Latest news with #Integration
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
National Police Federation Releases New Report Calling for Renewed Federal Commitment to Strengthen and Modernize the RCMP
OTTAWA, Ontario, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the National Police Federation (NPF) released RCMP Facing the Future: Evolution, Integration, Readiness a forward-looking report that outlines a practical and achievable path forward to strengthen Canada's national police service while preserving the RCMP's integrated and cost-effective benefits and model. The report was launched at a Parliamentary breakfast earlier today, with various government officials in attendance and engaging in dialogue on the RCMP's future. For over a century, the RCMP has been at the heart of public safety, delivering coordinated, full-spectrum policing across federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal jurisdictions as well as Indigenous policing and international supports. Its integrated model is a uniquely Canadian solution to the challenges of vast geography, complex threats, and increasingly diverse communities. Fifteen years after the Senate's Toward a Red Serge Revival report addressed concerns about the RCMP's capacity and sustainability, many of the same issues persist today — not due to a lack of insight or recommendations, but because of limited, inconsistent follow-through by successive governments. Independent reports, commissions, and reviews over nearly two decades have repeatedly outlined practical steps to modernize recruitment, enhance training, improve procurement, and stabilize federal policing, yet political will and sustained investment have often fallen short. The NPF's new report builds on these long-standing recommendations and highlights thirteen recommendations, offering a clear, actionable path forward for Prime Minister Carney's government to deliver on the reforms needed to strengthen Canada's national police service. 'Public safety is not a partisan issue, and it cannot be sustainably delivered when resourcing is reactive, inconsistent, or politicized,' said Brian Sauvé, President of the National Police Federation. 'We acknowledge and welcome recent commitments by the federal government, including the promise of 1,000 new RCMP Members and an increase to the Cadet Training Allowance, but now we need to see action. The NPF has been advocating for these reforms for years. With a clear roadmap in front of them, this new government has a real opportunity to move from promise to progress and ensure the RCMP is properly equipped to serve Canadians today and into the future.' Key recommendations include: Fund Quality Policing: Chronic underfunding could be alleviated by increased resources coupled with targeted reform such as flexible resource allocation within jurisdictions, improved cost recovery mechanisms, streamlined contract management and fenced funding for federal policing. Recruitment & Training: The RCMP's recruitment pipeline remains too slow and sequential, losing quality applicants to other police services and does not meet modern policing demands. It must modernize its process and adopt a more agile Canadian Armed Forces-style approach, add differentiated training streams to meet modern policing demands and Cadet training allowances must be increased to remain competitive. Equipment Procurement: The federal procurement process is hampered by excessive red tape and unresponsive to the urgent needs of modern policing and drains valuable government resources. Delays in rolling out life-saving equipment, including service pistols, body armour, and body-worn cameras threaten both officer safety and public trust. We call on the federal government to: Confirm its commitment to contract policing beyond 2032. Deliver on their commitment to increase RCMP personnel and increase Cadet Training Allowance. Bolster federal policing resources and capabilities. Modernize recruitment, training, and equipment delivery; and support a stronger, more efficient RCMP. 'We have a tried and tested model, dedicated Members, and clear recommendations. What we need now is a government willing to act, so that the RCMP can meet the evolving challenges of modern-day policing.' added Sauvé. The full report is available at: About the National Police Federation: The National Police Federation (NPF) represents ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally. We are the largest police union in Canada. The NPF is focused on improving public safety for all Canadians, including our Members, by advocating for much-needed investment in the public safety continuum. This includes investments in police resourcing and modern equipment, as well as social programs including health, addiction, and housing supports to enhance safety and livability in the many communities we serve, large and small, across Canada. For more information: Follow us:NPF: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Media contact:Sarah KavanaghAdvisor, Media Relations Media@ 604-842-6864Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Techday NZ
09-06-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
AI agents to play key role in ANZ IT security, report finds
The latest Salesforce State of IT report indicates that IT security leaders in Australia and New Zealand anticipate AI agents will address at least one of their organisation's digital security issues. The survey reveals that all respondents see a role for AI agents in assisting with IT security, with 36 per cent of IT security teams in the region currently using such agents in their daily operations. The proportion of security teams using AI agents is expected to grow rapidly, with predictions it will reach 68 per cent within the next two years. According to the findings, 71 per cent of organisations in Australia and New Zealand are planning to increase their security budgets during the year ahead, just below the global average of 75 per cent. AI agents were highlighted as being capable of supporting various tasks, including faster threat detection, more efficient investigations, and comprehensive auditing of AI model performance. The global survey, which included more than 2,000 enterprise IT security leaders—with 100 respondents from Australia and New Zealand—also pointed to several challenges associated with adopting AI in security practices. Despite widespread recognition that practices need to evolve, with 75 per cent of respondents acknowledging the need for transformation, 58 per cent expressed concern that their organisations' data infrastructure was not yet ready to maximise the potential of AI agents. "Trusted AI agents are built on trusted data," said Alice Steinglass, EVP & GM, Salesforce Platform, Integration, and Automation. "IT security teams that prioritise data governance will be able to augment their security capabilities with agents while protecting data and staying compliant." The report noted that while both IT professionals and malicious actors are integrating AI into their operations, autonomous AI agents offer an opportunity for security teams to reduce manual workloads and focus on more complex challenges. However, deploying agentic AI successfully requires a strong foundation in data infrastructure and governance. In addition to familiar threats such as cloud security vulnerabilities, malware, and phishing, the report found that IT leaders now also rank data poisoning within their top three concerns. Data poisoning involves the manipulation of AI training data sets by malicious actors. This concern is cited alongside cloud security threats and insider or internal threats. Follow us on: Share on:
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Incentives needed to boost indigenous manufacturing of battery components: CEA
The centre should introduce targeted incentives to boost domestic manufacturing of critical battery components such as anodes, cathodes, and electrolyte salts to reduce import dependency and strengthen the energy storage ecosystem, according to recommendations made at a recent Central Electricity Authority (CEA) workshop. Held in Delhi on May 8, 2025, the national workshop on 'Renewable Energy (RE) Integration through Energy Storage Systems (ESS)' brought together stakeholders from government, industry, and research institutions to identify bottlenecks and propose actionable solutions to promote battery manufacturing. Participants noted that while India has made progress in cell manufacturing, the country remains heavily dependent on imports for key components like cathode and anode materials, separators, electrolytes, and battery management systems. The absence of local manufacturing for these parts increases project costs and raises supply chain risks. 'There is a need to promote local manufacturing of critical battery components and create a domestic ecosystem to ensure long-term sustainability of the battery energy storage sector,' the workshop report stated. The workshop underlined that incentives for domestic manufacturing of battery components are critical to drive scale and bring down costs. These include demand aggregation mechanisms, viability gap funding (VGF), and targeted support through the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. The discussion also highlighted the need to integrate the battery value chain with India's broader industrial ecosystem and raw material sourcing strategy. 'Currently, about 90 per cent of critical minerals required for cell production are imported. India must secure long-term supplies through global partnerships, mineral exploration, and recycling,' the report noted. On technology front, stakeholders emphasised the need to support indigenous R&D and develop alternatives to lithium-ion chemistry. With significant interest in sodium-ion, zinc-ion, and flow battery technologies, experts called for increased government funding for pilot projects and testing infrastructure. The workshop concluded with a call for a multi-pronged strategy involving incentives, regulatory clarity, and public-private partnerships to develop a robust and self-reliant battery manufacturing ecosystem. The workshop was attended by officials from the Ministry of Power, Ministry of Mines, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), NITI Aayog, NTPC, SECI, industry leaders, and battery manufacturers. The initiative was part of India's efforts to scale up battery energy storage to support the 500 GW non-fossil fuel target by 2030.
