HONG KONG , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In this era where everything is connected, reliable communication networks have become more than just a service provided by operators; they are the key to linking the entire ecosystem of devices. Breaking down barriers between terminal equipments, allowing every corner and every device to be ‘reliably connected anytime, anywhere,’ is not only a technological breakthrough but also a beautiful vision for the future way of life. GrowthEase, in partnership with China Telecom, has brought together a top-tier team of communication technology experts to co-develop the “Reliable Link” project. Centered around the three core principles of “Reliability, Openness, and Ubiquity,” this project utilizes innovative communication technologies to integrate advanced cloud-network capabilities into various ubiquitous terminal devices such as drones, smart cameras, smart speakers, and smart locks. This aims to break the traditional constraints of terminal forms and capabilities, ushering in a new era of reliable communication connectivity. Leveraging the open capabilities provided by GSMA Open Gateway, and relying on the high-quality global network nodes deployed by NetEase Zhiqi and China Telecom, this project ensures end-to-end latency for audio and video calls remains within 200ms, guaranteeing 99.9% lag-free call experiences. Through highly reliable connectivity services, the project prioritizes the quality and security of connections and transmission in any environment, realizing “reliable connectivity anytime, anywhere” across all types of ubiquitous terminal devices. Specifically, the Reliable Link project, through the Reliable-link AS platform and the Reliable-link applet, allows users to remotely control terminals like drones during a mobile voice call. For example, in the drone inspection scenario, Reliable Link can retrieve real-time flight routes, and with the Geofencing feature, set up electronic fences to ensure the drone stays within a safe area. When the drone detects a hazardous behavior, such as smoking, the system automatically triggers an alert and reports the location. Reliable Link combines VoLTE capabilities to initiate a video call to regional managers’ mobile phones, promptly pushing the alert information. Through Dev Loc verification and Location retrieval, the drone’s position is confirmed. Once the manager answers the video call, the QOD feature ensures high-quality video transmission, allowing the manager to issue control commands in real time through the call interface to control the drone’s flight. This not only ensures network reliability but also brings more efficient cross-terminal communication and smarter device management, making interactions between different devices smoother and more convenient, truly realizing “seamless connectivity” across ubiquitous terminal devices. The Reliable Link Drone Communication Connectivity Project tightly integrates drones with the PaaS communication infrastructure, empowering drones with high-reliability, high-quality communication transmission capabilities. This drives upgrades and innovation in the drone industry, contributing to the prosperity of the low-altitude economy. Looking ahead, Reliable Link will continue to innovate and collaborate with ecosystem partners, establishing industry benchmarks. From connecting everything to empowering countless industries, the project aims to create a new landscape for reliable communication applications, enabling the thriving development of industries worldwide. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/reliable-link-pioneering-a-new-era-of-reliable-connectivity-for-everything-302338544.html SOURCE China Telecom
Richard Parsons, prominent Black executive who led Time Warner and Citigroup, dies at 76
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WEST FARGO — When Happy, a sweet but oblivious-to-danger 9-year-old mare scraped up her back leg once again, owner Alicia Severson was able to call on Casselton Veterinary Service to visit her Gandin, N.D., farm and patch up Happy. But when it comes to a recurring ligament injury Happy sustained while competing in a barrel competition, Severson and many other horse and farm animal owners are finding it more difficult every year to find big animal veterinarians, and especially ones that specialize in certain care. ADVERTISEMENT "There is absolutely a shortage," Severson said. For decades, ranchers have been sounding the alarm about a shortage of rural veterinarians and new big animal vets, and especially those who specialize in caring for horses, cows, pigs and sheep. The problem persists despite land grant universities such as North Dakota State University, who often send undergraduates interested in the profession to far-away schools for continuing education. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture , 500 counties across 46 states reported critical shortages of big animal vets. And while large animal veterinarians have long been a challenge to find in rural areas, where they are most needed, veterinarians who specialize in horses are also waning. That's despite the increasing popularity and availability in North Dakota and Minnesota for younger generations to compete in equine activities. According to an online database, about 43,200 horses call North Dakota home, which is about one horse per 18 people in the state. Leon Glasser, president of the North Dakota Quarter Horse Racing Association, has been breeding, raising and racing horses for more than 40 years, working to improve the quality of racehorses born in North Dakota. Over the years, he's watched the number of veterinarians willing to work with horses dwindle quickly. "Are we short of equine vets in this area? Absolutely, we are," Glasser said. He said a veterinary clinic in New Salem, N.D., will now only provide simple paperwork needed for owners to transport horses across state lines for care and Missouri Valley Vet Clinic in Bismarck has also limited equine services in the same way. Most newer veterinarians prefer to work on dogs and cats exclusively, he said. ADVERTISEMENT Severson agreed, noting it is also difficult to find a veterinarian who has experience treating goats, as the Seversons have two goats at their farm along with the horses and a cat. For Happy's ligament issue, of which she's had recurring surgeries and needs sporadic treatment, Severson worked with an equine sports medicine specialist based in the Twin Cities but would travel into western Minnesota. However, that veterinarian recently retired, leaving Severson on the hunt to find another specialist within a few hundred miles of the Red River Valley. "Nothing takes the place of a seasoned veterinarian," Severson said. "Thankfully, Casselton [Veterinary Service] is fabulous when it comes to when my horse is injured. But when it comes to long-term stuff that she's dealing with, it's difficult." Dr. Alexa Weyer at Casselton Veterinary grew up in Snohomish, Wash., a farm town north of Seattle, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of North Dakota before finishing her doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University in Alabama. Following graduation, she began working at Casselton Veterinary in early 2021. "There is definitely a shortage of people interested in large animal practice, and we would love to see more interest," Weyer said. To be a veterinarian requires a doctorate degree from a veterinary school or program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and passing the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam, which is an extensive 360-question exam on all species (dogs, cats, horses, cows, goats, pigs, birds, reptiles, rabbits, fish and more) and all aspects of veterinary medicine. ADVERTISEMENT Veterinarians can choose to either go straight into general practice after graduation or they can seek further education to become a specialist. To be a veterinarian technician requires a two- or four-year veterinary technology degree, depending on the program. Derine Winning, a veterinarian at Valley Veterinary Hospital in Fargo and public policy adviser for the North Dakota Veterinary Medical Association, said the vast majority — about 70% — of new graduate veterinarians became companion animal practitioners in 2023. Almost 10% became mixed animal practitioners and only 6% became equine practitioners. The data comes from the American Veterinary Medical Association's 2024 Economic State of the Profession Report. "There are a lot of different areas in which veterinarians can become board certified through advanced education and training," Winning said. Animal specialists of any kind can be difficult to find locally, although Winning said the Red River Animal and Emergency Hospital and Referral Center in Fargo does have some specialists in oncology, surgery, internal medicine and emergency and critical care. Casselton Veterinary provides many large animal services from emergency on-call care to posting a doctor and technician for nights and weekends. In addition to their vets traveling to farms, the clinic has a large treatment area with two stocks and stalls for hospitalization and breeding care. The clinic also has several portable imaging tools. Weyer said the trend of vets moving away from rural areas can be seen in the growing need for referrals. "Unfortunately, most referral facilities across the country for large and small animals are in areas of high population density. For large animals, there are even fewer facilities and they tend to be at universities with veterinary schools or in areas of high equine concentration," she said. ADVERTISEMENT While the Casselton doctors work with a variety of places for specialty referrals, Sturgis Equine in western South Dakota and the University of Minnesota are probably most used by the clinic. Still, the closest drive is about four hours. Weyer said referrals are typically needed for colic surgery, arthroscopic surgery, advanced imaging or advanced hospitalizations. "In general practice like we are, there are always times to refer. For our clients, it would be nice to have a closer option, but a lot of areas in the country are even farther from referral than we are," Weyer said. Beth Carlson, deputy veterinarian with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, said rural areas most in need of large animal veterinarians may not attract college graduates with those abilities. "The ratio of large animal veterinarians has shifted quite a bit," Carlson said. "Certainly there are areas of the state where it is difficult to hire veterinarians for a variety of reasons. In some cases it's challenging to hire veterinarians even in urban areas as well." One challenge is the cost of becoming a veterinarian. The USDA offers a program that provides up to $75,000 in veterinary school loan repayment to graduates who agree to work in underserved rural communities a minimum of three years. While some in Congress have recently proposed increasing that amount, it can still be daunting as new veterinarians, on average, face about $190,000 in school debt over the eight years needed to become a veterinarian. ADVERTISEMENT According to the American Veterinary Medicine Association, the mean starting salary for a veterinarian working predominantly in the treatment of food animals is about $85,000, but it was more than $100,000 for those who specialize in pet care. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture does work with residents interested in attending veterinary school. Carlson said her office assists with applications for veterinary loan repayment programs. "There are a few different ways that the state and federal government has approached that issue," Carlson said. While NDSU has a veterinarian technician program, there are currently no veterinary schools in North Dakota. In fact, there are only about 30 veterinary schools nationwide. The closest to North Dakota and some of the most renowned veterinary medicine schools are the University of Minnesota, University of Iowa and Kansas State. "NDSU is a great agricultural school and has a great veterinary technician program," Weyer said. "It might be nice to have a veterinary doctorate program at NDSU, but I am not sure that the population is there yet to support one."Overinvested in Woolworths shares? Here are two alternative ASX retail stocks
World-renowned health innovator will lead global collaboration and health equity work FLINT, Mich. , Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Insight Health System (Insight), a physician-led organization focused on excellence in health care and community well-being, has named Dr. Maliha Hashmi , a pioneer in the fields of AI-driven prevision care, health equity and wellness advocacy, as the organization's first Global Ambassador. "Dr. Hashmi's unparalleled reputation as a health leader and innovator around the world, combined with her dedication to underserved populations and her commitment to using technology for good, aligns perfectly with Insight's mission focused on providing care that is second to none through love and compassion," said Dr. Jawad Shah , founder and chief executive officer of Insight. "Her leadership will be invaluable in helping Insight shape the future of health care." As Global Ambassador, Dr. Hashmi will be intimately involved in a range of large-scale initiatives aimed at population health, health equity, value-based care and preventative care. She will play a critical role in ensuring that Insight hospitals remain leaders in global health care innovation and advancing patient-centered care while fostering sustainable growth and economic development within the communities they serve. Her strategic vision will ensure that Insight continues to deliver health equity and forward-thinking care for generations to come. Throughout her career, Dr. Hashmi has championed the humanization of technology, ensuring advancements in health care strengthen human connection, compassion and accessibility. Her innovative approach integrates smart systems designed to enhance efficiency, elevate patient care and improve health outcomes – all under the guiding principle of "health care for everyone, everywhere." Dr. Hashmi has earned numerous accolades, including recently being ranked first among the Top 10 Female Innovators and Leaders Globally by Entrepreneur Mirror, and one of the Top 50 Most Influential Muslims in America by EqualityX. She holds advanced degrees from Harvard and MIT and has served as a World Economic Forum Global Future Expert and V20 Delegate for G20. "I am deeply honored to take on this role as Global Ambassador for Insight," said Dr. Hashmi. "My goal is to champion health care for everyone, everywhere, supporting Insight's mission to refine processes, increase efficiency and deliver patient care second to none to communities across the globe. I am excited to drive innovation, compassion and excellence in patient care, making health care accessible and dignified for all." Insight, led by Dr. Jawad Shah , is committed to serving underserved communities through a multidisciplinary approach that balances cutting-edge medical technologies with compassionate patient care. Dr. Hashmi's appointment as Global Ambassador further solidifies Insight's mission to expand the boundaries of health care innovation and equitable service delivery. Follow along with the latest from Insight Health System on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok and YouTube . Follow updates on Dr. Maliha Hashmi on the following platforms: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dr-maliha-hashmi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malihahashmiofficial/ About Insight Health System Insight Health System is a physician-led organization focused on pioneering excellence in health care and community well-being. Our expertise is in transforming distressed hospitals into stable, patient-centric care that is second-to-none. With a track record for innovation in health care, research and development, Insight Health System provides the communities we serve with world-class health care services at the forefront of medical technology. Our network currently includes a portfolio of entities encompassing six acute care hospitals (three of which are nonprofit), six surgery centers, 28 clinics, 580 physicians, 10 unions and 4,200 employees. Collectively, Insight Health System hospitals provide nearly 100,000 patient days annually. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/insight-health-system-appoints-dr-maliha-hashmi-as-global-ambassador-302332878.html SOURCE Insight Health SystemRavens now in the AFC North driver's seat
NoneIndiana coach Mike Woodson is happy that his team has won three straight games but concerned that it's committing too many turnovers. Limiting miscues is at the top of his wish list for Monday night's Big Ten Conference opener against visiting Minnesota in Bloomington, Ind. While the Hoosiers (7-2) shot 53.8 percent and dominated Miami (Ohio) 46-29 on the glass during a 76-57 win at home Friday night, they also had more turnovers (16) than assists (15). Having played for Bob Knight at Indiana, Woodson is fanatical about his team executing its offense without making mistakes. "We were taking chances on passes that weren't there," Woodson said. "We have to fix it. If we start Big Ten play like that, it puts you in a hole." In between careless mistakes, the Hoosiers got a huge game out of Oumar Ballo, the Arizona transfer who had 14 points, 18 rebounds and six assists. It was his 35th career double-double but his first at Indiana. Ballo (12.7 points per game, 9.3 rebounds) is one of four players averaging double figures for the Hoosiers. They're led by Malik Reneau, who's hitting for 15.4 ppg on 58.9 percent shooting. While Indiana tries to fine-tune its game, the Golden Gophers (6-4, 0-1 Big Ten) aim to get to the .500 mark in conference play after absorbing a 90-72 beating Wednesday night against visiting Michigan State. There was good news for Minnesota in that game. Mike Mitchell Jr. returned to the lineup after missing seven games with a high ankle sprain and drilled 5 of 9 3-pointers in a 17-point performance. Mitchell's shooting should aid an attack that ranks 311th in Division I in 3-point percentage at 29.7 percent as of Sunday. "He's a difference-maker in terms of being able to space the floor," Gophers coach Ben Johnson said of Mitchell. "He provides offensive firepower and a guy who can make shots and take pressure off our offense." Dawson Garcia leads the team at 19 ppg, while Lu'Cye Patterson and Mitchell are scoring 10 ppg. The Hoosiers own a 109-69 lead in the all-time series. --Field Level Media
GeoCue Announces Epotronic as Latest Distributor in Germany3rd China-Indian Ocean Forum: Pakistan underlines Gwadar development under CPEC Forum in Kunming, China, was organised by China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting regional marine cooperation and ensuring peace, progress, and sustainability in the Indian Ocean region. Addressing the 3rd China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Blue Economy Cooperation held from December 14 to 16 in Kunming, China, via a video message, the President underscored the development of Gwadar Port under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is being transformed into a regional connectivity hub to drive trade and maritime economic growth. The Forum in Kunming, China, was organised by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) which focused on promoting collaboration among countries in the maritime sector. The President praised Pakistan’s partnership with China under the Belt and Road Initiative, emphasising its role in knowledge exchange, technological advancement, and marine conservation. The President stressed the need for collective action to harness the ocean’s potential while addressing the challenges of climate change, pollution, and ecosystem degradation. “Pakistan stands ready to partner with all stakeholders to promote marine cooperation and ensure that our region remains a bastion of peace, progress, and sustainability,” the President said. The President said that the future economic growth was going to be driven by the East due to its large population resources. Highlighting the importance of the ocean as a shared lifeline and a source of immense economic opportunities, President Asif Zardari pointed out Pakistan’s efforts to enhance its blue economy, including the National Maritime Policy, initiatives on sustainable fisheries and marine conservation, and the Living Indus Project, to protect ecosystems and combat pollution. The President commended China’s Global Development Initiative and CIDCA’s efforts to embed sustainability in the Forum’s goals. He expressed appreciation for capacity building and island nations in the Forum’s agenda, saying that it is aligned with Pakistan’s vision of transnational collaboration and environmental stewardship. About the Forum’s outcomes, the President said, “I am sure that this Forum will pave the way for greater economic cooperation among member countries.” He called for collective efforts to protect marine resources and promote the blue economy for future generations. The 3rd China-Indian Ocean Region Forum seeks to unite leaders, policymakers, and experts to explore maritime collaboration and sustainable development.
As it crossed the Niger Delta in 2021, a satellite imaged acres of bare land. The site outside the city of Port Harcourt was on a United Nations Environment Programme cleanup list, supposed to be restored to green farmland as the Delta was before thousands of oil spills turned it into a byword for pollution. Instead it was left a sandy “moonscape” unusable for farming, according to U.N. documents. It wasn’t the only botched cleanup, a cache of previously unreported investigations, emails, letters to Nigerian ministers and meeting minutes show. Senior U.N. officials considered the Nigerian cleanup agency a “total failure.” The agency, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, or Hyprep, selected cleanup contractors without relevant experience, a U.N. review found. It sent soil samples to laboratories lacking the equipment for tests they had claimed to perform. Auditors were physically blocked from checking that work had been completed. Most cleanup companies are owned by politicians, a former Nigerian environment minister told the AP, and correspondence shows similar views were shared by U.N. officials. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. There have been thousands of oil spills since Niger Delta production began in the 1950s. Reports and studies document that people often wash, drink, fish and cook in contaminated water. Spills still occur frequently. In November, the Ogboinbiri community in Bayelsa state suffered its fourth spill in three months, harming fields, streams and fishing. “We have not harvested anything," said farmer Timipre Bridget, there is now “no way to survive.” After a major U.N. pollution survey in 2011, oil companies agreed to a $1 billion cleanup fund for the worst-affected area, Ogoniland. Shell, the largest private oil and gas company in the country, contributed $300 million. The U.N. was relegated to an advisory role. The Nigerian government would handle the funds. But a confidential investigation by U.N. scientists last year found the site outside Port Harcourt was left with a “complete absence of topsoil,” with almost seven times more petroleum remaining than Nigerian health limits allow. The company responsible had its contract revoked, Nenibarini Zabbey, the current director of Hyprep, told the AP by email. The head of operations when the contract was awarded, Philip Shekwolo, called allegations in the U.N. documents “baseless" and "cheap blackmail.” Shekwolo, who used to head up oil spill remediation for Shell, insists the cleanup was successful. But the documents show U.N. officials raising the alarm since 2021, when Shekwolo was acting chief. A January 2022 U.N. review found 21 of the 41 contractors okayed to clean up spill sites had no relevant experience. These included construction companies and general merchants. They were effectively handed a “blank check,” U.N. Senior Project Advisor Iyenemi Kakulu is recorded saying in the minutes of a meeting with Hyprep and Shell. Incompetent companies were to blame for bad cleanups, Hyprep’s own communications chief, Joseph Kpobari is in the minutes as having said. Despite this, they were rewarded contracts for more polluted sites, the U.N. delegation warned. Zabbey denied Kpobari’s admission. He said 16 out of 20 sites in the project’s first stage are certified as clean by Nigerian regulators and many have been returned to communities. Hyprep always issued contracts correctly, he said. Two sources close to the cleanup efforts, speaking anonymously for fear of loss of business or employment, said when officials visited laboratories used by Hyprep, they lacked equipment needed to perform the tests they reported. In a letter to customers, one U.K. laboratory frequently used by Hyprep acknowledged its tests for most of 2022 were flawed and unreliable and the U.K. laboratory accreditation service confirmed the lab was twice suspended. Zabbey says now Hyprep monitors contractors more closely, labs adhere to Nigerian and U.N. recommendations and are frequently checked. The U.N. also warned the Nigerian government in a 2021 assessment that Hyprep’s spending was not being tracked. Internal auditors were considered “the enemy” and “demonized for doing their job.” Shekwolo’s predecessor as Hyprep chief blocked financial controls and “physically prevented” auditors from checking that work had been completed, it found. Zabbey responded that the audit team is valued now, and accounts are audited annually, although he provided only one audit cover letter. In it, the accountants “identified weaknesses.” One Nigerian politician tried to change things: Sharon Ikeazor spent decades as a lawyer before becoming environment minister in 2019. “The companies had no competence whatsoever,” she said in a phone interview. In February 2022, she received a letter from senior U.N. official Muralee Thummarukudy, warning of “significant opportunities for malpractice" over contract awards, unusually strong language in U.N. diplomacy. She removed Shekwolo as acting Hyprep chief the next month, explaining that she believed he was too close to the politicians. Most cleanup companies were owned by politicians, she said. The few competent companies “wouldn’t get the big jobs.” Shekwolo assessed who was competent for contract awards, Ikeazor said. Shekwolo’s former employer Shell and the U.N. both warned her about him, she said, something Shekwolo says he was unaware of. Ikeazor asked Shekwolo’s successor to review every suspect contract and investigate the cleanup companies. “That sent shockwaves around the political class,” she said. She was quickly replaced as environment minister, with Shekwolo rehired, after just two months out of office. Shekwolo denied being too close to politicians. He insists no reason was given for his removal and suggested Ikeazor simply didn’t like him. Last year, the U.N. Environment Programme ended its official involvement in the Nigerian oil spill cleanup, explaining its five-year consultancy was over. Ikeazor said the real reason was U.N. frustration over corruption, and the two sources close to the project concurred. Zabbey said he believes the U.N. merely changed its goals and moved on. Associated Press reporters Taiwo Adebayo and Dan Ikpoyi contributed from Abuja and Bayelsa, Nigeria. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .