Latest news with #DGS
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Victorian government to change state's Working with Children Check system
The Victorian government will strengthen its Working with Children Check laws, but the first change will not come into effect until August, the ABC can reveal. Warning: This story contains details of alleged child sex abuse that may distress some audience members. On Tuesday, Victoria Police announced a childcare worker in Melbourne's south-west had been charged with more than 70 offences, including sexual assault and producing child abuse material, related to eight alleged victims at the Creative Garden childcare centre in Point Cook. Police said the accused, who had worked for about 20 childcare centres over about eight years, held a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC). The ABC understands the Department of Government Services (DGS) recently completed an "initial review" of Victoria's Working with Children scheme. The review was ordered after the ABC revealed people under investigation for serious offences could still hold one of the permits. A WWCC is a background check conducted by the government that screens people for criminal history and professional conduct findings. Currently in Victoria only criminal charges or a regulatory finding can trigger a check being revoked. For example, someone banned by the education department from working at a preschool for posing a risk of harm to children could still hold a valid WWCC. The government said that from August, screening regulations would change so DGS could "take into account prohibition notices issued from the Department of Education when determining or revoking a person's clearance to work with children". "It's clear to us that this system needs to be strengthened," Government Services Minister Natalie Hutchins told the ABC last month, after the ABC's extensive coverage of the issue. "This is just the first step to strengthen the Working With Children Check system to ensure that awful incidents that have occurred never happen again. "I will have more to say on outcomes of the review soon." It has been four years since ABC reporting sparked investigations that would lead to flaws in the WWCC being exposed. In 2022, the Victorian Ombudsman recommended the state urgently change its laws after a youth worker was cleared to work with children despite facing sexual offence allegations, including rape, in New South Wales. The state-based changes flagged for August will still not allow the Victorian system to consider a broad range of information such as child protection reports or police intelligence. Other states and territories can. Do you know more about this story? Contact Josie Taylor at josiegtaylor@ If you're sharing sensitive information, read our tips on how to contact us confidentially. It has been 10 years since the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommended Australia's eight separate state and territory working-with-children systems be both standardised and nationalised. In a rare case of a former royal commissioner speaking publicly, Robert Fitzgerald told the ABC it was "shameful" this work had still not been done. "There doesn't need to be any more reviews or any more inquiries, or any more royal commissions," he said. "The evidence was overwhelming 10 years ago and it's even more so today," he said. "Working with children checks are in fact the very first thing you need to do to create child-safe institutions. "The longer we delay in fixing the system … we continue to leave children at risk." Mr Fitzgerald, who is now the age discrimination commissioner, called for the federal, state and territory governments to urgently establish a national WWCC system and a real-time national police database. The Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) said the alleged abuse case announced by Victoria Police on Tuesday was "one of the most significant and far-reaching cases of [alleged] child sexual abuse ever seen in a childcare setting in Australia". The Victorian government has established a webpage with information for affected families. Information, including details of the government's dedicated hotline, can be found here. It called on governments across Australia to swiftly embed mandatory child abuse prevention education into the scheme, an issue it has lobbied on for years. "We can't always stop people who want to harm children from slipping through the cracks, but governments must act to ensure that the adults around children are trained to recognise risk, respond appropriately and act to protect them," chief executive Janise Mitchell said. Emma Hakansson, a lead advocate with the ACF, said WWCC holders continued to abuse children. "At the moment [the scheme] is essentially a screening tool to make sure people convicted of harming children and other dangerous crimes can't work with children," she said. "But we know that most perpetrators of child sexual abuse don't have any past convictions and they go under the radar. "Until the WWCC has mandatory child abuse prevention training as part of it, which we are calling for, it will not work." Ms Hakansson said embedding training into the scheme would make the community safer. "At the moment, to receive a Working with Children Check you have to do zero training," she said. "You just need to go through a police screening." She said people were often trained about how to respond to a direct disclosure of child abuse, but at that point, it was already too late. "A child has already been abused," she said. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan was asked on Tuesday if she supported the proposal to make child abuse prevention education training mandatory as part of the WWCC scheme. She said the recommendation would be considered. "This is one of a number of pieces of advice that is already being provided to federal and state ministers as they work through the national framework that sits across the early childhood sector," she said. "Recommendations around additional training is one of those recommendation that we will examine. "We understand that there is a need here, to look at what happened, to understand what happened, and to strengthen the regulations."
Time Out
2 days ago
- Climate
- Time Out
Europe heatwave: Full list of holiday destinations with ‘red heat' warnings
We all know by now that summers are getting hotter every year. And while more and more travellers are choosing to forego classic Mediterranean holiday destinations like Italy, Spain and Portugal, opting instead for a 'coolcation' in northern Europe, plenty of holidaymakers will have trips planned to parts of Europe that are currently baking in 40C temperatures. An extreme heatwave is engulfing much of southern Europe right now, with parts of Spain hitting 46C over the weekend. It's expected to be sweltering this week – so, what should you do if you have a trip booked? Can you get a refund if you choose not to travel? Here's the lowdown on travelling in Europe during this summer heatwave. Where in Europe is experiencing a heatwave? While parts of the UK are experiencing highs of 33C, much of southern Europe is boiling in even more extreme temperatures. Several destinations have issued 'red heat' alerts – these are the hottest places on the continent right now. Full list of destinations with 'red heat' warnings Spain Southern Spain has been the worst-hit region, with Seville and the surrounding area recording highs in the mid-40s. France Almost the entirety of mainland France has been placed under a severe high temperature alert, which is expected to last for the rest of the week. Portugal Portugal's Directorate-General for Health (DGS) has issued a severe weather warning to citizens, advising that they stay indoors between 11am and 5pm. Italy Over 20 cities in Italy were placed under a 'red' warning for extreme weather yesterday, with regions like Tuscany reporting an increase in hospital admissions related to dehydration and heat strokes. Türkiye A wildfire is currently raging in the Izmir region, and hotter, drier summers are to blame. Croatia and the Balkans The Adriatic coast experienced highs of 40C over the weekend, with temperatures expected to remain very hot this week. Why is it so hot? Extreme heat is the 'new normal', according to UN chief António Guterres, per the Guardian. A 'heat dome' – an area of high pressure that traps hot air – is currently engulfing western Europe. This is compounded by hot air from North Africa and made worse by fossil fuel pollution. How long will the heatwave last? The intense heat will continue through the week. Temperatures are expected to drop at the end of the week in Italy, according to returning to seasonal averages of high 20s/early 30s. In Spain, extreme temperatures will persist through at least mid-week, according to AEMET. Is it safe to travel? While travel to the affected regions has not been officially warned against, holidaymakers are advised to follow local measures and precautions. Stay out of the sun during peak hours (between 11am and 6pm), wear plenty of sunscreen and drink plenty of water. Can I get a refund if I choose to cancel my trip? As the FCDO has not issued an official 'do not travel' warning, it's unlikely you'll get a refund if you cancel your trip. Speak to your travel provider directly to see what can be done.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Casa del Fuego Co-Owner Jeremy Hilland Affirms Commitment to DGS Vision Following $5B Acquisition
TYSONS, Va., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the announcement that Digital Global Systems Inc. (DGS) has been acquired in a $5 billion stock purchase, Casa del Fuego Family Office and Trust today clarified that the firm was co-founded and is co-owned by investor and entrepreneur Jeremy Hilland. Casa del Fuego acquired 100% of DGS through a strategic stock transaction, making the AI-driven spectrum optimization company a wholly owned subsidiary. The move positions DGS to accelerate the deployment of its patented RF Awareness technologies across defense, commercial, and smart infrastructure sectors. "DGS is exactly the kind of company Casa del Fuego was built to back—visionary, defensible, and transformational," said Jeremy Hilland. "Its unparalleled patent portfolio and leadership in real-time RF analytics give it the potential to redefine how wireless networks function globally. We are proud to support its growth." DGS will continue to operate independently under its current leadership team, advancing its development of chipset-level spectrum analytics, autonomous network optimization, and critical signal anomaly detection technologies. Media Contact:Pat Rudolph, CMOprudolph@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Digital Global Systems Inc. Error 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
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Active Trade Management Recognised as One of Europe's Leading Independent Financial Firms
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / / June 24, 2025 / Active Trade Management Sàrl, an independent Swiss investment firm headquartered in Zurich, has been officially recognised as one of the Top 10 Independent Investment Companies in Europe, affirming its reputation as a trusted name in fixed-income investment solutions for high-net-worth individuals. Since its establishment in Zurich, Active Trade Management has developed a strong client base of over 5,000 private investors across Europe, driven by a disciplined, low-risk investment philosophy centered around fixed-income strategies. Over the past four years, the firm has helped clients protect and grow their capital by offering carefully structured investment opportunities designed to deliver consistent returns with minimal volatility. Operating out of Talacker 21, 8001 Zurich, the firm works exclusively with European investors, providing access to institutional grade fixed-income products typically reserved for private banks and professional asset managers. Active Trade Management's offerings include investment-grade corporate bonds, structured notes, and government-backed instruments, all of which are selected following comprehensive due diligence and risk assessment protocols. "We are extremely proud to be recognised among the top firms in Europe," said David Collins, Senior Investment Strategist - Fixed Income. "Our team is committed to delivering long term value and peace of mind to our clients by focusing on security, income, and capital preservation. Especially in today's uncertain financial landscape, fixed-income investments offer a much-needed level of stability that our clients deeply appreciate." David Collins, who has played a key role in shaping the company's fixed-income strategies, joined Active Trade Management four years ago after a decade-long tenure with UBS in Switzerland, where he specialised in institutional bond portfolios and wealth structuring for private banking clients. With over 20 years of experience in financial markets, Collins brings deep expertise in fixed-income products and a strong understanding of investor needs within the European high-net-worth segment. The firm attributes much of its growth to word-of-mouth referrals and a relationship-driven advisory approach, offering each client a tailored investment plan aligned with their personal financial goals, tax situation, and risk appetite. All client funds are held securely with leading European custodians and are eligible for coverage under the Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS) - up to €100,000 for single accounts and €200,000 for joint accounts, per institution. "Our focus has always been on quality over quantity," Collins added. "We take the time to understand our clients, structure solutions that suit them, and build long-term relationships based on performance, transparency, and trust." With volatile equity markets, rising inflation, and low bank deposit rates driving demand for safer alternatives, Active Trade Management's offering of secure, fixed-term investment solutions has struck a chord with conservative investors looking for steady and predictable returns. As a result, the company continues to expand its presence across major European markets including Germany, Ireland, France, and Spain. Whether investors are looking to diversify away from equities, generate stable income, or preserve wealth for future generations, Active Trade Management provides an experienced, regulated, and client-focused platform to do so. For media enquiries, interviews, or further information: Press officer: Anna HoffmannEmail: info@ SOURCE: Active Trade Management View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Digital Global Systems Inc. Acquired by Casa del Fuego Family Office and Trust in $5 Billion Strategic Stock Purchase to Accelerate Global Spectrum Innovation
TYSONS, Va., June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Global Systems Inc. (DGS), the world leader in patented spectrum optimization technologies and AI-driven spectrum management, today announced that it has been acquired by Casa del Fuego Family Office and Trust in a transaction valued at $5 billion USD. Through a 100% stock purchase, DGS will now operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Casa del Fuego, a move designed to supercharge monetization of DGS's intellectual property portfolio and accelerate the deployment of next-generation wireless capabilities across government, commercial, and civilian networks. Positioning DGS as the Strategic Core of the Wireless Future DGS is widely recognized for its pioneering role in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to real-time RF data, with a focus on dynamic spectrum management, RAN optimization, and private wireless infrastructure. The company holds the largest and most advanced patent portfolio globally for AI-based spectrum management, forming the foundation of its leadership in enabling ultra-reliable low-latency (URLL) services, 5G and 6G readiness, and advanced interference mitigation. DGS's real-time RF analytics capabilities also support early detection of anomalous signals—including drone activity and unauthorized transmissions—making its technology vital for critical asset protection, robotic control in congested environments, and secure satellite D2D communications. As part of its forward roadmap, DGS is actively developing chipset-integrated spectrum analytics, embedding its patented capabilities directly into silicon to enable on-device RF awareness and real-time interference detection across diverse environments—from enterprise campuses and stadiums to tactical defense networks and smart cities. Transaction Structure and Strategic Objective Under the terms of the agreement, Casa del Fuego Family Office and Trust will acquire 100% of Digital Global Systems Inc. through a stock purchase. The $5 billion USD transaction is funded by a combination of a credit facility backed by financial partners and performance-based notes. DGS will continue to operate independently as a wholly owned subsidiary. Its executive leadership team will remain in place, supported by a long-term incentive structure to align growth objectives, drive innovation, and create sustained value. "We are honored to welcome Digital Global Systems into our portfolio of transformative investments," said Ollie Patterson, CEO of Casa del Fuego Family Office and Trust. "DGS's unmatched technology and extensive patent portfolio make it a cornerstone of future wireless innovation. Together, we will set the standard for intelligent spectrum management and deliver cutting-edge solutions to both public and private wireless ecosystems." "This marks a transformative chapter for DGS," stated Fernando Murias, Chairman and CEO of DGS. "Joining Casa del Fuego gives us the strategic backing and global resources to fulfill our mission of redefining wireless networks through intelligent RF Awareness. We remain focused on enabling self-optimizing, autonomous networks powered by our patented AI-driven platform." About Digital Global Systems (DGS) Incorporated Digital Global Systems (DGS) is the global leader in AI-powered spectrum optimization. The company's patented technology enables real-time RF Awareness, dynamic spectrum sharing, RAN automation, and interference mitigation for defense, public safety, commercial wireless, and private network applications. With a portfolio of over 500 issued and pending patents, DGS is enabling the next generation of wireless infrastructure—from URLL communications and network slicing to chipset-level RF analytics. Its platform is also leveraged for advanced signal anomaly detection, drone and UAV monitoring, and protection of high-value infrastructure across land, sea, air, and space domains—including robotic systems and satellite-to-terrestrial communications. Learn more at About Casa del Fuego Family Office and Trust Casa del Fuego is a strategic investment and asset management firm with a focus on transformative technologies and luxury markets. Known for its acquisition of the Oeno Group—the world's largest fine wine and whiskey exchange—Casa del Fuego actively pursues partnerships that blend innovation, intellectual property, and long-term market value. Media contact:Pat Rudolph, CMOprudolph@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Digital Global Systems Inc. Error 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
