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NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!LA Galaxy wins record 6th MLS CupOne morning last March, tens of millions of people in West Africa woke up to find they had no more internet. Hospitals were shut out of patient records. Business owners couldn’t pay wages. In homes and on sidewalks, people stared at the wheel icon rolling endlessly on their screens. “Connecting,” it promised. It wasn’t. People remained disconnected — some for hours, many for days. “It created panic all over,” said Kwabena Agadzi, head of communication technology at one of Ghana’s largest insurance companies, Starlife. “As if the world was coming to an end.” In the absence of hard information, rumors flew. It was a coup, some said. It was sabotage, said others. Even those who guessed what was really happening knew that identifying the problem and fixing it were two very different things. Despite its name, the Trou Sans Fond — the Bottomless Hole, in French — a sinuous canyon carved into the continental shelf off Ivory Coast, does have a bottom. It’s just very, very deep down. The chasm begins near the coastline with a precipitous drop of nearly 3,000 feet. Nested in the murky water at the bottom, at times some 2 miles deep, and buffeted by powerful currents lie cables that provide internet service across West Africa. Many nations use cables like these, but for emerging economies with limited alternatives, they are a lifeline to the rest of the world. On the morning of March 14, there was a big problem. Cables on the floor of the Trou Sans Fond began going offline. When the fourth went out, some five hours after the first, people in a dozen countries got an unwelcome reminder: No one is truly untethered. “The more we rely on our phones to get everything done, the more we forget how we connect,” said Jennifer Counter, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. “But there’s still a cable somewhere.” Some know this all too well. When cables malfunction, it is their job to wrest them from the muck of the seabed, splice them together and lower them back down, thrumming once again with data. And so the day after the trouble at the bottom of the Bottomless Hole, the Léon Thévenin, a 41-year-old, 107-meter repair ship based in Cape Town, South Africa, prepared to set sail. Ahead lay a voyage of about 10 days up Africa’s western coast. Any number of things can knock an undersea cable out of service. Landslides can do it. So can a ship dragging its anchor. There may be unintended damage from military skirmishes. And then there is sabotage, a growing concern. But most components of the physical internet are privately owned, and the companies behind them have very little incentive to explain any failures. That can make it daunting for people who rely on the cables to try to get a handle on why an outage is happening. Especially in real time. On March 14, the regional chief information officer for the Ecobank Group in Ivory Coast knew only one thing for sure as he stared at signals blipping red in his offices: There was a problem. Still, it was early in the day. Banks were not due to open for another 30 minutes. That was probably enough time, figured the information officer, Issouf Nikiema, for his IT engineers to sort it out. Those hopes faded when the techs came back to his office in Abidjan. “Even their body language — I realized that something was really wrong,” Nikiema said. Ecobank alone serves 28 million people across the continent. But many other businesses, from sprawling bank chains to modest food stands, were hit, especially after the fourth cable went out and the internet went into free fall. Africa is a continent of 1.4 billion people where economic ambitions are high but the infrastructure often lags. People have learned the art of the workaround, and so when the electricity fails, generators often come to the rescue. If the Wi-Fi goes down, mobile data might still do the trick. But this time was different. In many places, the shutdown was total. “Imagine waking up in New York with no Wi-Fi at home, no data on your phone, no internet available at your local Starbucks, at your office, no way to check your bank accounts on your Chase app,” said Sarah Coulibaly, a technology expert at Ivory Coast’s national telecommunications agency. In Accra, Ghana’s capital, international travelers arriving at the airport could not locate their rental cars. In Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city, restaurants couldn’t use WhatsApp to order local produce. And more than 500 miles away in Ibadan, Nigeria’s third-largest city, Oke Iyanda couldn’t collect money for the food that she sells to students and university workers. Sales of abula, a popular mix of yam powder, vegetables, pepper stew and goat meat, plummeted and food spoiled. The failures highlighted a broader problem for African countries: For all their technological progress, they are served by far fewer cables than more developed countries are, and often lack backup systems. By contrast, when two data cables linking four European countries were cut in quick succession in the Baltic Sea last month, service interruptions were relatively minimal. (American intelligence officials assessed that the cables had not been cut deliberately, but the European authorities have not ruled out sabotage.) For Africa, some help is on the way. Starlink’s satellite internet technology now operates in at least 15 countries, and a 28,000-mile-long cable being built by a consortium of companies has begun to come online. Still, the continent’s dependence on private — and for the most part Western — internet providers can make true sovereignty elusive. “We’re at the mercy of these cable operators,” said Kalil Konaté, Ivory Coast’s minister for digital transition. (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) For an Uber driver in, say, Stockholm or Buenos Aires, an internet outage is a big inconvenience. In Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, it can mean calamity. With his clients locked out of their bank accounts, one driver there, Segun Oladejoye, said he went without work for three days. The timing could hardly have been worse. Months earlier, Oladejoye, a 46-year-old father of four, had taken out a loan for his Uber car. With barely any savings, the only way he could pay back the $30 weekly installment and feed his family was through even longer hours of work. Worried that the lending company might seize his car, Oladejoye said, he borrowed still more money, this time from a Chinese lending app. “It still hurts me and my family,” he said, “because I now have to pay back both loans.” (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) According to Telegeography, an internet data and mapping company, there are hundreds of cables crossing the floors and canyons of the earth’s oceans. Stretched end to end, they would reach approximately 1 million miles. Though not dramatically different in appearance from the slender cables a local TV provider would run into an apartment building, at any moment they are conveying a vast number of messages, from WhatsApp flirtations to complex financial transactions. People have been laying cables underwater since the dawn of the telegraph age in the mid-1800s, but those being put down now bear little resemblance to their forebears. At the center of modern cables are fiber-optic lines, usually numbering four to 24 fibers. Thinner than a human hair, each is coated with a different color so they don’t get mixed up. The composition of the cables depends in part on the depth of the water, said Verne Steyn, director of subsea networks at WIOCC, a major digital wholesaler in Africa. In deepwater locations, the cables often have a black outer polyethylene layer. Below is a wrap of metal tape, then another polyethylene layer, a copper sleeve to conduct electricity, and a tangle of stainless steel wires to provide strength. Only then comes a small metal tube holding the fiber-optic lines, which are often coated with glycerin jelly as a last protection against the water. The result is a remarkably sturdy conduit — but not an invulnerable one. And in a world ever more dependent on the uninterrupted flow of data, that worries people. (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) Just weeks before the cables went out in the Trou Sans Fond, cables in the Red Sea serving East Africa and Asia were severed by a ship’s anchor. They were a casualty of war: The ship had been hit by a missile fired by militants in Yemen backing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. And about two months later, two more cables were torn apart in shallow waters off Mozambique by a fishing trawler. Its crew had reportedly switched off its tracking system so it could operate in protected waters. (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) Some communications experts argue that the way to make internet infrastructure more resilient to the inevitable problems is redundancy — just lay more cables, so there are more alternative pathways for data, and that has happened. Twenty years ago, for example, there were just two major cables strung along the West African coast, according to Steyn. But sometimes, that just means more cables are cut at once. “The seabed is not as peaceful as it once was,” said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik, a network monitoring company. “Just adding more cables doesn’t solve all your problems. The fact of today’s internet is that we’ve got to survive multiple cable cuts in a single incident.” It might be better, he and other experts say, to diversify the location of the cables and set up more on land, though that can be more expensive and pose geopolitical challenges. And more cables can do only so much. Katarzyna Zysk, a professor at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies in Oslo, said that there were mounting, credible reports of sabotage around the world. “I believe that the infrastructure is highly vulnerable and presents an attractive target,” Zysk said. Sabotage did not, however, appear to play a role in the outage in the Trou San Fond, analyses of the crews that eventually repaired the cables and independent experts interviewed by The New York Times said. To try to understand what happened, Madory, a pathologist of sorts for the undersea communication network, used clues from the internet’s global addressing system, known as BGP, and the network’s attempts to route traffic around the broken connections. He was able to pinpoint the time of the first cable failure at 5:02 a.m. local time. The three others followed at 5:31, 7:45 and 10:33. “You can see in the routing system a little scramble as the rest of the internet tries to figure out how to reach these networks,” Madory said. The cascade of failures offers strong evidence that the culprit was almost certainly one of the underwater mudslides or avalanches — scientists call them turbidity currents — that are fairly common in that region. As the Léon Thévenin steamed northward along the coast, it was outfitted with a curious mix of old and new. Coiled in its belly were miles of replacement cable and heavy rope. Steel grapnels were fastened to lengths of chain that would be dragged along the sea bottom to snag broken cables and haul them to the surface. The master of the ship, Capt. Benoît Petit, delicately rolled out huge charts — they resembled scrolls — showing the broad topography of the Trou Sans Fond. But there was also high-tech splicing equipment, and needles on dials in the ship’s work areas quivered as amber, red and green lights flashed. Always on call, with sailors rotating in and out to keep the active crew at about 55, the Léon Thévenin is one of six repair ships operated by Orange Marine, a subsidiary of Orange, the French telecommunications giant. Orange Marine says it carries out 12% to 15% of the roughly 200 cable repairs that take place around the world each year. Crew members sometimes have trouble making their families and friends online understand what they do on long voyages. “I say it straight: ‘I’m a fiber optics splicer,’” said Shuru Arendse. “What is that?” comes the reply, so he tries again. “I repair the data communication cables on the seabed.” (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) But still no. So Arendse keeps it simple. “I keep Africa connected to the rest of the world,” he says. But before he can, his crew has to find the cable breaks — no easy task. (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) Frédéric Salle, the onboard mission chief, regards each repair as a forensic investigation and each break as a “crime scene,” even if malfeasance is not suspected. But the evidence in this case would have to be deduced from surveys, charts and hauling up the cable itself rather than imagery of the sea bottom. The waters of the Trou Sans Fond were too deep and the canyon walls too steep to send down a camera-laden remote vehicle. Didier Dillard, the chief executive of Orange Marine, said the crews operated in a world of the unknown. “When you go beyond 1,000 meters depth,” he said, “nobody really knows what the seabed is like, because nobody goes there. It can be rocky, sandy, muddy — you can just imagine.” But there were clues to where the breaks the Léon Thévenin was looking for might be, and what had caused them. The cables’ depth put them out of reach of passing fishing nets or anchors. And Salle determined that they had broken in order from closest to the coastline to farthest — strong evidence that there had been an avalanche, since that was the direction one would speed down the slope of the canyon. Another sign: Light signals sent through the fiber optics revealed that the break was squarely within the canyon, where avalanches occur, Salle said. “There was no doubt as to the identity of ‘the perpetrator,’” he said. The repair itself, Salle said, involved cutting the cables on either side of the breaks and fastening them to buoys. Then jointers got to work splicing a length of new cable into place. First stripping off the