NewzIntel.com

Category: Artificial Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI: Buchanan Technologies Strengthens Oracle Expertise with Heartland IT Consulting Acquisition

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GRAPEVINE, Texas, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Buchanan Technologies, a leading IT and Application Managed Services provider, has acquired Dallas-based Heartland IT, an IT services firm with primary expertise in Oracle technologies, including Oracle Fusion Applications (OFA), Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Oracle EBS, JD Edwards, and PeopleSoft. This marks the third acquisition Buchanan has completed in the last three years centered around its Oracle solutions.

    Heartland IT was founded in 2010 with a vision to be the premier Oracle consulting firm providing services to multi­national organizations. With exceptional delivery expertise in Oracle technologies and a robust grasp of the needs of diverse industries, Heartland IT has created innovative solutions for its tenured customer base, assisting clients with their journey through the Oracle ecosystem. Buchanan will leverage this expertise to enhance the growth of its Oracle and Applications Services practice.

    Buchanan Technologies is going through a period of rapid growth, and by bringing Heartland IT into the fold, it can utilize the two organizations’ combined strengths to better service the growing demand for managed services across the entire technology stack as a one-stop solution for mid-market and enterprise customers. “Heartland IT’s expertise in Oracle solutions and their proven track record in consulting services further cements Buchanan’s ability to deliver a distinctive, holistic, and innovative approach to customers across the globe who rely on Oracle technologies within their business,” said Jim Buchanan, Founder and CEO of Buchanan Technologies.

    Patrick Donlin, CEO and President of Sales for Heartland IT, commented, “We are proud to be a part of the Buchanan team. Buchanan’s breadth of experience and customers for Oracle-based solutions is a natural fit and perfectly aligns with the vision of Heartland for being a premier Oracle consulting firm. We look forward to supplementing and growing as one team.”

    Buchanan Technologies is backed by Lightview Capital. Heartland IT was represented by Sett & Lucas. With this acquisition, Buchanan Technologies and Heartland IT will set new benchmarks in Oracle-based consulting services.

    About Buchanan Technologies
    Established in 1988, Buchanan Technologies is an award-winning managed services provider offering innovative IT services and customized solutions to mid-tier and enterprise-level organizations across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Buchanan offers flexible and customizable solutions to accommodate any IT needs – whether it is improving customer experience, serving with onsite IT services, or complete managed IT solutions – and believes every interaction matters with each customer to provide a seamless user experience. To learn how Buchanan can simplify your IT solution, visit www.buchanan.com.

    About Heartland IT Consulting
    Heartland IT Consulting is a resource delivery firm that supplies hard-to-locate consultants who specialize in Oracle products including Oracle Enterprise Business suite, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, Business Intelligence and Oracle Cloud applications. Heartland offers clients a flexible partnership as Heartland’s Resource Delivery Model innovatively creates contract and permanent staffing solutions to fit any client’s needs.

    About Lightview Capital
    Lightview Capital is a leading private equity firm focused on investing in founder-owned companies in the business services and tech-enabled services industries. Lightview partners with its portfolio companies by providing deep industry knowledge, insightful experience, and active resources to unlock growth and drive value. Lightview Capital’s approachable investment style combines deep operational and financial experience with an entrepreneurial spirit that delivers measurable results. For more information, visit lightviewcapital.com.

    Media Contact:

    LaRessa Cox
    Vice President of Marketing,
    Buchanan Technologies
    lcox@buchanan.com
    +1-972-910-7544

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Introducing the FloQast Accounting Transformation Platform: Bringing AI Power to Accounting Automation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FloQast today announced the start of a new era of accounting operational excellence, driven by the debut of its all-new Accounting Transformation Platform, purpose-built by accountants, for accountants. Incorporating the entire FloQast™ solution portfolio, including FloQast Close, FloQast Compliance Management, and FloQast Ops, the Accounting Transformation Platform unveils new AI workflows to deliver value throughout every step of the accounting journey, including:

    FloQast also introduced several all-new solutions that align with each of these four steps, elevating accountants from simply being workflow stewards to critical drivers of organizational strategy – and empowering organizations to achieve transformation without disruption. The Accounting Transformation Platform and these solutions were unveiled at TakeControl, FloQast’s annual user conference, taking place from September 25-26, 2024.

    FloQast developed the Accounting Transformation Platform over more than a decade of innovation, supercharged by the latest advancements in artificial intelligence. Built from direct customer feedback and deep industry expertise, the platform not only addresses evolving market demands, shifting regulatory landscapes, and the growing pressure on accounting leaders to deliver more with fewer resources in the face of a worsening talent shortage but also positions AI as a transformative force. By integrating AI, the platform gives organizations and accounting teams a powerful competitive advantage, driving new efficiencies and actionable insights for better decision-making.

    “We’re launching the FloQast Accounting Transformation Platform at a time when the accounting profession faces unprecedented challenges,” said Mike Whitmire, CEO and co-founder of FloQast, CPA. “With the number of practicing CPAs declining and fewer new professionals entering the field, the pressure on accounting leaders to do more with less has never been greater. This platform is designed to meet that reality head-on, using the power of AI to create solutions that not only streamline and automate critical processes but also enhance the strategic value of accounting teams within their organizations. In today’s landscape, the ability to drive operational excellence isn’t just a competitive advantage—it’s essential for future business success.”

    Today’s launch features three new solutions, FloQast Journal Entry Management, FloQast AI Transaction Matching, and FloQast Consolidation – as well as the introduction of FloHub, an all-new, centralized hub for third-party applications. The announcements also include several key updates to existing offerings, creating a more comprehensive platform experience.

    For more information on the FloQast Accounting Transformation Platform, read the blog post.

    About FloQast

    FloQast, an Accounting Transformation Platform created by accountants for accountants, enables organizations to automate a variety of accounting operations. Trusted by more than 2,800 global accounting teams – including Twilio, Los Angeles Lakers, Zoom, and Snowflake – FloQast enhances the way accounting teams work, enabling customers to automate close management, account reconciliations, accounting operations, and compliance activities. With FloQast, teams can utilize the latest advancements in AI technology to manage aspects of the close, reduce their compliance burden, stay audit-ready, and improve accuracy, visibility, and collaboration overall. FloQast is consistently rated #1 across all user review sites. Learn more at FloQast.com.

    Contact:
    Kyle Cabodi
    FloQast Director of Corporate Communications
    kyle.cabodi@floqast.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Baffle Announces New Data Security Capabilities on Amazon S3

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Baffle, the easiest way to protect sensitive data, today announced new data security capabilities for Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3). As organizations continue to experience unintentional disclosure of data through data stored and shared through S3 buckets, the new offering from Baffle provides customers with easy, comprehensive, and safe technical control to ensure that data is protected at rest, in use, and in motion as it is ingested, stored and processed in generative AI pipelines.

    Amazon S3 is an object storage service from Amazon Web Services (AWS) offering industry-leading scalability, data availability, and security performance and is built to store and retrieve any amount of data from anywhere. S3 is the first step in the journey of sensitive data as it is ingested into Generative AI pipelines. Baffle’s data security capabilities for Amazon S3 require no-code changes, easily protecting data stored in any S3 bucket with masking, tokenization, and encryption at the object or field level. The data is protected before it is inserted into S3, and stays protected when processed, hence achieving a “fail-safe” posture with the data remaining protected even if there is a misconfiguration or a human error.

    “The amount of data organizations store in S3 has continued to grow exponentially year over year driven by the tremendous growth of Generative AI pipelines being built in the cloud and yet, those storing data in S3 have done so without a fail-safe against human error, and the numerous data disclosures of private data stored in S3 reflect the dangers of doing so,” said Ameesh Divatia, co-founder and CEO of Baffle. “Now, with Baffle, enterprises can avoid the accidental disclosure of their S3 data whether it is driven by a cybercriminal or something as simple as human error.”

    Key benefits of the new offering for Baffle and Amazon S3 customers will include:

    • Transparent Reverse Proxy: Baffle provides a seamless, transparent reverse proxy for Amazon S3 that does not require any code changes for deployment, use, or management. Baffle can also leverage AWS server-side encryption acceleration in combination with fine grained policy and tenant management. This makes integration and operation straightforward without disrupting existing workflows.
    • Comprehensive Security: Baffle’s solution offers robust data security through masking, tokenization, and encryption at the field, object, or bucket level. This ensures that sensitive information is securely protected from unauthorized access in all downstream systems, including analytics and generative AI
    • Multi-Tenancy and Data Isolation: Baffle’s solution supports multi-tenancy and data isolation by cryptographically separating each tenant’s data from others. This ensures that each tenant’s information remains secure and private, even in a shared environment.

    Baffle is the easiest way to protect regulated data in the cloud, whether it is at rest, in use, or in transit. Baffle delivers an enterprise-class data security platform that secures data stores for applications, analytics, and AI with “no code” changes. The solution supports masking, tokenization, and encryption with role-based access control at the logical database, column-, row-, or field level, and unstructured data in object stores.

    For additional information about Baffle, please view the webinar here or to learn more about the product, please visit: https://baffle.io/data-security-for-amazon-s3/.

    About Baffle
    Baffle is the easiest way to protect sensitive data. We are the only security platform that cryptographically protects the data itself as it’s created, used, and shared across cloud-native data stores that feed analytics, applications, and AI. Baffle’s no-code solution masks, tokenizes and encrypts data without application changes or impacting the user experience. With Baffle, enterprises easily meet compliance controls and security mandates and reduce the effort and cost of protecting sensitive information to eliminate the impact of data breaches. Investors include Celesta Venture Capital, National Grid Partners, Lytical Ventures, Nepenthe Capital, True Ventures, Greenspring Associates, Clearvision Ventures, Engineering Capital, Triphammer Venture, ServiceNow Ventures, Thomvest Ventures, and Industry Ventures.

    Follow Baffle on LinkedIn.

    Contact:
    Stephanie Schlegel
    Offleash PR
    baffle@offleashpr.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Kandji Introduces Kai, the Industry’s First AI Device Management Assistant for Apple Fleets

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kandji, the Apple endpoint management and security platform, today announced Kai, the first-of-its-kind AI device management assistant for Apple devices. With Kai, Kandji harnesses the power of AI to equip IT teams with fast, insightful answers to questions about their corporate Apple devices, to drive efficiency and make more informed decisions – all while maintaining full data privacy.

    In a 2023 survey of IT leaders in organizations with 1,000 or more employees, 76% said that the use of Apple devices in their companies increased over the past year. But only 35% of IT teams characterized their Apple device management capabilities as “mature,” while 93% said their organizations would benefit from additional management capabilities. Kai gives them just that: By simplifying the reporting process, IT teams can make a larger impact at work by dedicating more time to high-value execution.

    Kai builds upon Kandji Prism, a reporting tool that uses traditional, filter-based queries to provide fleetwide visibility. Now those same queries can be performed using natural language, which empowers IT team members of all technical levels, including those in leadership positions, to quickly and efficiently obtain device information, freeing them up for more strategic work.

    “Today’s IT teams face the challenge of delivering more to meet growing business demands, while navigating shrinking resources. As a result, the pressure to increase productivity is at an all-time high,” said Weldon Dodd, SVP of Global Solutions at Kandji. “Leveraging AI not only drives efficiency, but also amplifies what IT teams can accomplish, allowing them to focus on more strategic projects that drive innovation. Kai opens up a new dimension of efficiency for our customers, helping them to maximize their contribution to the highest value activities instead of being mired in manipulating data to uncover the insights they need.”

    Kai is the first iteration of Kandji’s AI efforts and will be available to select customers for early testing on September 25. Kai will become generally available in 2025 as part of Kandji’s continued efforts to bring the same intelligence to other features. For more information please visit: https://kandji.io/blog/kandji-announces-kai-artificial-intelligence-for-device-management

    Helpful Links

    About Kandji
    Kandji is the Apple endpoint management and security platform. Kandji empowers companies to manage and secure Apple devices in the enterprise and at scale. By centrally securing and managing your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices, IT and InfoSec teams can save countless hours of manual, repetitive work with features like one-click compliance templates and more than 150 pre-built automations, apps, and workflows. Learn more at http://www.kandji.io.

    Media Contact
    Erica Anderson
    pr@kandji.io

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Pax8 Names Eric Torres Vice President of Channel and Community Engagement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pax8, the leading cloud commerce marketplace, today announced the appointment of Eric Torres as Vice President of Channel and Community Engagement. In his new role, Torres will lead the strategy, planning, and execution of impactful channel events and community-building initiatives to drive business growth. Torres will report to Rob Rae, Corporate Vice President of Community and Ecosystems at Pax8.

