Extended Detection and Response Market Future Trends, Scope, Business Growth, Size, Share, Segmentation, Dynamics and Forecast to 2028 12-04-2024 09:04 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: ABNewswire Trend Micro (Japan), Microsoft (US), Bitdefender (Romania), Palo Alto Networks (US), CrowdStrike (US), SentinelOne (US), IBM (US), Trellix (US), Cybereason (US), Elastic (US), Fortinet (US), Secureworks (US), Cisco (US), Sophos (UK), Broadcom (US). Extended Detection and Response Market by Offering (Solutions and Services), Deployment Mode (Cloud and On-premises), Organization Size (SMEs and Large Enterprises), Vertical (BFSI, Government, Retail & eCommerce) and Region - Global Forecast to 2028. The global XDR market [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/extended-detection-response-market-52119574.html?utm_campaign=extendeddetectionresponsemarket&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=paidpr ] is expected to expand from USD 1.7 billion in 2023 to USD 8.8 billion by 2028, registering a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 38.4% during the forecast period. This growth is driven by factors such as the increasing complexity of cyber threats, the rising need for real-time monitoring, visibility, analysis, and response across security systems, and the industry transition from EDR to XDR solutions. Download PDF Brochure@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=52119574 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=52119574&utm_campaign=extendeddetectionresponsemarket&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=paidpr ] Based on offerings, the services segment to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period The services segment by offering would grow with the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The services segment has witnessed tremendous growth. Small and large enterprises increasingly rely on XDR providers to respond to cybersecurity incidents and threats. Financial services, healthcare, and eCommerce verticals have witnessed huge data losses due to security breaches. Enterprises are still flourishing in the development of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Therefore, they highly depend on XDR services to strengthen their cybersecurity capabilities. SMEs look forward to adopting managed XDR services in the future. Based on verticals, the BFSI segment holds the largest market size during the forecast period. Banks and financial institutes are prime targets for cyberattacks due to the valuable financial and personal information they possess. To enhance their security posture, many banks are adopting XDR solutions. XDR provides a holistic view of the threat landscape and enables banks to detect various threats across various attack vectors, including malware, phishing attempts, account takeovers, insider threats, and sophisticated targeted attacks. Thus, the BFSI vertical holds the largest market size during the forecast period. Some vendors in the market who cater to the BFSI industry are Trend Micro, Microsoft, Bitdefender, Palo Alto Networks, and CrowdStrike, among others. Based on regions, Asia Pacific expects to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is home to diverse economies and rapidly growing digital infrastructure and the region faces unique cybersecurity challenges. In this dynamic region, XDR solutions offer a comprehensive threat detection, response, and remediation approach across multiple endpoints, networks, and cloud environments. Asia Pacific countries are undergoing rapid digital transformation, with increased adoption of cloud services, mobile devices, and IoT technologies. XDR provides holistic visibility across these digital assets, enabling organizations to secure their expanding attack surfaces. Request Sample Pages@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=52119574 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=52119574&utm_campaign=extendeddetectionresponsemarket&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=paidpr ] Unique Features in the Extended Detection and Response Market XDR consolidates multiple security tools into a single, integrated platform, offering a unified view of threats across endpoints, networks, emails, and cloud environments. This approach enhances visibility and simplifies threat detection and response workflows. Unlike traditional security solutions, XDR uses sophisticated analytics and machine learning to correlate threat data across various layers of an organization's infrastructure. This capability enables faster identification and mitigation of complex, multi-vector attacks. XDR solutions often include proactive threat-hunting features that allow security teams to uncover hidden threats before they cause significant damage. By leveraging behavioral analytics and advanced search capabilities, these tools enhance an organization's defensive posture. Automation is a key differentiator in the XDR market. XDR platforms can automate repetitive tasks such as alert prioritization, investigation, and remediation, reducing the workload on security teams and enabling quicker response times. XDR integrates seamlessly with existing security solutions like SIEMs, SOARs, and third-party tools. This interoperability enhances operational efficiency and ensures that organizations can leverage their existing investments while adopting XDR. Major Highlights of the Extended Detection and Response Market Organizations are transitioning from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) to XDR solutions to address broader security challenges. XDR's ability to integrate data from multiple security layers makes it a more comprehensive option for modern enterprises. XDR platforms emphasize real-time monitoring, analysis, and response capabilities, enabling organizations to detect and mitigate threats faster. This focus on real-time capabilities is critical in minimizing potential damage from cyberattacks. Advanced XDR solutions leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance threat detection accuracy, reduce false positives, and improve the speed of threat response. These technologies are integral to the innovation driving the XDR market. The rise of cloud-native XDR solutions is enabling organizations to secure their cloud environments effectively. Many platforms also support hybrid deployments, catering to organizations with complex IT infrastructures. Automation is a significant highlight in the XDR market, reducing the complexity of security operations by streamlining alert triage, threat investigation, and response actions. This automation improves efficiency and allows security teams to focus on strategic tasks. Inquire Before Buying@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=52119574 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=52119574&utm_campaign=extendeddetectionresponsemarket&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=paidpr ] Top Companies in the Extended Detection and Response Market The XDR market includes analysis of globally established players, such as Trend Micro (Japan), Microsoft (US), Bitdefender (Romania), Palo Alto Networks (US), CrowdStrike (US), SentinelOne (US), IBM (US), Trellix (US), Cybereason (US), Elastic (US), Fortinet (US), Secureworks (US), Cisco (US), Sophos (UK), Broadcom (US), Barracuda Networks (US), eSentire (Canada), Qualys (US), Blueshift (US), Rapid7 (US), Exabeam (US), VMware (US), Cynet (US), LMNTRIX (US), Stella Cyber (US), and Confluera (US). Trend Micro (Japan) is a prominent vendor in the XDR market. Trend Micro, a Japanese cybersecurity company, provides a wide range of advanced threat defense strategies designed for environments such as AWS, Microsoft, and Google, as well as central visibility for better, faster detection and reaction. The cybersecurity platform from Trend Micro safeguards individuals and companies across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints with decades of security knowledge, worldwide threat analysis, and ongoing innovation. The company offers Trend Micro Vision One and Managed XDR services for Extended Detection and Response. Trend Vision One integrates XDR with powerful risk management tools and dynamic zero trust. It continuously monitors and evaluates an organization's security posture, with custom role-based dashboard views for prioritized insights. Trend Micro applies XDR analytics to activity data from its native solutions to produce actionable alerts and comprehensive incident views. Users can hunt for active threats using various search methods and leverage automated intelligence to detect new indicators of compromise. Trend Micro XDR works across multiple security vectors, breaking down silos and optimizing security operations through a single pane of glass. Trend Micro Vision One applies XDR analytics to the activity data from its native solutions to produce actionable alerts and comprehensive incident views. On the other hand, Trend Micro Managed XDR and incident response services for support across the XDR solution and customer life cycle. Globally, a strong vendor presence is one of the essential factors leading to a good market share in the XDR market. Apart from large and SME vendors, start-ups such as LMNTRIX, Confluera, Cynet, and Stella Cyber are also evolving in the XDR market. Another critical player in the XDR market is Microsoft (US), one of the key developers and manufacturers of computer software, personal computers, and consumer electronics. The company operates through three primary business segments: Productivity and Business Processes, Personal Computing, and Intelligent Cloud. Microsoft 365 Defender is the XDR solution combined with the SIEM capabilities to help organizations fight external threats and cyberattacks and modernize security operations. The combination of SIEM and XDR provides end-to-end threat visibility across all segments. It prioritizes the attack alerts with the help of automation to proactively hunt and implement threat prevention. It provides incident-level visibility at every stage of an attack, enabling automatic disruption of even the most sophisticated threats and accelerated response times across endpoints, identities, emails, applications, and data. Endpoints are empowered to efficiently discover and secure both endpoint and network devices, while identities are managed and secured, even in hybrid environments. Cloud apps benefit from enhanced visibility and data control against advanced threats. Bitdefender, headquartered in Romania, plays a significant role in the Extended Detection and Response (XDR) market with its advanced cybersecurity solutions. Leveraging its expertise in endpoint protection, network security, and cloud security, Bitdefender offers integrated XDR capabilities that provide comprehensive threat detection, response, and remediation across diverse IT environments. Their solutions incorporate AI-driven technologies for proactive threat hunting, real-time incident analysis, and automated response actions, ensuring organizations have robust defense mechanisms against sophisticated cyber threats. Bitdefender's presence in the XDR market underscores its commitment to delivering scalable, efficient, and effective security solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of global enterprises and SMBs alike. Media Contact Company Name: MarketsandMarkets Trademark Research Private Ltd. Contact Person: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=extended-detection-and-response-market-future-trends-scope-business-growth-size-share-segmentation-dynamics-and-forecast-to-2028 ] Phone: 18886006441 Address:1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 City: Florida State: Florida Country: United States Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/extended-detection-response-market-52119574.html This release was published on openPR.
What Makes Panama Canal Important and Could Trump Really Seize It?Why Palantir Technologies Stock Surged 61% in NovemberNone
Buying the right stock at the right time can transform your life. For example, if you had invested $10,000 in electric vehicle (EV) industry leader Tesla in 2014, you would have a whopping $245,300 today. That's a return of over 2,430% in just a decade. Could Rivian Automotive ( RIVN 5.35% ) be the next best thing? Let's explore the pros and cons of this EV start-up to decide if it has multi-bagger potential over the long term. The hype has faded Rivian was at the top of the world when its shares became available through an initial public offering (IPO) in 2021. This was a different time for the EV industry. Tesla had recently become profitable, proving the technology was here to stay. And Rivian's lineup of high-end trucks and EVs promised to fill an overlooked opportunity in the market. With a starting market capitalization of over $100 billion, the company immediately became America's second-most-valuable automaker behind Tesla -- leaving traditional marques like Ford Motor Company and General Motors in the dust. In hindsight, this made very little sense. And the market quickly soured on Rivian as growth stalled and rivals began offering products like the F-150 lighting, Silverado EV, and Cybertruck, which took over its niche. Rivian's third-quarter revenue fell 18% year over year to $874 million on a decline in both production and deliveries. To be fair, the EV industry is much more competitive now than it was when Rivian went public. And macroeconomic challenges like inflation and high interest rates probably aren't helping consumer appetite for its high-end cars. But it's hard to make any excuses for Rivian when rival products like the Tesla Cybertruck are doing so well. According to Kelley Blue Book, Elon Musk's polarizing vehicle has sold a whopping 28,240 units so far this year, trouncing Rivian's R1T, which has only sold 10,387 units. This is despite the Cybertruck's higher sticker price, with a base price of $82,235, compared to Rivian's R1T, which starts at $71,700. Worse still, Rivian lost an average of $39,130 on every car it sold -- up from $30,448 last year. With a gross margin of negative 45%, it costs the company more to manufacture and deliver its cars than it can recoup by selling them. CEO Ryan Scaringe believes he can change the situation. He claims the company is on track to achieve gross profitability in the fourth quarter by improving revenue per unit and variable costs per unit. This will involve selling regulatory credits, improving materials costs, and unlocking manufacturing efficiencies. But this doesn't fix Rivian's core problem with heavy competition and poor top-line growth. Can the situation be turned around? There are several things Rivian can do to try to turn its situation around. The first step will be to secure the funding needed to stay in business. To that end, the company has partnered with industry giant Volkswagen Group to launch a $5.8 billion joint venture to focus on creating EV software and architectures. Rivian will benefit from cash infusions, while Volkswagen will get access to its more advanced technology. While this deal makes sense in the short term, it is alarming to see Rivian giving up part of its economic moat to a potential competitor. Volkswagen vehicles are expected to begin using Rivian's architecture by 2027. All this being said, I'm still cautiously optimistic about Rivian. The company doesn't seem to be a life-changing buy right now. But underneath the noise, it makes quality products that consistently win awards for safety and consumer satisfaction. And eventually, enough buyers might take notice. While it's too early to buy Rivian stock, investors should keep it on their watch list pending more information.
have greenlit a bill that would increase the levy on sportsbooks’ winnings. This controversial measure seeks to increase the money provided to soccer clubs and academies. The Levy Will Increase by 1.5% The bill, which was proposed by the finance ministry, passed with and . It would increase the fee sports betting companies pay to the National Betting Authority , effectively raising the levy (currently 3%). The additional money raised by the increased levy will be provided to the Cyprus Sports Organization, which will inject them into the Cyprus Football Association, allowing it to support professional soccer clubs and their academies. Lawmakers believe that this change to Cyprus’ Betting Laws of 2019 and 2020 will benefit the sector, providing additional funds to some . In the meantime, a separate amendment will see more money provided to other team sports too. Despite criticisms, the bill was described as a way to end the injustice surrounding soccer and soccer betting. According to its proponents, sportsbooks profit from the sector while providing it with minimal benefits. Some Say Clubs Should Be Treated More Strictly The soccer measure was harshly critiqued in Cyprus. While such critique usually comes from the payers of such levies, in this case, a wider group of people implied that the increased levy will “reward soccer clubs for not paying their taxes.” For context, soccer clubs in the country owe some $33.5 million in unpaid taxes and social insurance payments. To make matters worse, some clubs continued to accumulate debts, while others have yet to submit a single payment since the previous repayment plan was agreed. While clubs have until June 2037 to settle the debts, critics have been disgruntled by the new proposal. Some supported a separate amendment, which would have introduced requirements that teams have had to fulfill before they were eligible to receive funds from the government. This proposal would have required clubs to settle their debts beforehand. This measure, however, was rejected. The (AKEL), which proposed setting requirements for clubs receiving government funds, was generally unhappy with soccer clubs’ seeming lack of financial culture. AKEL general secretary Stephanos Stephanou slammed the teams’ lax spending habits and pointed out that many of them are spending more than their European counterparts to onboard expensive foreign players. He added that this “bubble” is bound to burst.Generative AI tools snuck into the pockets of millions more Australians this week as Apple launched its big push into the technology. or signup to continue reading The software updates delivered to smartphones, computers and tablets promise to help users compose stories and messages, edit images or create them and identify objects from the real world. But Apple's AI tools come almost a full year after its biggest rival launched artificial intelligence in smartphones and four months after one of the world's biggest tech companies made its AI play. Industry experts say Apple may still have one big drawcard for consumers, however, and it relies on keeping its promise to keep their personal information private. Apple Intelligence features arrived inside software updates delivered to the company's devices on Thursday. Rather than appear in a single app, the US tech giant has scattered AI tools throughout its menus, offering writing assistance in its own apps like Notes, for example, as well as those from third parties, and notification summaries from all apps as they arrive. Apple's AI additions also offer a photo-editing tool that removes objects in images and Visual Intelligence that uses photos to search for real-world objects. The company's AI tools have taken longer to arrive than many expected, University of the Sunshine Coast computer science lecturer Dr Erica Mealy says, but Apple could not avoid making an investment in the popular technology. "Apple had to put AI in their devices or they were definitely going to be left behind but I don't think that's necessarily a disadvantage because Apple often does that and does it better," she says. "They are more of an everyman's technology company, whereas some of the others tend to bring out the technology really soon." Apple's biggest rival, Samsung, launched Galaxy AI in its devices in January and Google followed in August, bringing more Gemini-powered tools to the latest generation of Pixel smartphones for rewriting text, producing images and even swapping faces in photographs. The iPhone's AI delay might not be the drawback it seems on paper, Dr Mealy says, if the company can convince customers their take on the technology is more practical and private. "Their approach is refreshing because a lot of the others are saying, 'AI is here, let's give all the data to AI,' and they're forgetting the fact that for the AI to be aware it needs to watch us constantly," she says. "If (Apple) can tell users a story about keeping more privacy or about how they are doing AI better that will be interesting to see." Apple's AI approach is different in that features are not only spread across apps but use two models: the company's own Apple Intelligence system and OpenAI's ChatGPT. In the first instance, AI requests on Apple devices are handled by the company's own platform, with processing on the device itself or on a Private Cloud Compute server that does not retain the data. More complex AI tasks such as composing stories or answering challenging queries posed to Siri can be handed over to ChatGPT but only if the user grants permission. Tasks handed over to ChatGPT remain anonymous, unless the user decides to sign into the service. The partnership of Apple and OpenAI is an unexpected one, Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi says, but could prove beneficial for both parties if it's handled well. "It's pulling Apple out of its comfort zone," he says. "Going out to ChatGPT was probably a very difficult decision for Apple to have made and it's to indicate to users Apple features are not going to be behind the times or antiquated." Apple will face significant challenges to ensure its own AI system keeps pace with that of standalone apps, such as Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Meta AI, Mr Fadaghi says but consumers will demand it. One in five Australian consumers say they will consider AI when upgrading their smartphone, according to Telyste research, and that figure rises to one in four for consumers who regularly use AI tools. "Consumers are thinking about what they might need in four or five years' time when buying handsets now," Mr Fadaghi says. "Devices that don't have AI-ready hardware are going to be less attractive." The additional of AI features is a key consideration for some phone buyers, Kantar Worldpanel global consumer insights director Jack Hamlin says. Twelve per cent of Google Pixel buyers say AI features are key to their choice, he says, even though sales of the smartphones did not rise this year. AI IN YOUR POCKET: 5 APPLE INTELLIGENCE FEATURES Smarter Siri: The AI-boosted voice assistant can respond to queries posed in natural language, features a new glowing light, more voice choices and can summon assistance from ChatGPT if users permit it. AI images: A dedicated app called Image Playground can generate cartoons or illustrations based on themes or inspired by photographs, while a feature called Image Wand can turn a sketch in the Notes app into a polished image. Photo editing: Apple takes a light touch to photographic AI. Its Clean Up feature lets users select visual distractions to remove them, recording its use in metadata and it supports more detailed photo voice searches. Word-wrangling: An AI-powered feature called Writing Tools appears across apps including Notes, Pages, Mail and Messages. It can proofread, summarise or rewrite text in different styles. Additional text-generation is available using ChatGPT. Summaries: Useful if a group chat gets too chatty, Apple Intelligence can summarise notifications from apps including Mail and Messages and provide a summary of what is yet to be read. 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
What is gender-affirming care? Your questions, answered
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the buzzword right now, with daily debates speculating on the transformative effects it will have for our society, our economy and us as individuals, both good and bad. The potential of this new world awaits and is there to be grasped. I’m convinced that if well-managed, AI can be a force for good – and for me, the key to a future shaped by AI for the better lies with our young people. That's why I'm incredibly proud of Camden's role in launching the London AI Campus in Somers Town. It places our young people at the very centre of the tech world, to not only be inspired by it, but to help shape its future. This ground-breaking initiative, a collaboration between Camden Council, Camden Learning and Google, is designed to nurture the skills of our young people. Students who attend Camden Learning’s brilliant and innovative schools will have access to this campus, preparing them for careers and a future in the science, technology, engineering, arts and maths industries. It has all been made possible by our pioneering STEAM programme which has developed strong partnerships with businesses to create career opportunities for local children. Last week, the campus officially opened its doors, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer the special guest. Cllr Marcus Boyland is convinced AI can be a force for good (Image: Camden Council) He welcomed the first cohort of Camden students who will get access to cutting-edge resources, mentorship and be part of real-world projects that showcase AI's applications across various fields such as health, social sciences and the arts. This campus will link our young people with world-leading businesses and institutions that have based themselves here in Camden. The programme prioritises inclusivity, with a focus on reaching students who in the past may not have been able to benefit from such opportunities. Through these kinds of partnerships, we want our young people, who may even grow up alongside these gleaming buildings, to see these world-leading tech giants right as a realistic future employer. For this to happen, we’ll be encouraging many more top employers in turn to set up specific programmes like the AI Campus to nurture the talent that is literally on their doorstep. The goal is for our young people, whatever their background, to secure well-paid jobs in these industries that allow them to afford to stay in Camden - in the community they know and love.It's the 26th of December, and Walmart has launched a massive after-Christmas clearance sale with deals on everything from blenders to cheap TVs, vacuums, and headphones. You can find the year's lowest price on some of this year's best-selling tech gadgets, appliances, and home items. • As the deals editor for TechRadar, who regularly covers sales at Walmart, I've gone through today's after-Christmas offers and hand-picked the 27 best deals I'd buy with my own money. You can find cheaper prices than on Black Friday from brands like Shark, Apple, Samsung, Ninja, and LG. A few highlights with clearance prices include the best-selling , this , and the . Below, I've listed Walmart's most popular sale categories if you want to jump straight to the site, followed by more of today's top after-Christmas deals. You can also visit our main hub for more of the best offers around the web. Walmart after-Christmas sale - quick links Walmart after-Christmas sale: the 27 best deals
Robert Eggers Reveals ‘Demented’ Final Moment of Nosferatu Was CutNone
By Erin Banco and Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the early days of 2013, an American man, dressed in ragged clothing, dodged between houses in the streets of Damascus’ upscale Mazzeh neighborhood looking for a civilian to take him to safety after more than five months of captivity in the concrete cells of a local prison. The man, journalist Austin Tice, was taken captive during a reporting trip to Syria in August 2012. A former Marine, he had managed to slip out of his cell, one current and three former U.S. officials and a person with knowledge of the event told Reuters. All were granted anonymity to speak freely about sensitive U.S. intelligence. Tice’s 2013 escape, reported here for the first time, was the first public sighting of the American after he disappeared, the officials said. Tice is now the focus of a massive manhunt following the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad this week after 13 years of civil war. Rebels, led by the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, have since released thousands of people from prisons in Damascus where Assad held political opponents, ordinary civilians and foreigners. The American has not yet been found. There are no credible hints of his whereabouts but also no clear evidence that he is dead, a U.S. official said. U.S. officials say that Tice's 2013 escape from prison, where he was believed to have been held by a pro-government militia, is the strongest evidence the U.S. government has to suggest that forces loyal to Assad held Tice. This has over the years allowed American officials to pressure the Assad government directly about the matter. The