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Located on the 34th floor of its Chulia Street headquarters, OCBC’s premier private client centre caters to high net worth clients – those who have at least $1 million in deposits or investments with the bank. It also hosts high-fliers of another kind: a pair of peregrine falcons, who have set up their home in a recess 10m above the centre’s balcony. The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on earth, able to fly at speeds of more than 320kmh when diving for prey. The subspecies which resides in Singapore, Falco peregrinus ernesti, can be identified by its solid black head. It is smaller than the migrant Falco peregrinus calidus, which has a thin black facial stripe and flies to the tropics during the winter months in the northern hemisphere. The bird, with a wingspan of up to about 1m, typically mates for life. A biodiversity record compiled by researchers from the National Parks Board (NParks) was published in scientific journal Nature in Singapore in August. It reported that a pair of eggs had been spotted in the recess above OCBC’s premier private client centre, believed to be the first locally documented sign of breeding for the peregrine falcon. Researchers document rare sight of two pangolins fighting The eggs, however, appeared to have been abandoned by the bird that laid them. To retrieve the eggs, NParks enlisted the help of robotics researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Though initially intending to use a drone for the task, the five-member team opted instead to use a device consisting of a telescopic pole and a claw controlled by cables on the ground. Taking inspiration from the falcon’s scientific name, the device was named Ernest, which is short for Egg Retrieval and Nesting Enhancement Support Tool. The apparatus was inspired by the claw machine games found in arcades, said SUTD’s Associate Professor Foong Shaohui, who leads the team. The two eggs were taken to the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, where it was found that the lighter egg had a small crack and a sulphurous smell, indicating that it had decomposed. While the heavier egg was intact, examinations found that it was viable but likely non-fertile. “These observations suggest that the eggs may have been abandoned by the parents due to shell damage,” said Dr Malcolm Soh, principal researcher for wildlife management research at NParks. A research team from NParks installed on Nov 22 a nesting tray with loose gravel in the recess, to assist the falcons in creating a better home and helping them breed. The birds will be able to dig a small scrape in the loose gravel where eggs can be laid, providing them with a softer, more suitable surface for nesting, said Dr Soh. A CCTV camera system was installed to allow researchers to monitor the progress of the falcons’ breeding cycle. The nesting tray will be left in the recess to allow the falcons to familiarise themselves with it ahead of their nesting period which stretches from around end January to early February. If nesting is successful, the eggs are expected to hatch in March 2025, with chicks fledging, or developing the feathers and wing muscles necessary for flight, the following month. The research team will continue to monitor the nest site for subsequent breeding cycles and maintain it if needed, such as by removing debris and replacing the nesting tray substrate. Dr Soh, who leads the research, noted that while the peregrine falcon is one of the most widespread species in the world, most research has been focused on temperate subspecies. The data collected will help bridge the “significant gap” in the understanding of the peregrine falcon’s breeding behaviour in the tropics, he said, adding he believes there are just a “handful of breeding pairs” here. In a natural environment, the falcons would typically nest on limestone cliffs, said Dr Soh. The skyscrapers in the central business district provide a man-made alternative to these cliffs, he added, noting however that the birds will not just choose to nest in any tall building. “The OCBC Centre is quite nice for nesting because they have this very nice overhang shelter, and there’s also a recess where they can feel quite safe when they go in to nest or to rest,” he noted. Pigeons in the CBD also provide an abundant food source for the falcons, Dr Soh added. For staff at the OCBC Centre, the birds have become a familiar sight, with the bank donating $10,000 to support the installation of the nesting tray and CCTV system. OCBC group brand and communications head Koh Ching Ching said the bank is “embracing the wonders of this surprise right outside our office windows”. “Given our longstanding relationship with NParks, we are happy to play a small part in their quest to learn more about this rare breed of peregrine falcon,” she added. “It is sometimes said that when a bird chooses to nest at your home, it can bring good luck to the owner.”baccarat vs blackjack 。

