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Time of India
25-06-2025
- Time of India
Helpdesk shut, wait gets longer for stranded Indians
Kolkata: While Bengal residents continued to return homes from West Asia on Wednesday, troubles are far from over for those still stranded in the two warring nations of Israel and Iran as the Indian embassy in Tehran has shut its helpdesk at Mashhad. They have been checked into Sadr Hotel in Mashhad for two more days after which they are likely to make return arrangements on their own. Sayantan Maiti, a Barrackpore resident and a post-doctoral research fellow at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, crossed Israel through the Egypt border on Tuesday. "While many were being evacuated through Jordan, another group was sent back home through the Egypt border. The strikes on the US airbase led to the temporary shutdown of the airspace by a number of countries," he said. Maiti, who started from Haifa on Tuesday, reached Egypt by the afternoon. In the past two days, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv picked up students from different locations and took them to the borders of Jordan and Egypt. "When we started on Tuesday, there were frequent siren alerts for missile attacks. While we were on our way to the Egypt border, news flashed that Iranian missiles hit the Be'er Sheva area," recounted Maiti. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Najpohodlnejšia vychádzková obuv pre mužov KÚPTE TERAZ Undo You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The buses were halted, and the drivers waited for instructions from the Indian embassy. "We were anticipating further escalation of conflict. Fortunately, a ceasefire was declared. From Eilat, the southernmost point of Israel, the Indian embassy in Egypt took over our responsibility," he recounted. Twenty pilgrims from North 24 Parganas, who were evacuated from Mashhad, reached Kolkata past Tuesday midnight. "They were happy to come back home. The Indian embassy in Iran took good care of them. But for my parents, who went on a pilgrimage to Iran and went through the most difficult phase of their lives, the scars will continue to haunt them," said Hossain Mehedi, whose parents returned to Kolkata on Tuesday.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
No ‘ceasefire' relief for those stuck in Iran
1 2 3 Kolkata: At least 20 people from Bengal were evacuated from Iran by the Indian embassy in Tehran. With the embassy in Tehran closing the contact desk in Mashhad on Tuesday, following the ceasefire, those still stuck in the war-torn country are in a fix over how to get back home. Barrackpore resident Dipak Adhikary and his wife Soma, who were stuck in a village near Shiraz in the Fars province in the south-central part of Iran, have managed to reach Mashhad. However, they could not get on to the flight heading to India. "I could not speak to them. They are already in Mashhad and staying at a hotel arranged by the embassy in Tehran. I spoke to an embassy official on Tuesday morning, and he said they will be put on the next flight leaving Iran. However, I am not sure how it will operate since the contact desk is closed," said Naresh Senapati, a friend of Adhikary. Nearly 100 migrant workers from Nadia's Tehatta were stuck in Israel when the Iran-Israel conflict escalated. Their family members, unable to contact them, were anxious about their safety. These people, mostly construction workers, travelled to Iran in search of better livelihood opportunities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like DOES Your Network Cut It? Boost Mobile Australia Learn More Undo With missile attacks intensifying and the region's safety deteriorating rapidly, their families back home are spending sleepless nights. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata "I have spoken to their family members. They are anxious as they are unable to contact them. However, a ceasefire has been announced, and the situation is likely to improve soon. In such a case, they might stay back in Israel," said Shampa Mandal, pradhan of the Betai panchayat. At least 30 workers from Lalbazar in the Betai area are currently in Israel. Meanwhile, a group of evacuees, most of them students from Israeli universities, crossed the Israel border through Egypt. Sayantan Maiti, a Barrackpore resident and a post-doctoral research fellow at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, crossed Israel through the Egypt border on Tuesday. "Sirens went off when we were going out from Haifa. Our journey got a bit delayed due to that," Maiti told TOI over phone.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bengal students stuck in Israel reach Jordan, wait for flight to Del
Kolkata: The first batch of Bengal students stranded in Israel is scheduled to board a flight from Amman, Jordan, after the Indian govt started the evacuation operation. More than 20 students from Bengal crossed the Israel-Jordan border amid heavy security and threats of missile strikes. On Monday, five buses — two from Haifa and three from Tel Aviv, carrying Indian students stuck in Israel — left for Jordan. Amaresh Das, a resident of East Midnapore and a post-doctoral research scholar with the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, got onto the bus from Haifa early in the morning. The entire 60km stretch from Haifa to Jordan was calm on Monday. But it suddenly changed when the bus was crossing the Jordan River. "A total of five buses carrying Indian students were travelling together. The bus from Tel Aviv was behind us. The embassy officials were trying to send the buses to the Jordan side as soon as possible. Suddenly, there was an extreme alert of sirens. We got down from the bus at the nearest shelter and got inside that," recounted Das. When they reached the border, there was a huge crowd waiting to cross. The document checking and visa processing had to be hurried. "We were nearly 150 people in five buses, and everyone was tense. We knew we had to rush to Amman now," Das said. On Sunday, some of the students missed the flight from Amman, and the officials also wanted to ensure that nobody missed a flight. "We don't know when we will reach New Delhi. The details are not shared with us as yet. We will have to make our own arrangements from Delhi to reach Kolkata," Das said. "We heard that the first flight from Jordan carrying Indian students under the evacuation operation left Amman in the afternoon. But we are yet to get any news of the second flight departing. Meanwhile, there were fresh missile attacks in central Israel," said Sayantan Maiti. Barrackpore resident Maiti, who is pursuing research in surface chemistry of diamonds at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, is scheduled to be evacuated on Tuesday. "I am yet to get a call or confirmation from the Indian embassy in Israel. I think it might get delayed by a day now," he said.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Students stuck in Israel hope for early exit
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: Students stranded in Israel hoped for an early exit from the country after Iran escalated strikes on Israel following the US bomber jets striking three nuclear facilities in Iran. The first batch of 160 Indians left Jordan on Sunday. "We are waiting for the next list of evacuees to be published by the Indian embassy in Israel. They are picking up students and other evacuees from different areas and taking them to Jordan," said Sayantan Maiti, a Barrackpore resident who is pursuing research at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. While the first batch reached Jordan by Sunday afternoon, the journey was not bereft of missile threats. The bus had to halt after sirens went off twice. The bus was parked at the nearest public shelter, and the passengers took cover. "There were armed forces on the bus, and the driver was skilled in handling emergency situations. But such a situation always breeds fear. There are long stretches with nothing but fields, where there is no possibility of finding a shelter," said Maiti. On Sunday morning, Priyangana Deb from Kolkata, pursuing post-doctoral research at the Medicine and Health Science Faculty of Tel Aviv University, said: "There could be an escalation of offensive by Iran after the US attack. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 오돌토돌 모공각화증, 자꾸 손대지말고 이렇게 해보세요 현명한소비자 Undo I don't know when my turn will come." Salboni resident Aniruddha Bera, who was initially in two minds about leaving Israel, went to the bus stop on Sunday to see off friends who were picked up from Tel Aviv. "He is a bit tense now after recent developments. We don't think he will be able to get listed before Tuesday," said Asim Bera, his father. Additionally, family members of 100 workers from Nadia are also hoping for their safe return from Israel, where most of them had gone to work as construction workers. According to sources, at least 30 workers from Lalbazar in Betai are currently in Israel. "My sons Sanjib and Sujit are working in Israel. They said missile alerts went off suddenly, and they rushed to shelters. For some days, they have practically been living inside bunkers," said Goshto Charan Biswas, a resident of Betai.
Hindustan Times
07-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
What does the world's first AI worm mean for you?
The Creeper program is generally considered the world's first computer virus. Born as an experiment in 1971, it infected computers and slowed operations to a crawl. Reaper was the world's first antivirus, designed to destroy it. The battle has waged on ever since. There was the Brain virus from 1986, which spread through floppy disks and flashed alarming messages of infection on home computers (while also slowing them down). Then came the Morris Worm, a self-replicating program created at Cornell University, as part of an unofficial experiment, in 1988. It swept the world, slowing computers down to such a degree that a single email could take days to send. Fast-forward to 2024, and a new beast has emerged, from a joint experiment conducted by Cornell, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the software company Intuit. Named Morris II, it is being called the world's first generative AI worm. The self-replicating bug has shown the ability to spread rapidly through AI-powered email, and target generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The way it creeps around is quite sinister. It essentially hides, somewhat like a shadow, in common chatbot and AI assistant prompts. When this prompt is issued by a generative AI model, and accepted by a user, it triggers a shadow instruction alongside. The shadow prompt may instruct the AI program to hand over data, alter code, or help the worm itself replicate. Additionally, any time such a prompt is used to create an email or other such output, the worm spreads seamlessly to every recipient of that content. Morris II isn't out there prowling yet. Researchers Ben Nassi, Stav Cohen and Ron Bitton created it in a controlled environment for the same reason many of their predecessors did this: to highlight levels of risk, and raise an alarm. The really alarming thing, this time around, is that the worm may wreak its damage invisibly, without the user ever knowing it was there. It could also potentially 'learn' as it goes, finding new ways to infiltrate systems, and evade detection. In a report released in April, cyber-security company Check Point Software has already noted that AI-driven malware could exploit vulnerabilities in real time, making traditional signature-based antivirus tools nearly obsolete. This cat-and-mouse game isn't new. Traditional worms such as WannaCry, the ransomware that first appeared in 2017, cost billions in damages across hospitals, banks and governments, in this way. But AI raises the stakes Track and shield Unsurprisingly, security firms are already racing to harness AI to outsmart AI. Amid this race, consultancy firm McKinsey estimates that cybersecurity solutions, which companies around the world spent about $150 billion on in 2021, could soon be a market worth as much as $2 trillion. Among the weapons emerging on the good side, in this battle, are virtual private networks or VPNs. In addition to anonymising a user's web-browsing data and providing a layer of security for information sent and received, companies such as ExpressVPN, Proton and Nord are evolving to offer clients solutions that will protect not just smartphones and computing devices but also smart TVs, appliances and home systems. ExpressVPN, for instance, rolled out an 'AI shield' late last year that uses artificial intelligence to predict and neutralise zero-day exploits (which is when a new bug or vulnerability in a system is exploited, in the hours before it is fixed). Traditional antivirus companies are responding to the shifting landscape too. Market leaders such as McAfee and Norton are working to provide advanced AI-led protection against AI-led threats, with a special focus on text messages, phone calls, email and web browser use. We aren't at the point of dos and don'ts yet. It is still unclear what the threats may look like. But watch this space. It will pay to know all you can. Because this time, it may not even take a click from you to change your world.
