhanced through the use of knowledge graphs and manuals, while collaboration and information regarding connected assets are seamlessly incorporated.
Figure 3: Terminal maintenance experience
Overcoming the challenges of using AI in aviation
While the potential of AI in aviation is immense, there are key challenges: defining the most valuable AI use cases, setting up cloud infrastructure, organizing the data estate, and minimizing costs during development, testing, and deployment phases.
Microsoft addresses the challenges of AI in aviation by working closely with partners, establishing a framework for responsible and trusted AI principles, and leveraging its comprehensive suite of tools and services. It helps define valuable AI use cases through collaborative workshops and industry-specific solutions. Azure provides scalable cloud infrastructure, while Microsoft Dataverse and OneLake streamline data management. Cost efficiency is achieved through optimized development, testing, and deployment processes. Additionally, Microsoft provides extensive training programs to equip employees with necessary AI skills and collaborates with regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with legal frameworks governing AI usage.
Moving forward with generative AI in aviation
Taking advantage of generative AI requires a pragmatic approach, where existing solutions are combined with new capabilities and partner solutions. Correctly identifying the use cases with the highest priority and impact is critical for success.
Visit Microsoft for travel and transportation or contact our team to learn more and take the next step in your AI journey.
“We’re excited to introduce our new reference architecture for the aviation industry, built on Azure’s cloud capabilities and advanced AI tools. What truly makes this effort stand out is our collaboration with leading aviation partners. Together with our partners, we’re shaping the future of the aviation industry.”
Julie Shainock, Managing Director Travel & Transportation Industry, Microsoft
“Microsoft’s Industry Solutions team is ready to help you deliver and implement AI-driven solutions across your organization: From a first [proof of concept] POC to full-scale rollouts, we are dedicated to providing the expertise you need to ensure a smooth and successful deployment.”
Eric Chaniot, General Manager of AI Industry Solutions, Microsoft
“At Microsoft Cloud for Industries, we are committed to empowering our partners with proven patterns and comprehensive enablement resources. By leveraging our industry-specific solutions and collaborative approach, we help partners accelerate innovation, streamline operations, and deliver exceptional value so that their customers can achieve more.”
Monica Ugwi, General Manager Cloud for Industries, Manufacturing & Mobility, Microsoft
1Worldmetrics: AI in the Airline Industry, 2024.
2The economic potential of generative AI, McKinsey & Co., 2023.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
INDIANAPOLIS- Robdarius Williams, 21, D’Maurah Bryant, 21, and Quintez Tucker, 20, all of Indianapolis, have all been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a series of eight armed robberies of Indianapolis cell phone retailers.
Defendant
Charges
Sentence
Quintez Tucker, 20
Eight counts of robbery
Four counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence
30 years in prison 3 years of supervised release
$64,894 in restitution
D’Maurah Bryant, 21
Four counts of robbery
Three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence
25 years in prison 3 years of supervised release
$24,485 in restitution
Robdarius Williams, 21
One count of robbery
Brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence
9.5 years in prison 3 years of supervised release
In April of 2024, Tucker and Bryant each plead guilty. In June of 2024, a federal jury found Williams guilty following a one-and-a-half-day trial.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, from November 8 through December 3, 2021, Tucker and Bryant worked together to rob eight cell phone retailers around Indianapolis. During each robbery, the men brandished firearms and pointed them at employees, demanded cash, cell phones, and accessories from the store and customers. Williams joined in the eighth and final armed robbery as the getaway driver, stole a license plate for the getaway car and took Tucker to pick up an AR-style rifle used in the robbery.
In total, the trio robbed eight businesses in twenty-five days:
Date
Location
Defendants
November 8, 2021
Verizon, Olio Rd., Fishers.
Tucker & Bryant
November 18, 2021
T-Mobile, Southport Rd.
Tucker & Bryant
November 23, 2021
Verizon, Kessler Blvd.
Tucker & Bryant
November 26, 2021
T-Mobile, E. 86th St.
Tucker & Bryant
November 29, 2021
T-Mobile, Fox Rd.
Tucker & Bryant
December 1, 2021
T-Mobile, E. Stop 11 Rd.
Tucker & Bryant
December 1, 2021
T-Mobile, W. 38th St.
Tucker & Bryant
December 3, 2021
AT&T, S. Emerson Ave.
Tucker & Williams
“No one should have a gun pointed in their face by heartless criminals simply because they went shopping, or went to work,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “These armed criminals terrorized their victims with utter disregard for the consequences of their actions—going so far as to point an AR-style firearm at a toddler as their parent shielded the child with their body. These horrific crimes will not be tolerated in our community. The Department of Justice has no higher priority than keeping the public safe from armed, violent crimes. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FBI, the Fishers Police Department, IMPD, and our federal prosecutors, our communities will be protected from these criminals for many years to come.”
“The lengthy sentences handed out should serve as a deterrent to remind potential offenders that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting those who live in the communities we serve,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The defendants didn’t just steal items; they instilled a sense of fear in and disrupted the lives of their victims.
“The sentencing of these three violent felons to a combined 65 years in prison sends a strong message that our community will not tolerate such criminal behavior,” said Ed Gebhart, Fishers Police Chief, “I commend the hard work of our officers, our law enforcement partners and the justice system for ensuring that these dangerous individuals will be off the streets for a significant amount of time.”
The FBI investigated this case. The Fishers Police Department, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and the Marion County Prosecutors Office also provided valuable assistance. The sentences were imposed by U.S District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy C. Fugate and Peter A. Blackett, who prosecuted this case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Sebastião Bugalho, Miriam Lexmann, Michael Gahler, David McAllister, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Luděk Niedermayer, Ana Miguel Pedro, Mirosława Nykiel, Paulo Cunha, Marta Wcisło, Vangelis Meimarakis, Loránt Vincze, Danuše Nerudová, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Tomáš Zdechovský, Jörgen Warborn, Wouter Beke, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Željana Zovko, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Raphaël Glucksmann, Pina Picierno on behalf of the S&D Group Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński, Jaak Madison, Reinis Pozņaks, Alexandr Vondra, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Veronika Vrecionová, Ondřej Krutílek, Michał Dworczyk, Assita Kanko, Alberico Gambino, Carlo Fidanza, Charlie Weimers, Beatrice Timgren, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Roberts Zīle, Waldemar Tomaszewski on behalf of the ECR Group Petras Auštrevičius, Helmut Brandstätter, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Moritz Körner, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Urmas Paet, Ana Vasconcelos, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group Erik Marquardt, Markéta Gregorová on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Per Clausen, Rima Hassan, Hanna Gedin, Jonas Sjöstedt
Document selected :
RC-B10-0101/2024
Texts tabled :
RC-B10-0101/2024
Texts adopted :
European Parliament resolution on the cases of unjustly imprisoned Uyghurs in China, notably Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas
–having regard to Articles 4 and 36 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China (PRC),
–having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas in 2014 Ilham Tohti was convicted of politically motivated charges of ‘separatism’ and sentenced to life imprisonment; whereas he worked to foster dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese; whereas he was awarded the 2019 Sakharov Prize;
B.whereas Gulshan Abbas is serving a 20-year sentence on fallacious terrorism-related charges relating to activities of her sister, a defender of the human rights of persecuted Uyghurs in the PRC;
C.whereas this reflects the PRC authorities’ systemic repression of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR); whereas Uyghurs are arbitrarily detained in internment camps and forced to renounce their ethnic identity and religious beliefs;
D.whereas the defence of human rights, democracy and the rule of law should be at the centre of EU-PRC relations;
1.Strongly condemns the PRC’s violations of the human rights of Uyghurs and people in Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China;
2.Urges the PRC to immediately and unconditionally release Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas, as well as those arbitrarily detained in China and those mentioned by the EU during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, guarantee their access to medical care and lawyers, provide information on their whereabouts and ensure family visiting rights; calls for the EU and the Member States to apply pressure in this respect at every high-level contact;
3.Calls for the EU and the Member States to adopt additional sanctions against high-ranking officials and entities involved in human rights violations in the PRC;
4.Demands that the PRC authorities halt their repression and targeting of Uyghurs with abusive policies, including intense surveillance, forced labour, sterilisation, birth prevention measures and the destruction of Uyghur identity, which amount to crimes against humanity and a serious risk of genocide; calls for the closure of all internment camps;
5.Strongly condemns the PRC for not implementing the recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); calls on the PRC to allow the OHCHR independent access to XUAR and invites the OHCHR to issue a comprehensive situational update and an action plan for holding the PRC accountable;
6.Regrets the PRC’s lack of commitment to the Human Rights Dialogue and the absence of results;
7.Calls on Member States and the international community to suspend extradition treaties with the PRC and Hong Kong, respect the non-refoulement principle and implement the OHCHR report;
8.Urges Member States to address the transnational repression of Chinese dissidents and Uyghurs on their territory and prosecute individuals responsible;
9.Welcomes the EU’s forced labour regulation and insists on its full implementation; calls on businesses operating in the PRC, particularly in XUAR, to comply with their HR due diligence obligations;
10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the PRC authorities, the VP/HR, the Commission, the Member States and the United Nations.
Sebastião Bugalho, Miriam Lexmann, Michael Gahler, David McAllister, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Luděk Niedermayer, Ana Miguel Pedro, Mirosława Nykiel, Paulo Cunha, Marta Wcisło, Vangelis Meimarakis, Loránt Vincze, Danuše Nerudová, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Tomáš Zdechovský, Jörgen Warborn, Wouter Beke, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Željana Zovko, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Raphaël Glucksmann, Pina Picierno on behalf of the S&D Group Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński, Jaak Madison, Reinis Pozņaks, Alexandr Vondra, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Veronika Vrecionová, Ondřej Krutílek, Michał Dworczyk, Assita Kanko, Alberico Gambino, Carlo Fidanza, Charlie Weimers, Beatrice Timgren, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Roberts Zīle, Waldemar Tomaszewski on behalf of the ECR Group Petras Auštrevičius, Helmut Brandstätter, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Moritz Körner, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Urmas Paet, Ana Vasconcelos, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group Erik Marquardt, Markéta Gregorová on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Per Clausen, Rima Hassan, Hanna Gedin, Jonas Sjöstedt, Lukas Sieper
Document selected :
RC-B10-0101/2024
Texts tabled :
RC-B10-0101/2024
Texts adopted :
European Parliament resolution on the cases of unjustly imprisoned Uyghurs in China, notably Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas
–having regard to Articles 4 and 36 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China (PRC),
–having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas in 2014 Ilham Tohti was convicted of politically motivated charges of ‘separatism’ and sentenced to life imprisonment; whereas he worked to foster dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese; whereas he was awarded the 2019 Sakharov Prize;
B.whereas Gulshan Abbas is serving a 20-year sentence on fallacious terrorism-related charges relating to activities of her sister, a defender of the human rights of persecuted Uyghurs in the PRC;
C.whereas this reflects the PRC authorities’ systemic repression of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR); whereas Uyghurs are arbitrarily detained in internment camps and forced to renounce their ethnic identity and religious beliefs;
D.whereas the defence of human rights, democracy and the rule of law should be at the centre of EU-PRC relations;
1.Strongly condemns the PRC’s violations of the human rights of Uyghurs and people in Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China;
2.Urges the PRC to immediately and unconditionally release Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas, as well as those arbitrarily detained in China and those mentioned by the EU during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, guarantee their access to medical care and lawyers, provide information on their whereabouts and ensure family visiting rights; calls for the EU and the Member States to apply pressure in this respect at every high-level contact;
3.Calls for the EU and the Member States to adopt additional sanctions against high-ranking officials and entities involved in human rights violations in the PRC;
4.Demands that the PRC authorities halt their repression and targeting of Uyghurs with abusive policies, including intense surveillance, forced labour, sterilisation, birth prevention measures and the destruction of Uyghur identity, which amount to crimes against humanity and a serious risk of genocide; calls for the closure of all internment camps;
5.Strongly condemns the PRC for not implementing the recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); calls on the PRC to allow the OHCHR independent access to XUAR and invites the OHCHR to issue a comprehensive situational update and an action plan for holding the PRC accountable;
6.Regrets the PRC’s lack of commitment to the Human Rights Dialogue and the absence of results;
7.Calls on Member States and the international community to suspend extradition treaties with the PRC and Hong Kong, respect the non-refoulement principle and implement the OHCHR report;
8.Urges Member States to address the transnational repression of Chinese dissidents and Uyghurs on their territory and prosecute individuals responsible;
9.Welcomes the EU’s forced labour regulation and insists on its full implementation; calls on businesses operating in the PRC, particularly in XUAR, to comply with their HR due diligence obligations;
10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the PRC authorities, the VP/HR, the Commission, the Member States and the United Nations.