I want to retire a millionaire, so I showed my portfolio to a financial planner and he said 4 mistakes are holding me back( MENAFN - GetNews) Mobile Locksmith TX Earns Praise for Outstanding Customer Satisfaction on Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Mobile Locksmith TX has established itself as a highly regarded locksmith Service Provider in Houston, catering to residents and businesses with dependable solutions. Known for its professionalism, timely assistance, and affordability, the company continues to gain recognition, as reflected in its outstanding reviews across platforms like Google, Facebook, and Yelp. A city as vibrant as Houston deserves locksmith services that match its fast-paced lifestyle, and Mobile Locksmith TX fulfills that need. Whether addressing home, office, or automotive lock concerns, the company prioritizes security and efficiency. With a fleet of mobile units, the team reaches customers quickly, fully equipped to resolve issues on-site, from key replacements to advanced lock installations. Customer testimonials highlight the expertise and approachable nature of the Mobile Locksmith TX team. Residents frequently commend the company's ability to handle urgent requests with a calm and professional demeanor, ensuring peace of mind during stressful lockout situations. Mobile Locksmith TX's services extend beyond emergency calls. Homeowners trust the team for lock upgrades and rekeying, while businesses turn to them for securing their premises with advanced locking systems. Automobile owners benefit from services that include key fob programming and unlocking vehicles without damage. The company's growing reputation is rooted in its dedication to transparent pricing, skilled technicians, and consistent quality. Positive feedback on platforms like Google reinforces the trust customers place in the team. Mobile Locksmith TX values its connection with the community, which is evident in the reviews and referrals it receives. For those looking to stay connected with the latest updates, Mobile Locksmith TX encourages everyone to follow us on our Facebook page. Social media serves as a platform to engage with customers, share valuable security tips, and provide updates about services and promotions. Additionally, customers are invited to read about us on Yelp , where many have shared their experiences. The testimonials reflect the company's focus on customer satisfaction, making it a go-to choice for locksmith services in Houston. About Mobile Locksmith TX Mobile Locksmith TX is a trusted provider of locksmith solutions in Houston, offering a range of services for residential, commercial, and automotive needs. The company is known for its professional approach and commitment to delivering effective, affordable services. With a focus on customer satisfaction and community engagement, Mobile Locksmith TX remains a preferred choice for secure and prompt assistance. MENAFN23122024003238003268ID1109025430 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.NEVADA 90, OKLAHOMA STATE 78Customers refuse free safety check of LPG connections

To remain competitive in the global market, Philippine companies must adapt to the European Union's (EU) increasingly stringent environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements. This shift toward formalized ESG practices is driven by legislation and a growing global focus on sustainability, emphasizing responsible business conduct. A recent study by Danish Industry (DI) and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) assessed Philippine companies' awareness of these new EU sustainability standards. It highlighted the profound impact of these regulations, revealing both challenges and opportunities for Philippine companies trading with Europe. The European Green Deal, a set of policies and commitments, aims to create a climate-neutral EU by 2050. It mandates a transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy, impacting international trade partners like the Philippines. The Sustainable Finance Strategy and Just Transition Mechanism support this framework, ensuring a fair transition for all. Compliance with these new requirements is crucial for the Philippines to strengthen its relationship with the EU and pursue new opportunities. Embracing sustainability can also improve operational efficiency and responsibility. However, challenges persist. Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) struggle to meet these demands due to a lack of knowledge, skills gaps, limited resources, and financial constraints. The study found that 75 percent of SMEs and 67 percent of large corporations are unfamiliar with upcoming EU regulatory demands. Awareness of specific directives is also low. Only three percent of SMEs and seven percent of large corporations are familiar with the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which requires businesses to assess their supply chain's environmental and social impacts. Similarly, only 19 percent of SMEs are aware of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which mandates ESG impact disclosure. Despite these challenges, Philippine firms recognize the potential benefits of aligning with ESG standards. Trade associations and business networks are crucial in supporting SME sustainability initiatives. With 65 percent of SMEs acknowledging the significant impact of sustainability on their operations, they must adapt to remain competitive. Offering basic ESG training, including workshops and webinars, can help SMEs understand these concepts. The study reported that 94 percent of respondents expect sustainability to be a priority within the next three years. This sustainability transformation allows Philippine businesses to enhance their global standing by demonstrating responsible practices. While demanding investment, this transition, supported by organizations like ECOP, is essential for compliance and a sustainable future. ECOP is committed to empowering businesses through free ESG learning sessions, equipping them with the tools and strategies necessary to meet global sustainability standards.UCF, LSU face off with improved focus in mind

By HALELUYA HADERO The emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce novel and detailed online reviews with almost no work has put merchants , service providers and consumers in uncharted territory, watchdog groups and researchers say. Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. They are typically traded on private social media groups between fake review brokers and businesses willing to pay. Sometimes, such reviews are initiated by businesses that offer customers incentives such as gift cards for positive feedback. But AI-infused text generation tools, popularized by OpenAI’s ChatGPT , enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice, which is illegal in the U.S. , is carried out year-round but becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season , when many people rely on reviews to help them purchase gifts. Where are AI-generated reviews showing up? Fake reviews are found across a wide range of industries, from e-commerce, lodging and restaurants, to services such as home repairs, medical care and piano lessons. The Transparency Company, a tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews, said it started to see AI-generated reviews show up in large numbers in mid-2023 and they have multiplied ever since. For a report released this month, The Transparency Company analyzed 73 million reviews in three sectors: home, legal and medical services. Nearly 14% of the reviews were likely fake, and the company expressed a “high degree of confidence” that 2.3 million reviews were partly or entirely AI-generated. “It’s just a really, really good tool for these review scammers,” said Maury Blackman, an investor and advisor to tech startups, who reviewed The Transparency Company’s work and is set to lead the organization starting Jan. 1. In August, software company DoubleVerify said it was observing a “significant increase” in mobile phone and smart TV apps with reviews crafted by generative AI. The reviews often were used to deceive customers into installing apps that could hijack devices or run ads constantly, the company said. The following month, the Federal Trade Commission sued the company behind an AI writing tool and content generator called Rytr, accusing it of offering a service that could pollute the marketplace with fraudulent reviews. The FTC, which this year banned the sale or purchase of fake reviews, said some of Rytr’s subscribers used the tool to produce hundreds and perhaps thousands of reviews for garage door repair companies, sellers of “replica” designer handbags and other businesses. It’s likely on prominent online sites, too Max Spero, CEO of AI detection company Pangram Labs, said the software his company uses has detected with almost certainty that some AI-generated appraisals posted on Amazon bubbled up to the top of review search results because they were so detailed and appeared to be well thought-out. But determining what is fake or not can be challenging. External parties can fall short because they don’t have “access to data signals that indicate patterns of abuse,” Amazon has said. Pangram Labs has done detection for some prominent online sites, which Spero declined to name due to non-disclosure agreements. He said he evaluated Amazon and Yelp independently. Many of the AI-generated comments on Yelp appeared to be posted by individuals who were trying to publish enough reviews to earn an “Elite” badge, which is intended to let users know they should trust the content, Spero said. The badge provides access to exclusive events with local business owners. Fraudsters also want it so their Yelp profiles can look more realistic, said Kay Dean, a former federal criminal investigator who runs a watchdog group called Fake Review Watch. To be sure, just because a review is AI-generated doesn’t necessarily mean its fake. Some consumers might experiment with AI tools to generate content that reflects their genuine sentiments. Some non-native English speakers say they turn to AI to make sure they use accurate language in the reviews they write. “It can help with reviews (and) make it more informative if it comes out of good intentions,” said Michigan State University marketing professor Sherry He, who has researched fake reviews. She says tech platforms should focus on the behavioral patters of bad actors, which prominent platforms already do, instead of discouraging legitimate users from turning to AI tools. What companies are doing Prominent companies are developing policies for how AI-generated content fits into their systems for removing phony or abusive reviews. Some already employ algorithms and investigative teams to detect and take down fake reviews but are giving users some flexibility to use AI. Spokespeople for Amazon and Trustpilot, for example, said they would allow customers to post AI-assisted reviews as long as they reflect their genuine experience. Yelp has taken a more cautious approach, saying its guidelines require reviewers to write their own copy. “With the recent rise in consumer adoption of AI tools, Yelp has significantly invested in methods to better detect and mitigate such content on our platform,” the company said in a statement. The Coalition for Trusted Reviews, which Amazon, Trustpilot, employment review site Glassdoor, and travel sites Tripadvisor, Expedia and Booking.com launched last year, said that even though deceivers may put AI to illicit use, the technology also presents “an opportunity to push back against those who seek to use reviews to mislead others.” “By sharing best practice and raising standards, including developing advanced AI detection systems, we can protect consumers and maintain the integrity of online reviews,” the group said. The FTC’s rule banning fake reviews, which took effect in October, allows the agency to fine businesses and individuals who engage in the practice. Tech companies hosting such reviews are shielded from the penalty because they are not legally liable under U.S. law for the content that outsiders post on their platforms. Tech companies, including Amazon, Yelp and Google, have sued fake review brokers they accuse of peddling counterfeit reviews on their sites. The companies say their technology has blocked or removed a huge swath of suspect reviews and suspicious accounts. However, some experts say they could be doing more. “Their efforts thus far are not nearly enough,” said Dean of Fake Review Watch. “If these tech companies are so committed to eliminating review fraud on their platforms, why is it that I, one individual who works with no automation, can find hundreds or even thousands of fake reviews on any given day?” Spotting fake AI-generated reviews Consumers can try to spot fake reviews by watching out for a few possible warning signs , according to researchers. Overly enthusiastic or negative reviews are red flags. Jargon that repeats a product’s full name or model number is another potential giveaway. When it comes to AI, research conducted by Balázs Kovács, a Yale professor of organization behavior, has shown that people can’t tell the difference between AI-generated and human-written reviews. Some AI detectors may also be fooled by shorter texts, which are common in online reviews, the study said. However, there are some “AI tells” that online shoppers and service seekers should keep it mind. Panagram Labs says reviews written with AI are typically longer, highly structured and include “empty descriptors,” such as generic phrases and attributes. The writing also tends to include cliches like “the first thing that struck me” and “game-changer.”Ensuring that arts communities can flourish across Colorado takes creative solutions. A new policy framework from the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts creates a roadmap to address some of the top challenges for the state’s creative industries and to make the most of the opportunities ahead. Based on feedback from over 800 individuals through surveys, focus groups and interviews, the framework aims to represent the collective vision of the creative community across Colorado. “It recognizes the profound role that arts and culture play in shaping the social fabric, economic vitality and collective identity of communities” reads Colorado’s Art Policy Framework final report . “At its core, this framework is an affirmation that the arts are not merely an ornamental aspect of society but a fundamental driver of human expression, innovation, and connection.” While advocacy has long been relevant to the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts’ mission, the framework marks a shift for the 39-year-old organization. “Advocacy was always part of our mission, but sort of advocacy with a little ‘A,'” said Meredith Badler, the organization’s deputy director. “It was really during the pandemic that we got more involved at the state legislature as well as at the federal level, and so a lot of our initial advocacy work was very reactive.” Today, the organization has a contract lobbyist, a grassroots mobilization tool called the Colorado Arts Action Network , an active policy committee and important partnerships to support its advocacy efforts. The pandemic made it apparent that previous efforts were not always inclusive of the entire state and barely scratched the surface of need but also that there was an eagerness from people to have their voices heard in this arena, Badler added. It’s here that the need for a policy framework became apparent. “For a long time in Colorado there just hadn’t been a unified and coordinated voice for arts advocacy,” Badler said. “It really came from this idea of being more inclusive and proactive in our advocacy work going forward.” The framework establishes where the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts should focus its future advocacy and lobbying efforts through four priorities that exemplify what the organization heard through its stakeholder process. The first priority speaks to the need for policies that are locally and culturally responsive. In mountain and rural communities, the organization heard significant feedback around the need to amplify arts assets, events and cultural heritage through statewide tourism and local promotion, Badler said. These communities also expressed a need for more resources and capacity including in education, concerns about the affordability and availability of arts space and threatened liveability for creative employees, all of which are addressed in the framework. While the stakeholder process showed more similarities than differences between Colorado’s communities, there are still unique needs depending on where you live, Badler noted. “It’s a big, diverse state and the needs of a community — just even thinking about the Roaring Fork Valley, what people need in Rifle in Glenwood and the climate in Aspen — are very different,” she said. This top priority speaks to the need to understand “that every community or demographic or discipline may have some distinct needs, and we need to be thinking about that from the beginning as we’re suggesting, monitoring or supporting policy going forward,” Badler said. Policies that meet this could include creating and supporting municipal-arts partnerships, protecting dedicated arts spaces, using art as a tool to support mental health and ensuring equitable and daily access to arts. The second priority revolves around supporting the creative economy and ensuring there are sustainable funding models — be it grants or financial incentives — supporting art infrastructure and including the creative sector in economic and tourism strategies. The third priority is centered around bolstering the liveability of creative workers. This includes making sure creatives have access to affordable housing, fair compensation and professional development. The fourth and final priority is making sure arts education is supported and expanded for all ages. This includes policies to expand, improve, mandate and fund preschool to 12th-grade public arts programs as well as integrating arts into educational and career pathways. With the framework set out, the next step includes making a more tactical legislative agenda and ensuring these priorities are reflected in future policy at the federal, state and local levels. Critically, with a tight state budget and uncertain future for federal arts funding under President-elect Donald Trump, this will include collaboration and being creative about how to support the arts beyond funding. “How can we make sure arts and creative industries are incorporated into other initiatives?” Badler said, adding that this includes looking at things like: “What’s happening in the housing space, and how can we make sure artists and gig workers can access those opportunities? What’s happening in mental and behavioral health, and how can we make sure that arts interventions are eligible for those opportunities?” Federally, there are concerns that under the pending Trump administration, arts funding could take a hit including the National Endowment for the Arts. In his first term, Trump attempted to eliminate the program, from which the state of Colorado receives around $85 million to fund statewide programs. “It’s something we’re looking very closely at,” Badler said. “Not only would (changes to the National Endowment for the Arts) impact direct grants to cultural organizations and projects here in the state, but our state arts agency gets a significant amount of matching funds from the (endowment) every single year.” In addition to these large-scale efforts, the policy framework also suggests that local advocacy and progress are critically important. One survey respondent from the San Luis Valley put it this way: “When local communities are empowered to make decisions about what is happening in the community — whether it is arts related or education or otherwise — you get more buy-in and more genuine projects.” As such, the full 54-page report includes a comprehensive list of the concerns and potential solutions presented throughout the stakeholder process to guide local advocates and efforts. “While (Colorado Business Committee for the Arts) doesn’t have the capacity to be at every city council meeting across the state, we’re hoping that this can be a resource for those local advocates and that we can provide any support or guidance that’s available,” Badler said. In recent years, the organization also created the Colorado Arts Action Network , a grassroots mobilization tool to help people stay informed about and involved in arts policy. “I think the call to action is really signing up for the Colorado Arts Action Network,” Badler said. “That’s how we’ll really start. It will help people be able to stay more informed and take action going forward as we bring this roadmap to life.”