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In July, Asvatha Babu and her husband set off for Bengaluru from Chennai to attend a wedding. Instead of taking their usual hatchback, owing to the amount of luggage they were carrying, they took an SUV, with their child seated in the back. The Chennai-Bengaluru expressway is partially operational, and there was a diversion on the way. Relying on Google Maps, the couple took a detour that would briefly take them into Andhra Pradesh. This was a common enough route to take — through Ranipet and Chittoor — for journeys terminating in North Bengaluru, while routes to the heart of the city usually rely on the highway network within Tamil Nadu itself. In a few minutes though, Babu found herself on a “dirt road in the middle of nowhere with trees all around and basically no streetlights”. Two cars behind her were similarly stranded, a few kilometres from the Kunjanur Rainforest. Fortunately, there was enough daylight — and company — to backtrack and exit back north, and reach the Bengaluru-Tirupati highway, putting them back on track. But the detour had cost them precious hours, and by the time they reached the venue, the festivities had wound down. Others have not been so lucky. Over the past year, numerous incidents have come to light where drivers navigating using Google Maps have found themselves similarly stranded, at odd hours. Early in December, a couple traveling from Bihar to Goa found themselves stranded in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary, and had to be rescued in the dead of night by Belagavi police. In the Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh in November, three people in a car died after taking an incomplete bridge amid dense fog and plunging off its edge into a river. There too, the Google Maps navigation had led the unsuspecting driver through a route that did not exist. In August, a car in Kerala’s Wayanad overturned into a stream following a walkway — suggested by Google Maps as a road — leading to three injuries. Google Maps’s turn-by-turn navigation is massively popular around the world. In India alone, the tech giant said last December, 2.5 billion kilometres of navigation were requested by users per day. Google amasses map data from Indian cities and highways through a combination of commercial third-party sellers and user contributions. Roads, pedestrian walkways, expressways, buildings — these are all labelled by lane count, direction, permissible vehicle classes, and speed limits. Thanks to its massive user base and real-time data from these phones, Google is able to also use real-time data to provide travel duration estimates, and suggest alternate routes to avoid congestion. But the real world does not always operate or change in ways that are immediately flagged by Google’s systems. For instance, when some of the northernmost stations of the yellow line of the Delhi Metro were shut this month (December), Google briefly misinterpreted the outage to mean that the entire yellow line was not functioning and provided much longer transit directions through buses and other metro lines that extended travel time, sometimes by over an hour. For experienced commuters heading to work in the national capital, this may not have been a problem. But data lapses in remote areas and highways can have more far-reaching consequences. Traffic advocacy group SaveLIFE Foundation’s founder Piyush Tiwari placed the responsibility of traffic incidents like the one in Budaun squarely on local authorities. “The current news cycle about the involvement of GPS in the particular crash appears to be entirely based on an unscientific analysis of the crash, and hearsay, mostly in social media,” he said in an emailed statement. “Prima facie, it appears from the crash images as published in the media that the crash site was an unsafe, unguarded and untreated bridge construction zone. The liability of the fatal crash therefore falls entirely on the road-owning agency and the bridge contractor for failing to prevent the movement of vehicles on an incomplete bridge section.” The bridge was removed from Google Maps shortly after the incident. A Google spokesperson did not comment on the individual incidents but said that the company took “user safety and information quality incredibly seriously,” and that while it strove to provide users with accurate guidance, this was a challenge, as the best route between any two places can change constantly due to things such as sudden weather changes. “Now, we’re adding two new weather-related alerts in India for low visibility areas due to fog and flooded roads,” Google announced in an October blog post. The app accepts contributions in real time from users on accidents and road closures. The Google spokesperson said that these reporting mechanisms were being simplified, and that in urban areas, the company was partnering with traffic police to get “authoritative” sources of information on traffic disruptions. How does Google obtain road data in the first place, especially for unpaved ones or pedestrian walkways? Adhavan Sivaraj, a contributor to the volunteer-run OpenStreetMap (OSM) platform, pointed to the company’s use of satellite imagery, which is common across all sorts of mapping services. OSM allows contributors to mark various road attributes, like whether one is paved, number of lanes, and so on. Google Maps restricts the level to which individual users can contribute such data to the company, and their practices are not always open to scrutiny, Mr. Sivaraj says. Using satellite imagery to add unpaved roads is also not a problem that can necessarily be detected immediately, as nearby expressways are likely always suggested as the best route. When there is a route closure, users are likely to discover the issue. A Google executive speculated — asking not to be identified — that another problem that was likely making issues worse was users selecting alternate routes while using turn-by-turn navigation, instead of following the recommended route, which is more likely to be safe and accurate. “I think there is a lot of dependency on Google, on what it’s offering apparently out of its goodwill,” Mr. Sivaraj says. “There is so much dependency on something we cannot hold accountable. There is so much belief in just one map. And that is very dangerous.” There was little way for local communities to get involved in the representation of their own surroundings, he said. Published - December 28, 2024 07:57 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit technology (general) / IT/computer sciences
‘India has no interest in weakening US Dollar’: EAM Jaishankar responds to Trump’s threat to BRICS nationsInvestment barriers at the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) must be addressed immediately to bolster investor confidence and increase investment growth, according to experts and top business leaders. The laws concerned must be amended right away in order to end the culture of bribery and establish corruption-free service organisations, they suggested. "Facilitation of trade and investment must be a priority. A trade and investment commission with active participation from the private sector is required," Ashraf Ahmed, president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), said while speaking with The Daily Star recently. He added that many reforms could be implemented immediately, such as those that can be initiated through executive orders or require changes in the rules rather than the law. However, some major reforms will require changes to existing laws. So, they will require approval from parliament. According to Ahmed, numerous laws must be updated to reflect changing global circumstances and business needs. This includes the Companies Act 2014, Export Import Control Act 1950, Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1947, Competition Act, Income Tax Act, Customs Act, and VAT Act. Ahmed said amending and updating these laws is required to create a conducive environment for investment. However, many reform opportunities which will not require changes in the law also exist, such as automation of filing procedures for the RJSC, Chief Controller of Import and Export or customs. Mohammed Amirul Haque, managing director of Premier Cement Mills, stressed the need for a platform that will focus on trade and investment as well as address problems and bottlenecks faced by entrepreneurs. He alleged that the inconsistent policy governing the adjustable advance income tax of investors was discouraging investment by increasing the business cost by around 10 percent. Haque added that entrepreneurs would have to keep a 35 percent profit margin to sustain the businesses in line with the existing income tax law. This type of bottleneck indirectly encourages the siphoning of money, he alleged. Asif Ibrahim, former president of DCCI, said the business community hopes the burning issues in the private sector of Bangladesh will now get due priority from the interim government. Ashik Chowdhury, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), said he met over 300 chief executive officers over the past 50 days to identify the challenges faced by businesses and was focusing on addressing the barriers. "Basically, I am doing this to bring necessary changes and reforms to create a business-friendly environment," he said. According to Chowdhury, everybody acknowledges that corruption occurs at the NBR, posing a major obstacle to doing business transparently and smoothly. Zaved Akhter, president of the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), said although no reform commission has been formed regarding investment, all the reforms that have been taken will ultimately support investment and business. Bangladesh is the only country in the world where investors raise capital for investment from the money market, he said, while investors in other countries raise capital from the stock market. Reforms are needed in this area, he suggested. However, he said initiatives taken to change the structure of the stock market would undoubtedly support the investment. Investment reforms should come mainly from the Bida, where everything can be done under one umbrella, he said, adding: "If the initiatives taken by the BIDA can be implemented, the confidence of investors will increase." He added: "I am extremely confident that these changes will help create an environment for doing business." Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said a zero-tolerance policy must be formulated immediately and implemented to improve the state of law and order. Additionally, he advocated for trade associations to be free of politics. M Masrur Reaz, chairman and chief executive officer of the Policy Exchange of Bangladesh, said think tanks have already conducted a lot of research on how to build an investment-friendly environment and attract FDI. "All the barriers have been detected. We just need the Bida or another high-powered government entity to address the issues by implementing the recommendations," he said. In order to boost the confidence of foreign investors, he emphasised the importance of improving the ease of doing business.
NCAA HOCKEY: Skidmore’s late rally falls short against Lake ForestLast week you learned about Troy telegrapher Silas Watson Ford, who discovered the first Devonian era fossils in Troy’s Beman Park.A second Trojan, George M. Phelps didn’t discover any fossils but he did make a mark as an inventor in the telegraph industry.Born in Watervliet, then West Troy, in 1820, he apprenticed as a machinist [...]
Eddie Howe says ‘a lot more to come’ from Newcastle striker Alexander Isak
My dear 2024, Letter writing may be a lost art in this digital age, yet there are moments when the weight of reflection demands the intimacy of a letter. So, dear 2024, consider this a heartfelt note from a Nigerian seeking to encapsulate the whirlwind of emotions, events, and transformations that have unfolded over the past twelve months. As I pen down these words, I do so with the awareness that you are not an ordinary year. Your arrival brought hope, but as the days rolled, that hope was replaced with hardship, struggle, perseverance and lessons. In this letter, as tricky as it may be, I will attempt to recount the key events that shaped you – the milestones that defined not only my life but the collective experience of a nation grappling with economic hardship, political uncertainty, and social upheaval. Nigeria stands at a crossroads, and you will be remembered as a year that tested our spirit and resolve. This is not just a recollection of facts but a narrative of survival in a land where, at times, the future seemed uncertain. You were, indeed harsh, but we, the Nigerian people, have shown remarkable resilience and perseverance. Despite the economic hardships you brought, with inflation, unemployment, and rising living costs affecting all, we have stood strong. Your visitation of economic hardships worsened by 34-40% inflation rate and supply chain disruptions, an embarrassing unemployment rate of 40%, and rising living costs affected both the high and the low. Almost all households felt your pinch. Nigeria’s food inflation rate rose to close to 40% by mid-year, pushing millions into poverty. National Bureau of Statistics reports indicated that over 71 million Nigerians faced food insecurity by the third quarter. The exchange rate rose by over 60%. Yet, amid these challenges, the Nigerian people showed remarkable resilience and perseverance. To put it into context, essential commodities such as rice, maize, and garri doubled in price within months. The petrol price fluctuated between N700 to N1200 per litre, severely impacting transportation and logistics. Even sachet water, popularly called ‘pure water’, became a luxury for many, reflecting the depth of economic strain. You made our economic thinkers and planners look clueless. Thank God we, the people, showed understanding with them. You brought needless political contentions –the Rivers crisis, contentious elections in Edo and Ondo states, the Kano Emir drama, the Old-New-Old national anthem, and “Endbadgovernance”demonstra tions. An attempt to reform our tax system highlighted our stubborn ethnic fault lines. You were not short of drama, both relevant and irrelevant. The reinstatement of the old national anthem left citizens divided, as critics viewed it as distracting from pressing governance issues. However, amid these contentions, the Nigerian people stood united, showing remarkable solidarity. Despite the divisive nature of some of these events, we have remained a united front. Poverty and hunger became our companions, resulting in three deadly stampedes during palliative distributions in Oyo, Anambra, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), leaving no fewer than 60 people dead. Unemployment among the youth reached over 45%, with many university graduates resorting to menial jobs or leaving the country in search of greener pastures, contributing to the ongoing ‘Japa’ wave. At the global scene, you delivered historic elections and global unrest. People in more than 60 countries—representing almost 50 per cent of the world’s population—went to the polls during the year. Voters in Mexico and the United Kingdom picked new leaders, while a former U.S. president was invited by voters back to the White House. In Nigeria, voter turnout in local elections dipped to a record low of 28%, reflecting growing disillusionment with governance. This disinterest was amplified by widespread insecurity, with over 1,500 reported cases of abduction and banditry disrupting daily life. Villages in Zamfara, Kaduna, and Borno faced relentless attacks, forcing thousands into internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. “Lakurawa” gained a strong foothold in parts of North-West states. Some strange things happened that we did not foresee. Greece extended adoption rights to same-sex couples, and Thailand legalised same-sex marriage, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to do so. You gave LGBTQ+ rights activists something to celebrate. This felt strange in this part of the world, where same-sex relations remain criminalised, and social acceptance lags far behind. In Nigeria, lawmakers intensified efforts to uphold conservative values, with proposed bills aimed at further restricting LGBTQ+ rights. The disparity in cultural values highlighted the widening gap between regions of the world, reflecting the complex layers of societal evolution. You saw the world in turmoil, and the Russian vs Ukraine war continued unabated. This war brought about lots of military posturing, leading some to fear nuclear conflict between Russia and NATO. The conflict between Israel, Hamas, and Iran ramped up to greater heights. The Middle East is in commotion, with the war extending to Lebanon and Israel vowing not to stop until it wipes Hamas and Hezbollah out. Iran has shown its willingness to confront Israel, framing itself as the watchdog of the Middle East against Israel’s aggression. You also witnessed the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, raising fears of extremist groups seizing power. Reports from the UN suggested that over 300,000 Syrian refugees fled to neighbouring countries by year-end, adding to the growing refugee crisis. But amid it all, you allowed some of my compatriots to think and look at things differently, to learn that hard work does not kill and bad governance is for a season. Despite the odds, small businesses grew by 7% in sectors like agriculture and technology, offering a glimmer of hope. Despite the increase in tariffs and persistent collapse of the national grid, there has been a marginal improvement in power output in homes and factories. The healthcare sector witnessed significant transformation in the past few months of 2024 because of incisive, superlative reforms and programmes. So far, 53,000 health workers have been re-trained—an impressive number—to deliver integrated, high-quality services. The Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Initiative, which offers free caesarean sections to all eligible Nigerian women meeting the criteria, and the Nigeria Climate Change and Health Vulnerability and Adaptation (V&A) Assessment Report were launched. These initiatives represent a step forward in our healthcare system, offering hope for the future. Your successor, 2025, is shaping up to be quite the mixed bag — it’s like the year is expecting a baby, but no one knows if it’ll be a bundle of joy or a handful of trouble. Nigeria is trying really hard to stop putting all its eggs in the oil basket. There’s a lot of noise about agriculture, tech, and manufacturing stepping up. With this African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) getting more action, we might see Nigeria flexing as West Africa’s trade big brother. But let’s be honest — oil and gas aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The Dangote Refinery finally kicking into gear might help us cut down on those expensive imported petroleum products. If it plays out right, that could mean fewer trade deficits and more jobs, which we desperately need. But you know how it is with oil — prices are like Lagos traffic, unpredictable and everywhere. Plus, the world’s moving towards greener energy, so we’ve got to figure out how to keep the money flowing long-term. Now, on the money front, I won’t sugarcoat it. Inflation and the exchange rate will probably keep dancing around, and not in a fun way. The Central Bank will try to keep things under control, but they’ll need serious foreign investment and more non-oil exports to make it work. The tech space is looking exciting, though. With all these young, sharp minds and everyone glued to their phones, Lagos and Abuja are becoming mini–Silicon Valley — fintech, ecommerce, aggrotech, you name it. Politically, Nigerians are still out here demanding real change. Anti-corruption will stay a hot topic — we’re all tired of the same old stories. There’s also this growing pressure for electoral reforms and better public services. Civil society is getting louder, and I’m here for it. But security? Whew. That’s going to be a big one. Between insurgency in the Northeast, banditry up North, and secessionist noise in the Southeast, the government has its hands full. It will take more than military action — they must dig into why these issues keep popping up. On top of that, some states are pushing harder for more control over their resources and policies. The whole decentralisation and restructuring debate might heat up. Meanwhile, you can bet politicians are already gearing up for 2027. Alliances will shift — it’s like watching chess, but with higher stakes. Look, Nigeria has its share of problems—inequality, environmental issues, governance struggles. But the potential? It’s huge. We’ve got the people and the energy, and if we can channel it right, the sky’s the limit. Here’s hoping 2025 is more of a blessing than a headache. As I look ahead to 2025, I do so with cautious optimism. While the road ahead remains uncertain, I am reminded that even in the darkest of times, resilience shines through. So, to everything we have passed through, thank you, 2024, for setting us free. 2025, if you’re reading, please be more liberal to us as a nation and as a people. May our leaders listen more and apply more wisdom. May 2025 usher in real hope, stability, and progress for Nigeria and the world. Wishing Nigerians a happy, peaceful, and prosperous new year.
NASA Leadership to Visit, Strengthen Cooperation with Mexico
46 Non-Sexy Items You’ll Ultimately Be Glad You OwnThe highly anticipated Peaky Blinders film “won’t be the end” of the popular gangster series, creator Steven Knight has said. Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy is reprising his role as Birmingham gangster Tommy Shelby for the film, which is set following the events of the original BBC drama which ran for six series from 2013 to 2022. Following the film wrapping production, Knight has revealed that it will be around a year before the project is released. Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight (Jacob King/PA) Asked if there are any more plans for Peaky Blinders beyond the film, he replied: “It’s interesting you should ask that question because the film is coming out and that won’t be the end.” The screenwriter was questioned if that meant fans could expect more series in the future, but he refused to provide more details. The film is believed to be titled The Immortal Man and has been teased to involve new conflicts for the Shelby family set during the Second World War. THAT’S A WRAP. The Peaky Blinders film has completed production. ?: Robert Viglasky pic.twitter.com/VImZlFWZdQ — Netflix (@netflix) December 19, 2024 Saltburn and The Banshees Of Inisherin star Barry Keoghan will join fellow Irish actor Murphy in the new film. Earlier this month a photo was shared by Netflix of the pair looking jubilant while wearing flat caps and suits as the streamer confirmed filming had wrapped on the project. Other returning cast members include British actors Stephen Graham as union organiser Hayden Stagg and Sophie Rundle as Ada Shelby, while Dune actress Rebecca Ferguson and Pulp Fiction actor Tim Roth have also joined the project. Tom Harper, who previously directed episodes in the first season in 2013, will return to helm the film. Knight previously told Netflix’s Tudum site: “It will be an explosive chapter in the Peaky Blinders story. No holds barred. Full-on Peaky Blinders at war.” When the series came to an end in 2022 after nine years, Tommy appeared to put his criminal past behind him. Across the six series, the show tackled the rise of fascism, Irish republican politics and communist activities throughout the period after the First World War – along with Tommy’s ambitions in politics. Knight later created a stage adaptation of the show for a limited-run production, titled The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby, which featured performances from Rambert’s dancers and a soundtrack from a live on-stage band.
A man accused of stealing military weaponry will face court over the alleged theft of a missile launcher and firearm parts. or signup to continue reading Police searched the home of the 55-year-old from South Plympton, a suburb southwest of CBD, on December 28 after receiving a tip that stolen weapons were stashed in his house. A decommissioned missile launcher and an empty dual carrier for missiles were allegedly found at the Jervois Street home. A "large amount of firearms" including rifle barrels, magazines, firing pins and trigger assemblies were also seized, investigators said. A number of and a military backpack were found with the weapons, police said. The seized items were allegedly stolen from another house in South Plympton. The 55-year-old man has been charged with serious criminal trespass and theft along with a number of other offences. He was refused bail to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on December 30. Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au Anna Houlahan reports on crime and social issues affecting regional and remote Australia in her role as national crime reporter at Australian Community Media (ACM). She was ACM’s Trainee of the Year in 2023 and, aside from reporting on crime, has travelled the country as a journalist for Explore Travel Magazine. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement
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Influencers and Fashion: Your Topics and Stories That Define the Trends
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