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  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: President  Biden Commutes the Sentences of 37 Individuals on Death  Row

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, President Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Those individuals will have their sentences reclassified from execution to life without the possibility of parole.
    President Biden has dedicated his career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system. He believes that America must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level, except in cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder – which is why today’s actions apply to all but those cases. When President Biden came into office, his Administration imposed a moratorium on federal executions, and his actions today will prevent the next Administration from carrying out the execution sentences that would not be handed down under current policy and practice.
    This historic clemency action builds on the President’s record of criminal justice reform. The President has issued more commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms. Earlier this month, the President announced clemency for approximately 1,500 Americans – the most ever in a single day – who have shown successful rehabilitation and a commitment to making communities safer. This included sentence commutations for nearly 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities, as well as 39 pardons for individuals who were convicted of non-violent crimes. President Biden is also the first President ever to issue categorical pardons to individuals convicted of simple use and possession of marijuana, and to former LGBTQI+ service members convicted of private conduct because of their sexual orientation.
    The President’s criminal justice record has transformed individual lives and positively impacted communities, especially historically marginalized communities. In the coming weeks, the President will take additional steps to provide meaningful second chances and continue to review additional pardons and commutations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Slavic universities discussed the development of youth policy and educational activities

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The international congress of Russian-national (Slavic) universities on youth policy and educational activities has concluded in Moscow.

    The event was organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and MIREA – Russian Technological University (the basic organization of the CIS member states for work with youth).

    The congress was held for the first time. It brought together rectors and vice-rectors of universities, heads of educational work departments, and leaders of student public associations. The participants represented the Belarusian-Russian University, the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, the Russian-Armenian (Slavic) University, the Russian-Tajik (Slavic) University, and Russian partner universities – Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the Siberian Federal University. The SPbPU delegation included Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies Maxim Pasholikov, Head of the Youth Policy Department Ivan Khlamov, Deputy Director of the SPbPU History Museum Tatyana Novitskaya, specialist of the Center for Youth Trajectories Sofia Romanova, and head of the public institute “Adapters” Elizaveta Zhak.

    At the strategic session, experts discussed existing experience, practices and projects, as well as modern challenges faced by Slavic universities in implementing youth policy and educational activities. The plenary discussion, which was held in the format of an open dialogue, was attended by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Olga Petrova and Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration for Cross-Border Cooperation Sergei Malenko.

    The congress also included a presentation of the educational work system and youth policy areas of RTU MIREA, a training seminar, and the opening of the All-Russian Congress on Youth Policy and Educational Activities. Participants learned about the educational work system and youth policy areas of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, the possibilities of including Slavic universities in the activities of student scientific societies, and projects of the Rosmolodezh ecosystem, the Russian Society “Knowledge”, and the ANO “Russia – Country of Opportunities”.

    On the final day, the experts were presented with the system of educational work and youth policy areas of RUDN named after Patrice Lumumba, the activities of the psychological service of the university using the example of MIPT, and projects of the Association of Volunteer Centers, in which Slavic universities can participate.

    Head of the Department of Assessment and Methodology of the ANO “Russia – Country of Opportunities” Alexandra Vaza noted that the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University became the first foreign university to begin systematic work with the presidential platform of the RSV. KRSU students received the same opportunities for self-realization as millions of young people in Russia.

    The Competence Center opened at the university has become a provider of assessment and development of “soft skills” of students and teachers. The Polytechnic University in St. Petersburg, which has unique experience of working with ambassadors and in the field of graduate employment, has been very helpful in this activity. In addition, the center has become a single entry point to the projects of the presidential platform. KRSU students are active participants in the competitions “TopBLOG”, “Profrazvitie” and “Drugoe Delo”. In 2025, work in this direction will continue, because we strive for each student to be able to realize their potential and become a sought-after specialist in the labor market, – said Alexandra Vaza.

    The final meeting was chaired by Artem Fomin, Head of the Department of International Youth Cooperation and Tourism of the Department of State Youth Policy and Educational Activities of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. Representatives of Slavic universities presented draft roadmaps for the further development of youth policy and educational activities in their universities in 2025-2026. Russian partners — representatives of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the Siberian Federal University — presented proposals for joint projects. On behalf of MIREA — Russian Technological University, Vice-Rector Grigory Petushkov voiced proposals for cooperation.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Renewed appeal in connection with murder of Fiona Holm

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Met is renewing its reward of up to £20,000 for help finding the remains of a murdered woman, as her family face their second Christmas without her.

    The reward is on offer for information leading to the recovery of the remains of 48-year-old Fiona Holm.

    Fiona was last seen alive leaving a residential address in Verdant Lane, Catford, on 20 June, 2023. She was reported missing nine days later.

    Her partner, Carl Cooper, was jailed for life in July for her murder which took place in the living room of his flat in Broadfield Road, Catford. Cooper lied to Fiona’s family and police, and took extensive steps to cover up the killing. Fiona’s body has never been recovered.

    Cooper was also convicted of murdering another girlfriend, 41-year-old Naomi Hunte, who was found dead at her home in Woolwich in 2022.

    Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn, who leads the investigation, said: “My team has carried out a huge amount of work to try to find Fiona, using specialist teams to search areas she was known to frequent, open spaces, bodies of water, houses, cars and lockups. Thousands of hours of CCTV has been seized and viewed, substantial mobile phone enquiries have been reviewed and hundreds of witness statements have been taken, including interviews with Fiona’s family and friends. Those efforts have continued since Cooper’s conviction.

    “This Christmas, our thoughts are with Fiona’s family, who are still waiting for answers almost two years after her tragic murder. Our thoughts are also with Naomi’s family at this difficult time.

    “I am appealing to anybody who may be able to assist the ongoing search for Fiona’s remains to come forward, no matter how insignificant you think your information could be. Perhaps now Cooper has been convicted, you feel able to come forward and tell us what you know or have heard.”

    Fiona’s family have described her as a kind and loving person, and say they are tormented by the lack of closure.

    Fiona’s daughter Savannah said: “This year is the second Christmas without my beloved mother. As the heartache still continues, the restless nights go on knowing that she has been out there this long, and no-one has come forward with any information, which I find disturbing.

    “The thought of us finding her remains is sickening to think about, but this would also bring my whole family peace.

    “My Nan has not been the same since. The only thing she worries about is where her daughter is, as she wants her to be found. Nan misses her daughter’s big heart and kind ways the most.”

    If you have any information, please contact the incident room on 020 8721 4005, or 999 if you need urgent police attendance. If you want to give your information anonymously, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Ranks Among Top 3 Crypto Exchanges for Futures Trading in November Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has shared its monthly transparency report highlighting the ecosystem’s strong performance in November 2024. The cryptomarket saw a sharp increase, with Bitcoin surging past $106,000. At Bitget, this ATH trend was replicated, with Bitget Token (BGB) rising from approximately $1.44 to $1.70, marking an increase of around 18%. This upward trend was driven by Bitget’s global expansion and significant growth in trading volumes, user engagement, and platform security, especially achieving the third position worldwide in global futures trading.

    Bitget retained over 45 million users with a daily trading volume of $10 billion, while USDT-M futures trading volume surged to $16 billion, and daily spot trading volume doubled, reaching $400 million. Its Protection Fund, growing impressively from $400 million+ to over $600 million, supports strong security and user trust on the platform.

    In November, Bitget’s top-performing spot tokens saw impressive growth, led by UNICE at 2666.71%. Additionally, 13 tokens were listed on Poolx, and 5 tokens among these were also featured in Pre-market listings, showcasing strong interest and dual exposure for these assets.

    Bitget hosted “Pitch n’ Slay” event in Bangkok. Under Bitget’s Blockchain4Her program, the competition provided exposure, capital and guidance for female entrepreneurs in the blockchain space and offered a chance to secure up to $100,000 in funding by Foresight Ventures. Pitch n’ Slay showcased the power of collaboration in creating inclusive pathways for women in blockchain, aligning with Bitget’s commitment to fostering a diverse and thriving blockchain ecosystem.

    Bitget introduced VND Bank Transfer in Vietnam. It enables users to deposit VND through VietQR and withdraw funds via bank transfers to purchase popular crypto such as BTC, ETH, USDT, SOL, and BGB through Bitget’s cash conversion feature.

    Bitget Wallet introduced a comprehensive memecoin trading toolkit, enabling users to discover high-potential tokens, analyze critical data, and trade seamlessly across multiple chains. Additionally, it launched the Refer2Earn Program, encouraging user growth through passive income, and a $20M Telegram Mini-App Support Program to empower developers and drive innovation in the Telegram ecosystem.

    Bitget’s strong performance shows it shines again as the top global players in the crypto industry. The company will keep focusing on innovation, user engagement, and market expansion in the rapidly evolving crypto sector, ongoingly bridging CeFi and DeFi, and expanding access to decentralized finance.

    For more information, please visit the monthly report here.

    About Bitget

    Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 45 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.
    Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM market, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

    For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet
    For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

    Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/44eb3496-f2b3-4044-a147-b66820609d72

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: sante-Itd.com.co: BaFin investigates Sante Limited

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warns consumers about the company Sante Limited and the services it is offering. BaFin has information that the company is offering banking business and/or financial services on its website sante-Itd.com.co without the required authorisation. The company is not supervised by BaFin.

    Banking business and financial services may only be offered in Germany with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the required authorisation. Information on whether particular companies have been authorised by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.

    The information provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).

    Please be aware:

    BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five ways to beat loneliness this winter

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dorothy Yen, Professor in Marketing and Lead on the Happy to Chat project, Brunel University of London

    Tricky_Shark/Shutterstock

    For some people, loneliness can feel overwhelming, especially during winter, but small steps toward connection can make a significant difference. Research shows that micro conversations with strangers can help improve wellbeing and reduce feelings of loneliness.

    This explains why in the UK, the new charity Happy to Chat is trying to encourage people to talk to each other when out and about. In Sweden, a similar scheme – the Say Hi campaign – was also launched in winter 2023 to promote small talks among people in their neighbourhoods.

    Most studies on the benefits of talking to strangers have focused on younger people, leaving a big question mark over how older adults experience these everyday interactions. Yet, this is a group that could stand to benefit the most. The World Health Organization estimates that one in four older adults face social isolation, which can seriously affect their health, happiness, and even how long they live.

    Our research shows that most older people in the UK have a positive attitude towards the idea of small talk when out and about. They see it as being neighbourly, an act of kindness, a way to brighten someone else’s day. Popular spots for these chats include bright, public spaces, like shopping centres, garden centres, libraries, community events, university campuses, or even while waiting for public transport.

    Feeling confident is important; it’s not just about starting a conversation or keeping it going. It’s also about feeling safe and in control. That confidence isn’t the same for everyone, though. Older women, in particular, were more concerned about potential challenges such as personal safety or dealing with an awkward or uncomfortable chat.

    A safe and secure environment can make all the difference in their choice of whether to engage in small talk when out and about. So, it is important that we all make an effort in creating a friendly environment, combating loneliness together through small and meaningful conversations. With that in mind, here are five ways to beat loneliness this winter and build those much needed connections.

    1. Join the ‘happy to chat’ movement

    A simple conversation can go a long way in making both you and others feel more connected. The “happy to chat” initiative in the UK encourages people to sit at designated benches or wear ‘happy to chat’ badges that signal their openness to friendly talks with those passing by. Our research shows that these badges work wonders as ice breakers, making it easier to strike up a conversation. Whether you’re at a park, garden centre, café, or on public transport, a little small talk can brighten your day and build a sense of community.

    2. Volunteer for a local charity

    Giving back not only benefits others but can also create a sense of purpose and connection. Many organisations seek extra hands during the winter, especially for holiday drives, food banks or programmes supporting older people. Volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded people while spreading warmth and joy.

    3. Take part in community activities

    From Christmas carol singing to craft workshops and winter walks, your local area is probably buzzing with events this season. Joining in these activities is a natural way to socialise and meet new people. Have a look at your community centre or local general practitioners notice boards. Neighbourhood gatherings or shared hobbies make connecting with others feel effortless and fun.

    4. Stay active and embrace the outdoors

    Exercise has proven mental health benefits, including reducing feelings of loneliness. Bundle up and take a brisk walk in the park, or join a local fitness class or walking group, where you can enjoy the fresh air while having small talks with others. Outdoor winter activities like ice skating may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but having a visit to seasonal markets can also provide opportunities to interact with others.

    5. Reconnect with friends and family

    The holiday season is a perfect time to reach out to loved ones or people you may have lost in touch with. But don’t forget that loneliness can be all year around. Drop a postcard to say hello, schedule a call or meet-ups, even if it’s just for a quick coffee. If you can’t meet in person, virtual gatherings can still help you feel connected and cared for.

    What is not recommended?

    Although pets can provide companionship, they require long-term commitment, time and care. Getting a pet solely to combat loneliness during the winter isn’t a good idea.

    Pets are for life, not just for the holiday season, and taking on this responsibility without careful thought can lead to challenges for both you and the animal. Instead, consider alternative ways to connect, like volunteering at an animal shelter or spending time with friends who have pets.

    Loneliness can feel overwhelming, especially during winter, but small steps toward connection can make a significant difference. By reaching out to others and engaging in your community, you can transform this season into one of warmth, companionship and joy. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple smile or a friendly conversation to turn someone’s day around – including your own.

    Christina Victor receives funding from ESRC, Dunhill Medical Trust, Wellcome Trust, Alzheimer’s Society, NIHR

    Dorothy Yen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Five ways to beat loneliness this winter – https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-beat-loneliness-this-winter-245630

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: In the age of AI, Wallace and Gromit’s claymation style remains a festive favourite

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Christopher Holliday, Senior Lecturer in Liberal Arts and Visual Cultures Education, Department of Interdisciplinary Humanities, King’s College London

    A new Wallace and Gromit adventure, Vengeance Most Fowl (2024), premieres on BBC One and Netflix this Christmas Day. It’s been nearly 20 years since the last feature film about Yorkshire’s favourite eccentric inventor and his above-intelligent pet dog, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005).

    Aardman’s latest Christmas instalment marks the reappearance of Feathers McGraw, the mysterious and silent penguin villain from The Wrong Trousers (1993). It also represents the latest outing for the Bristol-based company’s signature stop-motion “claymation” style – which is both a symbol of the studio’s enduring relationship to craft, and a vital element of Aardman’s international identity as an animation powerhouse.

    A new era of artificial intelligence is threatening to transform the boundaries of what we understand as art. So it is significant that one of this year’s most highly anticipated festive films celebrates the skill and spirit of handmade animation.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Aardman was founded in 1972. Over the last 50 years, the studio has cultivated a durable and worldwide reputation as a pioneer of animation as a handmade, craft-based art form.

    Both before and after its feature-film debut, Chicken Run (2000), the studio’s stop-motion approach was refined across an extensive range of animated projects and commissions. These included short films like Creature Comforts (1990), the first Aardman production to win an Academy Award, as well as an array of television idents, music videos and advertising campaigns.

    Such has been Aardman’s longstanding connection to claymation that when the Newplast company shut down in March 2023, sparking rumours of a shortage of its famous modelling clay, the studio issued a statement denying it was running out of materials, while assuring fans it would find a new supplier for future projects.

    The trailer for Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

    Aardman’s animated productions have been a staple of Christmas film and television since Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park’s 30-minute short The Wrong Trousers debuted on Boxing Day 1993.

    So much so, in fact, that Aardman proclaims that it is “proud to be synonymous with Christmas”. The many television specials featuring old and new Aardman characters include the 30-minute Netflix Christmas shorts Shaun The Sheep: A Flight Before Christmas (2021) and Robin Robin (2021), as well as multiple “cracking” Christmas advertising campaigns.

    This Christmas season, that’s included the decorating of London’s Battersea power station with Aardman characters, and a collection of specially commissioned Christmas idents exclusively for the BBC.

    Aardman goes digital

    Despite a defining investment in the creative potential of claymation, the studio has occasionally dipped a toe into the the world of digital technology. A brief foray into computer-animated filmmaking in the early 2000s with Flushed Away (2006) and Arthur Christmas (2011) marked an ultimately short-lived creative partnership with DreamWorks Animation and Sony Pictures.

    While Aardman’s involvement with these renowned Hollywood companies pushed the studio away from its house style and ushered in a new kind of big-screen humour, in design at least, these films retained their quintessential Aardman “look”. But though these characters appeared firmly from the Aardman stable (particularly in their recognisably exaggerated smiles), their animated perfection demonstrated the pristine visuals increasingly afforded by sophisticated computer graphics.

    Clearly, much like Wallace, Aardman animators aren’t immune to the thrill of technological innovation. But they have still largely maintained their claymation methods of production, to instil in audiences the many pleasures of doing things by hand.

    The glimpse of fingerprints accidentally pressed into the modelling clay, coupled with the jerky movements of their plasticine characters, emphasises that Aardman methods remain far removed from modern technology. Craft and the handmade are therefore as much business strategies as they are aesthetic choices, deployed to sell the Aardman brand around the world.

    After a hiatus of almost 20 years, the imminent return of Wallace and Gromit to British screens seems a pointed reflection on the virtues of the handmade, against the acceleration of AI within the film industry.

    With Vengeance Most Fowl telling the story of a rogue automatic garden gnome, Aardman is seemingly questioning a future built from computerised (and potentially dangerous) automation. By preserving the artisanal and anchoring its very British charm once again to the hand-crafted, slightly imperfect models that populate these stop-motion animated worlds, it seems that, for Aardman at least, computers are not always what they are cracked up to be.

    Christopher Holliday does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. In the age of AI, Wallace and Gromit’s claymation style remains a festive favourite – https://theconversation.com/in-the-age-of-ai-wallace-and-gromits-claymation-style-remains-a-festive-favourite-246070

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Are we moral blank slates at birth? A new study offers some clues

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Madeline G. Reinecke, Postdoctoral Researcher, Collective Moral Development, University of Oxford

    Saulich Elena/Shutterstock

    What does a baby know about right and wrong? A foundational finding in moral psychology suggested that even infants have a moral sense, preferring “helpers” over “hinderers” before uttering their first word. Now, nearly 20 years later, a study that tried to replicate these findings calls this result into question.

    In the original study, Kiley Hamlin and her colleagues showed a puppet show to six- and ten-month-old babies. During the show, the babies would see a character — which was really just a shape with googly eyes — struggling to reach the top of a hill.

    Next, a new character would either help the struggling individual reach the top (acting as a “helper”) or push the character back down to the bottom of the hill (acting as a “hinderer”).

    By gauging babies’ behaviour — specifically, watching how their eyes moved during the show and whether they preferred to hold a specific character after the show ended — it seemed that the infants had basic moral preferences. Indeed, in the first study, 88% of the ten-month-olds – and 100% of the six-month-olds – chose to reach for the helper.

    Kiley Hamlin explains the helper-hinderer experiment.

    But psychology, and developmental psychology, in particular, is no stranger to replicability concerns (when it is difficult or impossible to reproduce the results of a scientific study). After all, the original study sampled only a few dozen infants.

    This isn’t the fault of the researchers; it’s just really hard to collect data from babies. But what if it was possible to run the same study again — with say, hundreds or even thousands of babies? Would researchers find the same result?

    This is the chief aim of ManyBabies, a consortium of developmental psychologists spread around the world. By combining resources across individual research labs, ManyBabies can robustly test findings in developmental science, like Hamlin’s original “helper-hinderer” effect. And as of last month, the results are in.

    With a final sample of 567 babies, tested in 37 research labs across five continents, babies did not show evidence of an early-emerging moral sense. Across the ages tested, babies showed no preference for the helpful character.

    Blank slate?

    John Locke, an English philosopher argued that the human mind is a “tabula rasa” or “blank slate”. Everything that we, as humans, know comes from our experiences in the world. So should people take the most recent ManyBabies result as evidence of this? My answer, however underwhelming, is “perhaps”.

    This is not the first attempted replication of the helper-hinderer effect (nor is it the first “failure to replicate”). In fact, there have been a number of successful replications. It can be hard to know what underlies differences in results. For example, a previous “failure” seemed to come from the characters’ “googly eyes” not being oriented the right way.

    The ManyBabies experiment also had an important change in how the “show” was presented to infants. Rather than a puppet show performed live to baby participants, researchers instead presented a video with digital versions of the characters. This approach has its strengths. For example, ensuring that the exact same presentation occurs across every trial, in every lab. But it could also shift how babies engage with the show and its characters.

    I appreciated the recent remarks made by Michael Frank, founder of the ManyBabies consortium, on social network BlueSky: “Some people will jump to the interpretation that [the results of ManyBabies] shows that the original finding was incorrect (and hence that the other replications were incorrect as well, and the earlier non-replications were right). This [is] one possibility – but we shouldn’t be so quick to jump to conclusions.”

    Rather, we can take this finding for exactly what it is: a well-executed large investigation (senior-authored by Kiley Hamlin herself) of the hypothesis that infants prefer helpers over hinderers. In this instance, the hypothesis was not supported.

    This could be because, underneath it all, Locke was right. Perhaps the babies tested hadn’t had enough time in the world to learn “right from wrong”, so they wouldn’t make any distinction between a helpful character and a harmful one. Or perhaps there’s something more complicated going on. Only more science, with many, many more babies, will tell us.

    At the very least, a question mark now hangs over one of the most famous experiments in developmental psychology.

    Madeline G. Reinecke does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Are we moral blank slates at birth? A new study offers some clues – https://theconversation.com/are-we-moral-blank-slates-at-birth-a-new-study-offers-some-clues-245333

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why there’s no such thing as normal in child development

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Samuel Forbes, Associate Professor in Psychology, Durham University

    Hasnuddin/Shutterstock

    For parents, carers and teachers, it’s often tempting to base our thinking on a child’s development around what we understand as “normal”. Much of the time we do this without thinking, describing a child as “doing well” in one subject and “behind” in another.

    Whenever we make this sort of comparison, we have some sort of mental benchmark or yardstick in our head: for example, a toddler should be able to climb on furniture by age two. Increasingly, child development researchers are arguing that the same thing happens in child development research — the study of how behaviours and abilities such as language develop.

    Many of the studies that claim to research child development either implicitly, or explicitly, claim that their findings are universal.

    There could be many reasons for this. Sometimes there’s a temptation to oversell conclusions, sometimes it might be the way findings are interpreted by readers or the media. The upshot is that what’s been found in one group of children is then taken as the standard — the yardstick against which future research is compared.

    Most of the research into how children develop comes from wealthier, western countries, in particular the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and France. Chances are, if you’ve heard of milestones in child development, they were developed in one of these countries.

    This is so much so that it can be challenging to do basic research on child development in developing countries, as peers and reviewers will ask for or demand comparisons to western populations to put findings from these regions in context. Of course without realising it, these peers and reviewers have set up western children as a norm.

    Most of the existing academic research on child development comes from western countries.
    Olesia Bilkei/Shutterstock

    But is it fair to make these comparisons? One of the tricky things about researching child development is that it occurs within a cultural and social context it can’t be removed from. But this context is often messy. Differences in physical environment, parenting styles, location, climate and so on all interact to shape how children grow.

    Besides these differences, there is individual variation as well. These could be, for instance, curiosity, shyness and neurodiversity, which can all frame how a child shapes their own learning environment.

    Take for example the field of motor development in infancy – the study of
    how children learn to move. Many parents in particular might be familiar with charts showing when they can expect their child to sit, crawl, stand and run. The existence of these charts make it seem pretty universal, and often a child’s motor development is judged accordingly.

    This makes sense. Early research was preoccupied with finding out what was normal, and it makes sense to try to support children who might be at risk of falling behind. The timing and order investigated back then led to the norms and scales we still use today.

    Is something like motor development timing universal? It’s easy to imagine that it might be. When there are no physical or cognitive barriers we all learn to sit and stand, so on the surface it seems fair to say this could be.

    But it turns out that the context that children develop in plays a huge role even
    in something as seemingly universal as this. In countries and
    cultures where babies routinely receive firm massages from caregivers, such as in Jamaica, motor development is accelerated. It’s clear that a norm developed in one culture might not translate well to another.

    Beyond norms

    It’s clear to see that the problems highlighted above are not unique to motor development. In areas like language development or social development the cultural component is even more compelling.

    There is simply no way of understanding these elements of child development without also understanding the context in which they take place. Every child is developing within a context and however normal our own culture feels to us, there is no objective context-free norm that we can compare other children to. That is, to say, we should embrace the mess.

    If we think of normal child development as being something that just happens, researchers miss out on understanding the dynamics of development itself. But worse, educators and caregivers might not realise development is something we can act upon, and miss an opportunity to enact change.

    An important part of seeing child development as being intertwined with culture is that it doesn’t just mean collecting data from other cultures, but involving local communities and research perspectives. Understanding communities means listening to them, empowering them and making space for them to have a voice.

    Moving beyond a western-centric understanding of child development won’t just benefit researchers and lead to more accurate science, but hopefully benefit everyone working with children around the world.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Why there’s no such thing as normal in child development – https://theconversation.com/why-theres-no-such-thing-as-normal-in-child-development-244681

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: BTCC Exchange Celebrates OG Week 2 with Exclusive FLOKI AMA on X Spaces

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VILNIUS, Lithuania, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BTCC, one of the longest-standing cryptocurrency exchanges, recently hosted an engaging AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on X Spaces featuring FLOKI, one of the original meme coins in crypto.

    The AMA was part of BTCC’s “OG Week” campaign, where iconic long-term meme coins are spotlighted and celebrated. Pedro Vidal, Community Relations Officer for Floki and TokenFi Blockchain, joined the session to discuss FLOKI’s vision for 2024 and beyond.

    The AMA was a resounding success, with over 1,500 crypto enthusiasts tuning in to explore FLOKI’s journey, and check out some big developments landing this coming year. Anyone interested in listening back can check out the AMA here

    Highlights of the Discussion

    The AMA covered many points, and gave a deep insight into FLOKI’s history, position in the crypto market, and some exciting points for 2025:

    Topic 1 – FLOKI’s Inception

    Topic 1 covered FLOKI’s inception, and discussed how FLOKI was born from a tweet from Elon Musk in 2021. Though the coin initially suffered rug pulls from the team who initially launched the project, it has now become a community-led project.

    FLOKI is now governed by a DAO, leaving the ownership and direction of the token in the hands of the community. The DAO is important as it aligns closely with the current team’s focus on community feedback, utility and transparency, and dedication to the success of the project – and also to avoid the pitfalls from the initial launch of the coin.

    Topic 2 – FLOKIs Blockchain Gaming Platform

    Topic 2 focused on the big ticket success on FLOKI – Valhalla. The crypto household name game took the market by storm and features all the hallmarks of a global superstar – from an easy-to access, browser-based design, and global accessibility, everyone inside the FLOKI community is excited about the future of Valhalla.

    “The idea is to continue to improve and leave blockchain forever changed.”

    – Pedro Vidal, on Floki’s Valhalla Metaverse game

    Topic 3 – FLOKI Debit Card and Trading Bot

    Another hot topic on the agenda was the FLOKI debit card, which now offers crypto enthusiasts a way to spend their crypto across 8 different chains, with 0% transaction fees. The cards are available in both physical and virtual forms, which is another step toward FLOKI’s vision of a more financially enabled world, powered by memecoins.

    FLOKI have also released their Telegram trading bot, aiming to streamline the trading experience, all from inside users’ telegram accounts. The bot supports multiple chains and is live now!

    Topic 4 – 2025 and Beyond

    For 2025, Pedro emphasized the importance of staying true to the project’s values of transparency and utility, and managing and promoting growth were emphasized – however 2025 shapes up for FLOKI, the ecosystem looks set for a rapid expansion.

    FLOKI is available on BTCC for spot and futures trading. Up to 50x leverage is supported, and as one of the hottest meme coins on the platform, interest looks set to build for the coming season.

    BTCC OG Week

    To celebrate the OG meme coins that laid the foundations for the current cycle’s top gainers like DOGE, FLOKI, and PEPE, BTCC Exchange has announced the BTCC OG Week campaign, where meme fanatics can undertake social and trading tasks to win USDT rewards, with a prize pool of 300 USDT and 300 USDT in withdrawable rewards each week.

    Week 1, which saw BTC in the limelight has already concluded, and winners of the trading competition have already been announced on BTCC’s X page.

    BTCC continues its OG Week campaign with the featuring DOGE, and there’s plenty more amazing content to come.

    Going forward, BTCC have scheduled more AMAs and special features on other long-term meme coins. To stay updated on future campaigns and win exclusive rewards, follow BTCC’s X account.

    For additional information, visit BTCC’s website or follow BTCC and Floki on X.

    Media Contact Details
    Contact Name: Aaryn Ling
    Contact Email: press@btcc.com

    About BTCC

    BTCC is a long-standing crypto exchange with over 13 years experience in the crypto space, and 0 security breaches. BTCC makes crypto trading easier with user-centric features that are sure to suit the needs of novice and advanced traders alike, wherever they are in the world.

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BTCC. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/634ab0fe-7ecb-48c0-bc9d-f8c188a3fb50

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Christmas booze ban for record number of offenders

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Around 3,800 offenders either released from prison or serving a community sentence will wear an alcohol tag over Christmas and New Year.

    • Around 3,800 offenders forced to wear alcohol tags to keep streets safe over Christmas and New Year
    • Technology monitors alcohol in their sweat so offenders can’t enjoy a festive tipple
    • Tags help tackle drink-fuelled crime such as domestic abuse and drunken disorder

    A record number of offenders will be forced to stay sober this Christmas as part of the government’s Plan for Change, keeping streets safe and cutting alcohol-fuelled crime.

    Statistics published today (23 December) show around 3,800 offenders either released from prison or serving a community sentence will wear an alcohol tag over Christmas and New Year.

    The tags work around the clock and quickly detect if an offender has been drinking by analysing their sweat, meaning festive favourites such as mulled wine and prosecco will be strictly off the menu.

    If an offender dares to have a drink, an alert is sent to their probation officer who can take action to punish them, such as an order to return to court or even prison.

    Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, James Timpson, said:

    The sad reality is alcohol-fuelled crime such as domestic abuse and public disorder spikes at Christmas and has a devastating impact in our homes and town centres.

    Technology like this is playing a key role in the government’s mission to take back our streets by monitoring offenders and cutting crime.

    The tags are accurate enough to distinguish between foods that contain low-levels of alcohol – such as mince pies or Christmas pudding – and boozier drinks that could lead to offenders getting drunk.

    The technology is playing a significant role in the government’s mission to take back our streets from alcohol-fuelled harm, which costs the taxpayer billions of pounds each year. 

    Offenders who are banned from consuming alcohol by the courts have remained sober for 97% of the days they have been tagged since the technology was first rolled out in 2020.

    They monitor alcohol bans for offenders on community sentences handed down by judges or magistrates and can also be used as a licence condition for prison leavers. Roughly 20% of those supervised by probation are classified as having a drinking problem.

    These statistics come as the government is conducting a landmark review of sentencing, which will further explore the range of tougher punishments that can be served outside of prison. This will explore the technology we can use to limit the liberties of offenders in the community and support the administration of sentences outside of prison.

    Further information

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 December 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Best in Law”: prestigious legal award ceremony held in Moscow

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    On December 19, the award ceremony for the winners of the annual HSE Faculty of Law “Best in Law” competition took place. This year, one of the main events of the country’s legal community was held in an unusual format, combining jurisprudence and art.

    Faculty of Law, National Research University Higher School of Economics

    This year’s winners of the competition include Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Boris Chernyshov (nominated for “Best Strategic Partnership”), writer Alexander Tsypkin (nominated for “Law in Art” – for creating a lyrical female image of a lawyer in the TV series “What Should a Woman Do If…”), First Vice President of Gazprombank Ekaterina Salugina-Sorokova (nominated for “Best in the Alumni Community”), retired Chairman of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation Anton Ivanov, as well as representatives of the teaching staff and students.

    “I have warm student memories of HSE University – it is my alma mater. We all remain a big family, so receiving such an award from the faculty is especially valuable. Developing strategic partnerships with educational institutions continues to be one of the key tasks of the state: in this way, we not only attract the best young personnel, but also strengthen the training of lawyers, and the HSE Law Faculty is the undisputed leader in the quality of education,” said Deputy Speaker of Parliament Boris Chernyshov.

    The winners and guests were treated not only to the ceremony itself, but also to excursions into the history of painting. Paintings from the collection of the Pushkin Museum, a partner of the HSE Faculty of Law, emphasized the theme of each nomination.

    The awards were presented by the Dean of the Faculty of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Vadim Vinogradov, Vice-Rectors of the HSE Irina Martusevich and Alexey Koshel, First Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federation Andrey Yatskin, Deputy Chairman of VEB.RF Daniil Algulyan, Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science Sergey Rukavishnikov, Managing Director of the Legal Department of Sberbank PJSC Nadezhda Tretyakova and others.

    “It is always a pleasure to reward the best, especially since the competition for the honorary title of “Best in Law” is high. Over the past few years, we have managed to build strong partnerships with representatives of government institutions, businesses, and cultural institutions at the faculty: this way, we not only enrich our own expertise, but also demonstrate in practice what impressive results can be achieved through joint work,” added Vadim Vinogradov, Dean of the HSE Faculty of Law.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Vehicle plate bidding goes online

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Transport Department today launched E-Auction, an online auction platform for Ordinary Vehicle Registration Marks (VRMs).

    Interested bidders registered as users are no longer required to attend a physical auction and can bid for VRMs through a computer or mobile device anywhere.

    The first online auction is scheduled for February 2025. Fewer VRMs, some 50, will be put up for auction in the initial phase and details will be announced late next month.

    Two online auctions are planned to be held each month, with each auction lasting for five days, starting from noon on the first day and ending at noon on the fifth.

    The department will gradually increase the number of VRMs in the online auction after reviewing its operations to ensure the smooth running of the E-Auction platform.

    Registered users can bid for their desired Ordinary VRMs via E-Auction within the specified time slots of each online auction session, and they may choose to set auto bids prior to the auction.

    Successful bidders can complete the follow-up procedures at the one-stop platform, including arranging electronic payment and receiving the relevant documents to assign the secured VRMs to the vehicles under the purchaser’s name provided in the Memorandum of Sale of VRM.

    Non-registered users can browse the E-Auction website to learn about registration and auction procedures, the auction schedule, VRMs pending auction, real-time auction price, etc.

    The E-Auction will only be applicable to Ordinary VRMs. Auctions for VRMs with “HK” or “XX” as a prefix, special VRMs and personalised VRMs will continue to be carried out through physical auctions by bidding paddles and their announcement arrangements remain unchanged.

    The department will inform all applicants who have submitted a deposit to reserve Ordinary VRMs for auction of the E-Auction arrangements in detail by post.

    For enquiries, call 3583 3980 or send an email to e-auction-enquiry@td.gov.hk.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Opening ceremony of reprovisioned Chung Ying Street Checkpoint in Sha Tau Kok held today (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Opening ceremony of reprovisioned Chung Ying Street Checkpoint in Sha Tau Kok held today (with photos/video)
    Opening ceremony of reprovisioned Chung Ying Street Checkpoint in Sha Tau Kok held today (with photos/video)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The opening ceremony of the reprovisioned Chung Ying Street Checkpoint in Sha Tau Kok was held today (December 23). A pilot scheme for facial recognition technology has been introduced at the new checkpoint, allowing people living or working at Chung Ying Street to access the area unimpeded through “contactless channels” without having to stop and produce their Closed Area Permit (CAP) or use their fingerprint to verify their identity. The aim is to facilitate the flow of people and enhance the checkpoint’s processing capacity.     Addressing the opening ceremony, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, noted that to facilitate entry to and exit from Chung Ying Street, the Government has replaced the former checkpoint made up of marquees with a permanent structure, and for the first time introduced facial recognition technology. This allows people living and working on Chung Ying Street to be the first to use “contactless channels” for unimpeded access. The Government will continue to explore the application of relevant technology to complement the future opening of Chung Ying Street for tourism. In the future, holders of valid CAPs for access to Chung Ying Street may, upon prior enrolment, pass through the checkpoint via “contactless channels”. In adopting the pilot scheme, the Government hopes to replace the current mode of manual inspections through applying innovative technology to assist users of the checkpoint, enhance the checkpoint’s capacity, and highlight Hong Kong’s high-quality digital technology as an international metropolis.     Mr Chan also expressed his gratitude to the various government departments and organisations for their joint efforts in the successful completion of the reprovision project, thereby providing better facilities for Chung Ying Street, an area rich in unique historical and cultural value.     The checkpoint’s design has integrated historical and modern elements, showcasing the characteristics of Hong Kong’s traditional train stations. Its exterior wall is decorated with copper plate engravings featuring a historical train, preserving the history of the branch line. In addition, multiple energy-saving designs have been incorporated in the checkpoint which combines functionality and aesthetics, creating a cultural landmark for Chung Ying Street.     ???Other officiating guests included the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Permanent Secretary for Security, Mr Patrick Li; the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho; the Director of Immigration, Mr Kwok Joon-fung; the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Chow Yat-ming; the Deputy Director of Architectural Services, Mr Alan Sin; the Chairman of the New Territories Heung Yee Kuk, Mr Kenneth Lau; and the Chairman of the Sha Tau Kok District Rural Committee, Mr Lee Koon-hung.

     
    Ends/Monday, December 23, 2024Issued at HKT 18:56

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What did Yellowstone look like before it became Wonderland?

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

    The Yellowstone region today is Wonderland.  It is full of spectacular geysers and colorful hot springs, home to lakes and meadows and mountains and valleys, and covered by both forests and grasslands.  What we see today is a result of volcanic activity that has shaped the landscape over the past 2 million years.

    But what did Yellowstone look like before volcanic activity blew several large holes in the region and covered huge swaths of land with thick lava and ash flows?  What was Yellowstone like before it became Wonderland?

    To understand the answer to this question, geologists have looked at the characteristics of the areas bordering the Yellowstone region—at the mountain ranges, rock types, and faults that make up areas like the Tetons and Jackson Hole, and like the Gallatins and Paradise Valley.

    Interpretive reconstruction of the Yellowstone Plateau region before initial plateau volcanism (a little before 2 million years ago). The region was entirely an elevated and faulted mountainous terrain with no basin in the present plateau area. Gray areas are underlain by ash flow deposits from calderas of the eastern Snake River Plain area that predate the Yellowstone volcanic system.  Figure 6 from Christiansen (2001) (https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp729g/).

    During about 4–7  million years ago, the Yellowstone hotspot was located under southeastern Idaho, feeding eruptions occurring from the Heise volcanic field.  That sequence included multiple large calderas that formed via major explosions, spreading ash across the landscape—including Jackson Hole and the area that is now Yellowstone.

    Map of Yellowstone earthquakes that were located during 1973-2023. Red circles are earthquakes located in the Yellowstone region, and blue circles indicate swarm seismicity.  The size of the circle scales with the magnitude of the earthquake.  In the south part of Yellowstone National Park are a series of earthquake bands that trend north-northwest to south-southeast.  These alignments may reflect faults associated with mountain ranges that were destroyed when Yellowstone Caldera formed 631,000 years ago.

    The pre-volcanic Yellowstone landscape was mostly made of high-elevation areas—there was no basin present like there is today.  Instead, mountain ranges that ran mostly north-northwest to south-southeast extended across the region.  Today’s Gallatin and Madison ranges in the north were probably connected to the Tetons and other mountains to the south, forming sets of continuous ranges that were all bounded by large faults.  Fault-bounded ranges like these are common throughout the western USA today—part of the Basin and Range province, which extends from eastern California to western Wyoming and Montana.

    We can see the evidence for these formerly continuous mountain ranges in patterns of earthquakes and eruptive vents.  Seismicity maps show several north-northwest to south-southeast bands of earthquakes beneath Yellowstone Caldera, possibly delineating the still-existing faults that controlled the mountain ranges that were blown apart when large explosive eruptions began in the Yellowstone region.  There are also several roughly north-northwest to south-southeast alignments of vents for rhyolite lava flows that erupted after Yellowstone Caldera formed, especially during about 160,000 to 70,000 years ago.  Just like patterns of earthquakes, the vent alignments might also have been controlled by the preexisting faults associated with the destroyed mountain ranges.

    And because there were mountains throughout the Yellowstone region before the big explosions, erosion was an important process.  The high mountain ranges were gradually being ground down, and sediments eroded from these peaks accumulated in valleys at the bases of the ranges.  Some of these sediments still exist today, capped by thick blankets of ash from caldera-forming eruptions of the Yellowstone system.

    The first volcanic eruptions from the Yellowstone region began at least 2.2 million years ago, and the first of three great caldera-forming eruptions—that which deposited the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff—occurred 2.08 million years ago, spreading thick ash over an area larger than the state of Connecticut and dramatically altering the landscape.

    Today, many visitors to Yellowstone National Park approach the area from the north, south, or west. In driving through the mountains and valleys that lead to Wonderland, take a moment to appreciate the landscape you are traversing.  Those areas today exemplify what Yellowstone used to look like a few million years ago.

    Map of Yellowstone caldera showing the locations and ages of the most recent rhyolite eruptions at Yellowstone, the Central Plateau Member rhyolites. Unit boundaries are from Christiansen (2001). Two sets of vent alignments run north-northwest to south-southeast and might reflect underlying fault orientations associated with mountain ranges that were obliterated during the formation of Yellowstone Caldera about 631,000 years ago.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Tower Semiconductor Releases 300mm 65nm 3.3V-Based BCD Power Management Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Delivering high-efficiency power, high-performance analog, and high-density digital in a single power management platform for mobile, AI, and data center applications 

    MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel, December 23, 2024 – Tower Semiconductor (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), a leading foundry of high-value analog semiconductor solutions, today announced its new 300mm 65nm 3.3V-based BCD Power management platform, PML, in addition to its successful 5V-based offering already in high-volume production in Japan and that which is being qualified in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, manufacturing site. This new, cutting-edge platform addresses the stringent low-voltage requirements of mobile devices and meets the growing demands for high power efficiency and power density in AI and data center applications.

    The advanced 300mm BCD PML offering comprises LDMOS devices with ultra-low on-resistance and best-in-class figure-of-merit, achieving highest power conversion efficiency for fast switching converters. In addition, it features power devices with wide voltage range and a nominal 3.3V gate voltage that can be substantially overdriven and underdriven addressing products such as PMIC, Audio IC, and high-power voltage regulators for GPU and CPU. These advantages enable users to achieve outstanding performance in power consumption and extend battery life in battery operated applications.

    “Our new PML platform exemplifies Tower Semiconductor’s continuous success in providing cutting-edge power management technology solutions,” said Shimon Greenberg, General Manager of Power Management Business Unit. “Specifically designed for advanced power management applications, this innovation empowers our customers to develop industry-leading products with a competitive edge that address the evolving demands of the strategic mobile, AI, and data center markets”.

    For additional information on Tower’s PM technology platform, please visit here.

    About Tower Semiconductor         

    Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), the leading foundry of high-value analog semiconductor solutions, provides technology, development, and process platforms for its customers in growing markets such as consumer, industrial, automotive, mobile, infrastructure, medical and aerospace and defense. Tower Semiconductor focuses on creating a positive and sustainable impact on the world through long-term partnerships and its advanced and innovative analog technology offering, comprised of a broad range of customizable process platforms such as SiGe, BiCMOS, mixed-signal/CMOS, RF CMOS, CMOS image sensor, non-imaging sensors, displays, integrated power management (BCD and 700V), photonics, and MEMS. Tower Semiconductor also provides world-class design enablement for a quick and accurate design cycle as well as process transfer services including development, transfer, and optimization, to IDMs and fabless companies. To provide multi-fab sourcing and extended capacity for its customers, Tower Semiconductor owns two facilities in Israel (150mm and 200mm), two in the U.S. (200mm), two in Japan (200mm and 300mm) which it owns through its 51% holdings in TPSCo, shares a 300mm facility in Agrate, Italy, with ST as well as has access to a 300mm capacity corridor in Intel’s New Mexico factory. For more information, please visit: www.towersemi.com.

    Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary from those projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. A complete discussion of risks and uncertainties that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements included in this press release or which may otherwise affect Tower’s business is included under the heading “Risk Factors” in Tower’s most recent filings on Forms 20-F and 6-K, as were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the Israel Securities Authority. Tower does not intend to update, and expressly disclaim any obligation to update, the information contained in this release.

    Tower Semiconductor Investor Relations Contact: Noit Levy | +972-4-604-7066 | noitle@towersemi.com
    Tower Semiconductor Company Contact: Orit Shahar | +972-74-7377440 | oritsha@towersemi.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Enlight Announces the Financial Close for Project Roadrunner

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The debt financing package includes $550 million of construction loans

    Roadrunner consists of 290 MW of solar generation and 940 MWh of energy storage capacity, and is expected to reach full COD by the end of 2025

    TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd. (“Enlight”, “the Company”, NASDAQ: ENLT, TASE: ENLT.TA), a leading global renewable energy platform, today announced that the Company has arranged the debt financing (the “Debt Financing”) for project Roadrunner (“Roadrunner” or “the Project”), located near Tuscon, Arizona, USA.

    As part of the Debt Financing, Enlight, through its subsidiary Clenera Holdings LLC, has entered into a loan agreement with a consortium of four leading global banks including BNP Paribas Securities Corp, Crédit Agricole, Natixis CIB, and Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (Nord/LB), totaling $550 million, which are expected to convert into a $290 million term loan and $320 million of tax equity funding upon the Project’s COD. The term loan is structured with an amortization tenor of 20-25 years and is to be fully repaid 5 years from the Project’s COD (mini perm). The loans are subject to an all-in interest rate of SOFR + 1.5%-1.75%, which rises by 0.125% after four years. Paragon Energy Capital served as Clenera’s exclusive financial advisor on the transaction.

    During the Project’s construction period, the Company’s equity investment is expected to amount to 10% of the expected total Project cost of $610 million. The debt financing arrangements are expected to enable the Company to recycle the entire equity investment upon COD subject to minimum project coverage ratios. The Company expects to conclude a tax equity transaction during 2025, noting that the project has secured safe harbor status.

    Roadrunner (also known as Apache Solar II) is the second-largest project in Enlight’s history, consists of 290 MW solar generation and 940 MWh of energy storage capacity, and is expected to reach full COD by the end of 2025. Construction at the 1200-acre site has already begun, and all procurement contracts have been signed. The Project has a 20-year busbar power purchase agreement covering its entire output with the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO), and is expected to generate revenues of $51-54 million and EBITDA1 of $41-44 million in its first full year of operation. A summary of the Project’s financial information appears in the tables below:

    (as expected at COD)

    Total project cost

    Term debt

    Upfront tax equity

    Sponsor equity upon COD
     

    $ 610 million

    $ 290 million

    $320 million

    $0
     

    Total project cost net of tax equity

    Revenues in first full year

    EBITDA in first full year1
     

    $ 290 million

    $51-54 million

    $41-44 million

    1EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure. This figure represents EBITDA for the project and excludes all ITC and PTC proceeds, as well as the impact of a potential tax equity transaction. The tax equity partner’s share is expected to range between 10-15% of the Project’s EBITDA during the first years of operation.

    Roadrunner is being built in the Sulphur Springs Valley region near Tucson, Arizona. Arizona possesses one of highest rates of growth in data centers in the U.S., driving a significant increase in the demand for electricity. The area’s high altitude, mild weather, and very high irradiance make it especially suitable for a utility-scale solar plant. The Project is located in a sparsely populated area and integrates with the larger Apache Generating Station, a diverse energy complex used by AEPCO.

    After the completion of Apex in Montana and Atrisco in New Mexico, Roadrunner is one of several major solar and energy storage projects that Enlight and Clenera are now constructing in the U.S. These include Country Acres (392 MW and 688 MWh) and Quail Ranch (128 MW and 400 MWh). Along with additional projects planned to be built in the years to come, these projects are driving Enlight’s massive expansion into the U.S. renewable energy market. This is best illustrated by the growing run rate of Enlight’s U.S. revenue base, which is expected to reach $195-207 million annually after the completion of the projects now under construction.

    The Company’s next projects in Arizona are Snowflake (600 MW and 1,900 MWh) and CO Bar (1,211 MW and 824 MWh). The two mega projects have almost completed their development phase, and are scheduled to begin construction in the coming months. Each of the two projects are set to achieve grid connection of 1.0 GW, one of the largest in the US. These grid connections generate potential additional development opportunities in the future through the Company’s “Connect and Expand” strategy, which seeks to leverage existing interconnect infrastructure with additional generation capacity.

    Nir Yehuda, CFO of Enlight, commented, “We appreciate our financial partners’ support and commitment in arranging the debt financing for project Roadrunner, which has made it possible for us to progress with its construction. Roadrunner is expected to begin commercial operation by the end of 2025. We look forward to continued collaboration on Country Acres and Quail Ranch, projects which we are now in the process of building and financing.”

    “We are grateful to have established our business as a reliable partner for these financial institutions,” said Adam Pishl, President and CEO of Clenera. “We have demonstrated our ability to build projects on time and on budget, and manage operational solar and storage farms that generate consistent long-term returns. It is exciting to close this deal and fuel our continued growth with projects across America.”

    Aashish Mohan, Co-Head of Energy, Resources & Infrastructure Americas, at BNP Paribas, commented, “BNP Paribas is proud to have supported Clenera and Enlight as Coordinating Lead Arranger on this landmark clean energy project financing. Supporting premier platforms like Clenera squarely fits our energy transition ambitions, and we look forward to partnering with the company again as they continue to execute on their high-quality pipeline.”

    Daniel Feigin, Head of Energy & Infrastructure Group, North America at Crédit Agricole CIB, said, “Crédit Agricole CIB’s collaboration with Enlight and Clenera on this landmark project in Arizona is a testament to the power of partnership and innovation. Roadrunner will provide clean, low-cost energy and storage. We are honored to have played a crucial role in helping a world class developer bringing this project to financial close and contributing to our mission of facilitating clean power generation and economic growth.”

    Nasir Khan, Managing Director & Head of Infrastructure & Energy Finance Americas at Natixis CIB, said, “We are thrilled to announce the successful close our first transaction with Enlight and Clenera, and would especially like to thank the teams for their professionalism and partnership over the past several months. Natixis CIB is committed to driving the energy transition through financing high-quality landmark projects such as Roadrunner, and we look forward to seeing it reach completion in the next year.”

    Sondra Martinez, Managing Director and Head of Originations at NORD/LB New York, commented, “Nord/LB is thrilled to support Clenera and Enlight on the Roadrunner transaction. This transaction represents our commitment to partnerships and supporting clients as they advance the energy transition.”

    About Enlight Renewable Energy

    Founded in 2008, Enlight develops, finances, constructs, owns, and operates utility-scale renewable energy projects. Enlight operates across the three largest renewable segments today: solar, wind and energy storage. A global platform, Enlight operates in the United States, Israel and 10 European countries. Enlight has been traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since 2010 (TASE: ENLT) and completed its US IPO (NASDAQ: ENLT) in 2023. Learn more at enlightenergy.co.il.

    Investor Contact

    Yonah Weisz
    Director IR
    investors@enlightenergy.co.il

    Erica Mannion or Mike Funari
    Sapphire Investor Relations, LLC
    +1 617 542 6180
    investors@enlightenergy.co.il

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s expectations relating to the Project, the PPA and the related interconnection agreement and lease option, and the completion timeline for the Project, are forward-looking statements. The words “may,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “target,” “seek,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “contemplate,” “possible,” “forecasts,” “aims” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our ability to site suitable land for, and otherwise source, renewable energy projects and to successfully develop and convert them into Operational Projects; availability of, and access to, interconnection facilities and transmission systems; our ability to obtain and maintain governmental and other regulatory approvals and permits, including environmental approvals and permits; construction delays, operational delays and supply chain disruptions leading to increased cost of materials required for the construction of our projects, as well as cost overruns and delays related to disputes with contractors; our suppliers’ ability and willingness to perform both existing and future obligations; competition from traditional and renewable energy companies in developing renewable energy projects; potential slowed demand for renewable energy projects and our ability to enter into new offtake contracts on acceptable terms and prices as current offtake contracts expire; offtakers’ ability to terminate contracts or seek other remedies resulting from failure of our projects to meet development, operational or performance benchmarks; various technical and operational challenges leading to unplanned outages, reduced output, interconnection or termination issues; the dependence of our production and revenue on suitable meteorological and environmental conditions, and our ability to accurately predict such conditions; our ability to enforce warranties provided by our counterparties in the event that our projects do not perform as expected; government curtailment, energy price caps and other government actions that restrict or reduce the profitability of renewable energy production; electricity price volatility, unusual weather conditions (including the effects of climate change, could adversely affect wind and solar conditions), catastrophic weather-related or other damage to facilities, unscheduled generation outages, maintenance or repairs, unanticipated changes to availability due to higher demand, shortages, transportation problems or other developments, environmental incidents, or electric transmission system constraints and the possibility that we may not have adequate insurance to cover losses as a result of such hazards; our dependence on certain operational projects for a substantial portion of our cash flows; our ability to continue to grow our portfolio of projects through successful acquisitions; changes and advances in technology that impair or eliminate the competitive advantage of our projects or upsets the expectations underlying investments in our technologies; our ability to effectively anticipate and manage cost inflation, interest rate risk, currency exchange fluctuations and other macroeconomic conditions that impact our business; our ability to retain and attract key personnel; our ability to manage legal and regulatory compliance and litigation risk across our global corporate structure; our ability to protect our business from, and manage the impact of, cyber-attacks, disruptions and security incidents, as well as acts of terrorism or war; changes to existing renewable energy industry policies and regulations that present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to renewable energy projects; the reduction, elimination or expiration of government incentives for, or regulations mandating the use of, renewable energy; our ability to effectively manage our supply chain and comply with applicable regulations with respect to international trade relations, tariffs, sanctions, export controls and anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws; our ability to effectively comply with Environmental Health and Safety and other laws and regulations and receive and maintain all necessary licenses, permits and authorizations; our performance of various obligations under the terms of our indebtedness (and the indebtedness of our subsidiaries that we guarantee) and our ability to continue to secure project financing on attractive terms for our projects; limitations on our management rights and operational flexibility due to our use of tax equity arrangements; potential claims and disagreements with partners, investors and other counterparties that could reduce our right to cash flows generated by our projects; our ability to comply with tax laws of various jurisdictions in which we currently operate as well as the tax laws in jurisdictions in which we intend to operate in the future; the unknown effect of the dual listing of our ordinary shares on the price of our ordinary shares; various risks related to our incorporation and location in Israel; the costs and requirements of being a public company, including the diversion of management’s attention with respect to such requirements; certain provisions in our Articles of Association and certain applicable regulations that may delay or prevent a change of control; and other risk factors set forth in the section titled “Risk factors” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and our other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC.

    These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. Except as may be required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The AAIB has sent a team of inspectors to Belfast City Airport

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A team of inspectors has been sent to investigate an accident which occurred on 22 December 2024

    An investigation has begun into an accident involving a fixed-wing aircraft which occurred at Belfast City Airport on 22 December 2024.  AAIB inspectors have commenced the on-site investigation to gather evidence and make enquiries.

    Media enquiries:
    During office hours 01932 440015
    Out of office hours 0300 777 7878

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 December 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lord Stuart Peach visits Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Lord Stuart Peach visited Bosnia and Herzegovina from 18 to 20 December 2024.

    Lord Stuart Peach

    Lord Stuart Peach’s visit was part of the UK’s ongoing commitment to the security, stability and prosperity of the country, and support for BiH aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration.

    Over the course of his visit, Lord Peach met BiH Presidency members Zeljko Komsic and Denis Becirovic, Chairwoman of the BiH Council of Minister Borjana Kristo, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konakovic to discuss economic, political and security issues. Lord Peach reiterated the UK’s continuous strong support for BiH’s reform agenda and the UK’s readiness to support the delivery of sustainable reforms that deliver real change for the people of BiH.

    He also met Chief of BiH Armed Forces Joint Staff General Gojko Knezevic and Deputies Major General Mirsad Ahmic and Major General Tomo Kolenda to whom he reaffirmed UK commitment to Western Balkans security and support to the Armed Forces of BiH. Lord Peach praised BiH for hosting an important Women Peace and Security Chiefs of Defence Network Conference, organised in cooperation with the UK, emphasised mutual benefits of recent joint training of BiH and UK Armed Forces, and highlighted importance of Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence BiH embracing reform and modernisation in pursuit of Euro-Atlantic integration.

    In the light of ongoing pressures on cultural institutions of importance to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lord Peach hosted a dinner with representatives of these institutions which are a vital part of the shared history and values of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was keen to hear from them about the challenges they are facing and potential solutions for ensuring a sustainable future for these institutions, including through proper and timely funding.

    Lord Peach’s latest visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina follows visits to North Macedonia and Serbia earlier this week.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 December 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Hyperscale Data Enters into an Agreement for a Financing of up to $25 Million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAS VEGAS, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hyperscale Data, Inc. (NYSE American: GPUS), a diversified holding company (“Hyperscale Data” or the “Company”), announced today that it has entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) providing for up to $25 million of financing (the “Financing”) from Ault & Company, Inc., a related party (“A&C”). Pursuant to the Agreement, Hyperscale Data has agreed to issue and sell to A&C up to $25 million in shares of Series G Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Shares”). The Preferred Shares will be senior to all other classes of preferred stock the Company has outstanding except with respect to the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series C Preferred Stock”), with which it ranks in parity, as well as senior to the Company’s Class A common stock (“Common Stock”).

    Each Preferred Share shall have a stated value of $1,000.00 per share and, upon stockholder approval, shall be convertible at the holder’s option into shares of Common Stock at a conversion price equal to the greater of (i) $0.10 per share (the “Floor Price”), which Floor Price shall not, except for voting rights purposes, be adjusted for stock dividends, stock splits, stock combinations and other similar transactions and (ii) the lesser of (A) $6.74, or (B) a 5% premium to the closing sale price of the Common stock on the day immediately prior to the date of conversion (the “Conversion Price”). The Conversion Price will be subject to standard anti-dilution provisions in connection with any stock split, stock dividend, subdivision or similar reclassification of the Common Stock. The Preferred Stock also has “full ratchet” price protection in the event the Company should issue securities at a lower price than the Conversion Price. The Preferred Stock shall pay a dividend at an annual rate of 9.5%, which the Company may, during the first two years, pay in shares of Common Stock.

    Further, A&C will receive warrants (“Warrants”) to purchase up to approximately 4.25 million shares of Common Stock, presuming that the full amount of the Preferred Shares is sold, exercisable for five years at $5.92 per share, subject to adjustment.

    The proceeds from the Financing will be used for expansion of the MI data center to support infrastructure upgrades necessary to support the growing demands of high-performance computing services powering Artificial Intelligence solutions, repayment of outstanding indebtedness and general working capital purposes.

    “The conversion price of the Preferred Shares is nearly a 25% premium over the current market price. That A&C is willing to invest an additional up to $25 million, beyond the $75 million in shares of a virtually identical series of preferred stock, the Series C Preferred Stock of which it has already purchased approximately $50 million, on those terms should be a clear indicator of our belief that the market has been undervaluing the Company, which I’ve been highlighting for years. This transaction is more than a number—it’s a declaration of my steadfast confidence in our data centers, the crane company, the lending firm, and the exceptional portfolio companies we’ve nurtured over the past seven years. Each is a vital component of our collective success,” said Milton “Todd” Ault III, Executive Chairman of Hyperscale Data and Chairman & CEO of A&C.

    The Agreement provides for several closings through December 31, 2025, though such dates may be extended by A&C as set forth in the Agreement. The consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement, specifically the conversion of the Preferred Shares and the exercise of the Warrants in an aggregate number in excess of 19.99% on the execution date of the Agreement, are subject to various customary closing conditions as well as regulatory and stockholder approval. In addition to customary closing conditions, the closing of the Financing is also conditioned upon the receipt by A&C of financing to consummate the transaction.

    Additional information regarding the securities described above and the terms of the Financing will be included in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

    The Preferred Shares and Warrants will be issued in reliance upon the exemption from the securities registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) as promulgated by SEC under the Securities Act.

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

    For more information on Hyperscale Data and its subsidiaries, Hyperscale Data recommends that stockholders, investors and any other interested parties read Hyperscale Data’s public filings and press releases available under the Investor Relations section at hyperscaledata.com or available at www.sec.gov.

    About Hyperscale Data, Inc.

    Hyperscale Data is transitioning from a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact to becoming solely an owner and operator of data centers to support high performance computing services. Through its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, Hyperscale Data owns and operates a data center at which it mines digital assets and offers colocation and hosting services for the emerging artificial intelligence ecosystems and other industries. It also provides, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Ault Capital Group, Inc., mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including an artificial intelligence software platform, social gaming platform, equipment rental services, defense/aerospace, industrial, automotive, medical/biopharma and hotel operations. In addition, Hyperscale Data is actively engaged in private credit and structured finance through a licensed lending subsidiary. Hyperscale Data’s headquarters are located at 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 240, Las Vegas, NV 89141.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” or similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties.

    Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors. More information, including potential risk factors, that could affect the Company’s business and financial results are included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8- K. All filings are available at www.sec.gov and on the Company’s website at www.hyperscaledata.com.

    Hyperscale Data Investor Contact:
    IR@hyperscaledata.com or 1-888-753-2235

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Partners with Fiat24 to Advance PayFi Solutions for Crypto

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has announced a strategic partnership with Fiat24, a Swiss-regulated fintech company that develops modern banking solutions powered by blockchain technology. The collaboration focuses on exploring PayFi solutions for major cryptos like Ethereum (ETH) and Bitget Token (BGB), as well as stablecoins such as USD Coin (USDC). This initiative aims to provide seamless, efficient, and secure payment solutions that bridge traditional and decentralized financial ecosystems.

    Bitget has recently made significant progress in the PayFi space with the launch of services such as Bitget Pay and Bitget Card. Bitget Pay enables low-fee, instant crypto payments, while the Bitget Card allows users to seamlessly convert crypto into fiat for real-world transactions using a globally accepted debit card.

    Fiat24, on the other hand, offers a regulated Swiss-based payment system to users across 65 countries and regions, providing access to a crypto-friendly Swiss offshore bank account paired with a Mastercard debit card. This blockchain-driven approach ensures transparency, security, and user ownership.

    The partnership between Bitget and Fiat24 combines Bitget’s comprehensive crypto ecosystem with Fiat24’s innovative infrastructure. Together, they aim to expand the use cases for ETH, BGB, and stablecoins, driving accessibility and adoption of PayFi solutions globally.

    “We are excited to collaborate with Fiat24 to advance crypto payments and simplify access to financial services for users worldwide, especially the unbanked,” said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget. “PayFi will be one of Bitget and BGB’s long-term strategies and a key approach to enhancing the real-world impact of crypto assets. Together with our partners, we envision a future where crypto payments become the norm.”

    About Bitget

    Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 45 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.

    Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM market, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

    For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet
    For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

    Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e693ef7b-cac1-4f78-9c91-fcb74f563615

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC – 20 12 2024] – (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    		 LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP 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    		 20 DECEMBER 2024
    (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”    		 N/A

    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: 0.375p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 9,748,176 1.2301    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 9,748,176 1.2301    

    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
    0.375p ORDINARY SALE 10,900 97.81p

    (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: 23 DECEMBER 2024
    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 United Kingdom: Plans approved for almost 100 new energy-efficient council homes as part of major overhaul

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    It is part of City of Wolverhampton Council’s citywide strategy to identify solutions for 4,100 out-dated homes built by old, non-traditional construction methods.

    Keon Homes has, through the council’s housing framework, been appointed as the construction partner for the new homes on the Lincoln Green Estate and are expected to start on site in late spring.

    The first wave of demolition of the ageing bungalows continues across the estate on Alleston Road, Grosvenor Road, Lincoln Green and School Lane – and in the Wood End and Portobello areas of the city. Work on planning applications for new homes in the other two locations are ongoing.

    All of the old bungalows have been declared defective under the 1985 Housing Act – and suffer from a number of issues including failing structural elements, leaking and poorly insulated roofs, very poor thermal efficiency, and wet rot in the floor.

    The council has therefore taken the decision to replace the properties before they have an adverse effect on tenants’ health and wellbeing.

    The new, modern housing will also provide a greater ability to adapt properties to meet tenants’ needs, something which has been difficult to achieve in the out-dated properties due to their structural limitations.

    The overall non-traditional housing stock replacement programme is being managed on behalf of the council by Wolverhampton Homes and follows extensive and ongoing consultation with residents.

    City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Housing, Councillor Steve Evans, said: “The non-traditional built properties are in such poor structural condition that they can no longer be economically and satisfactorily maintained.

    “For the safety and comfort of our residents, we are delivering better homes in the long term that they can make their own in the same location.

    “We will continue talking with all those affected and have engaged with all tenants, who are relishing the prospect of moving into brand new homes. They understand the absolute necessity to remove these out-dated bungalows and replace them with new modern homes.

    “It is a key priority of our council plan to ensure we provide good homes in well-connected neighbourhoods for all our residents.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak took part in the launch of the third line of the Kysyl-Syr – 84 km gas pipeline

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Alexander Novak, via video link, performed the ceremonial launch of the 3rd line of the main gas pipeline “Kysyl-Syr – 84 km”. With Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolaev

    December 23, 2024

    Alexander Novak performed the ceremonial launch of the 3rd line of the main gas pipeline “Kysyl-Syr – 84 km” via video link. With Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolaev

    December 23, 2024

    Alexander Novak, via video link, performed the ceremonial launch of the 3rd line of the main gas pipeline “Kysyl-Syr – 84 km”. With Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolaev

    December 23, 2024

    Alexander Novak, via video link, performed the ceremonial launch of the 3rd line of the main gas pipeline “Kysyl-Syr – 84 km”. With Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolaev

    December 23, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    Alexander Novak performed the ceremonial launch of the 3rd line of the main gas pipeline “Kysyl-Syr – 84 km” via video link. With Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolaev

    Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak held a ceremonial launch of the third line of the Kysyl-Syr – 84 km main gas pipeline via video link. The head of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolaev and the general director of JSC Sakhatransneftegaz Alexey Kolodeznikov also took part in the gas launch ceremony.

    “The launch of the Kysyl-Syr main gas pipeline with its subsequent inclusion in the unified gas transportation system is of the utmost socio-economic importance for the residents of the republic and will ensure reliable gas supply to the Central Energy Region of Yakutia. These are 102 settlements, including Yakutsk, Pokrovsk and Vilyuysk. These settlements are home to 456 thousand people, 626 social infrastructure facilities are located – 220 schools, 235 kindergartens, 171 medical institutions,” noted Alexander Novak.

    From 2021 to 2025, the construction of 11 inter-settlement gas pipelines, 6 gas pipeline branches and gas distribution stations is planned in Yakutia. Another 28 settlements will be gasified. In 2025, it is planned to gasify at least 1.5 thousand households as part of the social additional gasification program.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Airport probe report reviewed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government has reviewed an investigation report by the Airport Authority (AAHK) regarding an incident in November last year involving the Automated People Mover system (APM) at Hong Kong International Airport.

     

    On November 21, 2023, a young passenger using the APM system was suspected to have stepped into a gap between a platform and a train.

     

    With regard to system safety, the authority’s investigation did not find any systematic safety issues with the APM system.

     

    Infrared devices are installed at the platform screen doors (PSDs) and train doors, such that when a device detects that a passenger or obstacle has been trapped between a PSD and a train door, the system will instruct the PSDs and the train doors to remain open.

     

    The AAHK also completed a project in June this year to narrow the gap between platforms and trains, thereby serving to prevent passengers from stepping into the platform gap.

     

    The Electrical & Mechanical Services Department has confirmed that the APM system is safe in its design and operation.

     

    In relation to notification of incidents, the AAHK will give notice to the Government of any incident in which a person falls between a train and a platform, in accordance with the relevant regulations.

     

    The AAHK conducted a thorough and in-depth investigation into the incident and found no evidence of a cover-up by any staff. It admitted that the scope of its first investigation, conducted early this year, was not thorough enough.

     

    The AAHK’s investigation found that after the young passenger stepped into the gap between the platform and the train, other passengers immediately pulled her out of it. As the train doors were closed, as scheduled, no system alert was triggered. The AAHK did not receive any complaint or injury report filed by the passenger or her family at that time.

     

    That said, the AAHK admitted that there was lack of clarity in the APM Operation & Emergency Procedure Manual, and a lack of alertness in reporting and communication among frontline staff, resulting in the incident not being properly recorded at that time.

     

    As a result, AAHK staff failed to identify the incident in time and report it to the Government.

     

    The Government noted that the AAHK has already taken disciplinary actions against the relevant staff. It requested that the authority implement improvement measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.

     

    It also noted that the AAHK has enhanced its incident investigation mechanism and has been implementing two other improvement measures.

     

    One of these involves finishing updates to the APM manual and arranging relevant training next month to strengthen the incident notification mechanism. The other involves completing the enhancement of the CCTV system on platforms by March next year.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Facilities for Family Entertainment Reconstructed with FEMA Funds

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Facilities for Family Entertainment Reconstructed with FEMA Funds

    Facilities for Family Entertainment Reconstructed with FEMA Funds

    Guaynabo, PUERTO RICO — To have family entertainment spaces where people can enjoy safe places to gather, especially during the holiday season, is part of Puerto Rico’s integral recovery. That’s why the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) obligated $3.1 million to repair the Southern Coast Boardwalk in Juana Díaz, and the floating dock and gazebos in Ceiba.“These recreational areas provide spaces for families to share. They benefit their residents as well as all local and international visitors who enjoy their cultural and gastronomic offering, in addition to promoting the economy of the municipalities,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José Baquero.According to Carimelys Alvarado, the Culture, Arts and Tourism director for the municipality of Juana Díaz, the boardwalk located in the Camboya community has great tourist value, as well as merchants and fisherfolk who contribute directly to economic development. Besides having gastronomic alternatives, they also host musical and family events. The boardwalk was established in 2000 and it welcomes up to 500 people during the weekends.“This is one of our great contributions to the economy, culture and tourism. As natives from Juana Díaz, this project was like a diamond for us. I remember the inauguration, when we got goosebumps because our coast is so important. This project marks an emphasis on our economic development,” Alvarado said.For the merchants, the repairs have meant receiving more customers, encouraged by how beautiful the facilities are now. This was confirmed by business owner Rubén Figueroa Ortiz. “This boardwalk repair has benefited us a lot, especially the businesses. Now we have a higher attendance. I am the oldest merchant here, with many years of service, and I feel very proud to have this opportunity right now,” he added.Some of the already completed repairs with an allocation of nearly $2.9 million include the replacement of aluminum panels, repairs to the asphalt surface, concrete piers and sidewalks, exterior electrical outlets, lighting fixtures and stairs, and the installation of a concrete retaining wall in the waterfront boardwalk area.Mitigation measures were carried out with nearly $937,000 within the same allocation. For example, a geotextile filter fabric was added to prevent internal erosion; the piles were reinforced to make them resistant to strong waves and protect them from corrosion; and the wooden decking was replaced with PVC to increase its durability.The director of the Juana Díaz Recovery Office, José Plata, said that this project is one of the most important that the municipality has been able to complete after the impact of the hurricanes, “especially for the community, as part of its culture and traditions.”On the other hand, in Ceiba, the dock and the gazebos located at the Villa Pesquera on Los Machos Beach offer a sustainable alternative to maximize space for fisherfolk without damaging marine ecosystems, according to the director of the Municipal Office of Emergency Management, Eddie García.“Its innovative design allows it to adapt to the water level, reducing the environmental impact. In addition, it combines aquatic activities with a perfect setting for social and cultural events. You can enjoy a restaurant and kiosks with fresh seafood, typical Puerto Rican food and live music, as well as kayaking, paddleboarding and recreational fishing,” García added.The high-density plastic floating dock built in 2015 extends into the ocean and receives between 75 and 500 visitors per week. Both were severely damaged and dismantled by high winds and storm surge during Hurricane María.With an obligation of nearly $226,000, the municipality has already completed repairs to the pier and the 16 wooden gazebos in front of the beach ―dated from 1995― are in the planning phase. Part of the work included the replacement of the pier, the access and the replacement of the gazebos’ bases and roofs. As part of the hazard mitigation measures, the gazebos will be reinforced with anticyclonic anchoring and additional anchoring for the roofs at a cost of nearly $2,000.One of its regular visitors is Ana López, who uses the dock ramp for her boat. López describes it as “a meeting point for the fishing community and a unique tourist attraction that promotes the responsible enjoyment of natural resources, while strengthening the area’s cultural and economic identity.”Meanwhile, the executive director of the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), Manuel A. Laboy Rivera, said that “recreational and sports facilities are an important element in the communities, as they promote the training of our athletes and foster the economic development of various sectors. These projects in Juana Díaz and Ceiba are in addition to another 1,236 works with investments totaling $446.6 million that are under construction in the 78 municipalities. Meanwhile, citizens already enjoy 970 completed works around the island representing $187.5 million. We reaffirm our commitment to continue assisting them in the execution of another 832 recreational facilities that are in the design or construction acquisition stage.”FEMA has allocated over $34.5 billion for Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane María. Of this total funding, about $1.4 billion are earmarked for nearly 2,200 park and recreational facility projects throughout the island. For more information about Puerto Rico’s recovery,  visit fema.gov/disaster/4339, fema.gov/disaster/4473 and recovery.pr. Follow us on our social media at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico, Facebook.com/COR3pr and Twitter @COR3pr.
    manuel.deleon
    Mon, 12/23/2024 – 11:33

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [LOUNGERS PLC – 20 12 2024] – (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    		 LOUNGERS 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

    20 DECEMBER 2024
    (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”    		 N/A

    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: 1p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 1,300,261 1.2508    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 1,300,261 1.2508    

    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
    1p ORDINARY SALE 4,335 305.022p

    (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: 23 DECEMBER 2024
    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: Castellum, Inc. Wins OASIS+ Unrestricted IDIQ Contract

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VIENNA, Va., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM) (“Castellum”), a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software engineering services company focused on the federal government, announces that its subsidiary Specialty Systems, Inc., teaming with Castellum’s other two subsidiaries Corvus Consulting, LLC and Global Technology and Management Resources, Inc., was awarded all four unrestricted domains upon which it submitted proposals. This award is in addition to the three small business domains the Castellum team has already been awarded on One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services Plus (“OASIS+”).

    OASIS+ is a suite of government-wide, multi-award contracts designed to support federal agencies’ procurement requirements for services-based solutions. With a potential ten-year performance period and no ceiling value, OASIS+ represents a significant opportunity for the Castellum team to expand its support to federal customers. Learn more at: https://www.gsa.gov/oasis-plus/about/

    “Our Castellum team could not be more excited and inspired to learn of this major strategic win, the most important in Castellum’s history, and we are 100% prepped and energized to push full throttle and maximize the considerable potential OASIS+ unrestricted IDIQ contract represents. Our award in the unrestricted category includes four key domains where we are laser-focused, determined, and galvanized for organic growth: intelligence services, technical and engineering, research and development, and management & advisory. These domains represent some of the most relevant and critically important needs and requirements across our federal government and for many of our current and future mission customers, and they also represent what we do best. OASIS+ could not be a better fit for us and our strengths. As I have reinforced in past press releases, our winning advantage starts with our exceptional Castellum professionals that bring those world-class skills, talent, and experience, specific to these domains, for our customers and our vital national security mission. And together with our strong mission and technical capabilities and extensive and relevant past performance that are also directly linked to these four domains, our Castellum team will be well-postured to successfully pursue our strong and viable organic growth plans and goals for the new year and beyond,” said Glen Ives, President and Chief Executive Officer of Castellum.

    About Castellum, Inc.

    Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM) is a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software engineering services company focused on the federal government – http://castellumus.com/.

    Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements:

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements represent the Company’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events and can generally be identified by the use of statements that include words such as “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “shooting to,” “intend,” “plan,” “foresee,” “likely,” “will,” “would,” “appears,” “goal,” “target” or similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s expectations for revenue growth and new customer opportunities including opportunities arising from the OASIS+ unrestricted contract, improvements to cost structure, and profitability. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, among others: the Company’s ability to compete against new and existing competitors; its ability to effectively integrate and grow its acquired companies; its ability to identify additional acquisition targets and close additional acquisitions; the impact on the Company’s revenue due to a delay in the U.S. Congress approving a federal budget or continuing resolution; and the Company’s ability to maintain the listing of its common stock on the NYSE American LLC. For a more detailed description of these and other risk factors, please refer to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) which can be viewed at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. The Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements made in this release or in any of its SEC filings except as may be otherwise stated by the Company.

    Contact:

    Glen Ives, President and Chief Executive Officer
    Phone: (703) 752-6157
    Contact: Info@castellumus.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fede7b34-328b-4712-af1f-9dac580afdb7

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Partners Value Investments L.P. Announces Renewal of Normal Course Issuer Bids

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Partners Value Investments L.P. (the “Partnership”) (TSX VENTURE: PVF) announced today that it has received approval from the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange”) to renew its normal course issuer bids to purchase up to 3,521,732 of its non‐voting equity limited partnership units (the “Equity LP Units”), representing approximately 5% of its currently outstanding Equity LP Units; and to purchase up to 938,226 of its non‐voting Class A preferred limited partnership units, Series 1 (the “Preferred LP Units”), representing approximately 5% of its currently outstanding Preferred LP Units (collectively, the “Bids”). The period of the Bids will be effective from January 3, 2025 to January 2, 2026, or such earlier date that the Partnership completes its purchases.

    Purchases by the Partnership pursuant to the Bids will be made by its broker, RBC Capital Markets, through the facilities of the Exchange, other designated exchanges and alternative trading systems in Canada. The price which the Partnership will pay for any Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units purchased will be the market price of the Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units at the time of acquisition. Any Equity LP Units and/or Preferred LP Units acquired through the Bids will be cancelled. As of December 13, 2024, there were 70,434,631 Equity LP Units outstanding and 18,764,512 Preferred LP Units outstanding.

    Of the 3,533,556 Equity LP units and 938,350 Preferred LP Units approved for purchase under the Partnership’s prior normal course issuer bids that commenced on January 3, 2024 and will be expiring on January 2, 2025, the Partnership purchased 278,324 Equity LP Units at an average price of $102.02 and did not make any purchase of Preferred LP Units through the facilities of the Exchange, other designated exchanges or an alternative trading system in Canada.

    The Partnership believes that, from time to time, the market price of its securities may not adequately reflect their value. In such circumstances, the Partnership believes the purchase of its outstanding securities may represent an appropriate and desirable use of its available funds. All Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units acquired by the Partnership under the Bids will be cancelled.

    In connection with the Bids, the Partnership entered into an automatic purchase plan with its designated broker, RBC Capital Markets. The automatic purchase plan will allow for the purchase of Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units when the Partnership would not ordinarily be active in the market due to its own internal trading blackout periods, insider trading rules or otherwise. Outside of these periods, Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units will be repurchased in accordance with management’s discretion and in compliance with applicable law.

    For further information, contact Investor Relations at ir@pvii.ca or 416-643-7621.

    Note: This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities regulations. Expressions which are predictions of or indicate future events, trends or prospects and which do not relate to historical matters identify forward- looking information and forward-looking statements.

    Although the Partnership believes that its anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond its control, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Partnership to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information.

    Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to: the financial performance of Brookfield Corporation and Brookfield Asset Management Ltd., the impact or unanticipated impact of general economic, political and market factors; the behavior of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and foreign exchanges rates; global equity and capital markets and the availability of equity and debt financing and refinancing within these markets; strategic actions including dispositions; changes in accounting policies and methods used to report financial condition (including uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates); the effect of applying future accounting changes; business competition; operational and reputational risks; technological change; changes in government regulation and legislation; changes in tax laws, catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or pandemics/epidemics; the possible impact of international conflicts and other developments including terrorist acts; and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in the Partnership’s documents filed with the securities regulators in Canada.

    The Partnership cautions that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on the Partnership’s forward-looking statements and information, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Except as required by law, the Partnership undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Castellum, Inc. Announces Pricing of $3.6 Million Registered Direct Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VIENNA, Va., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Castellum, Inc. (the “Company”) (NYSE-American: CTM), a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software services company focused on the federal government, today announced that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with several institutional investors to purchase 9,473,700 shares of common stock in a registered direct offering. The shares of common stock are being sold at an offering price of $0.38 per share.

    The gross proceeds to the Company from the registered direct offering are estimated to be approximately $3.6 million before deducting the placement agent’s fees and other estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The offering is expected to close on or about December 24, 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

    Maxim Group LLC is acting as the sole placement agent in connection with the offering.

    The shares of common stock are being offered pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-275840), which was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 12, 2023. The offering of shares of common stock will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement that forms a part of such registration statement.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sales of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. A prospectus supplement relating to the shares of common stock will be filed by the Company with the SEC. When available, copies of the prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering, together with the accompanying prospectus, can be obtained at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or from Maxim Group LLC, 300 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Syndicate Department, or via email at syndicate@maximgrp.com or telephone at (212) 895-3500.

    About Castellum, Inc.

    Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM) is a defense-oriented technology company that is executing strategic acquisitions in the cybersecurity, MBSE, and information warfare areas – http://castellumus.com/.

    Forward-Looking Statements:

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. Words such as “will,” “would,” “believe,” and “expects,” and similar language or phrasing are indicative of forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ (sometimes materially) from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, among others: the Company’s ability to close the described debt financing; its ability to effectively integrate and grow its acquired companies; its ability to identify additional acquisition targets and close additional acquisitions; the impact on the Company’s revenue due to a delay in the U.S. Congress approving a federal budget; and the Company’s ability to maintain the listing of its common stock on the NYSE American LLC. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in Item 1A. “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s recently filed Form 10-Q, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission which can be viewed at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties, or not closing the described potential debt financing in this press release, could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, a change in events, conditions, circumstances or assumptions underlying such statements, or otherwise.

    Contact:

    Glen Ives, President and Chief Executive Officer
    Phone: (703) 752-6157
    Contact: Info@castellumus.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f3d9cecc-6bab-4be4-a011-1a1ac2c9d09a

    The MIL Network –