Cash or Card? New Upgraded Points Survey Reveals How Travelers Pay Abroad

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Upgraded Points survey of 1,500 recent international travelers, including 1,000 Americans, finds that travelers use a mix of cash and cards abroad, but exchange rates, fees, and declined transactions can complicate purchases.

"Spending money should be the easy part of a trip abroad," said Ryan Smith, Director of News at Upgraded Points. "But exchange rates, fees, and payment options can complicate even the simplest purchase. We wanted to learn how travelers prepare, where their plans run into trouble, and what they do when convenience and the best exchange rate move in different directions."

Study Methodology

Upgraded Points surveyed 1,500 adults who had traveled internationally within the past 12 months, including 1,000 U.S. adults and 500 adults from other countries. Respondents answered questions about payment methods, cash habits, credit card use, airport currency exchanges, and their confidence navigating exchange rates. The results were compared to show how Americans' payment habits differ from those of other international travelers.

Payment Planning Often Starts Months Before a Trip

Nearly one-third (32%) begin planning how they'll pay abroad three to six months before departure. U.S. travelers are more likely than non-U.S. travelers to start earlier, with 20% beginning more than six months ahead, compared with 12% of non-U.S. travelers.

Travelers' Confidence in Exchange Rates Varies

Just 35% of respondents said they feel very confident understanding exchange rates abroad. Confidence also varied by age and gender:

- 44% of men feel very confident, compared with 26% of women.

- 28% of Gen Z travelers feel very confident, compared with 40% of Gen X travelers and 37% of Baby Boomers.

Cash and Cards Remain Popular Abroad

Cash in the local currency and physical credit cards were nearly tied as the payment methods travelers most often use abroad. Mobile wallets were more popular among younger travelers:

- 71% use cash in the local currency.

- 69% use a physical credit card.

- 44% use a mobile wallet, including 56% of Gen Z travelers and 22% of travelers age 61 and older.

- 35% use a physical debit card.

Most Travelers Carry Local Currency

More than 8 in 10 travelers (81%) carry cash in the destination's currency, often for situations where cards may not be accepted:

- 64% use it at street vendors, markets, or small businesses.

- 55% use it for tips and other customary cash payments.

- 53% carry it for emergencies.

Travelers generally avoid carrying a large amount at once. About 44% exchange enough cash for several days, while 26% exchange enough for the full trip.

Familiar Card Brands Lead Among U.S. Travelers

Among U.S. respondents, Visa was the most commonly used card network, while Chase and Capital One were the most commonly used issuers:

- Visa: 24%

- Chase: 21%

- Capital One: 19%

- American Express: 15%

Fees and Declined Cards Can Complicate Purchases

Among all respondents, travelers most often said their bank or card company contacted them about a purchase made abroad. Other issues increased the cost of a purchase or prevented it from going through:

- 38% were contacted by their bank or card company about a purchase.

- 34% paid more than expected because of the exchange rate.

- 29% were charged an unexpected foreign transaction fee.

- 26% had a card declined.

Find the full study here.

About Upgraded Points LLC

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Upgraded Points is a travel company that helps to demystify the complex world of travel and credit cards. Launched in 2016 by Alex Miller, Upgraded Points uses targeted research efforts and in-depth studies to help travelers maximize their travel, points, and experiences. Learn more at www.UpgradedPoints.com.

Media Contact:

Alex Miller, Founder

1-214-646-8866

[email protected]

SOURCE Upgraded Points

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SIMI VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ESI Motion Inc. is proud to announce that it is supplying the Solar Array Drive Electronics (SADE) to Lockheed Martin for its work on the Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) programs.

Under the agreement, ESI Motion's SADE technology will support SDA as the PWSA is developed.

Defending our nation in space is more important than ever. The Space Development Agency's PWSA programs provide the military with a network of satellites with secure communication, missile tracking and space-based support to make sure our troops have the latest and greatest technology.

The SADE consists of our Space-rated, flight heritage, SuperNova and Pulsar motor controllers. These motion controllers ensure all mission parameters are fulfilled, with high-reliable technology.

ESI Motion Inc., U.S. Company, is a trusted supplier and partner, supporting mission operations for space, military and industrial customers around the world for over 20 years. Please visit our website; www.esimotion.com

Mitchell Haerterich, [email protected]

SOURCE ESI Motion

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Debuting at Google's Android Developer Summit, XREAL AURA brings Android XR, Gemini, Snapdragon-powered performance, and made-for-XR experiences into a generation-defining form factor available now

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- XREAL, the global leader in lightweight XR hardware development, today officially launched XREAL AURA, the world's first wired XR glasses powered by Android XR, and the world's first wired XR glasses to launch with the Snapdragon® Reality Elite Platform. Announced on stage at Google's Android Developer Summit, XREAL AURA brings the full spatial power of Android XR into a lightweight optical see-through glasses form factor designed for work, entertainment, gaming, AI-powered assistance, and everyday spatial computing.

Starting today, customers in the United States, Canada, Japan, and South Korea can order XREAL AURA. The company is offering a surprise limited time offer, making the 12GB + 256GB configuration $1,099; and the 16GB + 512GB configuration $1,299. Devices are expected to begin shipping in mid-November.

"This is a defining moment for XR. We built AURA for people who want the power of spatial computing without being removed from the world around them. With transparent lenses, a category-leading lightweight design, Gemini by your side, and access to the Android ecosystem from day-one, the promise of XR is more approachable than ever," said Chi Xu, co-founder and CEO of XREAL. "XREAL AURA is finally here, and we're so proud to unlock new ways for people to work, watch, play, and build."

The First Wired XR Glasses Powered by Android XR

XREAL AURA was developed in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. combining XREAL's years of leadership in lightweight XR glasses and optical engineering with the Android XR platform, Gemini AI capabilities, and Snapdragon-powered performance.

Unlike fully enclosed headsets, XREAL AURA uses transparent optical see-through lenses, allowing users to stay present with the room and people around them while digital content appears naturally in their field of view. The system uses a split-compute architecture, with the main compute and battery housed in a compact puck which ensures the glasses are lightweight and comfortable for extended use.

Powered by the new Snapdragon Reality Elite Platform, XREAL AURA delivers pro-grade performance for productivity, immersive entertainment, and next-generation XR experiences -- all while keeping the glasses under 95 grams.

A Private Workspace, Theater, and Arcade That Goes Anywhere

The device is built around a simple idea: your apps, screens, entertainment, and AI assistant should be able to come with you wherever you go.

On day-one, users have access to millions of familiar mobile apps and games from Google Play, alongside many experiences specifically for XR. Android XR brings familiar hand and voice inputs to AURA, while Gemini makes the experiences more natural and intuitive by working across what users see and do.

With Wired Mirroring, users can plug a computer or handheld gaming console directly into XREAL AURA via USB-C and instantly turn it into a massive private spatial window. That means a laptop, handheld gaming device, or other compatible USB-C device can sit alongside native Android XR apps in a user's spatial workspace.

Whether turning a plane seat into a private multi-monitor setup, watching a movie on a large virtual screen, or playing Android and console games in an immersive spatial environment, XREAL AURA is designed to make spatial computing practical, portable, and useful.

Launching With Made-for-XR Experiences

XREAL AURA launches with a growing library of over 150 made-for-XR experiences that are designed to showcase what this new form factor can do. As part of the launch, XREAL is spotlighting a range of new experiences alongside access to your favorite Google Play apps, including popular streaming services and more. Made-for-XR apps include:

- NBA App for Android XR - Access the NBA App developed for Android XR, seamlessly navigate between matchups and stats, and watch up to three games at a time on multiview with your NBA League Pass subscription. New for this season on Android XR, fans can also experience live games through the NBA's tabletop feature (Court View).

- Nevatars - Created by legendary actor and director Andy Serkis - A character artist's abandoned digital creations embark on a quest through her computer's depths to remind her of her creative passion and original artistic vision. Nevatars will be exclusive to Android XR at launch and free for the first six months.

- Fallout: Factions - A skirmish-level wargame for two players. On virtual tabletop, players control a unique group of miniatures, representing a core Faction from the Fallout universe, and bring them to battle the crews of other players in a fast-paced, dice-hurling, action-packed skirmish wargame â where every action can have long-lasting consequences.

- Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars - Mixed-reality adventure set in the cinematic world based on Andy Weir's best-selling sci-fi novel, where players join Ryland Grace and Rocky during a pivotal untold chapter of the mission. Work together in the face of disaster to keep the Hail Mary intact and bring their world-saving cargo to Eridani â Rocky's home planet, and Grace's new home.

- NASCAR XR App - Bringing NASCAR Cup Series racing closer with an immersive experience that gives fans a new way to follow the action at home through a live 3D track map, driver telemetry, leaderboards and spatial highlights. Between races, explore video, standings and the schedule to stay connected and ready for what's next.

- San Francisco Ballet Company's The Nutcracker - Tchaikovsky's iconic score, played by the Grammy Award-winning Orchestra, guides us along Clara's magical journey from her Victorian-era San Francisco home, through the most dazzling onstage blizzard, and onto the stunning Crystal Palace, where we meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and an international cast of characters. Captured in stereoscopic 8K with a Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive three-camera array, the experience showcases how cutting-edge hardware can unlock a profound sense of presence for world-class performing arts,

- Galapagos - EMMY and BAFTA award-winning Atlantic Studios is bringing ambitious immersive films to Android XR and XREAL AURA, including Galapagos narrated by Margot Robbie.

- Asteroid - A groundbreaking immersive film from acclaimed director Doug Liman, will combine cinematic storytelling, interactive gameplay, live conversational AI, and natural multimodal interaction powered by Gemini. The experience launched exclusively on Android XR and will be free for all XREAL AURA owners. The project is developed by 30 Ninjas.

- Cubism - One of the most respected puzzle games in XR built around an engaging concept: fit a set of colorful 3D blocks into a target shape, but this time set in your real world thanks to XREAL AURA's optical see-through headset. Cubism is renowned for its excellent handtracking and strong spatial interaction design.

- Oh My Galaxy! - One of the world's largest XR video game developers, nDreams, is bringing Oh My Galaxy! to XREAL AURA. Oh My Galaxy! is a beautifully crafted arcade-style physics puzzle game designed from the ground up for spatial computing. XREAL AURA marks the first time the popular game will be available on an OST headset.

- Chess Club - Odders is bringing its premier tabletop strategy game, Chess Club to XREAL AURA. Chess Club is the leading chess application across major spatial computing platforms today; its standout feature is its precise native hand-tracking. XREAL AURA marks the first time Chess Club will be available on an OST headset.

- CHZZK - South Korean streaming powerhouse, Naver is bringing CHZZK to XREAL AURA. CHZZK is Naver's massive livestreaming and content creator platform heavily centered around gaming, esports, virtual streamers, music videos and watch parties. CHZZK includes spatialized 180- and 360-degree videos that bring VR entertainment to XREAL AURA without isolating the viewer from the real world around them.

- DB Creations - The indie studio is developing three XR games for XREAL AURA. Disassemble, mend, and rebuild a variety of gadgets and robot parts while learning about the fantastical world around you in Robo Repair. Fly a jet, pilot a helicopter, and more to complete arcade challenges right in your room with the exciting RC-inspired action of Tiny Motors Arcade. Transform your space into a thriving solarpunk city of the future with easy to connect building block elements in Table Towers.

- Landing Party - Monsarrat is a Los Angeles startup launching Landing Party, the world's first outdoor roleplaying video game. Landing Party's eight patents lays a landscape of gameplay across a real world space which players walk through to explore.

- Simply Piano XR - Coming to an OST headset for the first time with XREAL AURA, Simply Piano XR brings its finetuned hand tracking and spatial computing to merge physical instruments with digital overlays along with AI-powered real-time feedback for the ultimate XR piano-learning platform.

- Soapbox - Soapbox brings real artists and comedians into your space as life-size holograms, so you can watch an intimate performance as if they're standing in the room. Founded in 2021 with a capture studio in Hollywood, Soapbox has filmed over 170 artists in 3D and is available now on XREAL AURA.

- XR HoloMedicine - In healthcare, apoQlar is bringing their XR HoloMedicine® platform to XREAL AURA that transforms CT, MRI, PET, and other medical imaging data into interactive 3D holographic models that clinicians can view and manipulate in real time. The early apoQlar workflows with XREAL AURA are showing real promise and are already making advanced medical visualization and training more intuitive for clinicians.

As Demand for Care at Home Grows, CEO Glee McAnanly Kicks Off Cross-Country RV Journey to Celebrate, Thank and Listen to the Franchise Owners and Caregivers Meeting That Need

CINCINNATI, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As FirstLight Home Care surpasses 300 locations across the country, the company is launching the Best Days Tourâa cross-country journey led by President and CEO Glee McAnanly to celebrate the people who made the milestone possible: franchise owners, their teams and the caregivers helping people have their best day, every day.

The milestone comes at a moment when that work matters more than ever. Sixty-three million Americans now provide ongoing care for a loved one, up nearly 20 million over the past decade, and more families are turning to professional caregivers for support at home. Behind every one of FirstLight's 300-plus locations is a story of compassion, dedication and heart: local owners and caregivers stepping up to meet that need in their own communities.

Traveling in a FirstLight-branded RV, McAnanly will visit franchise owners in their communities to hear those stories firsthandâbreaking bread with local teams and listening to the wins, the challenges and everything that goes into building a FirstLight business. Along the way, she will recognize milestones such as anniversaries and expansions and thank the people who have fueled the company's growth.

The tour began Monday, Oct. 26, with a kickoff celebration at Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The first leg will continue with visits spanning the East Coast this fall, with additional stops across the United States planned in 2027.

"We didn't want to celebrate 300 locations from a conference room. We wanted to go to the people who got us here," said Glee McAnanly, president and CEO of FirstLight Home Care. "Growth is measured in more than locations. It's measured in the relationships our franchise owners build, the caregivers they support and the families they serve."

The tour comes during a period of significant growth for FirstLight. The company was recently recognized by Entrepreneur for both its continued expansion and strength within the senior care industry, earning a spot among the publication's Top 100 Fastest-Growing Franchises and Top 10 Senior Care Franchises for 2026. For FirstLight, that momentum reflects not only the growth of its network, but the franchise owners and caregivers serving families in communities across the United States.

Throughout the tour, FirstLight will share stories from franchise owners, caregivers and clients through local media, social media and its digital channels, offering an authentic look at the relationships that have shaped the company's culture and continued success.

As more families look for trusted care at home, the Best Days Tour is a reminder of what makes FirstLight's growth matter: the people helping every client have their best day, every day.

To learn more about FirstLight Home Care and follow along with Glee's "Care-A-Van" journey, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care exists to help people have their best day, every day. On a mission to provide compassionate home care so that families can have peace of mind knowing their loved ones are getting the support they need to live independently. As a leading provider of home care services, FirstLight is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults with disabilities, those living with dementia and anyone 18 and older who needs care in the place they call home. The franchise system includes over 300 independently owned and operated locations throughout the United States. To learn more, discover available franchise opportunities or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

SOURCE FirstLight Home Care

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BELLEVILLE, Ill., Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, 122 Illinois fire departments and districts have been awarded more than $121,000 through Illinois American Water's Firefighter Grant Program. The awards build on nearly 1,300 grants totaling over $1.25 million provided to fire and emergency organizations serving customers in Illinois American Water's service area over the last 16 years.

The grants benefit residents across Illinois by helping fire departments meet critical equipment needs. Granite City Fire Chief Todd Richey said, "The funding addresses an immediate need for a specialized atmospheric gas testing meter, which firefighters use to check for natural gas or carbon monoxide leaks during emergency responses at industrial facilities, commercial buildings and homes."

Illinois American Water's Firefighter Grant Program is an application-based program with eligibility requirements and provides funding for organizations to purchase personal protective gear, communications equipment, firefighting tools, water handling equipment and training materials and to provide community education.

"Illinois American Water plays an important role in protecting homes and businesses by providing reliable water for firefighters to use when putting out fires," says Brian Eisenloeffel, President, Illinois American Water. "Through our partnerships with local fire departments, we help provide the tools, equipment, and resources firefighters need to keep our communities safe in emergency situations."

The following Illinois fire departments will receive funding:

- Alhambra Community Fire Protection District

- Allen Township Fire Protection District

- Alton Fire Department

- Andalusia Fire Protection District

- Arcola Fire Protection District

- Belleville Fire Department

- Brighton Betsey Ann Fire Protection District

- Broadlands Longview Fire Protection District

- Cahokia Volunteer Fire Department

- Cairo Auxiliary Fire Department

- Camargo Countryside Fire Protection District

- Carroll Fire Protection District

- Champaign Fire Department

- Cincinnati Fire Protection District

- City of Freeport Fire Department

- City of Peoria, IL Fire Department

- City of Urbana Fire Department

- City of Villa Grove Fire Department

- Columbia Fire Protection Distrct

- Cottage Hills Fire Protection District

- Dana Fire Protection District

- Deerfield - Bannockburn Fire Protection District

- Des Plaines Fire Department

- Dunlap Community Fire Protection District

- East St. Louis Fire Department

- East Side Fire Protection District

- Eastern Prairie Fire Protection District

- Edge-Scott Fire Department

- Elgin Fire Department

- Elmhurst Fire Department

- Fairmont City Fire Department

- Fairview Caseyville Township Fire Protection District

- Farmington Fire Protection District

- French Village Fire Department

- Glen Carbon Fire Protection District

- Godfrey Fire Protection District

- Grand Ridge Volunteer Fire Department

- Granite City Fire Department

- Greenville Fire Protection District

- Hamel Fire Protection District

- Hardin Fire Protection District

- Holiday Shores Fire Department

- Hollywood heights volunteer fire department

- Homer Twp Fire Protection District

- Jerseyville Fire Department

- Joliet Fire Department

- Lake Zurich Fire Department

- Lemont Fire Protection District

- Leonore Volunteer Fire Department

- Limestone Township Fire Protect District

- Lincoln Fire Department

- Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District

- Lisle - Woodridge Fire District

- Logan - Trivoli Fire Protection District

- Lombard Fire Department

- Long Lake Fire Department

- Long Point Fire Protection District

- Marine community fire protection district

- Mascoutah Fire Department

- Millstadt Union Fire Department

- Mitchell Fire Department

- Mokena Fire Protection District

- Mt. Pulaski Rural Fire Protection District

- Northwest Homer Fire Protection District

- Northwest St. Clair County Fire Protection District

- Oakwood Fire Protection District

- O'Fallon Fire Department

- Olive Fire Protection District

- Oregon Fire Protection District

- Orland Fire Protection District

- Oswego Fire Protection DIstrict

- Palos Fire Protection District

- Peatonica fire protection District

- Pesotum Fire department

- Plainfield Fire Protection District

- Pocahontas - Old Ripley Fire Protection District

- Pontiac Fire Department

- Prospect Heights Fire Department

- QEM Fire Protection District

- Reading Township Volunteer Fire Department

- Rockton Fire Protection District

- Romeoville Fire Department

- Rosiclare Volunteer Fire Department

- Sadorus Fire Department

- Sandwich Fire Protection District

- Sangamon Valley Fire Protection District

- Sauget Fire Department

- Saunemin Fire Protection District

- Scales Mound Fire Protection District

- Schaeferville Fire Protection District

- Sidney Fire Protection District

- Signal Hill Fire Department

- Somonauk Firefighters Association

- South Beloit Fire Department

- South Elgin & Countryside Fire Protection District

- Southwestern Illinois College Fire Science

- St Clair Special Emergency Services

- St. Charles Fire Department

- St. Joseph - Stanton Fire Protection District

- Sterling Fire Department

- Streator Fire Department

- Swansea Fire Department

- Tolono Fire Protection District

- Tremont Fire Protection District

- Troy Fire Protection District

- Tuscola Fire Department

- University of Illinois Willard Airport Fire Department

- Varna Community Fire Protection District

- Venice Fire Department

- Villa Hills Fire Department

- Village of Bartonville Fire Department

- Village of Brooklyn

- Village of Clarendon Hills

- Village of Mount Prosect Fire Department

- Village of Savoy Fire Department

- Warrenville Fire Protection District

- Washington Park Fire Department

- Washington Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad

- West Peoria Fire Protection District

- Win-Bur-Sew Fire District

- Worden Volunteer Fire Department

- York Center Fire Protection District

To bring attention to the importance of fire prevention and emergency planning, the awards follow National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 4 - Oct. 10, and are announced in concert with National First Responders Day. Learn more at www.nfpa.org.

About American Water

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 19 military installations. American Water's approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

About Illinois American Water

Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest regulated water utility in the state with approximately 600 dedicated employees working to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. 

SOURCE American Water

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TL;DR

- See every step: Agent Activity traces each agent session’s prompts, MCP and tool calls, read/write access, and sensitive data touches.

- Control what’s allowed: Custom guardrails by model, MCP server, and skill let you flag or block, starting from 100+ built-in policies.

- Endpoint to production: It’s now in early access across OX.VibeSec and OX.Cloud, with a new LiteLLM connector.

For the past year, the first question security teams asked about AI was simple: do we have agents running, and where? That question now has an answer. The harder one is what comes next: what are those agents actually doing?

Today we’re introducing Agent Activity, now in early access as part of OX.VibeSec and OX.Cloud. It gives security teams step-by-step visibility into how their AI agents behave at runtime, and the controls to decide what those agents are allowed to do.

Agents move faster than static scans

AI agents don’t sit still long enough to be secured by a scan. They call MCP servers, invoke tools, read and write to business systems, and touch sensitive data, often in seconds and often without a human in the loop.

Discovery tells you an agent exists. Code scanning tells you how it was built. Runtime anomaly detection tells you something unusual happened. None of them tells you, step by step, what an agent did with the access it was given. That’s the gap Agent Activity closes.

Every step, not just the outcome

Agent Activity opens up what has been a black box. For each agent session, security teams can trace the full chain of actions from start to finish:

- Prompts and responses: what the agent was asked, the instructions it worked from, and what came back.

- MCP interactions and tool usage: which MCP servers and tools the agent called, and in what order.

- Access permissions: whether the agent was reading or writing, so you can tell the difference between an agent that views a ticket and one that modifies it, or one that reads Slack and one that posts to it.

- Sensitive data awareness: when an agent interacts with PII, secrets, tokens, or financial data, and when that data is at risk of leaving where it belongs.

In many cases, that visibility is enough to answer the question any security engineer or leader is being asked. When it isn’t, for example when an agent that leaked an API key also touched financial records, you need to act on it.

From visibility to control

No two organizations secure AI the same way. Some agents are meant to run freely; others should never come near production data. Agent Activity lets each team define what “allowed” means for its own environment.

- Customizable runtime guardrails: build policies around the AI models in use, the MCP servers agents can reach, and the skills they can combine. For example, you can stop a specific model from using a set of MCP servers alongside a skill that touches sensitive internal data.

- Flag or block, your call: decide whether a violation is surfaced for review or stopped outright, and set the severity that fits your risk tolerance.

- 100+ built-in guardrails: start with more than 100 out-of-the-box security policies, with more on the way.

The result is AI governance that runs at the speed of the agents themselves, not on the cadence of a periodic scan.

From the endpoint to production

A misbehaving agent is a problem wherever it runs. Think of it like a fire alarm: the room matters (an agent near your crown jewels or in production is more urgent than one on a test box), but you want the alarm in every room.

That’s why Agent Activity is available across both OX.VibeSec and OX.Cloud, giving teams one view of agent behavior from developer endpoints through to production workloads.

We’ve also added a new LiteLLM connector. LLM proxies have become a baseline part of how organizations run AI, and this integration brings that traffic into the same picture.

Why this matters

AI security isn’t only about discovering agents or scanning the code behind them. It’s about understanding and controlling what they do while they’re running.

Agent Activity is a significant step toward unified AI visibility, detection, and runtime governance across the entire agent lifecycle, so security teams can say yes to AI adoption with confidence instead of guesswork.

Availability

Agent Activity is available today in early access for OX customers, and the experience will continue to evolve on the way to general availability.

Player props have become one of the NBA’s most entertaining ways to bet, offering value beyond the standard spread or total. Each night, this column highlights the best opportunities on the board using matchup data, recent performances, and betting trends to find edges. Keep reading for some of the top OptaAI player prop projections for Wednesday, October 28. Then, right below those, you’ll see the player props I’m personally taking. Also, make sure you check out our live VSiN programming for more. Our hosts and analysts should be all over the NBA, which is why it pays to be a VSiN Pro subscriber.

Noteworthy Wednesday OptaAI Player Prop Edges

Check out the OptaAI Player Props NBA pages for more of these! VSiN Pro subscribers can find 50+ player prop ideas on a daily basis! We’ll list the top edges in some of the biggest markets below, but there will always be a lot more to uncover on the pages themselves.

Jabari Smith Over 15.5 Points (+100) vs. Bucks

Our OptaAI player prop projections have him finishing with 19.34 points, suggesting these odds should be -417 — a +30.7% edge to the Over.

LaMelo Ball Under 4.5 Rebounds (+114) vs. Warriors

Our OptaAI player prop projections have him finishing with 3.47 rebounds, suggesting these odds should be -272 — a +26.4% edge to the Over.

Darius Garland Under 8.5 Assists (-140) vs. Lakers

Our OptaAI player prop projections have him finishing with 6.11 assists, suggesting these odds should be -511 — a +25.3%% edge to the Over.

Wednesday Player Prop Best Bets

Below you’ll find my official plays on the player prop market for Wednesday. These are the ones that make the VSiN Pro Picks page and count towards my season-long record.

Davion Mitchell Over 20.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-115) vs. Hawks

Heat at Hawks – 7:00 pm ET

Mitchell has had at least 22 PRA in all four of his games this season. Well, I was able to get a 20.5 for tonight. That number is still available at several spots, but I’d also be fine with going Over on 21.5. As I just mentioned, Mitchell hasn’t gone below that mark yet, and I don’t think it’ll happen here. Given the makeup of this Miami roster, Mitchell knows how important it is that he takes his open shots and is aggressive about putting his head down to get two feet in the paint. Well, Atlanta has some excellent defensive players, but the team also plays at the seventh-fastest pace (103.50) pace in the league. So, even if we might see Mitchell run into some trouble here and there, he’ll also have the luxury of being on the ball in a game with a ton of possessions. That should mean he’ll get his points and assists, and I trust a competitor like him to hit the glass.

Jabari Smith Jr. Over 14.5 Points (-125 – 1.5 units) & Alt Points 19+ (+200 – 0.5 units) & Alt Points 23+ (+475 – 0.25 units) vs. Bucks

Rockets at Bucks – 8:00 pm ET

I loved seeing that OptaAI spit out a projection of 19.34 for Smith, as I was already thinking about going here. I love Smith to finish with at least 15 points, which he has now done twice in four games this season. Well, in tonight’s game, we’ll see Smith go against one of the league’s worst transition defenses in basketball, and he’s scoring 5.5 points per game in transition. I also expect Smith to get some quality looks from deep here. Alperen Sengun is dealing with lower back soreness, which means Smith will play quite a bit as a small-ball five. That should mean that he’ll have slower bigs defending him, so he’ll get to pull up against some slower contests and aggressively attack closeouts. I also just expect him to play massive minutes here. Not only is Sengun out but Steven Adams will also miss this game. Houston does have Clint Capela to eat up some innings, but does the team really want him out there that much?

Ziaire Williams Over 12.5 Points + Rebounds (-118) vs. Clippers

Lakers at Clippers – 10:30 pm ET

Williams has had at least 13 combined points and rebounds in three consecutive games. Granted, he has had only 13 in back-to-back games, so he’s barely going Over the number. But Williams should only get better as he gets more comfortable playing with Luka Doncic. The big wing is clearly becoming a favorite in Los Angeles, as he has played at least 29 minutes in three consecutive games. Williams defends, he runs the floor well, and he’s knocking down his open threes. If you do that on a Doncic-led team, you’re going to play a lot — and probably make yourself a ton of money. Well, in tonight’s game, Williams will go to work against the Clippers. He had 14 points and five boards against this team on October 23, and I can see him having another solid game here. The Clippers are the worst team in the league when it comes to defending the rim right now, so Williams will do well when he looks to finish. The Clippers also have some trouble getting out on corner shooters. That said, Williams should have opportunities to make plays. Let’s just hope Doncic or Austin Reaves will be out there to create for him.

Late Additions

Nothing yet.

More NBA Content

Check out the Harwood Handicappers YouTube channel! I’ll likely be dishing out more player props every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday when I go LIVE on YouTube to run through each slate.

Korrektur beachten: SWR Streaming-Tipps für November 2026

Baden-Baden (ots)

Achtung: Bitte die geänderten Veröffentlichungstermine bei "#unsere Kinder - wie kinderfreundlich ist Deutschland?" und "Debüt im Dritten" beachten

Die November-Highlights in der ARD Mediathek, ARD Sounds, auf Youtube und auf den Social-Media-Kanälen auf einen Blick - vom SWR.

"Der Junge Dokumentarfilm" ab 5. November in der ARD Mediathek

Die Filme der diesjährigen Staffel "Der Junge Dokumentarfilm" erzählen von Menschen, die ihren Platz in der Öffentlichkeit suchen - und davon, welchen Preis Sichtbarkeit haben kann. Ob auf der Opernbühne, im Fernsehen oder in der jungen Musikszene des Kosovo: Die Protagonist:innen kämpfen um Anerkennung, Ausdruck und die Möglichkeit, ihre eigene Geschichte zu erzählen. Dabei stoßen sie an persönliche, gesellschaftliche oder politische Grenzen. Den Anfang macht "Born to Fake", es folgen "Leben für die Oper - Primadonna or Nothing" und "Palace of Youth".

Warum anschauen?

Die Filme handeln von Ehrgeiz und Leidenschaft, von Erfolg und Scheitern, von Wahrheit und Inszenierung sowie von der Frage, wie Identität entsteht - und wie sie durch den Blick anderer geprägt wird.

Wo zu finden?

Ab 5. November in der ARD Mediathek.

"Meister und Mythen - Ein Bau die Burg Pen & Paper" am 8., 13. und 15. November auf dem ARD Twitch-Kanal

1493: Der kaiserliche Baumeister ist verschwunden und Gerüchte über okkulte Machenschaften machen im Heiligen Römischen Reich die Runde. Eine vom Kaiser persönlich zusammengestellte Truppe von Abenteurer:innen begibt sich auf die Suche nach dem Vermissten - möglichst ohne Aufsehen zu erregen. Hilfreiche Tipps kommen von Mittelalter-Nerd Alexander Prinz aka dem Dunklen Parabelritter.

Warum reinschauen?

Das Pen-and-Paper-Abenteuer von "Bau die Burg" entführt in eine historisch inspirierte Welt zwischen Aufbruch, Aberglauben und dunklen Geheimnissen.

Wo zu finden?

Am 8., 13. Und 15. November auf dem ARD Twitch-Kanal.

"#unsereKinder - wie kinderfreundlich ist Deutschland?" ab 8. November in der ARD Mediathek

Deutschland gehört zu den reichsten Ländern der Welt - beim Wohlbefinden von Kindern liegt es trotzdem nur auf Platz 25 von 37 EU- und OECD-Ländern. Felix Neureuther fragt deshalb: Wie kinderfreundlich ist Deutschland? Für die ARD-Mitmachaktion trifft er Familien und Kinder, bei denen die staatliche Unterstützung nicht ankommt, der Schulweg gefährlich oder Ballspielen verboten ist - und Menschen, die zeigen, was sich verbessern lässt.

Warum anschauen?

Die Doku bildet den Abschluss der ARD-Mitmachaktion #unsereKinder und zeigt auf, wo beim Wohlbefinden von Kindern in Deutschland noch Nachholbedarf herrscht.

Wo zu finden?

Ab 8. November in der ARD Mediathek.

"Debüt im Dritten" ab 13. November in der ARD Mediathek

Ob im Taxi, auf dem Land, beim Roadtrip auf der Flucht vor sich selbst, im inneren Exil oder beim Passionsspiel-Rave auf dem Dorf: Debüt im Dritten präsentiert mit der Staffel 2026 wieder fünf aufregende Nachwuchsfilme, die sich ihren Geschichten mit ganz unterschiedlichen Erzählweisen nähern. Den Start macht "Es geht um Luis" mit Max Riemelt und Natalia Rudziewicz, es folgen "Tage mit Naadirah", "Milch ins Feuer", "Holy Meat" und "Im Rosengarten".

Warum anschauen?

Weil man in die Welten von fünf mit Leidenschaft erzählten Filmen eintauchen kann und dabei ist, wenn der Regienachwuchs seine je eigene Handschrift entwickelt.

Wo zu finden?

Ab 13. November in der ARD Mediathek.

"Jossi" ab 13. November in der ARD Mediathek

Der ambitionierte Wanja will als Schauspieler Karriere machen, ist aber im Escape-Room seines Kumpels Assaf gestrandet. Als ein amerikanischer Star-Regisseur einen russischsprechenden Hauptdarsteller sucht, der aufgrund von Diversity-Richtlinien Jude sein soll, gibt Wanja spontan vor, Jude zu sein. Was ihn umgehend in Schwierigkeiten bringt, denn Wanja soll nicht nur einen Nachweis vorzeigen, er will zudem vor der schlagfertigen jüdischen Schauspielerin Dana seine Lüge um jeden Preis verbergen.

Warum anschauen?

In der Culture-Clash-Comedy geht es leichtfüßig und unerschrocken um Identitätsfragen, eine schräge Familie und einen Meister im Durchwurschteln.

Wo zu finden?

Ab 13. November in der ARD Mediathek.

"Chamäleon" ab 19. November in der ARD Mediathek

Nach dem unerwarteten Tod ihres Vater Johannes wollen die 17-jährigen Zwillinge Mia und Jakob die offizielle Todesursache Suizid nicht akzeptieren. Während ihre Mutter und Johannes' Geschwister trauern, sind die beiden entschlossen, die wahren Hintergründe aufzuklären. Ihre Fragen bringen Unruhe in die Familie und konfrontieren die beiden mit Konflikten und Geheimnissen, die ihnen zu schaffen machen. Aus der Spurensuche wird eine Auseinandersetzung mit unerwarteten Wahrheiten.

Warum anschauen?

Autor Frédéric Hambalek und Regisseur Dustin Loose nutzen die in der Familiengeschichte ermittelnden Zwillinge zu einem ungewöhnlich und faszinierend erzählten Film übers Erwachsenwerden.

Wo zu finden?

Ab 19. November in der ARD Mediathek.

"Der unendliche Gipfel" ab 25. November in ARD Sounds

8188 Meter, Walters letzter Gipfel, wie immer ohne zusätzlichen Sauerstoff. Als Übungsberg hatten Lenny und Walter, beide Niederländer, nur eine Brücke, trotzdem sind sie Bergsteiger geworden, in den Alpen, im Himalaja. Inspiriert von den Geschichten der großen Alpinist:innen versuchen sie gemeinsam, selbst Geschichte zu schreiben, bis eine Entscheidung alles verändert. Diese atemberaubende Geschichte über das Klettern stellt auch die große Frage nach dem Warum, inklusive Blick auf den 8000er-Massentourismus, und erzählt von inniger Freundschaft sowie der Sehnsucht nach Freiheit.

Warum anhören?

"Der unendliche Gipfel" ist ein Hörspiel für alle, die Geschichten über das Bergsteigen und Klettern lieben. Und es stellt Fragen: Warum gehen wir in die Berge? Wie erleben wir Freundschaft? Und was bringt uns dazu, unser Leben zu ändern?

Wo zu finden?

Ab 25. November im Hörspiel-Feed "Große Geschichten" in ARD Sounds.

20 Jahre "ARD Kinderradionacht", am 27. November in ARD Sounds

"Unzertrennlich": Die ARD-Kinderradionacht feiert die Freundschaft - und ihr 20-jähriges Jubiläum. Seit zwei Jahrzehnten gibt es einmal im Jahr diese besondere Radioparty nur für Kinder. Fünf Stunden lang senden die neun Landesrundfunkanstalten bundesweit live ein Programm über das Glück von Freundschaften und alles, was sie zusammenhält. Dazu kommen spannende Reportagen, gute Songs, viele Geschichten, aufregende Hörspiele und coole Comedy.

Warum anhören?

Weil alles geboten wird, was gute Freundschaftsgeschichten ausmacht: rauchende Colts im Western-Hörspiel, Situationen, in denen Eifersucht und Streit gelöst werden, und nächtliche Geheimnisse von Bettmän und Hamsterwomän.

Wo zu finden?

Am 27. November ab 20:03 Uhr, live in ARD Sounds oder in SWR Kultur.

"Being Sven Hannawald" ab 28. November in der ARD Mediathek

Sven Hannawald schreibt Sportgeschichte, wird Idol einer ganzen Generation: 2002 gewinnt er als erster alle vier Springen der Vierschanzentournee, Skispringen wird Popkultur, Hannawald zum Gesicht eines beispiellosen Hypes. Doch Ruhm, Druck und Erwartungen treiben ihn in Depression und Karriereende. Die dreiteilige ARD-Dokuserie "Being Sven Hannawald" erzählt seinen Weg durch Triumph und Absturz zurück ins Leben.

Warum anschauen?

Tiefgehende Doku über Ruhm, Absturz und Neuanfang einer Skisprung-Ikone - mit Zeitzeugen, Archivschätzen und Sven Hannawald selbst.

Wo zu finden?

Ab 28. November in der ARD Mediathek.

"Die Macht der Parasiten - Gefährlich und nützlich?" ab 30. November in der ARD Mediathek

Als Meister der Täuschung kapern Parasiten Immunsysteme, wechseln die Gestalt oder manipulieren ihrer Wirte. So fordern sie weltweit jedes Jahr vermutlich mehr als eine Million Todesopfer. Auch in Deutschland nehmen die Gefahren durch Parasiten zu. Gleichzeitig setzen sich Forschende zunehmend für ihren Schutz ein. Wie passt das zusammen? Für ARD Wissen trifft sich Reporterin Lena Ganschow mit Wissenschaftler:innen und spricht mit ihnen über den scheinbaren Widerspruch.

Warum anschauen?

Eine Doku über die Gesundheitsgefahren durch Parasiten, aber auch ihre verborgenen Potenzale.

Wo zu finden?

Ab 30. November in der ARD Mediathek.

Weitere Informationen unter: http://swr.li/streaming-tipps-november-2026

Noch mehr SWR Streaming-Tipps im Dossier.

Monatliche Streaming-Tipps als Mail erhalten? Schreiben Sie uns an kommunikation@swr.de und wir nehmen Sie in den Verteiler auf!

Newsletter: "SWR vernetzt"

Pressekontakt: Felix Oser, Tel. 07221 929 22986, felix.oser@SWR.de

Original-Content von: SWR - Südwestrundfunk, übermittelt durch news aktuell

KI-Agenten brauchen keine neuen Abhängigkeiten, sondern offene Technologie

Darmstadt (ots)

Unternehmen müssen KI-Agenten zuverlässig in bestehende Prozesse integrieren, klare Sicherheitsmechanismen etablieren und technologische Abhängigkeiten vermeiden. Open Source bietet dafür die notwendige Flexibilität.

KI-Agenten lassen sich heute mit vergleichsweise geringem Aufwand entwickeln. Die eigentliche Herausforderung für Unternehmen liegt jedoch darin, sie zuverlässig und sicher in bestehende Geschäftsprozesse zu integrieren. Dafür braucht es geeignete Governance-Strukturen, klare Verantwortlichkeiten und eine flexible technologische Infrastruktur. Gregor von Jagow, Senior Director & Country Manager Germany bei Red Hat, sieht in offenen Technologien einen entscheidenden Faktor, um KI-Agenten produktiv einzusetzen und langfristig zu skalieren.

„Die Entwicklung ist tatsächlich nicht mehr die größte Hürde, der produktive Einsatz ist es“, erklärt von Jagow. Unternehmen müssten sicherstellen, dass KI-Agenten zuverlässig in bestehende Prozesse integriert werden, kontrollierten Zugriff auf bestimmte Bereiche erhalten und gleichzeitig die notwendigen Sicherheitsvorkehrungen erfüllen. Governance, passende Daten- und Prozessstrukturen sowie eine flexible Infrastruktur seien dafür unverzichtbar.

Fehlende Governance bremst den produktiven Einsatz

Obwohl die technologischen Möglichkeiten schnell wachsen, fällt es vielen Unternehmen schwer, KI-Agenten über Pilotprojekte hinaus einzusetzen. Eine wesentliche Herausforderung besteht darin, die Voraussetzungen für einen kontrollierten und skalierbaren Betrieb zu schaffen. Dazu gehören klare Zugriffsrechte, definierte Verantwortlichkeiten und die Fähigkeit, unerwünschtes Verhalten zu verhindern.

Dass hier noch Nachholbedarf besteht, zeigen laut von Jagow auch Zahlen aus dem Unternehmensumfeld: Nur 30 Prozent der deutschen Unternehmen verfügen über passende Governance-Strukturen für den Einsatz von Agentic AI. Zudem schränkt bei 57 Prozent eine fehlende Exit-Strategie für den Fall von Dienstleisterwechseln den Zugang zu einigen Diensten ein.

„Wer Agenten produktiv skalieren will, muss deshalb nicht nur Modelle auswählen, sondern auch Abhängigkeiten, Datenflüsse und Verantwortlichkeiten im Griff haben“, betont von Jagow.

Offene Technologie schafft Flexibilität

Red Hat setzt auf Open Source, um Unternehmen bei der Entwicklung und dem Betrieb von KI-Agenten mehr Wahlfreiheit zu ermöglichen. Offene Technologien erlauben es, unterschiedliche Modelle, Plattformen und Infrastrukturen miteinander zu kombinieren und an technische, wirtschaftliche oder regulatorische Anforderungen anzupassen.

„KI-Agenten brauchen keine neuen Abhängigkeiten, sondern offene Technologie“, sagt von Jagow. Mit einem Hybrid-Cloud-Ansatz lassen sich Workloads flexibel dort betreiben, wo es technisch, wirtschaftlich oder regulatorisch am sinnvollsten ist.

Auch die Automatisierung spielt eine wichtige Rolle. Sie unterstützt dabei, den Produktivbetrieb trotz einer wachsenden Zahl von KI-Anwendungen beherrschbar zu halten. Gleichzeitig geht es darum, die Kontrolle über die eigenen technologischen Grundlagen zu bewahren, anstatt sämtliche Komponenten selbst entwickeln zu müssen.

Sicherheit und Offenheit gehören zusammen

Offene Technologie und Sicherheit sind für von Jagow keine Gegensätze. Vielmehr bietet das Open-Source-Modell die Möglichkeit, Sicherheitslücken schneller zu identifizieren, gemeinsam zu beheben und von den Erfahrungen einer breiten Entwicklergemeinschaft zu profitieren.

„Die Open-Source-Welt ist von Anfang an darauf ausgelegt, schnell auf Sicherheitslücken zu reagieren und mit einer großen Community robusten Code zu entwickeln“, erklärt er.

Ein weiterer Vorteil liegt in der kontinuierlichen Verbesserung bestehender Software. Gemeinsam mit IBM Lightwell arbeitet Red Hat daran, Sicherheitslücken in eingesetzten Softwareversionen zu schließen und entsprechende Korrekturen auch für ältere Versionen verfügbar zu machen. Unternehmen können dadurch Sicherheitsrisiken reduzieren, ohne ihre bestehenden Software-Stacks vollständig aktualisieren zu müssen.

KI-Agenten langfristig erfolgreich skalieren

Für den nachhaltigen Einsatz von Agentic AI kommt es damit nicht allein auf die Leistungsfähigkeit einzelner Modelle an. Entscheidend sind vielmehr das Zusammenspiel aus Governance, Automatisierung, Sicherheit und einer offenen Infrastruktur. Unternehmen, die diese Voraussetzungen schaffen, können KI-Agenten besser in ihre Prozesse integrieren und ihre Anwendungen an veränderte Anforderungen anpassen.

Wie sich diese Ansätze in der Praxis umsetzen lassen und welche Rolle offene Technologien für die Zukunft von Agentic AI spielen, ist auch Thema des Red Hat Summit: Connect 2026 in Darmstadt.

Pressekontakt Red Hat:

Debora von Scheliha

Head of Marketing Central Europe

Red Hat

www.redhat.com/de

debora.vonscheliha@redhat.com

Original-Content von: Red Hat, übermittelt durch news aktuell

ZDF-Programmänderung ab Woche 45/26

Mainz (ots)

Woche 45/26

Di., 3.11.

Bitte geänderten Programmablauf ab 4.10 Uhr beachten:

4.10 hallo deutschland (VPS 4.30)

5.00- ARD-Morgenmagazin (VPS 5.30)

9.00

("neoriginal: The Tourist - Irisches Blut: Der tantalidische Fluch" verschiebt sich

auf Sa., 7.11., 4.45 Uhr.)

Mi., 4.11.

Bitte geänderten Programmablauf beachten:

9.00 Tagesschau (VPS 5.30)

(Weiterer Ablauf ab 9.05 Uhr wie vorgesehen.

"ARD-Morgenmagazin auf Di. 3.11., 5.00 Uhr vorgezogen.)

Woche 46/26

Sa., 7.11.

Bitte Programmänderung beachten:

4.45- neoriginal (VPS 4.44)

5.45 The Tourist - Irisches Blut

Der tantalidische Fluch

(Text und weitere Angaben s. Mi., 3.11., 4.10 Uhr.)

(Die Wiederholung "SOKO Linz" entfällt.)

So., 8.11.

Bitte Beginnzeitkorrektur beachten:

5.45 Bares für Rares – Lieblingsstücke (VPS 5.30)

(Weiterer Ablauf ab 6.00 Uhr wie vorgesehen.)

Pressekontakt:

ZDF-Planung

Original-Content von: ZDF, übermittelt durch news aktuell