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Harvey Weinstein indicted on additional sex crimes charges ahead of New York retrial

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NEW YORK — Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been indicted on additional sex crimes charges ahead of his retrial in New York, Manhattan prosecutors said at a hearing Thursday. 

The indictment will remain under seal until Weinstein’s arraignment on the new charges, which is scheduled for September 18. 

Weinstein, 72, is recovering from emergency heart surgery Monday at a Manhattan hospital to remove fluid on his heart and lungs and was not at Thursday’s hearing. 

Prosecutors retrying Weinstein’s overturned rape conviction disclosed last week that they had begun presenting to a grand jury evidence of up to three additional allegations against Weinstein, dating as far back as the mid-2000s. 

They include alleged sexual assaults at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, now known as the Roxy Hotel, and in a Lower Manhattan residential building between late 2005 and mid-2006, and an alleged sexual assault at a Tribeca hotel in May 2016. 

Because the indictment is under seal, it was not known whether the new charges involved some or all of the additional allegations. 

Prosecutors had been seeking to retry Weinstein after New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, overturned his 2020 conviction on rape and sexual assault charges earlier this year and ordered a new trial. 

It remains to be seen whether the new charges will be included in the retrial, as prosecutors hope, or handled as a separate case by the court. 

The new charges come after prosecutors in Britain announced last week that they would no longer pursue charges of indecent assault against Weinstein, who was the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement in 2017 when women began going public with accounts of his behavior. 

Weinstein, who co-founded the film and television production company Miramax, has long maintained that any sexual activity was consensual. 

At Thursday’s hearing, Judge Curtis Farber ruled that because of Weinstein’s health concerns, he will be allowed to remain at Bellevue Hospital indefinitely instead of being moved back to the city’s Rikers Island jail complex. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office had signaled for months that new charges were imminent against Weinstein, who was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, having produced films such as Pulp Fiction and The Crying Game. 

In July, prosecutors told a judge they were actively pursuing claims of rape that occurred in Manhattan within the statute of limitations. 

They said some potential accusers who were not ready to come forward during Weinstein’s first New York trial had indicated they were now willing to testify. 

New York’s highest court threw out Weinstein’s 2020 conviction in April after determining the trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations from other women that were not part of the case. 

Prosecutors have said one of the accusers in that case, Jessica Mann, is prepared to testify against him again. It’s unclear if the second accuser, Mimi Haley, would participate. Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, declined to comment. 

The Associated Press does not generally identify people alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named, as Haley and Mann did. 

Weinstein, who had been serving a 23-year sentence in New York when his conviction was quashed, was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape. 

His 16-year prison sentence in that case still stands, but his lawyers appealed in June, arguing he did not get a fair trial in Los Angeles. Weinstein has remained in custody in New York’s Rikers Island jail complex while awaiting the retrial.


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VOA Newscasts

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Give us 5 minutes, and we’ll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

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US commander: Support for Somalia in the works as country readies for withdrawal of AU mission

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Nairobi, Kenya — A U.S. Marine Corps general who commands forces in Africa says stability and support programs for Somalia are in the works as the country prepares for the withdrawal of African Union troops in December.

General Michael Langley, head of the U.S. Africa Command, said that after meeting this past weekend with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his top military official, Major General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow, he’s confident the country can manage its own security after the December withdrawal of the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia, known as ATMIS.

Langley’s remarks, in a virtual briefing to reporters Thursday, came 2 1/2 years after the multidimensional mission was authorized by the U.N. Security Council, in part to help stabilize the country following years of insurgency by the militant group al-Shabab.

Langley said that Somali authorities have told him military operations in the southern and central parts of the country are focused on liberating some areas from the militants and stabilizing others.

“The operations are ebbing and flowing,” Langley said. “I’ll just use some of their narratives. They have a young army, it’s a building army, so there are some successes and some setbacks, but I think the morale across the forces is building and they are very enthusiastic they’re going to be able to keep al-Shabab back on their heels going forward in future operations.”

In a briefing to the Security Council in June, Mohamed el-Amine Souef, head of ATMIS, told the council that the threat posed by al-Shabab remains unpredictable. Citing a recent attack on Somali security forces in the Galmudug region, and a mortar attack on the ATMIS camp in Baidoa, he said the group still retains the ability to conduct devastating assaults.

Although Somali forces supported by ATMIS have achieved significant gains in the fight against al-Shabab, support from international partners is essential to maintain the momentum, he said.

After visiting Somalia, Langley arrived in Kenya, which contributes troops to ATMIS, where he said he plans to engage with the Kenyan military leadership to explore future prospects on how to help the Somali army hit its operational objectives.

“They have been a tremendous partner with the Somali national army, institutionalizing, professionalizing, helping them to be able to operate in various areas, collaborating along the border to ensure the defeat of al-Shabab,” Langley said.

In West Africa, U.S. troops recently withdrew from Niger, where they were ordered to leave after a military junta took power. Juntas that took power by force also rule Mali and Burkina Faso.

Langley said the way forward on security cooperation across the Sahel is still to be determined, but added that U.S. forces will stay engaged.

“In the interim, yes, we are pivoting to some degree on like-minded countries with democratic values and shared objectives and shared challenges across the coast of West Africa,” he said. “So yes, we are in talks with Cote D’Ivoire, in talks with Ghana and Benin, as well as we start to reset and calibrate some of our assets.”

He said those countries are facing threats from terrorist groups like al-Qaida and Islamic State, which initially operated in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, but are now moving toward other countries across the region.


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Arctic Circle Airports Closed After Suspected Ukrainian Drone Attacks

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Russian social media says Murmansk and Apatity airports were temporarily closed on Thursday after suspected Ukrainian drones were shot down on successive days.

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Psaraki brings great views and amazing Mediterranean cuisine

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Buckle up because Psaraki is about to become your new obsession.

Imagine this: a warm evening, the faintest whisper of salt in the air (Brooklyn may not be the Aegean, but it sure gets close), and a table brimming with the kind of Greek flavors that make you forget everything else. This isn’t just dinner; it’s an experience.

And trust me, coming from a half-Greek Texas girl who knows her way around a good meal, Psaraki is the kind of place that’ll leave you longing for more.

James Paloumbis, the mastermind behind this Mediterranean jewel, brings 28 years of NYC’s restaurant savvy to every detail here. Walking into Psaraki feels like stepping into a chic seaside taverna — only here, you’re treated to views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan skyline, and the Williamsburg Bridge.

It’s a mesmerizing juxtaposition: the tranquil ambiance of a Greek escape with the raw energy of New York just across the water. There’s a certain electricity in the air that makes the whole experience irresistibly seductive.

Now, let’s talk about the food — because this is where Psaraki truly sets hearts (and appetites) racing. 

James has a philosophy: homemade in the truest sense of the word. His dishes aren’t just inspired by family recipes; they are family recipes, passed down through generations, crafted with love, and brought to life on your plate.

Fine food and an even finer view at Psaraki restaurant.Photo courtesy of Avalon Ashley Bellos

The Fisherman’s Table Experience is the highlight — a stunning, shareable feast featuring classics like horiatiki, saganaki, calamari, octopus, and branzino. Each dish arrives perfectly prepared, every bite a beautiful homage to Greek culinary tradition. And for those with dietary needs, everything fried is, miraculously, gluten-free. Sophisticated and inclusive? Yes, please.

But what’s a sultry summer evening without a cocktail to match? Psaraki’s drink menu reads like a Mediterranean dream.

The Psaraki Spritz, with Otto’s Athens Vermouth and Pink Grapefruit Soda, is as refreshing as a breeze off the Santorini coast, while the Green Tears, a smoky concoction of Mezcal, Skinos, basil syrup, and lemon, is bold, intriguing, and undeniably irresistible.

Whether you’re here for a romantic evening, a gathering with friends, or a solo indulgence, Psaraki strikes the perfect balance between laid-back Greek hospitality and cosmopolitan sophistication. James Paloumbis and his team are passionate about what they do, pouring their heart into every dish, every drink, and every detail of your evening.

So go ahead, make that reservation—you’re in for a refined and unforgettable escape, Greek-style.

Psaraki, 420 Kent Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (212) 220-5035. psaraki.com.


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Together Brooklyn stands: Borough unites for touching 9/11 tributes

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Brooklyn came together this week to honor the memory of those lost on Sept. 11, 2001 with a series of poignant commemorations, memorials and tributes spread across the borough.

From solemn ceremonies at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade to reflective gatherings at local firehouses and parks, the borough paid tribute to the resilience and unity that emerged from the tragedy, ensuring that the memories of the fallen were honored and preserved.

Patriot Day at Fort Hamilton

U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton marked Patriot Day with its annual 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance Ceremony on Sept. 10, reflecting on the lives lost 23 years ago and honoring those who have since defended the nation.

Col. Melissa Cantwell, the base’s second female military officer in its 197-year history, addressed the gathering, calling it a “time to pay tribute.”

“It’s hard to believe it was 23 years ago — it feels like yesterday,” she said. “Every one of us remembers where we were on that day because we know freedom is not free. Men and women from all backgrounds have come together to serve this great nation selflessly, with the support of their families and civilians, continuing to build on our Army’s legacy of strength and resilience.”

A wreath was placed at the garrison’s 9/11 memorial by Garrison Commander Col. Melissa Cantwell, Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Hill, U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Gen. Kris A. Belanger, commanding general, 99th Readiness Division, and CSM Corey A. Thompson, 99th Readiness Division.U.S. Army photos by Markl Getman/Fort Hamilton Garrison Public Affairs

The ceremony featured a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps. A wreath was placed at the garrison’s 9/11 memorial by Col. Cantwell, Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Hill, U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Gen. Kris A. Belanger, commanding general of the 99th Readiness Division, and CSM Corey A. Thompson, also of the 99th Readiness Division.

Marine Park remembrance

A somber yet deeply moving 9/11 memorial ceremony unfolded at Marine Park on Wednesday, as community residents gathered to honor the memory of those who sacrificed their lives and those who continue to bear the weight of that tragic day.

The ceremony was marked by heartfelt tributes and poignant reflections from several speakers. Among them was Donald Cranston, who shared a personal and emotional account of his brother, NYPD Officer Brian Cranston. Brian Cranston, who had served at Ground Zero, succumbed to cancer linked to his work at the site. Struggling to hold back tears, Donald expressed the profound loss felt by his family and the ongoing impact of 9/11 on their lives.

Paul Curiale, a long-time community resident, emphasized the importance of keeping the memories of 9/11 alive. His remarks underscored the collective resolve of the community to remember and honor those who gave their all.

Community members gather in Marine Park for an emotional 9/11 memorial service.Photo by Arthur de Gaeta
Assembly Member Jaime Williams at the Marine Park memorial.Photo by Arthur de Gaeta

Democratic leader Frank Seddio recalled the harrowing moments of that day with vivid clarity.

“When the towers fell, my heart just sank, followed by a crushing blow to my beliefs and freedoms,” he said to a crowd in tears.

As the ceremony drew to a close, the Marine Park community united in a collective embrace, expressing their deep gratitude to first responders and honoring their continued commitment to keeping the community safe.

Asser Levy Park memorial

On Wednesday afternoon, locals and elected officials gathered at Asser Levy Park in Coney Island to pay tribute to the victims of the 9/11 attacks, with a special focus on the 18 Brooklynites memorialized on a plaque inside the park.

Attendees laid flowers and lit candles in a solemn tribute to those lost.

An audience member is overcome with emotion during this year’s Asser Levy Park 9/11 memorial.Photo By Erica Price

A number of local elected officials spoke at the event, including Council Members Justin Brannan and Inna Vernikov, and Assembly Members Alec Brook-Krasny, Helene Weinstein and Michael Novakhov. Solomiya Momot, Director of Constituent Services, represented New York State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton.

Speakers at the memorial emphasized the importance of ensuring that future generations understand the events of 9/11. They stressed that many younger people have never met or remember family members who passed away in the attacks, highlighting the need to keep the memory of that day alive for those who weren’t there to witness it.

Valentina Lygin, who lost her son Alexander in the attacks, was also among the speakers, representing the deep personal and community loss felt on this anniversary.

Valentina Lygin, who lost her son Alexander in the attacks, addressed the crowd.Photo By Erica Price

Though the annual Wall of Remembrance candlelighting ceremony was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, the site remained open to the public, as it does year-round. Many who paid their respects at Asser Levy Park walked over to the Wall of Remembrance afterward to continue their observances. The tribute, located on the western wall of Maimonides Park, is made up of three 30-by-12-foot granite panels, holding the laser-engraved portraits of 417 first responders. PAPD K-9 Sirius is also honored on the wall.

Candles, flowers and balloons adorn Brooklyn’s Wall of Remembrance in Coney Island on 9/11.Photo By Erica Price

American Veterans Memorial Pier in Bay Ridge

Over 100 people gathered at the American Veterans Memorial Pier in Bay Ridge on Wednesday to remember the victims of the attacks. Law enforcement officials, servicemembers, and elected leaders spoke to the crowd, which waved American flags and solemnly gazed across the Manhattan skyline, with the beaming tower lights in view.

Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn, a lifelong Bay Ridge resident, emphasized the deep connection his community has to the events of that day.

“In this neighborhood, you find no shortage of streets renamed for FDNY and NYPD heroes who responded on September 11th, 2001,” Flynn said. “For 23 years we have mourned and grieved our loved ones … We will never forget who we have lost, what was sacrificed that day, and what we continue to sacrifice 23 years later, as our members continue to suffer from World Trade Center illnesses.”

People gather for a 9/11 vigil at the American Veterans Memorial Pier in Bay Ridge on Sept. 11, 2024.Photo by Paul Frangipane
Locals came together to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of 9/11 in Bay Ridge.Photo by Paul Frangipane

The Bay Ridge community, particularly known for its strong ties to first responders, has been uniquely affected by the aftermath of the attacks, as many continue to suffer from illnesses related to their service that day.

“One of the reasons why our community has felt the loss so disproportionately is because we are a community full of first responders, some of whom have passed from cancer in the decades since,” Council Member Justin Brannan said. “Here in southern Brooklyn, especially in Bay Ridge, it feels like we couldn’t possibly forget, because the loss is still ongoing.”

Captain Kristen Schafer of the 68th Precinct commended the community for its commitment to remembrance.

“This community comes together every year, year after year, and honors their vow to never forget,” she said. “For the moms, dads, wives and husbands, children who never got to live another day with their loved ones, we remember.”

Captain Kristen Schafer of the 68th Precinct speaks during the vigil.Photo by Paul Frangipane

State Senator Andrew Gounardes spoke about the evolving nature of the pain felt by those who lived through 9/11.

“The pain we feel as individuals and as a community never fully disappears, it merely evolves and changes as we all do over time,” he said. “The best way to honor the memory of those we lost is to work toward a better future for everyone.”

The vigil concluded with a moment of silence, as attendees gripped plastic candles and reflected on the lives lost, all vowing to “never forget.”

Other commemorations

A Brooklyn firehouse honored several of its own on Wednesday, and Green-Wood honored the more than 100 killed on 9/11 who rest at the historic cemetery with a program on the hill overlooking the Tribute in Light.

Members of Engine Company 214 and Tower Ladder 111 in Bedford-Stuyvesant remembered five firefighters who were killed during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, when hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center, killing nearly 3,000 people and devastating the city.

“This is a firehouse that is steeped in tradition,” Tower Ladder 111’s Steve McKinney told Brooklyn Paper. “Every time I get on the rig, I take a look at their pictures hanging on the wall to remember their commitment to excellence.”

9/11 at brooklyn firehouse
Members of Engine Company 214 and Tower Ladder 111 stand solemnly as they honor five fallen comrades who died during the 9/11 attacks.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Green-Wood’s memorial included words of remembrance, music and a reading of the names of victims buried at Green-Wood.

Other commemorations included the Seth Low Park Memorial, hosted by Assembly Member William Colton and Council Member Susan Zhuang in Bensonhurst; the FDNY Battalion 57 Memorial Mass, held at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights; St. Ann’s Annual Interfaith Service in Brooklyn Heights; and the Brooklyn-Bedford Park 9/11 Memorial Committee’s annual candlelight vigil at Bill Brown Park in Sheepshead Bay.

Additional reporting by Arthur de Gaeta, Paul Frangipane, Erica Price, Lloyd Mitchell and Kirstyn Brendlen


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Iranian Missiles in Russia – What Threat Do They Pose to Ukraine?

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The short-range Iranian missiles, with a range of 120 km (75 miles), are unlikely to pose a major threat to Kyiv – but most cities in southern Ukraine would be at risk.

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How TIME and Statista Determined the World’s Best Companies of 2024

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TIME has published its second annual list of the World’s Best Companies, in partnership with Statista, a leading international provider of market and consumer data and rankings. The result of this quantitative study: 1,000 companies forging the path into the future. Here’s how the winners were selected.

Methodology

The research project “World’s Best Companies 2024” is a comprehensive analysis conducted to identify the top performing companies across the globe. The study was based on three primary dimensions: Employee Satisfaction, Revenue Growth, and Sustainability Transparency (ESG).

