The mother of Suchir Balaji, the OpenAI whistleblower who was found dead in his apartment in San Francisco, has alleged foul play in her son’s death.
Suchir Balaji with his mother Poornima. Photo courtesy: x.com/RaoPoornima
While authorities have certified it as a suicide, Suchir’s mother demanded an FBI probe while stated her doubts on X.
Poornima Rao, Suchir’s mother, tweeted: “Update on @suchirbalaji. We hired private investigator and did second autopsy to throw light on cause of death. Private autopsy doesn’t confirm cause of death stated by police.
Suchir was found dead in his Buchanan Street apartment on November 26, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department told TechCrunch.
He previously made headlines after he accused OpenAI of violating US copyright law.
In his interview with The New York Times, Suchir earlier said he left OpenAI because he no longer wanted to contribute to technologies that he believed would bring society more harm than benefit.
According to reports, he even alleged that OpenAI was violating copyright law.
Engineering and MBA programs are extremely popular choices for international students, but as the education landscape evolves, many students are exploring master’s programs beyond the traditional focus on STEM and MBA degrees, which have historically been popular choices for international study. These emerging fields are demonstrating a strong demand and a critical need for specialised expertise. With top institutions leading the way, students are taking these courses with the ambition of making a real-world impact.
These courses reflect the aspirations of a generation that prioritises global impact and interdisciplinary expertise. We are proud to support students in achieving their dreams,” said Sonal Kapoor, Chief Commercial Officer at Prodigy Finance.
According to Prodigy Finance findings, here is the list of the top courses that were in high demand in 2024, beyond engineering and MBA, which attracted students’ interest globally.
Public Policy
One of the top programs in 2024 is the Master of Public Policy (MPP). This degree is for those who want to make a difference in government and community affairs. With an MPP students learn to analyse policies and their impact on different populations. As governments deal with complex social issues, the demand for policy analysts is on the rise.
Graduates of this program can find fulfilling careers as Policy Analysts, Government Affairs Directors or Nonprofit Managers. Some of the best universities for MPP programs are Harvard University, the University of Oxford and the University of California, Berkeley. Imagine working for governments, non-profits or international organisations, shaping policy decisions that impact millions of people.
Public Health
Public Health is another area that’s gaining traction. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of public health education. Master’s programs in this field cover topics like epidemiology, health policy and community health initiatives. Graduates with a public health degree can find careers as Epidemiologists, Health Services Managers or Public Health Educators. Top institutions like Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine are leading the way in providing quality education in this field.
Law (LLM)
For those who want to specialise in specific areas of law an LLM program can give you the advanced legal training you need. Master of Laws (LLM) programs provide specialisation for legal professionals who want to progress in their career or shift focus to areas like international law, human rights or intellectual property. Top institutions like Stanford Law School, University College London (UCL) and Australian National University (ANU) offer LLM programs. An LLM gives students advanced legal training to prepare them for various roles in the legal field. Graduates become Legal Consultants, Corporate Lawyers or Human Rights Advocates.
Accounting
As financial regulations get more complex, skilled accountants and auditors are in high demand. Advanced degrees in accounting lead to a variety of financial careers that are both lucrative and necessary. Graduates can be CPAs, Financial Analysts or Auditors. Institutions like University of Mississippi, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and New York University are well known for their accounting programs. These roles are key in multinational corporations, international law firms and organisations like the UN.
Biological Sciences
The field of Biological Sciences is growing fast, driven by genomics, biotechnology and environmental science. Global institutes like the University of Leeds, Queen’s University Belfast and the University of California Santa Cruz are leading the way, with programs that go into molecular biology, earth science and ecology. It gives you the skills to contribute to research and innovation. Many contribute to innovations in pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and ecological conservation, working with research institutions, biotech firms, pharmaceutical companies or biotechnology firms, pushing the boundaries of science.
These are just a few examples of the many in-demand master’s programs that can lead to fulfilling and rewarding careers. Prodigy Finance has been at the forefront of empowering international students to pursue these high-demand courses. By providing loans without requiring a co-signer or collateral, the company enables students from diverse backgrounds to access top-tier education.
As education evolves to meet the needs of society, it’s time for students to look into these top courses that will bring personal fulfillment and professional success in 2024 and beyond.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is on the cusp of a significant achievement with its SpaDeX mission, scheduled for launch on Monday, December 30. The mission’s objective is to accomplish a notable space docking feat, a challenge that has only been conquered by the US, Russia, and China to date. The Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission will ascend aboard the PSLV-C60 rocket at exactly 10:00:15 PM from Sriharikota.
The SpaDeX mission is an initiative to establish India’s proficiency in orbital docking, a crucial technology for future human spaceflight and satellite servicing missions. The PSLV will launch two small spacecraft — SDX01, the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target — each weighing approximately 220 kg. These satellites will unite or connect for docking in a low-Earth circular orbit.
The indigenous technology employed for this mission has been christened the ‘Bharatiya Docking System’. It encompasses a docking mechanism, a suite of four rendezvous and docking sensors, power transfer technology, indigenous novel autonomous rendezvous and docking strategy, and an inter-satellite communication link (ISL) for autonomous communication between spacecraft, integrated with inbuilt intelligence to comprehend the states of the other spacecraft, among others.
Mastering the space docking technology may not only catapult India into the elite club of spacefaring nations. It is also pivotal for India’s forthcoming space missions including the Moon mission, establishing the Indian space station, and lunar missions like Chandrayaan-4 without the support of GNSS from Earth.
IANS
According to ISRO, it will also demonstrate “the transfer of electric power between the docked spacecraft, which is essential for future applications such as in-space robotics — composite spacecraft control, and payload operations after undocking”.
The ISRO mission is a critical stride towards achieving several future objectives — retrieving a lunar sample, setting up a space station, and sending a human to the Moon. The International Space Station (ISS) for instance, comprises various modules that were launched separately and then assembled in space. The ISS is maintained operational as modules carrying astronauts and supplies from Earth periodically dock with it; these modules also bring the older crew on the station back to Earth.
The SDX01 satellite is equipped with a High Resolution Camera (HRC), while SDX02 carries two payloads: a Miniature Multispectral (MMX) payload and a Radiation Monitor (RadMon).
The fourth stage of the launch vehicle will carry several innovative experiments, including a biological experiment for the very first time. The fourth stage of the launch vehicle will be utilized as POEM — or PS4 Orbital Experiment Module — to demonstrate 24 technologies, including 10 technologies from start-ups and educational institutions.
For the first time, an ISRO mission will carry a biological experiment. The CROPS (Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies) experiment will observe the germination of seed and sustenance of a plant up to a two-leaf stage. Other experiments include a Debris capture Robotic Arm that will use a visual feed and object motion prediction to capture debris, and another moveable robotic arm that may be used in servicing satellites in space in the future.
Composite spacecraft control, including remotely controlling it both in space and from mission control, is another key mission. NASA’s space shuttle was used by the United States to construct the US side of the International Space Station. Russia too used their own space shuttle to build the Russian side of the International Space Station. While NASA had a series of space shuttles, starting with Columbia and evolving into Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour, Russian space agency Roscosmos named their space shuttle Buran.
“The launch vehicle has been integrated and now moved to the First Launch Pad, for further integration of satellites and launch preparations,” ISRO said in a post on X.
The share of Ola Electric fell around 3 per cent on Monday after some fresh high-level exits at the company, including its Chief Marketing Officer Anshul Khandelwal and Suvonil Chatterjee, Chief Technology and Product Officer.
On Monday, the share was trading less than Rs 86 apiece, after falling nearly 3 per cent.
Khandelwal and Chatterjee stepped down from their roles at the company, effective December 27, citing personal reasons.
Both executives initially joined Ola’s ride-hailing business before transitioning to Ola Electric Mobility.
Several top executives of the company have tendered their resignations this year as the company faces mounting pressure.
IANS
N Balachandar, Group Chief People Officer, left the EV company in November after overseeing HR for Ola Electric, Ola Cabs, and Krutrim AI.
In October this year, Ravi Jain, Business Head of Krutrim AI, and Sidharth Shakdher, CBO of Ola Mobility, left the company.
After a blockbuster sales figure in October due to the festive season, Ola Electric vehicle registrations dropped by 33 per cent in November.
According to Vahan portal data, the number of registrations of Ola Electric vehicles in November fell by 33 per cent on a month-on-month (MoM) basis to 27,746 units. In October last year, this figure was more than 40,000 units.
Due to fewer registrations, the company’s market share dipped to 24 per cent in November, which was 30 per cent in October. However, the company still maintains the first position in the electric two-wheeler market by sales.
Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola Electric has seen volatility in sales in recent months. The reasons for this were attributed to increasing competition in the market and poor service and product quality.
TDS on salary: The central government has made it mandatory for employers to pass on the benefit of TDS/TCS deducted on non-salary income while calculating TDS to be deducted from salary from October 1, 2024. Adjusting the tax already paid by way of TDS/TCS on non-salaried income while deducting TDS from salary can reduce the TDS liability for a salaried employee.
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This amendment was introduced to reduce the cases of excess TDS being deducted from salary income. While the law was already implemented and the necessary back end technical infrastructure update took time. Proteus (formerly NSDL e-Governance) has informed that the necessary changes have been made in the TDS software from December 27, 2024 and now the TDS certificate will start reflecting the updated changes for the TDS statement of the fourth quarter of 2024-25.
Salaried employees will get benefits from January 2025
In an Economic Times report, experts said that salaried employees may be eligible for normal TDS deduction instead of additional deduction. While additional TDS deduction has stopped from October 1, 2024, and TDS certificates from January 2025 will start showing its effect from the fourth quarter of FY 2024-25.
Understand the complete calculation here
Before October 1, 2024, salaried employees had to pay TDS twice on non-salary income. For example, your salary is Rs 10 lakh and other income from which TDS or TCS is deducted or collected is Rs 5 lakh. So earlier employers had to deduct full TDS on income of Rs 15 lakh, even if TDS or TCS was deducted or collected from that Rs 5 lakh income.
Now after this amendment, TDS will be deducted on Rs 15 lakh after giving the benefit of TDS/TCS already deducted or collected by the employer on that Rs 5 lakh income. Hence, the overall TDS amount to be deducted will be reduced.
Bengaluru: Aster RV Hospital proudly highlights the inspiring recovery journey of a 63-year-old international stroke patient who overcame significant hurdles, including treatment abroad, a challenging long-distance flight, and rigorous rehabilitation, to regain his independence and health.
The patient suffered a stroke while on an international trip and was immediately rushed to a hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, where he received timely treatment within the golden hour. Despite the swift medical intervention, the stroke left him partially paralyzed on the right side and with vision difficulties (parallax). During his recovery in Switzerland, he was administered medications and initiated physiotherapy in the ICU. Following the mandatory 14-day no-travel period for stroke patients, he was cleared to fly back to India under the specialized care of Emirates airline staff.
Upon landing, the patient was transported directly from the airport to Aster RV Hospital in Bengaluru via the hospital’s dedicated ambulance service. Here, the patient’s comprehensive treatment journey continued with an individualized rehabilitation plan involving speech therapy and physiotherapy.
Speaking about the case, Dr. Sreekantha Swamy, Lead Senior Consultant – Neurology, at Aster RV Hospital, said:
“The patient arrived in a stable but delicate condition. His paralysis and speech impairment required immediate intervention and a multidisciplinary approach. With consistent therapy and medication, he has shown remarkable improvement in both mobility and speech. His commitment to the process has been commendable.”
Dr. Loganathan Venkatachalam, Consultant – Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Aster RV Hospital added:
“When he came to us, his right-side mobility was severely limited, and he faced significant challenges in performing daily activities. The Patient’s comprehensive treatment journey continued with an individualized rehabilitation plan involving rehabilitation nursing, Occopational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Physiotherapy. Over the last 1.5 months, his progress has been extraordinary. His leg and hand strength have improved significantly, and his overall physical condition continues to advance with each session.”
The patient expressed his gratitude, stating:
“I am immensely thankful to Aster RV Hospital for the exceptional care I received. From the moment I landed in Bengaluru, the hospital staff ensured my comfort and well-being. The doctors, therapists, and entire team treated me with compassion and professionalism, giving me hope and strength to recover. I am now able to speak more clearly and regain control of my movements, which is nothing short of a miracle.”
This remarkable case underscores Aster RV Hospital’s expertise and commitment to providing world-class neurological care and rehabilitation, even in the most challenging circumstances. The hospital’s multidisciplinary team remains dedicated to helping patients achieve their recovery goals, ensuring improved quality of life for every individual.
The countdown for Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Space Docking Experiment onboard a PSLV rocket on Monday, December 30, that would be a key milestone in India’s space programme, commenced on Sunday evening, the space agency said.
ISRO is gearing up for the launch on December 30. Photo courtesy: Screengrab from X.
A cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for in-space docking, it would make India join an elite list featuring China, Russia and the US.
ISRO has scheduled the lift-off of the PSLV-C60 rocket, at 10:15 pm from the first launch pad at this spaceport here on December 30 and it would carry SpaDeX with two spacecraft as the primary payloads along with 24 secondary payloads.
“PSLV-C60/SpaDeX Mission Launch countdown commenced at 9 pm” on Sunday, an ISRO official told PTI.
🎉 Launch Day is Here! 🚀
Tonight at precisely 10:00:15 PM, PSLV-C60 with SpaDeX and innovative payloads are set for liftoff.
SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) is a pioneering mission to establish India’s capability in orbital docking, a key technology for future human… pic.twitter.com/147ywcLP0f
The in-space docking technology would be essential for taking up India’s ambitions in space, including sending human to the Moon, bringing samples from there, and also building and operating India’s own space station- Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
The docking technology would also be utilised when multiple rocket launches are planned to achieve common mission objectives.
ISRO said the two spacecraft in the PSLV rocket — Spacecraft A (SDX01) and Spacecraft B (SDX02) — would be placed in an orbit that would keep them 5 km apart from each other. Later, scientists at ISRO headquarters would try to bring them closer up to 3 metre which would subsequently lead them for merging together at an altitude of about 470km above Earth.
The process is expected to take place about 10-14 days after the scheduled lift-off on Monday, ISRO officials said.
🌟 PSLV-C60/SPADEX Mission Update 🌟
Visualize SpaDeX in Action!
🎞️ Animation Alert: Experience the marvel of in-space docking with this animation!
In the SpaDeX mission, Spacecraft A carries a High-Resolution Camera, while Spacecraft B has Miniature Multispectral Payload and a Radiation Monitor Payload. These payloads would provide high-resolution images, natural resource monitoring, vegetation studies, among others.
Apart from this significant mission, scientists would also conduct the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-4 (POEM-4) in which 24 payloads — 14 from ISRO and 10 from industry and academia — would be placed in the desired orbits one after the other over a 90-minute period after the lift-off.
The life of the payloads in the fourth stage would be about three to four months. The vehicle for the PSLV-C60 mission used here would be the 18th Core-Alone variant.
This would be ISRO’s last mission in 2024 and the PSLV-C60 is the first vehicle to be integrated up to the fourth stage at the PSLV Integration Facility that has been established here.
Train Cancelled: Winter has arrived in India. The temperature is gradually coming down. If we look at the last few days, the cold winds have also increased the chill in people. There is a lot of fog in the winter season.
And especially in the states of North India, the visibility becomes very low. In such a situation, the vehicles running on the roads are also affected a lot.
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Many times, due to this, many accidents are also seen. The operation of Indian Railways is also affected by fog. Due to this, many trains run late. Because the visibility is very low and in such a situation, operation becomes very difficult. Many times, the railways have to cancel trains. Something similar has happened this time. Indian Railways has cancelled many trains on different routes due to fog.
Many trains canceled due to fog
Crores of passengers travel daily through Indian Railways. Indian Railways operates thousands of trains for these passengers. The aim of the railways is not only to take the passengers to their destination comfortably. But the railways are also responsible for their safety. To prevent any accident due to fog, the railways often cancel trains as a precaution. The same has happened this time. The railways have cancelled many trains on different routes for the next few days. If you are going on a journey, then first check the list of cancelled trains.
Train number 14617-18 Banmankhi-Amritsar Janseva Express will remain canceled from 26 December 2024 to 2 March 2025.
Train No. 14606-05 Yoganagari Rishikesh-Jammutvi Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 24 February 2025.
Train number 14616-15 Amritsar-Lalkuan Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 22 March 2025.
Train No. 14524-23 Ambala-Barauni Harihar Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 27 February 2025.
Train number 18103-04 Jallianwala Bagh Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 28 February 2025.
Train No. 12210-09 Kathgodam-Kanpur Weekly Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 25 February 2025.
Train No. 14003-04 Malda Town-Delhi Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 1 March 2025.
Train number 14617-18 Banmankhi-Amritsar Janseva Express will remain canceled from 26 December 2024 to 2 March 2025.
Train No. 14606-05 Yoganagari Rishikesh-Jammutvi Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 24 February 2025.
Train number 14616-15 Amritsar-Lalkuan Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 22 March 2025.
Train No. 14524-23 Ambala-Barauni Harihar Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 27 February 2025.
Train number 18103-04 Jallianwala Bagh Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 28 February 2025.
Train No. 12210-09 Kathgodam-Kanpur Weekly Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 25 February 2025.
Train No. 14003-04 Malda Town-Delhi Express will remain cancelled from 26 December 2024 to 1 March 2025.
Oldest Pearl Harbour attack survivor dies at 105. Photo Courtesy: U.S. Naval Institute X page
The oldest American living survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack died on Christmas morning, media reports said.
He was identified as 105-year-old World War II veteran Warren “Red” Upton.
Upton was a “very humble, gentle, soft-spoken man,” who was “well-read and well-informed with current affairs,” Kathleen Farley, the California state chair of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, told CNN.
“Warren never considered himself a hero,” Farley said.
Upton passed away at a hospital in Los Gatos, California, early Wednesday morning, after suffering a bout of pneumonia for several days, Farley said.
Barbara Upton, 57, told CNN she and her brother were at the hospital at the time of her father’s death.
“He was a very good and humble man, and a little bit shy,” she told the news channel.
She said her mother and father always taught them ‘good values’.
Farley said Upton was the last surviving crew member of the battleship USS Utah, one of the seven ships sunk during the attack on December 7, 1941.
He died just days after the 83rd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack was observed.
Born on October 17, 1919, in El Dorado, California, Upton served as a Navy radioman aboard the USS Utah, according to Farley and Upton’s daughter, reported CNN.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, the United States, just before 8:00 a.m. (local time) on Sunday, December 7, 1941.
At the time, the United States was a neutral country in World War II.
The attack on Hawaii and other U.S. territories led the United States to formally enter World War II on the side of the Allies the day following the attack, on December 8, 1941.
The hilly states including North India are witnessing rain and snowfall after the change in the weather. Due to this, while the tourists who came for vacation are looking happy after seeing the snowfall, business is also improving with the arrival of tourists.
But those who come from far away are now facing difficulties. In fact, the bad weather in Jammu and Kashmir has increased the difficulties of the tourists.
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Due to bad weather, all flights have been cancelled at Srinagar airport. In such a situation, those people are requested that if they are planning to go to Jammu and Kashmir, then it is necessary to collect flight information. By doing this, they will not have to face the problem of flight cancellation. Let us tell you that many areas of Jammu and Kashmir received seasonal snowfall on Friday, due to which the mercury has gone below zero in many areas of the valley.
Due to bad weather conditions, all flights at Srinagar Airport have been cancelled. Passengers are advised to contact their airlines for updates. We regret the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding: Srinagar Airport pic.twitter.com/rRbFQyzT7f
this information on social media platform X. Srinagar Airport posted, ‘All flights at Srinagar Airport have been cancelled due to bad weather.’
Advice to passengers
Apart from this, Srinagar Airport has also given an important advice to passengers. Srinagar Airport said, ‘Passengers are advised to contact their airline for updates.’ Srinagar Airport has also expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to the passengers.
