Stalin signs MoU with Google to set up AI labs

Stalin signs MoU with Google to set up AI labs

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 01.09.2024 

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who is touring the U.S. to attract investments, signed a memorandum of understanding with Google to set up Artificial Intelligence (AI) laboratories in Tamil Nadu.

He met officials of the company on its Mountain View campus and discussed expanding manufacture of Pixel 8 phones and launching other products of the company in the State.

Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa said, ‘‘With this partnership, we look forward to skilling two million youth in AI through the Naan Mudhalvan [a State government scheme], and collaborate with start-ups. We want our youth to be a future-ready workforce.”

PM: Vande trains new face of rlys, symbol of aspiration and dreams

PM: Vande trains new face of rlys, symbol of aspiration and dreams

102 VANDE BHARAT TRAINS NOW OPERATIONAL 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK New Delhi : Vande Bharat trains are the new face of railways and a symbol of “aspiration and dreams”, PM Narendra Modi said while flagging off three such semi-high speed trains on Saturday. He also announced that the sleeper and Metro versions of Vande Bharat express will be launched soon. 

Later in the day attending an ET event, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the trial run of Vande sleeper will start in the next one week. While flagging off the three trains that will run in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, the PM said, “Nation is inching towards the goal of Vikist Bharat with modernisation and expansion of Vande Bharat trains in the country.” He added that the National Capital Region (NCR) is becoming an example of PM Gatishakti’s vision to change the country's infrastructure with modern trains, network of expressways and expansion of air services.

The three new addition of Vande Bharat trains to the existing fleet will improve connectivity on three routes — Meerut—Lucknow, Madurai — Bengaluru and Chennai — Nagercoil. Referring to the three trains PM said these will provide connectivity to important cities as well as historic towns in the country. Underlining the need for rapid development of southern states to accomplish the goal of developed India, Modi said, “Southern India is the land of immense talent, resources and opportunities.” The PM said over ₹6,000 cr has been allocated for TN’s rail budget this year, seven times more than in 2014 amid complaints of CM M K Stalin of the Centre neglecting railways in the state.

Entered seminar hall to look for a doc, RG Kar accused tells CBI

Entered seminar hall to look for a doc, RG Kar accused tells CBI 

‘PANICKED, RUSHED OUT’ RohitKhanna@timesofindia.com Kolkata :

Sanjay Roy, the prime accused in the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder, has told CBI that he had gone to the upper floor of the hospital in the early hours of Aug 9 to look for a doctor because a patient known to him was in need of oxygen. Roy, who has undergone a polygraph test, has told the investigators that he did not intend to go to the seminar room where the crime allegedly took place, but had entered there accidentally. Roy told CBI that on Aug 9, the patient known to him was supposed to be operated on. The patient’s condition had reportedly deteriorated, and Roy entered the seminar hall while looking for a doctor to attend to him. The accused also claimed that there was no security at the gate and nobody stopped him.

 CBI has already run two security guards through a polygraph test to verify Roy’s claim. The accused, sources said, told the investigators that he entered the room and saw someone lying there. He claimed he did not know the woman, but shook the body and there was no response. Roy claimed he panicked at this stage and rushed out. He stumbled on something and his Bluetooth device fell there. Investigators, however, doubt his claims as a CCTV grab at 11 am on Aug 8 shows him staring at the deceased doctor when four other juniors were present with her. 

Roy’s lawyer Kabita Sarkar said they were waiting for the next date of hearing in court to present his version of the incident. “He has gone through a polygraph test and we are sure the judge will give him the opportunity to be heard,” she said.

TN will oppose regressive NEP: Appavu

TN will oppose regressive NEP:  Appavu 

Tirunelveli : Tamil Nadu assembly speaker M Appavu on Saturday said the Union govt was trying to force the state to adopt National Education Policy (NEP) but the state govt will continue to oppose it as it was against the welfare of Tamil Nadu and its people. He was addressing ‘Petrorgalai Kondaduvom’ event held in Tirunelveli to honour parents of school students who donated towards development of govt schools.

 “In 2014, Tamil Nadu govt accepted the NEP for compulsory education for children from 1 to 14 years of age. Around 99% of students in the state now go to school till Class VIII while 89% attend till Class XII. The gross enrollment ratio for higher education is 51%,” he said. 

School education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said the state govt has introduced various schemes just for students, which teachers and parents should be aware of and make use of to the fullest. Earlier, youth welfare minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inaugurated the event via videoconferencing.

NEWS TODAY 31.08.2024

 

Ta-ta Vistara! Merger with AI set for Nov 12

 Ta-ta Vistara! Merger with AI set for Nov 12 

Govt Approves ₹2K Cr Singapore Airlines FDI, Foreign Carrier To Hold 25% In JV With Tatas 

Saurabh.Sinha@timesofindia.com 

New Delhi : Vistara will merge into Air India on Nov 12, 2024 and Tata Group patriarch Ratan Tata’s nearly three-decade-old dream of making Air India a world class airline in partnership with Singapore Airlines could soon come true. Govt has approved SIA’s FDI into AI, and the former will have 25.1% stake in the JV by investing Rs 2,059 crore in it.

Starting Sept 3, customers will “progressively no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara for travel on or after Nov 12, 2024. All our flights thereafter will be operated by AI and bookings for them will be redirected to Air India’s website from ours... Our operations continue as usual till Nov 11, 2024,” Vistara said in an internal note to employees on Friday. 

Vistara frequent flyer miles are being merged into the AI programme. Customers already booked on Vistara flights after Nov 12 will have their reservations converted to AI flight numbers. “…This will occur in phases during Sept, and customers will be individually informed when this occurs… even though in nearly all cases the aircraft, schedule and operating crew will be unchanged until early 2025,” 

AI CEO Campbell Wilson said in email to employees on Friday. The merger date was communicated soon after India approved SIA’s FDI. In a statement, SIA, which owned 49% in Vistara, said on Friday: “SIA and Tata Sons are firmly committed to supporting the growth and success of AI Group, which post-merger will have a significant presence in all key Indian airline market segments (full service, low-cost, international, and domestic). This merger will reinforce SIA’s multi-hub strategy and underscore its long-standing commitment to India through a direct stake in this large and rapidly growing aviation market,”  the statement added.

While welcoming Vistara employees into the AI fold, Wilson urged them and AI staffers to “ensure that our collective customers and colleagues experience the smoothest of transitions.” Wilson said: “The joint team looks forward to offering our guests an expanded network, additional flight options an enhanced frequent flyer programme… grateful for the support of our loyal customers through this next phase of building a world class, world scale, global airline with an Indian heart.

Bengal’s new bill seeks death or life in jail till death in rape cases

Bengal’s new bill seeks death or life in jail till death in rape cases

Legislation To Be Tabled On Monday 

Saibal Sen & Srishti Lakhotia TNN 

Kolkata : The stringent anti-rape bill to be tabled by West Bengal’s govt in the assembly on Monday proposes to treat all rape crimes — even if the victim survives — as a murder to be punished with life imprisonment or death, irrespective of the victim’s age. It will also call for a time-bound trial and enhanced compensation or fine to be collected from the guilty. In case of rape-murder, the bill proposes only the death penalty and a hefty fine to be collected from the perpetrator’s family. 

By introducing the “imprison ment for the remainder of natural life” clause along with the death penalty for all rape cases, the proposed bill will try to differ from and avoid the fate of previous such bills passed by other states. The Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill, 2019 and Maharashtra Shakti Bill, 2020 had only one penalty — mandatory death — for all rape and gang-rape cases. Both the bills are yet to get the President’s assent. The Supreme Court had in the 1983 Mithu versus State of Punjab case struck down IPC Section 303, which stipulated “mandatory death” for life convicts committing murder, saying it violated the fundamental right of equality before the law (Article 14 of the Constitution) and right to life (Article 21) by not allowing courts to exercise their discretion and, therefore, would result in “unfair, unjust and unreasonable procedure” that could deprive a person of his/her life. “We have researched multiple Supreme Court and high court judgments on this issue. We propose to have both death and rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of a person’s life and fine/compensation for trauma, rehabilitation and treatment of the victim. For rape and murder, the provisions will be death and fine (from kin).

A shorter fixed period for investigation and trial is being proposed. Other legal details are also being discussed threadbare and multiple stakeholders are being consulted,” said Sanjay Basu, senior standing counsel for the Bengal govt in SC.  Medical professionals shout slogans during a protest to condemn the rape and murder of a doctor, amid rainfall in Kolkata on Friday 

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