Azincourt Energy (CVE:AAZ) Stock Price Up 50% – Still a Buy?The Indian community in New Zealand celebrated a year of milestones in 2024. In October, official results from the 2023 Census confirmed that New Zealand's Indian population had overtaken the Chinese community to become the third-largest ethnic group in the country . What's more, Kiwi Indians celebrated a significant rise in the community's median personal income - the highest among all ethnicities. The data released in October showed the median income of Indian adults in New Zealand was $51,600. By comparison, the median income for the country's overall population was $41,500. A total of 292,092 people in the country claimed Indian heritage in the 2023 Census, an increase of 22 percent since 2018. Indians have been living in New Zealand for more than a century , as is evident from the myriad names assigned to streets, suburbs and geographical locations that can be traced to an Indian origin . A census taken in 1881 showed that six Indians were living in New Zealand at the time. The Auckland Indian Association, established in 1920, retraced the [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/indonz/534436/tracing-the-history-of-indian-migration-to-new-zealand history of Indian migration to New Zealand with an exhibition at Eden Terrace's Mahatma Gandhi Centre that was displayed through November. Law and order remained an important issue for the community in 2024, with several Indian organisations expressing ongoing disappointment at what they saw as a lack of progress in curbing violent retail crime . The government responded in September by creating a ministerial advisory group on retail crime , with two Indian New Zealanders - Dairy and Business Owners Group chair Sunny Kaushal and former ACT Party electoral candidate Himanshu Parmar - as members. Community-owned jewellery stores faced the brunt of aggravated robberies this year, leading to calls to curb youth offenders . In a bit of good news for the community, the government in December said the number of serious and persistent youth offenders had decreased by 95 compared to the previous quarter. The community continued to grapple with migrant exploitation, with Indian business leaders and immigration advisors calling for stable immigration policies to stem the tide. Earlier in the year, flaws in the accredited employer work visa scheme had spread to the health sector , with many nurses from India struggling to find employment in New Zealand. Th development prompted the Indian High Commission in Wellington to issue an advisory to nurses in September, warming them against moving to New Zealand without a genuine job offer . India's External Affairs Ministry had issued a similar advisory in January on the rise of unregistered recruitment agents who charge exorbitant fees . In October, the government declared that migrants who have been defrauded with a fake job offer will no longer be eligible for a migrant exploitation protection visa . What's more, the maximum time migrants were eligible for such a visa was also halved to six months. In other milestones, Navjot Kaur became the first Sikh women to represent the country at Miss World pageant in February. In May, Malkiat Singh became the first New Zealand Sikh to climb Mount Everest in May. After a break-out season, Rachin Ravindra became the youngest cricketer to receive the supreme award for the men's game in New Zealand after receiving the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal in March. In July, meanwhile, New Zealand's elite domestic basketball leagues announced the inclusion of teams from India in 2025 . Annual Indian sporting extravaganzas - the sixth New Zealand Sikh Games and the second New Zealand Kabaddi World Cup - continued to impress, bringing communities together and attracting thousands. Thousands also celebrated key festivals throughout the year such as Diwali , Holi , Eid and other festivals . As the community has grown in number, Indian cuisine and culture have slowly become mainstream in New Zealand. The momentum in New Zealand-India diplomatic relations continued in 2024, with several notable meetings taking place at the highest political levels. Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Trade Minister Todd McClay met their Indian counterparts on multiple occasions in the year. In October, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also met his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Laos . Indian President Droupadi Murmu's three-day visit to New Zealand in August was one of the diplomatic highlights of the year. Murmu hailed the contributions of Kiwi Indians in all aspects of life in New Zealand. While some progress has been made in trade between the two countries this year, the ultimate prize remains a free trade deal . In November, divisions emerged in the Indian community after a US-based separatist group organised a non-binding "referendum" in Auckland that called for an independent homeland for Sikhs within India. On the diplomatic front, Patrick Rata was appointed New Zealand's new high commissioner to India in March. In September, the Indian government opened a consulate in Auckland , which houses more than 60 percent of New Zealand's Indian population. Looking ahead to 2025, the Indian community is looking forward to Luxon's promised visit to India sometime next year.