Techday NZ
05-06-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
AI agent adoption rises among IT security leaders in ANZ
IT security leaders in Australia and New Zealand see considerable promise in adopting AI agents to address key security concerns, according to results from the Salesforce State of IT report. The survey of over 2,000 enterprise IT security leaders globally, including 100 from Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), found that every respondent identified at least one security issue they believe could be improved with the use of AI agents. According to the report, 36 per cent of IT security teams in ANZ have already integrated AI agents into their daily operations. This figure is expected to nearly double to 68 per cent within the next two years, signalling a significant upward trend in AI agent deployment across the region. While optimism around the benefits of AI agents is evident, the report also highlights several challenges facing the region's IT security leaders. Notably, 58 per cent of ANZ respondents expressed concerns that their data foundations are not robust enough to fully realise the benefits of agentic AI. An equal proportion are not fully confident that appropriate safeguards and guardrails are in place for the safe deployment of these agents. Despite these concerns, there is momentum towards greater adoption. Security leaders anticipate a range of benefits from AI agents, from enhancing threat detection capabilities to providing more robust auditing of AI model performance. Alice Steinglass, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Salesforce Platform, Integration, and Automation, said: "Trusted AI agents are built on trusted data. IT security teams that prioritise data governance will be able to augment their security capabilities with agents while protecting data and staying compliant." The survey also indicates that up to 75 per cent of IT security leaders in Australia and New Zealand acknowledge that their current security practices require transformation. While 74 per cent see AI agents as offering opportunities to improve compliance, such as with privacy laws, nearly 83 per cent also identified ongoing compliance challenges as a key concern. Cloud security threats, insider risks, and data poisoning—where malicious actors compromise AI training datasets—were listed among the most pressing risks for IT security leaders. In light of these evolving threats, 71 per cent of ANZ organisations expect to increase their security budgets in the coming year. This is only slightly below the global average of 75 per cent, reflecting a broad trend towards higher investment in IT security resources. Complex and changing regulatory environments continue to pose challenges for IT teams aiming to deploy AI agents. Only 48 per cent of ANZ IT security leaders said they are fully confident that they can deploy AI agents in ways that are compliant with relevant regulations and industry standards. Furthermore, 85 per cent of organisations have not yet fully automated their compliance processes, leaving room for error and inefficiency. There are signs of readiness and confidence among ANZ security leaders when it comes to their security and compliance practices. Sixty-one per cent believe their organisations are prepared for the development and implementation of AI agents. This figure is higher than both the Asia-Pacific average of 57 per cent and the global average of 47 per cent, indicating the region's relatively strong position in preparing for the AI era. Maintaining effective data governance is seen as crucial to enabling the successful adoption of AI agents. Nevertheless, more than half of IT security leaders in ANZ are not confident that their organisations have adequate data quality or the right infrastructure required for AI deployment. Globally, CIOs report that budgets for data infrastructure and management are four times greater than those for AI itself, suggesting a focus on laying solid foundations before wider adoption of AI tools. Building trust remains central to the deployment of AI within enterprises. Recent research indicates a decline in general consumer trust, with three-quarters of Australian consumers stating they trust companies less than a year ago. Additionally, 69 per cent believe advances in AI make trust increasingly important. Among ANZ security leaders, 59 per cent have not fully established ethical guidelines for AI use, 68 per cent lack complete confidence in the accuracy and explainability of AI outputs, and 58 per cent do not provide full transparency in the use of customer data for AI purposes. Arizona State University is among the first higher education institutions to implement Salesforce's Agentforce digital labour platform, using trusted autonomous AI agents in operational workflows. The university has placed particular attention on data relevancy as it broadens its AI initiatives, and has adopted Salesforce-acquired backup, recovery, and archiving solutions to address its data management, compliance, and innovation needs. The findings of the Salesforce State of IT report are based on a double-anonymous survey conducted between December 2024 and February 2025 across a broad range of countries including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and others. One hundred respondents represented Australia and New Zealand.
Ya Biladi
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Morocco: A groundbreaking study on the integration of migrant women and minors
The result of several years of research, the collective work Women and Minors in Migration – Journeys, Resistance, Integration has just been published by La Croisée des chemins, in partnership with the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME). Coordinated by Fatima Ait Ben Lmadani and Hicham Hafid, the book explores «a little-known reality in Morocco, despite the debates—and even stigmatization—it provokes beyond our borders». With contributions from Rachid Benlabbah, Khalid Chegraoui, and El Mouassaoui El Ajlaoui, the book examines «the impact of Morocco's immigration policy on reducing the vulnerability of Sub-Saharan women and minors and facilitating their integration into Moroccan society». The authors address issues such as housing, employment, healthcare, education, and cultural rights, as highlighted by the publisher and the coordinators. The book also delves into «the role of both institutional and non-institutional actors, with a focus on how Sub-Saharan migrants navigate integration mechanisms and assert their capacity to negotiate». What sets this study apart is its long-term perspective, a deliberate choice that enabled the researchers to «closely track this population, the evolution of their needs, and the public authorities' responses over time». In other words, the authors seek to explore «the integration process of women and minors through the lens of migrants as active participants in shaping these policies». This focus builds on the findings of a previous study by the research group on the regularization of Sub-Saharan migrants. The study combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches, including «individual interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires conducted along the Casablanca–Rabat–Salé and Tangier–Nador–Oujda corridors». This is further complemented by an analysis of legal and administrative documents, as well as «statistical, demographic, and economic data».
