Latest news with #Persons
The Hindu
7 days ago
- The Hindu
Four major initiatives on AI launched
Four major initiatives focused on Artificial intelligence (AI) and accessibility which aim to harness AI for the creation of inclusive digital ecosystems and offer scalable solutions in assistive technology were launched on Friday. At a national conference on AI for Empowering Persons with Disabilities, held in Bengaluru, the four missions [Mission AI accessibility; Mission AI: Implementation of AI in Assistive Technologies and Tools for Empowering People with Disabilities; National Disability Support AI Chatbot, and United Benefits Interface (UBI)] were launched. Rajesh Aggarwal, secretary, Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, said: 'A new era of inclusion has been ushered in by Artificial Intelligence.' His keynote presentation covered advancements in deep learning, robotics, and computer vision, emphasising their potential in improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. The conference also showcased how AI can be a force multiplier in creating a more inclusive and accessible India. It also brought together leading experts, government officials, technologists, and advocates to showcase how AI is enhancing accessibility and opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Mandya shows the way in inclusive devpt for specially-abled
Mandya: To ensure holistic development of specially-abled individuals, officials from the district to the village levels in Mandya are coming together in what is being seen as a first for the state. From ensuirng optimum nutrition for pregnant women to setting up dedicated libraries, a slew of measures are on the anvil to cater to the needs of this segment of at a programme held at Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Kalamandira, Das Suryavamshi, the state commissioner for Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said "Mandya is setting a historic precedent," focusing on the welfare of women, children, and specially-abled citizens as part of a model for inclusive programme was organised by the district administration, zilla panchayat, and the department for empowerment of the differently-abled and senior programme focused on the effective implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and brought together officers from the district, taluk, and gram panchayat levels, rural rehabilitation workers, and NGO leaders.K R Nandini, the CEO of the zilla panchayat, said: "Officials must focus not only on fulfilling the mandated 5% reservation for specially-abled individuals, but also on ensuring their overall development through skill training, employment opportunities, and accessible healthcare."Nandini noted nearly 12,000 children had taken part in innovative, free summer camps held across the district."Following the welfare of children, the comprehensive development of the specially-abled community must be our top priority," she said, urging officials at all levels to work in collaboration to ensure inclusive CEO highlighted the importance of maternal health, emphasising that better nutrition and care during pregnancy can significantly reduce disabilities. She urged the women and child health departments to intensify efforts to provide nutritious food, ensure vaccinations, and essential healthcare for pregnant officer also revealed that exclusive libraries for specially-abled individuals will soon be established in every taluk of Mandya district.
The Irish Sun
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Whingeing Prince Harry had Deliveroo takeaway arrive at pal's house on UK visit despite moaning ‘life is at stake'
PRINCE Harry had a Deliveroo takeaway arrive at a posh pal's house on a visit to the UK — despite claiming that he is 'at risk' when he comes back. Advertisement 4 Prince Harry with burly bodyguard Christopher Sanchez on visit to London last May Credit: Alamy 4 Lord Charles Vivian, second from left, pictured with Prince Harry and pals Credit: Netflix 4 Lord Vivian is one of Harry's oldest mates Credit: Tavistock But The Sun on Sunday can reveal he took an 'unthinkable' security risk on a lads' evening with posh pal Lord Charles Vivian last May. A Deliveroo driver arrived at his friend's £8million townhouse in London's Chelsea with food, despite royals and high-profile figures usually avoiding such deliveries for safety reasons. It comes after Harry's incendiary attack on his family after the Harry, who quit for the US in 2020, said: 'The other side have won in keeping me unsafe.' Advertisement READ MORE ON PRINCE HARRY 'Unthinkable' Princess Diana's former protection officer Ken Wharfe told The Sun on Sunday last night: 'It's unbelievable that such a high-profile person, who considers themself to be such a high-security risk, would allow themselves to have a Deliveroo driver arrive at a house with no idea of who they are and what they might be carrying in their bag. 'It's just unthinkable.' He added: 'If he is still able to go to friends' houses and allow Deliveroo to turn up at the door and then have the audacity to moan about his lack of security that is a very unintelligent thing to do.' It is believed Harry wanted his International Protected Persons status reinstated after it was removed when he and Meghan quit as working royals in 2020. Advertisement Most read in Royals That would have meant foreign governments coughing up for his security whenever he visited. After the court decision, he moaned of his family: 'Not only did they decide to remove my security in the UK, but they also signalled to every government around the world not to protect us.' Obsessive Harry is stubborn & always thinks he's right... security row shows Charles can't trust him, royal expert says Harry, 40, visited Britain at least three times last year, including a dash to his dad after his cancer diagnosis in February and a trip to his uncle's funeral in Norfolk in August with brother William. On May 8, he attended a 10-year anniversary event for his Invictus Games at St Paul's Cathedral. Two of his US security guards sat inside. He then visited Lord Vivian's home that evening. Advertisement The 58-year-old is one of Harry's oldest mates, seen among a 'Band of Brothers' in a photo during his six-part Netflix show. Harry and his team were offered the chance to stay at Buckingham Palace, where he would have had full royal cops' protection. You can't say you can't come to the UK because it's so dangerous and then have anyone turning up at the door with a takeaway. Dai Davies But instead - along with a private US bodyguard - he opted for the luxury of the five-star Coworth Park resort, near Windsor. Harry told the BBC that he 'can't see a world' where he could bring Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet to the UK. Advertisement It is not believed the Court of Appeal was aware of the takeaway delivery amid his pleas that he was unsafe in the UK. Dai Davies, former head of Scotland Yard's Royal Protection Command, said: 'You can't say you can't come to the UK because it's so dangerous and then have anyone turning up at the door with a takeaway. 'It's indicative of this nonsense that he doesn't feel safe. 'If he was that concerned about his safety he would stay in one of the Royal Palaces while he's here.' Advertisement MY VIEW: MATT WILKINSON ANGRY Harry is back and he has set doused the olive branch tree in petrol and set it on fire. There were a few brief hours yesterday when mood music from the palace was towards potential reconciliation. The King was genuinely privately frustrated and upset that Harry and his supporters had spread the myth that he didn't care about the safety of his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. It would have been constitutionally improper for the King to intervene in the case, despite what Harry and his clueless legal team believed. But with a four-year court struggle done and dusted the palace had hoped the verdict whichever want it went meant the Court of Montecito could move forwards in a constructive manner. While the door had been shut, as the King did not want to talk to his son during the court case for obvious prejudicial reasons, it had not been locked and the key not thrown away. But in a few short hours the angry Prince clearly given terrible advice by a team that won't say 'no', failed to read the room. You cannot even blame the impetuous of youth. This man is 40-year-old who behaves like a toddler when he doesn't get his own way. One source told me half-jokingly that they would have paid for Harry's security just to stop him doing that BBC interview. The Royal Family succeeds when there is no drama or when the drama is at least controllable. But when Harry is angry he is out of control. It is yet again Harry who brings that unneeded drama to the doors of Buckingham Palace. We were told outbursts like this were a thing of the past. This has Oprah Winfrey-vibes. A loose cannon errant son making unfabricated claims with a weak interviewer who fails to challenge a wild speaking prince. And a stunned palace impotent to respond to every single accusation. The Royals have tried everything with immature Harry since 2016. They started by giving him what he wants, then sending him to his room, even kicking him out the house, and finally for the last few years giving the silent treatment in the hope by ignoring him he cries himself out and grows up. Just when there was an opportunity for Harry to behave like an adult Prince of the Realm and show some class he regresses to spoilt young brat he may truly be at heart. There has been a saying going the rounds that there are very few olive branches left on the olive branch tree. After summoning the BBC to vent his fury the olive tree is on fire and burning out of control. It will take a long time to see if anything can be rescued from the embers. It is not the only occasion where Harry has appeared relaxed about his safety. He flagged down a taxi to attend a court case against the Daily Mail in 2023. He was not compelled by the court to attend. In a two-day hearing at the Court of Appeal last month, Harry's barristers said his 'life was at stake' as they Advertisement He spends millions of pounds on bodyguards in the US and when he flies back to the UK. Many of his security team come from TorchStone Global which boasts on its website of its expertise in protecting the wealthy. Both Harry and Meghan have been shielded on Invictus Games trips to Ex-royal protection officer David Langdown is also regularly by Harry's side. Advertisement He was seen wielding a Glock gun box as he left a New York hotel with Harry before a TV appearance in January 2023 to plug his book Spare. He has made a terrible mistake and was ill-advised to pursue it. Ken Wharfe Locals in Harry and Meghan's home town of Montecito, California, have also complained about heavily-armed security driving around in blacked-out vehicles. Meghan has not set foot in the UK after attending the late Queen's funeral in September 2022. Harry claimed in Advertisement 'I put myself at risk for that but I will continue on with a life of public service so I will always support the charities and the people that mean so much to me. 