BUFFALO — The year started with a bang. In January, Gov. Kathy Hochul named UB the home of Empire AI, a new $400 million supercomputing center that will provide UB and partners with breathtakingly powerful resources to harness artificial intelligence for the betterment of society. An avalanche of advancements – all pointing towards UB’s leadership in AI, in New York State and nationwide – followed the governor’s announcement. With interest in AI surging globally, these advancements showcase and build upon UB’s impressive half-century of expertise in AI research and education. They also hint at a brighter future, where AI’s uncanny abilities merge with human ingenuity to tackle society’s greatest challenges. “Traditionally, colleges and universities are at the epicenter of life-changing research and ideas,” said Venu Govindaraju, vice president for research and economic development. “The University at Buffalo is pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and data science in fields that are critical to the state’s and nation’s future.” As 2024 comes to a close, here’s a look back at what has been a year of AI at UB. January UB researchers have been laying the groundwork for today’s boom in artificial intelligence for decades. This includes pioneering work creating the world’s first autonomous handwriting recognition system, which the U.S. Postal Service and Royal Mail adopted to save billions of dollars. Those innovations explain, in part, why Gov. Kathy Hochul chose UB to be the home of Empire AI, a consortium of public and private universities, and foundations, that will harness AI for the public good while driving economic development. “We want to make sure New York State is the capital of AI development ... but I need a home for this supercomputer that’ll power the innovation all over our state. And I’m proud to announce that the home will be right here at [UB],” Hochul said Jan. 26 at the Center for the Arts. Earlier in the month, during her State of the State address in Albany, the governor spotlighted UB student Holliday Sims for her work using AI to improve the child welfare system. February UB was chosen to join the federal government’s first-ever consortium dedicated to ensuring that AI systems are safe and trustworthy. Announced Feb. 8, the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) includes government agencies and top research universities, as well as Microsoft, Apple, Google, OpenAI and other tech companies. AISIC will create standards for AI usage that protect Americans’ privacy; advance equity and civil rights; and promote innovation and competition. Weeks later, UB was among 28 new members to join AI Alliance, an international coalition led by IBM and Meta that is dedicated to promoting open, safe and responsible AI. March On a beautiful spring day, engineering professor Chase Murray and students took to the skies at UB’s Structure for Outdoor Autonomy Research, one of the largest outdoor drone-testing labs among the nation’s colleges and universities. Murray uses AI and other technologies to optimize how autonomous vehicles work together – research that has implications in logistics, search-and-rescue, surveillance and more. Elsewhere, researchers in UB’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science kept tabs on their AI system that aims to improve indoor farming and address food insecurity. And another research group began using AI to make algae fuel production more cost-effective. The projects illustrate UB’s commitment to sustainability and social justice. April April brought Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the National Science Foundation, to campus. The occasion? “Today, we’re here to celebrate something truly amazing: the opening of the new, $20 million, federally funded National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, and it’s going to be housed right here at UB,” said Schumer. Funded by the NSF and Department of Education, the institute will create AI systems that ensure children with speech and language disorders receive timely, effective assistance. The work, which addresses the nationwide shortage of speech-language pathologists, will help ensure that millions of children do not fall behind in their academic and socio-emotional development. May On May 31, UB hosted thought leaders from IBM, M&T Bank, Moog and other institutions for its ongoing chat series on AI and society. “Don’t be an AI user, be an AI value creator,” Dario Gil, IBM senior vice president and director of research, told attendees at the Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences. The event included presentations from UB researchers using AI to make advancements in medicine, medical devices, climate change, materials science, pharmaceutical science and other fields. June An electricity grid that uses AI to identify and fix problems before they cause widespread power outages? It could become reality sooner than you think due to research published June 4 and co-led by Souma Chowdhury, who studies how to apply AI to complex systems. He is among more than 200 researchers at UB using AI to address societal challenges. Also in June, more than 300 scholars from the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, one of the world’s most recognized scientific organizations dedicated to advancing AI research, gathered at UB for a multiday conference. The scholars represented more than a dozen fields – including machine learning, psychology, political science, the humanities and more. July On July 17, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and state lawmakers visited UB for a roundtable discussion on AI. The attendees learned about UB researchers using AI to identify “forever chemicals,” as well as spinoff companies working on technology to improve treatment for strokes and aneurysms. “We are pioneering AI discoveries that will drive progress in research and economic development, demonstrating UB’s commitment to leveraging technology for societal benefit,” Govindaraju said. August The start of the new semester brought record enrollment to UB’s Master of Science program focusing on AI. Launched in 2020 with five students, the number swelled to 73 students this fall, with an additional 50 expected next semester. The program’s growth “shows that we’re providing students with in-demand skills that they can use for the betterment of society,” said Kemper E. Lewis, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Graduates have taken jobs at Amazon Web Services, NVIDIA, Visa and other companies. September UB was awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Education to establish the Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI. The center will create AI tools to ensure culturally and linguistically diverse learners in grades K-2, including those in Western New York, receive transformative early literacy instruction. “We believe that, with the right support, all students — regardless of their backgrounds — can succeed in literacy,” says project leader X. Christine Wang, a professor of learning and instruction in the Graduate School of Education. Later in the month, Rep. Tim Kennedy announced UB would receive $475,000 to equip its wind tunnel with equipment that allows it to leverage the power of AI, among other technologies. UB uses the facility to study and improve the nation’s response to hurricanes, wildfires and other extreme weather. October On Oct. 11, roughly nine months after it was announced, Empire AI went live. Gov. Kathy Hochul flipped the switch on a stack of powerful new computer servers at Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences. The servers represent a fraction of the eventual power of Empire AI, which will be located at a new building on North Campus. On the same day, UB President Satish K. Tripathi delivered his annual State of the University address. “While today, only the private sector has the computing power needed to seriously advance AI research, Empire AI will put New York State at the epicenter of artificial intelligence innovation. This game-changing initiative will enable us to tap the full power of AI to solve complex issues facing our state, nation and world.” November From fake celebrity endorsements to manipulated videos of politicians, the 2024 election was rife with misleading information. Debunking much of this content was the DeepFake-o-Meter, a publicly available tool used by journalists, law enforcement and others. The tool was created by UB computer scientist Siwei Lyu and students. With AI being added to medical devices, the Food and Drug Administration wants to ensure these products meet public health standards. The agency called upon experts, including UB’s Peter Elkin, for insight at a public meeting. Elkin, professor and chair of the Department of Bioinformatics, said the FDA should allow these devices to learn and therefore improve. “AI-enabled devices are no longer just tools; now they are partners in care,” he said. Back on campus, UB hosted the latest in a series of “AI at UB” forums on Nov. 21. Organizers updated faculty and staff on how UB is implementing AI in its classrooms and labs. Presenters also discussed how AI can be a tool to foster collaboration and enhance learning outcomes. December In early December, UB officials detailed plans to create a new academic department focused on AI and its impact on society. The department aligns with the mission of UB and SUNY, both of which are committed to responsibly harnessing the power of AI for social good. Around the same time, UB computer scientist Nalini Ratha published a series of research papers focused on machine learning and encrypted data. One of the papers suggests a new technique for safeguarding personal medical data as it travels from third-party cloud service providers back to patients and their doctors. The work points to a future where medical diagnostics are quicker and more accurate, and patient medical records remain confidential.Emboldened 'manosphere' accelerates threats and demeaning language toward women after U.S. election
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(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Robert C. Donnelly , Gonzaga University (THE CONVERSATION) Former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29, 2024, at age 100 at his home in Plains, Georgia, was a dark horse Democratic presidential candidate with little national recognition when he beat Republican incumbent Gerald Ford in 1976. The introspective former peanut farmer pledged a new era of honesty and forthrightness at home and abroad, a promise that resonated with voters eager for change following the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency, however, lasted only one term before Ronald Reagan defeated him. Since then, scholars have debated – and often maligned – Carter’s legacy, especially his foreign policy efforts that revolved around human rights. Critics have described Carter’s foreign policies as “ineffectual” and “hopelessly muddled ,” and their formulation demonstrated “weakness and indecision.” As a historian researching Carter’s foreign policy initiatives , I conclude his overseas policies were far more effective than critics have claimed. A Soviet strategy The criticism of Carter’s foreign policies seems particularly mistaken when it comes to the Cold War, a period defined by decades of hostility, mutual distrust and arms buildup after World War II between the U.S. and Russia, then known as the Soviet Union or Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). By the late 1970s, the Soviet Union’s economy and global influence were weakening. With the counsel of National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, a Soviet expert , Carter exploited these weaknesses. During his presidency, Carter insisted nations provide basic freedoms for their people – a moral weapon against which repressive leaders could not defend. Carter soon openly criticized the Soviets for denying Russian Jews their basic civil rights , a violation of human rights protections outlined in the diplomatic agreement called the Helsinki Accords . Carter’s team underscored these violations in arms control talks. The CIA flooded the USSR with books and articles to incite human rights activism. And Carter publicly supported Russian dissidents – including pro-democracy activist Andrei Sakharov – who were fighting an ideological war against socialist leaders. Carter adviser Stuart Eizenstat argues that the administration attacked the Soviets “in their most vulnerable spot – mistreatment of their own citizens.” This proved effective in sparking Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s social and political reforms of the late 1980s, best known by the Russian word “glasnost ,” or “openness.” The Afghan invasion In December 1979, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in response to the assassination of the Soviet-backed Afghan leader, Nur Mohammad Taraki. The invasion effectively ended an existing détente between the U.S. and USSR. Beginning in July 1979, the U.S. was providing advice and nonlethal supplies to the mujahideen rebelling against the Soviet-backed regime. After the invasion, National Security Advisor Brzezinski advised Carter to respond aggressively to it. So the CIA and U.S. allies delivered weapons to the mujahideen, a program later expanded under Reagan. Carter’s move effectively engaged the Soviets in a proxy war that began to bleed the Soviet Union. By providing the rebels with modern weapons, the U.S. was “giving to the USSR its Vietnam war,” according to Brzezinski : a progressively expensive war, a strain on the socialist economy and an erosion of their authority abroad. Carter also imposed an embargo on U.S. grain sales to the Soviets in 1980. Agriculture was the USSR’s greatest economic weakness since the 1960s. The country’s unfavorable weather and climate contributed to successive poor growing seasons, and their heavy industrial development left the agricultural sector underfunded . Economist Elizabeth Clayton concluded in 1985 that Carter’s embargo was effective in exacerbating this weakness. Census data compiled between 1959 and 1979 show that 54 million people were added to the Soviet population. Clayton estimates that 2 to 3 million more people were added in each subsequent year. The Soviets were overwhelmed by the population boom and struggled to feed their people. At the same time, Clayton found that monthly wages increased, which led to an increased demand for meat. But by 1985, there was a meat shortage in the USSR. Why? Carter’s grain embargo, although ended by Reagan in 1981, had a lasting impact on livestock feed that resulted in Russian farmers decreasing livestock production . The embargo also forced the Soviets to pay premium prices for grain from other countries, nearly 25 percent above market prices . For years, Soviet leaders promised better diets and health , but now their people had less food. The embargo battered a weak socialist economy and created another layer of instability for the growing population. The Olympic boycott In 1980, Carter pushed further to punish the Soviets. He convinced the U.S. Olympic Committee to refrain from competing in the upcoming Moscow Olympics while the Soviets repressed their people and occupied Afghanistan. Carter not only promoted a boycott, but he also embargoed U.S. technology and other goods needed to produce the Olympics. He also stopped NBC from paying