colored coating, they carefully melted and joined the strands from two cable pieces — the microsurgery of internet repair — checking to be sure that laser light was flowing freely across the repaired joint. They boxed it all up into an elaborate splint. Then it was time to drop the cable back into the sea and move on to the others. When the last cable was patched, about a month after the crew left South Africa, it was time to head home. With the breaks repaired, internet service returned to normal in West Africa — but “normal” is relative. Outages, though shorter, remain frequent. And some think another cable-snapping avalanche is just a matter of time. Konaté, the Ivorian digital transition minister, said that the March outage was a wake-up call and that he had asked cable providers like Google to offer terrestrial backup solutions. “This cannot happen again,” he said. (STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.) In the port of Cape Town, another Orange Marine mission chief, Didier Mainguy, said that for all the lasers and fiber optics, little had changed fundamentally from a century and a half ago. To make his point, Mainguy held up a mounted piece of old telegraph cable in his quarters. “It’s still a cable,” he said. “It was a cable a hundred years ago. Voilà.”Oil Spill: CPCL to contest TNPCB show cause notice
Croatia's president faces conservative rival in election run-offThe Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) has urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to introduce a range of tax incentives in the upcoming 2025-26 Budget to boost investments in R&D by the domestic hardware sector, enabling it to compete globally. In their recent exclusive interaction with Sitharaman and other senior officials of the Finance Ministry, the ESC top brass highlighted that several incentives are needed to promote R&D, Innovation, and Disruption in the capital-intensive electronics hardware sector to address the challenges and emerge as a strong global tech player. A well-calibrated incentive system designed to empower industry players could motivate nascent industry units to move in the R&D value chain in cutting-edge technology domains like AI, IoT, telecom, and embedded technologies in sectors like semiconductors, consumer electronics, and defence equipment, ESC submitted. “Significant amount of expenses incurred towards R&D enables the tech-driven companies to compete in the highly complex and cutthroat international market effectively;” said Sandeep Narula, Chairman – Global Outreach, ESC. “Investment in R&D can ensure electronics products to align with the unique needs of India’s diverse population, rapidly growing economy, imperatives for achieving quantum jumps in exports and employment.” ESC said that the current level of R&D in the electronics sector remains relatively modest, with limited investments compared to global leaders. While India’s electronics market is significant, valued at $155 billion in 2022 and expected to grow to $300 billion by 2025- 26, its R&D expenditure in the sector is far behind its competitors. This is even as investment in R&D had continuously increased over the years and more than doubled in the last 10 years. However, the country’s R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP remained between 0.6 - 0.7 per cent as against China’s 2.4 per cent, US 3.5 per cent and Israel 5.4 per cent. ESC’s wish list for the upcoming Budget includes the demand for an additional 5 percent Income Tax reduction for corporates spending over 3 per cent of their turnover on R&D and filing patents/designs in India. Such a tax break is justified as it aligns with the national goal of fostering innovation, self-reliance, and global competitiveness. “ By introducing tax reduction, India can create a compelling incentive for companies to prioritise R&D, leading to technological advancements, the creation of intellectual property, and a reduction in dependence on imports;” Narula added. ESC noted that similar incentives are given to tech giants in countries like the US, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, and China to foster a culture of R&D and innovation. For the capital-intensive electronics hardware sector which is facing intense competition from global supply chains, comfort should be accorded to stay strong, ESC has said. ESC also pitched for further calibration of the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme to make it more broad-based and impact-oriented. It suggests extending the scheme’s duration for an additional 10 years, i.e., until January 1, 2035. Given the long gestation period and complexity involved in electronics and semiconductor design, sustained support over the next decade is critical to fostering innovation, building intellectual property, and reducing reliance on imports, ESC said. ESC is of the view that a long-term commitment will provide the necessary stability and confidence for companies to undertake high-risk, high-reward R&D projects. Coupled with this, there should be a provision for the rollover of unutilized funds from the current allocation to subsequent years under the extended scheme. This will ensure optimal utilisation of resources, facilitate continuous support for ongoing projects, and maximize the impact of the scheme without leaving allocated budgets underutilised. Gurmeet Singh, Executive Director, ESC called for additional funding to the tune of $20 billion under the DLI scheme to meet the rising demand for R&D in emerging quantum technologies like AI and internet products. “Happily, we have a large number of small MSMEs gearing up to invest in R&D, innovation, and product innovation, which should be encouraged by helping them to access adequate funds, which will be paid off once they become active players domestically and globally;” he added. ESC also pitched for providing a 10-year Tax Holiday on Sales of Products with Intellectual Property (IP) such as patents and designs, developed through in-house R&D efforts. This would incentivise companies, particularly those not utilising the DLI scheme, to invest in the creation of innovative products and technologies. By providing tax relief on revenues generated from these IP-driven products, the government can encourage the development of proprietary technologies, foster innovation, and reduce the reliance on foreign patents or designs, ESC said. CommentsManchester United Foundation to be targeted in Ratcliffe costs purge
