Pune: Election officials dismissed the opposition's claims about EVM battery levels impacting the counting of votes. They said a 99% battery charge has no bearing on the counting process. "The battery voltage and capacity have no connection to counting operations or EVM integrity ," an Election Commission of India official said. Senior Election Commission of India officials told TOI that battery percentage displays are for technical monitoring and cannot influence vote recording or counting accuracy. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who got whom IPL 2025 Auction: Updated Full Team Squads Many political leaders raised the issue of EVM battery levels on Saturday. Actor Swara Bhaskar on Saturday alleged EVM manipulation, claiming that the battery levels of the machines remained at 99% the entire day after her husband Fahad Ahmed's electoral loss. She was among the many political leaders from the opposition who raised issues with EVMs. The ECI said that such allegations lack technical basis as the battery indicator is solely an administrative feature. In earlier interactions, the commission said that the EVMs use alkaline batteries providing a stable power source for EVMs to work even in remote areas without electricity. Each EVM control unit has a power pack of single-use alkaline batteries with a shelf life of five years. The VVPATs also use non-rechargeable alkaline cells as their power source, and VVPATs have 30 such cells. Each control unit of the EVM is equipped with a 7.5 or 8-volt battery pack for smooth operations. The display unit of the EVM shows a 99% charge as long as the electric potential of the battery remains between 7.4 volts and 8 volts, where EVMs operate optimally. If the battery level falls below 7.4 volts, the EVM display automatically adjusts to show the actual percentage of charge remaining. Poll officials explained that as long as the battery provides power within this range, it indicates that the system is functioning at 99% capacity, but it doesn't show how much charge remains. The battery lifespan in EVMs depends on how the machines are used.FanDuel promo + Steelers vs. Browns odds and expert picks for TNF: Score $150 in bonus bets + free NBA League Pass | Sporting NewsBig 12 Conference play begins Monday as No. 17 Cincinnati travels to Manhattan, Kan., to face Kansas State, and neither team resides where most people thought they'd be at this point. Cincinnati (10-1), which was picked sixth in the preseason coaches' poll, is tied with No. 3 Iowa State for the best nonconference record in the Big 12. The Bearcats' lone loss came at Villanova earlier this month, but they've rattled off four straight wins. Kansas State (6-5), which was picked two spots below the Bearcats, has lost three straight games heading into conference play and is tied with Arizona for the worst nonconference record in the league. Three of the Wildcats' five losses have been by double digits, including their last loss at Wichita State when a halftime lead turned into an 84-65 loss. It was their second double-digit loss this season when leading at halftime. The Bearcats have mostly built their stellar record against mid-major competition, with the loss to Villanova and a victory over Georgia Tech representing the only power-conference opponents. The schedule will definitely be tougher moving forward. "We took care of business in nonconference," head coach Wes Miller said following their 84-49 victory over Grambling Dec. 22. "We wanted to put ourselves in a position to go into league play and to be a quality team. I believe we've done that. "Was it perfect? No, it's not perfect. We have a lot of room for improvement. We will use the next two or three days as a staff to recharge and kind of look at things and evaluate things, and we'll have a couple days of practice when we get back on the 26th to adjust and make the necessary changes we need to do going into conference play." The Bearcats are dominating their competition statistically, with a scoring margin of 21 points per game, fifth-best in the conference and tied for 11th in the nation. They're averaging 79.5 points per game while giving up just 58.5. They're led by a balanced scoring attack, with five players averaging between 9.6 and 14.9 points per game. Simas Lukosius is the Bearcats' best scorer (14.9 ppg) and 3-point shooter, taking (78) and making (33) the most long-range shots on the team, and connecting on 42.3 percent of his 3-pointers. Kansas State has not met expectations this season. Preseason Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Year Coleman Hawkins has yet to find his stride. He's only scored in double figures in five of the Wildcats' 11 games. His best game came against Longwood, when he scored a season-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. He also showed his range, hitting 5 of 7 3-point attempts. He then scored in double figures in two of the next three games before totaling six points against Wichita State. The Wildcats need more consistency from him and his teammates. Despite the losing streak, head coach Jerome Tang continues to preach patience. "The frustration in the locker room is hurt (about) losing," Tang said. "It doesn't matter if that's over a span of three days or 20 days. Nobody wants to lose games. We have to keep working, and we will because we have a high ‘care factor' in the locker room." The Wildcats are led by Brendan Hausen (13.9 points per game) and David N'Guessan (13.6). --Field Level Media
