Latest news with #NVA
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
From Burkina to Belgium: Fighting for women's rights from the hard-right bench
BRUSSELS, May 30 — When Assita Kanko was 10 years old, she pictured herself as president of her native Burkina Faso—with a mission to stamp out female genital mutilation, and further women's rights. As it turned out, she sits as a Belgian lawmaker in the ranks of the hard-right in the European Parliament, and says that suits her just fine. The 44-year-old says she feels at home among the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) -- one of three groups in the assembly's far-right bloc, whose influence has grown steadily since elections last year. As one of three EU lawmakers from the Flemish nationalist N-VA party, she rubs shoulders in the ECR with around 20 other outfits including Giorgia Meloni's post-fascist Brothers of Italy, and Poland's PiS. She also crossed paths with Meloni at the inauguration of Donald Trump—where they were both handpicked, as likeminded European politicians, to welcome the US leader back to office. Despite divergences with some ECR members on 'ethical' issues, Kanko pushes back at criticism of her decision to join the N-VA, a staunchly conservative party with a tough line on immigration. 'The idea that a black woman cannot also be right-wing is outrageous,' she told AFP. 'I want the right to think and I take that right to think, I don't ask permission.' Fighting for women's emancipation has been a cornerstone of her life in politics, she says. Born in Godyr, Burkina Faso, in 1980, Kanko was subjected to female genital mutilation at the age of five—like three quarters of women in the country. She shared her trauma from the experience in a 2013 book, the first of four she has written about gender equality. 'If my mother had had means of her own, I am convinced I would not have been circumcised,' she said. 'Today I am a very independent woman—and no one would dare mutilate my daughter. That has to be the goal.' EU being 'trampled' A 'top of the class' high-school student in Burkina Faso—in her own words—Kanko left to study in the Netherlands in 2001. From there she would move to Belgium—where speaking both Dutch and French proved a boon to her career, in the private sector then as a municipal official in a district of Brussels. Fast-forward to 2018, and Kanko decided to jump ship, leaving the centre-right MR party for the N-VA—the political home of Belgium's current prime minister, Bart De Wever. 'I feel unstoppable, free and proud to be a new Flemish woman,' she explained on the party's website at the time. Kanko describes herself as pro-business, as a sovereigntist—attached to the role of national governments within the EU—and as a fervent Atlanticist. That's how she explains her decision to attend the swearing-in of a US president who has made clear his disdain for the European Union—which he says was founded to 'screw' the United States. 'The United States is a partner we cannot do without,' she said. 'We have to form a bloc to defend Western values in the world.' But Kanko also warns that 'unless we believe in our own power, our own priority and strategies, Donald Trump will walk all over us.' As it stands—with a transatlantic trade war brewing and US security support in question—she considers 'the European Union today is being trampled underfoot—and not just by the United States.' 'It's trampled on by countries in the Middle East too, trampled on by China, trampled on by Russia, trampled on by radicals living on our own territories,' argued Kanko—who was raised in a Muslim culture but did not adopt the faith, and sees Islamic extremism as a threat. In the EU parliament, Kanko has focused on security and border control—and has sought to spotlight a report sounding the alarm about the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat to secularism and women's rights in France and beyond. Kanko wants to see the organisation investigated at European level. 'We need to wake up,' she told fellow lawmakers in parliament recently, accusing the brotherhood of 'indoctrinating children' and 'treating women as inferior.' — AFP
Korea Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Nota AI Demonstrates On-Device AI Breakthrough at Embedded Vision Summit 2025 in Collaboration with Qualcomm AI Hub
SEOUL, South Korea, May 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nota AI, a global leader in AI optimization, showcased its latest edge AI innovations alongside Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. at the Embedded Vision Summit 2025, held May 20–22 in Santa Clara, California. The Embedded Vision Summit is a prominent global conference for innovators incorporating computer vision and AI in products, attended by more than 70 companies and over 1,400 industry experts worldwide. Nota AI prominently featured its collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, emphasizing the optimization of its proprietary AI model optimization platform, NetsPresso®, for use with the Qualcomm® AI Hub. Both companies utilized video presentations at their booths to demonstrate the enhanced efficiency and scalability achieved through this collaboration. Nota AI's CTO, Tae-Ho Kim, further highlighted these advancements in a Qualcomm Technologies-hosted Deep Dive Session, detailing how the integrated platforms significantly streamline the workflow for developing and deploying AI models on edge devices. "This collaboration shows how we're making edge AI deployment faster, lighter, and more efficient," said Tae-Ho Kim, CTO of Nota AI. "We're excited to deepen our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies and extend our reach across global edge and IoT applications." Additionally, Nota AI unveiled the NetsPresso Optimization Studio, the latest enhancement to its AI model optimization platform, NetsPresso®. Optimization Studio offers users an intuitive, visual interface designed to simplify AI model optimization. Developers can quickly visualize critical layer details and model performance required for efficient quantization, enabling rapid, data-driven decisions based on actual device performance metrics. Also featured was Nota Vision Agent (NVA), a generative AI-based video analytics solution. NVA enables real-time video event detection, natural language video search, and automated report generation, helping enterprise users maximize situational awareness and operational efficiency. The solution has already proven its commercial viability through a recent supply agreement with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) — a first for a Korean company in this domain. Meanwhile, On May 22, Nota AI filed for a preliminary IPO listing, making it the first AI optimization company from Korea to do so via the country's technology-special track. The IPO plan is attracting significant market attention, backed by Nota AI's robust global expansion and strong product competitiveness. Earlier in April, Nota AI was also recognized as one of the "Top 100 Global Innovative AI Startups" by the global market research firm CB Insights. Looking ahead, Nota AI plans to accelerate its presence across key global markets — including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Letters: I recall the Chicagoans who lost their lives serving our country
In the mid-1960s, I vividly remember watching the older guys from our neighborhood receive their draft notices. These were the same guys we'd spent our younger days with, playing softball and fastpitch against the park wall and cooling off in the park pool during the summer. Guys with the nicknames Monk, Rabbi and Slim. Before heading off to basic training, they'd have one last party, often with a 40-ounce beer in hand. Most of them returned home on leave after basic training only to be deployed to Vietnam. 'Slim' came back before being sent overseas. I remember seeing him by the pool, quietly drinking a beer. To a kid from Back of the Yards, Slim seemed like a towering figure, a true warrior. I saw him in a photo he sent to his cousin from Vietnam. He was carrying a heavy M60 machine gun and extra ammunition, disappearing into the dense Vietnamese jungle. Fast-forward to the early 1980s. I was celebrating my graduation from the Army Ranger School, ready to begin my career as an Army infantry officer. I ran into Slim at our old neighborhood bar. He told me he had always dreamed of being a Ranger. Surprised, I asked if he hadn't been in the special forces during his time in Vietnam. He explained that no, his job had been laying communication wire in Vietnam. He offered me his best wishes with a sincere grin as I embarked on my military career. Years later, during one of my deployments to Iraq, my brother shared the sad news that Slim had passed away from stomach cancer. It was believed this was a result of exposure to Agent Orange, the chemical defoliant used in the Vietnamese jungles. I also learned that he had struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, a burden he carried long after returning from the war. This Memorial Day, as we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, please take a moment to raise a 40-ouncer in remembrance of all the brave warriors from Back of the Yards who never made it home and for those who did return but continued to fight their own battles with the invisible wounds of Vietnam Veterans Memorial is inscribed with more than 58,000 names — representing stories of loss and heartache. Esau's story follows. Forgotten by others? Perhaps. But not by me. On March 7, 1968, Alpha Company loaded onto tracked vehicles known as AmTracs for a reconnaissance in force to Phu Tai, a village on the Cua Viet River. North Vietnam regulars, or NVAs, were observed there. Our job: Deny access. Artillery missions had been plotted the night before. That morning, my radio operator — R.O. — confirmed he had solid communications. However, with turbo-charged AmTracs announcing our arrival, it was unlikely there would be NVA stragglers. I was alert, not anxious. That changed. Nearing Phu Tai's western edge, things spiraled downhill when a rocket-propelled grenade tore into the lead AmTrac. The volume and intensity of incoming fire indicated a sizeable NVA force, a counterattack likely. As we regrouped, I fired several batteries simultaneously to hold them off. Regardless, the R.O. and I were soon surrounded by casualties — the handiwork of a sniper spotted by others in the loft of a nearby abandoned church. From his elevated perch, the shooter had inflicted undetected damage. Shrubs to our rear hid us but wouldn't forever. Then my 'new guy' showed up. Phu Tai was his introduction to the fight. However, despite our dire circumstances, he sucked up the fear we all had known. His first words were: 'What can I do?' When he was asked to put rounds on the sniper while an artillery mission was redirected, he took a