the final US$20 million owed to the USSR to broadcast the Olympics. China, Germany, Canada and Japan – superpowers of sport – also participated in the boycott. Historian Allen Guttmann said, “The USSR lost a significant amount of international legitimacy on the Olympic question.” Dissidents relayed to Carter that the boycott was another jab at Soviet leadership. And in America, public opinion supported Carter’s bold move – 73% of Americans favored the boycott . The Carter doctrine In his 1980 State of the Union address, Carter revealed an aggressive Cold War military plan. He declared a “ Carter doctrine ,” which said that the Soviets’ attempt to gain control of Afghanistan, and possibly the region, was regarded as a threat to U.S. interests. And Carter was prepared to meet the threat with “ military force .” Carter also announced in his speech a five-year spending initiative to modernize and strengthen the military because he recognized the post-Vietnam military cuts weakened the U.S. against the USSR. Ronald Reagan argued during the 1980 presidential campaign that, “Jimmy Carter risks our national security – our credibility – and damages American purposes by sending timid and even contradictory signals to the Soviet Union.” Carter’s policy was based on “weakness and illusion” and should be replaced “with one founded on improved military strength,” Reagan criticized. In 1985, however, President Reagan publicly acknowledged that his predecessor demonstrated great timing in modernizing and strengthening the nation’s forces, which further increased economic and diplomatic pressure on the Soviets. Reagan admitted that he felt “very bad” for misstating Carter’s policies and record on defense. Carter is most lauded today for his post-presidency activism , public service and defending human rights. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for such efforts. But that praise leaves out a significant portion of Carter’s presidential accomplishments. His foreign policy, emphasizing human rights, was a key instrument in dismantling the power of the Soviet Union. This is an updated version of a story that was originally published on May 2, 2019. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/jimmy-carters-lasting-cold-war-legacy-his-human-rights-focus-helped-dismantle-the-soviet-union-113994 .It took a half Sunday afternoon at the Farris Center, but the University of Central Arkansas Bears eventually put away the Southwestern Christian Eagles 87-69 in their final non-conference tuneup before conference play begins. UCA (4-9) outscored SCU 49-29 in the second half, led by senior Elias Cato, who scored 20 of his team-high 22 points in the final 20 minutes. Cato led five Bears in double figures, with freshman Layne Taylor adding 15 points, sophomore Brayden Fagbemi 13, redshirt freshman Ben Fox 11 and sophomore Michael Evbagharu 10. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams have claimed cornerback Emmanuel Forbes off waivers from Washington. The Rams (6-6) announced the move Monday. They waived undrafted rookie defensive back Charles Woods to make room on the roster. Forbes was the 16th overall draft pick in 2023, but the Commanders released him Saturday in yet another latest flop for their first-round selections under former coach Ron Rivera. Forbes started 10 games as a rookie, but the Mississippi State product got benched during the season — and his playing time dwindled to almost nothing under new coach Dan Quinn this season. Forbes was considered undersized to be an elite NFL defensive back before Washington used a first-round pick on him, and his play did little to discourage that perception. But the Rams are taking a flier on Forbes to help their mediocre pass defense. Darious Williams, a member of the Rams' Super Bowl championship team who returned to Los Angeles this season as a free agent, has been their best cover corner, but he struggled in Sunday's victory over New Orleans. Third-year pro Cobie Durant has started all 12 games this season with one interception. Los Angeles already traded Tre'Davious White, its other major offseason signing at cornerback, after the former Pro Bowler failed to perform. The Rams shipped White to Baltimore for a seventh-round pick swap last month. Woods has played in nine games for the Rams, appearing mostly on special teams. Los Angeles hosts Buffalo on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
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Percentages: FG 39.726, FT .588. 3-Point Goals: 9-21, .429 (Lacey 3-6, McMiller 3-5, Petticord 2-6, Thompson 1-3, Perkins 0-1) Blocked Shots: 3 (Adams 1, McMiller 1, Perkins 1) Turnovers: 9 (McMiller 4, Thompson 2, Lacey 1, Perkins 1, Walker 1) Steals: 8 (Adams 6, Lacey 1, McMiller 1) Technical Fouls: None Percentages: FG 39.394, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 4-21, .190 (Mays-Prince 3-5, Jackson 1-6, Gaines 0-1, Gwynn 0-3, Akinsola 0-1, Eddings 0-5) Blocked Shots: 5 (Johnson 2, Jackson 1, Green 1, Akinsola 1) Turnovers: 16 (Gaines 4, Gwynn 4, Mays-Prince 3, Jackson 2, Johnson 1, Green 1, Akinsola 1) Steals: 5 (Gwynn 2, Eddings 2, Green 1) Technical Fouls: None A_0 Officials_Erika Herriman, Kenya Kirkland, Angelica Suffren