The extra screening measures imposed earlier this week on people travelling to India have now been lifted, says the office of Transport Minister Anita Anand. On Monday, Anand said in a news statement that, "out of an abundance of caution," her ministry would temporarily implement additional security screening for travellers to India. A government official told CBC News the additional measures would be conducted by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), the agency responsible for screening passengers and their baggage before they enter restricted areas in airports. Transport Canada to increase screening for travellers to India The official spoke on background because they weren't authorized to share the details publicly. Last month, an Air India flight from New Delhi to Chicago was diverted to Iqaluit because of a bomb scare. No bomb was found on board. The Air India flight made an emergency landing in Iqaluit around 5:20 a.m. on Oct. 15, 2024. (Carl-Eric Cardinal/CBC) Anand's announcement on Monday came a month after the RCMP linked agents of the Indian government to widespread crimes in Canada, including acts of murder, extortion and intimidation. Canada expelled six Indian diplomats in October on the same day RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme spoke of "well over a dozen" credible and imminent threats to members of the South Asian community, specifically Sikh members of the pro-Khalistan movement. India has strongly denied the RCMP's allegations and quickly retaliated against the federal government by ordering six Canadian diplomats to leave the country.What are the drones over New Jersey? All the key theories so far from foreign spies to Project Blue Beam READ MORE: Ex-CIA officer gives theory about mystery New Jersey drones By LAURA PARNABY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 14:33 EST, 15 December 2024 | Updated: 14:35 EST, 15 December 2024 e-mail 4 View comments Drone fever is sweeping New Jersey , as new data shows residents have reported more than 1,000 sightings of the flying objects across the state in less than a month. Some 964 incidents have been logged in total since the first sighting on November 19 up until December 13, according to statistics collected by the state’s Office of Emergency Management and shared with the New York Post . Yet despite the startling volume of apparent sightings - which have prompted locals to shoot into the sky and even sparked the closure of an airport in neighboring New York - officials are yet to provide answers about who or what is behind the drones. As the flashing objects continue to circle the skies above New Jersey and beyond, theories about the source have proliferated in the homes of lawmakers and residents below - from Project Blue Beam to foreign conspiracies. Iran New Jersey lawmaker Jeff Van Drew made the stunning claim this week that Iran could be behind the mysterious drones. The Republican told Fox News the Middle East power had launched a 'mothership' stationed off the Garden State coast. 'These are from high sources,' he claimed. 'I don't say this lightly.' He then added the drones should be 'shot down' - something which is illegal under federal law and can be punished with up to 20 years in prison. However, the Pentagon promptly cast this theory out - saying there is no evidence the drones are the work of an adversary and denied there's an Iranian 'mothership' lurking off the US coast. Russia White House officials have long noted how Russia and Iran collaborate on military drone development , and Russia is also high on the list of foreign adversaries experts have speculated could be behind the latest flurry of activity over New Jersey. Intelligence analysts have hypothesized that the Kremlin could have sent the drones to the East Coast as part of a mission linked to Vladimir Putin 's war in Ukraine. Retired police lieutenant and intelligence analyst Tim McMillan told DailyMail.com suspicions were raised due to the location of many sightings - Picatinny Arsenal, a major plant which manufactures ammunition supplied to Ukraine. Lt McMillan also noted that descriptions of the flying objects 'sound exactly like Russian Orlan-10 drones' — secretive craft which fly in packs of three to five. Meanwhile, US Army general Darryl Williams said the situation mirrors what has unfolded at American/ NATO bases across Europe which are also are known to supply arms to Ukraine. Pictured: Picatinny Arsenal's Commanding Major General John Reim welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before a tour of the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant on Sept 2024. Picatinny's role supplying ammo to Ukraine may explain the mystery drones over NJ Other foreign powers Gordon Chang, a senior fellow at conservative think tank the Gatestone Institute and an expert on Chinese affairs, said the drones are likely a result of foreign powers spying on the US. He said the drones appeared to be highly sophisticated and so were not being controlled by amateurs. 'These activities are too large and well-organized to be the work of hobbyists,' Chang told Fox Business on Saturday. 'That leaves foreign powers. It could be Iran in connection with China , but clearly, somebody is trying to divert our attention.' Chang suggested that while the drones themselves are unsettling, he was more troubled by the fact that they could be a distraction for a far greater threat. 'What really worries me is what they might be doing elsewhere. We could very well get hit,' he told Fox. Project Blue Beam Social media has gone wild with conspiracy theorists insisting the alleged drones are connected with a chilling government plot. Trump-supporting actress Roseanne Barr was among those touting the Project Blue Beam theory , which claims global elites are planning to use advanced technology to stage celestial events in order to manipulate the world's population. 