LOS ANGELES — Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks' overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals. Te-Hina Paopao scored 18 points and Tessa Johnson scored 14 for the Gamecocks, whose road winning streak was third-longest in Division I history. It was the first time UCLA took down a No. 1 team in school history, having been 0-20 in such games. The program's previous best wins were over a couple of No. 2s — Oregon in 2019 and Stanford in 2008. Elina Aarnisalo added 13 points as one of five Bruins in double figures. People are also reading... UCLA (5-0) dominated from start to finish, with the Bruins' suffocating defense preventing the Gamecocks from making any sustained scoring runs. Takeaways South Carolina: The Gamecocks trailed by double-digits at halftime for the first time since Dec. 21, 2021, against Stanford, according to ESPN. Chloe Kitts, who averages a team-leading 14 points, finished the game with 2 points on 1 of 7 shooting. UCLA: The Bruins led 43-22 at halftime. Eight different players scored and contributed to 11-0 and 7-0 runs in the first and second quarters as they shot 52% from the field. Key moment The first quarter set the tone for a game in which the Gamecocks never led. They missed their first nine shots and were 4 of 18 from the floor in the quarter. UCLA ran off 11 straight points to take a 20-10 lead into the second quarter. Key stats The Bruins dominated the boards, 41-34, and held the Gamecocks well under their scoring average of 80.2 points. Up next South Carolina travels to Florida to meet Iowa State in the Fort Myers Tipoff on Thanksgiving. UCLA travels to the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Hawaii to play UT Martin on Friday. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Watts scores 20, Washington State takes down Boise State 74-69South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt) Ltd (SAGT), Sri Lanka’s first Public Private Partnership emerged winner in the “Other” category at the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards 2024 hosted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, an SAGT news release said. “Since launching its sustainability strategy in 2018, SAGT has been at the forefront of driving sustainable operations both within its terminal and the Port of Colombo. SAGT was the first and to date remains the only single operator terminal in the South Asia Region to publish an independently accredited annual sustainability report which charts the Company’s progressive journey in sustainable terminal operations,” it said. The release added that in pursuit of achieving net zero ahead of the 2050 IMO mandated target, SAGT continues to leverage energy efficient technology and innovation to drive down its carbon emissions. Following the successful hybrid conversion of its Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGs), SAGT has achieved over 50% diesel saving per machine. Over the past five years (2019/20-2023/24) SAGT has reduced the Green House Gas (GHG) intensity of its operations by 28%. Accelerating progress towards decarbonization, SAGT continues to explore electrification and renewable energy to power relevant segments across all of its operations. “Employees are at the heart of SAGT’s business success. SAGT’s commitment continues to invest in the wellbeing and development of its employees. In 2024 SAGT redoubled its efforts to create a more diverse and equitable working environment and became the first port sector organization in Sri Lanka to introduce a paternity leave policy,” it continued. “Amidst the prevailing economic backdrop in the country SAGT continues to work towards the upliftment of its surrounding communities. During the period 2023/24 SAGT partially funded the restarting of the stalled Thriposha production by donating milk powder (a primary ingredient) to the value of USD 500,000.00 facilitating production of 3 million 750g packs reaching 1.5 million beneficiaries. Thriposha is the Government of Sri Lanka’s fortified nutritional program benefitting malnourished children (between 6 months-5 years) and pregnant and lactating mothers.” Commenting on the award, Udara Cumaratunga, Deputy General Manger – Commercial and Marketing stated “SAGT is committed to its sustainability aspirations that permeates through all aspects of our operations encompassing social, environmental and governance responsibilities. We are grateful to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the judging panel for recognizing our efforts in pioneering sustainable best practices in the Port of Colombo and the region”. South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), Sri Lanka’s first Public Private Partnership container terminal commenced operations in 1999 with a vision to be the most trusted Gateway in the Indian ocean. Built on a foundation of Teamwork, Safety, Trust and Integrity, Customer Centricity & Excellence, SAGT presents the international trading community a competitive best in class service. A pioneer in sustainable terminal operations, SAGT continues to steer course for a sustainable future. Promoting “Ease of doing business” through digitalization and digitization is an integral part of SAGT’s DNA. SAGT is a recipient of multiple independent globally recognized “best practice” awards since inception. SAGT is a Board of Investment flagship company whose shareholders include – John Keells Holdings, Maersk/APM Terminals, SLPA and Evergreen Marine Corporation.Home | NW government HOD sentenced to 2-years in SA Express matter The former Head of Department at the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management Bailey Mahlakoleng has been sentenced to two years imprisonment or R200 000 fine. This is after he pleaded guilty before the North West High court today, for contravening the Public Finance Management Act relating to the SA Express matter. His sentencing emanates from an investigation by the Hawks into allegations of flouting procurement processes when the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management entered into a contract with SA Express in 2015 to provide airline services for the province. HAWKS North West Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula elaborates. “Upon entering into a five-year contract with the department, SA Express appointed three different management companies for ground handling services. In terms of the agreement, the department had to pay an amount of approximately R409 million to SA Express and management companies over a five-year period. The contract ended after three years. The department had suffered a loss of R186 million. Over R83 million was paid to the three management companies. It was discovered during the investigation that no ground handling services were rendered by the appointed companies.” Mahlakoleng reportedly confessed that he was only following political instructions. “The main reasons for accepting the plea offer were that he did not receive any of the stolen funds and he is a first offender and acted under pressure when he yielded to the instruction from his political bosses not to follow correct procurement procedures when SA Express was appointed,” adds Mathebula. SABC © 2024
What just happened? The 8K Association (8KA), a non-profit organization tasked with advancing the adoption and standardization of 8K technology, has handed out its first 8K projector certification. The recipient, Samsung's flagship 8K projector, was unveiled at CES 2024 back in January yet still is not available to purchase. The Premiere 8K was billed as the industry's first wireless projector. It utilizes ultra-short throw (UTS) technology combined with advanced aspherical mirrors to beam images from a short distance, effectively eliminating the need for ceiling mounts and other impractical installation hurdles. The projector, which is expected to retail in the five-figure range, features a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 pixels and up to 4,500 ISO Lumens of brightness. Samsung claims the unit is capable of producing vibrant, lifelike visuals, even in well-lit spaces. Advanced upscaling tech, meanwhile, can enhance the appearance of lower-resolution content while immersive audio capabilities are said to support the latest formats. The 8KA certification considers a range of attributes including resolution, brightness, contrast, and color gamut, as well as high dynamic range performance, upscaling, and audio. The Premiere 8K passed the test with flying colors, and is now the first to receive the coveted certification. According to What Hi-Fi, the consortium is working on a logo program that will allow consumers to easily identify certified projectors when shopping. 8K has been around for longer than most realize. Japanese broadcasting company NHK started researching on the tech way back in 1995, but it wouldn't be until 2012 that Sharp announced the first 8K TV at CES. That was nearly 13 years ago, and 8K content is still incredibly rare. Heck, 4K content arguably has not even gone mainstream yet, especially with regard to live broadcasts like sporing events. Sure, it exists, but such content is not the norm. With CES 2025 just a few weeks away, perhaps we may finally get pricing information and a release date? CES 2025 kicks off on January 7 and runs through the 10th in Las Vegas.
Arizona women's basketball focused on fundamentals with squad of young playersInsurgents reach gates of Syria’s capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad rule BEIRUT (AP) — A Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet say government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. Losing Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Syria’s embattled leader, Bashar Assad. An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on PARIS (AP) — France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral has formally reopened its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019. The five-year restoration is widely seen as a boost for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline, and brings a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. World leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers gathered on Saturday evening for the celebrations under the cathedral's soaring arches. The celebration was attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy for their talks PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Donald Trump to Paris with a full dose of presidential pomp. And they held a hastily arranged meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a day that's mixing pageantry with attention to pressing global problems. The president-elect's visit to France is part of a global a celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire. Macron and other European leaders are trying to win Trump’s favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. Trump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leaders NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is making threats, traveling abroad, and negotiating with world leaders. He has more than a month-and-a-half to go before he’s sworn in for a second term. But the president-elect is already moving aggressively to not only fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but also to try to achieve his priorities. In recent days, Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest trading partners. That led to emergency calls and a visit. And he's warned of “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas doesn't release the hostages still being held captive in Gaza. South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol has avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law. Most of Yoon's ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea. A survey suggests a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party. But the party also apparently fears losing the presidency to liberals. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting opens a door for many to vent frustrations over insurance The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has opened the door for many people to vent their frustrations and anger over the insurance industry. The feelings of exasperation, anger, resentment, and helplessness toward insurers aren’t new. But the shooting and the headlines around it have unleashed a new wave of patients sharing such sentiments and personal stories of interactions with insurance companies. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic. Many say they hope the new amplified voices can bring about change for companies often accused of valuing profits over people. 2 Pearl Harbor survivors, ages 104 and 102, return to Hawaii to honor those killed in 1941 attack PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The bombing of Pearl Harbor 83 years ago launched the United States into World War II. Two survivors have returned to the Hawaii military base for a remembrance ceremony on the attack's anniversary. Both are over 100 years old. They joined active-duty troops, veterans and members of the public for an observance hosted by the Navy and the National Park Service. A third survivor was planning to join them but had to cancel due to health issues. The bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An explosion and fire has rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague, killing three people and injuring other people and destroying several apartments. The cause of the disaster is unclear. Emergency authorities said four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to the hospital. The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies, but could not specify how many people might still be unaccounted for. Residents of the northeastern neighborhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. Dutch authorities have deployed a specialized urban search and rescue team to find victims. How 'Mufasa' rose with Aaron Pierre and Blue Ivy's voices along with new Lin-Manuel Miranda music SAN DIEGO (AP) — When Aaron Pierre was cast as Mufasa, the weight of following in the late James Earl Jones’ legendary footsteps was enough to rattle any actor. But instead of letting the pressure roar too loudly, he harnessed his nerves to breathe fresh life into his young lion character. Pierre found parallels between himself and his character while filming his leading role in “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which opens in theaters Dec. 20. He took the reigns as the new voice of Mufasa after Jones played the iconic King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The prequel offers a fresh exploration into Mufasa’s origin story.
BSP tightens reporting for virtual asset firmsNinja's new 'extremely accurate' wireless thermometer will help cook your Christmas turkey 'to perfection'
Another day, another round of drones and officials talking about them
Fox attorneys seek to dismiss shareholder lawsuit over reporting of vote rigging allegations in 2020The Kremlin fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine on Thursday in response to Kyiv's use this week of American and British missiles capable of striking deeper into Russia, President Vladimir Putin said. In a televised address to the country, the Russian president warned that U.S. air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile, which he said flies at ten times the speed of sound and which he called the Oreshnik — Russian for hazelnut tree. He also said it could be used to attack any Ukrainian ally whose missiles are used to attack Russia. “We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of the countries that allow to use their weapons against our facilities,” Putin said in his first comments since President Joe Biden gave Ukraine the green light this month to use U.S. ATACMS missiles to strike at limited targets inside Russia. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh confirmed that Russia’s missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate range missile based on it’s RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. “This was new type of lethal capability that was deployed on the battlefield, so that was certainly of concern," Singh said, noting that the missile could carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. The U.S. was notified ahead of the launch through nuclear risk reduction channels, she said. The attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro came in response to Kyiv's use of longer-range U.S. and British missiles in strikes Tuesday and Wednesday on southern Russia, Putin said. Those strikes caused a fire at an ammunition depot in Russia's Bryansk region and killed and wounded some security services personnel in the Kursk region, he said. “In the event of an escalation of aggressive actions, we will respond decisively and in kind,” the Russian president said, adding that Western leaders who are hatching plans to use their forces against Moscow should “seriously think about this.” Putin said the Oreshnik fired Thursday struck a well-known missile factory in Dnipro. He also said Russia would issue advance warnings if it launches more strikes with the Oreshnik against Ukraine to allow civilians to evacuate to safety — something Moscow hasn’t done before previous aerial attacks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov initially said Russia hadn’t warned the U.S. about the coming launch of the new missile, noting that it wasn't obligated to do so. But he later changed tack and said Moscow did issue a warning 30 minutes before the launch. Putin's announcement came hours after Ukraine claimed that Russia had used an intercontinental ballistic missile in the Dnipro attack, which wounded two people and damaged an industrial facility and rehabilitation center for people with disabilities, according to local officials. But American officials said an initial U.S. assessment indicated the strike was carried out with an intermediate-range ballistic missile. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post that the use of the missile was an "obvious and serious escalation in the scale and brutality of this war, a cynical violation of the UN Charter.” He also said there had been “no strong global reaction” to the use of the missile, which he said could threaten other countries. “Putin is very sensitive to this. He is testing you, dear partners,” Zelenskyy wrote. “If there is no tough response to Russia’s actions, it means they see that such actions are possible.” The attack comes during a week of escalating tensions , as the U.S. eased restrictions on Ukraine's use of American-made longer-range missiles inside Russia and Putin lowered the threshold for launching nuclear weapons. The Ukrainian air force said in a statement that the Dnipro attack was launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region, on the Caspian Sea. “Today, our crazy neighbor once again showed what he really is,” Zelenskyy said hours before Putin's address. “And how afraid he is.” Russia was sending a message by attacking Ukraine with an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of releasing multiple warheads at extremely high speeds, even if they are less accurate than cruise missiles or short-range ballistic missiles, said Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank. “Why might you use it therefore?” Savill said. "Signaling — signaling to the Ukrainians. We’ve got stuff that outrages you. But really signaling to the West ‘We’re happy to enter into a competition around intermediate range ballistic missiles. P.S.: These could be nuclear tipped. Do you really want to take that risk?’” Military experts say that modern ICBMs and IRBMs are extremely difficult to intercept, although Ukraine has previously claimed to have stopped some other weapons that Russia described as “unstoppable,” including the air-launched Kinzhal hypersonic missile. David Albright, of the Washington-based think tank the Institute for Science and International Security, said he was “skeptical” of Putin’s claim, adding that Russian technology sometimes “falls short.” He suggested Putin was “taunting the West to try to shoot it down ... like a braggart boasting, taunting his enemy.” Earlier this week, the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to use the U.S.-supplied, longer-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia — a move that drew an angry response from Moscow. Days later, Ukraine fired several of the missiles into Russia, according to the Kremlin. The same day, Putin signed a new doctrine that allows for a potential nuclear response even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power. The doctrine is formulated broadly to avoid a firm commitment to use nuclear weapons. In response, Western countries, including the U.S., said Russia has used irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and behavior throughout the war to intimidate Ukraine and other nations. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Russia’s formal lowering of the threshold for nuclear weapons use did not prompt any changes in U.S. doctrine. She pushed back on concerns that the decision to allow Ukraine to use Western missiles to strike deeper inside Russia might escalate the war. ′′They’re the ones who are escalating this,” she said of the Kremlin — in part because of a flood of North Korean troops sent to the region. More than 1,000 days into war , Russia has the upper hand, with its larger army advancing in Donetsk and Ukrainian civilians suffering from relentless drone and missile strikes. Analysts and observers say the loosening of restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western missiles is unlikely to change the the course of the war, but it puts the Russian army in a more vulnerable position and could complicate the logistics that are crucial in warfare. Putin has also warned that the move would mean that Russia and NATO are at war. “It is an important move and it pulls against, undermines the narrative that Putin had been trying to establish that it was fine for Russia to rain down Iranian drones and North Korean missiles on Ukraine but a reckless escalation for Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons at legitimate targets in Russia,” said Peter Ricketts, a former U.K. national security adviser who now sits in the House of Lords. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Lawless and Emma Burrows in London, and Zeke Miller and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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Reo Hatate produced a brilliant finish to earn Celtic victory over nearest rivals Aberdeen and a seven-point lead in the William Hill Premiership . The Japan midfielder beat the offside trap, chested down Greg Taylor’s lofted pass and dispatched a left-footed half-volley into the corner of the net in the 78th minute at Pittodrie. The 1-0 victory saw the champions strengthen their grip on the title race – they have a game in hand over the Dons and stay 11 points ahead of Rangers. The game was played in heavy rain and wind speeds of close to 50 miles per hour and the quality of football suffered in the first half but both teams had decent chances as the second half progressed. Read more: Brendan Rodgers shuts down Celtic 'title race over' poser Carter-Vickers on 'massive' block and another side to Celtic The Dons had matched Celtic for the first 11 games of the league campaign with both teams’ only slip-up coming in a 2-2 draw at Parkhead. But Jimmy Thelin’s side had picked up just two points from three consecutive away games before now losing their 14-match winning run at Pittodrie. The Dons had also lost goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov to a hamstring injury and suffered an early scare when his deputy, Ross Doohan, took one of Kyogo Furuhashi’s knees to the face as the pair collided when going for Callum McGregor’s through ball. The former Celtic keeper was able to continue after treatment. The visitors started with Alex Valle and Paulo Bernardo in their team after Brendan Rodgers reversed four of the six changes he made ahead of Saturday’s win over Ross County. Valle was given some difficult moments by Duk early on and the wide player forced a save off Kasper Schmeichel’s legs before Kevin Nisbet dragged the rebound wide. Duk also had a free-kick saved in a first half of few clear-cut chances. Celtic struggled to get Nicolas Kuhn on the ball and only seriously threatened in the closing stage of the half, through a series of Bernardo corners. One flew straight into the net but Daizen Maeda was penalised for impeding Doohan on the line with referee Don Robertson deciding the Japan international had backed into the goalkeeper. Valle had been struggling with a knock and Taylor replaced the on-loan Barcelona left-back at half-time. Kuhn nearly lit up a scrappy start to the second period but curled just over the top corner following another Bernardo corner. Duk and Sivert Heltne Nilsen threatened for the home side before the introduction of Luke McCowan and Adam Idah gave Celtic an added edge. The pair were involved in a move which led to Doohan’s first save, an impressive diving stop from Hatate after the Dons defence had made a series of blocks. McCowan then set up Idah with a curling cross but Doohan made a superb stop from the Irishman’s header. Three of Aberdeen’s substitutes were then involved in a move which ended with Leighton Clarkson squandering a good chance from 18 yards. Taylor drifted inside moments later before picking out Hatate with an exquisite pass and right-back Nicky Devlin played the midfielder onside before watching him slot home. Ester Sokler had a good chance to level soon after but Auston Trusty managed to divert the substitute’s shot over the bar from 10 yards.