One concerning trend is the misuse of voice cloning. In seconds, scammers can clone a voice and trick people into thinking a friend or a family member urgently needs money.
News outlets, including CNN, warn these types of scams have the potential to impact millions of people.
As technology makes it easier for criminals to invade our personal spaces, staying cautious about its use is more important than ever.
What is voice cloning?
The rise of AI has created possibilities for image, text, voice generation and machine learning.
While AI offers many benefits, it also provides fraudsters new methods to exploit individuals for money.
You may have heard of “deepfakes,” where AI is used to create fake images, videos and even audio, often involving celebrities or politicians.
Voice cloning, a type of deepfake technology, creates a digital replica of a person’s voice by capturing their speech patterns, accent and breathing from brief audio samples.
Once the speech pattern is captured, an AI voice generator can convert text input into highly realistic speech resembling the targeted person’s voice.
While a simple phrase like “hello, is anyone there?” can lead to a voice cloning scam, a longer conversation helps scammers capture more vocal details. It is therefore best to keep calls brief until you are sure of the caller’s identity.
Voice cloning has valuable applications in entertainment and health care – enabling remote voice work for artists (even posthumously) and assisting people with speech disabilities.
However, it raises serious privacy and security concerns, underscoring the need for safeguards.
How it’s being exploited by criminals
Cybercriminals exploit voice cloning technology to impersonate celebrities, authorities or ordinary people for fraud.
They create urgency, gain the victim’s trust and request money via gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.
The process begins by collecting audio samples from sources like YouTube and TikTok.
Next, the technology analyses the audio to generate new recordings.
Once the voice is cloned, it can be used in deceptive communications, often accompanied by spoofing Caller ID to appear trustworthy.
Many voice cloning scam cases have made headlines.
For example, criminals cloned the voice of a company director in the United Arab Emirates to orchestrate a $A51 million heist.
A businessman in Mumbai fell victim to a voice cloning scam involving a fake call from the Indian Embassy in Dubai.
In Australia recently, scammers employed a voice clone of Queensland Premier Steven Miles to attempt to trick people to invest in Bitcoin.
Teenagers and children are also targeted. In a kidnapping scam in the United States, a teenager’s voice was cloned and her parents manipulated into complying with demands.
It only takes a few seconds of audio for AI to clone someone’s voice.
How widespread is it?
Recent research shows 28% of adults in the United Kingdom faced voice cloning scams last year, with 46% unaware of the existence of this type of scam.
It highlights a significant knowledge gap, leaving millions at risk of fraud.
In 2022, almost 240,000 Australians reported being victims of voice cloning scams, leading to a financial loss of $A568 million.
How people and organisations can safeguard against it
Public-private collaboration can provide clear information and consent options for voice cloning.
Second, people and organisations should look to use biometric security with liveness detection, which is new technology that can recognise and verify a live voice as opposed to a fake. And organisations using voice recognition should consider adopting multi-factor authentication.
Third, enhancing investigative capability against voice cloning is another crucial measure for law enforcement.
There are also calls for possible intervention strategies that law enforcement could use to combat this problem.
Such efforts should connect with the overall National Plan to Combat Cybercrime, which focuses on proactive, reactive and restorative strategies.
That national plan stipulates a duty of care for service providers, reflected in the Australian government’s new legislation to safeguard the public and small businesses.
The legislation aims for new obligations to prevent, detect, report and disrupt scams.
This will apply to regulated organisations such as telcos, banks and digital platform providers. The goal is to protect customers by preventing, detecting, reporting, and disrupting cyber scams involving deception.
Reducing the risk
As cybercrime costs the Australian economy an estimated A$42 billion, public awareness and strong safeguards are essential.
Countries like Australia are recognising the growing risk. The effectiveness of measures against voice cloning and other frauds depends on their adaptability, cost, feasibility and regulatory compliance.
All stakeholders — government, citizens, and law enforcement — must stay vigilant and raise public awareness to reduce the risk of victimisation.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Could this indicate a broader decline in health advancements in English-speaking countries? Our new study compared life expectancy between English-speaking countries and against other high-income countries.
We found Australians born between 1930 and 1969 continue to do exceptionally well for life expectancy. But the picture for those under 50 is not so rosy – life expectancy is stagnating for that younger group.
Why measure life expectancy?
Life expectancy is a valuable and widely used measure to examine health trends and patterns over time and compare different places or population groups.
It estimates the average number of years a person would be expected to live. This is calculated using the mortality – or death rates – across different age groups within a specific period. When death rates fall, life expectancy rises, and vice versa.
Not only does life expectancy tell us about mortality in a population, it is indirectly a measure of overall population health. Most leading causes of death in high-income countries are chronic diseases. These typically affect the health of a person for multiple years before their death.
Stagnations or reversals in life expectancy can be warning signs of both longstanding and emerging health problems.
Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen has also pointed to mortality as a key indicator of economic success and failure. This makes it a powerful tool for researchers and policymakers.
Thanks to a long and largely standardised tradition of collecting mortality statistics across high-income countries, researchers are able to carry out in-depth, comparative studies. This can help uncover how specific causes of death have contributed to the changes in life expectancy.
What we did
In our study, we analysed mortality trends and patterns in a broader group of English-speaking countries and compared them with other high-income countries. English-speaking countries have shown similarities in recent mortality trends and their causes, such as patterns of drug overdose and obesity prevalence.
Our analysis focuses on six high-income English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and US. We compared them with the average in 14 other high-income, low-mortality countries from Western Europe (such as France and Norway), plus Japan. This was the “comparison group”.
For each English-speaking country and the comparison group, we estimated:
life expectancy at birth
partial life expectancy between ages 0 and 50 years
remaining life expectancy at age 50
average length of life.
Looking at average length of life helps to compare the mortality of the birth cohorts (people born in the same calendar year) as they age. This measure is the closest way to estimate how long people in different populations actually live, and can be used to assess the differences in survival between populations.
First we looked at how age and causes of death were contributing to a gap between English-speaking countries and the comparison group. Then we compared the average length of life of different birth cohorts.
What we found
In the pre-COVID period, both men and women in Australia had a higher life expectancy at birth, compared to the non-English speaking comparison group (the average between those 14 countries). This was also true for men in Ireland, New Zealand and Canada. In the UK and US, however, life expectancy at birth was lower for both men and women, compared to the non-English speaking group.
But the most striking finding was the difference in mortality for those under 50 in English-speaking versus non-English speaking countries.
Relatively high death rates for those under 50 dragged the overall life expectancy at birth down for each English-speaking country, including Australia. Suicides and drug or alcohol-related deaths were the main reason for these trends.
But over age 50, Australia performs exceptionally well in life expectancy for both men and women. Australians born in the 1930s-60s are likely to live longer than those in the non-English speaking comparison group and all other English-speaking countries. But Australians born in the 1970s onwards had lower life expectancy than the comparison group.
This means overall, life expectancy at birth in Australia is higher than the average for the non-English group. But when you break it down by age, the results show a clear distinction in life expectancy according to when you were born.
For example, in 2017-19 , male life expectancy between ages 0 and 50 years was 0.3 years lower in Australia compared to the average for the non-English group, while remaining life expectancy at age 50 was 1.45 years higher.
What this means
Our study shows a worrying trend for people born from the 1970s onwards. This is true in all English-speaking countries, even before accounting for the negative impacts of the COVID pandemic in places like the UK and US.
In Australia, the results point to significant generational differences in life expectancy compared to other high-income countries. If the relatively high mortality rates of Australians born from the 1970s onwards continue into the future, then the gains in Australian life expectancy will likely slow. Our status as having one of the highest life expectancies of any country will diminish.
Our research aimed to examine trends and potential causes of stagnating life expectancy, rather than make policy recommendations.
But the results suggest real improvement could come through measures that reduce inequality and structural disadvantages that lead to poor health outcomes, such as improving access to education and security of employment and housing, supporting mental health and drug-related safety, and addressing diseases like obesity and diabetes.
Sergey Timonin receives funding from the Australian Research Council (DP210100401).
Tim Adair receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that a coalition of 50 attorneys general has reached a settlement with Marriott International, Inc. as the result of an investigation into a large multi-year data breach of one of its guest reservation databases. The Federal Trade Commission, which has been coordinating closely with the states throughout this investigation, has reached a parallel settlement with Marriott. Under the settlement with the attorneys general, Marriott has agreed to strengthen its data security practices using a dynamic risk-based approach, provide certain consumer protections, and make a $52 million payment to states. South Carolina will receive $767,458.00 from the settlement.
“This case should serve as an important reminder for businesses to take preventive measures to protect the private information of their customers,” Attorney General Wilson said. “Data privacy is one of the most important issues facing consumers right now, and our office will continue to do its part in ensuring the protection of our citizens in this way.”
Marriott acquired Starwood in 2016 and took control of the Starwood computer network in 2016. However, from July 2014 until September 2018, intruders in the system went undetected. This led to the breach of 131.5 million guest records pertaining to customers in the United States. The impacted records included contact information, gender, dates of birth, legacy Starwood Preferred Guest information, reservation information, and hotel stay preferences, as well as a limited number of unencrypted passport numbers and unexpired payment card information.
Shortly after the breach of the Starwood database was announced, a coalition of 50 attorneys general launched a multi-state investigation into the breach. Today’s settlement resolves allegations by the attorneys general that Marriott violated state consumer protection laws, personal information protection laws, and, where applicable, breach notification laws by failing to implement reasonable data security and remediate data security deficiencies, particularly when attempting to use and integrate Starwood into its systems.
Under the terms of the settlement, Marriott has agreed to strengthen and continually improve its cybersecurity practices. Some of the specific measures include:
Implementation of a comprehensive Information Security Program. This includes new overarching security program mandates, such as incorporating zero-trust principles, regular security reporting to the highest levels within the company, including the Chief Executive Officer, and enhanced employee training on data handling and security.
Data minimization and disposal requirements, which will lead to less consumer data being collected and retained.
Specific security requirements with respect to consumer data, including component hardening, conducting an asset inventory, encryption, segmentation to limit an intruder’s ability to move across a system, patch management to ensure that critical security patches are applied in a timely manner, intrusion detection, user access controls, and logging and monitoring to keep track of movement of files and users within the network.
Increased vendor and franchisee oversight, with a special emphasis on risk assessments for “Critical IT Vendors,” and clearly outlined contracts with cloud providers.
In the future, if Marriott acquires another entity, it must timely further assess the acquired entity’s information security program and develop plans to address identified gaps or deficiencies in security as part of the integration into Marriott’s network.
An independent third-party assessment of Marriott’s information security program every two years for a period of 20 years for additional security oversight.
These settlement terms are grounded in a well-developed risk-based approach in which Marriott not only needs to conduct an annual enterprise level risk assessment, but it must also perform risk analyses throughout the year for changes to security controls. Those ongoing risk assessments must address the criteria of “harm to others” – which would include potential harm to consumers.
As part of the settlement, Marriott will give consumers specific protections, including a data deletion option, even if consumers do not currently have that right under state law. Marriott must offer multi-factor authentication to consumers for their loyalty rewards accounts, such as Marriott Bonvoy, as well as reviews of those accounts if there is suspicious activity.
Connecticut, Maryland, and Oregon as well as the District of Columbia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Texas co-led the multistate investigation, assisted by the Executive Committee of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, and joined by Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
LIVERMORE, Calif., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FormFactor, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORM) will report financial results for its 2024 fiscal third quarter on Wednesday, October 30th, 2024, at 1:25 p.m. Pacific Time. The public is invited to listen to a live webcast of FormFactor’s conference call on the Investors section of the company’s web site at www.formfactor.com.
To Listen via Telephone: Preregistration is required. Please preregister by clicking here.
Upon registering, you will be emailed a dial-in number, direct passcode and unique PIN.
A replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call. The replay will be available on the Investors section of our website http://www.formfactor.com.
About FormFactor: FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM), is a leading provider of essential test and measurement technologies along the full IC life cycle – from characterization, modeling, reliability, and design de-bug to qualification and production test. Semiconductor companies rely upon FormFactor’s products and services to accelerate profitability by optimizing device performance and advancing yield knowledge. The Company serves customers through its network of facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America. For more information, visit the Company’s website at http://www.formfactor.com.
Investor Contact Stan Finkelstein Investor Relations (925) 290-4273 ir@formfactor.com
Beginning November 12, 2024, Thao Lam and Kjell Boersma’s acclaimed new National Film Board of Canada (NFB) animated short Boat People will be featured in season seven of POV Shorts—a collection of the best and boldest independent short films streaming free of charge on POV.org and on the PBS App.
October 8, 2024 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
Beginning November 12, 2024, Thao Lam and Kjell Boersma’s acclaimed new National Film Boardof Canada (NFB) animated short Boat People will be featured in season seven of POV Shorts—a collection of the best and boldest independent short films streaming free of charge on POV.org and on the PBS App.
POV Shorts will be airing on PBS affiliate stations—check local listings.
Canadians can also continue to enjoy Boat People on the NFB’s free online screening platform, nfb.ca.
About the film
Boat People by Thao Lam and Kjell Boersma (10 min) Produced by Justine Pimlott and Jelena Popović for the NFB Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/boat-people-2
As a little girl in Vietnam, Thao’s mother would rescue ants from bowls of sugar water. The tiny creatures would later return the favour, leading her desperate family through darkness—and pointing the way to safety.
With Boat People, illustrator and author Thao Lam undertakes a creative rescue mission of her own, joining forces with animator Kjell Boersma to recount the experiences of her family, who were among over 1.6 million refugees who fled the chaotic aftermath of the Vietnam War, venturing across the South China Sea in precarious open boats.
Boat People employs a hybrid of traditional 2D animation, stop-motion multiplane, and 3D rendering to capture the unique aesthetic of Lam’s handmade paper textures and patterns. The film speaks across time and culture to anyone who’s ever fought to protect their family or community.
Acclaim for Boat People
Boat People has been selected by more than 30 festivals around the world, including the Ottawa International Animation Festival, DOC NYC, the Stuttgart International Festivalof Animated Film and the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.
The film has garnered 10 awards and mentions to date, including the Milos Stehlik Global ImpactAward at the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, a Special Mention at the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival in Germany, and the Audience Award and Helen Hill Awardfor Animated Short at the New Orleans Film Festival, a short-films qualifying festival for the 97th Academy Awards.
About the filmmakers
Thao Lam is a critically acclaimed Vietnamese-Canadian children’s book author and illustrator who arrived in Canada with her parents at the age of three as a refugee from Vietnam. Her books include the multi-award winning Wallpaper (2018) and Paper Boat (2020).
Kjell Boersma is a writer, director and animator whose projects combine traditional and digital animation techniques in novel ways. He directed the short film Monster Slayer (2015) and was commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and TIFF Kids to write and direct DAM! The Story of Kit the Beaver (2017).
About the National Film Board of Canada
Founded in 1939, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a one-of-a-kind producer, co-producer and distributor of engaging, relevant and innovative documentary and animated films. As a talent incubator, it is one of the world’s leading creative centres. The NFB has enabled Canadians to tell and hear each other’s stories for over eight decades, and its films are a reliable and accessible educational resource. The NFB is also recognized around the world for its expertise in preservation and conservation, and for its rich and vibrant collection of works, which form a pillar of Canada’s cultural heritage. To date, the NFB has produced more than 14,000 works, 7,000 of which can be streamed free of charge at nfb.ca. The NFB and its productions and co-productions have earned over 7,000 awards, including 11 Oscars and an Honorary Academy Award for overall excellence in cinema.
About American Documentary, Inc.
American Documentary, Inc. (AmDoc) is a multimedia organization dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in mainstream media outlets. AmDoc is a catalyst for public culture, developing collaborative strategic engagement activities around socially relevant content on television, online and in community settings. These activities are designed to trigger action, from dialogue and feedback to educational opportunities and community participation.
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, the Open Society Foundations, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, Park Foundation, and Perspective Fund. Additional funding comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Chris and Nancy Plaut, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee, Acton Family Giving, and public television viewers. POV is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including KQED San Francisco, WGBH Boston and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.
About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirm that PBS’s premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV—including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at http://www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.
About POV
Produced by American Documentary, POV is the longest-running independent documentary showcase on American television. Since 1988, POV has presented films on PBS that capture the full spectrum of the human experience, with a long commitment to centering women and people of color in front of, and behind, the camera. The series is known for introducing generations of viewers to groundbreaking works like Tongues Untied (1989), Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1992), Rabbit in the Room (1999), Of Civil Wrongs & Rights: The Fred Korematsu Story (2001), Made in L.A. (2007), American Promise (2013),Not Going Quietly (2021),While We Watched (2022), A House Made of Splinters (2022) and the mini-series And She Could be Next (2020). Throughout its history POV has featured the work of award-winning, innovative filmmakers including Jonathan Demme, Laura Poitras, Nanfu Wang, Frederick Wiseman, Emiko Omori, Janus Metz Pedersen and Ava DuVernay. In 2018, POV Shorts launched as one of the first PBS series dedicated to bold and timely short-form documentaries. In 2024, Indiewire named seven POV films in its roundup of “The 50 Best Documentaries of the 21st Century”: Faya Dayi (2021), The Mole Agent (2020), Minding The Gap (2018), Cameraperson (2016), The Look of Silence (2015), The Act of Killing (2013) and After Tiller (2013). All POV programs are available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.
POV goes “beyond the broadcast” to bring powerful nonfiction storytelling to viewers wherever they are. Free educational resources accompany every film and a community network of thousands of partners nationwide work with POV to spark dialogue around today’s most pressing issues. POV continues to explore the future of documentary through innovative productions with partners such as The New York Times and the National Film Board of Canada and on platforms including Snapchat and Instagram.
POV films and projects have won 48 Emmy Awards, 28 George Foster Peabody Awards, 16 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, three Academy Awards® and the first-ever George Polk Documentary Film Award. Learn more at pbs.org/pov and follow @povdocs on social media.
