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Donald Hand Jr. scores 29 with 10 rebounds, Boston College beats Fairleigh Dickinson 78-70Vladimir Putin admitted Saturday Russian air defence was working when an Azerbaijani Airlines plane tried to land in Grozny before crashing, breaking the Kremlin’s silence as speculation mounted Russia may have accidentally shot the plane. The Russian leader called his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, apologising the incident took place in Russian airspace, while stopping short of saying Russian air defence shot the plane. Baku, meanwhile, said Aliyev had “emphasised” to Putin that the plane was hit by outside interference over Russia, saying it wanted those responsible “held accountable.” The phone call between the allies came three days after the Embraer 190 plane flying from Baku to Grozny crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 people of 67 onboard. Western experts have pointed the finger at Russia, while the US said it had “early indications” the plane was shot. Putin told Aliyev the plane had tried to land in Grozny “several times.” “During this time, Grozny, (the town of) Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian combat drones and Russian air defence was repelling these attacks,” Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript. It added that: “Vladimir Putin had presented his apologies that the tragic incident happened in Russia’s air space and again expressed his deep and genuine condolences to the families of the dead, wishing a quick recovery to those affected.” But Aliyev appeared in no doubt that the plane was shot at over Russia. “President Ilham Aliyev emphasised that the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane encountered external physical and technical interference while in Russian airspace, resulting in a complete loss of control,” Baku’s presidency said in a statement. It added Aliyev “highlighted that the multiple holes in the aircraft’s fuselage, injuries sustained by passengers and crew due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight, and testimonies from surviving flight attendants and passengers confirm evidence of external physical and technical interference.” Survivors have told the media about hearing an “explosion” as the plane attempted to land. Aliyev’s office said Baku wanted an investigation “ensuring those responsible are held accountable.” – ‘Stark reminder’ of MH17 – Speculation has swirled for days, with the US weighing in Friday. Its White House spokesman John Kirby said Washington had “early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defence systems.” Putin’s phone call came after the Kremlin had earlier said it would be “inappropriate” to comment on the speculations. Moscow also said it will work with an investigation by Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. While some in Azerbaijan — a Russian ally — have called for an apology from Moscow, Kazakhstan, one of Moscow’s main allies, has not pointed the finger at Russia. Russian officials had earlier said that Ukrainian drones were attacking Grozny that day. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said he also spoke to Aliyev on Saturday, saying the footage of the plane make it looks “very much like an air defence missile strike.” “The key priority now is a thorough investigation that will answer all questions about what really happened. Russia must provide clear explanations and stop spreading disinformation,” Zelensky said on social media. The EU, meanwhile, urged a “swift, independent international investigation.” Its top diplomat Kaja Kallas said the crash was a “stark reminder” of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which international investigations said was downed by a surface-to-air missile by Russian-backed rebels over eastern Ukraine in 2014. – Airlines cancel flights – A series of airlines have this week began cancelling flights to Russia after the incident, including national carriers of Moscow’s allies. The vast majority of Western airlines have stopped flights to Russia since Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive. Turkmenistan Airlines — the national carrier of the reclusive Central Asian state — was the latest airline to announce cancellations Saturday. It said that “regular flights between Ashgabat-Moscow-Ashgabat were cancelled from 30/12/2024 to 31/01/2025,” without giving an explanation. The decision came after UAE airline flydubai suspended flights between Dubai and the southern Russian cities of Mineralnye Vody and Sochi that were scheduled between December 27 and January 3. Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air has suspended its flights to Russia’s Urals city of Yekaterinburg until the end of January. Earlier this week, Israeli airline El Al said it was suspending its flights to Moscow for a week. AFPTrump backs immigration visas for skilled workers after MAGA followers turn on Elon Musk over H-1Bs
Mila Kunis claims that she fell in love with her Jewish identity because of her husband, Ashton Kutcher. Through her marriage to Ashton Kutcher , Mila Kunis not only discovered love but also a fresh understanding of her Jewish identity. ET Year-end Special Reads Two sectors that rose on India's business horizon in 2024 2025 outlook: Is it time for cautious optimism or rekindling animal spirits? 2024: Govt moves ahead with simultaneous polls plan; India holds largest democratic exercise In a YouTube video posted Thursday, December 26, discussing Hanukkah with activist Noa Tishby, the 41-year-old actress said she attributes her feelings of Jewish pride to Kutcher, as quoted in a report by US Weekly. He chose to be Jewish. He explained the religion to her, and she fell in love with it. ALSO READ Are Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis going too hard with their kids? They are not giving them Christmas gifts and don't plan to set up trust funds Discovering Faith Through Marriage Being Jewish is like going on a choose-your-own-journey, where you can choose the aspects of it that speak to you. Furthermore, there is no right or wrong Jewish identity. In modern-day Ukraine, Mila Kunis was born and raised Jewish, while Kutcher was raised Catholic but has been a long-time follower of Kabbalah, a branch of Judaism that emphasises Jewish mysticism. When faced with a problem, Kutcher shared that they use the tools they have learnt and a solution comes out. Imagine waking up each day with the assurance that you can overcome any challenge and achieve the best result possible. Their spiritual foundation provides for that. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program In her interview on Thursday, Kunis disclosed that, as a child, she was instructed never to discuss her Jewish heritage . She clarified that she was in a country that didn't allow for religion. For her, it's a culture because she was raised in a Jewish environment. Mila Kunis joked that she was raised with a lot of guilt, which she carried into adulthood. She believes she is afraid of not eating enough and even afraid of hungry people. 'I'm hungry,' is the worst thing her kids can say to her,' she said. Food is the solution to everything. Are you worn out? Consume some food. Are you irritable? Eat some food... It is just something that's embedded in her. She and Kutcher married in 2015 and welcomed two kids, Wyatt (10) and Dimitri (8). Now, Kunis is getting to experience new aspects of her culture through her and Kutcher's children. Her kids very much identify with the religious aspect of Hanukkah, and through her and Kutcher's children, Kunis is experiencing new facets of her culture. FAQs How has Ashton Kutcher influenced Mila Kunis' Jewish identity? Kutcher's interest in Kabbalah and approach to Judaism helped Kunis rediscover her love of her religion and traditions. Do Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher follow Jewish traditions with their children? Yes, the couple observes traditions such as Shabbat and Hanukkah , which help their children connect with their Jewish heritage. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )BJP Leader Parvesh Verma Makes Big Claim: Kejriwal Might Not Contest From New Delhi
Energy experts slam Labour's controversial 'boiler tax' plan and say eye-watering climate change targets are 'unachievable'PM Modi to address two public meetings in Delhi ahead of poll announcement
THIS is an incredible timelapse showing a swarm of ants outsmarting humans by solving an unbelievable puzzle. The bizarre experiment was used to explore how both humans and ants navigate a complex maze while working individually or in groups. 2 Watch the incredible timelapse video showing the ants solve the puzzle Credit: Weizmann Institute of Science 2 In some parts, the ants performed better than humans Credit: Weizmann Institute of Science Researched led by Ofer Feinerman at the Weizmann Institute of Science wanted to find the comparison between the two species, leading to the maze based on the "piano movers puzzle". This is a problem from motion planning and robotics. Instead of a piano, however, participants are captured maneuvering a T-shaped object through a space divided into three chambers. These are connected by narrow slits. read more in tech MINIBOT RISING Watch world's tiniest robots swarming... & they could be injected into HUMANS Humans tackled the task by themselves or in groups of up to 26 people, meanwhile the ants worked in groups ranging from one to 80. The ants in the experiment are Paratrechina longicornis, also known as "crazy ants" due to their erratic movements. Human participants were told to avoid any verbal or gestural communication as this mirrors the ants' natural constrains. They could also only handle the object using specific designated handles equipped with force meters. Most read in Science FOOTIE SHOCK Footage emerges of Hibs star in vow about 'Jambo b*******' before derby win TOUGH CALLS Former top refs issue strong verdicts on Celtic-Motherwell penalty flash points SNOW END Exact date snow storms to hit Scotland as weather map reveals Arctic freeze on way HEARTBROKEN Shankland heckled by Hearts fans during hospitality speech as VIP host steps in Experts found that when humans worked alone, they outperformed ants by a wide margin. They were also said to have used strategic planing to complete the task efficiently. Watch world’s tiniest robots swarming like ANTS in chilling hivemind - and they could one day be injected into HUMANS_1 But in group settings, ant colonies showed incredible coordination and problem-solving abilities. The small but mighty insects showed a unified force, using collective memory to process their mistakes and maintain consistent progress to fit the T through. Humans, meanwhile, struggled to improve their performance after making mistakes with their communication restricted. Instead of attempting to work as a group, human participants showed to have "greedy" strategies, with a focus on short-term solutions. Experts therefore credited this discrepancy to the ants' social structure as, in a colony, they operate as a "super-organism". The researchers hope their incredibly insights will be able to inform future studies on group dynamics - in nature and human societies. Through the exploration of collective behaviour, and strengths and weaknesses within this, the investigation aims to shed light on how cooperation evolved and could be optimised. Paratrechina longicornis ants THE longhorn crazy ant, called the Paratrechina longicornis, or the black crazy ant, is a small ant species. It's called "crazy" because of its random, rapid movements. A key distinguishing feature is its extraordinarily long antennae and legs compared to its 2.3-3mm body length. The antennae are slender, 12-segmented, with no club. Its head and body appear smooth and shiny. These ants are highly adaptable and are found worldwide, often infesting homes and outdoor areas in large numbers. They are opportunistic foragers, travelling long distances from their nests, making them difficult to control. Their diet is varied, including live and dead insects, honeydew, fruits, seeds, household foods, and even large prey like lizards. They are particularly drawn to sweet foods. They obtain honeydew by tending to plant lice, mealybugs, and scales.Police watchdog investigating after officer shot crowd control gun at Ottawa manAn Post has said 16,000 parcels have still to be delivered out of 500,000 following the closure of Holyhead Port. Last weekend, Holyhead Port in Wales was damaged during Storm Darragh and is expected to remain closed for several days. The closure has led to a significant backlog in deliveries as thousands of parcels were re-routed across the UK. An Post has said it is securing air freight capacity to get parcels and mail that would traditionally have been shipped via Holyhead moved out of Ireland to meet posting date promises. An extra Stena ship called the Stena Estrid is due to arrive in Dublin this afternoon and will be put into service as an extra sailing on the Dublin to Liverpool route. Read more The Stena Estrid is not normally on Irish routes and has been brought over to ease the backlog. Minister James Lawless will meet Ken Skates, Wales’ transport secretary, this evening at 6.30pm. The Department of Transport announced yesterday a temporary relaxation of rules around drivers’ hours has been granted for a 14-day period from Dec 14, 2024 until Dec 27, 2024. The last time such exceptional permission was granted was during the covid-19 pandemic. The department said that the rule relaxation allows for truck drivers to compliantly operate for more hours during this period and will support logistics companies to keep freight flowing. In a statement, An Post said: “All parcels received into An Post hubs are being processed and delivered immediately and we will continue to support all our Irish and international ecommerce customers to find delivery solutions. Trucks and trailers sit parked at Holyhead Port. Photo: Matthew Lloyd/Bloomberg News in 90 seconds - 15 December 2024 “These large hubs have the latest technology, equipment and additional Christmas staff to meet this challenge and to deal with parcels arriving by air, as well as large volumes of domestic parcels being posted by Irish brands and personal customers.” An Post has said that it is endeavouring to deliver all items into its hubs by Saturday December, 21. “All An Post collection, sorting, driving, delivery, Post Office and support staff are working around the clock, as are 1,400 Christmas Casual workers.” The postal service has advised Irish customers to contact the seller for an update if they are still awaiting on a delivery of any items ordered before Storm Darragh by tomorrow evening. If they are waiting on an order from UK retailers, customers are advised to check with them regarding their delivery dates for Ireland, but to consider that dispatch times from the UK may take longer than usual. An Post has warned customers that the deadline for postage of cards to Europe and Great Britain is fast approaching: Tuesday, December 17 for Europe and Wednesday, December 18 for Great Britain. An Post advised customers to shop local with Irish e-tailers, to buy Irish and post parcels and cards as soon as possible. Read more
TORONTO — Broad-based gains led Canada’s main stock index to close higher in the shortened Christmas Eve trading session, while U.S. stock markets also rose. The S&P/TSX composite index ended up 97.84 points at 24,846.82, as most sectors rose other than telecoms and health care. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 390.08 points at 43,297.03. The S&P 500 index was up 65.97 points at 6,040.04, while the Nasdaq composite was up 266.24 points at 20,031.13. The gains added to increases in recent days to help offset the drop in markets last week after the U.S. Federal Reserve released its latest outlook. The climb however was more likely related to year-end balancing than any change in sentiment, said Dustin Reid, chief fixed income strategist at Mackenzie Investments. “I think it’s mostly just year-end flows that are driving it. I don’t think there’s anything that’s particularly reversed in terms of sentiments since the Fed meeting,” said Reid. There’s reallocation by geography, moving asset classes and other adjustments to align portfolios that is likely affecting markets, he said. “I find that price action around month end, quarter end, and year-end, you shouldn’t try and ascribe a ton of fundamental cause as to why things are moving, because there’s a lot of flows happening below the surface that are probably driving the price action that are not necessarily fundamentally based.” The U.S. Fed guided for only two rate cuts in 2025 at its Dec. 18 meeting, which pushed down markets for the day. But Reid said the guidance was largely in line with expectations, and the strong U.S. economy has likely since helped boost markets. The Canadian market, meanwhile, might be benefiting a little from the expectations of even more rate cuts needed here than expected as the economy is showing softness. On Monday, Statistics Canada said its early estimate for November suggests real GDP for the month edged 0.1 per cent lower for the first drop this year. “The negative flash print for November really suggests that the bank is going to have a fair bit more work to do,” said Reid. “I think that the market is not pricing in enough easing for calendar ’25 for the Bank of Canada.” There was no economic data releases Tuesday to sway markets, he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 69.51 cents US compared with 69.47 cents US on Monday. The February crude oil contract was up 86 cents at US$70.10 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was up 16 cents at US$3.50 per mmBTU. The February gold contract ended up US$7.30 at US$2,635.50 an ounce and the March copper contract was up two cents at US$4.11 a pound.The BJP and Congress remain locked in a heated exchange over their respective stances on Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and recent comments allegedly made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the late leader. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and BJP state president Madan Rathore addressed a joint press conference at the party headquarters on Tuesday evening. Advertisement They criticized the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi for their alleged failure to respect Ambedkar’s legacy and accused the opposition of indulging in baseless politics. Advertisement In response, the Congress organized protest marches across districts and submitted memoranda to the President through district collectors, demanding Shah’s dismissal over his remarks in Parliament concerning India’s first law minister. Chief Minister Sharma lashed out at the Congress, stating, “What the Congress is doing in Rajasthan and New Delhi highlights their inability to function as a meaningful opposition.” “Their actions are nothing more than political gimmicks and falsehoods concerning a leader of Ambedkar’s stature. The Congress has historically failed to honor Dr Ambedkar’s legacy.” Sharma further alleged that during Ambedkar’s time, the Congress compelled him to resign as a minister and consistently overlooked his contributions. “Unlike the Congress, our government has ensured due recognition for Baba Saheb. Prime Minister Narendra Modi constructed a grand memorial in Delhi soon after assuming office, and the Bharat Ratna was conferred upon him during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure,” Sharma added. The Chief Minister demanded a public apology from the Congress for what he termed as “consistent disrespect” toward Ambedkar. He also condemned Rahul Gandhi for allegedly misbehaving with a ruling coalition MP in the Parliament premises, calling it a “shameful act.” Meanwhile, as per Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasara’s instructions, party workers staged demonstrations at district headquarters and submitted memoranda demanding Amit Shah’s dismissal. The Congress accused Shah of making derogatory remarks about Ambedkar and labeled his comments as unacceptable. In some districts, the protests witnessed minor clashes between Congress workers and the police, further intensifying the ongoing political tussle. Advertisement
Science and Technology Daily: Promoting AI Governance JointlyThe United States is expected to announce that it will send 1.25 billion dollars (£1 billion) in military assistance to Ukraine, US officials said on Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on January 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the Hawk air defence system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defence officials acknowledged that the US Defence Department may not be able to send all of the remaining 5.6 billion dollars (£4.5 billion) in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Mr Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many US and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he will not provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about 4.35 billion dollars (£3.46 billion). £50.8 billion Value of US security assistance to Ukraine since February 2022 Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky decide it is time to negotiate. One senior defence official said that while the US will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until January 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about 1.2 billion dollars (£0.9 billion) remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the US will have provided more than 64 billion dollars (£50.8 billion) in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.