Market Movements You Can’t Ignore: What’s Happening with TSM?Ereauna Hardaway has heard the same message over and over from just about everyone the last few weeks. North Texas’ coaches, her teammates, her parents, they’re all telling the Mean Green’s point guard to be aggressive. “They’ve all helped me” Hardaway said following UNT’s 87-54 win over Southern Illinois on Saturday at the Super Pit. “They keep telling me to shoot the ball.” The message makes a lot of sense considering the way the junior guard is shooting of late. Hardway scored 21 points during the Mean Green’s win over the Salukis and led an offensive onslaught by UNT, which has come on of late. UNT (7-2) has cleared the 80-point mark in each of its last two games. Hardaway has scored a career high in both of those games, a run that began with an 18-point outing in a win over Tennessee State. Hardaway is in her fourth year at UNT, but the Mean Green have several newcomers who appear to be settling in. “Familiarity is helping us,” UNT coach Jason Burton said. “The work matters. Shooting, getting reps and making adjustments offensively have helped us. We are getting more comfortable with ourselves too. People are getting more comfortable with their roles.” The result was an impressive all-around offensive outing. UNT shot 56.1% (32-for-57) from the floor and had four players score in double figures. Kyla Deck scored 19, Tommisha Lampkin 17 and Desiree Wooten 11. Deck is one of UNT’s newcomers who have come on as the season has progressed. The Stephen F. Austin transfer also credited the support of her teammates and coaches, while also pointing to the work UNT is doing in practice. “The more practice we get, the better we get,” Deck said. “We have played some good teams and faced adversity. That brings teams together. It’s coming together. We’re getting better every single day.” UNT showed that improvement with another solid all-around offensive game. “We only turned the ball over 12 times and were plus-10 on rebounds,” Burton said. “Those extra possessions, with the way we are shooting the ball, will lead to us scoring and pulling away. “If we take care of the ball, good things are going to happen for us.” North Texas 87, Southern Illinois 54 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (2-5) – Palmqvist 4-6 1-2 10, Uchenna 4-9 2-2 10, Cooper 2-9 0-0 5, Curman 0-3 0-0 0, Nelson 3-6 1-2 7, Almond 4-9 1-2 13, Brown 4-8 0-0 9, Gaines 0-0 0-0 0, Ngoyi 0-1 0-0 0, Agba 0-1 0-0 0, Peagler 0-0m 0-0 0. Totals 21-52 5-8 54. NORTH TEXAS (7-2) – Lampkin 8-10 1-3 17, Johnson 3-4 0-0 6, Hardaway 7-14 5-6 21, Wooten 4-7 3-4 11, Deck 6-12 6-8 19, Brackens 0-1 1-2 1, Price 1-3 2-2 4, Moore 1-2 0-0 3, Talley 2-3 1-2 5, McGrew 0-1 0-0 0, Brannon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-57 19-27 87. Three-point goals – Southern Illinois – 7-20 (Palmqvist 1-3, Cooper 1-4, Curman 0-3, Almond 4-5, Brown 1-5) UNT 4-14 (Johnson 0-1, Hardaway 2-3, Wooten 0-2, Deck 1-4, Brackens 0-1, Moore 1-2, McGrew 0-1) Fouled out – none Rebounds – Southern Illinois 25 (Uchenna 6) UNT 36 (Johnson, Wooten 6) Assists – Southern Illinois 12 (Curman 4) UNT 14 (Wooten 4) Total fouls – Southern Illinois 21, UNT 16 A – 1,673. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.Conspiracy theorists seize on Wisconsin election error
An increase in roadside drug testing is being urged after NSW fell well short its own targets, despite a spike in drug-related driving deaths. or signup to continue reading A report from motoring body NRMA found one-in-10 NSW drivers who undertook a roadside drug test delivered a positive result, as the state carried out 160,000 tests in 2023. That is well below the government's target of 200,000 test per year. A total of 79 people died in drug-related crashes in 2023, up from 55 in 2022. NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said a lift in random drug testing was urgently needed. "It is extremely alarming that one-in-10 drivers pulled over for a random drug test on the side of the road tested positive at the same time that we are seeing a huge spike in deaths - jumping 44 per cent in one year," he said. "Too many Australians are driving high and it's clear we need to ramp up enforcement and to boost education campaigns around ending this dangerous behaviour." The found cannabis was the drug used in 70 per cent of drug-related crashes, beating out methylamphetamine (43 per cent) and cocaine (seven per cent). A whopping 85 per cent of drivers involved in fatal, drug-related crashes were males. Along with hitting the target of 200,000 roadside drug tests by 2026, the NRMA wants police to be given more resources to have stronger visibility on the road. It also called for better public education about the dangers of drug-driving. In October, a NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research report questioned the deterrent effect of the roadside drug testing scheme because a spike in charges was not matched with an increase to the proportion of positive tests. More than 13,800 drug driving offences were recorded across NSW in 2023, up a staggering 836 per cent from the 1409 logged in 2014. However, only 39,000 tests were performed in 2014, a tally that had grown to 156,000 by 2023. The bureau found no evidence the increase was driven by a change in drug use or driving behaviour. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement'Democracy and freedom': Jimmy Carter's human rights efforts in Latin America