https www mnl777 co slotgame Following the recent clashes and collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government, Foreign Office on Sunday confirmed that all Pakistani nationals were safe in Syria and were advised to exercise caution. Almost 250 Pakistani pilgrims have been stranded in turmoil-hit country as flights to Lahore and other cities have been cancelled by the airlines. In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “We are closely monitoring the evolving situation in Syria.” She said that the Pakistan embassy in Syria was open for support and advice. “As of now Damascus Airport is closed. Our embassy remains in contact with stranded Pakistani nationals including Zaireen. It will facilitate their return once the airport opens.” She further said that Pakistan had always supported unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, and there was no change in its principled position. In addition to this, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held telephonic conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the unfolding situation in Syria. During the telephonic conversation, the deputy PM shared the details of the efforts made by the Pakistan's government for the safety and security of its nationals in Syria. They also discussed possible cooperation between the two countries for the safety of the Pakistan nationals. On the other hand, Syria's Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Russia and have been granted asylum by the Russian authorities, Russian news agencies reported, citing a Kremlin source. The Interfax news agency quoted the unnamed source as saying: "President Assad of Syria has arrived in Moscow. Russia has granted them (him and his family) asylum on humanitarian grounds." In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said: "We urge all parties involved to refrain from the use of violence and to resolve all issues of governance through political means," the statement said. "In that regard, the Russian Federation is in contact with all groups of the Syrian opposition." It said Russia's military bases in Syria had been put on a state of high alert, but that there was no serious threat to them at the current time. It said it was also doing all it could to ensure the safety of Russian citizens in Syria, whom the embassy on Friday advised to leave the country. The Russian Embassy in Damascus told the state TASS news agency on Sunday that its staff were "fine". Meanwhile, Syrian rebels announced a curfew in Damascus starting 4pm local time until 5am. — Additional input from Reuters.

ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A president from Plains A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. And then, the world Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. A small-town start James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. 'Jimmy Who?' His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Accomplishments, and ‘malaise’ Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. 'A wonderful life' At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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Graham Capital Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 1,894 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock, valued at approximately $230,000. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of NVDA. Lowe Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in NVIDIA during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. raised its holdings in NVIDIA by 1,900.0% during the 2nd quarter. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. now owns 200 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares during the period. CGC Financial Services LLC bought a new position in shares of NVIDIA in the second quarter worth $26,000. Koesten Hirschmann & Crabtree INC. bought a new position in shares of NVIDIA in the first quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Quest Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of NVIDIA in the second quarter worth $27,000. Institutional investors own 65.27% of the company’s stock. Insider Activity In related news, Director John Dabiri sold 716 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.00, for a total value of $101,672.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 19,942 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,831,764. This trade represents a 3.47 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Also, Director Tench Coxe sold 1,000,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.27, for a total transaction of $119,270,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 5,852,480 shares in the company, valued at $698,025,289.60. This represents a 14.59 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold a total of 1,796,986 shares of company stock worth $214,418,399 over the last 90 days. 4.23% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. NVIDIA Price Performance NVIDIA ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 20th. The computer hardware maker reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.12. NVIDIA had a net margin of 55.69% and a return on equity of 114.83%. The business had revenue of $35.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $33.15 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.38 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 93.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that NVIDIA Co. will post 2.76 EPS for the current fiscal year. NVIDIA announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Wednesday, August 28th that authorizes the company to repurchase $50.