Sydney Airport tests passport-free biometric check-in
Qantas passengers who travel through Sydney Airport will be among the first groups of travelers to use facial recognition in automated check-ins, bag drop, lounge access and plane boarding. The system will ultimately allow officials to process travelers quicker. Early trials which provide a glimpse into a seamless, passport-free future are currently underway, but their implementation is provoking mixed responses.
Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert is optimistic: "There will be no more juggling passports and bags at check-in and digging through pockets or smartphones to show your boarding pass -- your face will be your passport and your boarding pass at every step of the process". The biometrics system has also been endorsed by the Australian federal government, which promised to pump $22.5 million AUD ($16.6 million) to ensure facial recognition technology would be adopted across all Australian airports. Canberra is at the forefront of the nationwide 'SmartGate' rollout which is expected to reach completion by March 2019.
Most people wouldn't bat an eyelash if you uttered 'biometrics' and 'smartphone unlocking' in the same breath, but security experts warn the airport trials will be tracked by government departments who could apply the same technology in public spaces. "(Biometrics) can produce real harm", Dr. Bruce Baer Arnold said in a statement to The Australian Financial Review. Data transparency has become an increasingly big deal post-GDPR, and it's in this domain where potential issues lie. While most citizens are embracing the system, experts believe the country will eventually reach "a tipping point" where overwhelming amounts of personal data could be stored and used without alerting citizens.
In the US, similar facial recognition techniques which would replace conventional identification are being considered. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is already planning to launch its Vehicle Face System -- an initiative that identifies people who enter and exit the US border -- this August.
courtesy : engadget.com
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PUC-2 pass percentage stands at 81.58 per cent in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Students across Karnataka scored high marks in the PUC-2 Examination-1 for 2026, to which the results were announced on Thursday. The overall pass percentage stood at 81.58 per cent.
The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) released the combination-wise list of toppers for various streams.
The Pre-University College-2 (PUC-2) Exam-1 was conducted from February 28 to March 17 at 1,217 Examination Centers across the state.
A total of 6,94,545 students appeared for the examination this year, of whom 5,66,608 cleared it.
Girls outperformed boys, with a pass percentage of 88.70 per cent compared to 83.65 per cent among boys.
Among college categories, residential PU colleges topped with 93.99 per cent results, followed by unaided colleges at 90.73 per cent, aided colleges at 78.72 per cent, and government colleges trailing at 57.11 per cent.
In terms of categories, General and 3A segments recorded the highest pass percentages at 92.69 per cent and 92.22 per cent respectively, while SC and ST categories also saw marked improvement over the previous year.
Medium-wise results indicated that English medium students performed better with 90.63 per cent pass rate, compared to 76.41 per cent in Kannada medium.
A total of 1,70,529 students secured distinction (85 per cent and above), while 2,95,385 students passed in first class.
The Board said students can access their results on the official portal and through mobile applications.
The PUC-2 Examination-2 is scheduled to be held from April 30 to May 13, 2026, with online registration open till April 17.
The Board has also enabled online applications for scanned copies of answer scripts from April 10 to April 15, and revaluation applications between April 12 and April 17, with fees fixed at Rs 530 per subject for scanned copies and Rs 1,670 for revaluation.
