Latest news with #FFT
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FFT Accountants caution against tax change complacency
UK-based accounting firm FFT Accountants has advised businesses and individuals not to be reassured by the lack of immediate tax changes. The accounting firm said this after Chancellor Rachel Reeves' 2025 Spending Review. The Spending Review has committed substantial funding to the NHS, housing, and defence sectors. However, it has also left other areas facing either flat or reduced budgets, raising concerns about overall fiscal health. It emphasises that the current conditions may not support the promised financial commitments in the long term. In light of these challenges, FFT has urged clients to adopt a cautious and forward-looking approach. FFT director Sam Bacall said: 'From a tax perspective, there's not a great deal to unpack in this Spending Review, but that in itself tells a story. 'The Chancellor insists the funding is in place for the new commitments, but given the uncertain and fragile economic outlook, and the continued impact of global events, it's hard to see how that holds true over the coming months. We would not be surprised to see tax rises later this year.' Bacall noted that although the government stated that there won't be any burden on working people, but the recent suggestions of council tax rises point in a different direction. 'Talk of 5% council tax increases is disappointing. It contradicts repeated messaging about protecting working households. If additional revenue is needed, and it's looking increasingly likely, we expect it to come not just through headline rates but also through more discreet measures. 'These could include freezing income tax thresholds for longer or tightening tax reliefs on pensions and savings, impacting millions across the nation.' "FFT Accountants caution against tax change complacency" was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
The story of Roland Garros' terre battue
One of the many factors that made the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner Roland Garros final remarkable was its duration: 5h29m. Before Sunday, the longest French Open final was 4h24min, Mats Wilander v Guillermo Vilas, an hour and five minutes shorter. Rafa's longest final lasted 3h49m vs Novak Djokovic in 2012, his longest match at the venue 4h 53m, vs Paul Henri Mathieu, fourth round 2006. What Sinner and Alcaraz did was give to their audience over an unusually lengthy period of time an exhibition of cut-glass shot-making and creativity on a surface that demands precision quality at every exchange. Clay is the most bruising of tennis surfaces because it blunts power, reduces the serve to an opening salvo and offers at least a semblance of a level playing field to the hard-running counter-puncher. Every stroke, every rally, every game is a ceaseless inquisition. Over footspeed and aglity, awareness of court geometry, control of stroke play over shoulder and at ankle, and endurance of muscle, heart and lung. The fine powder of Roland Garros' brilliant orange, the 'terre battue', its crushed earth ends up everywhere. On the players' clothes, caking their bodies following tumbles and slides and lunges during play. It is rumoured that some of this magic powder dust may even have found its way into bloodstream. In the RG merchandise store, not only does the colour dominate every product, 'authentic' powdered clay has also been packed into keychains (15 & 25 euros) and there's a 15 euro 'snow globe' which upon shaking produces a 'clay storm' confetti over the Chatrier court. There's more that lies beneath the clay, says David Rebuffet assistant court maintenance manager in the French Tennis Federations' (FFT) operations department. He explains the transverse layers that make up Roland Garros' five-layer 80cm thick block of the courts : 'there are big stones at the bottom, then gravel, bottom ash (from coal residue) and lime stone.' And with glee, this, 'The red clay you see on top? that's just a 2 millimeter layer of crushed brick.' Two mm has no context until says it is the thickness of a standard matchstick. That's all the layer of the clay/ mud/ crushed brick at the top of Roland Garros. This is an incongruous omnipresence. But the 2mm crushed brick is not a show-stopper made of tissue paper. It is in fact the polish without which there would be no shine. At Roland Garros, the width of the match stick makes for a surface which has some 'give' for tennis' unique sideways movement, which can explore and maximise the geometry of the court. Without it no slide, no mark, no kick, no exaggerated spin, no fadeaway drop shot. Every morning at the Roland Garros, the thin layer of crushed brick is swept to clear what has been churned up 'from the day before.' The ground staff then use a large version of the squeegee, (aka think very large versions of the bathroom wiper) 'brush the court and get rid of small piles of play.' The purpose is to get rid of any possible bad bounces during play. Then a new layer of the 2mm clay/ crushed brick is spread over the court, with its final process being the watering of the court. Watering, says Rebuffet, is vital at the two ends of the day 'it helps keep the court nice and humid which is good for a proper playing surface.' In Christopher Clarey's recently-released layered and detailed 'The Warrior: Rafa Nadal and his Kingdom of Clay', there is a chapter called The Canvas. It delves deep into clay courts around the world and then zooms in on Roland Garros. The chapter closes with an astonishing story of the brickworks that make the Roland Garros clay. Defective bricks - 'chipped or cracked …not suitable for construction' arrive from a brickworks in a region near Lille and the border of Belgium to a factory in a town called Pontpoint. Two men operate a sixty-year-old grinding machine which crushes the bad bricks into powder with particles down to one-tenth of a mm in diameter. This clay which is found at Roland Garros is also sent to other tennis clubs in France and as The Warrior tells us exported to other countries too. There's really no telling how far dust can travel. Unlike Wimbledon, Roland Garros is not a private club. It is the HQ of the French Tennis Federation and their training centre. Rebuffet says there are 'events and competitions' on the courts during the summer and autumn, 'as well as training sessions for professional players and young athletes from the French training center.' The outer courts are opened until the beginning of winter, (it) 'depends on the weather conditions.' Chatrier can be used until the end of January 'covered and protected' from the frost. (At Wimbledon, the Centre Court is only used during their biggest fortnight but otherwise stays inactive all year round.) The courts are worked on between training sessions and the centre runs as good as all year around barring a few months in the winter. As a rule, the outer courts are closed from early November to late March, no events, no training. In this time, Rebuffet says, they are 'exposed to rain and above all, frost to naturally decompact the limestone layer.' From end March till May, the courts are again prepared one at a time and opened for training 'at the same pace.' Through the spring, three show courts plus the fourteen outer courts are steadily revealed in an ever-expanding grand stage set. They lie in wait for their multi-national cast of characters to arrive all at once and throw themselves into Paris' annual ochre opera.
Korea Herald
05-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
AI Takes Center Court, Infosys and FFT Unveil Innovative Fan Features for Roland-Garros 2025
Leverage Gen AI and agentic AI to deliver new fan experiences including enhanced and personalized match analysis and creative content PARIS, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY), (BSE: INFY), (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, in partnership with the French Tennis Federation (FFT) today announced a powerful line-up of AI-first fan experiences for Roland-Garros 2025. Entering its seventh year as the official AI and Digital Innovation Partner, Infosys is leveraging its AI-first suite of offerings, Infosys Topaz, to apply agentic AI and generative AI to deliver immersive and interactive fan experiences that push the boundaries in sports technology. The innovations for 2025 include: The AI innovations at Roland-Garros build on a journey of AI advancements by Infosys, incorporating machine learning and applied AI into properties like Match Centre, AI Videos & AI-Assisted Journalism. These continue to evolve with expanded feature sets to enhance player performance, fan engagement and tournament experiences. Beyond tech innovations, Infosys is also collaborating with Fête le Mur (FLM), a charity partner of FFT, to support tech-enabled learning initiatives for underprivileged youth in Paris. As part of this, FLM will help develop tennis-related learning modules on Infosys Springboard, a digital learning platform which enables upskilling for digital inclusion and social impact. Courses will range from leadership and training to safeguarding for tennis camps and additional sports. A group of 60 students will be offered the chance to visit Roland-Garros and take part in AI and technology workshops led by Infosys experts. Additionally, the winner of a competition to identify the biggest Rafa fan will receive an exclusive two-day experience at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain. Sumit Virmani, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Infosys said,"Sports has been witnessing a tech-fuelled transformation and at Infosys we are excited to be leading the charge for tennis! Every year we create unique experiences for the Roland-Garros community on the back of our deep tech expertise. As enterprise AI reshapes industries globally, we are thrilled to deploy its power at the tournament. With AI-powered insights, and personalized and engaging commentary, fans gain instant access to rich information and in-depth analysis, while the Gen AI Poster Challenge unlocks limitless creative expression. This is a truly exciting time for tennis fans as they experience the thrill of the sports with action on court and beyond." Stephane Morel, CEO, FFT, said: "Our partnership with Infosys is transforming the fan experience at Roland-Garros through AI. With the tech innovations for this year, Infosys has once again demonstrated how AI can help to push the boundaries of fan engagement. From exploring match insights in innovative ways using generative AI to celebrating our heritage with the Poster Challenge, we're creating deeper connections with our fans at every touchpoint, both onsite and worldwide." The Roland-Garros 2025 tournament will take place from 25th May to 8th June. For more information on the partnership, visit About Roland-Garros Roland-Garros is a must-see event for sports lovers and the general public alike. In 2024, Roland-Garros opened its doors to 675,080 spectators and was broadcast in 220 territories around the world, making it a major global sporting event. Organized by the French Tennis Federation, Roland-Garros is the only Grand Slam tournament to be played on clay, one of the oldest and noblest surfaces in the history of tennis. About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace. Visit to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, or our future financial or operating performance, are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, our ability to attract and retain personnel, our transition to hybrid work model, economic uncertainties, technological innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, and cybersecurity matters. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023. These filings are available at Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.
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Business Standard
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Infosys launches AI-powered features for fans at Roland-Garros 2025
IT major Infosys, in partnership with the French Tennis Federation (FFT), is introducing new features to provide personalised match analysis and creative content for fans at Roland-Garros 2025. The company said it is applying agentic artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI to create more interactive and tailored digital experiences for tennis fans. 'Sports has been witnessing a tech-fuelled transformation and at Infosys, we are excited to be leading the charge for tennis! Every year we create unique experiences for the Roland-Garros community on the back of our deep tech expertise. As enterprise AI reshapes industries globally, we are thrilled to deploy its power at the tournament,' said Sumit Virmani, global chief marketing officer, Infosys. One of the key features for 2025 is AI Commentary, a tool that delivers real-time match highlights and commentary customised to individual players and games. Built on large language models (LLMs) and agentic AI through multi-agent orchestration, it allows fans to follow point-by-point or game-level summaries for a more engaging and personalised viewing experience. AI stadium lets fans build custom 3D arenas The AI Stadium feature enables fans to create their own 3D virtual tennis environments. By using text-to-image technology and voice prompts, users can design stadiums with themes ranging from futuristic concepts to nature-inspired settings. Generative AI poster challenge Another addition for 2025 is the Generative AI Poster Challenge. Fans can use prompts related to French landmarks, art styles or tennis themes to generate short videos. At the Infosys Fanzone, an LED cube displays these AI-generated posters animated in real time. The challenge follows responsible AI principles and offers rewards such as Roland-Garros tickets and vouchers. Building on past innovations These new tools expand upon Infosys' previous AI developments, including Match Centre, AI Videos and AI-Assisted Journalism. The company stated that these innovations aim to enhance player analysis, fan engagement and the overall tournament experience.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
AI Takes Center Court, Infosys and FFT Unveil Innovative Fan Features for Roland-Garros 2025
Leverage Gen AI and agentic AI to deliver new fan experiences including enhanced and personalized match analysis and creative content PARIS, June 5, 2025 /CNW/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY), (BSE: INFY), (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, in partnership with the French Tennis Federation (FFT) today announced a powerful line-up of AI-first fan experiences for Roland-Garros 2025. Entering its seventh year as the official AI and Digital Innovation Partner, Infosys is leveraging its AI-first suite of offerings, Infosys Topaz, to apply agentic AI and generative AI to deliver immersive and interactive fan experiences that push the boundaries in sports technology. The innovations for 2025 include: AI Commentary: This feature allows fans to truly experience the various highs and lows of the matches. By capturing every thrilling twist and turn, it delivers commentary that brings alive each moment. With player-specific point-of-views, point-by-point or game-level highlights, AI Commentary ensures a viewing experience that is both personal and engaging. The feature leverages out-of-the-box large language models (LLMs) to combine real-time analytics with agentic AI built on multi-agent orchestration. AI Stadium: Using advanced text-to-image generation to expand on the virtual reality fan zone concept, AI Stadium empowers fans to imagine their own 3D tennis arenas. With voice prompting, fans can create a range of environments from futuristic to nature-inspired in seconds, enabling rapid image generation optimised for VR spatial immersion. This gamified feature brings fans one step closer to their personalized tennis universe, redefining how the sport is experienced. Generative AI Poster Challenge: New for this year, video generation elevates an experience to a new creative dimension. Using prompts like iconic French landmarks, art styles, and tennis motifs, fans can now generate short, AI-created videos. At the Infosys Fanzone in RG this year, fans can take it a step further by stepping into an immersive LED cube to experience their personalised posters come to life. Developed with responsible AI principles, this feature ensures safe, ethical exploration of generative AI possibilities and rewards winners with tickets and vouchers for Roland-Garros. The AI innovations at Roland-Garros build on a journey of AI advancements by Infosys, incorporating machine learning and applied AI into properties like Match Centre, AI Videos & AI-Assisted Journalism. These continue to evolve with expanded feature sets to enhance player performance, fan engagement and tournament experiences. Beyond tech innovations, Infosys is also collaborating with Fête le Mur (FLM), a charity partner of FFT, to support tech-enabled learning initiatives for underprivileged youth in Paris. As part of this, FLM will help develop tennis-related learning modules on Infosys Springboard, a digital learning platform which enables upskilling for digital inclusion and social impact. Courses will range from leadership and training to safeguarding for tennis camps and additional sports. A group of 60 students will be offered the chance to visit Roland-Garros and take part in AI and technology workshops led by Infosys experts. Additionally, the winner of a competition to identify the biggest Rafa fan will receive an exclusive two-day experience at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain. Sumit Virmani, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Infosys said, "Sports has been witnessing a tech-fuelled transformation and at Infosys we are excited to be leading the charge for tennis! Every year we create unique experiences for the Roland-Garros community on the back of our deep tech expertise. As enterprise AI reshapes industries globally, we are thrilled to deploy its power at the tournament. With AI-powered insights, and personalized and engaging commentary, fans gain instant access to rich information and in-depth analysis, while the Gen AI Poster Challenge unlocks limitless creative expression. This is a truly exciting time for tennis fans as they experience the thrill of the sports with action on court and beyond." Stephane Morel, CEO, FFT, said: "Our partnership with Infosys is transforming the fan experience at Roland-Garros through AI. With the tech innovations for this year, Infosys has once again demonstrated how AI can help to push the boundaries of fan engagement. From exploring match insights in innovative ways using generative AI to celebrating our heritage with the Poster Challenge, we're creating deeper connections with our fans at every touchpoint, both onsite and worldwide." The Roland-Garros 2025 tournament will take place from 25th May to 8th June. For more information on the partnership, visit About Roland-Garros Roland-Garros is a must-see event for sports lovers and the general public alike. In 2024, Roland-Garros opened its doors to 675,080 spectators and was broadcast in 220 territories around the world, making it a major global sporting event. Organized by the French Tennis Federation, Roland-Garros is the only Grand Slam tournament to be played on clay, one of the oldest and noblest surfaces in the history of tennis. About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace. Visit to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, or our future financial or operating performance, are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, our ability to attract and retain personnel, our transition to hybrid work model, economic uncertainties, technological innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, and cybersecurity matters. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023. These filings are available at Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Logo: View original content: SOURCE Infosys View original content: Sign in to access your portfolio