firing position at my back. Six rounds ended the sniper's career. But not quickly enough. The deadly marksman killed my new guy. However, reflecting on his sacrifice wasn't an option as the engagement at Phu Tai still had plenty of mayhem remaining. Close-quarters fighting routed the NVA. Then the night's work began: Following triage protocols, our 94 wounded were helicoptered out. It wasn't till the following morning that my new guy and his 12 companions were relieved of duty. First stop: Dong Ha's morgue. Eventually, I identified my new guy: Esau Whitehead Jr. Forty years later, I visited Esau at his permanent address: Plot 3131A, Section N, in Long Island's 'Pine Lawn Cemetery.' I toasted him and his embodiment of our motto — 'Semper Fidelis' — as I recalled how he protected a fellow Marine he had known for four minutes. Thank you, mother, Louise Kemp Peirce, left her home in Rock Island to enlist in the Marine Corps during World War II and was sent to Camp Pendleton in California, following the example of her older brother, Clement, who had enlisted in the Navy. While stationed there, she met a tall, handsome Marine named Marvin Frost ('Frosty'), and they fell in love. Before he was shipped to the war in Asia, he proposed and gave her money, which would be used to buy an engagement ring when he returned from the war. He also gave her a gold bracelet, inscribed with her name on the front and 'All my love, Frosty' on the back. Sadly, he was killed at Iwo Jima while leaving his position to help another Marine who had fallen in the battle, earning the Silver Star posthumously. My mother contacted his family in Oregon and intended to return the money to them, but they told her to keep it. She went alone to a jeweler and bought the engagement ring they had dreamed of. She wore that ring every day of her life, even after she married my 1775, more than 1 million American patriots have died serving our nation. Our war dead are literally our country's DNA. Every single thing we have and will have is because of their sacrifice. The freedoms we enjoy and the opportunities we sometimes take for granted clearly demonstrate that the price of freedom was not free. Where would we as a nation be without them? On this sacred day, a grateful country turns its eyes toward our beloved patriots to whom we owe so much. 'Pro deo et patria' ('For God and country').When I was 14, I wrote this poem, deeply affected by this soldier's bravery. He was just a few years older than me. After his death, he was the first African American to be honored with the Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam. At 73, I am still in awe of this hero and all of our service members who served in Vietnam. They deserve our nation's deepest gratitude and recognition. Pfc. Milton Olive was a good man at his best. He was ready to lay down his life for men And that's just what he did. His platoon was pinned down in the jungle, under constant combatant fire, When the enemy threw a live grenade. The 18-year-old soldier, so unafraid, Yelled, 'I've got it!' He tucked the bomb under his chest. You can imagine the rest. He saved four men that day, In a sweaty foxhole far from home, Where he won the Purple Heart Pfc. Milton Olive did a Hero's work of art.
Business Wire
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
NVA Appoints Ken Burdick Executive Chairman Ahead of Future IPO
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Veterinary Associates Group ('NVA'), a leading veterinary care organization, today announced it has strengthened its Board with the appointments of Ken Burdick as Executive Chairman and Dr. James 'Mike' McFarland as Director. These executives bring substantial healthcare and public company experience ahead of the company's future IPO. Burdick is a seasoned public company executive with more than 40 years of healthcare experience. He currently serves as Executive Chairman at LifeStance Health (NASDAQ: LFST), a leading U.S. provider of outpatient mental healthcare. Since joining LifeStance as Chairman and CEO in 2022, he has led significant financial and operational transformation at the company. Previously, he spent six years as CEO of WellCare Health Plans, during which time the company delivered superb performance in both topline and profit margin expansion, resulting in exceptional value creation prior to being acquired by Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC). He previously held senior leadership positions at United Healthcare and Cigna Corporation. Burdick brings extensive public and private board experience. He has also devoted decades of service to non-profit organizations, including United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Tampa General Hospital. Dr. McFarland also brings substantial public company experience, including more than 40 years in the veterinary healthcare industry. For the past 11 years, he held senior leadership roles at Zoetis, Inc., including Group Director of United States Companion Animal Marketing, Executive Vice President and Group President of the Accelerated Growth Businesses, and Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Before joining Zoetis, Mike spent 15 years in emergency medicine, including five years as the Medical Director for one of the country's first and largest after-hours emergency practices. Previously, he spent 13 years at Pfizer, Inc., serving as Group Director of CAD Veterinary Operations, Group Director of U.S. Veterinary Medical Services, and Director of Specialty Hospital Services for Pfizer Animal Health. Dr. McFarland earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1985. Greg Hartmann, NVA Chairman, will remain on the Board and remains invested in the company, reinforcing his enduring confidence in NVA's strategy and profitable growth opportunities. 'It is a privilege to welcome executives of their caliber,' said Hartmann. 'Ken's extensive public company and multi-site clinical experience will be a tremendous asset for NVA, our care teams and the veterinary profession. Mike brings a rare combination of clinical expertise and strategic acumen, shaped by decades of leadership in animal health, that will further strengthen our Board. I am excited to work closely with Ken, Mike, the Board and the NVA leadership team as we continue NVA's journey of value creation.' 'I am honored to lead NVA as it continues on its pathway to becoming a blue-chip veterinary care company,' added Burdick. 'NVA's mission, culture, and commitment to compassionate clinical excellence resonate strongly with me, and I look forward to working with the Board and leadership team as we continue to build on NVA's strong foundation to create long-term value for all stakeholders.' 'Having spent my career in animal health, I've long admired NVA's focus on quality care, community, and clinical autonomy,' said McFarland. 'I'm pleased to join the Board and help advance NVA's continued growth and commitment to supporting veterinary teams and the pets they serve.' About NVA National Veterinary Associates Group is defining the future of pet health. NVA is a community of approximately 1,300+ premier locations across North America consisting of general practice veterinary hospitals, Ethos Veterinary Health, which consists of world-class specialty and emergency hospitals, equine hospitals and pet resorts. For more information, visit
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Vietnam War Navy SEAL returned for second tour in honor of friend killed in action
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — John Brooks was set to be drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War, but he had his sights set on becoming a Navy Frogman. A Navy Frogman is commonly known now as a Navy SEAL, but no matter how you refer to the job, becoming one is no easy feat. 'We are the commandos that sneak in and sneak out. We're small units, small groups from four to 14 men. We're kind of a reconnaissance. We're like Army Rangers,' Brooks said. 'We find the enemy. We engage the enemy, and then we get out without a lot of casualties because we don't have that firepower that the larger enemy has.' By the end of the 18-week training, the group of 100 was down to 25. He was shipped off to the Saigon area for six months as part of a group of 14 SEALs. 'The NVA, which stands for the North Vietnamese Army, they weren't around us too much then,' Brooks said. 'So we weren't having a whole lot of contact. We had a little bit of contact, no big firefights.' But then that changed. 'March the 29th. We lost the heart and soul of our platoon,' Brooks tearfully recalled. 'He hit a landmine, anti-personnel mine. His name was Les Moe. He'd been over four times.' Brooks believes his friend Les saved his life that day. 'Les saved a lot of peoples' lives because he was senior to a lot of people. And me, for one, we should have been running point,' Brooks said. 'He was running point because he felt like we didn't have the experience because it was a kind of pacified area. We didn't have a whole lot of encounters with the Viet Cong.' After that, the platoon laid low as the war started to wind down, and Brooks went back home. 'I didn't feel like I was tested. I didn't feel like I was in that firefight that I wanted to be in. Maybe some of it was because of Les Moe,' said Brooks. 'But I went back as an advisor.' Brooks couldn't return to a direct-action platoon so he spent 10 months advising Vietnamese SEALs. 'We were on one side of the river. It was night. We had our star lights scopes. We saw that it was the NVA, not the Viet Cong. This was an army. They had artillery. They were heavily armed. There was only 14 of us, two Americans, and the rest were South Vietnamese,' said Brooks. 'We, me in particular, wanted to open fire. This was a firefight I wanted to get in to see what I was made out of, to see if I had the right stuff. Well, the Vietnamese officers kept saying beaucoup, beaucoup, which means many, and they would not open fire. And to this day, I feel like maybe that was the Lord's way of taking care of me.' But going back to his home country wasn't easy as a veteran of one of the most controversial wars in history. 'When I got back, I had to change out of my uniform in the restroom, in the airport,' Brooks recalled. 'I kind of just settled into the mindset, right or wrong, it's my country.' That time in the military prepared him for serving students at Dobyns Bennett High School where he was a coach, teacher and guidance counselor. 'Dedication and strength of character and 'stick to it-ness' to make it through the training and to do my job in Vietnam,' he said. 'And so I felt like I was ready for the challenge… teaching would be a challenge.' Despite all he's accomplished in the Navy and through being an educator, Brooks has one goal he's still working toward– hoping to live to be 100 years old. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