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The first dimension, Employee Satisfaction, was evaluated using survey data from employees worldwide. The surveys were conducted in over 50 countries with data collected from approximately 170,000 participants. The evaluation encompassed evaluations of employers across the dimensions image, atmosphere, working conditions, salary, and equality by verified employees as well as direct and indirect recommendations.

The second dimension, Revenue Growth, was assessed using data from Statista’s revenue database and targeted research, which contains company growth data for the last three years. The companies had to meet certain criteria to be considered for the evaluation, including generating a revenue of at least US $100 million in the last available fiscal year and demonstrating positive revenue growth from 2021 to 2023*. Both relative and absolute growth were considered in the evaluation.

The third dimension, Sustainability Transparency, was evaluated based on ESG data among standardized KPIs from Statista’s ESG Database and targeted data research. To formulate a comprehensive ESG index, multiple data points were collected. For the environmental evaluation, this included the carbon emissions intensity and reduction rate, as well as the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) rating. The social dimension assessed the share of women on the board of directors and the existence of a human rights policy. The governance dimension evaluated whether a company had a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report adhering to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines and a compliance or anti-corruption guideline.

Once the data was collected and evaluated, it was consolidated and weighted within a scoring model. The scores of all three dimensions were added on an equal percentage basis to form the final ranking score of a maximum of 100 points. The 1,000 companies with the highest score were awarded as the World’s Best Companies 2024 by TIME and Statista.

*When data from 2023 was not available, data from the last available fiscal year was used.

See the full list here.


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Britain’s State-Funded Health System Must ‘Reform or Die,’ Prime Minister Says

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Britain Politics

LONDON — Britain’s much-loved but overstretched health system is in critical condition and must “reform or die,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Thursday, claiming that years of neglect and botched restructuring had made the United Kingdom an increasingly unhealthy nation.

Starmer promised a 10-year plan to fix the state-funded National Health Service, which in recent years had gone from a source of national pride to a symbol of a state and society under growing strain.

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“We are becoming a sicker society,” Starmer said during a speech in London, pinning blame on the Conservative Party that was in power for 14 years until July.

“The last government broke the NHS,” he said.

A national icon on life support

Founded in 1948 in a country determined to build a fairer society out of the ruins of World War II, the NHS provides free health care to citizens and residents, funded through taxation.

So critical to the national identity that its 75th birthday was marked with a thanksgiving service at London’s Westminster Abbey, it has been dubbed Britain’s secular religion — though one in which some people are losing faith.

Even its most ardent supporters acknowledge the NHS is an unwieldy behemoth that has struggled for years to cope with an aging population and rising demand. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, waiting times for treatment have soared and public satisfaction has plummeted.

“Although the NHS does much good, patients repeatedly share their frustrations and confusion about accessing care,” said William Pett of patients’ group Healthwatch England. He added that “these challenges are not experienced equally, with poorer communities hit hardest.”

A critical diagnosis

Soon after Starmer’s center-left Labour Party won a landslide victory in the July 4 election, the government ordered a review of the NHS led by surgeon and former health minister Ara Darzi. In a report published Thursday, Darzi said he was “shocked by what I have found.”

He blamed more than a decade of “almost constant reorganization” along with “austerity and capital starvation” under Conservative governments for a deterioration “not just in the health service but in the state of the nation’s health.”

The NHS “has faced rising demand for health care from a society in distress,” Darzi said.

U.K. health spending grew by 2.4% a year between 2019 and 2024, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, down from an average of 3.6% over the longer term. Demand is growing much faster, as the British population grows larger and older. And the coronavirus pandemic piled on more pressure — sucking up resources, draining staff physically and emotionally, and creating a huge backlog of delayed tests and treatments.

The result, Darzi said, is that Britain has “appreciably higher cancer mortality rates than other countries,” while improvements in heart disease mortality rates have stalled since 2010. The British Heart Foundation said the number of people dying from cardiovascular disease is at the highest level in 14 years.

The Conservatives pointed out that Darzi, now a member of the House of Lords, was a health minister in a previous Labour government. Victoria Atkins, the Conservative Party’s spokeswoman on health issues, said Darzi’s report was a “cover for the Labour Party to raise our taxes in the budget in October.”

“We need to have a grown-up conversation about the NHS, but this is not the way to go about it,” Atkins told Sky News.

Prescription for recovery

Darzi said that fixing the health system will require spending more on health than on illness.

“Too many people end up in hospital, because too little is spent in the community,” he said.

Starmer, who claims the previous government left a 22 billion pound ($29 billion) “black hole” in the public finances, agreed with the need to move “from sickness to prevention.” But he said the answer does not lie simply in spending more money.

“We have to fix the plumbing before turning on the taps,” he said, proposing more local services and digital consultations, more treatment at home and reforms to improve productivity.

“The NHS may be in a critical condition, but its vital signs are strong,” Starmer said. But he said the choice was between hiking taxes to meet “ever-higher costs” and reforming the system.

“We know working people can’t afford to pay more, so it’s reform or die,” he said.

One option that is not being considered is a shift to a U.S.-style system of privately funded care. Even free-market Conservatives say — at least in public — that they support a free-to-use system funded by taxation.

“Nothing that I have found draws into question the principles of a health service that is taxpayer funded, free at the point of use, and based on need not ability to pay,” Darzi said.

“With the prominent exception of the United States, every advanced country has universal health coverage — and the rest of the world are striving towards it.”


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How I got started: AI security executive

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Artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming increasingly crucial to cybersecurity systems. Organizations need professionals with a strong background that mixes AI/ML knowledge with cybersecurity skills, bringing on board people like Nicole Carignan, Vice President of Strategic Cyber AI at Darktrace, who has a unique blend of technical and soft skills. Carignan was originally a dance major but was also working for NASA as a hardware IT engineer, which forged her path into AI and cybersecurity.

Where did you go to college?

Carignan: I went to Texas A&M University. I got a computer science degree, and the specialized track that I followed was in mathematics, artificial intelligence, computer/human interaction and assembly. My thesis was on setting up a maps application using graph theory in order to facilitate the best navigation — stuff that’s common nowadays with applications like Google Maps. But that was the type of AI applications we had back then, and it is cool to see how it’s evolved over time.

What was your first job in IT?

Carignan: I originally had a dance scholarship, but I was already working for NASA, supporting systems in mission control. They said, we will keep you employed throughout college and after if you get a computer science or engineering degree, so that’s how I got into the field. I started off in the federal IT space.

What made you decide to pursue cybersecurity?

Carignan: I got recruited into the intelligence community. Even though that was an IT role, it had a heavy emphasis on security. This was in 2000, so cybersecurity wasn’t really an industry yet. A few years later, I was on an overseas trip for work and I got hacked. That was actually what piqued my interest in cybersecurity, and I took a pretty big detour from my original plans.

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What facilitated your move to AI?

Carignan: I always enjoyed the data analytics component of machine learning and AI. A decade into my career in the intelligence community, I joined a big data company that had large volumes of network telemetry and access to 300 different cyber threat intelligence feeds. Around that time, the typical journey of a security company was the transition into experimentation of supervised machine learning classifiers, and we started with classifying content of endpoints and communication language, moving into classification of patterns of reported attacks.

What is your job today?

Carignan: So I had the cross-section of data science, machine learning and security in my job experience, and the opportunity at Darktrace seemed like a perfect fit. They weren’t tackling the security problem with big data machine learning like a lot of other organizations, but rather they were looking at a much more customized, targeted, specific area by building out unsupervised machine learning and algorithms to understand every asset’s pattern of life within the environment. We do have the use of generative AI and LLMs, but we use that for semantic analysis and understanding changes in communications between email partners. Overall, what I saw Darktrace doing with very different machine learning techniques, I was intrigued to come on board.

What are some of the soft skills that helped you in your security and AI career?

Carignan: So, I’m a theater kid and a dance major. I think those skills really prepared me for the level of communication and collaboration that is needed to tackle some of the more complex problems that we face across the industry.

Any words of wisdom you’d like to share with people who are considering a career in AI and cybersecurity?

Carignan: I think it is really important to have a diversity of thought within your team. I’m a big advocate of neurodiversity. What drew me to Darktrace was how much they had achieved in equity for gender, and that they are trying to achieve with other minority groups. Cybersecurity isn’t a silo industry anymore, not with cloud, SaaS applications, AI. We need to approach enveloping these technologies into security across industries, and we can’t do that without diversity of thought.

The post How I got started: AI security executive appeared first on Security Intelligence.


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