Detailed prison blueprints have been leaked, triggering a security alert at jails in England and Wales, it has emerged. The leak, first reported by the Times , involves prison layouts being shared on the dark web in the last fortnight, prompting an investigation by the National Crime Agency. The plans are understood to detail the location of cameras and sensors, sparking fears they will be exploited by criminals to smuggle drugs and weapons into prisons or to aid escapes. The leak emerged after prison officials who work at the jails were sent an internal email titled “security alert” to inform them of the breach. However, one Whitehall source played down the significance of the breach, saying cameras were regularly moved and could already be seen by drones. They said prison blueprints had been available on the internet for years and were visible on Google Earth. In the alert, prison officers were told that the breach could affect the security of the internal fences, which have technology installed that raises the alarm if there are attempted breaches. The staff memos reported that there had been a data loss which had led to “vulnerabilities” in these security systems. This meant there was a danger that members of the public had been made aware of information that put prisons’ perimeters “at risk”. This could be from people “attempting to convey items into the establishment/aid an escape”, the email warned. A government spokesperson said: “We do not comment on security matters.” The prisons watchdog warned on Friday that security was not keeping pace with technology , saying drones could deliver guns into jails riven by drug-related gang wars amid an “inadequate” response from the Prison Service. Charlie Taylor, HM chief inspector of prisons, told the Guardian that the surge in the use of large unmanned aerial vehicles was his “number one concern” and had increased the possibility that firearms would be used to settle turf wars or attempt escapes. Dealing with the prison system in England and Wales is a top priority for the government, after it inherited a crisis of overcrowding and poor conditions from the last government. No 10 signed off on emergency measures over the summer to deal with a lack of jail places, releasing thousands of prisoners early after they had served 40% of their sentences. In September, five of the most senior former judges in England and Wales said “radical solutions” such as the earlier release of killers and rapists on licence should be considered to ease the prison overcrowding crisis. They recommended a review at the halfway stage of the determinate sentences of all prisoners serving longer than 10 years. Other proposals include the release of all prisoners serving indeterminate sentences who are over tariff, and the removal of all those who are elderly, dying or who have dementia from prison. Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, is undertaking an urgent independent review of sentencing legislation and practice.
Stojakovic, Wilkinson lead short-handed Cal past Sacramento State, 83-77 in Cal ClassicIs Technology Worthy of Our Faith?COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a Cleveland State University (CSU) study, total investment in Ohio's shale energy sector was approximately $3.1 billion in the second half of 2023. The latest report , prepared for JobsOhio, Ohio's private non-profit economic development corporation, covers shale-related investment in Ohio from July 2023 through December 2023 and cumulates total investment from 2011 forward. The study from CSU's Energy Policy Center at the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs revealed that with previous investments to date, cumulative oil and gas investment in Ohio through December 2023 is estimated to be around $108.2 billion. Of this, $76.7 billion has been in upstream, $22 billion in midstream, and $9.5 billion in downstream industries. The study showed that cumulative shale-related investment steadily rose between 2011 and 2023. As the spread between oil and natural gas prices has increased, finding and development (F&D) costs for oil have been falling, driven by innovations that improve the operational efficiency of production from shale wells. The study suggests that the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to upstream operations could drive additional improvements. "As natural gas exploration technology continues to evolve, Ohio's abundance of resources can play an essential role in supporting economic growth in industries like advanced manufacturing, healthcare, polymers, construction, aviation, and automotive," said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. "Since 2011, the shale-related investment in Ohio's energy economy has steadily increased to $108.2 billion as industry experts and investors look to the state for growth." "Total shale-related investment was up $1 billion in the second half of 2023 compared to the first half of the year, due largely to construction starting on a major natural gas power plant," said Mark Henning, Research Supervisor for the Energy Policy Center in the Maxine Goodman Levin School or Urban Affairs at CSU. "This level of overall investment will likely continue as upstream producers continue to ramp up activities in the region's oil window, where we have seen new well development more than double during the first half of 2024 compared to the second half of last year." Upstream Investment Overall, upstream investments were down by about $332 million in the second half of 2023 compared to the first half of the year, reflecting a decline in the number of new wells drilled. Oil prices have remained high relative to natural gas prices, sustaining an average oil-to-price ratio of 6:1 since the beginning of 2023. Midstream Investment Midstream investment reached $290.4 million in the second half of 2023; a 69% increase compared to the previous six-month period. Most of the midstream investment during the Study period was for gathering system and transportation buildout, with $166.9 million spent on gathering lines and $91.9 million spent on compression. An additional $31.5 million was spent on NGL pipelines. Downstream Investment Since 2015, the CSU studies have reported that 10 natural gas-powered power plants have been in the planning, construction, or newly operational stages. Seven of these plants consumed 13% of Ohio Utica gas production for power generation during the second half of 2023 and generated the equivalent of approximately 35% of the electricity consumed in Ohio across all sectors during the same time period. This is the sixteenth CSU study reporting investment resulting from oil and gas development in Ohio related to the Utica and Point Pleasant formations. The latest report and previous reports can be found here . For more information on Ohio's growing energy industry, visit www.JobsOhio.com/energy . About the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs The Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University is recognized as one of the best public affairs schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The Levin School is ranked 4th in the US in the specialty of Urban Policy and 12th in the specialty of Local Government Management. Levin offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional development programs in fields that guide and advance vibrant and sustainable communities, including urban studies, public administration, urban planning, environmental studies, nonprofit management, and organizational leadership. The Levin School's collection of scholars combines practical experience with research and theory, delivering excellence in teaching to prepare the next generation of community leaders. Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is a public research institution with more than 14,000 students, 8 colleges and schools and more than 175 academic programs. According to the Brookings Institution, CSU is No. 18 in the U.S. among public universities that fulfill a critical dual mission: providing upward mobility and conducting impactful research. CSU is the only Ohio university in the top tier of the Brookings list. U.S News & World Report consistently lists CSU among America's Best Colleges and Universities. About JobsOhio JobsOhio , Ohio's private nonprofit economic development corporation, enhances company growth and personnel development through business attraction, retention, and expansion across ten competitive industry sectors. With a team of seasoned professionals, JobsOhio utilizes a comprehensive network to foster talent production in targeted industries and attract talent through Find Your Ohio . Collaborating with seven regional partners, including Dayton Development Coalition , Lake to River Economic Development , Ohio Southeast Economic Development , One Columbus , REDI Cincinnati , Regional Growth Partnership , and Team NEO , JobsOhio delivers world-class customer service to provide companies with a competitive advantage. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com . Follow us on LinkedIn , X , and Facebook. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Pride, bragging rights and more than $115M at stake when final college playoff rankings come outOklahoma residents on Sunday mourned the death of former Democratic U.S. Sen. Fred Harris , a trailblazer in progressive politics in the state who ran an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1976. Harris died on Saturday at 94. Democratic Party members across Oklahoma remembered Harris for his commitment to economic and social justice during the 1960s — a period of historical turbulence. Harris chaired the Democratic National Committee from 1969 to 1970 and helped unify the party after its tumultuous national convention in 1968 when protesters and police clashed in Chicago. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.By DEVNA BOSE One of the country’s largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted from “significant widespread misinformation” about the policy. “To be clear, it never was and never will be the policy of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services,” the statement said. “The proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines.” Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield would have used “physician work time values,” which is published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as the metric for anesthesia limits; maternity patients and patients under the age of 22 were exempt. But Dr. Jonathan Gal, economics committee chair of the American Society for Anesthesiologists, said it’s unclear how CMS derives those values. In mid-November, the American Society for Anesthesiologists called on Anthem to “reverse the proposal immediately,” saying in a news release that the policy would have taken effect in February in New York, Connecticut and Missouri. It’s not clear how many states in total would have been affected, as notices also were posted in Virginia and Colorado . People across the country registered their concerns and complaints on social media, and encouraged people in affected states to call their legislators. Some people noted that the policy could prevent patients from getting overcharged. Gal said the policy change would have been unprecedented, ignored the “nuanced, unpredictable human element” of surgery and was a clear “money grab.” “It’s incomprehensible how a health insurance company could so blatantly continue to prioritize their profits over safe patient care,” he said. “If Anthem is, in fact, rescinding the policy, we’re delighted that they came to their senses.” Prior to Anthem’s announcement Thursday, Connecticut comptroller Sean Scanlon said the “concerning” policy wouldn’t affect the state after conversations with the insurance company. And New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an emailed statement Thursday that her office had also successfully intervened. The insurance giant’s policy change came one day after the CEO of UnitedHealthcare , another major insurance company, was shot and killed in New York City.
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UTICA — Following his push earlier this year, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced he has secured over $1.8 million via the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to fix the infamous and outdated Genesee Street traffic signals in the City of Utica. Schumer said Utica plans to pilot the latest in smart-traffic signals along Genesee Street, which local officials say will reduce traffic and accidents while strengthening safety for motorists and pedestrians along this busy corridor. “Every Utican knows that these traffic lights can be frustrating and outright dangerous and for years the City of Utica has been developing a plan to fix it. That’s why I urged U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for funding to increase safety in Utica and revamp this corridor with a new network of cutting-edge, smart-traffic signals,” Schumer said. “New traffic lights are putting Utica in the fast lane to decrease traffic, accidents, and wait times. I created the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation grant program in my Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law because I knew we have the technology to pave the way for a smoother and safer commute for all, and I’m thrilled that it’s delivering for Utica today.” Schumer said this federal funding allows the City of Utica to move forward with plans to upgrade its traffic signals, stating that the aging stop lights on Genesee Street have plagued Utica residents for years. Phase one of the city’s planned multi-phase upgrade was completed in 2012, but officials later reported that there was not enough funding for traffic signal synchronization or timing. Over a decade later, many Genesee Street traffic signals are reported to still be out-of-time and frustrating Uticans every day. At times, it can take 15 minutes or more to travel the length of Genesee Street in a car, causing traffic delays that drive vehicles off the city’s main drag and onto side streets. With the funding — $1,809,957 in total — Schumer said Utica will be able to install and pilot dozens of new, state-of-the-art, smart traffic signals along a 2-mile street of Genesee Street and a continuous 5-block offshoot of Bleecker and Elizabeth Streets, supporting key partner locations like Utica Fire Station #2, Utica’s nationally recognized refugee agency (The Center), Utica’s public transit hub (CENTRO), the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and more. Utica’s smart traffic signals will include long sought after synchronization, connectivity, and other smart city features, including: Emergency preemption with multi-level right of way for fire, police, snowplow, and transit vehicles. 360-degree video detection for vehicles and pedestrians. Pedestrian crossing accessibility features, such as audio/visual cues and passive detection. Data collection and analysis tools to enhance planning, engineering, management and traffic study. According to the New York State Sheriff’s Association, 38% of pedestrian-involved crashes and nearly 20% of all crashes in the City of Utica occur along this corridor. “We are now poised to implement state-of-the-art smart grid technology along Genesee Street — marking the beginning of a comprehensive modernization of Utica’s signaling infrastructure,” said Utica Mayor Michael P. Galime. “This milestone signals a brighter future for our city, enhancing public safety, improving community well-being, and laying the groundwork for a fully connected smart grid system. As Utica experiences a renaissance of redevelopment, these advancements are a critical step toward a more efficient, sustainable, and thriving urban center.”
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