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the computer hardware maker to buy up to 1.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are typically a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued. NVIDIA Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 27th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 5th will be issued a dividend of $0.01 per share. This represents a $0.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.03%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 5th. NVIDIA’s payout ratio is 1.57%. Analysts Set New Price Targets NVDA has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Evercore ISI upped their price target on shares of NVIDIA from $189.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of NVIDIA from $165.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price target on shares of NVIDIA from $130.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 29th. Westpark Capital upped their price target on shares of NVIDIA from $127.50 to $165.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 29th. Finally, Bank of America reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $190.00 target price on shares of NVIDIA in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-nine have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $164.15. Check Out Our Latest Report on NVDA NVIDIA Company Profile ( Free Report ) NVIDIA Corporation provides graphics and compute and networking solutions in the United States, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and internationally. The Graphics segment offers GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise workstation graphics; virtual GPU or vGPU software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; automotive platforms for infotainment systems; and Omniverse software for building and operating metaverse and 3D internet applications. Read More Five stocks we like better than NVIDIA How to Invest in Insurance Companies: A Guide Fast-Growing Companies That Are Still Undervalued 3 Fintech Stocks With Good 2021 Prospects Top Cybersecurity Stock Picks for 2025 Stock Ratings and Recommendations: Understanding Analyst Ratings Archer or Joby: Which Aviation Company Might Rise Fastest? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVDA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for NVIDIA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NVIDIA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

A comment by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra referring to late judge BH Loya in her speech in the Lok Sabha on Friday led to an uproar and prompted two short adjournments, a sharp response from Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, and support from senior opposition members. Also Read : Priyanka Gandhi in her maiden speech in Parliament: ‘Country cannot run on fear’ Participating in a debate on 75 years of the Constitution, Moitra attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party for allegedly targeting government institutions and opposition leaders in a bid to scuttle critical voices. During her speech, she made a passing reference to justice Loya’s death in 2014. Also Read: ‘Wealth creators of India...’: Sadhguru ‘disheartened’ over Parliament disruptions After the TMC MP finished her speech, BJP’s Nishikant Dubey raised the issue. He also objected to Moitra’s criticism of former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, who recently retired, for a host of reasons, including receiving Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence during the Ganapati festival. Also Read : TMC blames INDIA ally Congress, BJP for Parliament logjam: ‘Not proper’ “...this is not the first time. Even before this, Chief Justices and other judges have visited the Prime Minister’s residence. In such a situation, if the Prime Minister went there, it is not right to make it an issue,” Dubey said. Rijiju reminded the TMC MP that the case was already settled in the Supreme Court. When the House reconvened after two adjournments, senior opposition members, Saugata Roy of the TMC and KC Venugopal of the Congress, protested against Rijiju’s choice of words, emphasising that it was the Speaker who is the custodian of Lok Sabha. Both the MPs said the ruling party could have resorted to appropriate rules to seek action if they had an issue with Moitra’s speech. Venugopal also sought to remind Rijiju that as the parliamentary affairs minister, it was his responsibility to maintain peace in the House but he instead “threatened and intimidated” a woman member Addressing Birla, Venugopal said, “You are the custodian. You have the powers to delete, expunge... The parliamentary affairs minister took the entire custody of House and he virtually threatened the lady member.” Roy accused Rijiju of making “brazen effort” to threaten Moitra. The Speaker lamented members engaging in personal allegations and counter-allegations, and asked them to have a constructive debate over issues related to the Constitution. Birla said he asked Moitra to authenticate her remarks. Some remarks by Moitra, Dubey and Rijiju related to judge Loya were later expunged from parliamentary records. Later in a post on X, Moitra said all those reporting that “parliament affairs minster warned me - it is he who will face action for threatening me!” Judge Loya’s death in 2014 had created a major row following a media report alleging foul play as he was hearing a politically sensitive case. The matter reached the Supreme Court. While hearing some public interest litigations, the SC had said there was no merit in pleas alleging foul play. It said the judge died of natural causes.

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The “Janakalyana Samavesha” rally in Hassan has reaffirmed chief minister Siddaramaiah’s strong grassroots appeal, people familiar with the matter said. The event, attended by around 150,000 people from six districts of the Old Mysore region, came amid growing speculation about internal power struggles within the Congress. A senior cabinet minister, on condition of anonymity, noted the rally’s impact on leadership dynamics and said: “The event showed that Siddaramaiah remains the Congress’ mass leader. It has quelled demands for any leadership change.” The rivalry between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar dates back to the aftermath of the Congress’ triumph in this year’s assembly elections. While Siddaramaiah was chosen as chief minister, Shivakumar, who aspired to the top post, accepted the deputy CM role as a compromise. This arrangement has since fuelled speculation about potential leadership changes during the government’s tenure, the people said. Shivakumar, recently in an interview had hinted at a potential leadership change down the line, stating, “I will reveal it when the time comes.” Following the Hassan rally, however, Shivakumar struck a conciliatory tone. Addressing Siddaramaiah’s supporters, he declared, “Don’t worry. In Mysuru, this bande (rock) DK Shivakumar has said that he will be with Siddaramaiah. I will be there now, tomorrow also, and till I die. This is the history of this Kanakapura Bande. Wherever I work, I am honest.” The rally, initially titled “Siddaramaiah Swabhimani Janandolana Samavesha,” was rebranded as “Janakalyana Samavesha” following concerns raised by senior party leaders and the All India Congress Committee (AICC). The original plan for the event aimed to counter allegations against Siddaramaiah related to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case and to consolidate support from the Ahinda communities—minorities, backward classes, and Dalits—in the JD(S)-dominated Hassan region. However, a letter reportedly addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge by a party leader highlighted fears that the rally could devolve into “hero worship,” potentially harming the party’s collective image. This prompted the leadership to ensure the event reflected a broader Congress-led narrative focused on developmental achievements and countering opposition claims. During the rally, Siddaramaiah said: “Swabhimanigala Okkootagalu wanted to organize this event under their banner. However, I told them that as the CM of the state, I cannot participate unless the party is also involved.” Shivakumar on Saturday said that no one in the party should talk about any power-sharing “agreement or formula” involving him and Siddaramaiah, as he clarified that there was no such a thing. He, however, said that they were working with some “political understanding”. “No one should talk about any oppanda (agreement). There is no formula (power-sharing formula) or anything. We are both working with some political understanding. I have never spoken about any formula, there is nothing. What I told the national channel is we have come to some understanding,” he added. Another senior party leader said that despite the public statement, DK Shivakumar had pushed for the change in the leadership, especially when MUDA case had initially come out. “There was pressure put on the high command to ask Siddaramaiah to step down until his name is cleared,” he said. The leader, however, added that there was “no coup d’etat” but a political play. “The DK Shivakumar faction knows that CM stepping down at this point could affect the party also. Yes, there is a competition, but I would call it healthy competition and not rivalry,” the leader added.BOSTON, Dec. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The more-than-likeness of Google's Willow chip and AI-119 Gen AI patent technology have led to the development of AI Legal Mate, an AI Law research organization that aims to provide free legal assistance to disabled Veterans, LBGTQIA+ youth, and foreign nationals in legal actions, usually in situations where they cannot afford the cost of a bail bond or an attorney to help them out during their very unfortunate situation they’ve caught themselves up in. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT AI LEGAL MATE As previously reported , AI Legal Mate has filed its Gen AI 'Law and Health' technology utility patent updates, utilizing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and quantum computing. 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AI PATENT TECH NEWS AI119 Tech's propel development team has filed a second utility patent update application for their 'third generation' AI Law and Health technology, designed similar to military ISACs established in the late-90s. This technology uses quantum computer technology under Grover's algorithms for quantum-error corrections in human-driven transactions. The newer version of AI119's technology is capable of resolving tens of thousands of administrative complaint cases within a few days by integrating live attorneys with AI Law resources and SOC-2 applications to certify legal documents. AI Legal Mate's next generation plan is to complete its fifth-generation technology with innovative lab affiliates, including their "QM-ware" approach, which aims to integrate AI with assistive technology like earbuds, eye-ware, wrist-ware , head-ware , and body-ware to enable adaptive learning at ‘meta-speed. ’ This will empower users to receive treatment or training for mental health disabilities or professional skills through peer-to-peer transmission of Generative AI at meta-speeds . For more information about AI Legal Mate or AI119 Gen AI Law technology, visit www.ailegalmate.com . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/003b80da-a76f-4c3a-a31b-d6e18633e78e A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eb54f06e-c40b-4edd-8083-473447a37d5fCLEVELAND — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in a Major League Baseball game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt — the AL Manager of the Year. With Cleveland, the 34-year-old Nakken will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. “Nak is a systematic executor of processes and a thoughtful communicator,” Correa said via text message Friday night. “When you combine her skill set with the unique experiences she’s had over the course of her career, it makes her a perfect fit for our player development system. I’m really looking forward to being her teammate again.” Nakken’s exact duties are still being determined. She became a first-time mom welcoming daughter Austyn earlier this year and didn’t travel full-time on manager Bob Melvin’s staff. “We thank Alyssa Nakken for her incredible contributions to the San Francisco Giants and for trailblazing a path for women in sports,” the Giants said in a statement on Friday. “Her leadership, dedication, and passion for the game have inspired countless individuals, and her impact has been truly transformative for the Giants organization and the baseball community. “As she embarks on this exciting new chapter in her career, we have no doubt that she’ll continue to inspire and achieve great things. We wish her and her family nothing but the best.” Nakken is the second on-field female coach hired by the Guardians. In 2023, Cleveland brought in Amanda Kamekona as its hitting development coach for its year-round training academy in Goodyear, Arizona. Last season, she was an assistant hitting coach at Double-A Akron. Kamekona was twice a third-team All-American at UCLA after transferring from Cal State Fullerton.

One day, when actor and comedian Rosie O'Donnell was in her 50s, her body ached and her arms felt sore, but she pushed through the pain, not realizing she was having a massive heart attack. She had surgery to put in a stent that saved her life. Shortly after her 2012 heart attack, O'Donnell shared her experience on her blog. During her 2015 television standup special, she spoke about how the experience changed her life. The segment included a heart attack acronym the comedian coined: HEPPP (hot, exhausted, pain, pale, puke). O'Donnell's candidness about her heart attack helped spread awareness about how it can present differently in women. She's one of countless celebrities over the years who have opened up about their health conditions, including breast cancer, HIV, depression, heart disease and stroke. When celebrities reveal and discuss their health issues, the impact can be far-reaching. It not only helps to educate the public, but it also can reduce stigma and inspire others. "Health disclosures by celebrities do matter, and we know this from decades of research across a lot of different health conditions and public figures," said Dr. Jessica Gall Myrick, a professor of health communication at Pennsylvania State University in University Park. "They absolutely do influence people." Some of the earliest celebrity health disclosures happened in the 1970s and 1980s with U.S. presidents and first ladies. When first lady Betty Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer just weeks after Gerald Ford became president in 1974, she spoke openly about her diagnosis, inviting photographers into the White House and helping make talk of cancer less taboo. In 1987, first lady Nancy Reagan used her breast cancer diagnosis as a chance to advocate for women to get mammograms. Her disclosure came two years after President Ronald Reagan's colon cancer diagnosis, about which the couple was equally as vocal. "Individuals throughout the country have been calling cancer physicians and information services in record numbers," the Los Angeles Times reported after Nancy Reagan's widely publicized surgery. The public showed a similar interest years earlier following Betty Ford's mastectomy. Another major milestone in celebrity health disclosures came in 1991, when 32-year-old NBA superstar Earvin "Magic" Johnson revealed he had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. "Life is going to go on for me, and I'm going to be a happy man," Johnson assured fans during a news conference. He immediately retired, only to return to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996. His disclosure, along with his work as an advocate for safe sex, helped shatter stigmas around HIV and AIDS. Calls to testing centers increased significantly in the days and weeks after Johnson's announcement. "That celebrity disclosure really helped people see there was a wider susceptibly to HIV," Gall Myrick said. "People were more likely to say, 'I need to think about my own risks.' It was very powerful." When it comes to heart and stroke health, President Dwight Eisenhower helped make heart attacks less frightening and mysterious. During a news conference in 1955, millions of Americans learned from the president's doctors about his heart condition, his treatment, and concrete steps they could take to reduce their own heart attack risk. Other notable figures have shared their health experiences over the years. Soap opera legend Susan Lucci , who was diagnosed with heart disease in 2018, has advocated for women's heart health. Basketball great Kareem Abdul Jabbar talks about his irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation, and advocates for regular health screenings. Lawyer, author and television personality Star Jones continues to speak about heart disease risk after having lifesaving heart surgery in 2010. Longtime TV and radio personality Dick Clark brought stroke and aphasia into the national spotlight when he returned to hosting "New Year's Rockin' Eve" in Times Square just a year after his 2004 stroke and continued until his death in 2012. And actor and comedian Jamie Foxx recently revealed he had a stroke last year. "Celebrity disclosures represent teachable moments," said Dr. Seth M. Noar, director of the Communicating for Health Impact Lab at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. "Searches for different health conditions often spike in the wake of these types of announcements. They cause people to think about these health issues, learn more about them, and in some cases change their behaviors." Celebrities have also highlighted the importance of CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator, or AED, to restore a person's heartbeat if they experience cardiac arrest. Interest in CPR and AEDs spiked in 2023 after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during an NFL game broadcast on national TV. Views of the American Heart Association's hands-only CPR pages jumped more than 600% in the days following Hamlin's cardiac arrest. Three months later, around 3 million people had watched the AHA's CPR video. Family members of celebrities who have died from a heart issue have also spread awareness. After actor John Ritter died of an undiagnosed aortic dissection in 2003, his wife, actor Amy Yasbeck, started the Ritter Foundation to raise awareness about the condition and help others avoid a misdiagnosis. A literature review published in Systematic Reviews in 2017 found that people are conditioned to react positively to celebrity advice. Research also has found that people often follow advice from celebrities who match how they perceive – or how they want to perceive – themselves. The most effective celebrity disclosures are frequently the ones that tell a compelling story and include clear steps people can take to apply lessons the celebrity learned to their own health situation, Gall Myrick said. "People are more likely to take action when they feel confident and capable." Research has shown that celebrity disclosures often impact calls to hotlines and page views on health-related websites, and they can spark behavioral and even policy changes. Anecdotally, Gall Myrick said, people ask their doctor more questions about health conditions and request medical screenings. Celebrities can have a big impact because people tend to have parasocial relationships with them, Gall Myrick said. These are one-sided relationships in which a person feels an emotional connection with another person, often a celebrity. People may feel as if they know the basketball player they've watched on the court for years, or the Hollywood actor they've followed, she said. They want to comfort them after a health disclosure. Social media has only increased this feeling of familiarity, as celebrities regularly share mundane – but fascinating – details of their daily lives, like what they eat for breakfast, their favorite socks, or the meditation they do before bed. "We spend a lifetime being exposed to celebrities through the media, and over time, you get to know these public figures," Gall Myrick said. "Some feel like friendships." A study published in the journal Science Communication in 2020 compared reactions to actor Tom Hanks, who had COVID-19 early in the pandemic, and an average person with COVID-19. Researchers found that participants identified more with Hanks when it came to estimating their own susceptibility to COVID-19. The participants also felt more emotional about the virus that causes COVID-19 when thinking about it in relation to Hanks versus an average person. When a celebrity reveals a health condition, it's a surprise that may feel personal, especially if they are well-liked and the health issue is dramatic and sudden. "We feel like we know them, and the emotional response is what can then push people out of their routine," Gall Myrick said. Noar said a celebrity health story is often a more interesting and powerful way to learn about a health condition than just the facts, which can feel overwhelming. People are drawn to the slew of media coverage that typically follows a celebrity disclosure, he said. "Some of these high-visibility public figures' stories are now woven into some of these illnesses," Noar said. For example, Angelina Jolie is often linked to the BRCA1 gene mutation after the actor shared she had a preventive double mastectomy because of her elevated breast cancer risk and had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed because of her increased risk for ovarian cancer. "It's a narrative, a story that humanizes the condition in a way that very informational communication really doesn't," Noar said. "People remember it, and it can potentially be a touch point." After a disclosure, patients may bring up a celebrity's story during a doctor's appointment and connect it to their own care. Today's multiplatform digital culture only amplifies celebrity messages. "You're seeing everyday people react to these events, and that can have a ripple effect too," Gall Myrick said. "We know from research that seeing messages more than once can be impactful. Often it's not just one billboard or one commercial that impacts behavior; it's the drip drip drip over time." Still, there's a cautionary tale to be told around the impact of celebrity health news, especially if the celebrity has died. An unclear cause of death may lead to speculation. Gall Myrick said that guesswork could potentially end up hurting rather than helping if patients were to act on misinformation or a lack of information. "Maybe the death was atypical or it needs more context," she said. "That's where advocacy groups and public health organizations come in. They need to be prepared for announcements or disclosures about celebrity deaths, and to fill in some of those gaps." American Heart Association News covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this story reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week!Crisis-hit Cowboys nearing rock-bottom ahead of Commanders clash

Home | Former US President, Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Jimmy Carter, the earnest Georgia peanut farmer who as US president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, the Carter Center said. He was 100. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” A Democrat, he served as president from January 1977 to January 1981 after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 US election. Carter was swept from office four years later in an electoral landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor. Carter lived longer after his term in office than any other US president. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a better former president than he was a president – a status he readily acknowledged. His one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East. But it was dogged by an economy in recession, persistent unpopularity and the embarrassment of the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. In recent years, Carter had experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter died on November 19, 2023, at age 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair. Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter had been a centrist as governor of Georgia with populist tendencies when he moved into the White House as the 39th US president. He was a Washington outsider at a time when America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal that led Republican Richard Nixon to resign as president in 1974 and elevated Ford from vice president. “I’m Jimmy Carter and I’m running for president. I will never lie to you,” Carter promised with an ear-to-ear smile. Asked to assess his presidency, Carter said in a 1991 documentary: “The biggest failure we had was a political failure. I never was able to convince the American people that I was a forceful and strong leader.” Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Center in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world. A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. He also sought to take some pomp out of an increasingly imperial presidency – walking, rather than riding in a limousine, in his 1977 inauguration parade. The Middle East was the focus of Carter’s foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbors. Carter brought Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unraveling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy. The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. By the 1980 election, the overriding issues were double-digit inflation, interest rates that exceeded 20% and soaring gas prices, as well as the Iran hostage crisis that brought humiliation to America. These issues marred Carter’s presidency and undermined his chances of winning a second term. HOSTAGE CRISIS On November 4, 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a US hospital. The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight US soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert. Carter’s final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on January 20, 1981, to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom. In another crisis, Carter protested the former Soviet Union’s 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. He also asked the US Senate to defer consideration of a major nuclear arms accord with Moscow. Unswayed, the Soviets remained in Afghanistan for a decade. Carter won narrow Senate approval in 1978 of a treaty to transfer the Panama Canal to the control of Panama despite critics who argued the waterway was vital to American security. He also completed negotiations on full US ties with China. Carter created two new US Cabinet departments – education and energy. Amid high gas prices, he said America’s “energy crisis” was “the moral equivalent of war” and urged the country to embrace conservation. “Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth,” he told Americans in 1977. In 1979, Carter delivered what became known as his “malaise” speech to the nation, although he never used that word. “After listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America,” he said in his televised address. “The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America.” As president, the strait-laced Carter was embarrassed by the behavior of his hard-drinking younger brother, Billy Carter, who had boasted: “I got a red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer.” ‘THERE YOU GO AGAIN’ Jimmy Carter withstood a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but was politically diminished heading into his general election battle against a vigorous Republican adversary. Reagan, the conservative who projected an image of strength, kept Carter off balance during their debates before the November 1980 election. Reagan dismissively told Carter, “There you go again,” when the Republican challenger felt the president had misrepresented Reagan’s views during one debate. Carter lost the 1980 election to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states and amassed an Electoral College landslide. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine programme and left to manage the family peanut farming business. He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946, a union he called “the most important thing in my life.” They had three sons and a daughter. Carter became a millionaire, a Georgia state legislator and Georgia’s governor from 1971 to 1975. He mounted an underdog bid for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination, and out-hustled his rivals for the right to face Ford in the general election. With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter was given a boost by a major Ford gaffe during one of their debates. Ford said that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration,” despite decades of just such domination. Carter edged Ford in the election, even though Ford actually won more states – 27 to Carter’s 23. Not all of Carter’s post-presidential work was appreciated. Former President George W. Bush and his father, former President George H.W. Bush, both Republicans, were said to have been displeased by Carter’s freelance diplomacy in Iraq and elsewhere. In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by the younger Bush one of the most “gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made.” He called George W. Bush’s administration “the worst in history” and said Vice President Dick Cheney was “a disaster for our country.” In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump’s legitimacy as president, saying “he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf.” Trump responded by calling Carter “a terrible president.” Carter also made trips to communist North Korea. A 1994 visit defused a nuclear crisis, as President Kim Il Sung agreed to freeze his nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialogue with the United States. That led to a deal in which North Korea, in return for aid, promised not to restart its nuclear reactor or reprocess the plant’s spent fuel. But Carter irked Democratic President Bill Clinton’s administration by announcing the deal with North Korea’s leader without first checking with Washington. In 2010, Carter won the release of an American sentenced to eight years hard labour for illegally entering North Korea. Carter wrote more than two dozen books, ranging from a presidential memoir to a children’s book and poetry, as well as works about religious faith and diplomacy. His book “Faith: A Journey for All,” was published in 2018. SABC © 2024

Impeachment motion moved in Rajya Sabha against HC judge

The Buffalo Bills are looking a bit banged up heading into their showdown Sunday with the Detroit Lions. No injury designation for Keon Coleman, so he’s good to go. Hamlin, Rapp, Kincaid among those questionable. https://t.co/fykF0hU6Gv The Bills held a full practice Friday after being snowed out on Thursday. Cornerback Rasul Douglas has been ruled out for Sunday with a knee injury. A host of other players, including tight end Dalton Kincaid and safeties Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin, are all nursing various injuries and are all questionable for Sunday. Rasul Douglas is already OUT for the #Bills on Sunday. Here's a quick look at Dalton Kincaid and Keon Coleman from Friday's practice as they try to make their returns vs. the Lions, plus Damar Hamlin in a red non-contact jersey. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/1IWayLJfKZ It isn't all bad news, however, as rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman, who missed the last four games with a wrist injury, practiced in full and is planning to suit up against Detroit. Head coach Sean McDermott addressed the abridged practice schedule this week. "We find a way — that's what we do," he said. “That's our goal now. That's the vision. That's what we talked about on the Zoom yesterday. We'll figure it out. We find a way and we go play our best and coach our best football. That's what you do." Kickoff on Sunday is set for 4:25 p.m.Dallas City Council interviews three finalists for city manager position

A new theory has emerged, raising questions about whether ride-hailing apps charge iPhone users more than Android users for the same rides. Recent tests conducted by The Times of India (TOI) have sparked speculation, with findings showing consistently higher prices for iOS users in Chennai. The tests compared cab fares for identical routes checked simultaneously on iPhone and Android devices. Although the price differences were most noticeable for shorter, single rides, the results are not definitive proof of discrimination. Factors like varying demand and fluctuating algorithms make it difficult to draw firm conclusions. Nonetheless, the findings have reignited concerns about the opaque pricing strategies used by ride-hailing platforms. In response, Uber has denied any practice of personalizing fares based on the type of phone a user owns. They attributed the discrepancies to dynamic pricing, which is influenced by factors such as real-time demand, estimated travel time, and distance. However, Ola, another popular ride-hailing service, did not respond to TOI’s inquiries. Experts, however, have raised doubts about these explanations. C. Ambigapathy, managing director of Chennai-based ride-hailing platform Fastrack, suggested that it is technically possible for companies to adjust fares based on the user’s hardware. He believes ride-hailing companies could easily manipulate fares while citing dynamic pricing algorithms as a cover. P. Ravikumar, a former senior director at the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, explained that advanced machine learning technologies such as Google Cloud AI and Azure ML enable ride-hailing platforms to incorporate a range of variables—including device type and usage patterns—into their pricing models. He suggested that if consistent factors like estimated travel time and distance were accounted for, users should not face discrepancies based on their device. One expert involved in framing India’s aggregator policy noted that surge pricing is not only tied to the type of device a user owns. Instead, platforms adjust fares based on a user’s behavior and patterns, with frequent users or those who check fares multiple times often facing higher prices. Despite these claims, the allegations have yet to be independently verified. However, experts are calling for greater transparency from ride-hailing platforms to ensure fair pricing practices for all users, regardless of the device they use. Also Read: Indigo Launches Holiday Packages, Direct Flight From Kolkata To PhuketScottie Scheffler fires a 63, repeats as champ of Hero World Challenge