Latest news with #Flash
Newsweek
9 hours ago
- General
- Newsweek
Senior Dog Has Adoption Event After 1,000 Days in Shelter—No One Shows Up
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A senior Lurcher who has spent over 1,000 days in kennels had an open day arranged just for him—but nobody turned up. Despite being ready and willing to meet potential adopters, Flash, the 9-year-old dog, was led back to his kennel in Dogs Trust Darlington in England. Nikki Holroyd, the shelter's manager, told Newsweek: "It was sad but he enjoyed a lovely day out of his kennel having fun with staff. He is a very playful lad." Despite being much-loved at the shelter by staff, he has been forced to celebrate another birthday without a place to call home. Flash sitting on the sofa and smiling with his mouth open. Flash sitting on the sofa and smiling with his mouth open. Dogs Trust The staff recently threw him a birthday party with presents, playtimes and snuggles, marking his third birthday in kennels. They say they want to make sure he turns 10 with a family of his own. "Flash is a gorgeous boy who the entire team adores, so we are struggling to understand why he has yet to find his special someone having spent nearly three years in our care," said Holroyd in a statement. "In this time, he has only met one prospective adopter. He has many friends and admirers here at the rehoming center, but we need to find an admirer willing to offer him the forever home he deserves." She describes him as a "playful, goofy, loving, and quick as a flash when enjoying off-lead zoomies." "He has learnt many tricks with our training team, which he is happy to show off. He loves enrichment toys and games and laps up all the fuss and affection he can get from his canine carers," Holroyd said. "Without fail, he makes us smile every day, and he has so much to offer as a four-legged best pal." While he does need ongoing medical care, Flash refuses to let age slow him down. He was recently invited to a staff members home for a sleepover and they were not only impressed with his calm demeanor in the car but also in their home. "He enjoyed a sleepover with a member of our team, and he was the perfect house guest," Holroyd said in the statement. "Flash loved the companionship and was especially fond of snoozing on the sofa. "We are confident he will soon adapt to life in a home, so we appeal to anyone looking for a fun-loving four-legged friend to please get in touch and come and meet our boy Flash." Flash is classed as one of Dogs Trust's "Underdogs," a term used for dogs waiting more than six months for a home. Staff say he would do best in an adult-only household as the only pet, with a garden to stretch his legs and time to get to know his new family before moving in. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Leadership shuffle: Tata Sons ropes in consumer veterans to Tata Digital board; balances earlier finance-centric line-up
Representative image Tata Sons has inducted Indian Hotels CEO Puneet Chhatwal and Tata Consumer CEO Sunil D'Souza into the board of Tata Digital, a strategic move aimed at bolstering consumer business expertise across the conglomerate's digital ventures. The reshuffle follows the departure of Tata Digital MD and CEO Naveen Tahilyani in May, after just over a year at the helm. The appointments come at a time when Tata Digital, operator of the Tata Neu super app, is in transition. The company will now be managed by its board until a new CEO is named. According to people familiar with the matter, the appointment has been delayed due to the ongoing crisis following the recent Air India crash, with group chairman N Chandrasekaran said to be personally monitoring developments at both Tata Digital and Air India, reported ET. Chhatwal and D'Souza's inclusion is seen as an effort to address concerns that Tata Digital's board was previously skewed toward finance professionals and lacked leadership with strong consumer business backgrounds. 'Both have been extremely successful at building their respective consumer businesses,' said an executive cited by ET. 'Their capabilities at juggling multiple business structures and shareholders will help Tata Digital strengthen its consumer impact.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký The group has also named Ankur Verma as the acting chairman of Croma, its consumer electronics chain. Meanwhile, Aarthi Subramanian exited the Tata Digital board after her elevation as COO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Tata Digital oversees a diverse portfolio, including BigBasket, epharmacy 1mg, fashion marketplace Tata Cliq, and Croma. Despite reporting a gross merchandise value (GMV) of Rs 37,355 crore in FY24 and a user base of 140 million, cross-platform adoption remains a concern. As per ET, Tata Neu contributed less than 10% to the gross sales of BigBasket and 1mg, reflecting weak synergy and integration. Backend integration efforts were reportedly paused to preserve brand identity and user experience, and each vertical continues to operate independently. 'They don't really urgently need a Tata Digital CEO,' a source was quoted by ET as saying, adding that vertical heads manage their units autonomously. Tata Digital had originally envisioned a centralised super app approach but later pivoted to a shared services model after lukewarm consumer response. As per ET, Chandrasekaran is understood to have grown impatient with Neu's sluggish performance, prompting a shift in focus. To reinvigorate the platform, the company has launched a quick commerce pilot named 'Flash' on the Tata Neu app, targeting India's booming 10-minute delivery space dominated by Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart. Tata Digital's leadership journey has largely been internal, with former TCS executive Pratik Pal setting the foundation in 2019, and Tahilyani appointed to lead the next phase in 2023. Myntra cofounder Mukesh Bansal remains one of the few high-profile external hires to date. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Darlington dog only has one visitor after years at Dogs Trust
A rescue dog which has spent three years patiently waiting for his forever home has only been visited once, according to a charity trying to rehome lurcher Flash was handed over to Dogs Trust in July 2022, but efforts to find him a home have been unsuccessful "through no fault of his own".He is one of the longest residents at the charity's site in Sadberge, near Darlington, which can care for about 100 recently held a dedicated open day for Flash, where the public were invited to meet him, but nobody turned up. "It was heartbreaking," said Nikki Holroyd, rehoming centre manager at Dogs Trust Darlington."He still had a good day out of his kennel socialising with the staff, so a good day for him but a little unfortunate and sad for us." Although some rescue animals can have complex requirements, Ms Holroyd said he was "no trouble", fine with people and loved to travel on said the team were perplexed as to why there had been very little interest in Flash."Put a blanket on the floor, he'll snooze on it, chew his toy, and what he's allowed to chew, and he's just a loveable and fun dog to be around." The charity has since thrown Flash a birthday party marking his third year at the site in an effort to cheer him up, complete with treats and toys."We obviously try and make it the best time in our care with us, but obviously we want him in a home," Ms Holroyd said. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
25-06-2025
- Politics
Drone debris found in Ukraine indicates Russia is using new technology from Iran
Last week, Ukrainian drone hunters picking up the debris from Russia's nightly assault on their cities found a weapon that stood out from the rest. It had an advanced camera, a computing platform powered by artificial intelligence and a radio link, allowing an operator to pilot it remotely from Russia. It also contained new, Iranian-made, anti-jamming technology, according to a Ukrainian drone expert. Most Russian attack drones are black, said Serhii Beskrestnov, an electronics expert more widely known as Flash. The new one, he told The Associated Press, was white. Inside, there were no markings or labels consistent with Russian-made drones. Instead, the stickers followed a 'standard Iran labeling system,' Beskrestnov said. Experts who spoke to AP said the labels are not conclusive proof but the English-language words are consistent with how Iran marks its drones. It is quite possible, they said, that it was sold by Iran to Russia to test in combat. Moscow has pummeled Ukraine almost nightly with Iranian-designed drones throughout the course of the war, now in its fourth year. They swarm above Ukrainian cities, their moped-like sound filling the air, as air defenses and sharpshooters take aim. While some carry warheads, many are decoys. Russia is improving its drone technology and tactics, striking Ukraine with increasing success. But the U.K's Defense Ministry said Israel's strikes on Iran will 'likely negatively impact the future provision of Iranian military equipment to Russia," since Tehran had supplied 'significant quantities' of attack drones to Moscow. Israel's military would not comment on what it struck. Although it has carried out sweeping attacks across Iranian military facilities and the U.S. bombed nuclear sites, the impact on Iran's drone industry is not yet clear. The anti-jammer in the latest drone discovered in Ukraine contained new Iranian technology, suggested Beskrestnov. Other components in Russia's drones often come from Russia, China and the West. Although Russia's drones are based on an Iranian design, the majority are now made in Russia. And because much of the technology to make them, including the Iranian software and technical expertise, has already been transferred to Russia, the immediate impact on Moscow's drone program could be limited, experts said. However, if Israel struck facilities producing drones and components — such as engines and anti-jamming units — which are shipped to Russia, then Moscow could face supply shortages, experts suggested. Moscow makes its Shahed — meaning 'witness' in Farsi — drones based on an Iranian model in a highly secure factory in central Russia. The Alabuga plant in the Tatarstan region took delivery of its first Iranian drones in 2022 after Russia and Iran signed a $1.7 billion deal. It later established its own production lines, churning out thousands of them. The upgrades identified from debris in Ukraine are the latest in a series of innovations that began with Russia buying drones directly from Iran in the fall of 2022, according to leaked documents from Alabuga previously reported on by AP. In early 2023, Iran shipped about 600 disassembled drones to be reassembled in Russia before production was localized. In 2024, the design was adapted. Specialists added cameras to some drones and implemented a plan, revealed in an AP investigation, dubbed Operation False Target — creating decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. Alabuga also modified the Shahed to make it more lethal, creating a thermobaric drone which sucks out all the oxygen in its path — potentially collapsing lungs, crushing eyeballs and causing brain damage. The size of the warhead was also upgraded. In at least one case, Iran shipped a jet-powered Shahed that Russia 'experimented' with in Ukraine, said Fabian Hinz, an expert on Russian and Iranian drones at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Ukraine's air force found two more examples of jet-powered Shaheds in May but it appears they have not been widely adopted. That's possibly because the Iranian design uses a very sophisticated jet engine that also powers Iran's cruise missiles, Hinz said. That likely makes it too expensive to use nightly in Ukraine, he said, even if the engine is swapped to a cheaper Chinese model. The electronics in the drone most recently found in Ukraine are also very expensive, Beskrestnov said, pointing to its AI computing platform, camera and radio link. It's unclear why it was deployed but Beskrestnov suggested it could be used to target 'critical infrastructure,' including electrical transmission towers. Previous versions of the Shahed drone could not hit a moving object or change their flight path once launched. They sometimes ended up 'traveling in circles all through Ukraine before they finally hit a target,' which made them easier to shoot down, said David Albright of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security. The radio link means an operator can communicate with the drone from Russia, introduce a new target and potentially control many drones at the same time, the experts said. The remotely operable Shahed has similarities to drones Russia is already using on the front lines and is particularly resistant to jamming, Beskrestnov said. There are eight, rather than four, antennas on the drone which means it is harder for Ukraine to overwhelm it with electronic warfare, he said. The new drone has markings that suggest the anti-jamming unit was made in Iran within the past year and similarities to Iranian components found in older models of the Shahed, said Beskrestnov. Such advanced antennas, said Hinz, have not previously been seen on drones used in Ukraine but have been found on Iranian missiles destined for Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. In a statement, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense told AP in the past four months it had found drones with eight and 12 antennas made in China and Russia. Despite sanctions, both Russia and Iran have continued to find ways to procure Western technology. The drone's AI computing platform can help it autonomously navigate if communications are jammed. Similar technology was used by Ukraine to attack aircraft deep inside Russia during Operation Spiderweb, when it used drones to target Russian air bases hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers. Russia is improving its technology at the same time as it is also changing its tactics. Moscow is flying the Shahed drones at high altitudes where they are out of reach of Ukrainian shooters, as well as lower down to avoid radio detection. It is also carrying out massive group attacks on cities including where drones sometimes dive-bomb a target, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said. The drones can be used to clear a path for cruise missiles or to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses by sending a wave of decoys followed by one or two with a warhead. The tactics appear to be working. AP collected almost a year's worth of Russian drone strike data on Ukraine posted online by the Ukrainian air force. An analysis shows that Russia significantly ramped up its attacks after U.S. President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January. And Russian hits have increased markedly since March — shortly before reports emerged that Russia was using Shahed drones with advanced jammers. In November 2024, only around 6% of drones hit a discernible target but, by June, that reached about 16%. On some nights, almost 50% of drones got through Ukraine's air defenses. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said the Shaheds' effectiveness is likely because Russia is firing more drones, including decoys, as well as the change in technology and tactics. But although Russia appears to have had increasing success striking Ukraine, it is not clear if that will continue. Israel's strikes on Iran will 'certainly' hurt Russia long-term, Albright said. Moscow, he said, is 'not going to be able to get as much assistance from Iran as it has been.' —— This story has been corrected to show only around 6% of drones hit a discernible target in November 2024, not November 2022. ——
San Francisco Chronicle
25-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Drone debris found in Ukraine indicates Russia is using new technology from Iran
Last week, Ukrainian drone hunters picking up the debris from Russia's nightly assault on their cities found a weapon that stood out from the rest. It had an advanced camera, a computing platform powered by artificial intelligence and a radio link, allowing an operator to pilot it remotely from Russia. It also contained new, Iranian-made, anti-jamming technology, according to a Ukrainian drone expert. Most Russian attack drones are black, said Serhii Beskrestnov, an electronics expert more widely known as Flash. The new one, he told The Associated Press, was white. Inside, there were no markings or labels consistent with Russian-made drones. Instead, the stickers followed a 'standard Iran labeling system,' Beskrestnov said. Experts who spoke to AP said the labels are not conclusive proof but the English-language words are consistent with how Iran marks its drones. It is quite possible, they said, that it was sold by Iran to Russia to test in combat. Moscow has pummeled Ukraine almost nightly with Iranian-designed drones throughout the course of the war, now in its fourth year. They swarm above Ukrainian cities, their moped-like sound filling the air, as air defenses and sharpshooters take aim. While some carry warheads, many are decoys. Russia is improving its drone technology and tactics, striking Ukraine with increasing success. But the U.K's Defense Ministry said Israel's strikes on Iran will 'likely negatively impact the future provision of Iranian military equipment to Russia," since Tehran had supplied 'significant quantities' of attack drones to Moscow. The anti-jammer in the latest drone discovered in Ukraine contained new Iranian technology, suggested Beskrestnov. Other components in Russia's drones often come from Russia, China and the West. Although Russia's drones are based on an Iranian design, the majority are now made in Russia. And because much of the technology to make them, including the Iranian software and technical expertise, has already been transferred to Russia, the immediate impact on Moscow's drone program could be limited, experts said. However, if Israel struck facilities producing drones and components — such as engines and anti-jamming units — which are shipped to Russia, then Moscow could face supply shortages, experts suggested. A secretive Russian factory Moscow makes its Shahed — meaning 'witness' in Farsi — drones based on an Iranian model in a highly secure factory in central Russia. The Alabuga plant in the Tatarstan region took delivery of its first Iranian drones in 2022 after Russia and Iran signed a $1.7 billion deal. It later established its own production lines, churning out thousands of them. The upgrades identified from debris in Ukraine are the latest in a series of innovations that began with Russia buying drones directly from Iran in the fall of 2022, according to leaked documents from Alabuga previously reported on by AP. In early 2023, Iran shipped about 600 disassembled drones to be reassembled in Russia before production was localized. In 2024, the design was adapted. Specialists added cameras to some drones and implemented a plan, revealed in an AP investigation, dubbed Operation False Target — creating decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. Alabuga also modified the Shahed to make it more lethal, creating a thermobaric drone which sucks out all the oxygen in its path — potentially collapsing lungs, crushing eyeballs and causing brain damage. The size of the warhead was also upgraded. Jet-propelled drones and AI In at least one case, Iran shipped a jet-powered Shahed that Russia 'experimented' with in Ukraine, said Fabian Hinz, an expert on Russian and Iranian drones at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Ukraine's air force found two more examples of jet-powered Shaheds in May but it appears they have not been widely adopted. That's possibly because the Iranian design uses a very sophisticated jet engine that also powers Iran's cruise missiles, Hinz said. That likely makes it too expensive to use nightly in Ukraine, he said, even if the engine is swapped to a cheaper Chinese model. The electronics in the drone most recently found in Ukraine are also very expensive, Beskrestnov said, pointing to its AI computing platform, camera and radio link. It's unclear why it was deployed but Beskrestnov suggested it could be used to target 'critical infrastructure,' including electrical transmission towers. Previous versions of the Shahed drone could not hit a moving object or change their flight path once launched. They sometimes ended up 'traveling in circles all through Ukraine before they finally hit a target,' which made them easier to shoot down, said David Albright of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security. The radio link means an operator can communicate with the drone from Russia, introduce a new target and potentially control many drones at the same time, the experts said. The remotely operable Shahed has similarities to drones Russia is already using on the front lines and is particularly resistant to jamming, Beskrestnov said. There are eight, rather than four, antennas on the drone which means it is harder for Ukraine to overwhelm it with electronic warfare, he said. The new drone has markings that suggest the anti-jamming unit was made in Iran within the past year and similarities to Iranian components found in older models of the Shahed, said Beskrestnov. Such advanced antennas, said Hinz, have not previously been seen on drones used in Ukraine but have been found on Iranian missiles destined for Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. In a statement, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense told AP in the past four months it had found drones with eight and 12 antennas made in China and Russia. Despite sanctions, both Russia and Iran have continued to find ways to procure Western technology. The drone's AI computing platform can help it autonomously navigate if communications are jammed. Similar technology was used by Ukraine to attack aircraft deep inside Russia during Operation Spiderweb, when it used drones to target Russian air bases hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers. Changing tactics Russia is improving its technology at the same time as it is also changing its tactics. Moscow is flying the Shahed drones at high altitudes where they are out of reach of Ukrainian shooters, as well as lower down to avoid radio detection. It is also carrying out massive group attacks on cities including where drones sometimes dive-bomb a target, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said. The drones can be used to clear a path for cruise missiles or to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses by sending a wave of decoys followed by one or two with a warhead. The tactics appear to be working. AP collected almost a year's worth of Russian drone strike data on Ukraine posted online by the Ukrainian air force. An analysis shows that Russia significantly ramped up its attacks after U.S. President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January. And Russian hits have increased markedly since March — shortly before reports emerged that Russia was using Shahed drones with advanced jammers. In November 2024, only around 6% of drones hit a discernible target but, by June, that reached about 16%. On some nights, almost 50% of drones got through Ukraine's air defenses. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said the Shaheds' effectiveness is likely because Russia is firing more drones, including decoys, as well as the change in technology and tactics. But although Russia appears to have had increasing success striking Ukraine, it is not clear if that will continue. Israel's strikes on Iran will 'certainly' hurt Russia long-term, Albright said. Moscow, he said, is 'not going to be able to get as much assistance from Iran as it has been.' —— This story has been corrected to show only around 6% of drones hit a discernible target in November 2024, not November 2022. ——