'I can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point, and the things that they're going to miss is well, everything.' He also complained that his father was not speaking to him. 'Protection they deserve' But sources close to Charles suggest him intervening in the four-year court case would have been 'constitutionally improper'. Advertisement There are also fears that the King, 76 — who has been Mr Wharfe said Harry would be fully protected if he brought his family to the UK. He said: 'If Harry brings his wife and children here there is no way they would allow any harm done, so they would give them the protection they deserve. 'With absolute certainty I can say they would not allow him or his wife and children to be subjected to anything that dangerous. And he knows that.' Advertisement He added of his legal fight: 'He has made a terrible mistake and was ill-advised to pursue it.' 4 Harry was in when the Deliveroo arrived at his pal's posh pad (stock picture) Credit: alamy DELIVERING THREAT TO SECURITY By Emily-Jane Heap ROYALS and high-profile figures avoid having takeaways delivered to their homes for safety reasons, according to experts. Ex-PM Boris Johnson said he was barred from ordering food to No10 as the 'security was too tight' - amid fears weapons or bombs could sneak in. The Prince and Princess of Wales admitted sending a member of staff to pick up a Chinese or curry for them, rather than ordering it directly to Kensington Palace. Prince William said in 2017: 'We tend to go pick it up — not ourselves.' Princess Diana's former protection officer Ken Wharfe said of Harry's Deliveroo arrival: 'For someone so worried about his security it's nonsense. 'He can't be that concerned if he is going to a friend's house and allows the risk of someone from Deliveroo who he doesn't know turning up.'
The Sun
03-05-2025
- The Sun
Whingeing Prince Harry had Deliveroo takeaway arrive at pal's house on UK visit despite moaning ‘life is at stake'
PRINCE Harry had a Deliveroo takeaway arrive at a posh pal's house on a visit to the UK — despite claiming that he is 'at risk' when he comes back. He whined to the BBC on Friday he felt too unsafe to bring his wife Meghan and kids to Britain after his legal bid for taxpayer-funded 24/7 protection was rejected. 4 4 4 But The Sun on Sunday can reveal he took an 'unthinkable' security risk on a lads' evening with posh pal Lord Charles Vivian last May. A Deliveroo driver arrived at his friend's £8million townhouse in London's Chelsea with food, despite royals and high-profile figures usually avoiding such deliveries for safety reasons. It comes after Harry's incendiary attack on his family after the Court of Appeal's decision to throw out his claim for 24/7 gun cop security when he visits the UK. Harry, who quit for the US in 2020, said: 'The other side have won in keeping me unsafe.' 'Unthinkable' Princess Diana's former protection officer Ken Wharfe told The Sun on Sunday last night: 'It's unbelievable that such a high-profile person, who considers themself to be such a high-security risk, would allow themselves to have a Deliveroo driver arrive at a house with no idea of who they are and what they might be carrying in their bag. 'It's just unthinkable.' He added: 'If he is still able to go to friends' houses and allow Deliveroo to turn up at the door and then have the audacity to moan about his lack of security that is a very unintelligent thing to do.' It is believed Harry wanted his International Protected Persons status reinstated after it was removed when he and Meghan quit as working royals in 2020. That would have meant foreign governments coughing up for his security whenever he visited. After the court decision, he moaned of his family: 'Not only did they decide to remove my security in the UK, but they also signalled to every government around the world not to protect us.' Obsessive Harry is stubborn & always thinks he's right... security row shows Charles can't trust him, royal expert says Harry, 40, visited Britain at least three times last year, including a dash to his dad after his cancer diagnosis in February and a trip to his uncle's funeral in Norfolk in August with brother William. On May 8, he attended a 10-year anniversary event for his Invictus Games at St Paul's Cathedral. Two of his US security guards sat inside. He then visited Lord Vivian's home that evening. The 58-year-old is one of Harry's oldest mates, seen among a 'Band of Brothers' in a photo during his six-part Netflix show. Harry and his team were offered the chance to stay at Buckingham Palace, where he would have had full royal cops' protection. You can't say you can't come to the UK because it's so dangerous and then have anyone turning up at the door with a takeaway. Dai Davies But instead - along with a private US bodyguard - he opted for the luxury of the five-star Coworth Park resort, near Windsor. Harry told the BBC that he 'can't see a world' where he could bring Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet to the UK. It is not believed the Court of Appeal was aware of the takeaway delivery amid his pleas that he was unsafe in the UK. Dai Davies, former head of Scotland Yard's Royal Protection Command, said: 'You can't say you can't come to the UK because it's so dangerous and then have anyone turning up at the door with a takeaway. 'It's indicative of this nonsense that he doesn't feel safe. 'If he was that concerned about his safety he would stay in one of the Royal Palaces while he's here.' MY VIEW: MATT WILKINSON ANGRY Harry is back and he has set doused the olive branch tree in petrol and set it on fire. There were a few brief hours yesterday when mood music from the palace was towards potential reconciliation. The King was genuinely privately frustrated and upset that Harry and his supporters had spread the myth that he didn't care about the safety of his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. It would have been constitutionally improper for the King to intervene in the case, despite what Harry and his clueless legal team believed. But with a four-year court struggle done and dusted the palace had hoped the verdict whichever want it went meant the Court of Montecito could move forwards in a constructive manner. While the door had been shut, as the King did not want to talk to his son during the court case for obvious prejudicial reasons, it had not been locked and the key not thrown away. But in a few short hours the angry Prince clearly given terrible advice by a team that won't say 'no', failed to read the room. You cannot even blame the impetuous of youth. This man is 40-year-old who behaves like a toddler when he doesn't get his own way. One source told me half-jokingly that they would have paid for Harry's security just to stop him doing that BBC interview. The Royal Family succeeds when there is no drama or when the drama is at least controllable. But when Harry is angry he is out of control. It is yet again Harry who brings that unneeded drama to the doors of Buckingham Palace. We were told outbursts like this were a thing of the past. This has Oprah Winfrey-vibes. A loose cannon errant son making unfabricated claims with a weak interviewer who fails to challenge a wild speaking prince. And a stunned palace impotent to respond to every single accusation. The Royals have tried everything with immature Harry since 2016. They started by giving him what he wants, then sending him to his room, even kicking him out the house, and finally for the last few years giving the silent treatment in the hope by ignoring him he cries himself out and grows up. Just when there was an opportunity for Harry to behave like an adult Prince of the Realm and show some class he regresses to spoilt young brat he may truly be at heart. There has been a saying going the rounds that there are very few olive branches left on the olive branch tree. After summoning the BBC to vent his fury the olive tree is on fire and burning out of control. It will take a long time to see if anything can be rescued from the embers. It is not the only occasion where Harry has appeared relaxed about his safety. He flagged down a taxi to attend a court case against the Daily Mail in 2023. He was not compelled by the court to attend. In a two-day hearing at the Court of Appeal last month, Harry's barristers said his 'life was at stake' as they demanded full-time royal protection. He spends millions of pounds on bodyguards in the US and when he flies back to the UK. Many of his security team come from TorchStone Global which boasts on its website of its expertise in protecting the wealthy. Both Harry and Meghan have been shielded on Invictus Games trips to Germany and Netherlands by burly security guard Christopher Sanchez, who used to protect former President Barack Obama. Ex-royal protection officer David Langdown is also regularly by Harry's side. He was seen wielding a Glock gun box as he left a New York hotel with Harry before a TV appearance in January 2023 to plug his book Spare. He has made a terrible mistake and was ill-advised to pursue it. Ken Wharfe Locals in Harry and Meghan's home town of Montecito, California, have also complained about heavily-armed security driving around in blacked-out vehicles. Meghan has not set foot in the UK after attending the late Queen's funeral in September 2022. Harry claimed in his BBC interview: 'The only time I've come back to the UK is sadly for funerals or court cases, with the odd charitable function where I can in between that. 'I put myself at risk for that but I will continue on with a life of public service so I will always support the charities and the people that mean so much to me. 'I can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point, and the things that they're going to miss is well, everything.' He also complained that his father was not speaking to him. 'Protection they deserve' But sources close to Charles suggest him intervening in the four-year court case would have been 'constitutionally improper'. There are also fears that the King, 76 — who has been treated every week for cancer for more than a year — may never see his grandchildren again. Mr Wharfe said Harry would be fully protected if he brought his family to the UK. He said: 'If Harry brings his wife and children here there is no way they would allow any harm done, so they would give them the protection they deserve. 'With absolute certainty I can say they would not allow him or his wife and children to be subjected to anything that dangerous. And he knows that.' He added of his legal fight: 'He has made a terrible mistake and was ill-advised to pursue it.' 4 DELIVERING THREAT TO SECURITY By Emily-Jane Heap ROYALS and high-profile figures avoid having takeaways delivered to their homes for safety reasons, according to experts. Ex-PM Boris Johnson said he was barred from ordering food to No10 as the 'security was too tight' - amid fears weapons or bombs could sneak in. The Prince and Princess of Wales admitted sending a member of staff to pick up a Chinese or curry for them, rather than ordering it directly to Kensington Palace. Prince William said in 2017: 'We tend to go pick it up — not ourselves.' Princess Diana's former protection officer Ken Wharfe said of Harry's Deliveroo arrival: 'For someone so worried about his security it's nonsense. 'He can't be that concerned if he is going to a friend's house and allows the risk of someone from Deliveroo who he doesn't know turning up.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Navy finally finds something the LCS is good at: Stopping drug smuggling
The oft-maligned Littoral Combat Ship, or LCS, may have found its true calling: chasing down smugglers. USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, a Freedom-variant LCS, recently stopped two suspected drug smuggling operations within 72 hours 'through a combination of air and surface operations' while deployed to the Caribbean, according to the Navy. A Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment that is embarked aboard the ship and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 50, Detachment Three helped the Minneapolis-Saint Paul seize nearly 1,279 pounds of cocaine worth about $9.5 million along with 2,480 pounds of marijuana worth roughly $2.8 million, according to an April 17 Navy news release. The successful operation is one of several examples in recent years of an LCS nabbing drug smugglers. In 2020, USS Gabrielle Giffords stopped a vessel in the Eastern Pacific that was carrying $106 million worth of suspected cocaine. In 2021, USS Wichita and USS Sioux City seized $17 million and more than $20 million worth of suspected cocaine, respectively in the Caribbean Sea. Not a bad haul for Littoral Combat Ships, vessels long beset by problems, including a serious design flaw in the Freedom-variant's propulsion system, prompting the Navy to decommission some of the ships after a short lifespan. The Sioux City was mothballed in 2023 after only five years of service. The LCS's reputation was so bad four years ago that then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday suggested to lawmakers that the service give the ships to other countries that 'would be able to use them effectively.' But the LCS is 'almost perfectly made' for operations against drug smugglers, said Brian Persons, who previously served as the civilian chief engineer and executive director of Naval Sea Systems Command and later became deputy chief of naval operations for warfare systems. 'Eventually, these ships, they find their place and niche in the warfighting world,' said Persons, who is currently a senior management scientist with the RAND Corporation. The Navy selected two different hull designs for Littoral Combat Ships: The Freedom- and Independence-variants. Freedom-class ships are among the smaller warships in the Navy. At 387 feet long, they are more than 100 feet shorter than an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and displace less than half of the total tonnage, 3,400 tons to a destroyer's 8,400. But Littoral Combat Ships are fast, carry embarked helicopters and are brimming with air- and surface-search radar, all of which are helpful for nabbing drug smugglers, who tend to use go-fast boats and rudimentary submersibles, Persons told Task & Purpose. The ships are also armed with missiles, though they are unlikely to use them against drug smugglers due to the costs of the munitions, he said. Of all the Navy's warships, the LCS is probably the best choice for counternarcotics missions, said Persons, who explained that destroyers and cruisers are expensive ships that are designed for 'high-end' combat, such as ballistic missile defense. Also, drug smugglers tend to focus on speed in hopes of eluding detection rather than fighting back against pursuers, unlike military forces in China and Russia, which have advanced anti-ship weapons, Persons said. 'It would be extremely overkill for a destroyer or cruiser to go do counternarcotics missions,' Persons said. 'They could do it, but the Littoral Combat Ship system would be a better employment of assets for the U.S. Navy. While drug cartels currently do not pose a serious threat to U.S. Navy ships, that may not remain true forever, said James Holmes, the J. C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. 'If the Russia-Ukraine war and the operation in the Red Sea have shown anything, it's that naval warfare has been 'democratized,'' Holmes told Task & Purpose. 'Capabilities once available only to great powers are becoming available to many contenders.' Ukraine has managed to inflict losses on Russian ships using shore-launched missiles and drones, even though it does not have a significant navy itself, Holmes said. And Houithi rebels in Yemen have used missiles and drones to challenge Western navies, even though they have not hit any warships so far. 'Now, I doubt drug cartels will ever field antiship cruise or ballistic missiles, but they could well deploy cheap surface, air, or even subsurface drones against littoral combat ships,' Holmes said. 'LCS has been doing pretty well now that it has found its niche, but these are very lightly armored warships. The trimaran variant, the Independence class, even has an all-aluminum hull and a legacy of hull cracking. These are not rugged ships. So, I hope we aren't getting complacent during drug interdiction operations.' Top enlisted leader of Air Force Special Operations Command fired amid investigation The Marine in one of the most famous recruiting commercials is now in Congress 75th Ranger Regiment wins 2025 Best Ranger Competition Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer reenlists in Marine Reserve Air Force pilots get a new way to pee at 30,000 feet
