Latest news with #TTS
Hans India
16 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Jal Shakti team visits Vizianagaram for water project review
Vizianagaram: A Central team from the Jal Shakti Abhiyan visited Vizianagaram district on Wednesday to assess local water resources and understand ground-level conditions. The team paid a courtesy visit to District Collector Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and briefed him on their schedule and objectives. The team informed the Collector that they would be visiting the Thotapalli and Tarakarama Teertha Sagar (TTS) projects. They also planned to interact with beneficiaries of the Jal Jeevan Mission in Kota Gandredu village. During the interaction, Collector Dr. B.R. Ambedkar emphasized that Vizianagaram is a backward district and urged the team to recommend increased central funding for pending water infrastructure projects. Explaining the status of the Tarakarama Teertha Sagar project, the Collector said that although proposals worth ₹800 crore had been submitted, only ₹100 crore had been sanctioned so far. He noted that Relief and Rehabilitation (R&R) payments were still pending and stressed that the release of the remaining funds was essential to meet the district's developmental goals. He explained the importance of supplying 5 MLD (Million Litres per Day) of water to the Bhogapuram International Airport, providing drinking water to Vizianagaram Municipality, and ensuring irrigation for 25,000 acres of farmland in the Nellimarla, Gurla, Pusapatirega, and Denkada mandals. The Collector also highlighted the need for additional funding under the Jal Jeevan Mission. In response, the visiting officials assured him that the district should submit detailed project estimates and proposals, which would then be forwarded to the Central Government for further recommendation and approval. Taruna Doliya, Director, Ministry of Commerce; Nikhil Jeff, Deputy Director, Central Water Commission; Dr. D. Anantha Rao, Scientist, Central Ground Water Board; and others met the Collector.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Scots voiceover artist claims Edinburgh bus company used AI version of her voice without permission
It comes less than a week after another artist revealed a synthetic version of her voice had been used on board ScotRail trains. A Scots voiceover artist has condemned an AI company for creating a synthetic version of her voice - which she says has been used for announcements on public buses in Edinburgh. Diane Brooks says Belgian company Acapela is guilty of "stealing her vocal soul" after they used voice recordings she made for them 11 years ago. The synthetic voice, known as "Rhona", has allegedly been supplied to bus operator Lothian to use for passenger announcements. Diane believes Rhona may have also been used by other transport operators, and thinks other voiceover artists are likely to have been similarly treated. She said: "I am sorry to say and unbeknown to me, my voice is the voice on Lothian buses. I had done a text-to-speech (TTS) project in 2014 when TTS was in its infancy and had known my voice was on Acapela as Rhona, but thought it wouldn't get used as it has been. "I have felt very strongly for a long time that I had to do something, but felt a bit alone about it all, and what chance would I have against a big corporate company?" It comes less than a week after another Scots voiceover artist revealed an AI-generated version of her voice had also been used on public transport in Scotland. Midlothian-based Gayanne Potter recently revealed an AI version of her voice had been used for announcements on ScotRail trains, which left her feeling "violated". The voice, known as "Iona", replaced older messages on some routes which were recorded by a human. Gayanne says it is based on recordings she made in 2021 for ReadSpeaker, a Swedish company. Diane said when it was revealed that Gayanne's voice had been used by ScotRail, "it has given me the strength to do something about it, as it's an infringement of my rights as a voiceover artist". She added: "The worst thing is that I have no control of my own voice. I don't know where it will end up and basically, they have stolen my vocal soul. At first I was quite upset, but now I'm really angry. It's not right. "It's a relief to know I am not the only one who is in the situation and am sure more voiceover artists will come out of the woodwork with the same issue. We must stick together and show a united approach to it all and we can't let these big corporate companies take away our identities and our livelihoods." Diane said she was now taking legal advice"as I want to make sure I have all the ammo I need to take on these companies that really take advantage in the most profitable way for them". She said: "I hope strength in numbers will truly resolve this issue as AI is becoming increasingly dominant in everything we do and as voiceover artists we must be better protected in our work." Her work has included BBC Bitesize, TV and radio advertisements, and announcements for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She said she had recorded phrases for her agent, Scottish Voiceovers, now part of Voquent, on behalf of Acapela, but she had not been clear what they were to be used for and did not remember signing a contract. The recordings were later used by Acapela to create Rhona. Diane said: "You are trusting your agent to do the best for you and look at things." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Performing arts union Equity said such cases had become common, which it said infringed its members' rights. Liam Budd, its industrial official for recorded media, said: "It is extremely exploitative for companies to use and commercialise voice recordings to create digital replicas of artists from contracts which pre-date the development of generative AI or were not drafted explicitly for this purpose. "Sadly, we have heard from numerous performers who have lost control over their voice or likeness, and had their privacy and likeness hijacked through the misuse of AI. Such misuse is an attack on our members' fundamental rights. "The union continues to call on the [UK] government for legal certainty around the use of historic contracts for AI-purposes and greater enforcement of existing GDPR [General Data Protection Regulation] laws, which give our members much-needed protections, but are currently being ignored." A spokesperson for Lothian, which is owned by the City Of Edinburgh Council, said: "We have two different passenger information systems in use. One uses a recording of a commissioned voice artist for mp3 playback, and the other uses a text-to-speech engine to synthesize a voice. "Lothian is a licensed user of the text-to-speech engine, which originates from our equipment supplier and as such we were not involved in its creation." Lothian added the engine had been supplied by a passenger information equipment provider, which it has yet to name. It said it had "no direct agreement or contract with Acapela". The City of Edinburgh Council said it had nothing to add. Acapela, Voquent and Scottish Voiceovers have been approached for comment.
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Cigarette industry demands effective TTS enforcement
KARACHI: Cigarette industry has urged the federal government for the special measures in the budget for effective enforcement of digital monitoring tools like Track and Trace System (TTS) to collect the billions of rupees additional tax revenue. As per estimates, Pakistan's illicit cigarette market is draining over Rs415 billion annually from the national treasury, shifting an unfair tax burden onto compliant manufacturers, which are the leading tax payer sector in the country. While illegal manufacturers evade taxes and regulatory oversight, legal companies bear nearly all the tax load despite having less than half the market share. This creates a distorted market where legal businesses struggle to compete, and consumers unknowingly support illicit trade through inflated prices and limited product choices. Industry sources said that illicit trade severely disrupts market balance, forcing lawful manufacturers to shoulder disproportionate tax costs. This not only harms the industry's growth but ultimately affects consumers who pay higher prices for taxed products, they added. 'Effective enforcement of digital monitoring tools like Track and Trace is essential to restore fairness and protect government revenues,' they said. Experts warned that if preventive measures are not taken in the upcoming budget, illicit trade will continue to erode government resources needed for public services, hinder economic development, and encourage illegal business practices that undermine the rule of law in Pakistan. Industry experts emphasise that cracking down on illicit trade through enhanced regulatory frameworks can reclaim billions in lost revenue and ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders. They said that the government can earn billions of rupees revenue by fully implementing the track and trace system in the industry. Several commitments have been made in the past to address this issue; however, enforcement actions on the ground have not been taken to curtail the scale of the illicit trade. In absence of the full implementation of the Track and Trace system, illicit operators are growing freely and depriving the national exchequer of much-needed billions of rupees revenue. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Tower Transit to run bus services, beach shuttle on Sentosa for 5 years
The beach shuttle operates in a circular route, with 18 stops across the island, and runs at a frequency of 10 to 15 minutes. PHOTO: SENTOSA SINGAPORE – Tower Transit Singapore (TTS) is set to operate eight commercial bus services on the Sentosa resort island from Oct 1, its parent company Kelsian, an Australian transport services firm, said on May 30. In an announcement on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), Kelsian said the move would diversify the business. Since it started operations in 2016, TTS has operated only public buses here . As part of the deal, TTS will also run the smaller Sentosa Beach Shuttle and maintain more than 40 vehicles on behalf of the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC). Kelsian said the five-year contract is expected to secure a total revenue of about A$27 million (S$22.4 million), excluding the operation of beach shuttle services. SDC will have the option to extend the contract for another five years. The eight bus services to be run by TTS include five for SDC employees and three for guests (Buses A, B and D) , which operate on the island and are free to use. Bus A plies the route between Beach Station , Siloso Point and Resorts World Sentosa, while Bus B connects Beach Station and Sentosa Cove. Bus D operates between Beach Station and the VivoCity shopping complex . Of the more than 40 vehicles TTS will maintain, 14 are electric buses and 10 are electric trams. Kelsian said the contract is 'capital light', with all vehicles, garaging and maintenance facilities owned and provided by SDC. TTS will take on the bus and maintenance services on Oct 1, and the operation of the Sentosa Beach Shuttle from Jan 1, 2026. The beach shuttle operates in a circular route, with 18 stops across the island, and runs at a frequency of 10 to 15 minutes. 'This is a milestone for TTS as it is our first foray into commercial bus operations,' said Mr Winston Toh, managing director of TTS. 'We will build on our experience as a public bus operator to deliver bus rides that are enjoyable, smooth, safe and that live up to Sentosa's reputation as a world-class leisure destination.' Transport services on the island are currently operated by ComfortDelGro Bus, an SDC spokesperson said, while its fleet of vehicles is maintained by Strides Premier Automotive Services. These current contracts started on July 1, 2020, and will expire on Sept 30, the spokesperson said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Citigroup Stock a Buy Now?
Citigroup is generating strong earnings amid efforts to improve operational and financial efficiency. The bank's diversified profile and robust balance sheet make it well positioned to navigate a more challenging economic environment. The stock trading at just 0.7 times its book value may be undervalued relative to its banking industry peers. 10 stocks we like better than Citigroup › Shares of Citigroup (NYSE: C) have outperformed at the start of 2025, returning a solid 4% year to date as of this writing, despite the stock market turbulence. The megabank has managed to brush aside uncertainties regarding the looming impact of sweeping changes to U.S. trade policy, while capitalizing on resilient economic conditions. Several strategic initiatives implemented in recent years appear to be paying off, supporting steady growth and climbing profitability. Do these positive trends make Citigroup stock a buy now? Citigroup has undergone a significant transformation in recent years under the leadership of CEO Jane Fraser. The bank remains one of the world's largest financial institutions, with a diversified global franchise, yet it has taken significant steps to streamline its international operations. Efforts to divest noncore businesses, while investing in high-margin segments, have bolstered the bank's balance sheet and helped it generate more sustainable growth. The results were on full display when Citigroup's first-quarter earnings for the period ended March 31 exceeded Wall Street expectations. Total revenue climbed by 3% year over year, while a 5% decline in operating expenses helped propel earnings per share (EPS) to $1.96, an increase of 24%. All five of the bank's business segments contributed to the strong performance, showcasing Citigroup's ability to leverage synergies across its interconnected businesses. Citigroup's wealth management achieved a notable 24% revenue increase, capturing client asset growth. U.S. Personal Banking has also been a bright spot, with momentum in branded credit cards and a favorable deposit interest rate spread. The markets group revenue climbed by 12% from last year amid robust fixed income and equities trading activity. The macroeconomic environment has shifted in the second quarter, as the Trump administration implements tariffs on imported goods into the United States. Although various exemptions, deadline extensions, and ongoing negotiations have been announced, experts warn that the policy may cause short-term economic challenges. For Citigroup, clients may grow cautious and reassess investment opportunities, marking a slowdown in the business. There are already signs that investment banking activity has stalled as corporations hold off on major deals. On the other hand, some segments could benefit from the trade chaos, at least helping to offset declines in fees elsewhere. Citigroup's Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) business, which handles cash management and working capital solutions, could capture new business opportunities as corporate customers move to reroute their supply chains or require hedging foreign exchange. That was the message from management, citing the bank's capital strength and strong reserves supporting its ability to navigate any market environment. For full-year 2025, the bank is guiding for revenue between $83.1 billion and $84.1 billion, representing an increase of 2% to 3% compared to 2024, projecting confidence in its diversified business model. While some caution toward the banking industry is justified, Citigroup as a potential investment stands out through its attractive value. The stock is trading at just 0.7 times its book value and 10 times its consensus 2025 earnings per share estimate as a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, both at a steep discount to megacap banking peers like JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. Amid Citigroup's ongoing turnaround and strengthened fundamentals compared to its historical challenges in the past decade, there is a case to be made that it is fundamentally undervalued, with room for its valuation gap to narrow, potentially driving share price appreciation. Citigroup stock also shines with its 3% dividend yield, notably higher than Bank of America's 2.3%. The $0.56-per-share quarterly payment is supported by underlying cash flows and a robust balance sheet, making it a solid choice for income-focused investors. There's a lot to like about Citigroup, which is well-positioned to continue rewarding shareholders. With some optimism toward the U.S. economy, I'm bullish on this banking leader and predict its stock price will be higher by this time next year. Shares remain a great option within diversified portfolios. Before you buy stock in Citigroup, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Citigroup wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $651,761!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $826,263!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 978% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 170% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Wells Fargo is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Dan Victor has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is Citigroup Stock a Buy Now? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error al recuperar los datos Inicia sesión para acceder a tu cartera de valores Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos
