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  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI imposes monetary penalty on Motiram Agrawal Jalna Merchants Co-operative Bank Limited, Jalna, Maharashtra

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank of India (RBl) has, by an order dated July 16, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹6 lakh (Rupees Six Lakh only) on Motiram Agrawal Jalna Merchants Co-operative Bank Limited, Jalna, Maharashtra (the bank) for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Loans and advances to directors, relatives and firms / concerns in which they are interested’ and ‘Limits on exposure to single and group borrowers / parties and large exposures and Revision in the target for priority sector lending – UCBs’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

    The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI, with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice, additional submissions made by it and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charges against the bank were sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:

    The bank had sanctioned:

    1. director related loans; and

    2. loans and advances to certain connected borrowers beyond the applicable group exposure limit.

    This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2025-2026/754

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI imposes monetary penalty on Sahyadri Sahakari Bank Ltd., Mumbai, Maharashtra

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated July 18, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹20,000 (Rupees Twenty Thousand only) on Sahyadri Sahakari Bank Ltd., Mumbai, Maharashtra (the bank) for non-compliance with the specific directions issued by RBI under Supervisory Action Framework (SAF). This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act.

    The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charge against the bank was sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:

    The bank had not reduced single borrower exposure limit, for fresh loans and advances, by 50% of the applicable regulatory limit in non-adherence to directions under SAF.

    This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2025-2026/753

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI issues draft Master Direction – Digital Banking Channels Authorisation (Directions), 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank has released the draft Master Direction on ‘Digital Banking Channels Authorisation’. The comments on the draft Directions are invited from public/stakeholders till August 11, 2025. Comments/feedback may be submitted through the respective link under the ‘Connect 2 Regulate’ Section available on the RBI’s website or may alternatively be forwarded to:

    The Chief General Manager
    Registration and Authorisation Group
    Department of Regulation, Central Office
    Reserve Bank of India, 12th Floor,
    Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg,
    Fort Mumbai – 400 001
    Or
    by email.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2025-2026/752

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI imposes monetary penalty on The Shahada Peoples Co-operative Bank Ltd., Shahada, Maharashtra

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank of India (RBl) has, by an order dated July 16, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹2 lakh (Rupees Two Lakh only) on The Shahada Peoples Co-operative Bank Ltd., Shahada, Maharashtra (the bank), for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Income Recognition, Asset Classification, Provisioning and Other Related Matters – UCBs’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

    The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice, additional submissions made by it and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charge against the bank was sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:

    The bank had regularised certain Non-Performing Accounts (NPAs) without repayment through genuine sources.

    This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2025-2026/755

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Congo and critical minerals: What are the costs of America’s peace?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Evelyn Namakula Mayanja, Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies, Carleton University

    In March 2025, President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) offered the country’s critical mineral reserves to the United States and Europe in exchange for security and stability.

    At the time, the March 23 (M23) militia insurgency was unleashing violence: killing civilians, committing sexual violence, displacing communities and looting mineral resources. Since 1996, eastern Congo has been engulfed in wars and armed conflicts driven by regional powers and more than 120 armed groups.

    The U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Rwanda and the DRC raises critical questions: Is this a genuine path to sustainable peace, or a continuation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s strategy to secure access to critical minerals through coercive diplomacy?



    Read more:
    4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up

    Global arms race for critical minerals

    The global shift toward renewable energy, digital infrastructure and military modernization has sparked a geopolitical scramble for critical and rare earth minerals.

    In early 2025, Trump signed a series of executive orders that introduced aggressive and imperial-style tactics to secure access to mineral wealth. He threatened Canada with annexation and tariffs, demanded access to Greenland’s resources and linked U.S. support for Ukraine to access to its mineral reserves.

    The DRC’s offer must be viewed through this lens of global resource competition.

    Congo’s critical mineral wealth

    The DRC holds some of the world’s richest deposits of critical minerals and metals. A 2012 article estimated the value of Congo’s untapped mineral wealth at US$24 trillion, a figure nearing the U.S. first-quarter 2025 GDP of $29.962 trillion.

    The DRC produces 70 per cent of the world’s cobalt, ranks fourth in copper, sixth in industrial diamonds and also possesses vast reserves of nickel and lithium, including the Manono deposit expected to yield 95,170 tonnes of crude lithium.

    But the struggle to control these resources has fuelled a cycle of armed violence, displacement and exploitation. Despite several peace agreements, peace and stability remain elusive.

    America’s interests in Congo

    U.S. involvement in Congo stretches back to the Cold War, when it played a role in the 1961 assassination of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first elected prime minister who sought economic sovereignty.

    In 1996, the U.S. was accused of backing Rwanda and Uganda in the initial invasion of eastern Congo. A U.S. diplomat, “Mr. Hankins,” was quoted in Goma saying: “I am here …to represent American interests.”

    In 2024, President Joe Biden met Tshisekedi to advance the Lobito Corridor, a strategic trade route to counter China’s dominance in the region. Chinese companies currently control around 80 per cent of Congo’s copper market.

    When Trump signed the 2025 peace agreement, he openly stated the U.S. would gain “a lot of mineral rights … foreign trade and investment from the regional critical mineral supply chains.”

    U.S.-brokered peace deal

    The deal, however, prioritizes America’s access to minerals over the well-being of Congolese citizens. Historically, Congo’s mineral wealth has enriched elites and foreign powers while leaving its people impoverished and vulnerable. The new agreement could entrench existing inequalities and inflame tensions further.

    The U.S. has also cut off aid for war survivors, including emergency medical kits and antiretrovirals for rape victims, undermining humanitarian efforts.

    Crucially, the agreement overlooks:

    • The root causes and drivers of conflict at national, regional and international levels.

    • The role of Rwanda and Uganda, whose militaries and intelligence services have long been implicated in supporting groups like M23. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has referred to M23 as “our brothers” and threatened military action in Congo.

    • The voices of Congolese civil society, war survivors and the public, who were excluded from the negotiation process.

    • State fragility and institutional collapse — major enablers of protracted violence.

    • The grievances of Hutu and Tutsi communities in the DRC, deeply rooted in colonial and regional politics.

    • The presence of more than 120 armed groups, many of them proxies for foreign powers engaging in what some scholars call “geocriminality.”

    Between January and February 2025 alone, more than 7,000 people were killed in the DRC. The United Nations and several human rights organizations have documented mass atrocities, including crimes of genocidal magnitude.

    A path toward real peace

    The peace agreement fails to demand justice for crimes committed against the Congolese people. Nobel Peace laureate Denis Mukwege condemned the deal for “rewarding aggression, legitimizing the plundering of Congo’s natural resources, and sacrificing justice for a fragile peace.”

    It also ignores the roles of international mining corporations and external entities that have long profited from Congo’s instability.

    True and lasting peace in the DRC cannot be imposed from the outside. U.S.-led mineral extraction without justice risks deepening the crisis. Since 1999, UN peacekeepers have been deployed in the Congo , yet violence continues.

    Sustainable peace will require:

    • An end to impunity;

    • Thorough investigations into war crimes;

    • Regional truth-telling processes;

    • Justice and reparations for victims;

    • And most importantly, inclusion of Congolese voices in shaping their future.

    Without these commitments, the U.S. risks replicating a long history of exploitation, trading in minerals while ignoring the human cost.

    Evelyn Namakula Mayanja receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and from Carleton University

    – ref. Congo and critical minerals: What are the costs of America’s peace? – https://theconversation.com/congo-and-critical-minerals-what-are-the-costs-of-americas-peace-260567

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: IAEA Applied Safeguards for 190 States – IAEA Report

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    Of the 190 States where the IAEA applied safeguards during 2024, 182 had CSAs in force, of which 137 also had APs in force. Of these 137 States, the IAEA concluded that “all nuclear material remained in peaceful activities” for 75 States. The IAEA drew this conclusion, also known as the ‘broader conclusion’, for the first time for Morocco. For 61 States, the IAEA was only able to conclude that declared nuclear material remained in peaceful activities as evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities remained ongoing.

    For 31 States with a CSA but no AP in force, the IAEA was able to conclude that declared nuclear material remained in peaceful activities.

    As of the end of 2024, three non-nuclear-weapon States party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) had yet to bring CSAs into force pursuant to Article III of the Treaty. For these States, the IAEA could not draw any safeguards conclusions.

    For the three States in which the IAEA implemented safeguards pursuant to item-specific safeguards agreements (India, Israel and Pakistan), the IAEA concluded that “nuclear material, facilities or other items to which safeguards had been applied remained in peaceful activities”.

    Safeguards were also implemented in the five nuclear-weapon States party to the NPT under their respective voluntary offer agreements. For these five States (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America), the IAEA concluded that “nuclear material in selected facilities to which safeguards had been applied remained in peaceful activities or had been withdrawn from safeguards as provided for in the agreements.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Collar, tag, microchip, bag’ – pawsome advice for city dog owners!

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    ‘Collar, tag, microchip, bag’ is the expression that City of Wolverhampton Council is asking everyone with a dog to keep in mind when they take their pooches out and about.

    The aim is to remind dog owners of their legal responsibilities including requirements under the city’s Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). The council also wants to encourage a cleaner, more comfortable environment for all residents.

    The first 2 reminders – ‘collar, tag’ – highlight the legal requirement for dogs to wear a collar with an ID tag when in a public place.

    The tag must include the owner’s name and address, and ideally, a phone number. This requirement applies even if the dog is microchipped.

    Wearing a collar and tag helps reunite lost dogs with their owners and ensures their safety. Dogs found roaming without a collar and tag in public may be seized and taken into care. The management of stray dogs cost tax payers around £170,000 during the last financial year.

    In 2024, the council handled around 350 strays and took them to kennels while trying to contact their owners. This is a substantial increase on 2020 when 170 strays were collected.

    ‘Microchip’ reminds owners that it is a legal requirement to microchip all dogs over 8 weeks old, and the microchip details must be registered on an authorised database. Breeders must also microchip puppies before they leave their premises.

    ‘Bag’ refers to the requirement under the council’s current PSPO. The order was updated in 2023 and requires anyone in control of a dog to carry a suitable means of removing dog faeces, such as a bag.

    Dog owners are also required to clean up after their pets and anyone not carrying bags or clearing up after their dog can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.

    To help make sure residents are aware of their responsibilities, officers from the council’s environmental protection team will be out and about at community events and a social media campaign will run throughout the coming months.

    Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “We want to encourage all dog owners to follow the simple phrase help make our city clean and comfortable for everyone.

    “We know that the vast majority of dog owners are very responsible, but we still do see a lot of strays and, unfortunately, too many incidents where owners are not cleaning up after their pets.

    “This is unpleasant and can be very dangerous to health. It was also clear from the PSPO consultation that people agreed with the requirement to carry a means of disposing of their dog’s mess.

    “Therefore, I would encourage the city’s canine lovers to consider the handy checklist of ‘collar, tag microchip, bag’ and consider what they may need to tick off before going out with their pet.

    “We thank all dog owners for doing all they can to behave responsibly. You’re helping to make our city safer, cleaner and more comfortable for everyone.”

    To find out more about the campaign and the PSPO, please visit Responsible dog ownership.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Royal Welsh Show: ‘After countless U-turns, Labour must now also reverse its tax raid on Welsh farms’ – Plaid Cymru

    Source: Party of Wales

    Ann Davies MP and Llyr Gruffydd MS say UK Government should introduce a wealth tax instead of ‘targeting those who sustain our rural communities’

    On the first day of the Royal Welsh Show, Plaid Cymru’s Westminster Agriculture Spokesperson Ann Davies MP has today called on the UK Government to reverse its planned changes to Agricultural Property Relief, warning that the policy will do “lasting harm” to Welsh family farms.

     

    Speaking from Llanelwedd, Ms Davies said that after repeated policy reversals, it is time for Labour to “add this damaging farm tax to the list.”

     

    Plaid Cymru’s Agriculture spokesperson in the Senedd, Llyr Gruffydd MS, said that most Welsh farmers are “cash poor” and that “many live a hand-to-mouth existence”.

     

    The UK Government plans to introduce a cap on Agricultural and Business Property Relief from April 2026, meaning family farms valued above that threshold could face inheritance tax for the first time in 40 years. Despite claims that only 500 farms per year will be affected, Welsh farming unions warn that the vast majority of productive family farms in Wales could fall into scope due to rising land, machinery and asset values.

     

    From the financial implications of restrictions and testing requirements to limit the spread of the Bluetongue virus, to the effects of prolonged dry and warm weather on crops and pasture, the new inheritance tax rules will be introduced amidst mounting financial pressures on farmers.

     

    Plaid Cymru is calling for:

     

    • A Wales-specific impact assessment that includes tenant and generational family farms

     

    • Protection for active food-producing family farms from inheritance tax

     

    • The introduction of a tax on extreme wealth – targeting assets worth over £10 million

     

    Ann Davies MP said:

    “After countless U-turns, Labour must now add its damaging farm tax to the list. Changes to Agricultural Property Relief represent a deeply unfair policy that targets the people who feed us, care for our land, and sustain our rural communities. It will do lasting harm to Welsh family farms.

    “It is a policy based on the assumption that farmers are rich – that is fundamentally wrong in Wales, where our upland farmers are guardians of the land and make very little profit. The UK Government admits it has done no Wales-specific assessment. That’s unacceptable, and it must change immediately.

    “Plaid Cymru believes that those with the broadest shoulders should pay their fair share. But the UK Government’s policy is too broad brush and targets the wrong people. Instead, the introduction of a tax on extreme wealth – a 2% tax on assets worth over £10 million – could raise over £20 billion a year. That is the fair and progressive way to fund public services and address inequality.

    “The Royal Welsh Show is a chance to celebrate everything our farmers contribute. But because of this policy, they’re anxious about their ability to continue producing food into the future. With Bluetongue requirements and intense drought intensifying already significant financial pressures on farmers, Labour must reverse course – and they must do it now.”

     

    Llyr Gruffydd added:

    “Most of our family farms are cash poor and many live a hand-to-mouth existence. They don’t have the capital to shoulder this huge tax burden.

    “Whilst it’s right to target those who buy land for tax avoidance purposes, our working family farms must not be caught in the crossfire. We have urged the Government to look at alternative approaches such as a clawback system that’s used successfully in other countries. This would only tax land if it’s subsequently sold within a specific number of years after inheritance.

    “Sadly, the Chancellor’s policy will force already struggling businesses to sell off their land, making them less sustainable in the future. Plaid Cymru will fight the family farm tax all the way.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Anna Karenina” Opens International Film-Opera Exhibition in Beijing

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) — A film based on the musical “Anna Karenina” was screened in Beijing on Sunday to open the 9th International Film and Opera Exhibition of the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) of China, the NCPA said in a statement on social media.

    The event will feature 16 films in various genres, including opera, play, dance drama and musical, presented by Chinese and overseas arts organizations.

    After the opening ceremony of the film exhibition, a film in the genre of a musical performance staged by the Moscow Operetta Theatre based on one of the greatest works of L.N. Tolstoy was shown on the big screen at the Beijing Performing Arts Center belonging to the NCIA. The leading roles were played by Ekaterina Guseva and Sergey Li.

    The film has received a warm response from Chinese viewers. “The stills from the film allow us to see more details. The strength and depth of Russian musicals are beautifully represented in this film,” one of them noted.

    “Even though I read the original novel, the musical movie really blew me away. The music is so infectious and the performances from the two leads are worthy of an acting textbook!” exclaimed another.

    “We aim to enable as many viewers as possible to experience the charm of performing arts, and to achieve mutual exchange and harmony between excellent Chinese traditional culture and world classical art,” said Ma Rongguo, deputy director of the National Center for Performing Arts.

    The film exhibition, co-organized by the NCIA and the China Film Group (CFGC), will run until November 30. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Senior Wells Fargo official still unable to leave China due to criminal investigation – Chinese Foreign Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) — Mao Chengyue, a senior official at U.S. bank Wells Fargo, is currently unable to leave China due to her involvement in a criminal case being investigated by China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun announced at a regular press conference on Monday.

    According to the Chinese diplomat, China’s law enforcement agencies have now taken measures to restrict Mao Chengyue’s travel in accordance with the law.

    According to Chinese law, Mao Chengyue cannot leave China while the case is under investigation and is required to cooperate with the investigation, Guo Jiakun said.

    “Whether Chinese or foreigners, everyone in China must abide by Chinese laws,” he continued, adding that during the investigation, the Chinese side will protect their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with the law.

    “I would like to emphasize that this is an isolated case within the framework of the legal proceedings. China, as always, will welcome all those from all over the world who wish to travel and do business in China, and protect their rights and interests in accordance with the law,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman added. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Israel Attacks Houthi Military Facilities in Yemen’s Hodeida Port – IDF

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    JERUSALEM/SANA, July 21 (Xinhua) — Israel has attacked Houthi military targets in the port of Hodeida in northwestern Yemen, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Monday.

    The Israeli Air Force reportedly struck military targets, including engineering equipment, fuel containers and ships used in military operations against Israel, as well as ships in port waters.

    According to the IDF, the port of Hodeida was used to transport weapons provided by the Iranian government.

    Earlier in the day, the Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV channel reported that Israel had launched a series of airstrikes on the Yemeni port of Hodeida. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • EU to ramp up retaliation plans as US tariff deal prospects dim

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The European Union is exploring a broader set of possible counter-measures against the United States as prospects for an acceptable trade agreement with Washington fade, according to EU diplomats.

    An increasing number of EU members, including Germany, are now considering using wide-ranging “anti-coercion” measures which would let the bloc target U.S. services and other sectors in the absence of a deal, diplomats say.

    The European Commission, which negotiates trade agreements on behalf of the 27-member bloc, had appeared on course for a agreement in which the EU would still have faced a 10% U.S. tariff on most of its exports, with some concessions.

    Such hopes now seem dashed after President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 30% tariff by August 1, and following talks between EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and U.S. counterparts in Washington last week.

    Sefcovic, who has said a 30% tariff would “practically prohibit” transatlantic trade, delivered a sober report on the current state of play to EU envoys on Friday, diplomats told Reuters.

    U.S. counterparts had come up with diverging solutions during his meetings, including a baseline rate that could be well above 10%, the EU diplomats added.

    “Each interlocutor seemed to have different ideas. No one can tell (Sefcovic) what would actually fly with Trump,” one diplomat said.

    Prospects of easing or removing 50% U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium and 25% on cars and car parts appear limited.

    ‘NUCLEAR OPTION’

    Washington has also rejected the EU’s demand for a “standstill” arrangement, whereby no further tariffs would be imposed after a deal is struck. The rationale, according to diplomats, is that Trump’s hands cannot be tied on national security, the basis of Section 232 trade investigations into pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and timber.

    Accordingly, the mood has pivoted among EU countries, EU diplomats say, and they are more ready to react, even though a negotiated solution is their preferred option.

    The EU has one package of tariffs on 21 billion euros ($24.5 billion) of U.S. goods that is currently suspended until August 6. The bloc must still decide on a further set of countermeasures on 72 billion euros of U.S. exports.

    Discussions have also increased on using the EU’s wide-ranging “anti-coercion” instrument (ACI) that allows the bloc to retaliate against third countries that put economic pressure on member states to change their policies.

    Brought in more with China in mind, it would allow the bloc to target U.S. services, limit U.S. companies’ access to public procurement or financial services markets or restrict U.S. investment.

    France has consistently advocated using the ACI, but others have baulked at what some see as a nuclear option. Trump has warned he will retaliate if other countries take action against the United States.

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a week ago that the ACI was created for extraordinary situations, adding: “We are not there yet.”

    The Commission would need a qualified majority of 15 countries making up 65% of the EU population to invoke it. It would not do so unless it was confident of passing it, but there are now growing signs of support building, with Germany among the countries saying it should be considered, EU diplomats say.

    (Reuters)

  • EU to ramp up retaliation plans as US tariff deal prospects dim

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The European Union is exploring a broader set of possible counter-measures against the United States as prospects for an acceptable trade agreement with Washington fade, according to EU diplomats.

    An increasing number of EU members, including Germany, are now considering using wide-ranging “anti-coercion” measures which would let the bloc target U.S. services and other sectors in the absence of a deal, diplomats say.

    The European Commission, which negotiates trade agreements on behalf of the 27-member bloc, had appeared on course for a agreement in which the EU would still have faced a 10% U.S. tariff on most of its exports, with some concessions.

    Such hopes now seem dashed after President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 30% tariff by August 1, and following talks between EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and U.S. counterparts in Washington last week.

    Sefcovic, who has said a 30% tariff would “practically prohibit” transatlantic trade, delivered a sober report on the current state of play to EU envoys on Friday, diplomats told Reuters.

    U.S. counterparts had come up with diverging solutions during his meetings, including a baseline rate that could be well above 10%, the EU diplomats added.

    “Each interlocutor seemed to have different ideas. No one can tell (Sefcovic) what would actually fly with Trump,” one diplomat said.

    Prospects of easing or removing 50% U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium and 25% on cars and car parts appear limited.

    ‘NUCLEAR OPTION’

    Washington has also rejected the EU’s demand for a “standstill” arrangement, whereby no further tariffs would be imposed after a deal is struck. The rationale, according to diplomats, is that Trump’s hands cannot be tied on national security, the basis of Section 232 trade investigations into pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and timber.

    Accordingly, the mood has pivoted among EU countries, EU diplomats say, and they are more ready to react, even though a negotiated solution is their preferred option.

    The EU has one package of tariffs on 21 billion euros ($24.5 billion) of U.S. goods that is currently suspended until August 6. The bloc must still decide on a further set of countermeasures on 72 billion euros of U.S. exports.

    Discussions have also increased on using the EU’s wide-ranging “anti-coercion” instrument (ACI) that allows the bloc to retaliate against third countries that put economic pressure on member states to change their policies.

    Brought in more with China in mind, it would allow the bloc to target U.S. services, limit U.S. companies’ access to public procurement or financial services markets or restrict U.S. investment.

    France has consistently advocated using the ACI, but others have baulked at what some see as a nuclear option. Trump has warned he will retaliate if other countries take action against the United States.

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a week ago that the ACI was created for extraordinary situations, adding: “We are not there yet.”

    The Commission would need a qualified majority of 15 countries making up 65% of the EU population to invoke it. It would not do so unless it was confident of passing it, but there are now growing signs of support building, with Germany among the countries saying it should be considered, EU diplomats say.

    (Reuters)

  • Veteran communist leader and former Kerala CM V.S. Achuthanandan passes away at 101

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Veteran Communist leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan passed away on Monday afternoon at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was 101.

    Achuthanandan had been battling for his life for over a month after suffering a cardiac arrest at his son’s residence in the state capital on June 23. Since then, he had been on ventilator support in the intensive care unit.

    Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan, rushed to the hospital to meet Achuthanandan’s family and consult with the attending doctors. Following their visit, a steady stream of political leaders arrived at the hospital to pay their respects.

    A special medical board comprising experts from the Medical College had been overseeing his treatment in coordination with hospital staff. He was also undergoing dialysis, which was temporarily suspended during the course of his illness.

    Achuthanandan’s son-in-law, a doctor, administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at home before the veteran leader was taken to the hospital last month.

    Since stepping down as Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission in January 2021, Achuthanandan had been living alternately with his son and daughter in Thiruvananthapuram. His own residence in Alappuzha, which he had built during his long political career, remained closed.

    Achuthanandan was a towering figure in Kerala’s political landscape. As Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006, he relentlessly attacked the then A.K. Antony-led UDF government. His populist stance and uncompromising image earned him admiration across party lines, particularly among apolitical and first-time voters.

    He led the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to victory in the 2006 Assembly elections and served as Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011. In 2011, he once again spearheaded the LDF campaign and came close to securing a second term. However, the Oommen Chandy-led UDF narrowly won, securing 72 seats in the 140-member Assembly.

    Achuthanandan’s passing marks the end of an era in Kerala politics—one defined by fierce ideological battles, grassroots activism, and an unwavering commitment to public life.

    —IANS

  • Russia says it favours new round of peace talks with Ukraine, highlights gulf between them

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Kremlin said on Monday that Moscow was in favour of a new round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine but the two sides’ positions were diametrically opposed so there was a lot of diplomatic work to be done.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer to hold another round of peace talks this week, and that he wants to speed up negotiations for a ceasefire.

    Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that as soon as there was a definitive understanding of the date for the next round of talks then Moscow would announce it.

    “There is our draft memorandum, there is a draft memorandum that has been handed over by the Ukrainian side. There is to be an exchange of views and talks on these two drafts, which are diametrically opposed so far,” Peskov said.

    Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers. But the two sides have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war.

    (Reuters)

  • Russia says it favours new round of peace talks with Ukraine, highlights gulf between them

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Kremlin said on Monday that Moscow was in favour of a new round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine but the two sides’ positions were diametrically opposed so there was a lot of diplomatic work to be done.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer to hold another round of peace talks this week, and that he wants to speed up negotiations for a ceasefire.

    Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that as soon as there was a definitive understanding of the date for the next round of talks then Moscow would announce it.

    “There is our draft memorandum, there is a draft memorandum that has been handed over by the Ukrainian side. There is to be an exchange of views and talks on these two drafts, which are diametrically opposed so far,” Peskov said.

    Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers. But the two sides have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war.

    (Reuters)

  • Congo and critical minerals: What are the costs of America’s peace?

    Source: ForeignAffairs4

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Evelyn Namakula Mayanja, Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies, Carleton University

    In March 2025, President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) offered the country’s critical mineral reserves to the United States and Europe in exchange for security and stability.

    At the time, the March 23 (M23) militia insurgency was unleashing violence: killing civilians, committing sexual violence, displacing communities and looting mineral resources. Since 1996, eastern Congo has been engulfed in wars and armed conflicts driven by regional powers and more than 120 armed groups.

    The U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Rwanda and the DRC raises critical questions: Is this a genuine path to sustainable peace, or a continuation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s strategy to secure access to critical minerals through coercive diplomacy?



    Read more:
    4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up

    Global arms race for critical minerals

    The global shift toward renewable energy, digital infrastructure and military modernization has sparked a geopolitical scramble for critical and rare earth minerals.

    In early 2025, Trump signed a series of executive orders that introduced aggressive and imperial-style tactics to secure access to mineral wealth. He threatened Canada with annexation and tariffs, demanded access to Greenland’s resources and linked U.S. support for Ukraine to access to its mineral reserves.

    The DRC’s offer must be viewed through this lens of global resource competition.

    Congo’s critical mineral wealth

    The DRC holds some of the world’s richest deposits of critical minerals and metals. A 2012 article estimated the value of Congo’s untapped mineral wealth at US$24 trillion, a figure nearing the U.S. first-quarter 2025 GDP of $29.962 trillion.

    The DRC produces 70 per cent of the world’s cobalt, ranks fourth in copper, sixth in industrial diamonds and also possesses vast reserves of nickel and lithium, including the Manono deposit expected to yield 95,170 tonnes of crude lithium.

    But the struggle to control these resources has fuelled a cycle of armed violence, displacement and exploitation. Despite several peace agreements, peace and stability remain elusive.

    America’s interests in Congo

    U.S. involvement in Congo stretches back to the Cold War, when it played a role in the 1961 assassination of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first elected prime minister who sought economic sovereignty.

    In 1996, the U.S. was accused of backing Rwanda and Uganda in the initial invasion of eastern Congo. A U.S. diplomat, “Mr. Hankins,” was quoted in Goma saying: “I am here …to represent American interests.”

    In 2024, President Joe Biden met Tshisekedi to advance the Lobito Corridor, a strategic trade route to counter China’s dominance in the region. Chinese companies currently control around 80 per cent of Congo’s copper market.

    When Trump signed the 2025 peace agreement, he openly stated the U.S. would gain “a lot of mineral rights … foreign trade and investment from the regional critical mineral supply chains.”

    U.S.-brokered peace deal

    The deal, however, prioritizes America’s access to minerals over the well-being of Congolese citizens. Historically, Congo’s mineral wealth has enriched elites and foreign powers while leaving its people impoverished and vulnerable. The new agreement could entrench existing inequalities and inflame tensions further.

    The U.S. has also cut off aid for war survivors, including emergency medical kits and antiretrovirals for rape victims, undermining humanitarian efforts.

    Crucially, the agreement overlooks:

    • The root causes and drivers of conflict at national, regional and international levels.

    • The role of Rwanda and Uganda, whose militaries and intelligence services have long been implicated in supporting groups like M23. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has referred to M23 as “our brothers” and threatened military action in Congo.

    • The voices of Congolese civil society, war survivors and the public, who were excluded from the negotiation process.

    • State fragility and institutional collapse — major enablers of protracted violence.

    • The grievances of Hutu and Tutsi communities in the DRC, deeply rooted in colonial and regional politics.

    • The presence of more than 120 armed groups, many of them proxies for foreign powers engaging in what some scholars call “geocriminality.”

    Between January and February 2025 alone, more than 7,000 people were killed in the DRC. The United Nations and several human rights organizations have documented mass atrocities, including crimes of genocidal magnitude.

    A path toward real peace

    The peace agreement fails to demand justice for crimes committed against the Congolese people. Nobel Peace laureate Denis Mukwege condemned the deal for “rewarding aggression, legitimizing the plundering of Congo’s natural resources, and sacrificing justice for a fragile peace.”

    It also ignores the roles of international mining corporations and external entities that have long profited from Congo’s instability.

    True and lasting peace in the DRC cannot be imposed from the outside. U.S.-led mineral extraction without justice risks deepening the crisis. Since 1999, UN peacekeepers have been deployed in the Congo , yet violence continues.

    Sustainable peace will require:

    • An end to impunity;

    • Thorough investigations into war crimes;

    • Regional truth-telling processes;

    • Justice and reparations for victims;

    • And most importantly, inclusion of Congolese voices in shaping their future.

    Without these commitments, the U.S. risks replicating a long history of exploitation, trading in minerals while ignoring the human cost.

    The Conversation

    Evelyn Namakula Mayanja receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and from Carleton University

    – ref. Congo and critical minerals: What are the costs of America’s peace? – https://theconversation.com/congo-and-critical-minerals-what-are-the-costs-of-americas-peace-260567

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Alert issued over fake website

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Transport & Logistics Bureau (TLB) today alerted the public to a fraudulent web address purporting to be its website.

    The bureau said it has no connection with the site – at https://bhsb588[.]online/ – and the case has been reported to Police for follow-up.

    The TLB’s genuine website is https://www.tlb.gov.hk/eng/index.html.

    Citizens are advised to stay alert to suspicious websites, remain vigilant in protecting personal information, and refrain from clicking on any hyperlinks from unknown sources.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [MARLOWE PLC – 18 07 2025] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 MARLOWE PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 18 JULY 2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 NO

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

    (a)      Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

    Class of relevant security: 50p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 3,007,843 3.8305    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 3,007,843 3.8305    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    (b)      Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:  
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:  

    3.        DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    50p ORDINARY SALE 765 439.5p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

    (c)        Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)   the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)   the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 21 JULY 2025
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [MARLOWE PLC – 18 07 2025] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 MARLOWE PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 18 JULY 2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 NO

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

    (a)      Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

    Class of relevant security: 50p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 3,007,843 3.8305    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 3,007,843 3.8305    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    (b)      Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:  
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:  

    3.        DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    50p ORDINARY SALE 765 439.5p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

    (c)        Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)   the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)   the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 21 JULY 2025
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: TidyCoin Launches to Turn Crypto Clutter Into Deflationary Gold With a First-of-Its-Kind Burn Ecosystem

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TidyCoin (keep scrolling for the $TIDY contract address), an innovative new entrant in the crypto space, has officially launched with a mission to clean up the digital chaos cluttering user wallets — and turn it into something valuable. The project rewards users who send in their worthless memecoins and abandoned tokens, giving them $TIDY in return — a token engineered to grow more scarce and more valuable over time.

    With the rise of speculative noise and rug-pull fatigue, TidyCoin taps into something deeper: the urge to simplify, to refocus, to tidy up. And it doesn’t stop there. At the heart of the TidyCoin ecosystem is a hyper-casual game where players battle against AI and each other to trigger real token burns — a play-to-burn mechanic that accelerates deflation every time the community plays.

    Early adopters can also stake $TIDY to unlock additional in-game benefits and future earning potential. Meanwhile, the team is laying the groundwork for future revenue streams that will fuel aggressive buyback and burn programs, compounding the token’s scarcity.

    Backed by a 25% airdrop allocation, a strategic partnership with Jungl (https://jungl.world/) — an AI-powered ecosystem for game creation, tokenization, and community growth — and a multi-chain rollout via a unified liquidity pool on PAW Chain (https://www.pawchain.net/), TidyCoin is engineered for rapid scale and unstoppable reach.

    “TidyCoin isn’t just a token — it’s a movement,” said a TidyCoin spokesperson. “We’re building the cleanest, leanest, most deflationary ecosystem crypto has ever seen. We’re not here to ride a trend — we’re here to set it.”

    With ongoing Twitter Spaces, biweekly contests, and multi-chain activations, TidyCoin is steadily building a culture around simplicity, value, and long-term thinking — one cleaned-up wallet at a time.

    _____

    About TidyCoin
    TidyCoin is a deflationary crypto project that rewards users for sending worthless tokens to the TIDY Vault. It offers staking perks, a play-to-burn game, and a future roadmap focused on utility-based revenue streams and buyback burns. TidyCoin is building a global brand around productivity, decluttering, smarter spending, and lasting value in crypto.

    Contact:
    Mepusica
    Contac@tiddycoin.xyz

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by TidyCoin. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/914b3729-f875-4b69-bd69-de4d26bbd93c
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bc84a316-d5f0-4ade-9eb2-8bf2ad6cbb65
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/00a63afb-d98f-4a90-8d64-2905dbc6d4cc

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Ambiq Announces Launch of Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Ambiq Announces Launch of Initial Public Offering

    AUSTIN, Texas, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ambiq Micro, Inc. (“Ambiq”), a technology leader in ultra-low-power semiconductor solutions for edge AI, today announced the commencement of its initial public offering of 3,400,000 shares of its common stock. The initial public offering price is expected to be between $22.00 and $25.00 per share. Ambiq expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 510,000 shares (solely to cover over-allotments, if any) of its common stock at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. Ambiq has applied to list its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “AMBQ.”

    BofA Securities and UBS Investment Bank are acting as joint lead book-running managers for the proposed offering. Needham & Company and Stifel are acting as joint book-running managers for the proposed offering.

    A registration statement on Form S-1, including a prospectus, relating to the proposed offering of securities has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. Accordingly, these securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. The proposed offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the preliminary prospectus relating to the proposed offering may be obtained by contacting: BofA Securities, NC1-022-02-25, 201 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255-0001, Attention: Prospectus Department, or by email at dg.prospectus_requests@bofa.com or UBS Securities LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019, by telephone at (888) 827-7275 or by emailing ol-prospectus-request@ubs.com.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About Ambiq

    Ambiq’s mission is to enable intelligence (artificial intelligence (AI) and beyond) everywhere by delivering the lowest power semiconductor solutions. Ambiq enables its customers to deliver AI compute at the edge where power consumption challenges are the most severe. Ambiq’s technology innovations, built on the patented and proprietary sub-threshold power optimized technology (SPOT®), fundamentally deliver a multi-fold improvement in power consumption over traditional semiconductor designs. Ambiq has powered over 270 million devices to date.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. You can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” or “anticipates,” or similar expressions which concern our strategy, plans, projections or intentions. These forward-looking statements may be included throughout this press release, and include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the expected initial public offering price of the initial public offering and the grant to the underwriters of the option to purchase additional shares. By their nature, forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact or guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions or changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict or quantify. Ambiq’s expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith and Ambiq believes there is a reasonable basis for them. However, there can be no assurance that management’s expectations, beliefs and projections will result or be achieved and actual results may vary materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this release. Ambiq undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws.

    Contact

    Charlene Wan 
    VP of Corporate Marketing and Investor Relations
    cwan@ambiq.com 

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/166017b7-635a-43d8-8e50-ac35020cfede

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nasdaq Verafin Announces Launch of its Agentic AI Workforce, Delivering a Step Change in AML Compliance Efficiency

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nasdaq Verafin today announced the launch of the Agentic AI Workforce, a suite of digital workers that will deliver a step change in the way banks conduct anti-money laundering (AML) compliance by automating low-value, high-volume compliance processes. Building on the successful adoption of its GenAI Entity Research Copilot, Nasdaq Verafin’s Agentic AI Workforce is made up of digital workers that can be deployed by banks to execute complex tasks, including decisioning, with minimal supervision.

    According to Nasdaq Verafin’s Global Financial Crime Report, a survey of more than 200 industry professionals found that 75% of respondents had increased their investment in headcount over the prior year to improve financial crime prevention efforts. However, despite increased investment in headcount, nearly half of respondents reported a lack of adequate resources and technology to fight financial crime. With the ability to independently analyze, document, and decision end-to-end processes, the digital workers enable banks to reallocate resources to more sophisticated investigations and outcomes-focused activities.

    “In today’s operating environment, banks are tasked with navigating a growing number of compliance challenges from evolving regulatory requirements to the shortcomings of legacy technology and impact of resource constraints on compliance teams,” said Rob Norris, SVP and Head of Product, Nasdaq Verafin. “Our Agentic AI Workforce will transform the way banks of all sizes approach AML compliance, delivering a step change in efficiency gains that allows compliance teams to shift efforts and focus on the important work of tackling serious financial crimes such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, and other facets of organized crime.”

    The first of the digital workers will focus on two of the most resource-intensive areas of compliance – Sanctions Screening and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) reviews. Currently in beta, the first digital workers are expected to be available to Nasdaq Verafin clients later this year.

    The Digital Sanctions Analyst will aid Sanctions Screening by dispositioning, documenting, and actioning false positive alerts, while escalating true matches for further review by bank investigators. Sanctions compliance is a complex and costly problem for financial institutions, with compliance failures leading to civil penalties and reputational damage. Further, legacy approaches to Sanctions Screening can hamper compliance teams with an overwhelming number of false positive alerts. Initial results show that Nasdaq Verafin’s Digital Sanctions Analyst reduces a bank’s alert review workload by more than 80%.

    The Digital EDD Analyst will automate a bank’s periodic EDD review process, actioning low-risk cases that do not require further investigation, offering significant efficiency gains for banks. Meeting regulatory requirements for conducting EDD reviews of high-risk customers is a growing challenge for financial institutions, as reviews at most institutions rely on time-consuming manual processes. The Digital EDD Analyst will allow financial institutions to streamline their risk review process, delivering a step change in efficiency and significantly reducing operational expenses.

    The launch of the Agentic AI Workforce represents the latest evolution of Nasdaq Verafin’s industry-leading financial crime management solutions, following the successful rollout of the GenAI Entity Research copilot. Since releasing the Entity Research Copilot into Nasdaq Verafin’s case management module in the second quarter of 2025, clients have leveraged this feature in tens of thousands of cases to help streamline and expedite investigations and documentation. In all, more than 1,300 clients have benefited from Nasdaq Verafin’s integrated GenAI copilot capabilities across its platform since launch.

    “The financial services industry is grappling with mounting pressure to enhance operational efficiency while maintaining robust compliance operations amid increasingly sophisticated threats,” said Chuck Subrt, the Fraud & AML Practice Director at Datos Insights. “We are witnessing a transformative shift as institutions seek to automate resource-intensive workflows that traditionally consume the vast majority of analysts’ time on data collection and processing. Digital workforce solutions like Nasdaq Verafin’s Agentic AI Workforce flip the investigator time equation to enable human experts to focus on high-value decision-making and critical analysis.”

    Please visit https://verafin.com/artificial-intelligence to learn more about Nasdaq Verafin’s Agentic AI Workforce.

    About Nasdaq Verafin

    Nasdaq Verafin provides Financial Crime Management Technology solutions for Fraud Detection and Management, AML/CFT Compliance and Management, High-Risk Customer Management, Sanctions Screening and Management, and Information Sharing. More than 2,600 financial institutions, representing over $10T in collective assets, use Nasdaq Verafin to prevent fraud and strengthen AML/CFT efforts. Visit www.verafin.com to learn more.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 
    Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Nasdaq cautions readers that any forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “will,” “may”, and other words and terms of similar meaning. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to potential savings, efficiency gains, or product results. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond Nasdaq’s control. These risks and uncertainties are detailed in Nasdaq’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q which are available on Nasdaq’s investor relations website at http://ir.nasdaq.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Nasdaq undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    © 2025 Nasdaq, Inc. The Nasdaq logo and the Nasdaq ‘ribbon’ logo are the registered and unregistered trademarks, or service marks, of Nasdaq, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All rights reserved. This communication and the content found by following any link herein are being provided to you by Nasdaq, Inc. and/or certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, “Nasdaq”), for informational purposes only. Nasdaq makes no representation or warranty with respect to this communication or such content and expressly disclaims any implied warranty under law. At the time of publication, the information herein was believed to be accurate, however, such information is subject to change without notice. Nothing herein shall constitute a recommendation, solicitation, invitation, inducement, promotion, or offer for the purchase or sale of any investment product, nor shall this material be construed in any way as investment, legal, or tax advice, or as a recommendation, reference, or endorsement by Nasdaq.

    Nasdaq Media Relations Contact

    Nick Eghtessad
    +1.929.996.8894 
    Nick.Eghtessad@Nasdaq.com

    NDAQF

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP price rises, CJB Crypto one-day mining contract becomes more popular

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the rising prices of mainstream cryptocurrencies such as XRP, ETH and BTC, CJB Crypto has attracted more and more users. In order to meet the needs of users to obtain passive income from digital assets such as Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, etc., the platform innovatively launched the mobile-first “One-Day Mining Contract”. The service relies on cloud facilities deployed in global data centers for mining, and users can get returns within 24 hours.

    Founded in London in November 2016, CJB Crypto is a leading global registered cryptocurrency cloud mining service provider. The platform has invested in and built more than 100 large mining farms and data centers in Canada, Kazakhstan, the United States, Russia and other countries. Its business covers 175 countries and regions around the world, and has served more than 7.5 million users in total.

    Start your CJB Crypto mining journey

    Easy registration: New users can enjoy a $10 reward upon registration, and can also get $0.6 for daily check-in.

    Choose a contract: After successful registration, choose a suitable mining contract based on your investment goals and budget. The platform provides a variety of contract plans, which can be easily participated by both novice and experienced users.

    Referral Bonus (Affiliate Program):

    Recommend friends to join, and you have the opportunity to win up to $20,000 in extra income every month.

    After your friend successfully registers and completes the first mining contract, you can immediately receive a 3% reward of their contract amount (for example: if your friend buys a $10,000 contract, you get $300).

    Cumulatively invite a certain number of active users, and you will have the opportunity to receive a one-time fixed bonus of up to $50,000.

    Unlimited income potential! The invitation mechanism is transparent and traceable, truly realizing “zero investment, home income generation”.

    Rich contracts, adapt to diverse needs
    After selecting and activating the contract, the system will automatically handle the subsequent mining process. CJB Crypto uses advanced technology to ensure efficient mining and help you maximize your potential income.

    Example contract returns (average daily):

    $10 contract (period: 1 day): $0.60

    $100 contract (period: 2 days): $3.50

    $500 contract (period: 5 days): $6.25

    $1,000 contract (period: 10 days): $13.00

    $5,000 contract (period: 30 days): $75.00

    Click to explore more contract options.

    Flexible settlement, support for multiple cryptocurrencies
    Mining income is settled in USDT by default. But you can freely choose to exchange the income for mainstream digital assets such as XRP, Solana, ETH or BTC. Asset allocation, control at will.

    Reasons why CJB Crypto is popular
    Since its launch, the platform has gathered more than 7.5 million users worldwide, and its core advantages of “zero threshold, security, convenience and efficiency” have been widely recognized. A 70-year-old American user shared: “Through sign-in and invitation rewards, I can steadily increase my income by thousands of dollars every month. The platform’s smart mining really helps me achieve my passive income goal.” This is exactly the original intention of CJB Crypto to open smart mining services-to allow everyone to easily participate, share the growth dividends of digital assets, and experience the fun of multiple feedback.

    About CJB Crypto
    As the world’s leading compliant cloud mining platform, CJB Crypto is committed to serving mass investors, not just technical experts, with high-quality applications, green and environmentally friendly global cloud infrastructure and perfect support. The platform adheres to the principle of “user first, safety and efficiency, and controllable risks”, lowers the threshold for industry participation through technological innovation, and promotes the development of inclusive finance.

    For more details and how to participate: https://cjb.top/

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP price rises, CJB Crypto one-day mining contract becomes more popular

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the rising prices of mainstream cryptocurrencies such as XRP, ETH and BTC, CJB Crypto has attracted more and more users. In order to meet the needs of users to obtain passive income from digital assets such as Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, etc., the platform innovatively launched the mobile-first “One-Day Mining Contract”. The service relies on cloud facilities deployed in global data centers for mining, and users can get returns within 24 hours.

    Founded in London in November 2016, CJB Crypto is a leading global registered cryptocurrency cloud mining service provider. The platform has invested in and built more than 100 large mining farms and data centers in Canada, Kazakhstan, the United States, Russia and other countries. Its business covers 175 countries and regions around the world, and has served more than 7.5 million users in total.

    Start your CJB Crypto mining journey

    Easy registration: New users can enjoy a $10 reward upon registration, and can also get $0.6 for daily check-in.

    Choose a contract: After successful registration, choose a suitable mining contract based on your investment goals and budget. The platform provides a variety of contract plans, which can be easily participated by both novice and experienced users.

    Referral Bonus (Affiliate Program):

    Recommend friends to join, and you have the opportunity to win up to $20,000 in extra income every month.

    After your friend successfully registers and completes the first mining contract, you can immediately receive a 3% reward of their contract amount (for example: if your friend buys a $10,000 contract, you get $300).

    Cumulatively invite a certain number of active users, and you will have the opportunity to receive a one-time fixed bonus of up to $50,000.

    Unlimited income potential! The invitation mechanism is transparent and traceable, truly realizing “zero investment, home income generation”.

    Rich contracts, adapt to diverse needs
    After selecting and activating the contract, the system will automatically handle the subsequent mining process. CJB Crypto uses advanced technology to ensure efficient mining and help you maximize your potential income.

    Example contract returns (average daily):

    $10 contract (period: 1 day): $0.60

    $100 contract (period: 2 days): $3.50

    $500 contract (period: 5 days): $6.25

    $1,000 contract (period: 10 days): $13.00

    $5,000 contract (period: 30 days): $75.00

    Click to explore more contract options.

    Flexible settlement, support for multiple cryptocurrencies
    Mining income is settled in USDT by default. But you can freely choose to exchange the income for mainstream digital assets such as XRP, Solana, ETH or BTC. Asset allocation, control at will.

    Reasons why CJB Crypto is popular
    Since its launch, the platform has gathered more than 7.5 million users worldwide, and its core advantages of “zero threshold, security, convenience and efficiency” have been widely recognized. A 70-year-old American user shared: “Through sign-in and invitation rewards, I can steadily increase my income by thousands of dollars every month. The platform’s smart mining really helps me achieve my passive income goal.” This is exactly the original intention of CJB Crypto to open smart mining services-to allow everyone to easily participate, share the growth dividends of digital assets, and experience the fun of multiple feedback.

    About CJB Crypto
    As the world’s leading compliant cloud mining platform, CJB Crypto is committed to serving mass investors, not just technical experts, with high-quality applications, green and environmentally friendly global cloud infrastructure and perfect support. The platform adheres to the principle of “user first, safety and efficiency, and controllable risks”, lowers the threshold for industry participation through technological innovation, and promotes the development of inclusive finance.

    For more details and how to participate: https://cjb.top/

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI imposes monetary penalty on The Government Employees Co-operative Bank Limited, Dharwad, Karnataka

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated July 17, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1 lakh (Rupees One Lakh only) on The Government Employees Co-operative Bank Limited, Dharwad, Karnataka (the bank) for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Know Your Customer (KYC)’ and ‘Comprehensive Cyber Security Framework for Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks (UCBs)’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

    The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charges against the bank were sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:

    The bank had:

    1. failed to upload the KYC records of customers onto Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR) within the prescribed timeline; and

    2. not implemented certain cyber security control measures and requirements under the Cyber Security Framework prescribed by RBI.

    This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2025-2026/751

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: [Opinion] Samsung in Collaboration with DTIC: Creating Meaningful Employment & Strengthening SA Economy through EEIP

    Source: Samsung

     

     
    According to research by Thrive CFO*: Small businesses in South Africa face numerous challenges, including access to funding, competition from larger companies, limited market reach, high operating costs, lack of skilled labour, regulatory compliance, cybersecurity threats, cash flow management, limited access to technology and environmental sustainability. *
     
    To help small enterprises in South Africa to overcome some of these challenges, Samsung in collaboration with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has – under its R280-million worth Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP), which was launched in 2019 – formulated programmes that address some of government’s priorities as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) challenges.
     
    This multi-million rand EEIP programme aims to empower black owned and local SMEs with a particular focus on women and start-up businesses in the ICT sector. It supports skills development, enterprise development and job creation to contribute to black economic empowerment. The EEIP is part of Samsung’s broader commitment to social responsibility and economic development within South Africa.
     
    Samsung’s EEIP programme is closely aligned to the overarching objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision for 2030 and South Africa’s framework of broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) – providing a mechanism for multi-nationals to contribute towards the development of black South Africans.
     
    This framework has allowed our company to contribute to B-BBEE goals through alternative investments, including investments in black-owned businesses, ICT development and skills development. Our EEIP programme focuses on strengthening black economic empowerment by supporting ICT entrepreneurs and fostering technological advancement, ultimately contributing to socio-economic development and job creation. South Africa’s NDP envisions a thriving SME sector as a cornerstone of the country’s inclusive, resilient economy by 2030.
     
    In essence, the NDP sees SMEs as a crucial engine for economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction. This strategic plan for South Africa’s future outlines various tactics to foster SME development and ensure their long-term success. Our government, which includes our collaborative partner, DTIC, believe that SMEs can create the majority of new jobs in the country – contributing significantly to economic growth as well as play a vital role in the reduction of poverty and inequality.
     
    As Samsung, we also understand how much entrepreneurship contributes to job creation, community development and how it fosters innovation and drives economic growth. For that reason, Samsung EEIP programme and DTIC have opened the third Call to Market for the Transformative SME Development Programme – targeting suitable ICT entrepreneurs in the country, that are eager to grow their businesses for funding and support.
     
    This transformative SME Development Programme seeks to support local entrepreneurs throughout their journey as well as driving a culture of innovation and digital solutions. So, in an effort to go beyond meeting our obligations towards government and demonstrate our ongoing investment in SME development – we are in the process of recruiting suitable SMEs to participate in this EEIP SME Development Programme with the ultimate aim of contributing to economic growth and job creation.
     
    In the last two years, our criteria for this EEIP SME Development Programme focused on targeting SMEs that had been operating in the ICT and Service Centre space for at least a minimum of three years with a turnover that is less than R50M per annum. This year, our EEIP SME Development Programme “Call to Market” campaign for entries has gone with a unique approach that aims to make a tangible difference in the lives of local ICT SMEs. We have changed our focus to include start-up, micro-enterprises that are still in their infancy stage and also put a strong focus on women-owned businesses.
     
    In collaboration with DTIC, we understand that start-up businesses are generally considered high-risk ventures, particularly in the early stages. We have therefore put in place some mitigating measures coupled with key performance indicators (KPI’s) to help manage these micro-enterprises efficiently and overcome any challenges that might come our way. The specific KPIs that are used in this EEIP SME Development Programme include:
     

    Economic Impact – looks at accumulative investment in SME development, capacity building as well as the contribution to the South African economy. Also, this KPI looks at job creation, growth in revenue and the profitability of supported SMEs.
    Enterprise Development – evaluates the number of SMEs specifically black-owned as well as those that are township-based and the number of businesses supported.
    Capacity Building: looks at the number of individuals trained or upskilled, improvements in business management skills as well as access to new markets and technologies. And lastly,
    Sustainability: The environmental impact of supported businesses, long-term viability of supported SMEs as well as the number of black-owned businesses and townships-based that are supported.

     
    We made these changes because we understand the need to develop local start-up enterprises and also how gender representation plays a crucial role in the development of entrepreneurs in the country. Importantly, we strongly believe that gender inclusion in the ICT entrepreneurship space will help to unlock economic potential, drive innovation and create a more equitable and sustainable future.
     
    With this new approach in this year’s EEIP SME Development Programme, we are now able to offer a larger pool of eligible ICT SMEs in the country an opportunity to access grant funding and enterprise development support to help propel their businesses to greater heights. This improved approach aims to identify gems in the market and offer them holistic support which also includes Business Development assistance (mentoring and coaching) to help in fostering growth, a dynamic and connected information society as well as a knowledge economy.
     
    This essentially means that this holistic approach in our transformative EEIP SME Development Programme does not only focus on developing technical skills (for those organisations in the ICT sector), but also other key entrepreneurial capabilities such as soft skills that can help create sustainable businesses in South Africa and enable them to become engines for job creation.
     
    Also, our business development initiatives include an Enterprise Development Bootcamp that is part of Samsung’s EEIP Programme – which helps young entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. This fast-paced four –month long, Bootcamp programme focuses on developing entrepreneurial skills and supporting Black-owned businesses in South Africa, particularly in the areas of Service Centre repairs and ICT. It aims to accelerate and grow businesses by providing entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, and financial support. 
     
    Samsung’s EEIP programme – now in its seven years of sustained success and this Enterprise Development “Call to Market” which represents the 3rd edition of our programme seeks to continue making a measurable difference to the socio-economic development of black South Africans. This year’s call follows two successful cycles and forms part of our broader commitment to the ICT sector, SME development and Vision 2030.
     
    This is our way of ensuring that we empower South Africa’s digital future by helping ICT entrepreneurs thrive as we deepen our commitment and collaboration with DTIC. The success of this EEIP SME Development Programme is highlighting the significant milestone of our EEIP in the country and the profound impact it has had on the nation’s ICT sector in conjunction with the DTIC.
     
    Our programme’s alignment with South Africa’s Vision 2030 and its success to date – has positioned this transformative SME Development Programme as one of the notably -value adding EEIPs in the sector. Furthermore, our strong and successful collaboration with the DTIC in strengthening the ICT sector through the EEIP – now complemented by our focus on providing support to start-ups in the infancy stage while also ensuring gender representation in this year’s SME Development Programme – is a true testament to shared goals for national development in the country.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: [Opinion] Samsung in Collaboration with DTIC: Creating Meaningful Employment & Strengthening SA Economy through EEIP

    Source: Samsung

     

     
    According to research by Thrive CFO*: Small businesses in South Africa face numerous challenges, including access to funding, competition from larger companies, limited market reach, high operating costs, lack of skilled labour, regulatory compliance, cybersecurity threats, cash flow management, limited access to technology and environmental sustainability. *
     
    To help small enterprises in South Africa to overcome some of these challenges, Samsung in collaboration with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has – under its R280-million worth Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP), which was launched in 2019 – formulated programmes that address some of government’s priorities as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) challenges.
     
    This multi-million rand EEIP programme aims to empower black owned and local SMEs with a particular focus on women and start-up businesses in the ICT sector. It supports skills development, enterprise development and job creation to contribute to black economic empowerment. The EEIP is part of Samsung’s broader commitment to social responsibility and economic development within South Africa.
     
    Samsung’s EEIP programme is closely aligned to the overarching objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision for 2030 and South Africa’s framework of broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) – providing a mechanism for multi-nationals to contribute towards the development of black South Africans.
     
    This framework has allowed our company to contribute to B-BBEE goals through alternative investments, including investments in black-owned businesses, ICT development and skills development. Our EEIP programme focuses on strengthening black economic empowerment by supporting ICT entrepreneurs and fostering technological advancement, ultimately contributing to socio-economic development and job creation. South Africa’s NDP envisions a thriving SME sector as a cornerstone of the country’s inclusive, resilient economy by 2030.
     
    In essence, the NDP sees SMEs as a crucial engine for economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction. This strategic plan for South Africa’s future outlines various tactics to foster SME development and ensure their long-term success. Our government, which includes our collaborative partner, DTIC, believe that SMEs can create the majority of new jobs in the country – contributing significantly to economic growth as well as play a vital role in the reduction of poverty and inequality.
     
    As Samsung, we also understand how much entrepreneurship contributes to job creation, community development and how it fosters innovation and drives economic growth. For that reason, Samsung EEIP programme and DTIC have opened the third Call to Market for the Transformative SME Development Programme – targeting suitable ICT entrepreneurs in the country, that are eager to grow their businesses for funding and support.
     
    This transformative SME Development Programme seeks to support local entrepreneurs throughout their journey as well as driving a culture of innovation and digital solutions. So, in an effort to go beyond meeting our obligations towards government and demonstrate our ongoing investment in SME development – we are in the process of recruiting suitable SMEs to participate in this EEIP SME Development Programme with the ultimate aim of contributing to economic growth and job creation.
     
    In the last two years, our criteria for this EEIP SME Development Programme focused on targeting SMEs that had been operating in the ICT and Service Centre space for at least a minimum of three years with a turnover that is less than R50M per annum. This year, our EEIP SME Development Programme “Call to Market” campaign for entries has gone with a unique approach that aims to make a tangible difference in the lives of local ICT SMEs. We have changed our focus to include start-up, micro-enterprises that are still in their infancy stage and also put a strong focus on women-owned businesses.
     
    In collaboration with DTIC, we understand that start-up businesses are generally considered high-risk ventures, particularly in the early stages. We have therefore put in place some mitigating measures coupled with key performance indicators (KPI’s) to help manage these micro-enterprises efficiently and overcome any challenges that might come our way. The specific KPIs that are used in this EEIP SME Development Programme include:
     

    Economic Impact – looks at accumulative investment in SME development, capacity building as well as the contribution to the South African economy. Also, this KPI looks at job creation, growth in revenue and the profitability of supported SMEs.
    Enterprise Development – evaluates the number of SMEs specifically black-owned as well as those that are township-based and the number of businesses supported.
    Capacity Building: looks at the number of individuals trained or upskilled, improvements in business management skills as well as access to new markets and technologies. And lastly,
    Sustainability: The environmental impact of supported businesses, long-term viability of supported SMEs as well as the number of black-owned businesses and townships-based that are supported.

     
    We made these changes because we understand the need to develop local start-up enterprises and also how gender representation plays a crucial role in the development of entrepreneurs in the country. Importantly, we strongly believe that gender inclusion in the ICT entrepreneurship space will help to unlock economic potential, drive innovation and create a more equitable and sustainable future.
     
    With this new approach in this year’s EEIP SME Development Programme, we are now able to offer a larger pool of eligible ICT SMEs in the country an opportunity to access grant funding and enterprise development support to help propel their businesses to greater heights. This improved approach aims to identify gems in the market and offer them holistic support which also includes Business Development assistance (mentoring and coaching) to help in fostering growth, a dynamic and connected information society as well as a knowledge economy.
     
    This essentially means that this holistic approach in our transformative EEIP SME Development Programme does not only focus on developing technical skills (for those organisations in the ICT sector), but also other key entrepreneurial capabilities such as soft skills that can help create sustainable businesses in South Africa and enable them to become engines for job creation.
     
    Also, our business development initiatives include an Enterprise Development Bootcamp that is part of Samsung’s EEIP Programme – which helps young entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. This fast-paced four –month long, Bootcamp programme focuses on developing entrepreneurial skills and supporting Black-owned businesses in South Africa, particularly in the areas of Service Centre repairs and ICT. It aims to accelerate and grow businesses by providing entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, and financial support. 
     
    Samsung’s EEIP programme – now in its seven years of sustained success and this Enterprise Development “Call to Market” which represents the 3rd edition of our programme seeks to continue making a measurable difference to the socio-economic development of black South Africans. This year’s call follows two successful cycles and forms part of our broader commitment to the ICT sector, SME development and Vision 2030.
     
    This is our way of ensuring that we empower South Africa’s digital future by helping ICT entrepreneurs thrive as we deepen our commitment and collaboration with DTIC. The success of this EEIP SME Development Programme is highlighting the significant milestone of our EEIP in the country and the profound impact it has had on the nation’s ICT sector in conjunction with the DTIC.
     
    Our programme’s alignment with South Africa’s Vision 2030 and its success to date – has positioned this transformative SME Development Programme as one of the notably -value adding EEIPs in the sector. Furthermore, our strong and successful collaboration with the DTIC in strengthening the ICT sector through the EEIP – now complemented by our focus on providing support to start-ups in the infancy stage while also ensuring gender representation in this year’s SME Development Programme – is a true testament to shared goals for national development in the country.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Digitorial_Awesome Intelligence: How AI is Changing the Way You Use Your Smartphone with the Galaxy A56 5G & A36 5G

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung’s latest Galaxy A series marks a bold step into the AI-powered mobile future. With the introduction of the Galaxy A56 5G and Galaxy A36 5G, Samsung is bringing what it calls “Awesome Intelligence” directly to users’ fingertips. These new models offer futuristic features designed for everyday use – making advanced AI experiences more accessible than ever before.
     
    What Samsung has done with these devices is make AI accessible — not as a gimmick, but as a true daily companion. Whether it’s discovering something cool online, cleaning up your pics, or getting the perfect snap on the first try, Awesome Intelligence is all about helping you do more, better, and faster.
     
    These devices aren’t just about better specs — they’re about smarter experiences. Here’s a look at three AI-powered features changing the way you interact with your phone daily.
     
    Circle to Search: When Curiosity Strikes, You’re Covered
    We’ve all been there. You’re scrolling Instagram or TikTok, and someone’s wearing an outfit you love or using a gadget you need in your life. But there’s no tag, no caption, no clue.
     
    Circle to Search is one of the most powerful and practical AI tools on the Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G. Just press and hold the home button, circle what you’re curious about – a shoe, a landmark, a makeup product — and boom, instant Google-powered search results, right on your screen. Or say you spot a streetwear hoodie you like as you’re scrolling through your newsfeed. Instead of playing detective, you ‘Circle to Search’ it and get links related to the item online — all without leaving the app. Less switching, more discovering.
     

     
    This is not just next-gen browsing. This is instant, intuitive discovery built into your daily scrolling.
     
    Object Eraser: Fix Your Photos in a Tap
    Let’s be honest — the perfect shot is often ruined by someone walking into frame at the wrong time or a random object in the background. In the past, that meant either retaking the photo (if possible), using a third-party app, or just learning to live with it.
     
    With Object Eraser, those days are gone. Tap on the unwanted element in your photo — maybe it’s a photo bomber, a random shadow, or a messy pile of stuff in the background. The AI does the rest, removing the distraction and blending the image naturally.
     

     
    You’re snapping a photo at the beach. It’s an epic time out, your outfit’s fire, but there’s a stranger walking their dog in the background. One tap with Object Eraser and it’s like they were never there.
     
    Object Eraser makes every shot Insta-worthy — no filters, no stress.
     
    Enhanced Camera AI: Bring Out Your Creativity
    The Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G come equipped with a 50MP main lens, a 10-bit HDR selfie camera, and in the case of the A56 5G, an ultra-wide 12MP lens and enhanced Nightography — but it’s the AI doing the behind-the-scenes magic that levels up every shot.
     
    AI isn’t just helping take photos — it’s helping you take better ones by automatically adjusting lighting and contrast to suit your scene, recognising different subjects (like people, pets, or food) and optimising settings on the fly, and smoothing low-light noise for cleaner night shots.
     
    When you’re out for a night with friends, and the lighting in the club is, well, not ideal, there’s no need to panic because there’s a solve. But with AI-enhanced Nightography and selfie optimisation, your photos come out looking sharp, balanced, and ready to post. No edits needed.
     
    And for the group shots, the Galaxy A56 5G offers Best Face — a clever AI tool that lets you select the best expressions from a burst of photos and merge them. No more “let’s take one more” because someone blinked or looked away.
     

     
    One of the best parts is that you’re getting all this in stylish, powerful devices with immersive Super AMOLED displays, long-lasting 5000mAh batteries, and fast, reliable 5G connectivity — all wrapped in a design that’s built to last with IP67 water and dust resistance.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Digitorial_Awesome Intelligence: How AI is Changing the Way You Use Your Smartphone with the Galaxy A56 5G & A36 5G

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung’s latest Galaxy A series marks a bold step into the AI-powered mobile future. With the introduction of the Galaxy A56 5G and Galaxy A36 5G, Samsung is bringing what it calls “Awesome Intelligence” directly to users’ fingertips. These new models offer futuristic features designed for everyday use – making advanced AI experiences more accessible than ever before.
     
    What Samsung has done with these devices is make AI accessible — not as a gimmick, but as a true daily companion. Whether it’s discovering something cool online, cleaning up your pics, or getting the perfect snap on the first try, Awesome Intelligence is all about helping you do more, better, and faster.
     
    These devices aren’t just about better specs — they’re about smarter experiences. Here’s a look at three AI-powered features changing the way you interact with your phone daily.
     
    Circle to Search: When Curiosity Strikes, You’re Covered
    We’ve all been there. You’re scrolling Instagram or TikTok, and someone’s wearing an outfit you love or using a gadget you need in your life. But there’s no tag, no caption, no clue.
     
    Circle to Search is one of the most powerful and practical AI tools on the Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G. Just press and hold the home button, circle what you’re curious about – a shoe, a landmark, a makeup product — and boom, instant Google-powered search results, right on your screen. Or say you spot a streetwear hoodie you like as you’re scrolling through your newsfeed. Instead of playing detective, you ‘Circle to Search’ it and get links related to the item online — all without leaving the app. Less switching, more discovering.
     

     
    This is not just next-gen browsing. This is instant, intuitive discovery built into your daily scrolling.
     
    Object Eraser: Fix Your Photos in a Tap
    Let’s be honest — the perfect shot is often ruined by someone walking into frame at the wrong time or a random object in the background. In the past, that meant either retaking the photo (if possible), using a third-party app, or just learning to live with it.
     
    With Object Eraser, those days are gone. Tap on the unwanted element in your photo — maybe it’s a photo bomber, a random shadow, or a messy pile of stuff in the background. The AI does the rest, removing the distraction and blending the image naturally.
     

     
    You’re snapping a photo at the beach. It’s an epic time out, your outfit’s fire, but there’s a stranger walking their dog in the background. One tap with Object Eraser and it’s like they were never there.
     
    Object Eraser makes every shot Insta-worthy — no filters, no stress.
     
    Enhanced Camera AI: Bring Out Your Creativity
    The Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G come equipped with a 50MP main lens, a 10-bit HDR selfie camera, and in the case of the A56 5G, an ultra-wide 12MP lens and enhanced Nightography — but it’s the AI doing the behind-the-scenes magic that levels up every shot.
     
    AI isn’t just helping take photos — it’s helping you take better ones by automatically adjusting lighting and contrast to suit your scene, recognising different subjects (like people, pets, or food) and optimising settings on the fly, and smoothing low-light noise for cleaner night shots.
     
    When you’re out for a night with friends, and the lighting in the club is, well, not ideal, there’s no need to panic because there’s a solve. But with AI-enhanced Nightography and selfie optimisation, your photos come out looking sharp, balanced, and ready to post. No edits needed.
     
    And for the group shots, the Galaxy A56 5G offers Best Face — a clever AI tool that lets you select the best expressions from a burst of photos and merge them. No more “let’s take one more” because someone blinked or looked away.
     

     
    One of the best parts is that you’re getting all this in stylish, powerful devices with immersive Super AMOLED displays, long-lasting 5000mAh batteries, and fast, reliable 5G connectivity — all wrapped in a design that’s built to last with IP67 water and dust resistance.

    MIL OSI Economics –