White House declined to comment for this story. The CIA, Office of the Director for National Intelligence and the FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. When Tice escaped, he was spotted by people living in the Mazzeh neighborhood, wandering the street. He entered the house of a well-known Syrian family, the name of which is being withheld for security reasons, a person familiar with the escape said. Tice was recaptured soon after his escape, one current and one former U.S. official said. U.S. officials believe it is likely that Tice was taken after his escape by forces who answered directly to Assad. One person with knowledge of the escape said Tice was potentially passed back and forth between several different government intelligence agencies in the following years. The administration of former President Barack Obama received another tip in 2016 that Tice had been taken to a hospital in Damascus to receive care for an unknown illness, in what would be his second known sighting, a U.S. official and a person familiar with the tip said. But current U.S. officials are not as confident in that report as they are in his 2013 escape. Over the years, Tice's family - which has led the charge in trying to find him - has spoken publicly of their frustration with the U.S. government, saying it has not prioritized Tice's release. They are now gathered in Washington in the hope they can soon celebrate his freedom. The family declined a request for comment. “We believe he’s alive. We think we can get him back, but we have no direct evidence of that yet,” U.S. president Joe Biden said last Sunday, fueling optimism about Tice’s fate. Over the last 12 years, U.S. agencies, including the FBI, the State Department and the CIA, have gathered thousands of tips about Tice. Most are nearly impossible to verify. HARROWING VIDEO Tice, who worked as a freelance reporter for the Washington Post and McClatchy, was one of the first U.S. journalists to make it into Syria after the outbreak of the civil war. In August 2012, during fighting in Aleppo, he was taken captive. Weeks later, a YouTube video was published showing Tice blindfolded, hands tied behind his back. He was led up a hill by armed men in what appeared to be Afghan garb and shouting "God is great" in an apparent bid to blame Islamist rebels for his capture although the video only gained attention when it was posted on a Facebook page associated with Assad supporters. Tice can be heard reciting a prayer, in Arabic, before saying in English: "Oh Jesus, oh Jesus." There are varying accounts of what happened to Tice in 2012, including who initially took him and where he was moved. Other journalists were taken captive around the same time. But as time passed and other reporters were freed, details about Tice remained scarce. The Obama administration had obtained intelligence that he was either in the hands of an extremist rebel faction or the Syrian government, two of the former officials said. But it had no way of verifying the information. Over the past decade, some U.S. officials and press advocates have lost faith in the assessment that Tice is alive in part because there has been no new, credible evidence to confirm his status. Others have maintained a sense of optimism, including some in the incoming Trump administration. In 2019, Trump administration officials, including Kash Patel, then a U.S. presidential aide and counterterrorism adviser, and Roger Carstens, special envoy for hostage affairs, traveled to Damascus to meet with Syrian officials about Tice. Current and former U.S. officials said the Syrian government refused to offer proof of life and demanded the U.S. reverse its Syria policy and withdraw U.S. troops from the country in return for opening negotiations about Tice. The Biden administration has maintained contact with the Syrian government since then, but Assad's officials were unwilling to negotiate until the U.S. agreed to their demands. On Dec. 6, Austin Tice's mother Deborah and her family told a press conference that a U.S. government-vetted source had recently confirmed that Tice was alive and was being treated well. “He is being cared for, and he is well,” Deborah Tice said. But in the hours after the conference, U.S. officials working on Tice’s case said they did not have any new information and that they were caught off guard by his mother's statements. This week, Carstens traveled to Beirut to coordinate the search for Tice. Other officials are also in the region, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Barbara Leaf, the head of the State Department’s Near East bureau. “We’re determined to find him and bring him home to his family and loved ones,” Blinken told reporters Thursday. Almost a week after Assad’s ouster, some U.S. officials fear that Tice could have been killed during a recent round of Israeli airstrikes. Officials are also concerned that if Tice was being held underground in a cell, he may have run out of breathable air as Assad's forces shut off the electricity in many of the prisons in Damascus before the president fled. This week, reports emerged that an American man had been seen in Damascus, raising hopes that Tice had been freed. But it wasn’t Tice. On Thursday, news broke that Missouri resident Travis Timmerman had been found after having been freed from prison by the rebels. Timmerman said he had traveled into Syria for a spiritual mission earlier this year and was arrested for entering the country illegally. (Reporting by Erin Banco in New York and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Editing by Don Durfee, Heather Timmons and Alistair Bell)2025 Audi A6 e-tron accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds
In this instalment of John Murdoch's Drive Time, John highlights how the iconic MINI Cooper Convertible is back in production at its Oxford home for the first time since 2015, and reports that Spanish brand Cupra will launch their handsome new Terramar Sports SUV in the UK in the next few weeks. For the first time since 2015 the MINI Cooper Convertible is being built at the company’s factory in Oxford. The model joins the MINI Cooper 3-Door and MINI Cooper 5-Door, making MINI Plant Oxford the home of the MINI Cooper family. Announced in October, the fourth generation MINI Cooper Convertible includes a revised exterior design, sustainable interior materials, and innovative in-car technology. Stefan Richmann, head of MINI, said: "We are thrilled about the start of production of the MINI Convertible, which is now being produced again at the Oxford plant, the home of MINI. "Unique in its class, the MINI Convertible offers unparalleled, brand-typical driving fun, combined with boundless freedom and great emotions. "The iconic design combined with modern technology and connectivity makes this vehicle an unmatched open-air experience for our customers." A celebration of British production, all three UK BMW Group manufacturing sites contribute to the MINI Cooper Convertible. BMW Group Plant Swindon produces the body pressings and sub-assemblies while the latest four-cylinder petrol engines are built at BMW Group Plant Hams Hall in North Warwickshire. Finally, these parts come together at MINI Plant Oxford where body shell production, paint and final assembly take place. Markus Grüneisl, head of Plants Oxford and Swindon, said: “We are delighted with the launch of the new MINI Cooper Convertible at our Plants in Oxford and Swindon. "It’s an amazing achievement for our team to launch three new models at our Oxford Plant this year, and I am proud of our exceptional workforce. "We’re delighted to welcome the MINI Cooper Convertible back home to Oxford, the home of MINI.” Following the relaunch of the MINI brand in 2001, the first MINI Convertible was unveiled in 2004 and has remained an icon of the MINI family ever since with more than 100,000 sold in the UK to date. With 160,000 built at MINI Plant Oxford from 2004 to 2008, the first-generation MINI Convertible was known for its retro styling and iconic chrome roll-over arches behind the rear seats. The second generation, unveiled in 2009 with 165,000 built at MINI Plant Oxford until 2015, kept the iconic drop-down hinged boot but gained the evolved styling of the Cooper from that era. Production of the model was briefly moved to VDL Nedcar for the third generation, making room for the MINI Clubman at MINI Plant Oxford. More than 150,000 Convertible models were produced at Nedcar until production stopped in 2023, before production returned to MINI Plant Oxford. The new MINI Cooper Convertible is offered with a choice of two petrol engines, offering 163hp or 204hp respectively, and is priced from £26,200. In other motoring developments, the new Terramar sports SUV from Spanish brand Cupra will be priced from £37,605 when it arrives in the next few weeks. With a 12 model line up - including an America’s Cup limited edition - the range will top out from £51,790 for a First Edition plug-in hybrid version. Other engines include a 1.5 150ps eTSI DSG, a 1.5 204ps e- HYBRID as well as the 1.5 272ps e-HYBRID engine which has an all-electric range of around 70 miles. The Terramar will be available in V1, V2, VZ1 and VZ2 trims in addition to the First Edition and America’s Cup Special Edition models. A number of additional options can be added including upgraded copper alloys on VZ trims, a space saver spare wheel, Akebono performance brakes, panoramic sunroof, and a Sennheiser sound system. The 150ps powertrain gives the Terramar a 0 to 62mph time of 9.2 seconds while the 204ps set up is a second quicker. The Terramar VZ2 2.0 TSI DSG-auto 4Drive 265ps and the America’s Cup Edition model are the quickest with an acceleration time of 5.9 seconds to 62mph while the 272ps models are rated at 7.3 seconds. Prices for the America’s Cup models - of which only around 1300 will be produced - start from £50,850. They are available in an exclusive matt grey paint finish with 20-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, as well as an America’s Cup logo lasered logo on the door pillars. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here .The most surprising thing about the anger flowing from Liberal moderates after the last election was that there really wasn't any. or signup to continue reading Vestigial "small-L" Liberals meekly agreed to double down on hardening up, drafting Peter Dutton to replace Scott Morrison in the full expectation of being dragged further rightward. Portentously, Dutton dispensed with the customary post-defeat nod to the collective good sense of Australian voters. Neither would there be an acknowledgement that the party's loyal base was rightly browned off by insulting attacks on renewables, flippant culture wars, defiant sexism, and tin-eared refusal to create an anti-corruption watchdog. Hell no. The new leader preferred to talk up the virtuous suburbs in a cartoon contrast with the "woke" sensibilities of propertied metropolitan elites and craven corporates. He could not have been clearer had he decreed Australia's business party was, henceforth, "the party of the worker". Which, by the way, he would get to before long. It was a characteristically bullish reaction to the seismic shift of 2022 which saw the arrival en masse of the community or "teal" independents in "safe" Liberal seats. Self-reflection was apparently too confronting, or just inconvenient. Since Tony Abbott, Liberals had fashioned themselves as metropolitan "Nationals" refusing point-blank to update their social thinking in line with the community. Little wonder then that their heartland voters went looking for actual liberals. Building on the successful model pioneered by , six articulate professional women wrested seats off the Liberals in 2022. Misinterpreting the policy wellsprings of this calamitous base erosion required some serious ideological blinkers. To be fair, Simon Birmingham, who had emerged as the leading post-Turnbull moderate, did speak out the morning after the defeat, acknowledging "obviously we've lost and we've been delivered a comprehensive message from parts of the community". Yet it was a message that left Dutton unmoved. Two-and-a-half compliant years later, Birmingham, the man who could've been just months from becoming foreign minister, has quit. Presumably, barracking for a cause you only half believe was a morale-sapping endeavour. His bombshell resignation, , leaves a gaping hole in the Dutton frontbench. It has deprived the "moderate" faction of its most persuasive force. Who is left now to fly the flag of Liberal progressivism? The pickings are decidedly slim among surviving Liberal centrists, who, despite losing moderate(ish) colleagues like Josh Frydenberg, Trent Zimmerman, Jason Falinski, and Dave Sharma in the party's cherished heartlands, held their tongues in 2022 as they jockeyed for promotion on Dutton's new frontbench. None would seriously critique the Queenslander's arid vision of an Australia reconceptualised, not as a new Jerusalem, but as a kind of unending Brisbanic sprawl. An Australia in which a deracinated industrial class becomes shallowly defined by what it consumes rather than what it makes. A materialist Australia whose inchoate resentments could be parcelled up to include migrants, corporate piety, and a simmering grievance over what Scott Morrison coined in 2021 as the policy agenda beloved in "cafes, dinner parties and wine bars" of the inner cities. Quelle surprise. Dutton's pitch is aimed at the "real" Australia - the treeless tundra of McMansions mortgaged to the hilt and jammed into their blocks like the super-sized utes in the streets outside. Save for the ubiquitous Stars 'n Stripes, it could be America, the place from . Rebranding the Liberal Party as the blue-collar party may feel less dramatic than the role-reversal achieved by Trumpism in the United States, but the first steps have brought nary a peep from moderates. In the US, the GOP has completely surrendered to right-wing populism and demagoguery. Traditional mainstream Republicans have been hounded to the margins, regarded as apostates to be publicly vilified and personally threatened. If the Liberals are a fundamentally different kind of party to the Republicans, or even indeed to the Nationals here, it is not outwardly obvious. Rather, the evidence points in the other direction. Whatever weak influence the moderates have exerted in the Liberal Party to date, is set to become undetectable in a hardening political vogue which rewards obedience over obligation, discipline over dissent. The apparent successor to the unflappable Birmingham is fellow frontbencher, Paul Fletcher. Like many nominal "moderates", he is a progressive by designation rather than through any particular action visible from the outside. And like Dutton and Morrison before him, Fletcher's starting point for the Liberal rout of 2022 is to blame the voters for being so feckless as to fall for "trickery" and a "green-left con job". Under threat in his Sydney electorate of Bradfield from second-time "teal" candidate Nicolette Boele, Fletcher's instinct is not to ask why middle-way Liberal voters are unhappy with his party, but to attack "teals" as "very much in the tradition of front groups established by left-wing political operatives which are designed to lure votes away from the Liberal Party by tricking voters about their bona fides". Not since Hillary Clinton's notorious " " sledge in 2016 has a senior front-running candidate so directly impugned the intelligence of his constituents. It says everything about the moderates that their absence of anger towards social conservatives in 2022, has finally erupted at their own voters and the "liberal" independents who show them up. Mark Kenny is The Canberra Times' political analyst and a professor at the ANU's Australian Studies Institute. He hosts the Democracy Sausage podcast. He writes a column every Sunday. 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When Dr. Kemi Wijesundera moved into the new Telus Health family medicine clinic in downtown Toronto, he quickly found he had one less thing to worry about during consults. Each of the seven examination rooms in the modern new clinic, which Telus Health has opened under its “MyCare” brand, is equipped with “AI scribe” software that listens to appointments (with patients’ consent) and uses artificial intelligence to summarize the conversations in the standardized medical note form. Before the patient even gets out the door, the notes from their appointment, including their medical history, as well as any requisitions, prescriptions and special instructions from their doctor, are uploaded to their phone through the Telus MyCare app. “This is the future of health care,” says Wijesundera, a recent medical school grad and one of six family physicians at the new Telus Health MyCare Union clinic. Located in repurposed office space on York Street, just south of Union Station, the “digital first” clinic, which had a soft launch in late summer, is now fully operational. 516 Estimated number of Torontonians without a family doctor 2.5 Estimated number of Ontarians without a family doctor 6.5 Estimated number of Canadians without a family doctor Source: Ontario College of Family Physicians, Ontario Community Health Profiles Partnership, OurCare Initiative Toronto Star graphic Located in repurposed office space on York Street, just south of Union Station, the “digital first” clinic, which had a soft launch in late summer, is now fully operational and facing a unique challenge: at a time when an 516,000 Torontonians are looking for a family doctor, the physicians at the clinic are looking for patients — up to 6,000 of them. “It gives people who live in the Toronto area a new way to become attached to a family doctor within the public health-care system,” says Chris Engst, vice-president of consumer health for Telus Health, which opened its first two MyCare clinics in Victoria and Vancouver in 2020. The expansion is part of a broader, global trend that’s seeing private companies taking ownership stakes in the provision of medical services, an area many investors see as ripe with opportunity as wait-lists for family doctors and certain surgical procedures remain stubbornly high. Unlike its main telecom competitors, Rogers Communications and BCE, which have diversified into sports team and media ownership, Telus is staking a claim on health care. In 2022, it , formerly Morneau Shepell, for $2.3 billion, as well as buying up a substantial share of the market for electronic medical record (EMR) software in Canada over the last decade. After these and other acquisitions, Telus says it now provides health-care services to some 76 million people in more than 160 countries. “It’s a regular family practice. The physicians are doing everything from preventative care, immunizations, chronic disease management, acute care, whatever the care needs are of their patients,” says Dr. Alissia Valentinis, a family doctor and medical director of the Toronto MyCare clinic. 1 Estimated number of Torontonians who could be without a family doctor by 2026 4.4 Estimated number of Ontarians who could be without a family doctor by 2026 Source: Ontario College of Family Physicians, INSPIRE-Primary Health Care Toronto Star graphic Dr. Alissia Valentinis, medical director of the Telus Health MyCare Union clinic, explains that the MyCare model is similar to other private clinics where doctors pay a percentage of their provincial billings to the company running the clinic to cover rent, staff and insurance. In this case, Telus Health manages the clinic while the physicians are independent contractors who are “100 per cent publicly funded.” “It’s a regular family practice. The physicians are doing everything from preventative care, immunizations, chronic disease management, acute care, whatever the care needs are of their patients,” says Valentinis. One thing the new Toronto MyCare clinic isn’t: a cramped and stuffy space in a lowrise office complex that some may associate with more traditional medical