About POV Shorts
POV Shorts launched in 2018 as one of the first PBS series dedicated to bold and timely short-form documentaries. The series is known for its curation, and for broadcasting award-winning titles, including: Emmy®-nominated Earthrise, Water Warriors, The Changing Same, Emmy® winner The Love Bugs and the Oscar® shortlisted A Broken House and Aguilas. It won Best Short Form Series at the IDA Documentary Awards in 2023, 2022 and 2020.
The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today expressed satisfaction that Digital India has made the process of getting pension easier and it is proving to be very useful for senior citizens across the country.
Indian Navy’s frontline stealth frigate, INS Talwar, arrived at Simon’s Town, South Africa, on 06 Oct 24 to participate in the eighth edition of IBSAMAR, a joint multinational maritime exercise among Indian, Brazilian, and South AfricanNavy scheduled from 06 to 18 October 2024.
The exercise aims to enhance interoperability and strengthen cohesion between the three navies. The broad concept is based on Blue Water Naval Warfare, encompassing the dimensions of Surface and Anti-Air Warfare.
The harbour phase of IBSAMAR VIII will include professional exchanges, Damage Control & Firefighting drills, Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure drills, cross-boarding, aviation safety lectures, joint diving operations, an Ocean Governance seminar, sports interactions, cross-decks visits, and interaction among Special Forces and Junior Officers.
Multi-lateral interactions are crucial bridges of friendship that increase mutual trust and enhance interoperability among navies of like-minded littoral nations towards the common goal of a peaceful maritime domain and positive maritime environment.
Defence cooperation between India and South Africa is on an upward trajectory. Operational Sea Training and Submarine Rescue Support have been commenced between both navies since the 12th edition of Navy-to-Navy talks held on 26-28 August 2024 at New Delhi. The visit of INS Talwar aims to further strengthen the ties and reaffirm India’s commitment to constructive collaboration and mutual growth.
INS Talwar was commissioned on 18 June 2003 and is a part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet, based in Mumbai under the Western Naval Command. The ship is commanded by Captain Jithu George.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah will address the 119th Annual Session of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the Chief Guest in New Delhi tomorrow The theme of the annual session is ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047: Marching towards the peak of progress’
The entire country is moving rapidly with dedication and devotion towards the resolution of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to make India a developed nation by the year 2047
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the country is moving towards becoming the third largest economy of the world
Posted On: 09 OCT 2024 4:54PM by PIB Delhi
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah will address the 119th Annual Session of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the Chief Guest on Thursday, 10 October 2024 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The theme of the annual session is ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047: Marching towards the peak of progress’.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has pledged to make India a developed nation by the year 2047 and the whole country is moving rapidly in that direction with dedication and devotion.
India has joined the top 5 economies of the world and under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi it is moving towards becoming the third largest economy of the world.
Around 1500 business persons, Chartered Accountants, bankers, advocates etc. from the industry will participate in the 119th session.
“Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for the Quarter April-June, 2024
Posted On: 09 OCT 2024 5:36PM by PIB Delhi
TRAI today has released the “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for the Quarter ending 30th June, 2024. This Report provides a broad perspective of the Telecom Services in India and presents the key parameters and growth trends of the Telecom Services as well as Cable TV, DTH & Radio Broadcasting services in India for the period covering 1st April, 2024 to 30th June, 2024 compiled mainly on the basis of information furnished by the Service Providers.
Executive Summary of the Report is enclosed. The complete Report is available on TRAI’s website (http://www.trai.gov.in and under the link http://www. trai.gov.in/release-publication/reports/performance-indicators-reports). Any suggestion or any clarification pertaining to this report, Shri Amit Sharma, Advisor (F&EA), TRAI may be contacted on Tel. +91-20907772 and e-mail: advfea2@trai.gov.in.
*****
SB/DP/ARJ
The Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicators
April–June, 2024
Executive Summary
Total number of Internet subscribers increased from 954.40 million at the end of Mar-24 to 969.60 million at the end of Jun-24, registering a quarterly rate of growth 1.59%. Out of 969.60 million internet subscribers, number of Wired Internet subscribers are 42.04 million and number of Wireless Internet subscribers are 927.56 million.
Composition of internet subscription
The Internet subscriber base is comprised of Broadband Internet subscriber base of 940.75 million and Narrowband Internet subscriber base of 28.85 million.
The broadband Internet subscriber base increased by 1.81% from 924.07 million at the end of Mar-24 to 940.75 million at the end of Jun-24. The narrowband Internet subscriber base decreased from 30.34 million at the end of Mar-24 to 28.85 million at the end of Jun-24.
Wireline subscribers increased from 33.79 million at the end of Mar-24 to 35.11 million at the end of Jun-24 with a quarterly rate of growth 3.90% and, on Y-O-Y basis, wireline subscriptions also increased by 15.81% at the end of QE Jun-24.
Wireline Tele-density increased from 2.41% at the end of Mar-24 to 2.50% at the end of Jun-24 with quarterly rate of growth 3.67%.
Monthly Average Revenue per User (ARPU) for wireless service increased by 2.55%, from Rs.153.54 in QE Mar-24 to Rs.157.45 in QE Jun-24. On Y-O-Y basis, monthly ARPU for wireless service increased by 8.11% in this quarter.
Prepaid ARPU per month increased from Rs.150.74 in QE Mar-24 to Rs.154.80 in QE Jun-24 and Postpaid ARPU per month also increased from Rs.187.85 in QE Mar-24 to Rs.189.17 in QE Jun-24.
On an all-India average, the overall MOU per subscriber per month decreased by 2.16% from 995 in Q.E. Mar-2024 to 974 in Q.E. Jun-2024.
Prepaid MOU per subscriber is 1010 and Postpaid MOU per subscriber per month is 539 in QE Jun-24.
Gross Revenue (GR), Applicable Gross Revenue (ApGR) and Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) of Telecom Service Sector for the Q.E. Jun-24 has been Rs.86,031 Crore, Rs.83,087 crore and Rs.70,555 Crore respectively. GR decreased by 2.16%, ApGR decreased by 1.02% and AGR increased by 0.13% in Q.E. Jun-24, as compared to previous quarter.
The Y-O-Y rate of growth in GR, ApGR and AGR in Q.E. Jun-24 over the same quarter in last year has been 6.34%, 6.05% and 7.51% respectively.
Pass Through Charges decreased from Rs.13,482 Crore in QE Mar-24 to Rs.12,561 Crore in QE Jun-24 with quarterly rate of decline 6.84%. The Y-O-Y rate of decline 4.99% has been recorded in pass-through charges for QE Jun-24.
The License Fee increased from Rs.5,637 Crore for the QE Mar-24 to Rs.5,645 Crore for the QE Jun-24. The quarterly and the Y-O-Y rates of growth in license fees are 0.14% and 7.62% respectively in this quarter.
Service-wise composition of Adjusted Gross Revenue
Access services contributed 82.40% of the total Adjusted Gross Revenue of telecom services. In Access services, Gross Revenue (GR), Applicable Gross Revenue (ApGR), Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR), License Fee, Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC) and Pass Through Charges increased by -0.69%, 1.32%, 2.83%, 2.81%, 0.35% and -6.93% respectively in QE Jun-24.
The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,199.28 million at the end of Mar-24 to 1,205.64 million at the end of Jun-24, registering a rate of growth 0.53% over the previous quarter. This reflects Year-On-Year (Y-O-Y) rate of growth 2.70% over the same quarter of the last year. The overall Tele-density in India increased from 85.69% as in QE Mar-24 to 85.95% as in QE Jun-24.
Trends in Telephone subscribers and Tele-density in India
Telephone subscribers in Urban areas increased from 665.38 million at the end of Mar-24 to 667.13 million at the end of Jun-24 however Urban Tele-density decreased from 133.72% to 133.46% during the same period.
Rural telephone subscribers increased from 533.90 million at the end of Mar-24 to 538.51 million at the end of Jun-24 and Rural Tele-density also increased from 59.19% to 59.65% during the same period.
Out of the total subscription, the share of Rural subscription increased from 44.52% at the end of Mar-24 to 44.67% at the end of Jun-24.
Composition of Telephone Subscribers
With a net increase of 5.04 million subscribers during the quarter, the total wireless subscriber base increased from 1,165.49 million at the end of Mar-24 to 1,170.53 million at the end of Jun-24, registering a rate of growth 0.43% over the previous quarter. On Y-O-Y basis, wireless subscriptions also increased at the rate of 2.36% during the year.
Wireless Tele-density increased from 83.27% at the end of Mar-24 to 83.45% at the end of Jun-24 with quarterly rate of growth 0.21%.
During this quarter, the following parameters in terms of QoS benchmarks have been fully complied by wireline service providers: –
Fault incidences (No. of faults per 100 subs/month) (≤ 7)
% Fault repaired by next working day (for rural and hilly areas) (≥ 75%)
% Fault repaired within 7 days (for rural and hilly areas) (100%)
Point of Interconnection (POI) Congestion (No. of PoIs not meeting benchmark) (≤ 0.5%)
Metering and billing credibility- post-paid (≤ 0.1%)
Metering and billing credibility- pre-paid (≤ 0.1%)
Resolution of billing/charging/credit & validity complaints within 4 weeks (98% within 4 weeks)
Resolution of billing/charging/credit & validity complaints within 6 weeks (100% within 6 weeks)
Period of applying credit/waiver/adjustment to customer’s account from the date of resolution of complaints (100% within 1 week of resolution of complaint)
Accessibility of call centre/ customer care (≥ 95%)
The following parameters have shown improvement, as compared to the previous quarter, in QoS by wireline service providers: –
Accessibility of call centre/ customer care ≥ 95%
%age of calls answered by the operators (voice to voice) within ninety seconds ≥ 95%
During this quarter, list of Parameters which are fully complied, as compared to the previous quarter, by all the Cellular Mobile service providers: –
Call Set-up Success Rate and Session Establishment Success Rate for Circuit Switched Voice or VoLTE as applicable (within licensee’s own network) ≥ 95%
Period of applying credit/ waiver/ adjustment to customer’s account from the date of resolution of complaints – 100% within 1 week of resolution of complaint
Percentage of calls answered by the operators (voice to voice) within ninety seconds ≥ 95%
A total of approximately 912 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for uplinking only/downlinking only/both uplinking & downlinking.
As per the reporting done by broadcasters in pursuance of the Tariff Order dated 3rd March 2017, as amended, out of 902 permitted satellite TV channels which are available for downlinking in India, there are 362 satellite pay TV channels as on 30th June, 2024. Out of 362 pay channels, 259 are SD satellite pay TV channels and 103 are HD satellite pay TV channels.
During the QE 30th June 2024, there were 4 pay DTH service providers in the country.
Pay DTH has attained total active subscriber base of around 62.17 million. This is in addition to the subscribers of the DD Free Dish (free DTH services of Doordarshan). The total active subscriber base has increased from 61.97 million in March 2024 to 62.17 million in June 2024.
Apart from the radio channels operated by All India Radio – the public broadcaster, as per the data reported by FM Radio operators to TRAI, as on 30th June 2024, there are 388 operational private FM Radio channels in 113 cities operated by 36 private FM Radio operators. As compared to the previous quarter, there is no change in the number of operational private FM Radio channels, cities and FM Radio operators.
The advertisement revenue reported by FM Radio operators during the quarter ending 30th June 2024 in respect of 388 private FM Radio channels is Rs.428.45 crore as against Rs.491.98 crore in respect of 388 private FM Radio channels for the previous quarter.
As on 30th June, 2024, 499 Community Radio stations are operational.
SNAPSHOT
(Data as on Q.E. 30th June, 2024)
Telecom Subscribers (Wireless+Wireline)
Total Subscribers
1,205.64 Million
% change over the previous quarter
0.53%
Urban Subscribers
667.13 Million
Rural Subscribers
538.51 Million
Market share of Private Operators
91.97%
Market share of PSU Operators
8.03%
Tele-density
85.95%
Urban Tele-density
133.46%
Rural Tele-density
59.65%
Wireless Subscribers
Total Wireless Subscribers
1,170.53 Million
% change over the previous quarter
0.43%
Urban Subscribers
635 Million
Rural Subscribers
535.53 Million
Market share of Private Operators
92.51%
Market share of PSU Operators
7.49%
Tele-density
83.45%
Urban Tele-density
127.03%
Rural Tele-density
59.32%
Total Wireless Data Usage during the quarter
56,183 PB
Number of Public Mobile Radio Trunk Services (PMRTS)
65,223
Number of Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT)
2,51,840
Wireline Subscribers
Total Wireline Subscribers
35.11 Million
% change over the previous quarter
3.90%
Urban Subscribers
32.13 Million
Rural Subscribers
2.98 Million
Market share of PSU Operators
26.08%
Market share of Private Operators
73.92%
Tele-density
2.50%
Rural Tele-density
0.33%
Urban Tele-density
6.43%
No. of Village Public Telephones (VPT)
68,606
No. of Public Call Office (PCO)
16,958
Telecom Financial Data
Gross Revenue (GR) during the quarter
Rs. 86,031/- crore
% change in GR over the previous quarter
-2.16%
Applicable Gross Revenue (ApGR) during quarter
Rs. 83,087/- crore
% change in ApGR over the previous quarter
-1.02%
Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) during the quarter
Rs.70,555/- crore
% change in AGR over the previous quarter
0.13%
Share of Public sector undertakings in Access AGR
3.53%
Internet/Broadband Subscribers
Total Internet Subscribers
969.60 Million
% change over previous quarter
1.59%
Narrowband subscribers
28.85 Million
Broadband subscribers
940.75 Million
Wired Internet Subscribers
42.04 Million
Wireless Internet Subscribers
927.56 Million
Urban Internet Subscribers
562.27 Million
Rural Internet Subscribers
407.33 Million
M
Total Internet Subscribers per 100 population
69.12
Urban Internet Subscribers per 100 population
112.48
Rural Internet Subscribers per 100 population
45.12
Total Outgoing Minutes of Usage for Internet Telephony
87.01 Million
No. of Public Wi-Fi Hotspots
1,64,909
Aggregate Data Consumed (TB) for Public Wi-Fi Hotspots during the quarter
13,094
Broadcasting & Cable Services
Number of private satellite TV channels permitted by the Ministry of I&B for uplinking only/downlinking only/both uplinking and downlinking
902
Number of Pay TV Channels as reported by broadcasters
362
Number of private FM Radio Stations (excluding All India Radio)
388
Number of total active subscribers with pay DTH operators
62.17 Million
Number of Operational Community Radio Stations
499
Number of pay DTH Operators
4
Revenue & Usage Parameters
Monthly ARPU of Wireless Service
Rs.157.45
Minutes of Usage (MOU) per subscriber per month – Wireless Service
974
Wireless Data Usage
Average Wireless Data Usage per wireless data subscriber per month
21.30 GB
Average revenue realization per GB for wireless data usage during the quarter
PRESIDENT OF INDIA GRACES 8TH FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATION OF ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF AYURVEDA, NEW DELHI TODAY
Ayurveda is one of the oldest holistic medical systems in the world. It focuses on establishing harmony between mind, body and spirit: Smt. Droupadi Murmu
Ayurveda is a very ancient medical system, it is becoming popular in the world at a very fast pace: Shri Prataprao Jadhav
Posted On: 09 OCT 2024 5:20PM by PIB Delhi
The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu graced the 8th Foundation Day celebration of All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi today and also took a visit to the AIIA campus. Shri Vinay Kumar Saxena, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi; Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush were among the dignitaries who were present on the occasion along with senior officials from the Ministry of Ayush and senior faculty members of AIIA.
The launch of the Ayush Aushadhi Pharmacy Programme and the unveiling of the Shashwat Ayush Expo by the President of India marked the inauguration of the Foundation Day celebrations. The pharmacy aims to make quality Ayurvedic medicines accessible to all, enhancing healthcare delivery through Ayurveda.
Speaking on the occasion the President of India said, “Ayurveda is one of the oldest holistic medical systems in the world. It focuses on establishing harmony between mind, body and spirit. Ayurveda medical system is our heritage and the Ministry of Ayush is doing the work of establishing this heritage as an authentic medical system. As I got to know that in the last 10 years since its establishment in 2014, the Ministry of Ayush has been making continuous efforts to bring traditional medical systems into the mainstream. Many important changes have been brought by the Ministry of Ayush in education, research, quality control of medicines, medicine and public health.
In a short period of just 5 years of its inauguration, AIIA GOA was established as a remarkable achievement of the institute, which is today becoming a major center of TRADITIONAL Medical Value Travel and Medical Health Tourism.
Seeing the work being done in this institute today, I am confident that through the joint efforts of all of us, we can take forward our heritage like Ayurveda with the prescriptions of our grandmothers and get it recognized globally through EVIDENCE BASED and SCIENTIFIC APPROACH. I have been told that the theme of this year’s Ayurveda Day is – AYURVEDA INNOVATION FOR GLOBAL HEALTH which is timely and I hope that through this Ayurveda will be able to reach the masses in an easy manner. I wish good luck to the Ministry of Ayush for this.
Shri Vinay Kumar Saxena, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi said, “If we look back, since its inception in 2014, AIIA has brought new hope to healthcare systems across the world. Reflecting on the journey so far, I am particularly impressed by the impact AIIA has made on the health of the community, where health services have been provided to over 28 lakh beneficiaries across various specialties.
Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush, said, “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has recently announced that 10 new Ayurveda Institutes will be opened in the country in next five years.
Shri Prataprao added that ‘Today is a historic day for the Ministry of Ayush that the President of India visited our institute All India Institute of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a very ancient medical system and it is becoming popular in the world at a very fast pace. The Minister said that the Ministry of Ayush has initiated “Ayush Aushadhi Kendra” to provide authentic and affordable Ayurvedic medicines to rural areas.
In the past seven years, AIIA has marked significant milestones in advancing the integration and promotion of traditional medicine. AIIA has provided treatment to more than 27 lakh patients through its 44 specialty clinics, reinforcing its commitment to delivering high-quality Ayurvedic healthcare across the nation.
A total of 73 national and international Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed, further solidifying AIIA’s global and domestic collaborations in the field of Ayurveda.
Ayurveda, with its rich heritage and holistic approach to health, offers invaluable insights into achieving physical, mental and emotional well-being. Faced with the challenge of environmental degradation, Ayurveda offers holistic solutions that promote not only individual health but also the well-being of our environment.