'Now you see why I mention Project Blue Beam every week on my podcast.....,' the 72-year-old wrote on X. The theory dates back to the 1990s, but it recently found traction again online as commentators such as Barr claim that the US government could stage an alien invasion as a pretext for imposing authoritarian rule. An inside job Others have also espoused the idea that the Biden Administration could be behind the drone activity, given its refusal to provide reassuring answers amid the mounting crisis. Former CIA operations officer Laura Ballman revealed her chilling theory that the drones lighting up multi-state skies may be a 'classified exercise.' She told Fox News Live that the drone sightings are 'extremely unsettling,' and shared her theory that they may be part of a technology 'test,' orchestrated by the federal government. Ballman said: 'Now in terms of who is behind this, seeing the statements that have been made by John Kirby, who has said that these objects are not operating illegally. 'Coupled with the several op-eds that have been out there in the last 24 hours about the need to look at our detection systems , [it] makes me think perhaps this is actually a classified exercise to test either evasion technology or detection technology in urban areas.' Your browser does not support iframes. Larry Hogan, the former governor of Maryland , who said he recently witnessed 'what appeared to be dozens of large drones in the sky' above his home for about 45 minutes, questioned why the government seemed unwilling to do anything about it. Airing his grievances to the Financial Times , Dodd said: 'We could shoot a missile down 5,000 miles away, but we can't determine where these drones are originating from?' Dodd said he was left 'frustrated' by the 'scant information on a serious issue', and blasted the ' complete lack of transparency and the dismissive attitude of the federal government' in an X post. Hobbyists Americans have speculated that the airborne phenomenon could simply be amateur hobbyists trolling residents with drones - though military experts have said the aircraft appear too sophisticated for this to be the case. Celebrity podcaster Joe Rogan also echoed the theory that it could be young bored men 'f***ing' with people for fun. 'This is what the kids call "sus,"' Rogan posted to X.com, then floated his own theory. 'I want to believe it's adderalled-up incels holed up in a basement f****** with "the man" more than I want it to be aliens ,' Rogan joked. '#iwanttobelieve.' Long a trusted source for interviews with investigative journalists who cover UFOs , military witnesses and government whistleblowers , Rogan garnered over 1.8 million views for the X post on the ongoing drone crisis. Celebrity podcaster Joe Rogan (above) posted video of the White House's national security spokesperson John Kirby telling reporters that New Jersey's mystery drones posed no 'national security or public safety threat.' Rogan said: 'This is what the kids call "sus"' There are no drones White House National Security spokesman John Kirby has said the aircraft are not foreign - and they may not even be drones . 'We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat or have a foreign nexus,' Kirby told reporters on Thursday. 'The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are investigating these sightings, and they're working closely with the state and local law enforcement to provide resources using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin,' Kirby said. He said the agencies used 'very sophisticated electronic detection technologies' but 'have not been able to – and neither state or local law enforcement – corroborate any of the reported visual sightings.' 'To the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft being operated lawfully,' he said, denying the aircraft were even drones. White House Iran Russia Ukraine New Jersey Share or comment on this article: What are the drones over New Jersey? 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KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc. ( NYSE:KREF – Get Free Report ) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Buy” from the six ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $12.75. Several brokerages have recently weighed in on KREF. JMP Securities lifted their price target on shares of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust from $12.50 to $13.00 and gave the stock a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on KKR Real Estate Finance Trust from $12.00 to $11.50 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, December 9th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on KKR Real Estate Finance Trust from $13.00 to $14.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, September 20th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded KKR Real Estate Finance Trust from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $11.50 to $13.00 in a research note on Thursday, September 5th. Finally, Raymond James decreased their target price on shares of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust from $14.00 to $13.50 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Read Our Latest Report on KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Institutional Investors Weigh In On KKR Real Estate Finance Trust KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Stock Performance Shares of KREF opened at $10.28 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $715.21 million, a P/E ratio of -34.27 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.75, a current ratio of 277.63 and a quick ratio of 277.63. KKR Real Estate Finance Trust has a one year low of $8.71 and a one year high of $13.65. The business has a fifty day moving average of $11.40 and a 200 day moving average of $11.13. KKR Real Estate Finance Trust ( NYSE:KREF – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 21st. The company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $140.15 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $39.52 million. KKR Real Estate Finance Trust had a net margin of 0.40% and a return on equity of 9.46%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.47 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that KKR Real Estate Finance Trust will post 1.4 EPS for the current year. KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be paid a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.73%. KKR Real Estate Finance Trust’s payout ratio is -333.33%. KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Company Profile ( Get Free Report KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc, a mortgage real estate investment trust, focuses primarily on originating and acquiring transitional senior loans secured by commercial real estate (CRE) assets. It engages in the origination and purchase of credit investments related to CRE, including leveraged and unleveraged commercial real estate loans. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for KKR Real Estate Finance Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Online child exploitation spiked during lockdowns. Police worry it's here to stay (BC)Letter: Credentials not enough to lead America
COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Myles Corey had 27 points in South Alabama's 81-72 victory against East Texas A&M on Sunday. Corey also added five assists and four steals for the Jaguars (7-3). Barry Dunning Jr. scored 14 points and added five rebounds. John Broom went 4 of 5 from the field (3 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 11 points, while adding four steals. The Lions (1-10) were led in scoring by Khaliq Abdul-Mateen, who finished with 17 points. Yusef Salih added 17 points for Texas A&M-Commerce. Tay Mosher also had eight points. The loss is the seventh straight for the Lions. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Clothing and Footwear Repair Market Industry Dynamics and Contributions by Beijing Hanor Weiye, Potter & Sons, Y&J Alterations and Shoe Repair, Celtic & Co, Madison Shoe Repair, Hustonshoehospital, Cobblers Direct, Wilton GreenMcCoy Global Inc. (MCB) to Issue Quarterly Dividend of $0.02 on January 15th
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2024: A Year of Shocking Revelations and Unforgettable MomentsH-1B: Indian Migrants Want Elon Musk to Help Them Win Green CardsNew Delhi: Every winter, a greyish haze thickens in the air, with air quality levels reaching hazardous levels. To control the further rise in toxic air quality, several restrictions under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) come into effect. Currently, schools are switched to online mode, while there is a ban on construction and demolition activities. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who got whom IPL 2025 Auction: Updated Full Team Squads There is a restriction on the plying of certain vehicles, including BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers, non-cleaner inter-state buses from NCR states, entry of trucks, non-cleaner light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi, and Delhi-registered BS-IV-and-below diesel-operated medium goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles. While Delhi's transport sector is a major contributor to pollution, experts say not much has been done to strengthen public transport to reduce the number of private vehicles on the road. As per Economic Survey of 2023-24, Delhi has a total stock of 79 lakh vehicles — and it added 6.5 lakh vehicles during 2023-24, according to the VAHAN database. As much as 90.5% of these are two-wheelers and cars. On a daily basis, as many as 1,100 two-wheelers and 500 private cars are registered on average in Delhi, according to an analysis done by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Delhi sees the daily entry and exit of approximately 1.1 million vehicles. Emission inventory studies for Delhi done by IIT-Kanpur in 2015, TERI-ARAI in 2018, and SAFAR in 2018 point out that the transport sector's contribution to PM2.5 is 20%, 39%, and 41%, respectively. Private vehicles on roads have increased, but the number of public buses is highly inadequate to meet the city's requirements. Sample this: In 2018, Delhi govt informed Supreme Court that the city requires 11,000 buses to meet its transportation needs. However, Delhi currently has 7,683 buses, including govt-run DTC and cluster bus services. Of these, 3,000 CNG buses are more than 10 years old. Traffic police say that an average of 70 buses, including DTC and cluster, break down in the city every day, causing significant traffic congestion, inconvenience to commuters, and increased pollution levels due to idling vehicles. According to CSE, Delhi has around 45 buses per lakh population (considering 2011 census data) as opposed to the service level benchmark of 60 buses per lakh population specified by ministry of housing and urban affairs. Around 1 lakh three-seater auto-rickshaws ply in the city. Delhi Metro currently has an operational network of 348.418 km with 255 stations and an additional 85.982 km with 63 stations in the pipeline. Though Delhi Metro has been recording an increase in passenger journeys and is one of the most preferred modes of public transport, the lack of proper last-mile connectivity is an issue. Besides, a denser network of DMRC is required for routes connecting outer Delhi areas. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE, said despite several technology solutions implemented to control vehicular emissions, vehicles remained the top contributor among the local sources. "This requires massive scaling up of bus transport and its integration with the metro system with efficient last connectivity. This demands adequate, reliable, affordable, and connected public transport service across all neighbourhoods. This progress needs to be monitorable and verifiable," she said. Amit Bhatt, India managing director, International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), said, "To reduce vehicular emissions, we need to look at both the demand and supply sides. There is a need to add more buses, enhance the metro network, and create proper infrastructure for cycling and pedestrian-friendly areas." Another way, Bhatt said, was to restrict the absolute number of vehicles based on successful examples from other countries. "In China, there is a cap on the number of vehicles that can be registered. London has a provision for a congestion tax, while California made it mandatory for vehicle manufacturers to sell a certain percentage of EVs from their total fleet. After Delhi made it mandatory to switch to CNG, the time has come for Delhi to consider a shift to EVs by drawing inspiration from California model and give mandates to manufacturers to sell a portion of their fleet as electric. However, it is also necessary to have proper EV infrastructure at public and private places. For instance, Norway has a provision for the right to charge, and no society, municipal bodies, or others can refuse anyone from charging their vehicles." Former deputy commissioner of transport department Anil Chikara said several studies done in the past stated that 55% of vehicles travelled a distance of up to 5 km, while around 85% of vehicles covered a distance of up to 15 km in Delhi. "The focus should be on reducing the dependency on personal vehicles of those who cover up to 5 km daily. Strengthening the last-mile connectivity can help people switch to public transport," said Chikara. He added that similar to a golf cart, govt should introduce vehicles in the organised sector that could be plied for last-mile connectivity and people could use them on a sharing basis for travelling shorter distances.
Every day for two weeks, a man in a Panama hat stood outside the Olympic Stadium in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, holding a placard urging his onlookers to go vegetarian. This was a “polite protest”, the placard insisted. The man did not berate or speak to passers-by but shadowed them as they walked into the stadium, where the UN’s annual climate talks were held. But his message was clear: meat eaters are destroying the planet. The twenty-ninth Coalition of Partners gathering — better known as Cop29 — was full of similar scenes. But opinions on the causes of and solutions to the climate crisis differed depending on who you spoke to — and who they were being paid by. Outside the stadium and within, indigenous peoples in traditional dress and activists wielding megaphones mingled with suited government delegations and the corporate lobbyists there to woo them with dinners and outings.COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Myles Corey had 27 points in South Alabama's 81-72 victory against East Texas A&M on Sunday. Corey also added five assists and four steals for the Jaguars (7-3). Barry Dunning Jr. scored 14 points and added five rebounds. John Broom went 4 of 5 from the field (3 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 11 points, while adding four steals. The Lions (1-10) were led in scoring by Khaliq Abdul-Mateen, who finished with 17 points. Yusef Salih added 17 points for Texas A&M-Commerce. Tay Mosher also had eight points. The loss is the seventh straight for the Lions. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
US agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer saysThe blue screen of death looms large in the cultural mishmash of modern tech-adept consumers. The screen is a simple prompt signaling to its user that the device cannot fix whatever error has befallen it on its own. The crash of a computer could be a sign your CPU is failing after years of hard use, but hardware failing or operating unexpectedly can often come from a cybersecurity breach, too. Cybercriminals make up a huge contingent of the overall volume of theft and illicit activity affecting individuals today. The FBI's 2023 Internet Crime Report noted losses totaling more than $12.5 billion in cybercrime complaints. The figures included a 22% increase in monetary losses and a 10% rise in the number of complaints made. Cybercrime is hard to quantify in many ways, though. Aggregated figures showcase the total damage it can do, but that says nothing about the personal loss a successful phishing attack or Social Security number theft brings to your life, finances, and more. The harsh reality is that many tools cybercriminals use to access sensitive information (and thereby steal identity documents, money, or other assets) are simple and therefore relatively easy to thwart. Sophisticated attacks are part of their playbook, but in many cases the easiest approach is the best approach. No matter where a cybercriminal lands on this scale, if you're targeted, these 10 mistakes can make their job a whole lot easier. Shoring up these areas can therefore help you defend yourself against incursion with far greater success. Gatekeeping your critical information with quality passwords is a key feature in any good cybersecurity regimen. Strong passwords that include capital letters, symbols, and broken up words — if any complete words at all — can help make it more difficult for cybercriminals to gain access to your credentials. This is a feature of internet usage that virtually everyone knows, and plenty of online systems force users to introduce these kinds of security measures into their profiles as they set up accounts. Even so, around 13% of Americans use the same password for every online account they set up, and 44% of users rarely change their passwords (although about a third of internet users engage in monthly refreshes). The revolving door of alarming statistics surrounding password strength and a lackadaisical approach to securing online resources is never ending. Failing to incorporate strength-building features into your passwords makes them immensely simple to crack, and opting not to change passwords until prompted is a great way to find yourself as the victim of a cyberattack. The worst thing you can do with password management, however, is the singular use phenomenon. If a criminal gains access to a single online resource you own, they can move from account to account, accessing potentially every online tool you manage. Credit card accounts, bank logins, and investment portfolios are just the start here. Software updates are a nuisance at the best of times. A study from Carnegie Mellon University published in 2020 found that while installing an update as soon as it's released is the most optimal decision for protecting your security, participants only installed security updates 54% of the time (and 65% of those updates were delayed). Plenty of reasons contribute to users' hesitancy to install security patches and other updates when they're released. For one thing, updates have come to represent little tweaks to the user experience (subtle font changes, moved features, and sizing adjustments, for instance) that make the device feel less familiar. Kaspersky found that more than half of respondents to its survey noted a preference to wait and see if issues are reported after an update is released, while 50% also admitted to hitting "remind me later" and simply forgetting about the task as a result of their busy lifestyle. No matter your reasoning, delaying a crucial security update leaves you vulnerable to attack. These installations help shore up found problem areas in the software of your phone, tablet, or computer (among other devices). Installing updates is a routine part of any digital tool's life cycle, and delaying or opting not to integrate updated software entirely is a great way to put yourself at risk. This is a simple practice that everyone can bring into their device management routine, and it's one that can make a big difference moving forward. Backing up your digital information may not sound terribly important. Your computer probably isn't going to fail today, tomorrow, or next year, but all hardware fails eventually — often years down the line, but sometimes far sooner. There's no predicting a hard drive's long term functionality, and once a computer bites the dust it will take a professional to extract the key pieces of data that you decided not to save elsewhere, assuming that they can actually access the drive at all — it's not always possible. Backing up your data allows you to rest assured that a failure in your system won't massively impact your present and future needs. In the same way that you save your work intermittently when writing a paper for class or strive to reach a checkpoint in a video game, a data backup functions as a waypoint for retaining access to your critical information. Having a data backup isn't just about eliminating failure issues, though. Beginning in May 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attacks locked users out of roughly 230,000 computers around the world, demanding payment in Bitcoin before owners could get access to their data again. It's unclear whether those who paid the ransom were granted access to their systems, but what is certain is that a compartmented backup of your computer would allow you to simply ignore these threats, albeit through gritted teeth and a healthy dose of anger over the loss of your device. Phishing threats are far more widespread, nuanced, and dangerous than you may expect. There's even a subset of phishing attacks known as whaling because they target high value assets specifically (like corporate CEOs and senior executives or extremely wealthy individuals). In its simplest form, phishing involves unsolicited contact designed to extract some kind of sensitive data from you. You might receive a text from an unknown number or one disguised as a bank, a delivery company in your area, or a phone provider (sometimes these attacks are known as smishing ). Cybercriminals using phishing techniques are looking for a response. They might send you a link and seek to get respondents to click on it, taking them to a page of their own design that will try to capture card numbers or other sensitive details. Following these links can also expose you to secretive downloads that place malware on your system, giving the hacker access to your device. Phishing threats account for a huge volume of cybercrime today, it's the most common format and estimates suggest that 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent on a daily basis. The aim is to make off with login credentials and other details that can be used for more expansive criminal activity. By underestimating the sophistication and lengths that phishing attackers can and will go to, you make yourself vulnerable to their clandestine approaches. Part of the power that phishing has over victims is the enticing links they send. Perhaps it appears to be a juicy news story about some hot topic, or a call to action that threatens negative implications for your bank account or investment portfolio. Clicking on links that you don't fully understand or can't trust is a recipe for pain later on. Another key link feature to keep in mind is the difference between long and short links. Link shortening is a legitimate practice that helps tidy up URL components, but it can also be used to hide a malicious website in a seemingly safe and trustworthy link. The best practice for browsing the web is to always be suspicious of links that bring you anywhere you don't have a decent preconceived notion of. On the computer, if you hover your mouse over linked text it will show the link address down in the bottom corner of the browser. For instance, this article on our site about every major web browser will show up with a link beginning with the website's name. If for some reason it appeared to be directing you to a short link with just a few letters, you would be right to raise your ears a little. Taking care when following links, either in communications sent directly to you or on the internet, is a great way to ensure that you aren't exposing yourself unnecessarily to online threats. Working while on the go is a staple of the contemporary digital life, and public Wi-Fi is a big part of that. Whether you're a coffee shop writer or a sales executive who frequently flies or takes the train while compiling slides for your next presentation, working outside the office allows you to tap into inspiration wherever it might be found. However, there's a shady side to the realm of public Wi-Fi that users simply can't ignore. Because of its widespread rollout, internet users expect to see public networks in all manner of businesses, from McDonald's restaurants to department stores. Sophisticated cybercriminals prey on this expectation, and have been known to occasionally set up their own networks in coffee shops and other areas near a business that mirrors the basic layout of the commercial enterprise. If you sit down in Ted's Coffee House and see a Wi-Fi network called "Ted's Coffee," you'd be forgiven in simply assuming that the business set it up to give customers a nice additional feature. But you can't be sure that a scammer isn't behind the scenes, infecting every connected device with malware and creeping into the data contained within. If you are going to connect to a public network, try to only do so when the connection is encrypted or use a VPN to help create a bit of additional security for your system. More importantly, never use a public network to transmit sensitive data or log into an account that houses important files or information (especially if you're a single-password adherent!). Bringing news, information, and connection right to your fingertips and allowing you to pay for goods without carrying your wallet, the modern smartphone is a technical marvel. But all that technological goodness means nothing if it's not secured. While your home might sport a shared computer, the phones in your home are likely only serving individual people. You set up widgets and apps on your phone that adhere to your lifestyle needs and entertainment interests. Included in this layout is a bevy of personal applications and saved passwords that connect users seamlessly to things like their bank accounts, email folders, and workplace data. All kinds of important information is hidden within your mobile device. And if you don't secure the tool with a password, PIN code, or pattern passcode then it's ripe for the picking. If a criminal can lift your phone from a table, purse, or pocket, they have access to every bit of your sensitive data without having to do any additional work. Considering how much information is stored on cell phones today, it's no wonder why criminals target them so often. Using lock screen protection tools helps secure your personal information behind an additional wall that's typically quite difficult to crack. The webcam hack is a well-known trope in movies and television these days. Nobody will be surprised anymore to hear that hackers can gain access to a computer's camera and snoop on the activities of the person sitting in front of it (even if they don't think it's happening to them). That's why many computers built today introduce a rudimentary privacy screen into the camera's housing. Closing the physical door to the lens means that even if a hacker were able to break into your computer and turn your camera on, they won't be able see what's going on in your home. But a concrete barrier to viewing isn't the end all be all, far from it. video snooping isn't surprising, but some users might be shocked to find that even if the camera isn't actively transmitting video, it can still capture audio and send it elsewhere. Cybercriminals can therefore tap into the microphone of your computer and listen for key conversations. You might call out your credit card number to your partner when booking flights or share key insights into your life that make their way into security questions on your banking app (perhaps the name of your first pet). Disabling your microphone when it's not actively being used, and knowing that it can be accessed remotely by hackers in the first place will put you a step ahead when it comes to shoring up cybersecurity concerns in your digital life. Two-step verification is the process of layering up cybersecurity protection with practices that will (ideally) force you to use two separate devices to log into sensitive accounts. When signing in somewhere, the two-step process forces you to retrieve a code and plug it into the system. Often, this will be in the form of an email or text message, but using code generator tools can also play a role here. The basic premise holds that requiring access to another account or device in order to attain authorization to log in means that cybercriminals who have breached some aspect of your digital life (but crucially, not all of it) can't continue to weasel their way through your online accounts. Google notes that two-step verification procedures can eliminate "100% of automated bot attacks," while shoring up your protections across the board. Many people might opt to skip two-step verification tool because they add a hurdle to the process of logging in to sites and accounts that they frequent. It can be a hassle to always need to retrieve a code to get into your banking profile or log into a workplace email account. But the use of this system can massively reduce your risk of becoming a victim of cybercrime, and it's worth the extra step. Last but certainly no less pernicious, is the false belief that cybersecurity breaches and data insecurity on the whole is only an issue of large magnitude. You may think hackers only target large corporations to steal long lists of client information, but they also target thousands of consumers through phishing schemes to gain access to intimately personal and very important details. Small attacks happen every day, too, and can be just as damaging to you. If you're only on the lookout for big ticket items, you're bound to miss the smaller breaches that come your way and can inflict their own damage and pain. There's a tendency to think that only major breaches are worth protecting yourself against. In the personal sphere, this might be akin to the mindset that your bank account requires added security, by Facebook or Twitter profiles don't need this extra layer of protection. The reality is that our digital lives are messy, complicated, and overlapping. Information found in one corner of your digital identity can assist in the capture of resources elsewhere. You may have sent a picture of your credit card to a family member to use in buying something online, or shared a password in a direct message on Instagram with someone you were collaborating with. All your interactions add up, and a breach somewhere can easily transform into one that affects everything. Getting out of this mindset is critical for protecting your personal information.Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs win at the buzzer again, topping Panthers 30-27 on Shrader's field goal
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Despite the geopolitical noise created by threats of invasion, Taiwan remains as an attractive tourist destination for Filipinos. And that charm comes from Taiwan’s overall efforts to reshape its tourism industry by luring more holiday-makers from Southeast Asia, who are now coming to the island in numbers close to the years before pandemic lockdowns kept people in their homes. Latest data from the Taiwan Tourism Administration show that total international arrivals in Taiwan had grown by 27.14 percent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2024 to 5.5 million. The figure, however, is still below the 8.8 million arrivals recorded during the same period in 2019, or before the pandemic. But zooming in, travelers from Southeast Asia had jumped by 10.5 percent in the January to September period to 1.68 million, already close to pre-COVID-19 level. Notably, Filipinos cornered the largest share of Southeast Asian visitors to the island after clocking in a 38.77-percent growth to 338,386—almost hitting the number recorded in the same nine-month period in 2019. “Taiwan is surrounded by mountains and seas, with rich and diverse natural landscapes. With the beautiful scenery, tourists can always find their inner peace by immersing themselves with the tranquility of Taiwan,” Cindy Chen, director of the Tourism Administration, tells the Inquirer in an interview during a familiarization tour on the island’s capital of Taipei. “With such reasons, tourists are eager to revisit Taiwan and discover its charm through different aspects,” Chen adds. Taipei 101 skyscraper This, in turn, is helping Taiwan’s economy that—albeit technology-focused and export-oriented—has a vibrant tourism sector that generates jobs for many people working in places like the famous night markets. ”Whether in big cities or small towns, from street food to fine dining, there are plenty of choices to satisfy different needs,” Chen says. As it is, Southeast Asian travelers are picking up the slack from the still weak number of Chinese visitors, who are now being outnumbered by travelers from the Philippines alone. Official data show that unlike in the past years when mainland China was the top source of international arrivals to Taiwan, the share of Chinese visitors to total foreign travelers to the island has shrunk to just around 5 percent. The Tourism Administration reports that only 293,235 Chinese from the mainland visited the island in the first nine months of 2024, coinciding with rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait. In early June, Taipei visitors can witness the annual Dragon Boat Festival. It thus makes perfect sense that Taiwan now sees the Philippines as an important market. Filipinos currently enjoy visa-free entry to Taiwan for up to 14 days. At the same time, Taiwan is the closest neighbor of the Philippines in the north, with major airlines offering flights between the two destinations. And Filipinos are making the most out of their visits. According to the latest data from the Tourism Administration, Filipinos stayed for an average of 6.31 nights in Taiwan—mostly for leisure—during the January to September period, albeit the shortest among Southeast Asian visitors. Night markets such as the most famous one in Shilin District And if you are planning a trip to Taiwan, Chen says holidaymakers from the Philippines may time their visit during the Dragon Boat Festival, which is generally held in early June around the summer solstice according to the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, the Taipei International Dragon Boat Championships held last June 8 to 10 at the picturesque Dajia Riverside Park in Zhongshan District in Taipei was a spectacular showcase of modern cityscape, riverside development and rich tradition that attracted skilled teams of rowers from Taiwan and around the globe. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . “Plenty of races will be organized from northern to southern Taiwan. There are more customs for tourists to experience during the holiday,” Chen says.