offices. A wall covered with plants about six metres long that stretches to the ceiling greets patients in the clinic’s waiting room on the second floor of Telus Harbour, a 30-storey, LEED Platinum office building next to Scotiabank Arena. Floor-to-ceiling windows that look down on York Street illuminate the seven, gleaming-white examination rooms that are equipped with two computer screens, one for virtual consultations and one for medical charting. One slightly larger examination room can accommodate minor procedures, such as the removal of lumps or bumps. A counselling room featuring cushioned seats offers a quiet space for doctors to have difficult conversations with patients, if necessary, or for breastfeeding moms to find some privacy. A team of clinical operations support staff assist physicians with administration, pharmacy inquiries, referrals and appointment bookings. “We’ve been using technology to try and think about, how do you deliver primary care in a unique way which helps to support the needs of patients and also helps to support the needs of the clinicians who work with us?” says Engst. A key pillar in this quest is the Telus Health MyCare app, a sort of all-in-one platform that not only holds MyCare patients’ electronic medical records, but also allows patients to book same-day or next-day appointments and see physicians at the Union clinic virtually or in-person. Despite the obvious value for patients in a city starved of family doctors like Toronto, the company’s expansion into the health-care space has not been without controversy. A living wall of plants about six metres long that stretches to the ceiling greets patients in the clinic’s waiting room on the second floor of Telus Harbour, a 30-storey, LEED Platinum office building next to Scotiabank Arena. A few years ago, Telus Health opened but then closed the doors of a family medicine clinic in downtown Toronto, a move it said was a “strategic decision” to “re-evaluate and refine our approach to supporting health-care needs in Toronto.” “This period of reflection and analysis led to the development and launch of the Telus Health MyCare Union clinic,” the company said in an email. “This new model represents an evolution of our initial concept, incorporating lessons learned and aligning more closely with our goal of improving access to primary care for thousands of Toronto residents.” In late 2022, British Columbia’s Medical Services Commission, responsible for that province’s public health insurance system, went to court seeking an injunction against a separate Telus Health program, called LifePlus, that the government alleged charged patients thousands of dollars a year for care already covered publicly — an illegal practice under the B.C. Medicare Protection Act. In April 2023, the commission and Telus Health reached an agreement and clarified processes to better distinguish insured from uninsured services, the company said. It’s unclear how much, if any, profit Telus is making on the Toronto MyCare clinic, but Engst did say its physicians bill the provincial health system just like any other public health-care clinician, with a portion of those fees going to cover support staff and overhead. A less tangible benefit for the company could be a treasure trove of potentially valuable data. And that has not gone unnoticed by privacy and public health-care advocates, who question what the Vancouver-based company is doing with its now vast holdings of personal health information. “Telus owns most of the electronic medical record (EMR) software market in Canada, including the EMR that I use. All of my prescribing information is in my EMR. Where is the data going and are they monetizing it for secondary use?” says Danielle Martin, chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. Danielle Martin, chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, says that while the MyCare Union clinic “is what every doctor and every patient wants and deserves” when it comes to physicians being able to focus on being clinicians instead of running an office, she questions why a private company is stepping in to meet demand instead of the public health-care system. Engst says Telus Health, as both a technology and health-care company, “brings unique capabilities to improve health-care delivery and access.” “To be clear, the Telus Health MyCare Union clinic supports the public health-care system by providing access to publicly insured services,” he added. Martin notes that the province already funds models similar to the MyCare clinics through family health teams and community health centres, but these interprofessional teams — which include not only doctors, but also nurses, social workers, dietitians and pharmacists — only cover about 30 per cent of the population. “This is what creates a market for Telus, because doctors prefer to work in an environment like that and patients prefer to get care in an environment like that,” says Martin, who is also a family doctor. But she questions what Telus Health does with the patient data it retains. “Telus owns most of the electronic medical record (EMR) software market in Canada, including the EMR that I use. All of my prescribing information is in my EMR. Where is the data going and are they monetizing it for secondary use?” Martin says. In an email, Telus Health said it does not sell any data collected by its virtual-care platforms, including MyCare, and is “deeply committed” to the internationally recognized Privacy By Design principles. Privacy by Design, created by Ontario’s former privacy commissioner Ann Cavoukian, is a system based on seven principles intended to proactively embed privacy into information technology and business systems. “All data collected from our services are treated as personal health information and handled in accordance with the rigorous laws and best practices applicable to personal health information,” the company said. 19 Estimated number of hours per week family doctors spend on administrative work Source: Ontario Medical Association Toronto Star graphic Back at the MyCare Union clinic, Wijesundera says the technology deployed by Telus Health is what made working at the clinic attractive as a new medical grad who wants to spend more time seeing patients and less time doing paperwork. “This is potentially going to solve physician burnout,” he says. The Ontario Medical Association reports that family doctors spend about 19 hours per week on administrative tasks, such as writing notes or filling in patient forms. “I get more time to look at the patient, have a conversation and it’s not just me on the computer typing. It’s a nice interaction. The patients feel heard as well.”