Latest news with #WWT
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
WWT Washington at 50: Founder 'wouldn't recognise' site today
A nature reserve's founder would not recognise it today as it has been "completely transformed" in the 50 years since it opened, its current manager has said. Washington Wetland Centre, near Sunderland, welcomed visitors for the first time on 29 May a century later, what was once predominantly farmland has helped bring new species to the area including birds that were "virtually extinct". Reserve manager John Gowland said he hoped founder Sir Peter Scott would be proud of what the site has achieved. "It's kind of a double celebration for me," added Mr Gowland, who also turned 50 earlier this year. Over the past five decades the farmland has been turned into an array of ponds, waterways and lakes, all of which did not exist before."The wardens at the time and Pater Scott himself, I don't think they would recognise that," Mr Gowland said. "The layout is the same. The ponds and a lot of the wetlands were created by Peter Scott, so they are there. "It is just completely transformed, alive with wildlife as well, with the trees and the meadows."Hopefully they would be very proud of where we are." At least 120 bird species visit the site annually and thousands of different plants and insect can also be seen. Mr Gowland said the reserve had played important role in increasing the population of said the birds had been "virtually extinct" in the UK, but were breeding regularly at WWT Washington since 2016 and had expanded to 15 pairs. "No-one could imagine, even a decade before, that that avocets would be as common as they are," he said. "They are nesting elsewhere in the North East so that initial colonisation at Washington has allowed them to expand their range."Grey herons were another species that would not be in the area in great numbers if it had not been for the first chicks hatched on the reserve's Wader Lake in 1989 and there are 40 pairs now. The centre has welcomed three million people since it opened and has more than 70,000 visitors Gowland, from Sunderland, first visited WWT Washington when he was six and later became a volunteer and a worked at WWT London before returning to Washington as reserve manager in said climate change meant new animals - including bat species, butterflies and dragonflies - could move up to the area. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AI-Powered Defense at the Edge: Check Point Launches New Branch Office Security Gateways with 4x Faster Threat Prevention Performance
Optimized for SD-WAN, New Quantum Force Branch Office Firewalls deliver protections against growing attacks on branch offices and superior end user experience REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a pioneer and global leader of cyber security solutions, today announced major advancements to its family of Quantum Force Security Gateways. All Quantum Force Security Gateways for the data center and perimeter are receiving a 15%-25% performance boost in threat prevention throughput – delivered automatically via software update. In parallel, Check Point is launching a new lineup of AI-powered Quantum Force Branch Office Security Gateways designed to provide enterprise-level firewall security with up to a 4x increase in threat prevention performance from previous models. These four new branch firewalls deliver industry-leading 99.9% block rate, lightning-fast cloud application performance, and are optimized for SD-WAN to meet the growing demands of hybrid networks and the modern distributed workforce. According to the latest data from Check Point Research (CPR), branch offices are now facing an average of 713 weekly attack attempts per location, a 36% rise from the same period last year. Additionally, 50% of branch offices encounter attempts to exploit vulnerabilities from external sources, highlighting the urgent requirement for robust branch security and scalable management in the AI era. 'As we continue to prioritize innovation and efficiency, Check Point's new Quantum Force Branch Office Security Gateway firewalls are built for speed, simplicity, and security,' said Nataly Kremer, Chief Product Officer at Check Point. 'They're 4x faster than previous models, optimized for SD-WAN, and backed by our latest AI-powered threat prevention. And with automatic performance upgrades, existing Quantum Force customers will receive a 15-25% performance boost with a software update — no hardware changes required.' Today's branch offices play a crucial role in engaging directly with customers but often represent the most vulnerable point in network security. Their direct links to the public cloud and the internet make them more susceptible to cyber threats. With the current threat environment and a staggering 44% rise in cyber-attacks year over year, as highlighted in CPR's 2025 Security Report, there is a significant need to implement strong enterprise firewalls that can effectively defend against online threats without impacting network performance by causing delays or disruptions. 'World Wide Technology (WWT) provides security products and services to customers across a variety of industries including financial services, manufacturing, retail and healthcare with distributed branch offices,' said Chris Konrad, Vice President of Global Cyber at WWT. 'Check Point's new next-generation Quantum Force Branch Office Security Gateways with enhanced AI powered threat prevention, empower us to protect these customers from the latest attacks on branch offices. These innovations help our clients reduce risk, streamline operations, and scale securely across hybrid environments — turning cyber resilience into a competitive advantage.' Check Point's Quantum Force Branch Office Security Gateways capabilities include: Industry-leading threat prevention: A 4x boost in threat prevention throughput with a tried and tested industry leading 99.9% block rate based on Miercom's 2025 security benchmark report. Optimized for Cloud Applications: Lightning-fast security performance for SaaS apps by optimizing for SD-WAN, expanding network connectivity up to 10X to 10 GbE, and increasing port capacity 2X. Unified Management: Top rated unified security management for enterprise, campus, branch, and cloud environments along with zero-trust policy across the entire enterprise. 'Branch offices are often the soft spots in enterprise security, providing vulnerable entry-points for attacks and compromising the security posture across the enterprise,' said Pete Finalle, Security Research Manager, at IDC. "Check Point's new Quantum Branch Office Security Gateways deliver robust threat prevention to the edge, enabling organizations to secure their branch offices from emerging cyber threats while keeping pace with the demands of the hybrid workforce.' AvailabilityThe four new Check Point Quantum Force Branch Office Security Gateways are available now through our network of global partners. For more details about Check Point Quantum Force, visit our website or check out our blog. Follow Check Point via:LinkedIn: X: YouTube: About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. ( is a leading protector of digital trust, utilizing AI-powered cyber security solutions to safeguard over 100,000 organizations globally. Through its Infinity Platform and an open garden ecosystem, Check Point's prevention-first approach delivers industry-leading security efficacy while reducing risk. Employing a hybrid mesh network architecture with SASE at its core, the Infinity Platform unifies the management of on-premises, cloud, and workspace environments to offer flexibility, simplicity and scale for enterprises and service providers. This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding future growth, the expansion of Check Point's industry leadership, the enhancement of shareholder value and the delivery of an industry-leading cyber security platform to customers worldwide. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results or events in the future are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 2, 2024. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Check Point as of the date hereof, and Check Point disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. MEDIA CONTACT: Ana PerezCheck Point Software Technologies press@ INVESTOR CONTACT:Kip E. MeintzerCheck Point Software Technologiesir@
Business Mayor
22-05-2025
- General
- Business Mayor
How a dawn chorus break in Gloucestershire opened my ears to the birds
S ilhouettes dart across a lake and the pale morning sky. Avocets screech high-pitched cries, defending their eggs from a squawking crow that circles above, while a barnacle goose with a barking call flies overhead. There are 12 of us watching and listening on a dawn chorus workshop at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) Slimbridge centre in Gloucestershire. Being partially sighted, birding has felt out of reach for me. But this morning is about identifying birdsong, and I'm curious as to whether this will help me feel a deeper connection with nature. Slimbridge map Our guide, Martin, points out the birds he can see and hear. It helps me understand the scene: those silhouettes I see aren't just miscellaneous birds flying around, but the drama of the avocets swooping together to scare off the crow, the stories taking place in nature. Immediately, I feel a clearer understanding. We wander the wetlands centre, past ponds and down tree-lined paths, regularly pausing to listen. Martin draws our attention to each bird, helping us attune to the unique notes: how a goldfinch's song tinkles, how a reed warbler sings continuously in a way that sounds almost mechanical. The chiffchaff's onomatopoeic call sticks out. When Martin highlights the soft hoot of a woodpigeon, its sound reminds me of warm summer nights, hearing the comforting coo from my garden. Caroline Butterwick at the Slimbridge wetlands centre Later, WWT volunteer Dot shows me around the reserve, and she too seems attuned to birdsong. Spurred on by the morning's session, I ask how to improve my bird listening skills, admitting that I've always struggled with identifying wildlife. As we gaze at the Severn estuary from the accessible observation tower, she assures me it takes time, and to practise picking out the ones I now know. As we wander, there is the regular honking of geese, brash and beautiful. Greylags with ungainly goslings trailing behind regularly cross the paths, now busy with families enjoying a warm spring day. Slimbridge was the first of WWT's 10 UK sites, and was founded by Peter Scott, son of Antarctic explorer Robert, in 1946. I'm staying in Warblers' Meadow for the weekend, the site's recently opened accommodation comprising five shepherd's huts stationed in a pasture. Our hut, Reed Warbler, has soothing earthy tones, with a comfy double bed, shower room, kitchenette and sofa area, and a wooden deck where I sit in the evenings, listening to the birds. As I listen to birds the rest of the weekend, I realise I've started to unpick threads of a tapestry of song The centre also offers canoe safaris (£10 for an hour), and it feels like exploring a secret space as my husband and I traverse the waterways enclosed by trees, paddling past the occasional bemused duck. We aren't naturals: we bump into