Article content Prime Minister Justin Trudeau opened his remarks at the NATO summit in Montreal by condemning the rioting that took place Friday. He then proceeded to tell the audience a bunch of utter nonsense about how important NATO is to his government and how much they are spending on defence. Recommended Videos Still sporting his Taylor Swift friendship bracelet to meet leaders from our military allies, Trudeau tried but failed to sound like a leader with moral clarity and conviction. “What we saw in the violence and the riots on Friday night are absolutely unacceptable,” Trudeau said with a concerned tone in his voice. “As a democracy, as a country that will always defend the freedom of speech, it’s important for people to be able to go out and protest and express their anger their disagreements in free and comfortable ways, but there is never any room for antisemitism, for hatred, for discrimination, violence.” The reason that rings hollow is because there has been plenty of room for antisemitism, displayed weekly on the streets of Canada’s major cities. Week after week, mobs have openly shown support for terrorist groups like Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and most recently Hezbollah, for one basic reason – they are fighting with Israel. “We don’t want no two states, take us back to ‘48,” they proclaim. That’s why Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s response to Trudeau on social media the other day rang so true. Poilievre went on a rant Saturday in response to Trudeau’s initial statement about the riots on social media. “You act surprised. We are reaping what you sowed,” Poilievre wrote. “This is what happens when a Prime Minister spends nine years pushing toxic woke identity politics, dividing and subdividing people by race, gender, vaccine status, religion, region, age, wealth, etc.” Poilievre went on to give examples of Trudeau creating problems in Canada and promising that he will stop the division and heal the country, if elected. You get the sense that Poilievre means what he says, while Trudeau is merely an actor playing a part and repeating the lines provided to him. It was the same during his speech on Monday when he tried to act like the military is important to him, that he’s the saviour of the Canadian military by increasing spending after Stephen Harper’s Conservatives cut it. “Canada believes deeply in NATO,” Trudeau said. That can hardly be considered a true statement, given that we haven’t met our NATO spending targets in years. It was just last year that the Washington Post reported on Pentagon documents, where it was revealed that Trudeau had told other world leaders behind closed doors that his government had no intention of meeting that spending target. Recommended video In his speech on Monday, Trudeau even went out of his way, after praising NATO, to say that he doesn’t believe that the spending target of 2% of GDP is the right way to measure things, even though it has always been the target. He even took time at an international conference to say that the previous Harper government cut military spending, while the Trudeau Liberals have been increasing spending. There’s some truth to that, spending is up, but Trudeau let spending decline in the first few years he was in power. According to the public accounts, the official record of government spending, Canada spent less on defence in fiscal year 2016-17 than we had in 2014-15, the last full year of the Harper government. Beyond that, in 2014-15, defence spending accounted for 7.3% of all government program spending, dropping to 6.6% in 2016-17 and just 6.3% of program spending in 2023. Trudeau told the crowd that Canada is well on its way to meeting the 2% of GDP NATO target – by 2032-33. The plan has been called into question by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, claiming the government used some dodgy math to get there. The entire speech that Trudeau delivered was about as serious as the friendship bracelet he was sporting. NATO needs Canada to provide real leadership, we won’t get that from Justin Trudeau.

NoneNoneBy Viren Choudary The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector is essential to India’s economy, providing jobs and contributing significantly to the GDP. However, many MSMEs, especially in the automotive industry, face challenges in accessing technology that can improve their operations. Traditional enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are often too expensive, generic and complicated for smaller businesses to adopt, making it hard for them to compete in a digital world. A significant change is happening globally with the rise of vertical-specific solutions. These are software systems designed for specific industries, unlike generic systems that try to cover everything but often miss the mark. Vertical-specific ERP systems offer several advantages, particularly when combined with artificial intelligence (AI). Unlike generic ERP systems that handle broad and varied data, vertical-specific solutions work with precise data tailored to the industry. This results in better insights, smarter decision-making, and streamlined operations, giving businesses a competitive edge. In the U.S., vertical-specific software has already transformed industries and improved business efficiency. This trend is now emerging in India; Readywire Private Limited is transforming Automobile Dealerships with its ERP solution tailored for the sector. As India continues to move towards a more digital economy, this shift, is expected to gain momentum in India as well as businesses increasingly realise the value of bespoke solutions. MSMEs that embrace these changes in vertical-specific solutions will be better equipped to succeed. The combination of AI and cloud technology, especially when tailored to specific industries, presents a valuable opportunity for these businesses to enhance their operations and grow. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is promoting digital transformation at the right time. Its initiative includes financial support, infrastructure development, and incentives for adopting new technology—crucial for smaller companies that often struggle with high costs. While MeitY’s primary focus is on encouraging broad adoption of digital technologies, a more targeted approach with vertical-specific solutions for MSMEs could help them overcome unique barriers and drive significant growth. (The author is Mr. Viren Choudary, Founder & CEO of Readywire, and the views expressed in this article are his own)

Jubilation and gunfire as Syrians celebrate the end of the Assad family's half-century ruleGames to snuggle up with this holiday seasonWASHINGTON , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will fly in aircraft manufacturer Electra's EL2 Goldfinch experimental prototype aircraft on Sunday, Dec. 8 . Members of the media are invited to speak with Nelson and Electra leaders just prior to the flight at 11:45 a.m. EST at Manassas Regional Airport in Manassas, Virginia . Electra designed the experimental aircraft with the goals of reducing emissions and noise and connecting new locations for regional air travel, including underserved communities. Media will be able to view and film the flight, which is set to feature ultra-short takeoffs and landings with as few as 150 feet of ground roll. The flight also is set to include a battery-only landing. Media interested in participating must RSVP to Rob Margetta at robert.j.margetta@nasa.gov . NASA's aeronautics research works to develop new generations of sustainable aviation technologies that will create new options for both U.S. passengers and cargo. Agency-supported research aims to provide industry providers like Electra, and others, data that can help inform the designs of innovative, greener aircraft with reduced operating costs. NASA investments have included projects that explore electrified aircraft technologies, and work that helped refine the electric short-takeoff and landing concept. The agency's work with private sector aviation providers helps NASA in its effort to bring sustainable solutions to the American public. In November, NASA selected Electra as one of five recipients of its Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability 2050 awards, through which they will develop design studies and explore key technologies to push the boundaries of possibility for next-generation sustainable commercial aircraft. These new studies will help the agency identify and select promising aircraft concepts and technologies for further investigations. https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-invites-media-to-administrator-flight-in-electra-hybrid-electric-aircraft-302324434.html SOURCE NASA

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has dubbed the Samajwadi Party (SP) the ‘B team of the BJP’. On Saturday, SP MLA Abu Asim Azmi had criticised a December 6 social media post by Sena (UBT) MLC Milind Narvekar, which said that Bal Thackeray was proud of those who demolished the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. This has led to cracks in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. Aaditya, while calling the SP in Maharashtra the BJP’s B team, said that at the same time Akhilesh Yadav was running the SP in a different way and leading the INDIA alliance well. “Our Hindutva is such that we have Ram in our heart and work for jobs for people,” he said. SP MLA Rais Shaikh said that the MVA was formed on secular grounds and asked Aaditya Thackeray what he had to say about Narvekar’s tweet. “I don’t want to comment on this ‘B team’ remark,” said Shaikh. “I have spoken to state Congress chief Nana Patole on this issue. I want to know the Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s reactions to Narvekar’s tweet.” Azmi said that after the elections, Uddhav Thackeray had declared that the Sena (UBT) was back to a Hindutva agenda. “The MVA was formed on secular grounds,” he said. “If this is the new agenda, the SP does not want to stay in the MVA.” December 6 was the 32nd anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya. Sena (UBT) leader Milind Narvekar put up a social media post with a picture of the demolition and a quote by Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray that he was proud of those who had demolished the mosque. The poster also had pictures of Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray.