Latest news with #McBride
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Undefeated Lynx face major test in visit to Phoenix
The Minnesota Lynx aim to continue their unbeaten start when they visit the Phoenix Mercury Friday night. Minnesota is beginning a stretch in which four of five games are on the road with the only home game coming against these Mercury on Tuesday. Napheesa Collier, the WNBA MVP runner-up last season, is off to a superb start and leads the WNBA with a 26.8 scoring average. Collier, who won WNBA Defensive Player of the Year honors a year ago, also is contributing 7.8 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. While she scored a season-low 16 points on Tuesday, Collier collected 10 boards as the Lynx recorded an 82-77 home win over the Seattle Storm. Courtney Williams led the way with 23 points for her second 20-point outing of the season. Yet Minnesota was most happy about seeing sharpshooter Kayla McBride back on the floor. The four-time All-Star missed the first four games due to personal reasons but she was on target in her return, making 3 of 6 from 3-point range while scoring 15 points. "I was just grateful, being out there," said the 32-year-old McBride. "I'm fortunate for this group. From the moment I came back, it's been nothing but love and support. I'm just lucky. That's what you saw out there, I felt safe." McBride ranks ninth in WNBA history with 622 career 3-pointers. She made a career-best 105 last season. Phoenix is playing the finale of a three-game homestand after beating the Washington Mystics 68-62 on Sunday and the Chicago Sky 94-89 on Tuesday. Five-time All-Star Alyssa Thomas is fitting in well during her first season in Phoenix after 11 with the Connecticut Sun, averaging 15.2 points, 8.0 assists, 7.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals. "I think if you watched me over the years, I've always had confidence in my teammates, each and every day," Thomas said. "We're in the gym working together. I'm always about the easy shot and when they're open, I'm going to find them." Thomas had a season-high 15 assists against the Sky to move into 12th place in WNBA history with 1,503 helpers. Satou Sabally scored 20 points against Chicago to reach that mark for the third time this season. She is averaging 19.8 points per game. Phoenix rookie Kitija Laksa added a season-high 18 points against the Sky. Field Level Media
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
From Glasgow to Global: Brian McBride on leading in the age of AI and digital disruption
From the streets of Glasgow to the helm of global tech giants, Brian McBride's story is one that began right here in Scotland. His rise from local roots to international boardrooms makes his insight especially valuable to Scottish businesses navigating today's fast-changing economy. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Now one of the UK's most in-demand business speakers, McBride brings a rare combination of boardroom experience and digital vision. He served as UK CEO of Amazon, played a pivotal role as Chairman of ASOS, and currently chairs the board at Trainline. His leadership has helped scale businesses during some of the most disruptive phases of the digital era, and his advisory work with the UK government on digital strategy places him at the heart of national innovation policy. Whether helping global brands or advising emerging enterprises, McBride is known for distilling complex digital shifts into practical strategies leaders can act on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In this exclusive interview, he shares expert insights on how organisations can adapt to digital disruption, embrace AI responsibly, and leverage mobile technology to enhance customer experience. Drawing on decades of experience, he also reflects on how companies can future-proof their workforce and leadership approach in an increasingly AI-driven economy. Brian McBride - Champions Speakers Agency Q: As digital innovation accelerates across every sector, how can businesses in Scotland position themselves to harness emerging technologies and stay ahead of the curve? Brian McBride: 'Well, I think it's really mandatory for businesses to recognise what's happened. Customer behaviour has changed—people's digital and online preferences have become clear. I see it in my business at Trainline, where people have moved straight to digital ticketing. 'In retail, much of the research is usually online. You see your NHS appointments are now online. So really, digital and mobile use is the way things are going, and businesses have to recognise that and adapt accordingly.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Q: As digital tools become increasingly embedded in day-to-day operations, what emerging challenges should Scottish business leaders be especially vigilant about in the technological age? Brian McBride: 'There are a number of obstacles out there—some internal, some external. Externally, there are new technologies emerging all the time. Three, four, five years ago it was all about data science and machine learning. Now it's about artificial intelligence. Machine learning is actually a subset of AI, but AI itself is a big revolution—and it's coming. 'At the end of the day, if you're still writing physical cheques or using expense forms, you might have a problem competing with companies that have a much more modern back office. AI will transform almost every industry and pose a threat to almost every company out there. 'Another challenge is the changing world of work. Post-Covid, people don't want to work five days a week. Certainly in the UK and across much of Europe, we've got full employment—we've got more jobs than people. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The cost of labour is high, and people are able to demand a premium and choose their terms. That's why you'll see more and more jobs getting replaced with AI, where businesses can.' Q: With mobile devices now at the heart of how we live and work, how do you see this shift influencing consumer expectations and long-term behaviour? Brian McBride: 'Well, I think it's sort of symbiotic. Each needs the other. The mobile phone—particularly the smartphone—has only been around for about 15 years, but it's transformed society in many ways. People from the age of five up to ninety are now using social media. It's not just for the young—older people use it to stay in touch with family on WhatsApp and other platforms. 'If you walk down any street, there's almost nobody without a phone in their hand. We use them in all sorts of ways—much of it consumer-focused, such as social media and online shopping—but also for improving medical outcomes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Portable medical devices that would have been prohibitively expensive in the past can now be replaced with an app. Your heart rate and blood pressure can be monitored using your mobile phone. 'So mobile is transforming society. Human beings are adaptable and smart—once they see a capability, they learn how to use it and stretch it. The companies that create devices and apps then watch consumer behaviour and improve the product. It's an ongoing process that's constantly evolving.'
3 days ago
- Politics
Australia whistleblower who exposed war crime allegations loses bid to reduce prison sentence
MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australian army whistleblower David McBride, who leaked allegations of Australian war crimes in Afghanistan to the media, lost a court bid to have his prison sentence reduced on Wednesday. The three Australian Capital Territory Court of Appeal judges unanimously rejected the 61-year-old former army lawyer's appeal against the severity of a five years and eight months prison sentence imposed a year ago. The judges also rejected McBride's argument that as a military officer he had sworn an oath to Queen Elizabeth II and therefore had a sworn duty to act in the 'public interest.' 'To the contrary, the oath obliged the appellant (McBride) to discharge his duties 'according to the law,'' the judges said in a written summary of their ruling. McBride said through his lawyers that Australians would be outraged by the Court of Appeal decision. 'It is my own conscience and the people of Australia that I answer to. I have kept my oath to the Australian people,' McBride said in the lawyers' statement. McBride pleaded guilty last year to three charges, including theft and sharing with journalists documents classified as secret. He faced a potential life sentence. Rights advocates complain that McBride remains the only person to be imprisoned over allegations of war crimes committed by elite Australian special forces troops in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016. A military report released in 2020 recommended 19 current and former soldiers face criminal investigations over 39 unlawful killings in Afghanistan. Former Special Air Service Regiment soldier Oliver Schulz was charged in March 2023 with murdering an unarmed Afghan in 2012. Schulz pleaded not guilty to the war crime and has yet to stand trial. Former SAS Cpl. Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated living veteran, lost an appeal two weeks ago against a civil court ruling that he unlawfully killed four unarmed Afghans. Roberts-Smith said he would appeal his loss in the High Court. He has not been criminally charged. McBride's lawyers also said they would take their appeal to the Hight Court. "We believe that only the High Court can properly grapple with the immense public interest and constitutional issues at the heart of this case,' the lawyers' statement said. 'It cannot be a crime to expose a crime. It cannot be illegal to tell the truth,' the statement added. The lawyers also called on Attorney General Michelle Rowland, who was appointed after the Labor Party government was re-elected on May 3, to recommend McBride be pardoned. 'It is now time for the attorney general to show leadership. To show Australians that this Labor government will no longer jail whistleblowers,' the lawyers said. Rowland's office declined to comment on McBride's case. Attorneys general usually do not consider pardons in cases where appeal options remain available. The government was considering additional support for public sector whistleblowers, Rowland's office said. The documents provided by McBride became the source of a series of Australian Broadcasting Corp. reports in 2017 called the "Afghan Files.' The reports detailed allegations against Australian soldiers including the unlawful killing of men and children. The appeal court judges noted in their summary that McBride began taking home copies of hundreds of secret documents after becoming 'dissatisfied with what he perceived to be vexatious over-investigation of alleged war crimes by Australian soldiers.' McBride declined to have further dealings with a journalist after the reporter revealed he intended to use the classified information for a story exposing war crime allegations, the judges said. McBride can be considered for parole after he has served two years and three months, meaning he must remain behind bars until at least August next year.
Euronews
3 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Australian whistleblower David McBride loses appeal to reduce sentence
David McBride, a former Australian army officer who leaked classified documents revealing alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, has lost his appeal to reduce his sentence. Three judges of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Court of Appeal on Wednesday unanimously voted to uphold the 61-year-old's jail term of five years and eight months. McBride was sentenced in May 2024 for stealing and distributing classified information on Australian war crimes in Afghanistan to three journalists between 2014 and 2018. The appeal court judges noted in their summary that McBride began taking home copies of hundreds of secret documents after becoming 'dissatisfied with what he perceived to be vexatious over-investigation of alleged war crimes by Australian soldiers'. Against his wishes, the information McBride shared became the premise for a 2017 investigative documentary series, The Afghan Files, by ABC News, which detailed alleged atrocities committed by Australian troops during their deployment in Afghanistan. The justices on Wednesday also rejected McBride's argument that, as a military officer, he had sworn an oath to act in the interests of the public. 'To the contrary, the oath obliged the appellant (McBride) to discharge his duties 'according to the law,'' the judges said in a written summary of their ruling. McBride has consistently argued he acted out of duty to release the information. Through his lawyers, he said he thought Australians would be outraged by the Court of Appeal decision. 'It is my own conscience and the people of Australia that I answer to. I have kept my oath to the Australian people,' McBride said in a statement via his lawyers. His legal team said they would appeal to the country's High Court over the ruling, due to the ramifications of the case for whistleblowers in Australia. "We believe that only the High Court can properly grapple with the immense public interest and constitutional issues at the heart of this case," his lawyers argued in a statement. They also called for the country's Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland, to pardon McBride. Rowland, who was appointed to her role after the Labor Party was re-elected in early May, declined to comment on the case. The government was considering offering additional support for public sector whistleblowers, her office said. The Human Rights Law Centre told ABC News it was surprised the court hadn't reduced the length of McBride's sentence. "I think that only underscores the ongoing travesty that is his prosecution," HRLC Associate Legal Director Kieran Pender said. "David McBride's case and other whistleblower prosecutions in recent years have demonstrated the failure of our laws," he added. McBride can be considered for parole after he has served two years and three months, meaning he must remain behind bars until at least August next year.
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Arab Times
Australian whistleblower who exposed war crime allegations loses bid to reduce jail sentence
MELBOURNE, Australia, May 28, (AP): Australian army whistleblower David McBride, who leaked allegations of Australian war crimes in Afghanistan to the media, lost a court bid to have his prison sentence reduced on Wednesday. The three Australian Capital Territory Court of Appeal judges unanimously rejected the 61-year-old former army lawyer's appeal against the severity of a five years and eight months prison sentence imposed a year ago. The judges also rejected McBride's argument that as a military officer he had sworn an oath to Queen Elizabeth II and therefore had a sworn duty to act in the "public interest.' "To the contrary, the oath obliged the appellant (McBride) to discharge his duties 'according to the law,'' the judges said in a written summary of their ruling. McBride said through his lawyers that Australians would be outraged by the Court of Appeal decision. "It is my own conscience and the people of Australia that I answer to. I have kept my oath to the Australian people,' McBride said in the lawyers' statement. McBride pleaded guilty last year to three charges, including theft and sharing with journalists documents classified as secret. He faced a potential life sentence. Rights advocates complain that McBride remains the only person to be imprisoned over allegations of war crimes committed by elite Australian special forces troops in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016. A military report released in 2020 recommended 19 current and former soldiers face criminal investigations over 39 unlawful killings in Afghanistan. Former Special Air Service Regiment soldier Oliver Schulz was charged in March 2023 with murdering an unarmed Afghan in 2012. Schulz pleaded not guilty to the war crime and has yet to stand trial. Former SAS Cpl. Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated living veteran, lost an appeal two weeks ago against a civil court ruling that he unlawfully killed four unarmed Afghans. Roberts-Smith said he would appeal his loss in the High Court. He has not been criminally charged. McBride's lawyers also said they would take their appeal to the Hight Court.