reed banks, and navigate without much grace around other canoes, my husband giving instructions on which way to paddle. It's relaxing hearing the breeze in the reeds, smelling the damp earth and trees, and feeling the rhythmic tug of water against the paddle. Canoe safaris feel like exploring a secret space. Photograph: Ben Langdon Photography/WWT Slimbridge is a good base for exploring the Cotswolds and surrounding countryside, and one evening, we drive to the nearby town of Dursley and enjoy a delicious curry at the Everest Nepalese and Indian restaurant. The next day, we head to Uley, where we tuck into a Sunday lunch of mushroom wellington at the 17th-century Old Crown Inn. Read More Taking a vacation from work may soon become mandatory I ask the barman the best way to reach Uley Bury, an iron age hillfort, and he points us in the direction of the church opposite, where we follow a narrow path and then upwards through fields and woodland, the verdant swell of countryside around us. We pause on the hillside, and listen. 'Those are blackbirds,' my husband says. 'And I just heard a woodpigeon,' I add, smiling. This trip reminds me of the sensory joys of the outdoors – of the syrupy scent of wildflowers, the sun on my skin, and hearing a bird and now recognising its song The ascent isn't too difficult, my husband pointing out tree roots and loose rocks. Descending is harder for me with a lack of depth perception. At one point, we realise there's a drop to one side, the path steep and uneven. 'I'm going to have to shimmy this bit,' I say as I carefully lower myself and ungracefully, with my hands and feet on the ground, manoeuvre myself down the path until it evens out. It reminds me how my interactions with the outdoors are so influenced by my sight – that I have learned to do things differently. Still, I enjoy our walk with its gentle breeze, the green all around, and, of course, the birdsong. Gentle is the word I find myself using throughout the weekend. Although we do lots, I feel soothed, my anxious mind calmed by being immersed in nature. The goldfinch's song has a 'tinkling' quality. Photograph: Phillip Cull/Alamy I never felt out of place in the dawn chorus workshop. Sound was our shared experience. There were moments when someone pointed to a distant bird I couldn't see, but I didn't feel I was missing out. As I listen to birds the rest of the weekend, I realise I've started to unpick threads of a tapestry of song – to notice the distinct notes, the cadence and tone of each bird. I still have a lot to learn, but it seems more achievable. As my husband and I sit outside our shepherd's hut, sipping coffee, we listen. 'Is that a chiffchaff?' he says. 'I think it is.' 'Who'd have thought there would be so much joy in hearing a chiffchaff and knowing that's what it is.' I can feel cut off from nature as a disabled person. But we all have our own route into nature, our own way of connection. This trip reminds me of the sensory joys of the outdoors – of the syrupy scent of wildflowers, the sun on my skin, and hearing a bird and now recognising its song.
Al Etihad
22-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
G42 and WWT launch Forge42 to accelerate ‘Made in the Emirates' AI innovation
22 May 2025 19:47 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD) In a major boost for the UAE's technology ambitions, Abu Dhabi-based tech group G42 and US firm World Wide Technology (WWT) have launched Forge42, a new company dedicated to accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) development. The announcement was made at Make it in the Emirates, the UAE's top manufacturing event, in the presence of Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced is designed to be a world-class AI hub that helps businesses develop, test, and scale new AI-powered solutions. It will support companies working in vital industries such as manufacturing, energy, logistics, healthcare, and finance—giving them the tools and infrastructure to become more efficient, smarter, and globally aim is to move the UAE beyond simply using advanced technologies to becoming a global leader in developing and exporting them. Forge42 will allow local and international businesses to embed AI into their products and services, making them ready for both domestic use and international Xiao, Group CEO of G42, said: 'This collaboration with WWT represents a shared commitment to building meaningful, lasting AI infrastructure and solutions that empower nations and industries alike. We are building not just technology, but momentum—momentum that fuels innovation, increases competitiveness, and enhances the UAE's role in shaping the global AI and economic landscape.'Forge42 is what experts call a "full-stack AI accelerator"—meaning it provides everything a company needs to go from an idea to a working product. This includes high-powered computers, secure data systems, and advanced testing company will also work closely with some of the world's leading tech firms such as NVIDIA, AMD, Dell, and Microsoft. These partnerships will help Forge42 deliver next-generation computing power while keeping control of key technologies within the UAE. Omar Mir, International Board Member of WWT, added: 'WWT is proud to partner with G42 and contribute our global expertise in infrastructure and advanced technology integration to this visionary initiative. Together, we are creating an innovation environment that allows ideas to move quickly from prototype to impact – both within the UAE and beyond.' Make it in the Emirates Continue full coverage
The Guardian
22-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
How a dawn chorus break in Gloucestershire opened my ears to the birds
Silhouettes dart across a lake and the pale morning sky. Avocets screech high-pitched cries, defending their eggs from a squawking crow that circles above, while a barnacle goose with a barking call flies overhead. There are 12 of us watching and listening on a dawn chorus workshop at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) Slimbridge centre in Gloucestershire. Being partially sighted, birding has felt out of reach for me. But this morning is about identifying birdsong, and I'm curious as to whether this will help me feel a deeper connection with nature. Our guide, Martin, points out the birds he can see and hear. It helps me understand the scene: those silhouettes I see aren't just miscellaneous birds flying around, but the drama of the avocets swooping together to scare off the crow, the stories taking place in nature. Immediately, I feel a clearer understanding. We wander the wetlands centre, past ponds and down tree-lined paths, regularly pausing to listen. Martin draws our attention to each bird, helping us attune to the unique notes: how a goldfinch's song tinkles, how a reed warbler sings continuously in a way that sounds almost mechanical. The chiffchaff's onomatopoeic call sticks out. When Martin highlights the soft hoot of a woodpigeon, its sound reminds me of warm summer nights, hearing the comforting coo from my garden. Later, WWT volunteer Dot shows me around the reserve, and she too seems attuned to birdsong. Spurred on by the morning's session, I ask how to improve my bird listening skills, admitting that I've always struggled with identifying wildlife. As we gaze at the Severn estuary from the accessible observation tower, she assures me it takes time, and to practise picking out the ones I now know. As we wander, there is the regular honking of geese, brash and beautiful. Greylags with ungainly goslings trailing behind regularly cross the paths, now busy with families enjoying a warm spring day. Slimbridge was the first of WWT's 10 UK sites, and was founded by Peter Scott, son of Antarctic explorer Robert, in 1946. I'm staying in Warblers' Meadow for the weekend, the site's recently opened accommodation comprising five shepherd's huts stationed in a pasture. Our hut, Reed Warbler, has soothing earthy tones, with a comfy double bed, shower room, kitchenette and sofa area, and a wooden deck where I sit in the evenings, listening to the birds. The centre also offers canoe safaris (£10 for an hour), and it feels like exploring a secret space as my husband and I traverse the waterways enclosed by trees, paddling past the occasional bemused duck. We aren't naturals: we bump into reed banks, and navigate without much grace around other canoes, my husband giving instructions on which way to paddle. It's relaxing hearing the breeze in the reeds, smelling the damp earth and trees, and feeling the rhythmic tug of water against the paddle. Slimbridge is a good base for exploring the Cotswolds and surrounding countryside, and one evening, we drive to the nearby town of Dursley and enjoy a delicious curry at the Everest Nepalese and Indian restaurant. The next day, we head to Uley, where we tuck into a Sunday lunch of mushroom wellington at the 17th-century Old Crown Inn. I ask the barman the best way to reach Uley Bury, an iron age hillfort, and he points us in the direction of the church opposite, where we follow a narrow path and then upwards through fields and woodland, the verdant swell of countryside around us. We pause on the hillside, and listen. 'Those are blackbirds,' my husband says. 'And I just heard a woodpigeon,' I add, smiling. The ascent isn't too difficult, my husband pointing out tree roots and loose rocks. Descending is harder for me with a lack of depth perception. At one point, we realise there's a drop to one side, the path steep and uneven. 'I'm going to have to shimmy this bit,' I say as I carefully lower myself and ungracefully, with my hands and feet on the ground, manoeuvre myself down the path until it evens out. It reminds me how my interactions with the outdoors are so influenced by my sight – that I have learned to do things differently. Still, I enjoy our walk with its gentle breeze, the green all around, and, of course, the birdsong. Gentle is the word I find myself using throughout the weekend. Although we do lots, I feel soothed, my anxious mind calmed by being immersed in nature. I never felt out of place in the dawn chorus workshop. Sound was our shared experience. There were moments when someone pointed to a distant bird I couldn't see, but I didn't feel I was missing out. As I listen to birds the rest of the weekend, I realise I've started to unpick threads of a tapestry of song – to notice the distinct notes, the cadence and tone of each bird. I still have a lot to learn, but it seems more achievable. As my husband and I sit outside our shepherd's hut, sipping coffee, we listen. 'Is that a chiffchaff?' he says. 'I think it is.' 'Who'd have thought there would be so much joy in hearing a chiffchaff and knowing that's what it is.' I can feel cut off from nature as a disabled person. But we all have our own route into nature, our own way of connection. This trip reminds me of the sensory joys of the outdoors – of the syrupy scent of wildflowers, the sun on my skin, and hearing a bird and now recognising its song. Accommodation and activities provided by WWT. Shepherd's huts at Warblers' Meadow available from £100 per night as introductory offer for stays until 31 May, then from £150 per night. WWT's other sites each have a calendar of events, from photography workshops to watching pink-footed geese in the autumn, see