    “As we continue to drive partners’ success through our community engagement events and education, Pax8 is thrilled to bring on more firepower in order to take our programs to the next level. We are doing just that with the addition of Eric Torres,” said Rae. “Under Eric’s leadership, we will expand our community engagement with the goal of continuing to drive partner growth.”

    Before joining Pax8, Torres spent time as a channel leader in multiple organizations successfully serving the MSP community. With over 17 years of experience in the IT channel, Torres consistently delivers on his passion for educating the partner community on new ways to grow their businesses. His most recent role was VP of Channel at ScalePad, an automated asset lifecycle management solution, where he evangelized and educated the MSP community on the growth of ScalePad’s portfolio, including the addition of four new solutions in 2023.

    “We love that Pax8 is doubling down on partner engagement with the addition of Eric,” said Peter Melby, CEO of New Charter Technologies. “I have worked directly with Eric both while he was at ScalePad and Datto, and he has always given us great insights into the latest technology and programs to help support the growth of my business. He’s an excellent connector and seeks to truly understand the partners. He will continue to make a difference for us and other partners leading community engagement at Pax8.”

    About Pax8
    Pax8 is the technology marketplace of the future, linking partners, vendors, and small to midsized businesses (SMBs) through AI-powered insights and comprehensive product support. With a global partner ecosystem of over 35,000 managed service providers, Pax8 empowers SMBs worldwide by providing software and services that unlock their growth potential and enhance their security. Committed to innovating cloud commerce at scale, Pax8 drives customer acquisition and solution consumption across its entire ecosystem.

    Follow Pax8 on Blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube

    Media Contact:
    Kristen Beatty
    Sr. Director of Public Relations
    kbeatty@pax8.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Altus Group Releases Q3 2024 CRE Industry Conditions & Sentiment Survey Findings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK and TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altus Group Limited (“Altus” or “the Company”) (TSX: AIF), a leading provider of asset and fund intelligence for commercial real estate (“CRE”), today released the findings from its Q3 2024 CRE Industry Conditions & Sentiment Survey, a quarterly survey that collects insights on current market conditions and future expectations. The latest survey draws on feedback from 437 seasoned CRE professionals representing over 163 firms in the U.S. and Canada from July 11 to August 6, 2024.

    The Q3 2024 CRE Industry Conditions & Sentiment Survey highlights participants’ perspectives on several topics, including:

    • Operating environment expectations: the majority of respondents (69% in the U.S. and 67% in Canada) described the near-term operating environment as “somewhat challenging” – consistent with the sentiment expressed the prior quarter in both markets.
    • Current focus areas: primary focus over the next six months remains on managing existing portfolios and exposures, with an uptick in respondents indicating they plan to deploy capital (up 11 percentage points in the U.S. and up 2 percentage points in Canada over the prior quarter).
    • Transaction intentions over the next six months: a significant majority of respondents (89% in the U.S. and 75% in Canada) signalled intent to transact, nearly 10 percentage points higher than last quarter for both countries.
    • Perception of pricing shifts: across the largest property sectors in the U.S., participants increasingly described current pricing as being “priced about right”, while in Canada respondents still characterized much of the market as largely “overpriced”.
    • Property performance expectations: industrial and multifamily asset classes continued to be top ranked as best performers, with office consistently ranked as a worst performer.
    • Priority issues: the cost of capital/interest rates remained as the top concern, reflecting overall low expectations for capital availability.

    “The survey results revealed lingering concerns in the commercial real estate market in Q3, though there was increasing optimism about future improvements,” commented Omar Eltorai, Director of Research, Altus Group. “While CRE transaction activity remained muted in the face of high borrowing costs and expectations of impending interest rate cuts, last week’s rate cut in the U.S. should boost investor sentiment, potentially encouraging those on the sidelines to re-engage with the market.”

    To download the full reports by country, please use the following links:

    About Altus Group

    Altus Group is a leading provider of asset and fund intelligence for commercial real estate. We deliver intelligence as a service to our global client base through a connected platform of industry-leading technology, advanced analytics, and advisory services. Trusted by the largest CRE leaders, our capabilities help commercial real estate investors, developers, proprietors, lenders, and advisors manage risks and improve performance returns throughout the asset and fund lifecycle. Altus Group is a global company headquartered in Toronto with approximately 2,900 employees across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific. For more information about Altus (TSX: AIF) please visit www.altusgroup.com.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

    Elizabeth Lambe
    Director, Global Communications, Altus Group
    1-416-641-9787
    Elizabeth.Lambe@altusgroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: High Wire Networks Recognized as Top Cybersecurity Leader in Frost & Sullivan’s 2024 Managed Security Services Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BATAVIA, Ill., Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — High Wire Networks, Inc. (OTCQB: HWNI), a leading global provider of managed cybersecurity, received top ranking in the new Frost & Sullivan (F&S) report on the cybersecurity industry, Frost Radar™: Managed Security Services in Americas, 2024.

    Across a field of more than 200 competitors, Frost & Sullivan ranked High Wire among the Top 15 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) that are delivering the greatest results in the categories of growth and innovation.

    Frost & Sullivan noted that despite High Wire being a relatively new market entrant, “it continues to grow at an impressive triple-digit pace, surpassing almost every competitor in that metric.”

    According to the report, such growth is made possible by the company’s channel-only strategy, which brings in the entirety of an MSP’s customer base instead of individual organizations.

    “High Wire Networks has expanded its portfolio significantly since our last iteration of the Frost Radar,” noted Frost & Sullivan cybersecurity industry analyst, Lucas Ferreyra. “The company has centralized its entire offering around the Overwatch Managed Security Services Ecosystem, which includes its flagship product, the eponymous Overwatch platform that provides managed XDR and managed SOC/SOAR with 24/7 monitoring, detection, threat remediation, and proactive threat hunting across the environment.”

    Operating at the core of High Wire’s security operation center is Overwatch SOAR™, a proprietary security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR) technology.

    The unique AI embedded in Overwatch SOAR automatically consolidates alerts from various threat prevention and detection-and-response platforms and processes them with intelligence-based rules that provide enhanced visibility, improved correlation, and faster remediation.

    “The Overwatch ecosystem provides a combination of prevention, detection, and response capabilities in a closed loop,” explained Ferreyra. “This provides comprehensive protection for customers and makes it easy for the provider to upsell its services, enhancing its growth potential.”

    In the category of innovation, the report highlights how High Wire is developing more automation capabilities for its entire stack, regularly adding pre-built automations and integrations to decrease analysts’ workload. R&D activities also include enhancing real-time threat intelligence as it further builds its own threat intelligence network.

    As the report highlighted, High Wire’s ecosystem includes managed detection and response, managed SASE, managed secure edge, continuous vulnerability scanning and management, patch management (to remediate patch vulnerabilities and fix misconfigurations), OT/IoT security, email security and security awareness training. To increase flexibility, High Wire Networks can leverage tools and solutions in the customer ecosystem, integrating tools into its SOAR capabilities.

    Regarding growth, the report notes that while High Wire Networks “has only a small slice of the Americas MSS market, but it continues to grow at an impressive triple- digit pace, surpassing almost every competitor in that metric. Such growth is made possible by the company’s channel-only strategy, which brings in the entirety of an MSP’s customer base instead of individual organizations.”

    High Wire offers its Overwatch managed security services exclusively through a global network of managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers totaling more than 200 worldwide.

    The report also discussed how High Wire Networks’ approach to the MSS space revolves around reducing the workload for security analysts, multiplying efficiency, and automating tasks unrelated to decision-making.

    High Wire’s SOAR technology serves as an exponential force multiplier for its dedicated teams of professional security experts, empowering them to deliver the most secure and cost-effective cybersecurity solutions available on the market today.

    “High Wire Networks’ investments in a security service to disrupt the edge security space, coupled with its current managed SASE and zero trust offerings are appropriate for its target market,” added Ferreyra. “Establishing an effective zero trust strategy is a complex endeavor that requires sizeable resources and expert knowledge; as a result, organizations with lower security maturity will usually look to partner with cybersecurity providers to deploy these technologies. High Wire Networks should continue to invest in this significant growth opportunity.”

    High Wire CEO, Mark Porter, commented: “We are honored to be recognized by Frost & Sullivan for our commitment to innovation and growth in the MSS space. The Top 15 ranking reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team in delivering comprehensive, cutting-edge security solutions through our Overwatch managed security services ecosystem. By leveraging our platform’s robust suite of offerings—from managed XDR to advanced edge protection—we continue to meet the evolving needs of our partners and customers.”

    “For our channel partners, we create significant opportunities by providing layers of expertise at every engagement with MSPs,” added Porter. “Every deal has the upsell potential for the MSP or reseller to migrate its entire customer base to High Wire Networks’ services, augmenting our growth potential significantly.”

    The company provides further details about the Frost & Sullivan’s report in this YouTube video here.

    High Wire’s Overwatch offering addresses a global cybersecurity market that is projected to grow at a 14.3% CAGR to reach $563 billion by 2032.

    High Wire was also named to CRN’s MSP 500 and Elite 150 lists of the nation’s top IT managed service providers for 2023 and 2024.

    Porter discusses the Frost & Sullivan’s 2024 Managed Security Services report in the company’s YouTube video here.

    About High Wire Networks
    High Wire Networks, Inc. (OTCQB: HWNI) is a fast-growing, award-winning global provider of managed cybersecurity. Through over 200 channel partners, it delivers trusted managed services for more than 1,100 managed security customers worldwide. End-customers include Fortune 500 companies and many of the nation’s largest government agencies. Its U.S. based 24/7 Network Operations Center and Security Operations Center is located in Chicago.

    Learn more at HighWireNetworks.com. Follow the company on X, view its extensive video series on YouTube or connect on LinkedIn.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    The above news release contains forward-looking statements. The statements contained in this document that are not statements of historical fact, including but not limited to, statements identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “appear,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “hope,” “indicate,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and other variations or negative expressions of these terms, including statements related to expected market trends and the Company’s performance, are all “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on assumptions that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information, and include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company and its management. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performances and are subject to a wide range of external factors, uncertainties, business risks, and other risks identified in filings made by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the company’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any statement is based except as required by applicable law and regulations.

    High Wire Contact
    Susanna Song
    Chief Marketing Officer
    High Wire Networks
    Tel +1 (952) 974-4000
    Email contact

    Investor & Media Relations:
    Ronald Both or Grant Stude
    CMA Investor & Media Relations
    Tel +1 (949) 432-7557
    Email contact

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e7bae7cf-3bc9-46bd-8170-0f9fe66d3685

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: HSE University Opens Enrollment for the Second Internship Program in Teaching Excellence

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    On October 14, the Higher School of Economics will launch a two-week advanced training program calledTeaching Workshop” . It is designed for teachers from Russian educational institutions who want to expand their professional experience: learn how to design training courses, select assessment tools, and apply elements of blended learning. In the first week, classes will be held at HSE, and in the second week, online. You can apply for participation until October 10.

    The developer of the program is Department of Educational Innovations and Special International Programs HSE, which is responsible for the project,Teach for HSE / We teach at HSE“This is an intra-university project that has been implemented for seven years and has played an important role in maintaining and improving the quality of teaching.

    At the beginning of this year, the authors of the project decided to offer their developments on the external market. This is how the advanced training program “Educational Course Design 3.0” was created, under which teachers from nine regions of Russia were trained at the beginning of 2024. Their reviews can be read Here.

    It is noteworthy that, although the program was initially designed for representatives of higher education, those who work with children and teenagers and teach courses for adults have also signed up for it. So this time, when recruiting for the “Teaching Workshop”, it does not matter which educational institution the potential students work for.

    “The workshop content was designed taking into account both the many years of experience of the Teach4HSE project and the feedback received from the graduates of “Educational Course Design 3.0″. The leitmotif of advanced training this time will be AI, we will dedicate a separate block to it. Students will master effective techniques for organizing classes using media technologies and AI in an interactive educational environment,” notes Oksana Chernenko, Director of Educational Innovations at HSE.

    Participants of the project “Consultants on teaching in a digital environment” — HSE employees who successfully use digital tools in teaching and help their colleagues implement them. Students will be shown specific examples of how AI can be used in classes on certain subjects.

    The program also includes such topics as the organization of team and group work of students, pedagogical design (designing a course in a blended format), teaching styles in a modern university from the student’s point of view, formative and final assessment as mandatory elements of the course, and others. The masters will be renowned HSE teachers representing various disciplinary fields.

    As last time, classes in the first week will be held at the HSE building on Pokrovsky Boulevard, and in the second week, colleagues will travel to their regions. Using the knowledge they have gained, they will update their training courses with remote support from teaching experts. The final day of the program is the presentation of the updated training courses.

    Each graduate of the program will receive a certificate of advanced training from the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

    You can find out more about the workshop program and apply here Here.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.hse.ru/nevs/edu/966348954.html

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic at the exhibition-fair “Russian Education. Tashkent-2024”

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    On September 20-21, the largest exhibition of Russian higher education, organized by the representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo, was held in Uzbekistan. Representatives of 50 Russian universities took part in the exhibition-fair “Russian Education. Tashkent-2024”. The event brought together more than 4,000 visitors, including schoolchildren and their parents, students, representatives of schools, educational centers, recruiting agencies and the media of Uzbekistan.

    During the exhibition, a meeting of Russian university employees with Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Pavel Shevtsov and Head of the Representative Office in Uzbekistan Irina Staroselskaya was held, where they discussed the implementation of the 2024–2025 quota admission campaign and attracting applicants from Uzbekistan to Russia.

    The opening ceremony of the exhibition was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Russian Embassy and the heads of Rossotrudnichestvo. Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Uzbekistan Andrey Lanchikov welcomed the participants: It is gratifying that Russian education continues to be popular in the Republic of Uzbekistan. This is evidenced by the number of universities from 21 regions of Russia represented here. I really hope that within the framework of this fair, young people, applicants, students will find interesting specialties for themselves, discover new opportunities, see prospects for further education and improvement.

    The annual educational exhibition-fair is held by the representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo in order to show the potential of Russian education and unique opportunities for everyone who wants to get to know Russia better.

    Our task is to improve the quality of education and campus infrastructure so that young people can see the rise that is currently happening in Russia. It is important to demonstrate to Uzbek applicants all the opportunities that Russian education offers, as well as the modern achievements of our universities. This will create a basis for the formation of joint projects in business, science and technology, given the active development of technological potential in both Russia and Uzbekistan, – noted Pavel Shevtsov.

    Irina Staroselskaya addressed schoolchildren: It is very important to make the right choice of specialty. Today you will not only get acquainted with the programs of our universities. You will be able to talk directly with their representatives and get information first-hand: find out how educational programs are organized at universities, where there are dormitories, what scholarships are available, what events are held as part of the training.

    At the international exhibition and fair, the Polytechnic University was represented by the Director of the Center for International Recruitment and Communications Maria Bocharova, Deputy Head of the Department of International Education Tatyana Sytnikova and the Manager of the Center for Work with Applicants Kristina Lavrentyeva. During the exhibition, the SPbPU stand was visited by more than 300 foreign applicants, who asked many questions about their future profession. Also present at the exhibition were undergraduate students from universities in Uzbekistan interested in master’s programs.

    Polytechnic University annually participates in the autumn educational exhibition of Rossotrudnichestvo. Uzbekistan is traditionally one of the priority markets for the export of Polytechnic University educational programs. We pay great attention to promoting our university so that schoolchildren and students of Uzbekistan receive the most up-to-date information about studying at the Polytechnic University within the framework of the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation and through participation in the International Olympiad Open Doors: Russian Scholarship project, as well as on a contractual basis, – commented Maria Bocharova.

    SPbPU staff provided detailed consultations on admission issues, told about areas of training and opportunities for scientific and project activities. This year, applicants are most interested in specialties in the field of IT, artificial intelligence, linguistics, construction and design of buildings, law, design, economics and management, biotechnology.

    The exhibition organizers also held a B2B meeting to discuss cooperation between Russian universities and educational institutions of Uzbekistan. University representatives emphasized the importance of creating a common educational space between the two countries, including joint conferences, seminars, and competitions. Agreements between educational institutions of Russia and Uzbekistan are an important step in developing cooperation in the field of education. This is an opportunity to exchange experiences, joint educational programs, and practices, which in turn will help improve the system of vocational education in Uzbekistan and provide young people with access to quality education in Russia.

    The Polytechnic University cooperates with many universities of Uzbekistan, including SamSU, TSTU, TSUE, KSU, FPI. This year, meeting of the rector of SPbPU, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Rudskoy with the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan Kongratbay Sharipov, where the leaders discussed work on creating joint network educational programs, advanced training courses for teachers and staff, summer school modules and scientific seminars.

    During the exhibition, Tatyana Sytnikova held a number of working meetings with the heads of the Alfakom and General Lessons training centers, where they discussed options for career guidance events, the organization of preliminary entrance examinations, and assistance in the specialized training of applicants. The head of the Alfakom center, Bakhtiyor Tursunov, noted: Polytechnic consistently attracts students from Uzbekistan. Our task is to assist in their high-quality preparation as applicants.

    In the near future, selection and competitive events will begin for foreign applicants wishing to study at the Polytechnic University for free under the direction of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (under a quota) in the next academic year. You can get up-to-date information about the dates of their holding inPolytechnic’s English-language Telegram channel.

    The first qualifying round of the International Olympiad started on September 5 Open Doors: Russian Scholarship project. Starting this year, the winners will have the opportunity to enroll in the Polytechnic University’s bachelor’s, master’s and postgraduate programs without entrance examinations and study for free in the 2025–2026 academic year.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://www.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/international_activize/polytech-at-exhibition-fair-russian-education-tashkent-2024/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USGS supercomputers help assess volcanic hazards in support of community resilience

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Eruptions can last anywhere from hours to years and can produce a diverse and difficult to predict set of hazardous phenomena including explosions, earthquakes, ash clouds and deposits, lava flows, landslides, and lahars (high-speed floods of water, mud, and rocks). Worse still, these hazards can affect a wide range of areas, from near the vent (explosions) to regional (volcanic ash) to global (climatic changes due to volcanic gas dispersal in the stratosphere).  

    In the U.S., there are about 170 potentially active volcanoes, which are monitored by the USGS Volcano Hazards Program Volcano Science Center. The Center is home to the five regional observatories in Hawaiʻi, Alaska, the Cascades, California, and Yellowstone.  USGS scientists at these observatories are responsible for monitoring these volcanoes as well as delivering forecasts, warnings, and information about volcano hazards while helping communities to be prepared during an eruption.  

    Fortunately for scientists, the USGS has three available HPC systems, supported by Core Science Systems Science Analytics and Synthesis group – named Denali, Tallgrass, and Hovenweep — that can quickly and efficiently process very large datasets and solve complex systems of equations in geophysics. 

    Although each of these machines are different, their power is derived from the ability to split a large task into chunks, compute all the chunks “in parallel”, that is, at the same time on different processors, and then combine the results. This is noticeably different from running “serial” tasks on a single processor, where the chunks must be computed one after another.

    The large increase in speed made possible by HPC systems also enables scientists to develop more complex data analysis techniques (such as machine learning models) as well as more sophisticated approaches to geophysical modeling (such as data assimilation and probabilistic hazards assessments).    

    Since the development of the first USGS supercomputer

    Yeti in 2013, USGS volcanologists have greatly increased their use of HPC resources, expanding both the complexity of the calculations and the range of applications.   

    HPC resources now commonly serve in a variety of real-world applications such as models of landslide and lahar scenarios at Mt. Rainier to ash fall hazards assessments to real-time forecasting of lava flows in Hawaiʻi, to machine learning of satellite-based volcano deformation data.  

    Looking into a volcano’s plumbing 

    Because many volcanic processes are too hazardous to observe up close or are otherwise inaccessible (for example, we can’t see underground), volcanologists rely upon other methods. Some of the data is captured after an area is safe to visit, while other geophysical methods such as seismicity, infrasound, and gravity changes, can be measured from a distance.  In both cases, volcanologists seek to link these data to the processes that generated them using models of various kinds.   

    Recently, Dr. Roger Denlinger, Research Geophysicist at the Cascades Volcano Observatory led the largest active seismic experiment ever conducted at Kīlauea volcano, Hawaiʻi.  Thousands of small temporary seismometers were deployed around the volcano summit which “listened” together for natural (passive) earthquakes as well as vibrations caused by an active seismic source mounted on a large truck.  

    Because both the truck-generated seismic waves and those received by the seismometers that have passed through the complex structure of Kīlauea are known, scientists can compute variations in density in the subsurface, enabling “imaging” of the volcano’s magma plumbing system. With an improved image of Kīlauea’s subsurface, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory will be able to make improved assessments of volcanic hazards. 

    Of course, this imaging is easier said than done, requiring perhaps millions of computer hours to compute how volcanic features attenuate and scatter seismic waves below Kīlauea to match those recorded by the seismic network.  Using a combination of machine learning tools and seismic geophysical models, USGS scientists are using Tallgrass and Hovenweep to tackle this monumental task.   

    “Machine learning methods help us monitor changes in volcanic systems and anticipate eruptions by probing the increasingly mind-numbing quantity of data that modern instrumentation produces,” says Denlinger. “For example, the Kīlauea imaging project is analyzing more than 200 million seismic waveforms to produce three-dimensional images of the magma system. This is physically impossible for any group of scientists to do by hand.”  

    Hazard forecasting for active volcanoes 

    Since the advent of using computational tools to model volcanic hazards, volcanologists have sought to be able to forecast volcanic eruptions and the hazards they produce.  Although an eruption forecasting model is still only an area of active research, some volcanic hazards such as ash dispersal and lava flows have seen the development of robust forecasting models. These models focus on predicting where ash or lava will go in the case of an eruption and are often used in real time when and where these hazards appear. 
     

    Recently, USGS scientists have developed a new geophysical model called Lava2d to simulate how lava flows over the landscape during an eruption. Lava2d can produce very realistic model flows even when run with a coarse resolution, and its effectiveness was demonstrated during the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaiʻi. It was used to produce experimental forecasts in real time of where lava flows could inundate and how fast they would get there. 

    Lava2d simulation of the fissure 3 lava flow from the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaiʻi. Colors represent lava flow depth after 5 days of activity. Inset: USGS mapped lava flow extent at about the same time in the eruption.

    Most of these models were computed on the Yeti supercomputer, enabling the computation of thousands of runs with different lava flow properties and scenarios. These experimental forecasts were used by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to assess the possibility of future flow advance towards a major highway.  

    “USGS HPC resources have advanced our ability to accurately assess and forecast volcanic hazard before and during eruptions to protect life, property, and infrastructure in the US,” says Dr. Hannah Dietterich, Research Geophysicist at the Alaska Volcano Observatory and hazard modeling lead during the eruption. “Running large numbers of simulations allows us to generate better, more quantitative, and robust hazard information at volcanoes in the US but also elsewhere.” 

    Current research using the lava flow model Lava2d is focused on optimizing the model for use on Hovenweep, where it will be used to quickly compute high resolution lava flow forecasts when volcanoes in Hawaiʻi or the central Cascades next produce lava flows.   

    USGS HPC resources are also playing a significant role in longer-term volcanic hazard assessments, especially where volcanologists are planning for the next eruption of long-dormant volcanoes. In these cases, data on past hazards is limited to whatever lava or ash is still exposed at the surface.  This can cause a great deal of uncertainty about the nature of “typical” volcanic materials for a given volcano.  

    When a model is run, the researcher needs to feed it specifications about material properties, ambient conditions, and the magnitude or size of the eruption. Unfortunately, these factors are typically highly uncertain, reducing the predictive value of any individual model run. However, if many models are made with different inputs, the collection of models, which researchers call an “ensemble”, work together to produce a much more probabilistic assessment of the hazard.   

    Complicating factors 

    This is particularly important for volcanic hazards that are greatly affected by atmospheric conditions, such as ash dispersal and deposition. Wind direction at the exact time the eruption occurs is a major factor controlling where volcanic ash will be deposited.  

    USGS researchers use a specific ash dispersal model, known as Ash3d, to compute how the wind will carry the ash and how quickly it will fall out of suspension.  

    Because wind direction and speed can vary so much, many thousands of Ash3d runs are required to capture the range of possible ashfall deposits. Running these very large jobs on supercomputers like Denali and Hovenweep allows the USGS to estimate the probability of ashfall in different locations for significant explosive eruptions in the future.  

    Animated Ash3D simulation of a volcanic ash cloud from a hypothetical eruption of Mt. St. Helens, WA if it occurred today. Colors represent ash concentrations in the cloud.

    A similar ensemble modeling approach is in development for estimating the hazard posed by a variety of volcanic hazards including lava flows, ashfall, and lahars from Newberry Volcano near Bend, OR which last erupted in 690 CE. 

    Landslides and lahars (high-speed floods of water, mud, and rocks) are other types of hazards that pose a unique computing challenge due to the complexity of the equations used to models them.  The USGS uses a model known as D-Claw that incorporates sophisticated algorithms to simulate these highly destructive flows. To simulate the flows, D-Claw must first break down many related complex processes involved in the overall flow, such as levee formation, particle segregation, dilatancy, and pore pressurization. These highly complex dynamics require a sophisticated algorithm operating within a high-resolution grid. 

    Because of the high-resolution needed, D-Claw models tend to be very large in scale and are optimized for parallel computing on USGS HPC systems.   

    D-Claw was recently used to model lahar scenarios originating from possible landslide collapses high on Mt. Rainier, WA. These highly detailed models were used to estimate the hazard posed to communities downstream.  

    Animated D-Claw simulation of a hypothetical landslide and lahar originating from the failure of a section of the Tahoma Glacier headwall at Mt. Rainier, WA.

    These are just a snapshot of applications of USGS HPC resources in volcanic hazards studies, but these tools are only gaining popularity and relevance.  As more USGS scientists get the training needed to work on these machines, the free access to vast computational power that they offer them makes these HPC systems highly attractive settings for solving the big questions in volcanology. The gain in new knowledge accelerated by USGS HPC resources is helping to develop next-generation tools for assessing volcanic hazards, helping to protect and inform the public.  

    Denali is the USGS’s flagship supercomputer installed and housed at the EROS Data Center in Sioux Falls, SD.

    Dr. Tina Neal, Volcano Science Center Director, is excited to see this work into the future. “The application of HPC to volcano science is truly exciting to see flourish; from simulating ash cloud dispersal to modelling the complex motion of lava flows and lahars, results improve our scientific understanding of hazards and the quality of USGS decision support information for stakeholders.” 

    For more information or to get started using Denali, Tallgrass, or Hovenweep, contact us at hpc@usgs.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 5 areas where NSF funding is enhancing undergraduate STEM participation at Hispanic-serving institutions

    Source: US Government research organizations

    In the U.S., just over 21% of the undergraduate student body identified as Hispanic in 2021. Nearly 63% of those students were enrolled at Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs).* Despite representing only a small portion of the nation’s public and private institutions of higher education, HSIs produce key STEM research. These institutions have made great strides in advancing STEM education for the diverse populations of students they serve, including expanding undergraduate research opportunities, improving technical training at two-year institutions, and introducing active learning to calculus courses to improve student success. And to continue these efforts, HSIs require support.

    According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, HSIs have extensive infrastructure and equipment needs due to outdated buildings, natural disasters and lack of funding. To address some of these needs, NSF has awarded more than $3 million to provide new STEM equipment to broaden STEM participation and education across five different areas through two solicitations from the NSF HSI program, Enriching Learning, Programs, and Student Experiences and Equitable Transformation in STEM Education.**

    The goal of these solicitations is to meet the National Science Board’s vision for a more diverse and capable science and engineering workforce by enhancing the quality of undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics education at HSIs. These solicitations focus on transforming STEM education at HSIs through improving the student experience and the institutional infrastructure.

    Here are five areas where NSF funding is changing the educational landscape for Hispanic students by providing new, state-of-the-art equipment to eight different HSIs.

    1. Virtual reality technology

      The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico received funding to install an advanced physics laboratory equipped with high-performance computers and 3D immersive VR technology, enabling the simulation of physics principles that are difficult to replicate in a traditional lab and allowing students to visualize abstract concepts, increasing student retention and engagement.

    2. Virtual anatomy

      NSF funded the installation of Anatomage tables at three different HSIs, Cossatot Community College, Colorado State University Pueblo and Hartnell Community College District, as well as additional critical equipment, instruments and computing resources in chemistry, biology, earth science and mathematics. Anatomage clinical tables provide high-definition 3D models of systems and structures across the human body, allowing students to conduct virtual dissection. The technology also allows for the upload and study of medical images (e.g., X-ray, CT and MRI scans). Enhancing anatomy and physiology education at these community colleges will contribute to more STEM bachelor’s degrees and a more diverse STEM workforce.

    3. Weather studies

      California State University Desert Studies Center installed a research-grade weather station. The weather station will allow students to collect and analyze real-time environmental data, support data science instruction and climate science investigation, and prepare students to work with networked data systems. The weather station will be connected to the NSF-funded Dendra network of over 200 monitoring sites throughout the Mojave Desert and across the southwestern U.S., augmenting efforts to understand the consequences of climate change in one of the hottest places on the planet.

    4. Manufacturing

      Funding from NSF helped expand the industrial and manufacturing engineering capabilities at two HSIs, the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (CPP) and the University of Houston-Clear Lake. CPP secured an Industry 4.0 training system, allowing students to learn from simulations of real-world assembly processes, strengthening undergraduate learning in industrial and manufacturing engineering. The University of Houston-Clear Lake funded a metal additive manufacturing machine, giving students hands-on learning and allowing them to compete in state and national-level design and manufacturing challenges. These projects will prepare a more diverse and skilled workforce equipped with the latest technological knowledge for the industrial and manufacturing sectors.

    5. Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity

      Expanding AI and cybersecurity education at HSIs and other minority-serving institutions is critical to creating a strong, diverse STEM network. NSF funding will provide New Mexico State University (NMSU) with state-of-the-art servers and robots to expand its computer science curriculum, including adding a new Bachelor of Science degree in artificial intelligence, making NMSU the second HSI to offer an undergraduate degree program in AI. Another grant at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona will fund the installation of a Security Operations Center (SOC), which will be student-run to give students hands-on learning and combine theoretical knowledge with practical application in cybersecurity. SOC will allow students to engage in regional, national and global cybersecurity competitions, and it will aid students in seeing themselves as cybersecurity professionals.

    * To qualify as an HSI, a higher education institution must be accredited, not-for-profit, and have an enrollment of full-time undergraduate students that is at least 25% Hispanic students at the end of the award year. For more information about HSI eligibility, please see the Department of Education’s definition.

    **Learn more about the HSI Program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Encourages High School Juniors to Apply to Attend Fall 2024 Sacramento FBI Teen Academy

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    Free, Single-Day Class Offers “Insider View” of the FBI

    SACRAMENTO—The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Sacramento Field Office encourages all high school juniors within the office’s 34-county area of responsibility to apply to attend the Fall 2024 FBI Teen Academy held at the field office’s headquarters in Roseville. All high school juniors— to include those enrolled in public, private, charter, or home school—who are curious about the FBI are eligible to apply to be considered for the program.

    Students selected to attend the academy spend an informative, interactive day learning about the FBI’s investigative priorities; participating in unique, interactive experiences; connecting with FBI personnel representing diverse professional backgrounds; and gaining knowledge that can be shared with their peers and community. Students who attend the program gain greater awareness of the threats their communities face, the challenges presented by the online environment, and the personal choices that can affect their future careers. This knowledge better prepares students to mentor their peers. Ideal candidates are engaged with their respective communities and each student must obtain signatures from their school administration endorsing their participation.

    The class is offered at no charge. Families do not incur any fees for the class, meals, and refreshments offered during FBI Teen Academy instruction. Transportation to and from the class is not provided. If travel is necessary to attend the class, families must arrange for transportation and cover any expenses incurred to facilitate attendance.

    Students interested in attending the free class must download the Fall 2024 FBI Teen Academy application from the FBI Sacramento Field Office’s Community Outreach web page, complete and obtain signatures on all forms, and complete an essay as directed in the application instructions without the assistance of artificial intelligence. Completed application packages must arrive at FBI Sacramento Field Office Headquarters by 4 p.m. on Friday, October 11, 2024. Late applications may be rejected.

    The FBI Sacramento Field Office serves the following 34 California counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Tuolumne, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba.

    Links:

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rockford Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for His Role in Retail Store Robberies

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to over seven years in federal prison for conspiring to commit robberies of electronic stores.

    KATRAIL BRIDGES, 32, was convicted after a four-day jury trial in March of conspiracy to commit robbery.  U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston on Thursday sentenced Bridges to 87 months in federal prison.

    Bridges joined the conspiracy and agreed to participate in the robberies of electronic stores at two locations: a Best Buy store in DeKalb, Ill. on Dec. 2, 2016, and a Simply Mac store in Cherry Valley, Ill. on December 16, 2016. During these robberies, the members of the group used pepper-spray against employees to gain compliance and to escape with merchandise.  The group stole over $22,000 worth of merchandise during these two robberies.

    Eight other alleged conspirators were charged as part of the federal investigation.         

    The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the FBI.  The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Cherry Valley Police Department, and DeKalb Police Department assisted in the investigation.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirstin J. Krivanec.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Behind the Scenes of Galaxy Ring: Product Planning a Game Changer in Health Management

    Source: Samsung

    Dating back more than 3,000 years to ancient Egypt, rings have symbolized different values throughout human history — including love, power and self-expression. With Samsung Electronics’ newly unveiled Galaxy Ring, health has now been added to that list.
    The smallest and most compact form factor in the Galaxy wearable portfolio, the Galaxy Ring fits comfortably on users’ fingers like a traditional ring. Equipped with cutting-edge sensors and Galaxy AI features, the Galaxy Ring offers a powerful health management experience.
    Samsung Newsroom sat down with Sungjin Kim and Yujin Roh from the Wearable Product Planning Group, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics, to learn how the Galaxy Ring came to be.

    Ultra-Compact Form Factor Optimized for 24/7 Health Monitoring
    Q: What inspired the creation of the Galaxy Ring, a completely new addition to Samsung’s wearable lineup?
    Kim: We’ve been exploring new opportunities in the wearable market with a particular focus on the rapidly growing field of health management. This led us to look for the optimal form factor to provide more accurate, uninterrupted health data for personalized health solutions. After evaluating various form factors, we settled on the ring — a user-friendly, small and lightweight shape that can be worn 24/7.

    Q: What key health management benefits does the Galaxy Ring offer?Roh: Sleep is the foundation of health. The Galaxy Ring is comfortable enough to wear while sleeping and can last up to a week on a single charge,1 making it ideal for collecting detailed and in-depth sleep data. A powerful sleep AI algorithm provides advanced sleep insights to help users better understand and improve their sleep. Furthermore, Energy Score analyzes sleep quality, activity levels, sleeping heart rate and sleeping heart rate variability data to deliver a daily health index to users.
    Yujin Roh
    Q. What factors were considered during the design process?
    Kim: To maximize the advantages of the ring form, we examined the historical and biological significance of rings before incorporating these insights into the product. For example, we adopted a simple yet modern concave style to enhance the Galaxy Ring’s value as an everyday accessory. Moreover, the charging case and packaging have clamshell designs reminiscent of a jewelry box — elevating the quality of the product down to the finest details that users touch.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Pixability and Ad Fontes Media Join Forces to Empower Advertisers to Safely Support News Content on YouTube

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pixability, (www.pixability.com), a leader in AI-driven contextual targeting, brand suitability and performance on YouTube and CTV, today announced the launch of a brand safety solution for news content with Ad Fontes, a leader in rating news sources for bias and reliability. The new offering will be the only misinformation solution in the marketplace that tackles the two-part problem of protecting advertisers on news channels on YouTube–(1) identifying sources of news that are reputable, trustworthy and not overly biased and (2) screening those reputable news channels for high risk, sensitive news stories. Pixability will combine its brand safety solution, which includes tech and human monitoring, with Ad Fontes’ in depth news ratings system to ensure marketers are running their ads in a trusted news environment.

    “At a time when false and misleading information is rampant across all platforms, it’s important we identify and provide support for sources of news that are trustworthy and not expressing extreme bias,” said Vanessa Otero, founder and CEO of Ad Fontes. “As the largest video platform in the world, YouTube has a vast ocean of content of varying reliability, which presents both huge opportunities and challenges. We believe our solution, combined with Pixability’s brand suitability technology, will together provide a much-needed way to target high-quality journalism and information on YouTube while in turn steering clear of low-reliability content.”

    The new solution will give advertisers the ability to select channels on YouTube that are not overly biased and that follow proper and recognized journalistic practices of fact-checking. It also incorporates Pixability’s brand suitability technology and real-time monitoring of sensitive news to isolate stories, even on reputable sources, that may not be appropriate for certain advertisers.

    “We are thrilled to be partnering with Ad Fontes to bring this solution to the market at a time when supporting reputable news sources matters more than ever,” commented David George, CEO of Pixability. “We’ve seen a pattern of brands and agencies avoiding news content altogether because of a lack of effective brand suitability solutions in the market tailored for news sites and are proud to be solving for this problem on YouTube specifically.”

    Industry leaders are also acknowledging the importance of the new solution for YouTube. AJ Brown, COO of the Brand Safety Institute said the following:
    “Brands play a critical role in safeguarding the future of reliable, quality journalism. The decision to invest in news calls for nuanced buying options that go beyond traditional brand suitability risk categorization, which too often bluntly demonetizes high-quality, high-impact journalism. Bringing together Pixability’s Brand Safety solutions and Ad Fontes Media’s reliability and bias scoring allows marketers to support quality journalism with targeted ad buys on YouTube that align with their brand’s values.”

    Pixability’s insights team recently released data that showed that, on average, 40% of YouTube advertisers ask to avoid news content on YouTube. This not only leads to a lack of funding for reputable news sources but also hurts advertisers as they may miss engagement opportunities with their audiences in key areas of interest.

    Pixability’s insights team also released the following data that demonstrates the value of news content for advertisers:

    • Advertisers from food & beverage, automotive, entertainment, travel and many other industries see that news content drives anywhere from 24%-44% better engagement than the average content category on YouTube
    • The desirable 18-24 year old demographic is most likely to engage with advertising on news content on YouTube
    • Reputable news channels on YouTube have a 99% favorability rating from audiences

    About Pixability

    Pixability is the leading AI-driven technology company empowering the world’s largest brands and their agencies to maximize the value of their video advertising on YouTube and CTV. Leveraging its proprietary technology platform and data, Pixability makes every video impression matter by identifying contextually relevant, brand suitable inventory and maximizing cost efficient outcomes. Pixability’s suite of solutions are used by the top media agencies including IPG, Publicis, Omnicom, Dentsu, Stagwell, and GroupM, as well as brands such as KIND, McDonalds, Salesforce, Lego and CVS. The company is the only YouTube partner certified for brand suitability and contextual targeting as well as content insights, enabling unique solutions for the benefit of brands and their agencies. For more information about Pixability, please visit www.pixability.com.

    About Ad Fontes Media

    Ad Fontes Media is the producer of The Media Bias Chart®, which rates media sources in terms of political bias and reliability. The company was founded with the mission of rating all the news to positively impact the media ecosystem. Ad Fontes Media rates content at the source level, article level, and episode level using a combination of human analysts and AI for the most accurate and real-time ratings available on the market. The company’s Interactive Media Bias Chart Data Platform, API, and direct ad-tech integrations allow Ad Fontes Media’s brand, media, and media technology partners to leverage its comprehensive news source ratings so they can engage with them in real time in media planning, activation, and reporting.

    CONTACT:

    Silicon Alley Media for Pixability
    Alexandra Levy
    alex@siliconalley-media.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: New Report Highlights Critical Turning Point for Middle Class Families

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A “middle class” income no longer guarantees financial security, threatening both the nation’s economy and its social fabric, according to a new report released today by the Financial Health Network, the leading voice on financial health. The report, Households Under Financial Pressure, describes how daily economic challenges have heightened pessimism and political polarization; previous research found that only about one-third of Americans are considered “financially healthy.”

    Financial health is broadly defined as the ability to spend, save, borrow, and plan in ways that allow people to be financially secure and withstand financial shocks. The report stresses the need for urgent collaboration across key sectors like housing, childcare, and transportation to restore the financial security and well-being of America’s middle class.

    “The middle class might be a hot campaign topic, but let’s be clear: financial health isn’t a red or blue issue — families are struggling financially and it’s happening across race, geography, and politics,” said Jennifer Tescher, president and CEO of the Financial Health Network. “Rising costs for essentials mean more middle-class households struggle with the day-to-day and can’t save for the future, regardless of how much they work or plan ahead. No matter the outcome of this election, we all have an opportunity — and a responsibility — to build a bold new coalition that transcends political divides and is fully committed to securing financial health for all.”

    What is “Middle Class”?
    A May 2024 Gallup poll found that 54% of Americans identify as middle class … but are they?

    • Pew Research Center defines middle class as earning two-thirds to twice the national median income, or $67,819 to $203,458 in 2022 for a family of four. However, only about 50% of adults fall into this category, a figure that has declined steadily over the past five decades.
    • An Obama Administration Task Force on the Middle Class defined the middle class as “one’s ability to achieve common goals, like home and car ownership, college education for children, health and retirement security, and occasional family vacations.”
    • A February 2024 Washington Post study used “basic lifestyle elements” to define middle class achievement: a secure job, ability to save money for the future, ability to afford an emergency $1,000 expense without going into debt, ability to pay all bills on time without worry, having health insurance, and the ability to retire comfortably. With this criteria, just 35% of the population classify as “middle class.”

    Recommendations for Shaping the Future of Financial Health
    The report is part of a new initiative aimed at identifying the needs, challenges, and opportunities for financial health. Financial Health Frontiers, a new Financial Health Network initiative supported by the Citi Foundation, will explore the headwinds and tailwinds that will shape financial health in the years to come. The effort is being guided by an Advisory Council of industry experts, business leaders, policymakers, advocates, and researchers.

    The report makes several broad recommendations, including:

    • Expanding measurement, evaluation, and research efforts to assess how housing, labor, and environment policies and investments in education can support the middle class.
    • Looking more holistically at the interconnected expenses families face – things like childcare, housing, and transportation – with a particular focus on how different communities experience the barriers to a middle class lifestyle to design new solutions.
    • More intentionally fostering collaboration among business leaders, community-based organizations, and government agencies, along with policymakers and advocates working in housing, education, transportation, finance, and health care to build the middle class.

    This report will be followed by deep dives into how other financial headwinds and tailwinds – shifting demographics, the changing nature of work, climate change, and tech/artificial intelligence – will impact financial health in the future.

    About the Financial Health Network
    The Financial Health Network is the leading authority on financial health. We are a trusted resource for business leaders, policymakers, and innovators united in a mission to improve the financial health of their customers, employees, and communities. Through research, advisory services, measurement tools, and opportunities for cross-sector collaboration, we advance awareness, understanding, and proven best practices in support of improved financial health for all. For more on the Financial Health Network, go to www.finhealthnetwork.org and follow us on Twitter at @FinHealthNet.

    Media Contacts
    Michael Salmassian
    Financial Health Network
    msalmassian@finhealthnetwork.org

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Launches 990 EVO Plus SSD With Improved Performance Speeds Supported by PCIe 4.0

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics America, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the release of the 990 EVO Plus, adding to its lineup of leading SSD products. Featuring PCIe 4.0 support and the latest in NAND technology, the 990 EVO Plus is an ideal solution for buyers seeking enhanced performance and power efficiency across gaming, business and creative tasks.
    “The average person creates more than 100 megabytes of data every minute1,” said James Fishler, Senior Vice President of Home Entertainment, Samsung Electronics America. “Whether you’re taking photos, editing videos, or gaming on your favorite console, it’s clear that our daily activities demand more data than ever before. The new Samsung 990 EVO Plus provides the best solution for it all – from gaming and content creation, to business use cases. With expanded storage capacities and even faster processing speeds, the series can help you reliably power your day, and make the most of every minute.”

    Faster Performance and Greater Efficiency
    The 990 EVO Plus is backed by decades of pioneering semiconductor technology with proven reliability from Samsung. It offers sequential read speeds up to 7,250 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) and write speeds up to 6,300 MB/s, up to 50% faster than the previous 990 EVO. This performance boost is enabled by the latest Samsung 8th generation V-NAND technology and 5-nanometer (nm) controller, while an innovative nickel-coated heat shield minimizes overheating, delivering 73% greater power efficiency over the 990 EVO.
    The 4TB model of the 990 EVO Plus boasts an industry-leading random read speed of 1,050K input/output operations per second (IOPS) and 1,400K IOPS for random write. This remarkable feat nearly rivals that of SSD products with DRAM, despite not using a DRAM cache, making it an optimal solution for gaming and AI tasks that require high performance.
    Expanded Storage Capacity
    To meet today’s growing demand for high-capacity storage devices, the 990 EVO Plus offers ample capacity options of 1TB, 2TB and 4TB, exceeding the storage limits of the 990 EVO. The 990 EVO Plus is also equipped with the intelligent Samsung TurboWrite 2.0, revamped for maximized performance, offering rapid file transfer speeds and reduced lag, even when managing large files, editing high-res video or enjoying next-generation gaming.
    Samsung Magician Software Support
    Samsung Magician Software presents a suite of optimization tools for enhanced functionality for all Samsung SSDs, including the 990 EVO Plus. Users can streamline the data migration process for SSD upgrades effortlessly and securely. In addition, Samsung Magician protects valuable data, monitors drive health and offers customized performance optimization.
    The drives will be available this Fall at Samsung.com and other select retailers. They will have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $109.99 for the 1TB model, $184.99 for the 2TB model, and $344.99 for the 4TB model. For more information, please visit here.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Teaching with Tech: Redefining Digital Literacy

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    With the urgent global demand for 44 million teachers by 2030, AI-driven tools are transforming the educational landscape and reshaping digital literacy.

    How can AI empower educators, enhance teacher training, and seamlessly integrate technology to improve learning outcomes?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L_CQn_HQlM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Be Internet Awesome World: A fun new game to learn about online safety

    Source: Google

    Around the world, parents and teachers are eager for best practices and resources they can trust to help them navigate important conversations about online safety with their children and students. That’s why we created Be Internet Awesome, a program designed in partnership with leading child development and safety experts, focused on topics like how to spot scams, create strong passwords and be cautious about sharing personal information online. Over the years, we’ve educated more than 100 million children globally through this program.

    Today, we’re announcing Be Internet Awesome World, a new gaming experience on Roblox that will bring these same safety lessons to life in an interactive and fun way.

    Creating an immersive and educational game

    Roblox is one of the most popular online gaming platforms, with over 79.5 million daily active users. Working with Roblox helps Google to reach kids where they’re already spending time to teach them the basics of online safety.

    In the Be Internet Awesome experience, visitors will explore the magical world of the Internauts and learn how to navigate various real-world scenarios and risks by applying safety tips and critical thinking skills. They’ll have the ability to play multiple games, each based on a specific safety topic, ranging from identifying phishing attempts to practicing kindness online. During the game, players will receive immediate feedback, helping them learn through trial and error.

    This game-based learning approach not only reinforces the lessons of Be Internet Awesome, but also reimagines the curriculum in a new and exciting format for kids. Google’s experience is now available on Roblox.

    Promoting online safety and youth wellbeing

    Expanding Be Internet Awesome to a wider audience on Roblox is just one of the ways we keep more people safer online than anyone else in the world. Here are a few additional ways we’re working to promote online safety and youth wellbeing:

    • Partnering with Highlights Magazine: Earlier this year, we teamed up with Highlights to create a special edition of the magazine based on Google’s Be Internet Awesome curriculum. We’ve also partnered with the Boys and Girls club to host a series of events to help walk kids through the lessons and activities inside the magazine.
    • Investing in Teen Mental Health: Recently, Google.org launched a $10 million Teen Mental Health Initiative to help more than a million high school students and 10,000 teachers build strong mental health habits across the country. Google partnered with leading mental health and educational organizations on this effort including Selena Gomez’s Rare Impact Fund, DonorsChoose, JED Foundation, Child Mind Institute and The Steve Fund.
    • Building AI literacy: We’ve developed tailored resources to help teach teens how to use AI responsibly, including our AI Literacy Guide, and videos focused on the five must-knows of generative AI and how to use AI to uplevel learning.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Aguilar: There is no greater example of Republican extremism than Trump’s Project 2025

    Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI – September 24, 2024

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu were joined by Representatives Sara Jacobs and Nikema Williams in a press conference on how Trump’s Project 2025 gives Extreme MAGA Republicans total control to criminalize abortion, gut Social Security and raise taxes for working families.

    CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Good morning. The Vice Chair and I are grateful to be joined by incredible leaders within our Caucus, Nikema Williams and Sara Jacobs. 

    House Democrats have said from the beginning of this Congress that we will be ready to work in a bipartisan way to get things done for the American people whenever and wherever possible. But we are also going to call out extremism when it exists. And there is no greater example of Republican extremism than Trump’s Project 2025. 

    Should extreme MAGA Republicans be successful in winning the House, the Senate and the presidency, they have created the blueprint in a 920-page roadmap that lays out exactly how they plan to govern. Under their plan, Project 2025 criminalizes abortion, hurts middle class families to help the wealthy and well connected and ends Social Security as we know it. It gives Donald Trump unchecked presidential power and unparalleled control over the American people. It is both deeply troubling and deeply unpopular because of the work of House Democrats, Leader Jeffries, Whip Clark, Jared Huffman, our own Vice Chair Ted Lieu and the leaders behind me today to put a spotlight on this dangerous plan. We know that House Republicans are in trouble because they are running scared anytime we mention Project 2025. 
    Later today, the Steering and Policy Committee will convene a hearing of hard-working Americans who will testify about what Project 2025 would mean to them in their daily lives. Don’t just take our word for it. Listen to the abortion care providers and seniors who have to ration insulin, who will courageously share their stories. House Democrats are fighting for them, as House Republicans are fighting to give Donald Trump more control of our daily lives. 
    I’ll turn it over to Vice Chair Ted Lieu.

    VICE CHAIR LIEU: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar. 

    Trump’s Project 2025 isn’t just a radical document. It’s a document that Republicans this term have tried to implement through a series of appropriations bills. And as Chairman Aguilar said, we’re having a hearing today that the Steering and Policy Committee is hosting at 2:15 at HVC-215. Hope you all can make it. And I want to thank Jared Huffman earlier this year for starting the Project 2025 Task Force. 

    This is 920 pages of crazy–that’s what Project 2025 is–with deadly consequences. I’m going to go through just three of the insane things in that document. Project 2025 wants to eliminate the Department of Education, and that is on page 319 of the document. Project 2025 also wants to eliminate the National Weather Service. Think about that. We’ve got a hurricane coming into Georgia or Florida, and this is what Project 2025 authors want to do. They want to eliminate the National Weather Service–that’s on page 675 of the document. And get this: Project 2025 wants to allow children to work in hazardous conditions. Like, who comes up with this crazy stuff? That’s on page 595 of the document. 

    So again, I hope you all come to this hearing. And let me now introduce our amazing member from Georgia, the great Nikema Williams, who will talk about reproductive freedom and Project 2025.

    REP. WILLIAMS: Thank you, Vice Chair Lieu and Chairman Aguilar. Good morning, everyone. 

    I’m Congresswoman Nikema Williams, and I proudly represent Georgia’s fighting Fifth Congressional District. I’m a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus and Vice Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus. But y’all, before I came to Congress, I served as the VP of Public Policy at Planned Parenthood Southeast for ten years. I will always carry with me the stories that I heard from people we served on the frontlines just about how hard they had to fight to get the essential abortion care that they needed and deserve. This was long before the overturning of Roe v. Wade that was orchestrated by Donald Trump and his Republican Party. 

    We’re seeing the deadly result of abortion bans in Georgia, and around the country. Just last week, ProPublica reported on the deaths of two Georgia women, Candi Miller and Amber Thurman, who died because they couldn’t receive the care that they desperately needed. Let me say that again: Candi Miller and Amber Thurman died because of Georgia’s inhumane abortion ban that was ushered in by Donald Trump and his MAGA Republicans. These were preventable deaths. As a mama, I’m heartbroken, and as a Georgian, as an elected official, I’m pissed, y’all. Because it doesn’t have to be this way. These were policy decisions. But let me be clear: it could get even worse. Trump’s Project 2025 would lead to more heartbreak and more preventable deaths. Project 2025 would ban abortion nationwide, criminalizing patients and doctors, making it impossible for people to get the care that they need. 

    Abortion is essential health care. One in four women will access abortion care at some point in their lives. And that’s not one in four Democratic women, not one in four Republican or Independent women. That’s someone you know, someone you love, someone you go to church with, someone you grew up with, someone in your family. One in four women, y’all. 

    I will continue to fight alongside House Democrats to protect reproductive freedom in the face of extreme Republican abortion bans and the looming threat of Trump’s Project 2025, which will ban abortion nationwide. We will restore the reproductive freedom that Trump and House Republicans brag about taking away, and we will ensure that every person can get the care that they need. 

    Thank you so much, and I’ll now turn it over to another co-conspirator for justice in our Caucus, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs.

    REP. JACOBS: Well, thank you, Chairman Aguilar, Vice Chair Lieu, Nikema, for really highlighting the stakes here. 

    So, I’ve spent the past few months traveling the country talking to young people, college students and women. I’m a 35-year-old woman, so basically, this is a topic I talk about all the time with my friends and peers. And here’s the deal: all of these young people are terrified about Project 2025, and so am I. So, not only would Project 2025 make it difficult or impossible to access abortion, birth control, emergency contraception and other reproductive services, as my colleague Nikema highlighted, it would also authorize a pregnancy surveillance system. So, even if you live in a state like California, like I do, where we have strong state-level abortion and privacy laws, you would not be protected. Every abortion, every miscarriage, every stillbirth, every pregnancy loss, every pregnancy, even abortions and pregnancy losses that result from medical treatment, would be logged and reported to the federal government and used to monitor pregnancies.

    Project 2025 would supersede HIPAA. It would nullify doctor-patient confidentiality, and it would reject a right to privacy. And pretty soon, it would be used to weaponize health data against patients and providers in court. We’ve already seen this happen. 

    In 2017, Mississippi police charged Latice Fisher after digging into her Google search history and finding that she searched how to buy misoprostol abortion pills online. In 2022, Nebraska police used Facebook messages between a mother and a daughter, private Facebook messages, to prosecute an abortion that was illegal under state law. Now, imagine how much more this would happen if there was a centralized treasure trove of this information, of this data. 

    Now, House Democrats, we want to protect the sensitive data, and we have a bill to do it, My Body My Data Act. House Democrats, we want to strengthen HIPAA for the post Roe era, not gut it. And we have a bill to do that, The Safer Health Act. But you know who stands in the way? MAGA Republicans. 

    House Democrats will continue to fight to protect patient privacy, protect their right to make their own health decisions and protect them from abortion and pregnancy surveillance. So, thank you so much, now I will turn it over to Chairman Aguilar for questions.

    Video of the full press conference and Q&A can be viewed here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: AMMO, Inc. Appoints New Chief Financial Officer and Provides Corporate Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paul Kasowski, Who Has Served as Chief Compliance and Transformation Officer, Named New Chief Financial Officer

    The Board of Directors Has Retained Independent Advisors to Support an Investigation Into Financial Reporting for Fiscal Years 2020-2023

    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AMMO, Inc. (Nasdaq: POWW, POWWP) (“AMMO” or the “Company”), the owner of GunBroker.com, the largest online marketplace serving the firearms and shooting sports industries, and a leading vertically integrated producer of high-performance ammunition and components, today announced that Paul Kasowski, who has served as the Company’s Chief Compliance and Transformation Officer, has been appointed by AMMO’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) as the Company’s new Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Kasowski succeeds Rob Wiley, who resigned on September 19, 2024 at the request of the Board.

    After due consideration, the Company’s Board determined that Mr. Kasowski possesses the requisite experience and qualifications to serve as CFO. Mr. Kasowski most recently served as Chief Compliance and Transformation Officer since January 2024.

    Jared Smith, AMMO’s Chief Executive Officer and Board member, commented:

    “Since my appointment as CEO in July 2023, I have prioritized laying a foundation for long-term value creation and helping AMMO mature as a public company. The appointment of Paul will support these efforts. He brings additive experience in a variety of areas, including enhancing margins, improving internal processes, and positioning businesses to transform.”

    Paul Kasowski Biography:

    Prior to joining the Company in January 2024, Mr. Kasowski held the role of SVP, Business Transformation for Kinder’s Seasonings & Sauces from January 2022 to July 2023 where he professionalized financial reporting and implemented margin improvement projects while building a winning culture for this high growth brand. Previously, from December 2020 to December 2021, he was CFO for Arizona Natural Resources, a privately owned manufacturer of premium beauty care products where he oversaw finance, accounting, IT, HR, planning and sourcing. Mr. Kasowski also held the role of VP, Financial Planning & Analysis from April 2019 to December 2020 for Igloo Products Corp., a manufacturer of coolers and hydration products based in Katy, TX. From 2003 to 2019, he held progressing roles in finance, strategy, and operations for Del Monte Foods and Ainsworth Pet Nutrition. Mr. Kasowski earned his M.S. in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University, MBA from Ohio University, and B.S. in Finance from Robert Morris University.

    Independent Investigation Into Historical Financial Statements

    As disclosed in a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 24, 2024, a Special Sub-Committee of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors has retained a law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the Company’s internal control over financial reporting for the fiscal years 2020 through 2023. The independent investigation is in its early stages and is focused on fiscal years 2020 through 2023.

    The Company does not plan to comment further until the completion of the investigation.

    About AMMO, Inc.

    With its corporate offices headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, AMMO designs and manufactures products for a variety of aptitudes, including law enforcement, military, sport shooting and self-defense. The Company was founded in 2016 with a vision to change, innovate and invigorate the complacent munitions industry. AMMO promotes branded munitions as well as its patented STREAK™ Visual Ammunition, /stelTH/™ subsonic munitions, and specialty rounds for military use via government programs. For more information, please visit: www.ammo-inc.com.

    About GunBroker

    GunBroker is the largest online marketplace dedicated to firearms, hunting, shooting and related products. Aside from merchandise bearing its logo, GunBroker currently sells none of the items listed on its website. Third-party sellers list items on the site and Federal and state laws govern the sale of firearms and other restricted items. Ownership policies and regulations are followed using licensed firearms dealers as transfer agents. Launched in 1999, the GunBroker.com website is an informative, secure and safe way to buy and sell firearms, ammunition, air guns, archery equipment, knives and swords, firearms accessories and hunting/shooting gear online. GunBroker promotes responsible ownership of guns and firearms. For more information, visit: www.gunbroker.com.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This document contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words like “may,” “will,” “likely,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “future,” “plan,” “believe,” “intend,” “goal,” “seek,” “estimate,” “project,” “continue,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of the business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the dates they are made. You should, however, consult further disclosures and risk factors we include in Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports filed on Form 8-K.

    Contacts

    For media:
    Longacre Square Partners
    Joe Householder, (646) 582-3643
    AMMO@longacresquare.com

    For investors:
    Matt Blazei
    CoreIR
    Phone: (516) 386-0430
    IR@ammo-inc.com

    Source: AMMO, Inc.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Where do we stash the equivalent of 110 Sydney harbour bridges? That’s the conundrum Australia faces as oil and gas rigs close

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darryn Snell, Associate professor, School of Management, RMIT University

    James Jones Jr, Shutterstock

    Oil and gas wells are dotted off Australia’s shores. They involve huge steel structures fixed firmly to the sea floor, and thousands of kilometres of pipelines.

    Most of Australia’s offshore oil and gas projects will be decommissioned in the next 30 years – some in the next decade. An estimated 5.7 million tonnes of material will need to be removed – the equivalent of 110 Sydney harbour bridges.

    Australia desperately needs the skills and equipment to conduct these complex decommissioning operations. The Albanese government says a high-capacity decommissioning facility is required by the early 2030s. At present, no such facilities exist.

    We hope the nation welcomes the opportunity to build a new multi-billion dollar demolition and recycling industry, with skilled jobs for workers. Rather than letting companies abandon structures for so-called “artificial reefs”.

    What would a decommissioning industry look like?

    Australia has two main offshore oil and gas producing areas: the North West Shelf in Western Australia and the Bass Strait off Gippsland, Victoria.

    WA and the Northern Territory have 35 platforms, 11 floating facilities and 6,076km of pipelines offshore. Victoria has 22 platforms and 2,089km of pipelines. Altogether, more than a thousand wells will need to be plugged and abandoned.

    Many of these facilities have already reached the end of their lives, or soon will. Less demand for fossil fuels in the future means we don’t need to refurbish or extend them. The only other option is to decommission them.

    Federal law requires the complete removal of offshore oil and gas infrastructure and plugging of wells, unless companies can come up with a better option.

    About 60% of the material requiring removal is steel, which could be recycled. A further 25% is concrete. The remainder includes plastics, hazardous metals and naturally occurring radioactive materials.

    But decommissioning is expensive, complex and time consuming, and the weak regulations are poorly enforced. Companies often present proposals that fail to meet community expectations.

    The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility argues “further regulation is needed to ensure greater transparency, disclosure, and public consultation on decommissioning”.

    The Albanese government has been developing a plan for a decommissioning industry in Australia. It would be worth A$60 billion over the next 30 to 50 years.

    The industry would reclaim the materials and transport them to dismantling yards, for safe sorting and recycling. It would create highly skilled jobs, many of which overlap with skills needed for building offshore wind farms. These include:

    • electricians and mechanical fitters
    • specialist engineering roles
    • various management and contract management roles
    • health, safety and environmental specialists
    • specialist offshore operators, including for cranes and drilling activities.

    Currently only a few countries such as Norway and Turkiye have such dedicated decommissioning industries. Some also accept materials from oil and gas fields further afield. Scottish oil and gas rigs, for example, were controversially transported to Turkiye for dismantling and recycling in 2022-23.

    Plenty of work to be done

    In Gippsland, there may be ways to decommission not just offshore oil and gas, but also coal-fired power stations in the Latrobe Valley, which are scheduled to close in coming years.

    Some 30,000 tonnes of steel and 65,000m³ of asbestos was removed when Hazelwood Power Station was demolished. A further 100,000 tonnes of steel and 100,000 tonnes of concrete was recycled.

    Much recycling work was done on site. This provided more than 1.1 million hours of work employment badly needed in a region that had lost one of its largest employers.

    The WA state government allocated $5 million to a local decommissioning industry in its 2022-23 budget. This funds the Centre of Decommissioning Australia’s research, including a study investigating how to develop a dismantling hub in WA.

    Unfortunately, Victoria has not shown similar interest. This is despite decommissioning work by Esso in Bass Strait raising ongoing community concerns. They relate to the marine environment, human safety – for fishing, beach and tourism activities – and the loss of other potential industry and job opportunities.

    Whether to remove oil and gas structures or leave them in place is hotly debated. Some people argue the structures should be left to serve as artificial reefs. Others say the material is dangerous and potentially toxic.

    Given the immense size and number of oil and gas platforms around the world, a lot of material could be left to decay in the oceans with unknown consequences.

    Gas in the Bass Strait is running out but what will happen to the offshore rigs? | 7.30.

    Challenges and opportunities

    Renewable energy promises to create jobs and revitalise many fossil-fuel dependent regions. Setting up a decommissioning industry in the oil and gas regions of WA and Victoria would provide further opportunities during the transition.

    Ideally, the decommissioning process would deliver positive social and environmental benefits, not just cost savings. But that requires managing decommissioning as part of policies aimed at supporting workers and communities to adjust to a low carbon economy.

    The Future Made in Australia policy, for instance, could consider including support for a decommissioning industry.

    Regulations for decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure must be strengthened. Environmental groups and unions are increasingly campaigning for these changes. Australia’s oil and gas companies are powerful and will likely resist further regulation.

    Abandoning oil and gas infrastructure on the ocean floor would result in lost opportunities for regions, communities and workers. It would also set a precedent for the dumping of yet more industrial waste into the ocean.

    We must get decommissioning right. Otherwise, it may prove another environmental harm imposed on the planet by the oil and gas industry.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Where do we stash the equivalent of 110 Sydney harbour bridges? That’s the conundrum Australia faces as oil and gas rigs close – https://theconversation.com/where-do-we-stash-the-equivalent-of-110-sydney-harbour-bridges-thats-the-conundrum-australia-faces-as-oil-and-gas-rigs-close-235867

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The United States Increases Commitment to Resilience and Opportunities for Women in Food Systems

    Source: USAID

    The United States, through USAID, announced today an additional $114 million commitment to tackle urgent challenges women face in agrifood and water systems, including climate change – bringing the total dedicated in Fiscal Year 2023 to $449 million for Generating Resilience and Opportunities for Women (GROW). The announcement – made at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Commit to Grow Equality Action Event during high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly – reconfirms USAID’s dedication to ending discriminatory social norms and laws across agrifood and water systems.

    Today’s announcement reinforces USAID’s role at the forefront of advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in the agricultural sector, which lifts whole economies. Women’s contributions are critical to building inclusive, resilient food systems and achieving global food security goals. The FAO estimates that if just half of small-scale producers benefited from development interventions that empower women, it would significantly raise incomes for 58 million people and increase the resilience of an additional 235 million people. In addition, closing the gender gap in farm productivity and the wage gap in agrifood-system employment would increase global gross domestic product by nearly $1 trillion and reduce the number of food insecure people by 45 million. 

    In April 2023, USAID launched GROW to advance gender priorities in USAID’s agrifood and water systems and climate adaptation programs – a significant portion of which is provided through Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and poverty initiative. As global levels of conflict and instability rise, gender-based violence, child marriage, hunger, and poverty can prevent women and girls from fully engaging in and benefitting from agrifood systems. Through GROW, USAID is supporting women to have access to tools and resources to build resilience and thrive amidst these challenges, benefiting their families, communities, and societies through improved food security, resilience, and economic growth.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Administrator Samantha Power’s First Day at the UN General Assembly High-Level Week

    Source: USAID

    The following is attributable to Spokesperson Benjamin Suarato:

    Today, Administrator Power arrived in New York today for the UN General Assembly High Level Week. She first met with Saudi Arabia’s Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Royal Court Adviser and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, to discuss areas for potential collaboration and ongoing humanitarian responses in Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine.

    Joined by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Administrator Power and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell co-hosted the official launch of the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future, a first of its kind coalition to end childhood lead poisoning in developing countries by 2040. The launch event included an announcement of more than $150 million in donor commitments, ten times the amount that is spent each year tackling this problem, with 26 countries and 38 partner organizations joining the coalition.

    Administrator Power also participated in a roundtable hosted by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Bank of America, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Alongside U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Rich Verma and CEOs from major energy, finance, and insurance firms, Administrator Power discussed how USAID, other U.S. government agencies, and private sector actors are helping to address immediate needs and future opportunities in Ukraine’s energy sector and broader economy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor announces framework to help employers promote inclusive hiring as AI-powered recruitment tools’ use grows

    Source: US Department of Labor

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the publication of the AI & Inclusive Hiring Framework, a new tool designed to support the inclusive use of artificial intelligence in employers’ hiring technology and increase benefits to disabled job seekers. 

    Published by the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology, the framework will help employers reduce the risks of creating unintentional forms of discrimination and barriers to accessibility as they implement AI hiring technology. Funded by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the initiative will also help workers and job seekers navigate the potential benefits and challenges they may face when encountering AI-enabled technologies.

    PEAT’s framework is based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s AI Risk Management Framework and includes NIST’s best practices for inclusive hiring. ODEP and PEAT developed the framework with input from disability advocates, AI experts, government and industry leaders and the public at large. The framework has 10 focus areas, including practices, goals and sample activities that employers can adopt in their AI governance and disability-inclusive hiring initiatives. Each area has information on maximizing benefits and managing risks for workers and job seekers when an organization assesses, acquires or deploys an AI hiring technology.

    “The Office of Disability Employment Policy works with many employers eager to hire people with disabilities and benefit from their talents,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams. “These employers recognize that AI tools can improve recruitment and hiring but may also impact workplace culture and inclusion of disabled employees. The AI & Inclusive Hiring Framework published today charts a clear course for employers to navigate this transformation successfully.” 

    The framework’s foundation was laid during a PEAT Think Tank in April 2023 and developed with additional input gathered in discussions with experts, listening sessions and a national online public dialogue. ODEP and PEAT authored the framework in collaboration with NIST and other external partners. 

    The initiative aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to prevent AI-powered employment tools from hindering U.S. workers’ employment prospects. In October 2022, the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy released its Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights to promote more equitable and inclusive digital hiring practices with workers with disabilities and other underserved communities.

    Managed by Wheelhouse Group, PEAT helps workplaces procure, implement and use disability-inclusive technology.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DCCA News RELEASE: Registration Opens for 2024-2025 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts Competition

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DCCA News RELEASE: Registration Opens for 2024-2025 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts Competition

    Posted on Sep 24, 2024 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS

    KA ʻOIHANA PILI KĀLEPA


     JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR | KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    NADINE Y. ANDO

    DIRECTOR | KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

    TY Y. NOHARA

    SECURITIES COMMISSIONER

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    September 24, 2024

    Registration Opens for 2024-2025 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts Competition

    HONOLULU — The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Business Registration Division invites teams to participate in the 2024-2025 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts Competition.

    LifeSmarts is a free, national educational program that teaches students critical life skills in five key areas: Personal Finance, Consumer Rights & Responsibilities, Health & Safety, the Environment, and Technology through online quizzes and in-person competitions. Teams must consist of one adult coach/teacher and at least four students.

    Registration is now open at lifesmarts.org.

    Once registered, high school or “varsity” teams can participate in the online portion of the competition from Monday, October 21, 2024, until Friday, December 6, 2024, at 7 p.m. HST. The top four highest-scoring teams will be invited to compete in the state championship competition at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu on February 21, 2025. The winning team will have the opportunity to represent Hawaiʻi at the national competition, scheduled for April 24 to 27, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois.

    Middle school or “junior varsity” teams with students in grades 6 to 8 can participate in an online-only competition from Monday, October 21, 2024, to Friday, December 6, 2024, at 7 p.m. HST. For more information about the Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts program, please visit www.lifesmartshawaii.com or contact LifeSmarts State Coordinator, Theresa Kong Kee, at 808-587-7400 or [email protected].

    The Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts program is locally sponsored by DCCA’s Business Registration Division and Insurance Division, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Credit Union League, and is run by the National Consumers League. More than 3,000 local students have participated in Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts since 2004. Local businesses interested in becoming a sponsor of the Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts program are welcome to contact the state coordinator for more information.

     

    Learn more about the Hawai‘i LifeSmarts program with this video. Content from previous years, including photos, is available here.

     

    # # #

    Media Contact:

    William Nhieu

    Communications Officer

    Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

    Email: [email protected]

    Office: 808-586-7582

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release-Why You Should Carry a Towel and a Box In Your Car, Sept. 24, 2024

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release-Why You Should Carry a Towel and a Box In Your Car, Sept. 24, 2024

    Posted on Sep 24, 2024 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    DAWN CHANG
    CHAIRPERSON

    NEWS RELEASE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Sept. 24, 2024

    WHY YOU SHOULD CARRY A TOWEL AND A BOX IN YOUR CAR THIS TIME OF YEAR

    (HONOLULU) – It’s for the bird’s sake. From now, until mid-December people across Hawai‘i are being encouraged to have a small towel and box in their vehicles in the event they spot a seabird that has fallen to the ground. People can also help by using bird-safe lights at homes and businesses.

    Every fall, young seabirds leave their nest to take their first flight toward the ocean and can become disoriented by artificial light, collide with man-made structures, or become exhausted and “fall out,” where they remain vulnerable to automobiles and predators.

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and licensed wildlife rehabilitation organizations like Save Our Shearwaters and the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, work together to protect seabirds that need help during fallout season.

    In a small corner of the Honolulu Zoo, Rachael Sitzer of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center is preparing for the busy season. Last year, on O‘ahu alone, the center took in more than 700 fallen seabirds.

    “Every single bird, in our eyes, needs a full veterinary evaluation whether or not they appear healthy,” Sitzer explains. “Whether or not they need extensive, actual medical care is determined during the exam. That includes checking things like waterproofing of their feathers if they got contaminated, that’s not something the bird is going to know is wrong with it. So, they might be acting fine, but actually, if you send them out to sea like that they could drown. So, every bird needs to be evaluated by a medical professional.”

    While there are more than 20 species of seabirds that nest in Hawai‘i, the concern during fallout season pertains mostly to seabirds protected under state and federal law: ‘a‘o (Newell’s shearwater), ‘ua‘u (Hawaiian petrel), akē‘akē (Band-rumped storm-petrel), ‘ua‘u kani (wedge-tailed shearwater) and ʻou (Bulwer’s petrel).

    Last week, Sitzer was caring for a couple of Bulwer’s petrels, which are among the earliest to experience fall out.

    Sitzer said, “At this point in the year, we’re still having fuzzy chicks in the nest that might be starting to venture from their burrows a little bit, so we want to make sure that we’re not taking a chick unnecessarily that doesn’t need help. But certainly, if we’re getting toward November and you find a bird in your yard, your driveway, in the street, your parking lot, or struggling in the water to stay afloat, or on the beach staying in the same spot a long time, those are all indications that a bird might need help.”

    Wildlife rehabilitators and federal and state experts say being able to recognize these signs is important. They recommend preparing in advance by having boxes handy in your car and at your house. Poke holes in them for ventilation and have a clean towel at the bottom. Also have a clean towel or a piece of cloth to place over the bird and gently pick it up around the body and place it in the box. Finally, know where the certified drop-off sites are on your particular island (see link below).

    It’s the bird version of the three R’s: Recognize, Respond, Rehab.

    Recognize:

    • Recognize the signs of whether the seabird truly needs help. Young seabirds are often seen sitting outside their burrows in coastal areas and do not need help. These birds must be left alone. If the seabird is an unsafe environment, such as the side of the road, next to a building, or under a streetlight, then it likely needs help.
    • Contact DOFAW or a wildlife rehabilitation facility for questions or assistance determining if the bird needs help.

    Respond:

    • If it is determined that the seabird needs help, prepare a ventilated container, such as a pet carrier or cardboard box with holes and collect the bird by approaching it from behind and using a lightweight towel or cloth to gently pick up the bird.
    • Do not give it any food or water. Place the container in a quiet, dark location, away from people, animals, loud noises and extreme temperature changes. Do not attempt to release the bird on your own.

    Rehab:

    • Bring the seabird to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility, downed wildlife drop-off location, or veterinary clinic as soon as possible. When dropping off the bird, please provide the date and time and location of when/where you found the bird. This information can help wildlife biologists and managers to prevent seabird fallout in the first place.

    Prior to any bird being released, Sitzer added, “We have a really long list of criteria that all the birds have to meet in order to be considered releasable. Once we feel they meet all that criteria we take them to a controlled release site where we can safely let them fly out to sea. But sometimes these fledglings don’t want to go. They might not feel ready, so we just give them the time that they need physically and mentally in order to go out to sea.”

    Simple changes at home or at your business can help reduce the potential for seabirds to confuse artificial lights with natural moonlight.

    • Keep unnecessary outdoor lights off during the autumn months and close your curtains at night to minimize the impact of indoor lights.
    • For outdoor lights that must stay on at night, consider adding shields that direct light downward or using direction lights that only project toward the ground.
    • Using low-intensity lights can also help minimize risks.
    • Examples of seabird-friendly lighting are available on the DLNR DOFAW website below.

    # # #

    RESOURCES 

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

    HD video – Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, Honolulu Zoo (Sept. 19, 2024):

    (Transcript/shot sheet attached)

    Photographs – Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, Honolulu Zoo (Sept. 19, 2024):

    Media Contact: 

    Dan Dennison

    Communications Director

    808-587-0396

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release-Why You Should Carry a Towel and a Box In Your Car

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release-Why You Should Carry a Towel and a Box In Your Car

    Posted on Sep 24, 2024 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    DAWN CHANG
    CHAIRPERSON

    NEWS RELEASE

     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Sept. 24, 2024

    WHY YOU SHOULD CARRY A TOWEL AND A BOX IN YOUR CAR THIS TIME OF YEAR

    (HONOLULU) – It’s for the bird’s sake. From now, until mid-December people across Hawai‘i are being encouraged to have a small towel and box in their vehicles in the event they spot a seabird that has fallen to the ground. People can also help by using bird-safe lights at homes and businesses.

    Every fall, young seabirds leave their nest to take their first flight toward the ocean and can become disoriented by artificial light, collide with man-made structures, or become exhausted and “fall out,” where they remain vulnerable to automobiles and predators.

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and licensed wildlife rehabilitation organizations like Save Our Shearwaters and the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, work together to protect seabirds that need help during fallout season.

    In a small corner of the Honolulu Zoo, Rachael Sitzer of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center is preparing for the busy season. Last year, on O‘ahu alone, the center took in more than 700 fallen seabirds.

    “Every single bird, in our eyes, needs a full veterinary evaluation whether or not they appear healthy,” Sitzer explains. “Whether or not they need extensive, actual medical care is determined during the exam. That includes checking things like waterproofing of their feathers if they got contaminated, that’s not something the bird is going to know is wrong with it. So, they might be acting fine, but actually, if you send them out to sea like that they could drown. So, every bird needs to be evaluated by a medical professional.”

    While there are more than 20 species of seabirds that nest in Hawai‘i, the concern during fallout season pertains mostly to seabirds protected under state and federal law: ‘a‘o (Newell’s shearwater), ‘ua‘u (Hawaiian petrel), akē‘akē (Band-rumped storm-petrel), ‘ua‘u kani (wedge-tailed shearwater) and ʻou (Bulwer’s petrel).

    Last week, Sitzer was caring for a couple of Bulwer’s petrels, which are among the earliest to experience fall out.

    Sitzer said, “At this point in the year, we’re still having fuzzy chicks in the nest that might be starting to venture from their burrows a little bit, so we want to make sure that we’re not taking a chick unnecessarily that doesn’t need help. But certainly, if we’re getting toward November and you find a bird in your yard, your driveway, in the street, your parking lot, or struggling in the water to stay afloat, or on the beach staying in the same spot a long time, those are all indications that a bird might need help.”

    Wildlife rehabilitators and federal and state experts say being able to recognize these signs is important. They recommend preparing in advance by having boxes handy in your car and at your house. Poke holes in them for ventilation and have a clean towel at the bottom. Also have a clean towel or a piece of cloth to place over the bird and gently pick it up around the body and place it in the box. Finally, know where the certified drop-off sites are on your particular island (see link below).

    It’s the bird version of the three R’s: Recognize, Respond, Rehab.

    Recognize:

    • Recognize the signs of whether the seabird truly needs help. Young seabirds are often seen sitting outside their burrows in coastal areas and do not need help. These birds must be left alone. If the seabird is an unsafe environment, such as the side of the road, next to a building, or under a streetlight, then it likely needs help.
    • Contact DOFAW or a wildlife rehabilitation facility for questions or assistance determining if the bird needs help.

    Respond:

    • If it is determined that the seabird needs help, prepare a ventilated container, such as a pet carrier or cardboard box with holes and collect the bird by approaching it from behind and using a lightweight towel or cloth to gently pick up the bird.
    • Do not give it any food or water. Place the container in a quiet, dark location, away from people, animals, loud noises and extreme temperature changes. Do not attempt to release the bird on your own.

    Rehab:

    • Bring the seabird to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility, downed wildlife drop-off location, or veterinary clinic as soon as possible. When dropping off the bird, please provide the date and time and location of when/where you found the bird. This information can help wildlife biologists and managers to prevent seabird fallout in the first place.

    Prior to any bird being released, Sitzer added, “We have a really long list of criteria that all the birds have to meet in order to be considered releasable. Once we feel they meet all that criteria we take them to a controlled release site where we can safely let them fly out to sea. But sometimes these fledglings don’t want to go. They might not feel ready, so we just give them the time that they need physically and mentally in order to go out to sea.”

    Simple changes at home or at your business can help reduce the potential for seabirds to confuse artificial lights with natural moonlight.

    • Keep unnecessary outdoor lights off during the autumn months and close your curtains at night to minimize the impact of indoor lights.
    • For outdoor lights that must stay on at night, consider adding shields that direct light downward or using direction lights that only project toward the ground.
    • Using low-intensity lights can also help minimize risks.
    • Examples of seabird-friendly lighting are available on the DLNR DOFAW website below.

    # # #

    RESOURCES 

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

    HD video – Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, Honolulu Zoo (Sept. 19, 2024):

    https://vimeo.com/1011166212

    (Transcript/shot sheet attached)

    Photographs – Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, Honolulu Zoo (Sept. 19, 2024):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/knovscgpohaqg9g0iccm8/AKBQZhSWSY5r3QTg7oh4TYk?rlkey=jj38o9cfpbl3meu7zv6g0faun&st=n0zvj3d8&dl=0

    Lighting tips and to find the closest wildlife center visit: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/seabird-fallout-season/

    Media Contact: 

    Dan Dennison

    Communications Director

    808-587-0396

    [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Minister Champagne to welcome European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager to Montreal

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, will meet in Montreal with the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Europe fit for the Digital Age and Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, to discuss topics of mutual interest as well as bilateral and global issues.

    September 24, 2024 – Montreal (Quebec)

    The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, will meet in Montreal with the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Europe fit for the Digital Age and Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, to discuss topics of mutual interest as well as bilateral and global issues.

    In addition, Minister Champagne and Executive Vice-President Vestager will attend the unveiling of the MonarQ quantum computer and participate in an informal discussion on economic security, artificial intelligence, research and innovation, and competition policy reforms. The informal discussion will take place during a luncheon hosted by the Montreal Council on Foreign RelationsA question period will follow the unveiling.

    MonarQ quantum computer unveiled

    Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

    Time: 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (Eastern Time).

    Location: Montreal (Quebec)

    Media representatives are requested to register with Valérie Harvey at valerie.harvey@calculquebec.cato confirm their attendance and obtain details of the location where the event will take place.

    Informal discussion at the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations luncheon

    Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

    Time: 12:50 p.m. (Eastern Time). The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. (Eastern Time). The Minister will be available to meet with the media following the luncheon.

    Location: Montreal (Quebec)

    Media representatives are requested to register with Gustavo Serra at gustavo@mercureconseil.cato confirm their attendance and obtain details of the location where the event will take place.

    Audrey MilettePress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industryaudrey.milette@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Media RelationsInnovation, Science and Economic Development Canadamedia@ised-isde.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI is fuelling a deepfake porn crisis in South Korea. What’s behind it – and how can it be fixed?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sungshin (Luna) Bae, PhD student, Gender Equality Policy Special Public Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in South Korea, Monash University

    It’s difficult to talk about artificial intelligence without talking about deepfake porn – a harmful AI byproduct that has been used to target everyone from Taylor Swift to Australian school girls.

    But a recent report from startup Security Heroes found that out of 95,820 deepfake porn videos analysed from different sources, 53% featured South Korean singers and actresses – suggesting this group is disproportionately targeted.

    So, what’s behind South Korea’s deepfake problem? And what can be done about it?

    Teenagers and minors among victims

    Deepfakes are digitally manipulated photos, video or audio files that convincingly depict someone saying or doing things they never did. Among South Korean teenagers, creating deepfakes has become so common that some even view it as a prank. And they don’t just target celebrities.

    On Telegram, group chats have been made for the specific purpose of engaging in image-based sexual abuse of women, including middle-school and high-school students, teachers and family members. Women who have their pictures on social media platforms such as KakaoTalk, Instagram and Facebook are also frequently targeted.

    The perpetrators use AI bots to generate the fake imagery, which is then sold and/or indiscriminately disseminated, along with victims’ social media accounts, phone numbers and KakaoTalk usernames. One Telegram group attracted some 220,000 members, according to a Guardian report.

    A lack of awareness

    Despite gender-based violence causing significant harm to victims in South Korea, there remains a lack of awareness on the issue.

    South Korea has experienced rapid technological growth in recent decades. It ranks first in the world in smartphone ownership and is cited as having the highest internet connectivity. Many jobs, including those in restaurants, manufacturing and public transport, are being rapidly replaced by robots and AI.

    But as Human Rights Watch points out, the country’s progress in gender equality and other human rights measures has not kept pace with digital advancement. And research has shown that technological progress can actually exacerbate issued of gender-based violence.

    Since 2019, digital sex crimes against children and adolescents in South Korea have been a huge issue – particularly due to the “Nth Room” case. This case involved hundreds of young victims (many of whom were minors) and around 260,000 participants engaged in sharing exploitative and coercive intimate content.

    The case triggered widespread outrage and calls for stronger protection. It even led to the establishment of stronger conditions in the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes 2020. But despite this, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said only 28% of the total 17,495 digital sex offenders caught in 2021 were indicted — highlighting the ongoing challenges in effectively addressing digital sex crimes.

    In 2020, the Ministry of Justice’s Digital Sexual Crimes Task Force proposed about 60 legal provisions, which have still not been accepted. The team was disbanded shortly after the inauguration of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government in 2022.

    During the 2022 presidential race, Yoon said “there is no structural gender discrimination” in South Korea and pledged to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the main ministry responsible for preventing gender-based violence. This post has remained vacant since February of this year.

    Can technology also be the solution?

    But AI isn’t always harmful – and South Korea provides proof of this too. In 2022, a digital sex crime support centre run by the Seoul metropolitan government developed a tool that can automatically track, monitor and delete deepfake images and videos around the clock.

    The technology – which won the 2024 UN Public Administration Prize – has helped reduce the time taken to find deepfakes from an average of two hours to three minutes. But while such attempts can help reduce further harm from deepfakes, they are unlikely to be an exhaustive solutions, as effects on victims can be persistent.

    For meaningful change, the government needs to hold service providers such as social media platforms and messaging apps accountable for ensuring user safety.

    Unified efforts

    On August 30, the South Korean government announced plans to push for legislation to criminalise the possession, purchase and viewing of deepfakes in South Korea.

    However, investigations and trials may continue to fall short until deepfakes in South Korea are recognised as a harmful form of gender-based violence. A multifaceted approach will be needed to address the deepfake problem, including stronger laws, reform and education.

    South Korean authorities must also help to enhance public awareness of gender-based violence, and focus not only on supporting victims, but on developing proactive policies and educational programs to prevent violence in the first place.

    Sungshin (Luna) Bae does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. AI is fuelling a deepfake porn crisis in South Korea. What’s behind it – and how can it be fixed? – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-fuelling-a-deepfake-porn-crisis-in-south-korea-whats-behind-it-and-how-can-it-be-fixed-238217

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –