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India to Tour South Africa for Four-Match T20I Series in November

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India will tour South Africa for a four-match T20I series in November, as announced by Cricket South Africa and the BCCI.

The series starts on November 8 at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium in Durban, with subsequent matches in Gqeberha on November 10, Centurion on November 13, and Johannesburg on November 15.

The CSA released the itinerary, detailing the schedule for these matches. The tour has been strategically scheduled between India’s home Test series against New Zealand and their upcoming tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar series.

I would like to thank the BCCI for their continued support to South Africa’s cricket, and world cricket in general, CSA chairperson Lawson Naidoo was quoted as saying by PTI in a press release. Any tour by the Indian cricket team to our shores is filled with amazing camaraderie and exciting cricket, and I know our fans will be eagerly awaiting this series which will showcase the exceptional talent from both teams.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah remarked, India and South Africa have always shared a deep and strong bond, one that both nations take great pride in. The Indian Cricket Team has consistently received immense appreciation and love from South African fans, and this sentiment is equally strong among Indian fans towards the South African side. I am confident that the upcoming series will once again highlight the on-field cricketing excellence and deliver enthralling, high-intensity contests.

Majority of Voters Approve Biden’s Immigration Policies, Fox News Poll Shows, US

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WASHINGTON, DC – More than half of registered voters on Thursday said they approve of President Joe Biden’s sweeping immigration policies, according to a new Fox News poll. The nationwide poll found that 57% of respondents support the president’s latest actions, with 38% in opposition. Nearly seven in 10 voters approved of the policies when not linked to Biden, signaling broad overall approval. While key demographic groups showed variations in support levels, the executive action boosted Biden’s handling of the border crisis. The survey, conducted from June 14-17, included 1,095 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

YouTube Cancelling VPN Premium Subscriptions for Location Mismatches, Argentina

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YouTube has been taking strict action for months against the users who violate its policies by using ad-blockers and other tools to watch the content on the platform. The Google-owned platform is now reportedly cancelling the YouTube Premium subscriptions of those who use VPNs (Virtual Private Networks). YouTube has now decided to stop those accounts that took its premium subscription from a country different from their original location.

YouTube cracked down on premium subscriptions where the location of the signup county and the users’ actual locations did not match, according to a report by The Verge. The report mentioned that people who used a VPN to buy the subscription on the video platform got them cancelled automatically. The users used this trick to get the YouTube Premium subscription at a lower price than their country’s.

In the United States, the YouTube Premium subscription price is $13.99 a month, enabling users to watch ad-free video content, access YouTube Music, and allow offline downloads. On the other hand, users could enjoy a premium subscription to YouTube at just 869 ARS (around $1.05 per month) in Argentina. However, YouTube is now taking care of such practices by cancelling the subscriptions.

The report highlighted the statement made by Paul Pennington, YouTube’s spokesperson, who said that the company had ‘systems in place’ to find out the locations of its users. He added that the company would ask the users to update their billing information to their current residential country if the signup location did not match the location from where they accessed the platform. Besides, the YouTube spokesperson did not directly comment on the cancellation of such users’ premium subscriptions.

YouTube has already taken active steps to track users who use ad blockers to watch ad-free videos on the platform with a signed-in account or in incognito mode. From slowing down the speed and showing buffering to showing forced ads, YouTube has introduced various ways to force users to stop using ad blockers. Recently, the platform sent out a message to the users: Ad Blockers are not allowed on YouTube.

Invasive Feral Hogs: The Environmental Impact and Controversial Solution, Mexico

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Thank you for pointing that out! Here is the revised response without any descriptions:

For some, being able to eat an invasive species makes the call to kill them easier to stomach. In the Mexican Caribbean, for example, edibility has encouraged the population to play a role in getting rid of lionfish.

Locals started fishing with the purpose of consuming it, said Camacho-Cervantes. And then they were very creative with the recipes they were making, and they were selling a lot. So they were fishing a lot. And now they have populations that are very small.

The feral hog numbers in Texas are not yet under control and given the rapid rate at which they can reproduce, Griffiths doesn’t see that happening. We have to kill something like 70% of them every year to keep the population where it is, he says, expertly breaking down a dead hog.

Still, he points to another advantage of eating the hogs that roam free in Texas. Every pound of feral hog that we’re able to serve is also one less pound that’s coming out of a broken industrial meat system.

I think of that as I take my first bite of pork for many years, and it makes consuming an animal easier. In all honesty, it tastes unexpectedly good. Delicious even. But on balance, I think I personally will be sticking to vegetables in the future.

Jacob Zuma’s Ethnic Mobilisation Shift: A Turning Point in South Africa

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Jacob Zuma’s shift towards naked ethnic mobilisation and anti-constitutionalism from 2005 to 2009 when he was fired by then president Thabo Mbeki has raised concerns among South Africans. Zuma’s portrayal as a messiah through his uncouth populist actions has come under scrutiny, with many questioning his true intentions. The evolution of Zuma’s political tactics has left many wondering about the future of the country and the impact of his leadership on the nation. As South Africans navigate through this tumultuous political landscape, it is crucial to stay informed and critically analyze the actions of those in power to ensure a prosperous future for all.

Microsoft’s WorkLab Co-Founder Discusses AI’s Impact on Future of Work

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Microsoft reveals how AI is reshaping work at all levels

‘You can choose fear or you can lean in and learn’, Microsoft’s WorkLab co-founder on AI and the future of work.

AI continues to revolutionise the way individuals work, freeing up time, automating mundane tasks and improving productivity. However, it cannot replace the originality and creative power of the human mind. This is the message Colette Stallbaumer, GM of Microsoft’s Copilot and co-founder of WorkLab, wants workers to understand.

Stallbaumer’s message comes in the wake of recent data from a work survey organised by Microsoft and LinkedIn which highlights the surging use of AI in the white-collar workforce. The survey showed that AI is already having a significant impact on how people do their jobs.

The integration of AI tools such as ChatGPT and Copilot are transforming workplaces – a change that should be embraced rather than feared, says Stallbaumer, because AI will not only change individual work practices, but could transform the DNA of entire organisations.

According to the 2024 annual Work Trend Index report which surveyed 31,000 people across 31 countries, 75 per cent are already using generative AI at work – a figure that has doubled in the last six months.

The growing trend of individuals integrating AI tools at a grassroots level is already showing significant benefits; 85 per cent of respondents reported increased productivity, and 84 per cent noted improvements in creativity, leading to higher employee satisfaction.

Generative AI tools allow workers to allocate more time to human-centric activities, such as team engagement and creative thinking. As such humans will be less doers and more supervisors of AI and AI-generated work and outcomes, explained Stallbaumer.

A salesperson can spend less time on data entry or navigating systems of record and more time nurturing customer relationships. Similarly, a finance professional can reduce time spent searching for data anomalies and focus more on strategic business growth.

While it’s encouraging that individuals are deriving value from these changes in their roles, the challenge lies in organising, scaling, and integrating these practices across organisations at a strategic level.

After individual use begins the hard part of where we are in this technology adoption cycle. Now comes the real work, where people need to really build the habit of working in this new way with AI, said Stallbaumer.

According to the survey, 41 per cent of leaders expect to have to redesign business processes with AI, although how this will happen is still evolving. For example, some efficiencies will be similar across all companies while other AI solutions and changes will be designed for the organisation’s goals.

It’s about looking at the opportunities in their business, in those horizontal workflows to actually apply AI to those processes. Every role is a series of tasks, right? And if you begin to break down those tasks, [you can] look at where AI can help.

It’s the companies that can face the challenges and opportunities head on – even as the ‘how’ is still evolving – that will thrive in the future.

India-EU Host Groundbreaking EV Battery Recycling Event

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New Delhi, June 21: In a bid to enhance the Electric Vehicle (EV) landscape and ecosystems in India and Europe, the India-European Union Trade and Technology Council (TTC) organised an event, featuring 12 high-impact startups in battery recycling technologies for EVs.

An independent committee of experts from each side shortlisted these 12 startups through a rigorous process based on scientific merit, market readiness, and prospects for cooperation. The initiative aligns with India and the EU’s commitment to promote a sustainable agenda, foster innovation, and forge stronger economic relations between India and the European Union, said Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the government of India in a statement.

The event offered the startups/SMEs an exclusive platform to pitch their innovative technologies. Start-ups operating across the battery recycling value chain, covering collection to valuable mineral extraction participated in the matchmaking event.

This matchmaking event brings together the best talents and technologies in the battery recycling space on both sides, giving them an exclusive platform for exchange, networking, and prospective investments, said Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Central government.

We believe the exchange trip, awarded to three Indian and three EU start-ups, to visit EV battery recycling facilities on either side would be highly beneficial, he added. Marc Lemaitre, Director-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission, emphasised the importance of an innovation-led EU-India partnership.

This matchmaking event is such a step by bringing together innovative startups from both regions that want to scale up green solutions under the umbrella of the EU-India Trade and Technology Council, said Lemaitre. As a next step, three start-ups each from India and EU will be awarded the opportunity to visit the EU and India, respectively for a week-long market immersion experience.

The India-EU TTC was first announced by the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2022. It is a key forum to deepen the strategic partnership on trade and technology between the two partners.

Statue of Stockman Stolen in Baldivis: $500 Reward Offered, Australia

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In a shocking turn of events, the beloved 100kg Stockman statue named Brock has been stolen from the Parkland Heights roundabout in Baldivis. The statue, a prominent feature at the corner of Nairn and Arpenteur Drives, was apparently taken in the dead of night on June 11, leaving behind a horse without its rider. Summit Homes, the developers of the estate, have offered a $500 reward for any information leading to the safe return of Brock. The CCTV footage captured a light-colored 4WD towing a trailer around the time of the theft, raising suspicions about the elaborate heist. Police are currently investigating the matter, while the community mourns the loss of their iconic cowboy statue that was a tribute to the equine history of the local area.

Deadly Rudraprayag Accident: License Fraud Exposed, Safety Measures Urged, India

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DEHRADUN: An inspection report submitted by the transport department’s lead agency has revealed that the Rudraprayag accident on June 15, which led to the death of 15 people, found that the online fee for the endorsement of mountainous routes on the driver’s licence was deposited after the accident, suggesting that someone else completed the online test and fee submission on behalf of the driver.The report further recommended reconsidering the implementation of the earlier system of physical examination of the driver to prevent such fraud. It was also found during the investigation that the driver was driving on mountain routes for the first time and was speeding.

The report, still under consideration at the headquarters in Dehradun, further stated that the Tempo Traveller vehicle broke through five parapet blocks before falling 250 metres into the Alaknanda river. The vehicle took several turns and partially drowned in the river, with some passengers being thrown out onto the slope during the fall. The report added that the accident could have been less severe if connected crash barriers had been installed instead of parapet blocks.

When contacted, assistant regional transport officer (ARTO) Rudraprayag, Pramod Karnatak, said, The issue of licence fees has come up and it is being probed. The time at which the licence fee was submitted is also being looked into.

Another official, requesting anonymity, confirmed that the crash barriers were not connected with each other.

Significantly, the government had ordered a magisterial enquiry into the accident, which has been the worst this summer.

The officials involved in the report noted that the road from Rishikesh to Rudraprayag, constructed under the All-Weather Char Dham Road project, was currently in good condition with a speed limit of 30-km per hour. However, most vehicles were observed to be over-speeding, putting lives at risk.

The report suggested installing rumble strips, white markings, and other measures to restrict the speed limit at accident-prone spots.

The condition of the accident site indicated that the driver had lost control of the vehicle, likely due to speeding and sleep deprivation, as he had been driving continuously for over 11 hours.

It also highlighted the need to improve parking arrangements in Shivpuri, Devprayag, Dhari Devi temple, and Brahmapuri to reduce traffic jams caused by roadside parking. Drivers often overspeed after passing through traffic to compensate for lost time, increasing the risk of accidents on the roads ahead.

Joint transport commissioner Sanat Kumar Singh said the department would consider all the points to improve the situation and act accordingly.

Supreme Court to Rule on Texas Man’s Firearms Challenge Under Domestic Violence Law, US

AUSTIN – A man from North Texas is awaiting the Supreme Court’s ruling on his challenge of a law prohibiting individuals under certain domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms. A decision is expected from the court within the next week.

The case revolves around whether 18 USC 922(g)(8) — a federal statute that disarms individuals under domestic violence protective orders — is still constitutional, following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in NYSRPA v. Bruen. Zackey Rahimi, indicted for violating the statute, argued the law violates his Second Amendment rights. The Fifth Circuit initially upheld the law but reversed after the NYSRPA v. Bruen decision.

Justices questioned history and legality, impacting gun laws nationwide. The ruling may have reverberations, including the high-profile case of Hunter Biden. Rahimi awaits the decision while facing other charges.