Category: Asia Pacific

MIL-Evening Report: A website is not enough: businesses that use digital tools without a strategic plan will struggle in a tough economy

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rod McNaughton, Professor of Entrepreneurship, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Mr.paripat niyantang/Shutterstock

Small businesses across Australia and New Zealand are facing one of their toughest periods in decades.

A flat economy and shifting consumer behaviour have put pressure on already thin operating margins. A 2024 survey by business finance company ScotPac found 29% of Australian small businesses say they could face insolvency if they lose a major client.

Accounting organisation CPA Australia’s latest small business survey shows only 48% of New Zealand’s small businesses grew in 2023. This is significantly down from 60% in 2022. There have also been a record number of business liquidations in both New Zealand and Australia.

Yet some small and medium-sized businesses are thriving. Part of the reason for this is because they have embraced the concept of “digital leadership”.

This is the ability to strategically integrate digital technologies – such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data analytics and automation – into a business’s operations, decision-making and long-term vision.

Digital leaders use emerging technologies to improve efficiency, redesign business models, scale operations and reach new customers in ways that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

Our review of the research on digital leadership, recently published in Digital Leadership and Contemporary Entrepreneurship, found that firms treating digital leadership as a core business strategy, rather than just using technology for isolated tasks, are the ones that successfully scale, grow and future-proof their organisations.

Without this change in mindset, firms risk stagnation and missed opportunities. That difference is critical in an economic environment where small margins separate thriving businesses from struggling ones.

Why some small businesses fall behind

It’s easy to assume small businesses lag in digital adoption because of costs or technical complexity. However, most of the studies we reviewed suggest the real issue is hesitancy at the leadership level.

Some business owners are risk-averse and take a “wait and see” approach. Others believe their current solutions are sufficient even when new technology could improve efficiency.

A 2021 survey commissioned by cloud accounting software company Xero, found fear of change, overconfidence in existing processes and decision paralysis are among the biggest barriers preventing small businesses from embracing digital solutions.

Even businesses that already use digital tools – for example, to manage their social media – often fail to go further and integrate technology into core operations such as supply chain management and automation.

Embracing digital leadership

The lesson is that simply adopting digital tools without a strategic plan doesn’t lead to growth. True digital leadership requires businesses to rethink how they operate, compete and scale.

The firms making the most of digital transformation embed technology in their core strategy. They use data-driven decision-making to refine products, forecast demand and identify new opportunities.

They streamline operations by automating routine tasks, such as using AI-powered invoicing, chatbots for customer inquiries and predictive analytics for inventory management. This frees up time for strategic initiatives such as product development and market expansion.

At the same time, they invest in training employees to effectively use and adapt to new technologies. Perhaps most importantly, they take an experimental approach – testing, learning and adapting in real time.

Learning to thrive in digital economy

Businesses that have successfully grown through digital leadership illustrate this approach in action.

Set up in 2016, New Zealand-based investing company Sharesies fundamentally changed how everyday people access financial markets.

Traditional investment firms required large deposits and complex paperwork, excluding many potential investors. Sharesies took a different approach. The company designed a mobile-first platform where users could start with as little as $5. The company now has more than 650,000 users and NZ$3 billion in investments.

In Australia, The Very Good Bra, a sustainable bra company, used digital leadership to create a global, sustainable fashion brand without traditional retail infrastructure.

Founder Stephanie Devine developed a direct-to-consumer model through e-commerce, bypassing wholesalers and physical stores. She utilised digital tools such as social media platforms for community engagement, online surveys to collaborate with customers to design products, and data analytics software for demand forecasting, ensuring every product had a market before it was manufactured.

Both companies succeeded by leveraging digital technologies to disrupt traditional business models. Sharesies democratised investing by making it accessible to individuals with minimal capital, while The Very Good Bra utilised e-commerce and customer collaboration to create sustainable fashion products.

Their digital-first approaches enabled them to identify and fill market gaps effectively.

To thrive in the tougher economic climate, businesses need to think beyond software tools. The question is no longer whether to go digital, but how fast a business can rethink their work for the digital future.

Guy Bate is affiliated with The Education Technology Association of New Zealand (EdTechNZ). He serves as Chair of their AI in Education Technology Stewardship Group.

Rod McNaughton 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. A website is not enough: businesses that use digital tools without a strategic plan will struggle in a tough economy – https://theconversation.com/a-website-is-not-enough-businesses-that-use-digital-tools-without-a-strategic-plan-will-struggle-in-a-tough-economy-250633

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How Trump’s spat with Zelensky threatens the security of the world – including the US

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex

After the catastrophic press conference on February 28 between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and US president Donald Trump, it is clear that there has been a global realignment.

What the press conference revealed was that Trump’s position is a lot closer to Russian president Vladmir Putin than long-time US ally Ukraine, and also that other US allies cannot count on Washington to promote the global world order.

The extraordinary spectacle ended with Trump and vice-president J.D. Vance shouting at Zelensky, telling him he wasn’t thankful for US aid. Since then, the expected mineral deal between Ukraine and the US has been called off – at least for now.

There was already a wake-up call for European allies about how reliable the US might be during Trump’s first term when he launched his “American first” policy. This included chastising Nato member countries for not paying enough, and characterising Europe as free-riding on US security guarantees.

While this sparked alarm among some European leaders over how to ensure that the continent becomes less dependent on the US, Europeans are now scrambling to respond to Trump 2.0’s much more extreme version of America first. After the press conference, European Union foreign minister Kaja Kallas declared: “Today it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.”

Trump’s relationship with Russia

To some extent Europe was caught off guard because it was hard to imagine that a US president would swing US support behind Russia, especially after Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine in 2022. But Trump has turned the page on challenging Russian aggression, and does not seem to see Putin’s ambitions as a threat to global security.

Instead in the press conference – as in previous statements – Trump has echoed some of Putin’s talking points, such as Ukraine not having any cards to play, being unwilling to do a peace deal, and having to give up land to Russia.

Trump also refused to say that Putin started the war, and even claimed that peace could have been possible early on in the war had Zelensky wanted peace. Trump even repeatedly opined that both Putin and Trump were brothers of sorts — victims of the same investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

The press conference also revealed that the security guarantees that Zelensky pushed Trump to confirm were secondary at best. Trump remained vague and offered no details, possibly because he has no intention of the US providing any security to Ukraine.

The aim may have been to goad Zelensky – just weeks ago on Fox News Trump stated that he did not know if Ukrainians would one day become Russian. Meanwhile, Trump’s claim that Ukraine did not have any cards to play is unhelpful to highlight if you are trying to negotiate a great deal for one of your allies.

What Trump seemed to forget is that Ukraine once had a lot of cards — holding the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world with 1,900 strategic warheads, 176 intercontinental ballistic missiles and 44 strategic bombers. Ukraine was coaxed into returning all of its nuclear warheads in exchange for security assurances from Russia and the west, in a 1994 agreement known as the Budapest Memorandum.

But while this memorandum might mean little to the current US president, allies around the world can see how quickly a US leader can forget their country’s commitments. The message that Trump is sending now is that every country must fight for themselves. All interactions are transactional, and economic interests trump the genuine security needs of allies.

Read more:
Raised voices and angry scenes at the White House as Trump clashes with Zelensky over the ‘minerals deal’

This plays perfectly into China’s hands. To China, Trump has signalled that he primarily cares about the tariff issue. In addition, he could implement higher tariffs on the US’s biggest trading partners (and allies), Canada, the EU and Mexico, than on China.

The symbolism of the unsigned mineral deal with Ukraine and the capitulation to Russia’s territorial interests in Ukraine should be music to the ears of China’s president, Xi Jinping.

What it means for China

China has inundated Taiwan with a propaganda campaign that says the self-governing island is part of China. Part of the campaign focuses on the notion that if China were to invade, the US would abandon Taiwan, citing the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 as evidence of this.

The US’s abrupt abandonment of Ukraine adds fuel to this fire. Xi could be emboldened to execute his plan of uniting Taiwan by 2049, if not earlier, which could have disastrous consequences for the global economy.

European leaders met with President Zelensky after the Trump press conference.

Taiwan produces 90% of the world’s most advanced semiconductors needed for artificial intelligence and quantum computing, and has a market share of 68%.

An invasion could lead to a block on global access to semiconductors, causing shortages of all sorts of tech, a possible stock market crash and a fall in trade between Taiwan and western economies. This could cost around US$10 trillion (£7.9 trillion), equal to 10% of global GDP.

Additionally, for countries such as South Korea and Japan that have been persuaded to not embark on nuclear programmes, the US U-turn sows doubt about its commitment to provide a nuclear shield to its Pacific allies. This could prompt these countries to reverse policies of nonproliferation.

What happens to Nato?

Nato has been traditionally led by a US general, but it’s not even clear that the US will remain in the alliance. In the past few weeks Europe has been forced to hold a series of emergency meetings to try to rise to the various global challenges – with or without the US as a key partner.

All of this makes the US more vulnerable as well. The US is more secure and prosperous when it is part of a long-term alliance, working in partnership with its allies to ensure security, stability, free trade and investment. If the US were to even reduce its security commitments to Nato by 50%, estimates suggest trade with members would fall by US$450 billion.

The alliance system has been a backbone of US security since 1949. The cost to Nato’s credibility and to defending its borders if Ukraine loses the war would be trillions, not billions, of dollars.

With Trump appearing desperate to do a deal on Putin’s terms with no concessions, Russia will become much stronger as a result. In spite of the fact that more than 95,000 Russians have died, it’s likely that Russia will act even more boldly, becoming a more attractive ally to US adversaries.

Trump’s support for Putin not only encourages a hostile nuclear power on the doorstep of the US’s top Nato allies, but also suggests that the US cannot be counted on in future.

Natasha Lindstaedt 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. How Trump’s spat with Zelensky threatens the security of the world – including the US – https://theconversation.com/how-trumps-spat-with-zelensky-threatens-the-security-of-the-world-including-the-us-251229

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei: Helping Carriers Reshape Business, Infrastructure, and O&M with AI Mar 04, 2025

Source: Huawei

Headline: Huawei: Helping Carriers Reshape Business, Infrastructure, and O&M with AI
Mar 04, 2025

[Barcelona, Spain, March 3, 2025] During MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei is gathering carriers, industry partners, and opinion leaders from around the world to explore the intersection of 5G networks and AI, and how they can support one another to unlock new growth opportunities.
The company is showcasing a sweeping range of solutions:
AI-to-X – Shorthand for AI-to-Consumers, AI-to-Businesses, and AI-to-Homes, including a series of solutions that can help carriers expand into AI services for new, more targeted domains and achieve business growth
AI-Centric Network solution – Helping carriers build networks that can meet the challenging demands of new AI applications to ensure a smooth and superior experience
AI-powered O&M – Using AI to revitalize network O&M, and helping carriers achieve L4 autonomous networks (AN) for fully intelligent O&M
These discussions come at a time when high-quality, open-source AI models are developing fast, powering a new, more diverse wave of innovation in AI applications.
Huawei’s booth at MWC Barcelona 2025

Huawei’s theme this year is “Accelerating the Intelligent World”, and their star-studded booth in Hall 1 is designed to represent countless bits of intelligence lighting up the night’s sky. The company is showcasing its innovation in digital infrastructure and service applications for individuals, homes, and enterprises, as well as success stories created together with its customers and partners.
Evolving 5G networks to seize new opportunities
By the end of 2024, there were more than 2.1 billion 5G users around the world, and the numbers continue to grow. Huawei has been working with carriers to drive the development of 5G through both business and network innovation, helping them transition from mobile Internet to mobile AI.
In 2024, a number of pioneering carriers have already kicked off commercial 5G-Advanced (5G-A), launching 5G-A packages for users in more than 200 cities around the world. For consumers, these packages take advantage of 5G-A’s enhanced capabilities to provide an optimized user experience for scenarios like livestreaming and gaming, as well as metro and business travel. For carriers, these packages are an opportunity to go beyond traditional connectivity and start monetizing a more personalized experience for different users. Carrier progress in these domains has propelled the industry into an era of AI-powered 5G-A connectivity.
Huawei is actively working with carriers in China, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific to explore innovative experience monetization models, define application scenarios, design new offerings, and build their user base. This shift of focus from connectivity to experience has both improved user experience and increased carrier revenue.
AI-Centric Network
Huawei launched its AI-Centric Network solution that helps carriers upgrade their ICT network infrastructure to meet new demands on bandwidth, latency, coverage, and O&M brought about by a flood of new AI applications. It’s designed to help quickly reshape telecom service and business models to seize new opportunities in the age of AI.
With the rapid development of technologies like 5G-A, cloud, and AI, carriers will need to upgrade from connectivity service providers to digital service providers. To guide this process, Huawei is launching a three-layer technology architecture for carriers looking to transform from telcos to techcos, helping them tap into new business domains and open the door to new growth opportunities.
Accelerating Industrial Intelligence
At this year’s MWC, Huawei’s Enterprise Business is demonstrating how different industries can incorporate AI into their unique business scenarios using the company’s industrial intelligence reference architecture.During the event, Huawei unveiled 83 different industry showcases with customers, and launched ten 10 major solutions to accelerate intelligent transformation together with its partners.
Pushing the boundaries of consumer devices and experience
Huawei’s consumer business will showcase a lineup of high-end, fashion-forward, and technology-driven flagship products at the event. Through multiple scenario-based experience zones, the company will share its latest innovations in foldable phones, fitness and health, photography, and creativity, focusing on how technology can further enrich people’s everyday lives.
Huawei believes in a human-centric approach to developing technology that shapes the future. In 2025, the company will continue to develop consumer products that push the boundaries of technology, provide an ultimate smart experience for all user scenarios, and build a high-end brand that consumers both love and trust.
MWC Barcelona 2025 will be held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.
In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.
For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2025

MIL OSI Economics –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei: Helping Carriers Reshape Business, Infrastructure, and O&M with AI

Source: Huawei

Headline: Huawei: Helping Carriers Reshape Business, Infrastructure, and O&M with AI

[Barcelona, Spain, March 3, 2025] During MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei is gathering carriers, industry partners, and opinion leaders from around the world to explore the intersection of 5G networks and AI, and how they can support one another to unlock new growth opportunities.
The company is showcasing a sweeping range of solutions:
AI-to-X – Shorthand for AI-to-Consumers, AI-to-Businesses, and AI-to-Homes, including a series of solutions that can help carriers expand into AI services for new, more targeted domains and achieve business growth
AI-Centric Network solution – Helping carriers build networks that can meet the challenging demands of new AI applications to ensure a smooth and superior experience
AI-powered O&M – Using AI to revitalize network O&M, and helping carriers achieve L4 autonomous networks (AN) for fully intelligent O&M
These discussions come at a time when high-quality, open-source AI models are developing fast, powering a new, more diverse wave of innovation in AI applications.
Huawei’s booth at MWC Barcelona 2025

Huawei’s theme this year is “Accelerating the Intelligent World”, and their star-studded booth in Hall 1 is designed to represent countless bits of intelligence lighting up the night’s sky. The company is showcasing its innovation in digital infrastructure and service applications for individuals, homes, and enterprises, as well as success stories created together with its customers and partners.
Evolving 5G networks to seize new opportunities
By the end of 2024, there were more than 2.1 billion 5G users around the world, and the numbers continue to grow. Huawei has been working with carriers to drive the development of 5G through both business and network innovation, helping them transition from mobile Internet to mobile AI.
In 2024, a number of pioneering carriers have already kicked off commercial 5G-Advanced (5G-A), launching 5G-A packages for users in more than 200 cities around the world. For consumers, these packages take advantage of 5G-A’s enhanced capabilities to provide an optimized user experience for scenarios like livestreaming and gaming, as well as metro and business travel. For carriers, these packages are an opportunity to go beyond traditional connectivity and start monetizing a more personalized experience for different users. Carrier progress in these domains has propelled the industry into an era of AI-powered 5G-A connectivity.
Huawei is actively working with carriers in China, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific to explore innovative experience monetization models, define application scenarios, design new offerings, and build their user base. This shift of focus from connectivity to experience has both improved user experience and increased carrier revenue.
AI-Centric Network
Huawei launched its AI-Centric Network solution that helps carriers upgrade their ICT network infrastructure to meet new demands on bandwidth, latency, coverage, and O&M brought about by a flood of new AI applications. It’s designed to help quickly reshape telecom service and business models to seize new opportunities in the age of AI.
With the rapid development of technologies like 5G-A, cloud, and AI, carriers will need to upgrade from connectivity service providers to digital service providers. To guide this process, Huawei is launching a three-layer technology architecture for carriers looking to transform from telcos to techcos, helping them tap into new business domains and open the door to new growth opportunities.
Accelerating Industrial Intelligence
At this year’s MWC, Huawei’s Enterprise Business is demonstrating how different industries can incorporate AI into their unique business scenarios using the company’s industrial intelligence reference architecture.During the event, Huawei unveiled 83 different industry showcases with customers, and launched ten 10 major solutions to accelerate intelligent transformation together with its partners.
Pushing the boundaries of consumer devices and experience
Huawei’s consumer business will showcase a lineup of high-end, fashion-forward, and technology-driven flagship products at the event. Through multiple scenario-based experience zones, the company will share its latest innovations in foldable phones, fitness and health, photography, and creativity, focusing on how technology can further enrich people’s everyday lives.
Huawei believes in a human-centric approach to developing technology that shapes the future. In 2025, the company will continue to develop consumer products that push the boundaries of technology, provide an ultimate smart experience for all user scenarios, and build a high-end brand that consumers both love and trust.
MWC Barcelona 2025 will be held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.
In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.
For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2025

MIL OSI Economics –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: UPDATE – BCMI More Than Doubles Cloud-based Dispatch Footprint

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

REDMOND, Wash., March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In 2024, BCMI Corp. celebrated 10 years in business, and another significant milestone. The technology leader and provider of cloud-based mobile software for concrete and bulk materials producers more than doubled its cloud-based ready-mix dispatch footprint across the U.S.

Industry-leading companies have adopted BCMI’s cloud-based system, beginning with Smith Ready Mix in Valparaiso, Indiana, followed by many others including Miles Sand & Gravel, Geneva Rock and Sunroc (both Clyde Companies subsidiaries), BARD Materials and GCC. These producers and others have added BCMI’s dispatch as part of the end-to-end software platform that includes extensive operational and customer KPIs, quoting and sales tools, and customer invoicing.

In 2025, BCMI expects its dispatch footprint to expand at an accelerated rate. Implementations are scheduled for large vertical materials producers, imi and Titan America as well as regional ready mix leaders including Consumers Concrete and Zignego.

“One of the great advantages of BCMI Dispatch is that any change or update from our dispatchers and drivers is instantly shared across our company—and with our customers—through the BCMI mobile apps,” BARD Materials Vice President of Operations Chad Thier says. “BCMI truly partners with producers to shape a concrete dispatch system that leverages the best technology available, ensuring it meets the needs of the industry.”

The BCMI Dispatch system has the advantage of being cloud-native, meaning it is developed using the most current technology rather than retrofitting older dispatch systems with hardware that must be maintained by producers. BCMI integrates with related systems, such as truck GPS and accounting programs, through API (Application Programming Interface) connections entirely in the cloud. This allows materials producers to choose their own best-in-class solution set to meet their business needs.

“After an extensive, six-month evaluation, we concluded that BCMI’s combination of current product offerings, plus the opportunity to take part in the continued development of the product, was the best fit for what imi needs to service our customers and our internal teams,” imi President and CEO Pete Lyons says.

BCMI’s leadership draws on more than 100 years of collective experience in serving the concrete and bulk materials market, making the team uniquely qualified to understand and address the needs of the industry. “We have all experienced the pain of struggling with outdated technology, and it makes us even more passionate about creating better tools for producers and contractors,” BCMI Vice President of Customer Success Janeen O’Dell says. “Things like mobile apps and eTicketing are old news in other industries, and there’s no reason our industry shouldn’t use them to make our day-to-day jobs easier.”

According to BCMI Co-founder and CEO Craig Yeack, “Our product team is laser focused on innovation, including aggressive research and development of AI tools for materials producers. In the next few years, we’ll see accelerated growth in technology, faster than we’ve seen in decades. We look forward to being the industry’s trusted partner as we navigate these changes together.”

About BCMI

BCMI Corp.’s mobile software empowers bulk construction material producers to improve business processes. BCMI’s performance analytics, interactive communication tools and AI-assisted dispatch keep materials producers and contractors aligned with real-time business solutions. For more on our cloud-based BCMI Dispatch, Material Pro and Material Now apps, visit www.bcmicorp.com.

Media Contact

Jennifer Jensen, BCMI Media and PR Specialist: Jennifer.jensen@bcmicorp.com

The MIL Network –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Wanted South Carolina Fugitive Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm at Evansville Bus Stop

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

EVANSVILLE— Argelius C. Croft, 37, of Greenville, South Carolina, has been sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on January 27, 2023, Evansville Police Department officers questioned Croft at the Evansville Greyhound Bus Station after learning that he had an active arrest warrant out of South Carolina for a pending criminal charge. When confronted, Croft provided false information about his identity to the officers and ran away from the bus station on foot carrying his backpack. After a brief foot chase, Croft fell and was arrested by EPD officers.

During a search of his person, officers found a Ruger.22 Charger rifle with a partially obliterated serial number and a Ruger BX- 25 double-stack magazine loaded with 47 rounds inside of Croft’s backpack. When the officers found the firearm, Croft asked them to forget about it and just throw the gun in the river.

At the time of his arrest, Croft had been convicted of numerous felonies including burglary, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and domestic violence. These prior felony convictions prohibit Croft from ever legally possessing a firearm again.

“Deadly weapons in the hands of violent criminals fuel the shootings and deaths that have devastating impacts on our families,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence should send a clear message to those who ignore their prohibition- if you choose to pick up a gun, you face a serious term in federal prison.”

“ATF’s core mission is to identify, pursue, and perfect criminal cases against individuals who unlawfully possess or use firearms in furtherance of criminal activity,” stated Acting ATF Columbus Field Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas A. Greco. “We will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners to ensure anyone who commits violence in our communities is held accountable for their actions.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

###

MIL Security OSI –

March 4, 2025

MIL-OSI: Quadient Enables New Shipping Service with Japan Post on its Open Locker Network, Driving Convenience and Increased Parcel Volume

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Quadient (Euronext Paris: QDT), a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, announced today an expanded partnership between Japan Post and Packcity Japan, a joint venture between Quadient and Yamato Transport. Thanks to the extended partnership, consumers will not only receive Japan Post deliveries at Packcity Japan’s nationwide open network of automated parcel lockers, but they will also now be able to ship parcels from the lockers, called PUDO stations. Consumers using Japan Post’s Yu-Pack parcel service use a mobile app to ship from a PUDO station, eliminating the need to wait at delivery counters or manually handling shipping slips.

Japan Post, one of Japan’s leading carriers, operates more than 24,200 post offices across the nation and employs more than 171,800 employees, providing postal, logistics and courier delivery services. The expanded partnership between Japan Post and Packcity Japan increases the parcel volume through the open locker network and will consolidate package pickup, leading to more efficient, ecological and sustainable business operations.

“In recent years, the burden on our partner carriers has become more serious due to the rapid increase in the number of designated deliveries and pickups after normal business hours and on weekends and holidays,” said Akitsugu Yanagida, CEO of Packcity Japan. “The expanded partnership with Japan Post confirms the importance of an open locker network to an efficient and sustainable last mile and first mile logistical operation. We look forward to continuing to expand our services with the aim of improving convenience for consumers and the efficiency of the logistics industry.”

Through Packcity Japan, Quadient operates about 7,000 automated lockers in Japan. Quadient is a global leader in open locker networks, offering carrier-agnostic locker technology for seamless delivery and pickup experiences. With more than 25,000 locker units deployed worldwide, Quadient continuously invests in locker innovation and services to improve usage and footprint in major e-commerce markets.

About Quadient®
Quadient is a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections through digital and physical channels. Quadient supports businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey, unlocking operational efficiency and creating meaningful customer experiences. Listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC® Mid & Small and EnterNext® Tech 40 indices, Quadient shares are eligible for PEA-PME investing. For more information about Quadient, visit www.quadient.com.

Contacts

Sandy Armstrong, Sterling Kilgore	Joe Scolaro, Quadient
Director of Media & Communications	Global Press Relations Manager
+1-630-699-8979	+1 203-301-3673
sarmstrong@sterlingkilgore.com	j.scolaro@quadient.com

Attachment

PR Packcity Japan Post_EN vdef

The MIL Network –

March 4, 2025

MIL-OSI New Zealand: Brett Fraser homicide investigation – $100,000 reward announced

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Please attribute to Acting Detective Inspector Simon Harrison:

A $100,000 reward is offered for information in relation to the death of Brett Fraser in October 2014.

Fifty-one-year-old father Brett Fraser was killed on Tuesday 21 October 2014 in the West Auckland home he shared with his flatmate.

We want to provide answers to Brett’s family, and to hold the person or persons responsible for his death to account.

Police will pay a reward of up to $100,000 for material information or evidence which leads to the identity and conviction of any person, or persons, responsible for Brett’s death.

The offer will remain in force until 3 June 2025. The Commissioner of Police will determine the amount of the reward and will apportion it if there is more than one claimant.

Immunity against prosecution will be considered for any accomplice, not being a principal offender, who gives such information or evidence to Police.

We urge anyone that has personal knowledge of the circumstances of Brett’s death and who are prepared to assist the investigation team to please contact Police.

Information can be provided to the investigation team on 0800 COLD CASE (0800 2653 2273) or email to Op.Frankfort@police.govt.nz

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: ROK, USFK, CNFK embark USS Carl Vinson, exploring operations and capabilities

Source: United States Navy

Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, Commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, ROK Navy Rear Adm. Kim Jihoon, Deputy Commander of Republic of Korea Fleet, and other guests, met with Rear Adm. Michael Wosje, commander, CSG-1, spoke to subject matter experts about carrier operations on the bridge and observed flight operations from the flight deck.

General Brunson emphasized the carrier strike group’s capabilities and shared his thoughts on the critical role these forces play in maintaining regional security and a free and open Indo-Pacific. He also emphasized how they directly support USFK’s mission in the region.

“The Carl Vinson’s carrier strike group operations demonstrate our commitment to bolster the defense of allies and partners and strengthen our ability to ‘fight tonight and win.’ This visit, especially when coupled with realistic all domain, joint and combined training, increases interoperability and ensures we build the readiness posture to deter aggression and maintain stability in the Republic of Korea and the region,” Brunson said. “The Carl Vinson’s presence here not only underscores the importance of both the maritime and air domains but also reaffirms our commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific by integrating these unique capabilities into our comprehensive all-domain approach.”

The group observed flight operations and discussed how to enhance capabilities of future combined operations between ROK and U.S. Navy. Rear Adm. Kim’s visit aboard Carl Vinson highlighted the partnership and collaboration between the U.S. and ROK and demonstrated the U.S. commitment to security and stability in the region.

“Deployment of the carrier strike group to the Korean peninsula is evidence that shows the determined willingness and executive ability for a robust combined defense posture of the Republic of Korea,” said Rear Adm. Kim.

USFK’s mission is to deter aggression, and if necessary, defend the ROK to maintain stability in Northeast Asia.

“Bringing senior U.S. and ROK leadership out to Vinson is an opportunity to showcase the strength, capability and lethality of a carrier strike group,” said Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski, commander, CNFK. “This visit reinforces our ironclad commitment to the ROK-U.S. alliance, supporting stability and security in the region.”

CNFK is the U.S. Navy’s representative in the ROK. It provides leadership and expertise in naval matters that support the mission of USFK. CNFK works closely with the ROK Navy to improve institutional and operational effectiveness and to strengthen collective security efforts in the Korean Theater.

The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group consists of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked staffs of Carrier Strike Group ONE and Destroyer Squadron ONE, Carrier Air Wing Two, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110). Carrier Air Wing Two is composed of nine squadrons flying the F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey and MH-60R/S Seahawks.

The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

For more news from CSG-1 and Carl Vinson visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CSG1, https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CVN70

MIL Security OSI –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

News story

Appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland

The Irish and UK Governments have today announced new appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland.
Earlier today, the Irish and United Kingdom Governments announced new appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland.

The appointments are:

Ms Shona McCarthy, Chair

Ms Janet McConkey,

Ms Katy Hayward,

Ms Anne Conaghan

Ms Anne Carr,

Ms Angila Chada,

Mr Bill Pauley,

In announcing these appointments, the two governments expressed their very warm appreciation for the services given by the outgoing Board Members whose term of office had ended. Particular thanks are due to Mr Paddy Harte who has shown exceptional leadership of the Board through his service as Chairman during the past six years.

Notes to Editors

The International Fund for Ireland is an international organisation established by the Irish and British Governments in 1986 with the objectives of promoting economic and social advance and of encouraging contact, dialogue and reconciliation between Unionists and Nationalists throughout Ireland. Contributors to the Fund have included the United States of America, the European Union, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Irish and UK Governments. Ms Anne Carr and Ms Anne Conaghan, who were Members of the previous Board, have been re- appointed for a further term.

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Published 3 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: When did our ancestors start to eat meat regularly? Fossilised teeth get us closer to the answer

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Tina Lüdecke, Leader of the Emmy Noether Group for Hominin Meat Consumption (HoMeCo), Max Planck Institute For Chemistry

Goodboy Picture Company/Getty Images

For decades, scientists have been learning more about the diets of early hominins, particularly their reliance on plants. Yet we still don’t know when these ancestors of humans started eating meat.

This is a frustrating gap in our understanding of human evolution. We think regular meat consumption was one of the main drivers of brain growth and evolution in hominins, because animal products are calorie-dense and easier to digest than unprocessed plant foods. They also contain all the essential amino acids and are rich in biologically important nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

What we do know is that by the time our genus, Homo, emerged over two million years ago, hominins were regularly eating meat. This is clear from their increased reliance at this point on stone tools to butcher and process meat products. We’ve also found fossil bones with cut marks that indicate butchering.

But that doesn’t explain when and where regular meat eating started and which species of our ancestors made that crucial shift.

Now, thanks to fossilised tooth enamel, we’re a step closer to an answer. In a study with several other co-authors, we measured nitrogen isotopes in the enamel from fossilised teeth belonging to the hominin genus Australopithecus, discovered in South Africa’s Sterkfontein Caves. This is one of the oldest known human ancestor species.

Atoms of the same element can have different versions, called isotopes, which have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This makes them slightly heavier or lighter but chemically similar. For example, nitrogen has two stable isotopes: nitrogen-14 (¹⁴N) and nitrogen-15 (¹⁵N). These occur naturally, but their ratio varies in nature. In food webs, nitrogen isotopes become enriched as you move up the chain, meaning predators have higher ¹⁴N/¹⁵N ratios than herbivores.

Identifying these isotopes is a way to reconstruct ancient diets and ecosystems, helping scientists understand how past environments shaped the survival of species – including early humans.

We also tested the isotopic signature of animals that lived in the ecosystem at the same time. We saw that the isotopic signature of Australopithecus was low – similar to that of herbivores.

Our findings suggest that these ape-like, small-brained early hominins were eating mostly plants. There was little to no evidence of meat consumption. They may have snacked on the occasional egg or insect but they were not regularly hunting large mammals like Neanderthals did millions of years later.

A toothy approach

One of us (Dr Lüdecke) began working with fossilised tooth enamel during her PhD. The focus was on measuring stable carbon isotopes in the enamel as a way to uncover the plant-based part of an extant or extinct animal’s diet.

This approach reveals whether a species relied on lush, leafy plants or hardy, grass-like vegetation in African savanna ecosystems. But there was always that small, unsatisfying sentence in the discussion section of her academic papers: “This dataset cannot inform about the meat portion of the diet.”

Then inspiration struck. The co-authors of the latest study, Alfredo Martínez-García and Daniel Sigman, had developed a method with their teams to measure nitrogen isotopes in marine microfossils – tiny creatures that, like fossilised tooth enamel, contain almost no organic material.

Read more:
The study of tiny fossils reminds us that museums are key to advancing science

We wondered whether the same technique could work for ancient teeth and finally provide a date marker for early hominins’ meat eating behaviour.

We started small by testing the method on rodent tooth enamel from animals with controlled diets in a specialised feeding experiment. It worked. From there, we moved on to the enamel of wild mammals from museum collections and other animals that had lived naturally in African ecosystems.

When these results aligned with what we expected in terms of their known diets, we knew we had a reliable tool. After more laboratory testing, method tweaking and checking, we felt ready to analyse the fossilised tooth enamel of non-primate fauna found in one of the oldest fossil-bearing deposits of South Africa’s Sterkfontein Caves. This deposit, Member 4, formed about 3.4 million years ago, during the Late Pliocene period.

Again, these analyses gave us the expected results: it was clear at the isotopic level whether we were dealing with the teeth of a herbivore or a carnivore.

Then we finally sampled seven Australopithecus molars from Member 4 to uncover whether these ancient hominins, which lived and died around the Sterkfontein Caves about 3.4 million years ago, were sinking their teeth into meat or sticking to a largely vegetarian menu.

By comparing the nitrogen isotope ratios of these early hominins with those of other animals from the same ecosystem – like antelopes, monkeys and carnivores – we found that the isotopic signature of Australopithecus was low, similar to that of herbivores.

Future plans

This discovery is just the beginning. We’re now expanding our research to other fossil sites across Africa and Asia, hoping to answer bigger questions. When did meat truly enter the hominin diet? Which species of hominins through our evolution consumed meat? Did the behaviour emerge several times and did it coincide with the rise of larger brains, or marked changes in behaviour, like new stone tool technology? And what does this mean for how we understand the evolutionary path that led to our species?

Tina Lüdecke receives funding from the German Research Foundation Emmy Noether Fellowship (LU 2199/2-1). She is affiliated with the Emmy Noether Group for Hominin Meat Consumption, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (Mainz, Germany) and the Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa).

Sterkfontein fieldwork is supported by South African governmental platforms DSI-NRF and NRF African Origins Platform, and long-term project and student support from GENUS and PAST.

– ref. When did our ancestors start to eat meat regularly? Fossilised teeth get us closer to the answer – https://theconversation.com/when-did-our-ancestors-start-to-eat-meat-regularly-fossilised-teeth-get-us-closer-to-the-answer-249737

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: When did our ancestors start to eat meat regularly? Fossilised teeth get us closer to the answer

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Tina Lüdecke, Leader of the Emmy Noether Group for Hominin Meat Consumption (HoMeCo), Max Planck Institute For Chemistry

For decades, scientists have been learning more about the diets of early hominins, particularly their reliance on plants. Yet we still don’t know when these ancestors of humans started eating meat.

This is a frustrating gap in our understanding of human evolution. We think regular meat consumption was one of the main drivers of brain growth and evolution in hominins, because animal products are calorie-dense and easier to digest than unprocessed plant foods. They also contain all the essential amino acids and are rich in biologically important nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

What we do know is that by the time our genus, Homo, emerged over two million years ago, hominins were regularly eating meat. This is clear from their increased reliance at this point on stone tools to butcher and process meat products. We’ve also found fossil bones with cut marks that indicate butchering.

But that doesn’t explain when and where regular meat eating started and which species of our ancestors made that crucial shift.

Now, thanks to fossilised tooth enamel, we’re a step closer to an answer. In a study with several other co-authors, we measured nitrogen isotopes in the enamel from fossilised teeth belonging to the hominin genus Australopithecus, discovered in South Africa’s Sterkfontein Caves. This is one of the oldest known human ancestor species.

Atoms of the same element can have different versions, called isotopes, which have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This makes them slightly heavier or lighter but chemically similar. For example, nitrogen has two stable isotopes: nitrogen-14 (¹⁴N) and nitrogen-15 (¹⁵N). These occur naturally, but their ratio varies in nature. In food webs, nitrogen isotopes become enriched as you move up the chain, meaning predators have higher ¹⁴N/¹⁵N ratios than herbivores.

Identifying these isotopes is a way to reconstruct ancient diets and ecosystems, helping scientists understand how past environments shaped the survival of species – including early humans.

We also tested the isotopic signature of animals that lived in the ecosystem at the same time. We saw that the isotopic signature of Australopithecus was low – similar to that of herbivores.

Our findings suggest that these ape-like, small-brained early hominins were eating mostly plants. There was little to no evidence of meat consumption. They may have snacked on the occasional egg or insect but they were not regularly hunting large mammals like Neanderthals did millions of years later.

A toothy approach

One of us (Dr Lüdecke) began working with fossilised tooth enamel during her PhD. The focus was on measuring stable carbon isotopes in the enamel as a way to uncover the plant-based part of an extant or extinct animal’s diet.

This approach reveals whether a species relied on lush, leafy plants or hardy, grass-like vegetation in African savanna ecosystems. But there was always that small, unsatisfying sentence in the discussion section of her academic papers: “This dataset cannot inform about the meat portion of the diet.”

Then inspiration struck. The co-authors of the latest study, Alfredo Martínez-García and Daniel Sigman, had developed a method with their teams to measure nitrogen isotopes in marine microfossils – tiny creatures that, like fossilised tooth enamel, contain almost no organic material.

Read more: The study of tiny fossils reminds us that museums are key to advancing science

We wondered whether the same technique could work for ancient teeth and finally provide a date marker for early hominins’ meat eating behaviour.

We started small by testing the method on rodent tooth enamel from animals with controlled diets in a specialised feeding experiment. It worked. From there, we moved on to the enamel of wild mammals from museum collections and other animals that had lived naturally in African ecosystems.

When these results aligned with what we expected in terms of their known diets, we knew we had a reliable tool. After more laboratory testing, method tweaking and checking, we felt ready to analyse the fossilised tooth enamel of non-primate fauna found in one of the oldest fossil-bearing deposits of South Africa’s Sterkfontein Caves. This deposit, Member 4, formed about 3.4 million years ago, during the Late Pliocene period.

Again, these analyses gave us the expected results: it was clear at the isotopic level whether we were dealing with the teeth of a herbivore or a carnivore.

Then we finally sampled seven Australopithecus molars from Member 4 to uncover whether these ancient hominins, which lived and died around the Sterkfontein Caves about 3.4 million years ago, were sinking their teeth into meat or sticking to a largely vegetarian menu.

By comparing the nitrogen isotope ratios of these early hominins with those of other animals from the same ecosystem – like antelopes, monkeys and carnivores – we found that the isotopic signature of Australopithecus was low, similar to that of herbivores.

Future plans

This discovery is just the beginning. We’re now expanding our research to other fossil sites across Africa and Asia, hoping to answer bigger questions. When did meat truly enter the hominin diet? Which species of hominins through our evolution consumed meat? Did the behaviour emerge several times and did it coincide with the rise of larger brains, or marked changes in behaviour, like new stone tool technology? And what does this mean for how we understand the evolutionary path that led to our species?

– When did our ancestors start to eat meat regularly? Fossilised teeth get us closer to the answer
– https://theconversation.com/when-did-our-ancestors-start-to-eat-meat-regularly-fossilised-teeth-get-us-closer-to-the-answer-249737

MIL OSI Africa –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Trump and Zelensky: when face-to-face diplomacy goes wrong it can be disastrous – especially if the whole world is watching

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marcus Holmes, Professor of Government; Faculty Affiliate, Global Research Institute, William & Mary

When it is poorly executed, face-to-face diplomacy reinforces hostility, erodes relationships and makes diplomatic successes even harder. That is exactly what happened during the now notorious White House meeting on February 28 between the US president, Donald Trump, the vice-president, J.D. Vance, and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Instead of a productive diplomatic exchange, the meeting descended into a highly unusual public spectacle.

Instead of culminating in the signing of a deal that would offer Ukraine some measure of security, the meeting left Zelensky shaken and isolated, and US support for Ukraine looking even more uncertain than it had done before. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, was handed a clear political win.

When leaders meet in person, it is possible for them to gain a deeper understanding of each other’s intentions, constraints and red lines – things that don’t always come through in official statements or diplomatic cables. This kind of direct engagement has historically played a key role in defusing tensions, clarifying positions and opening the door to future negotiations.

The best example was in the Reagan-Gorbachev summits of the second half of the 1980s. This handful of meetings between the two leaders deepened their personal relationship, playing a key role in ending the cold war.

Diplomatic meetings, particularly high-stakes ones, should serve at least one of three purposes. First, they should be opportunities for each side to clarify its intentions, priorities and bottom lines – even if no agreement is reached.

There might be openings for future engagement, keeping diplomacy alive. And, at the very least, face-to-face diplomacy should enable parties to prevent escalation or any deterioration in relationships.

By these measures, the meeting between Trump and Zelensky was a failure. Rather than probing positions and potential paths forward for ending the war in Ukraine, Trump and Vance used the meeting to publicly berate and belittle Zelensky.

“Have you said thank you once?” Vance demanded, framing Ukraine’s survival as a matter of gratitude rather than strategic interest. Meanwhile Trump bluntly told Zelenskyy, “You’re not winning this”, dismissing Ukraine’s resilience and reinforcing doubt about the war effort.

He went on to belittle the Ukrainian president further, saying, “You’ve talked too much” – a deliberate move to undercut Zelensky’s standing in the moment.

These were not the words of partners working toward a resolution or seeking common ground. This was a power play, an example of what some have termed a “domination ritual” – designed to make clear that Ukraine is in no position to set terms.

Zelensky is not the first leader to walk out of a face-to-face meeting with a brutally clear sense of the reality ahead. A historical parallel comes from a summit in 1961 between the then US president, John F. Kennedy, and the Soviet premier, Nikita Khrushchev, in Vienna.

US president John F. Kennedy meets with Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, in June 1961, just prior to the Vienna summit.
CIA/Wikimedia Commons

Kennedy later admitted that Khrushchev “beat the hell out of me”, leaving him convinced that tensions with the Soviet Union would escalate. “It’s going to be a cold winter,” he remarked afterwards.

Sure enough, within months the two superpowers were embroiled in a crisis over Berlin, and then a year later, Khrushchev tested Kennedy’s resolve by deploying medium-range ballistic missiles to Cuba, triggering the most dangerous confrontation of the nuclear age so far.

But there was a crucial difference: Kennedy and Khrushchev’s bruising exchange happened behind closed doors. Zelensky was forced to experience his own Vienna moment in front of the cameras. Trump and Vance ensured that their disdain for Ukraine’s position was publicly performed, making it even harder for Zelensky to recover politically – both at home and abroad.

The diplomatic fallout: a gift to Russia

Meetings like this don’t just shape the dynamics in the room – they send signals to allies, adversaries and the international system. And in this case, the biggest winner was Putin.

This was a propaganda victory for the Russians, which will have given the Kremlin the encouragement that Ukraine is losing support from its most powerful western backer.

For Ukraine, this was a major strategic setback. Zelensky desperately needed reassurances about a US security guarantee – instead, he left the meeting publicly weakened, making his already difficult job far harder in Kyiv and across Europe.

But it was also incredibly damaging for US diplomacy. America’s credibility as a reliable ally has taken an enormous hit at a time when its reliability was already being questioned by its friends in Europe and Asia. If the US treats a wartime partner, what message does that send to other allies who might someday need Washington’s support?

Face-to-face diplomacy still matters

Interpersonal meetings, especially ones that are broadcast to the world, shape relationships in ways that extend far beyond policy. They can build – or erode –trust, define power dynamics and send signals that can strengthen or weaken alliances.

Kennedy left Vienna shaken, but at least he left with clarity about Khrushchev’s view of him. Zelensky, too, now understands the new reality of US support. But unlike Kennedy, he was humiliated on live television, which will make it harder to rebuild relationships.

Face-to-face diplomacy is one of the most powerful tools world leaders have – when used correctly. But it only works when they use it to solve problems rather than, as we saw with Trump and Vance, perform for the cameras.

What happened in the Oval Office was not diplomacy – it was a spectacle. And the world took notice.

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. Trump and Zelensky: when face-to-face diplomacy goes wrong it can be disastrous – especially if the whole world is watching – https://theconversation.com/trump-and-zelensky-when-face-to-face-diplomacy-goes-wrong-it-can-be-disastrous-especially-if-the-whole-world-is-watching-251277

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Monday Morning Wins: Call It the “Trump Effect”

US Senate News:

Source: The White House
There is no better way to start the week than by celebrating more big wins for Americans under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump.
American manufacturing surges amid President Trump’s tariffs: Automaker Honda is expected to produce its next-generation Civic hybrid model in Indiana, while Wisconsin-based Clarios, a leader in low-voltage energy storage, announced a $6 billion plan to expand its U.S.-based manufacturing.
They’re only the latest major companies to announce such a move in alignment with President Trump’s Made in America agenda. Last week, Apple announced an historic $500 billion investment that will create 20,000 new U.S.-based jobs, while drug maker Eli Lilly announced a $27 billion investment in its U.S.-based manufacturing — bringing the total number of investments secured in President Trump’s second term to nearly $2 billion.

Border security drives results: President Trump announced illegal border crossings in February — his first full month in office — were the lowest ever recorded, down 94% from last February and down 96% from the all-time high of the Biden Administration.
This follows news that would-be illegal border crossers have “given up” and are returning to their own countries as ICE arrests of illegal immigrants have surged 627%.
Mexican cartel operatives say they are “genuinely” fearful “for the first time in years” amid the Trump Administration’s crackdown.

A victory for small businesses: The U.S. Department of the Treasury suspended enforcement of Biden-era Beneficial Ownership Information reporting requirements for U.S. citizens — a big win for small businesses faced with burdensome reporting requirements that increased costs and lowered productivity.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: At a time of war, nations must stop global order from crumbling: UN rights chief

Source: United Nations 2

“Our world is going through a period of turbulence and unpredictability, reflected in growing conflict and divided societies,” Türk told the Human Rights Council.

“We cannot allow the fundamental global consensus around international norms and institutions, built painstakingly over decades, to crumble before our eyes.”

The weapons of war

Presenting his global update covering more than 30 countries, the High Commissioner described as “outrageous” the fact that legal safeguards for non-combatants were being repeatedly ignored.

“Civilians are deliberately attacked. Sexual violence and famine are used as weapons of war,” Mr. Türk said. “Humanitarian access is denied, while weapons flow across borders and circumvent international sanctions. And humanitarian workers are targeted. In 2024, a record 356 humanitarian workers were killed while providing aid to people in some of the world’s most appalling crises.”

Unbearable price

In Sudan, the High Commissioner once again condemned devastating bomb attacks launched in heavily built-up areas with total impunity, by the parties to the conflict.

All the while, the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe deepens, threatening regional stability, he maintained: “Civilians are paying an unbearable price, in a naked struggle for power and resources. All countries must use their influence to apply pressure on the parties and their allies, to stop the war, embark on an inclusive dialogue, and transition to a civilian-led Government.”

Ukraine’s people need peace

Turning to Ukraine, whose future material support from the United States appeared unclear following televised disagreements between Presidents Trump and Zelensky at a White House meeting on Friday, Mr. Türk opposed any peace deal that excluded Ukraine.

“Three years since the full-scale Russian invasion, people continue to suffer appallingly…Any discussions about ending the war must include Ukrainians and fully respect their human rights. Sustainable peace must be based on the United Nations Charter and international law.”

Civilian casualties in Ukraine rose by 30 per cent between 2023 and 2024, the High Commissioner continued, as he accused Russia’s armed forces of systematically targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with coordinated strikes, causing widespread disruptions to essential services.

“Relentless attacks with aerial glide bombs, long-range missiles and drones have placed civilians in a state of constant insecurity and fear,” Mr. Türk noted.

Ukrainian prisoners also continue to face summary executions and “widespread and systematic torture” by Russian forces, he continued.

Gaza ceasefire focus

In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the UN rights chief insisted that the fragile ceasefire holds in Gaza “and becomes the basis for peace”.

He also insisted that aid deliveries into Gaza should resume immediately, just as Israel announced a halt to aid flowing into the shattered enclave, having proposed extending the first phase of the ceasefire which ended at the weekend and which would allow Israeli troops to stay in Gaza.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher responded with alarm to the Israeli decision, insisting that the ceasefire “must hold”.

In an online appeal, he added: “International humanitarian law is clear: We must be allowed access to deliver vital lifesaving aid. We can’t roll back the progress of the past 42 days. We need to get aid in and the hostages out.”

Back in the Council, Mr. Türk explained that the Gaza had been “razed” by constant Israeli bombardment in response to the “horrific” Hamas-led attacks on Israel that sparked the war in October 2023. “Any solution to the cycles of violence must be rooted in human rights, including the right to self-determination, the rule of law and accountability. All hostages must be freed; all those detained arbitrarily must be released; and humanitarian aid into Gaza must resume immediately.”

West Bank alert

Reflecting deep concerns by humanitarians and the human rights community about Israeli military raids on Palestinian settlements in the West Bank, the UN High Commissioner insisted that Israel’s “unilateral actions and threats of annexation in the West Bank, in violation of international law, must stop”.

Mr. Türk also condemned the use of “military weapons and tactics, including tanks and airstrikes, against Palestinians”. Equally worrying was “the destruction and emptying of refugee camps, the expansion of illegal settlements, the severe restrictions on movement and the displacement of tens of thousands of people”.

DR Congo devastation

Turning to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the High Commissioner underscored that entire communities in North and South Kivu had been devastated.

“In the past five weeks, thousands of people have reportedly been killed during attacks by the M23 armed group, backed by the Rwandan Armed Forces, in intense fighting against the Armed Forces of the DRC and their allies,” the UN rights chief said, pointing to reports of rape, sexual slavery and summary executions.

“More than half a million people have been forced to flee this year, adding to almost 7.8 million people already displaced in the country,” Mr. Türk said. “The violence must stop, violations by all parties must be investigated, and dialogue must resume.”

© WFP/Michael Castofas

More than half a million people have been forced to flee DR Congo this year.

Deadliest year in Myanmar

Moving on to the ongoing escalation of violence in Myanmar sparked by the military coup on 1 February 2021, the UN rights chief noted that 2024 was the deadliest year for civilians since the junta takeover.

“The military ramped up brutal attacks on civilians as their grip on power eroded, with retaliatory airstrikes and artillery shelling of villages and urban areas…and the forcible conscription of thousands of young people,” he said, before calling for the supply of arms and finance to the country’s military’s to be “cut decisively”.

Haiti spiral

The UN rights chief also expressed deep concerns about chronic lawlessness and heavily armed clashes in Haiti involving gangs that humanitarians warned last week recruit children as young as eight. More than 5,600 people were killed last year and thousands more were injured or kidnapped, Mr. Türk told the Human Rights Council.

“Full implementation of the Security Council‘s arms embargo and support to the Multinational Security Support Mission are crucial to resolving this crisis,” he insisted.

Yemen

On Yemen, the High Commissioner noted that amid ongoing hostilities, nearly 20 million Yemenis need humanitarian support. Mr. Türk also expressed his outrage at the death of a UN World Food Programme colleague in detention earlier this month. “All 23 UN staff – including eight colleagues from my own Office – who are arbitrarily detained by the Houthis must be released immediately.”

In a half-hour address to the Council that traditionally highlights the most worrying emergencies in the world and the need to tackle their root causes, the UN rights chief issued a call for greater global solidarity and accountability for crimes as a way to push back against those who would violate fundamental freedoms.

“We all have a responsibility to act – through our consumption habits, our social media use, and our political and social engagement,” he told the Council’s 47 Member States.

“We can trace a clear line between the lack of accountability for airstrikes on hospitals in Syria in the 2010s, attacks on healthcare facilities in Yemen, and the destruction of health systems in Gaza and Sudan,” he continued.

Toys of tech oligarchs

Equally alarming is the rise of unelected and unregulated “tech oligarchs” who reflect the new global power dynamic, Mr. Türk warned, before urging governments to fulfil their primary purpose of protecting their people from unchecked power.

Today’s tech oligarchs “have our data: they know where we live, what we do, our genes and our health conditions, our thoughts, our habits, our desires and our fears…And they know how to manipulate us,” the High Commissioner insisted.

Electioneering tactics

“I have followed recent election campaigns in Europe, North America and beyond with increasing trepidation. Single-issue soundbites devoid of substance oversimplify complex issues and are often based on scapegoating, disinformation, and dehumanization,” he continued.

“Dehumanization is a well-worn step towards treating an entire group as outsiders, unworthy of the basic rights we all enjoy. It is a dangerous precursor to hate and violence and must be called out whenever it occurs.”

UN Human Rights Council/Marie Bambi

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, presents his latest report on the obligation to ensure accountability and justice in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Toxic influence on gender equality

The High Commissioner also voiced his concern about the resurgence of toxic ideas about masculinity and efforts to glorify gender stereotypes, especially among young men.

To blame for this are “misogynistic influencers” with millions of followers on social media who “are hailed as heroes”, Mr. Türk said.

Online and offline, their ideas push back against gender equality and result in “violence and hateful rhetoric against women, women’s rights defenders, and women politicians”, the High Commissioner continued.

In a message of solidarity with people who have been left “feeling alienated and abandoned” by such malign influences, Mr. Türk insisted that the United Nations was by their side. “Your concerns are our concerns, because they are about human rights: to education, to health, to housing, to free speech, and access to justice. Human rights are about people’s daily concerns for their families and their future. We must cherish the values of respect, unity and solidarity; and work together for a safer, more just, more sustainable world. We can and will persevere,” he concluded.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: Parker Blackwood Advisers Reports Australian Economy Showing Signs of Recovery

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PERTH, Australia, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Parker Blackwood Advisers, a leading financial services provider has commented on the latest Australian economic trajectory that will be under the spotlight this week as fresh data is set to provide a critical assessment of the nation’s growth prospects. The December quarter national accounts, due for release by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday, are expected to confirm a modest acceleration in economic activity following a period of subdued expansion.

Consensus forecasts indicate that the economy likely expanded by 0.5% in the December quarter, up from 0.3% in the prior three-month period. If realized, this would translate to an annual GDP growth rate of 1.2% for 2024—a marked improvement from the 0.8% recorded in the September quarter but still well below the long-term historical average of over 3%.

“Productivity constraints and subdued private sector investment continue to weigh on economic momentum,” said Nathan Jones, Chief Investment Officer at Parker Blackwood Advisers. “While fiscal policy and household spending provide some stability, sustained growth requires stronger business investment and improvements in labour productivity—key factors the RBA will be closely monitoring in its policy deliberations.”

Investors will also scrutinize the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) February meeting minutes, scheduled for release on Tuesday. The central bank’s decision to cut interest rates for the first time in over four years signaled a shift in monetary policy, and market participants will be seeking further clarity on the likelihood of additional easing measures in the coming months.

Beyond GDP and monetary policy, Parker Blackwood Advisers note that key data releases will shed light on Australia’s property market and government finances. CoreLogic’s monthly Home Value Index, due on Monday, will reveal whether the recent housing downturn persisted into February, while building approvals data on Thursday will gauge progress toward the federal government’s ambitious 1.2 million-home construction target over five years.

Additionally, retail trade figures on Tuesday, international trade data on Thursday, and household spending indicators on Friday will offer a broader view of consumer activity and economic strength. The government’s fiscal position will also be under scrutiny, with the market anticipating a current account deficit of $13.4 billion when balance of payments data is released.

With a pivotal week ahead for economic data and central bank insights, investors and policymakers alike will be closely watching for signals on Australia’s growth trajectory and policy outlook in 2024.

About Parker Blackwood Advisers
Founded in 2013, Parker Blackwood Advisers is a premier financial services provider based in Perth, Australia. With a focus on personalised investment strategies, the firm offers a broad range of wealth management solutions, including asset allocation, investment management, and financial planning. Managing over $4.7 billion in assets, Parker Blackwood Advisers is dedicated to helping clients achieve their financial goals through tailored, expert guidance.

Disclaimer
Parker Blackwood Advisers is a trading name of PBA Corporation Pty Ltd (ABN: 98 162 183 244), holder of AFSL 434-071. Investing carries risks, including potential loss of capital. Information provided is general and not financial advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

Mr. Paul Allen
Head of Marketing
paul.allen@pb-investment.com
08 6275 0960
Exchange Tower,
Level 17/2 The Esplanade
Perth WA, 6000

Source: Parker Blackwood Advisers

The MIL Network –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: BCMI More Than Doubles Cloud-based Dispatch Footprint

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

REDMOND, Wash., March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In 2024, BCMI Corp. celebrated 10 years in business, and another significant milestone. The technology leader and provider of cloud-based mobile software for concrete and bulk materials producers more than doubled its cloud-based ready-mix dispatch footprint across the U.S.

Industry-leading companies, beginning with Smith Ready Mix in Valparaiso, Indiana, have adopted BCMI’s cloud-based system, including Miles Sand & Gravel, Geneva Rock and Sunroc (both Clyde Companies subsidiaries), BARD Materials and GCC. These producers have added BCMI’s dispatch as part of the end-to-end software platform that includes extensive operational and customer KPIs, quoting and sales tools, and customer invoicing.

This year, large vertical materials producers imi and Titan America will implement BCMI’s cloud-based concrete dispatch system, as well as regional leaders Consumers Concrete and Zignego, to further accelerate its expansion.

“One of the great advantages of BCMI Dispatch is that any change or update from our dispatchers and drivers is instantly shared across our company—and with our customers—through the BCMI mobile apps,” BARD Materials Vice President of Operations Chad Thier says. “BCMI truly partners with producers to shape a concrete dispatch system that leverages the best technology available, ensuring it meets the needs of the industry.”

The BCMI Dispatch system has the advantage of being cloud-native, meaning it is developed using the most current technology rather than retrofitting older dispatch systems with hardware that must be maintained by producers. BCMI integrates with related systems, such as truck GPS and accounting programs, through API (Application Programming Interface) connections entirely in the cloud. This allows materials producers to choose their own best-in-class solution set to meet their business needs.

“After an extensive, six-month evaluation, we concluded that BCMI’s combination of current product offerings, plus the opportunity to take part in the continued development of the product, was the best fit for what imi needs to service our customers and our internal teams,” imi President and CEO Pete Lyons says.

BCMI’s leadership draws on more than 100 years of collective experience in serving the concrete and bulk materials market, making the team uniquely qualified to understand and address the needs of the industry. “We have all experienced the pain of struggling with outdated technology, and it makes us even more passionate about creating better tools for producers and contractors,” BCMI Vice President of Customer Success Janeen O’Dell says. “Things like mobile apps and eTicketing are old news in other industries, and there’s no reason our industry shouldn’t use them to make our day-to-day jobs easier.”

According to BCMI Co-founder and President Craig Yeack and author of the “Tech Trends” column for Concrete Products magazine, “Our product team is laser focused on innovation, including aggressive research and development of AI tools for materials producers. In the next few years, we’ll see accelerated growth in technology, faster than we’ve seen in decades. We look forward to being the industry’s trusted partner as we navigate these changes together.”

About BCMI

BCMI Corp.’s mobile software empowers bulk construction material producers to improve business processes. BCMI’s performance analytics, interactive communication tools and AI-assisted dispatch keep materials producers and contractors aligned with real-time business solutions. For more on our cloud-based BCMI Dispatch, Material Pro and Material Now apps, visit www.bcmicorp.com.

Media Contact

Jennifer Jensen, BCMI Media and PR Specialist: Jennifer.jensen@bcmicorp.com

The MIL Network –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP welcomes US$6.5 million donation from the Republic of Korea to bolster emergency food assistance across the Middle East

Source: World Food Programme

CAIRO – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a US$6.5 million contribution from the Republic of Korea that will enable the organization to sustain lifesaving assistance for vulnerable communities facing food insecurity across the Middle East.

The funding will be used to support the continued distribution of vital food and cash to communities most in need in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Türkiye where WFP plans to provide food assistance to nearly 7.7 million people this year. The contribution will also bolster ongoing recovery efforts for people affected by the deadly earthquakes that struck Türkiye in February 2023.

“WFP is grateful for the Republic of Korea’s donation as the Middle East faces one of its most challenging times,” said Corinne Fleischer, WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe. “This support is vital to keep our lifesaving operations going and to reach families in dire need. Food security is not just about meeting urgent needs, it supports national security and helps bring stability to this troubled region.”

The donation comes at a pivotal moment as humanitarian needs are surging across the Middle East driven by a convergence of regional and global challenges. Escalating regional tensions, economic turmoil and climate shocks have pushed millions of people to the brink, unable to access enough food to survive.

The Republic of Korea has generously contributed over US$21 million to support WFP’s activities in the four countries over the last five years.

# # #

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media and @WFP_MENA

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: Jeito Capital announces significant participation in $187 million Series A financing for Callio Therapeutics to advance innovative multi-payload ADC programs designed to maximize therapeutic benefit for cancer patients
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Jeito Capital announces significant participation in $187 million Series A financing for Callio Therapeutics to advance innovative multi-payload ADC programs designed to maximize therapeutic benefit for cancer patients
- Callio Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing multi-payload ADCs with technology and programs exclusively in-licensed from Singapore-based Hummingbird Bioscience
- Investment will contribute to achieve clinical proof-of-concept for
  Callio’s HER-2-targeted dual-payload ADC and a second undisclosed ADC program
- Jeito’s investment reinforces its commitment to cutting-edge oncology innovations addressing treatment resistance and improving patient outcomes
Paris, March 3^rd2025 – Jeito Capital (“Jeito”), a global leading independent Private Equity fund dedicated to biopharma, announced today its significant participation in the $187 million (€180.2 million¹) Series A financing round in Callio Therapeutics (“Callio”), a newly launched biotechnology company focused on realizing the promise of multi-payload antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to improve cancer therapy.

Callio Therapeutics was founded by Frazier Life Sciences to develop next-generation multi-payload antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) based on technology and programs exclusively in-licensed from Singapore-based Hummingbird Bioscience. The company is led by co-founder and CEO Piers Ingram, PhD, alongside a founding management team with deep expertise in ADC development bringing experience from leading biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies (including Hummingbird Bioscience, ProfoundBio, Silverback Therapeutics, SeaGen, Medarex, and Genentech).

The $187 million Series A financing was led by Frazier Life Sciences with significant participation from Jeito alongside an investment syndicate including Novo Holdings A/S Omega Funds, ClavystBio, Platanus, Norwest, Pureos Bioventures, SEEDS Capital and EDBI. The strength of this syndicate underscores the broad confidence in Callio’s innovative ADC platform and its potential to reshape cancer therapy.

Callio Therapeutics will use the proceeds from the Series A financing to achieve clinical proof-of-concept for its HER2-targeted dual-payload ADC and a second undisclosed ADC program, all designed to maximize therapeutic benefit for cancer patients by overcoming the limitations of single-payload therapies. By enabling the targeted delivery of rational drug combinations to tumor cells, Callio’s approach has the potential to significantly enhance efficacy and address resistance mechanisms.

Rachel Mears, Partner at Jeito will join Callio’s Board of Director as Board member.

Through this investment, Jeito reinforces its commitment to supporting transformative oncology innovations that address key resistance mechanisms in cancer treatment. Callio’s differentiated multi-payload ADC platform aligns with Jeito’s investment thesis of backing high-potential biopharma companies developing next-generation therapies with the potential for global leadership.

Dr Rafaèle Tordjman, MD, PhD, Founder and CEO of Jeito Capital said: “We are pleased to support Callio Therapeutics as it advances its differentiated multi-payload ADC platform to address some of the biggest challenges in oncology. As long-standing investors in this therapeutic area, we recognize the quality and potential of Callio’s approach to overcome resistance mechanisms and improve outcomes for patients with hard-to-treat cancers. At Jeito, we believe that strategic collaboration and bold innovation are key to accelerating the next generation of targeted therapies, and we look forward to working alongside the Callio team to bring these advances to patients in need. “

Rachel Mears, Parner at Jeito Capital added: “Callio is a highly innovative company that benefits from an experienced management team and deep expertise in oncology, where new therapies remain highly needed for those suffering from various forms of cancer. We look forward to collaborating with Callio’s team through our collective knowledge and expertise in both ADC and oncology with the ambition to go faster to patients with high unmet needs. “

Piers Ingram, PhD, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Callio Therapeutics concluded: “We are delighted to be launching Callio Therapeutics with this very strong syndicate of investors. Multi-payload ADCs have the potential to enable the targeted delivery of rational drug combinations to cancer cells, and may provide significantly enhanced efficacy. This new generation of ADC therapies may meaningfully improve outcomes for patients.”

About Jeito Capital
Jeito Capital is a global leading Private Equity fund with a patient benefit driven approach that finances and accelerates the development and growth of ground-breaking medical innovation. Jeito empowers and supports managers through its expert, integrated, multi-talented team and through the investment of significant capital to ensure the growth of companies, building market leaders in their respective therapeutic areas with accelerated patients’ access globally, especially in Europe and the United States. Jeito Capital has €534 million under management and a rapidly growing portfolio of investments. Jeito Capital is based in Paris with a presence in Europe and the United States.
For more information, please visit www.jeito.life or follow us on LinkedIn or X.

About Callio Therapeutics
Headquartered in Seattle and Singapore, Callio Therapeutics is focused on realizing the promise of multi-payload antibody-drug conjugates to transform cancer patient outcomes. The company is developing next-generation, multi-payload antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that feature differentiated payload and linker technologies that enable targeted delivery of multi agents to tumor cells to maximize therapeutic benefit. Callio Therapeutics’ lead program is a HER2-targeted dual-payload ADC. Callio Therapeutics was created by Frazier Life Sciences, a longstanding investment firm focused on innovative therapeutics, based on ADC technology and programs exclusively in-licensed from Hummingbird Bioscience. For more information , please visit www.calliotx.com and follow Callio Therapeutics on LinkedIn.

Contacts:
Jeito Capital
Rafaèle Tordjman, Founder & CEO
Jessica Fadel, EA
Tel: +33 6 33 44 25 47

Maior
Stéphanie Elbaz – Tel: +33 6 46 05 08 07

ICR Healthcare
Mary-Jane Elliott / Davide Salvi / Kris Lam
Jeito@icrhealthcare.com
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5700

¹EUR/USD exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.0377 USD date February 7, 2025 (source: Banque de France)

The MIL Network –
March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: Alliance Memory to Feature Latest Innovations at Embedded World 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

KIRKLAND, Wash., March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alliance Memory will display its expanded product portfolio at Embedded World 2025, taking place March 11-13 at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre in Nuremberg, Germany. In Stand 3A-215, the company will introduce its new 32Mb fast SRAM, DDR4 and LPDDR4X SDRAMs, and high-density Serial NOR Flash devices, all of which enhance device performance with higher density, low power consumption, and rapid data transfer rates to meet the needs of modern applications.

“Our latest offerings underscore our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of the market with memory solutions that boost efficiency and reliability,” said David Bagby, president and CEO of Alliance Memory. “The new 32Mb fast SRAM, advanced DDR4 and LPDDR4X SDRAMs, and our high-capacity Serial NOR Flash devices are designed to provide our customers with the performance they require for today’s competitive technology landscape.”

FEATURED PRODUCTS

32Mb Fast SRAM: Alliance Memory’s newly introduced 32Mb fast SRAM in a 48-ball FBGA package provides a wide power supply range and fast access times, making it ideal for a variety of high-speed applications.

DDR4 SDRAMs: The company has expanded its CMOS DDR4 SDRAM offerings with 8Gb, 16Gb, and 32Gb devices that combine fast clock speeds up to 1600MHz and transfer rates up to 3200MT/s. The DDR4 SDRAM are available in 78-ball and 96-ball FBGA packages.

LPDDR4X SDRAM: For mobile and high-performance applications, the new 16Gb LPDDR4X device features increased clock speeds and higher data rates in a 200-ball FBGA package.

High-Density Serial NOR Flash Devices: New additions to the Serial NOR Flash family include 128Mb, 256Mb, and 512Mb densities, offering flexible, high-performance memory solutions for a broad range of applications, from mobile PCs to connectivity modules.

To schedule an appointment with Alliance Memory at Embedded World 2025 or for more information about the company’s new products, please contact Bob Decker at bob.decker@redpinesgroup.com.

About Alliance Memory
Alliance Memory is a worldwide provider of critical and hard-to-find memory ICs for the communications, computing, consumer electronics, medical, automotive, and industrial markets. The company’s product range includes flash, DRAM, and SRAM memory ICs with commercial, industrial, and automotive operating temperature ranges and densities from 64Kb to 128GB. Privately held, Alliance Memory maintains headquarters in Kirkland, Washington, and regional offices in Europe, Asia, Canada, and South America. More information about Alliance Memory is available online at www.alliancememory.com.

Agency Contact:
Bob Decker
Redpines
+1 415 409 0233
bob.decker@redpinesgroup.com

The MIL Network –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: Varonis at the 2025 Gartner® Security & Risk Management Summit: AI Innovation and Data Security

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MUMBAI, India, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit — Varonis Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRNS), a leader in data security, today announced its full schedule at the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit, March 10 – 11 in Mumbai, India.

Varonis Activities at the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit:

Meet Varonis: Visit Varonis at booth #210 to discover our latest cloud security offerings, see our unified approach to data security, and catch 1:1 demos with our team. Learn how Varonis helps organizations adopt gen AI copilots safely and confidently by putting data first.

Expert Session: “AI Innovation and Security: Insights from a CISO and CFO” — In this panel discussion, Concentrix Global Vice President, Global Security Rishi Rajpal and Varonis CFO and COO Guy Melamed explore the importance of implementing proactive data security for AI and discuss practical strategies for effective risk management to prevent security breaches, legal penalties, and loss of customer trust.

Date: Monday, March 10 at 4:35 p.m.

Location: TH5, Exhibit Showcase Theater, Showroom, Ground Level

Additional Resources

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit
Gartner analysts will present the latest research and advice for security and risk management leaders at the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summits, taking place March 3-4, 2025 in Sydney, March 10- 11, 2025 in India, April 7-8 in Dubai, June 9-11 in National Harbor, MD, July 23-25 in Tokyo, August 5-6 in Sao Paulo and September 22-24 in London. Follow news and updates from the conferences on X using #GartnerSEC.

About Varonis
Varonis (Nasdaq: VRNS) is a leader in data security, fighting a different battle than conventional cybersecurity companies. Our cloud-native Data Security Platform continuously discovers and classifies critical data, removes exposures, and detects advanced threats with AI-powered automation.

Thousands of organizations worldwide trust Varonis to defend their data wherever it lives — across SaaS, IaaS, and hybrid cloud environments. Customers use Varonis to automate a wide range of security outcomes, including data security posture management (DSPM), data classification, data access governance (DAG), data detection and response (DDR), data loss prevention (DLP), and insider risk management.

Varonis protects data first, not last. Learn more at www.varonis.com.

Investor Relations Contact:
Tim Perz
Varonis Systems, Inc.
646-640-2112
investors@varonis.com

News Media Contact:
Rachel Hunt
Varonis Systems, Inc.
877-292-8767 (ext. 1598)
pr@varonis.com

Public Relations Contact
Sonika Choubey
Manager, Public Relations
+ 91 8691974117
sonika.choubey@gartner.com

Exhibitor Contact(s)
Gunjan Kotwal
Conference Manager, Exhibit Operations
gunjan.kotwal@gartner.com

The MIL Network –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: We need to switch to heat pumps fast – but can they overcome this problem?

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition

StockMediaSeller/Shutterstock

People in the UK need to adopt heat pumps and electric vehicles as fast as they once embraced refrigerators, mobile phones and internet connection according to a new report by the Climate Change Committee (CCC).

This government watchdog says the next 15 years will be critical for decarbonising the UK, one of the world’s largest (and earliest) carbon polluters. Eighty-seven percent of its climate-heating emissions must be eliminated by 2040 to keep the country on track for net zero emissions by mid-century, per the report. The majority (60%) of these cuts are expected to come via a single source: electricity.

This roundup of The Conversation’s climate coverage comes from our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed.

Out of possible alternatives to a fossil fuelled economy, electrification has emerged as the favoured solution of experts at the CCC.

Ran Boydell, an associate professor in sustainable development at Heriot-Watt University, agrees. “Home boilers will very soon move into the realm of nostalgia,” he says.

Read more:
UK ban on boilers in new homes rules out hydrogen as a heating source

The reason why heat pumps are increasingly touted as the future of home heating – and not retooled boilers that burn hydrogen instead of methane – is efficiency.

Boydell points out that green hydrogen fuel is made using electricity from solar and wind farms. We could eliminate emissions a lot quicker, he argues, if that electricity went directly to heat pumps instead.

Electricity can be turned into a fuel – or power appliances directly.
Piyaset/Shutterstock

“This is because you end up with only two-thirds of the energy in the hydrogen that you started with from the electricity,” he says.

Likewise, battery-powered vehicles have an advantage that has allowed them to race ahead of hydrogen fuel cells to comprise almost a fifth of all new vehicles sold in the UK in 2024.

“An electric vehicle can be recharged wherever there is access to a plug socket,” say Tom Stacey and Chris Ivory, supply chain experts at Anglia Ruskin University. “The infrastructure that exists to support hydrogen vehicles is limited in comparison and will require extensive investment to introduce.”

Read more:
The days of the hydrogen car are already over

If the route to zero emissions is largely settled, we need to travel it quickly.

Electric dreams

One of the fastest energy transitions in history occurred over a decade in South Korea, according to energy system researchers James Price and Steve Pye (UCL). Between 1977 and 1987, the generation of electricity from oil in the east Asian country collapsed – from roughly 7 million gigawatt-hours to nearly 7,000 – and was replaced with, among other sources, nuclear power.

There are historic analogues for the rapid shift necessary to arrest climate change. But a zero-carbon power sector, which the UK government aims to achieve by 2030, is just the start.

Read more:
For developing world to quit coal, rich countries must eliminate oil and gas faster – new study

“Wind and solar, which provide more than 28% of the UK’s electricity, will soon overtake gas as the main generation source as more wind farms come online,” say energy system modeller Andrew Crossland and engineer Jon Gluyas, both of Durham University.

“But successive governments have failed to achieve the same result in homes and communities where so much high-carbon gas is burned, despite their decarbonisation being critical to net zero.”

Read more:
Is Britain on track for a zero-carbon power sector in six years?

Crossland and Gluyas note that solar panels, batteries and heat pumps can be installed “in days” to rapidly cut emissions, and that doing so would create “skilled jobs across the country”. As things stand, however, it would also present a severe challenge to the grid.

Mechanical engineer Florimond Gueniat of Birmingham City University predicts that converting UK transport to battery power wholesale would require expanding grid capacity by 46% – the equivalent of erecting 5,800 skyscraper-sized wind turbines. And that’s even accounting for the greater efficiency of electric vehicles, which waste less of the energy we put into them compared with oil-powered cars.

Read more:
Switching to electric vehicles will push the power grid to the brink

A massive upgrade to the electricity network is needed, and ordinary people have a part to play. Charging cars could serve as batteries that grid operators draw from during a supply pinch. The same goes for the power generated by solar panels on top of houses.

“Such policies in Germany have … already offset 10% of the national demand,” says Gueniat.

Getting to net zero requires the public’s involvement. But some of the CCC’s advice may be difficult to swallow. Not least the implication that people will have to eat 35% less meat and dairy in 2050 compared with 2019.

Read more:
The UK must make big changes to its diets, farming and land use to hit net zero – official climate advisers

So are people ready for a world that runs on electrons alone? Aimee Ambrose, a professor of energy policy at Sheffield Hallam University, thinks heat pumps will struggle to compete with the inviting warmth of wood stoves and coal fires. Over three years she spoke with hundreds of people in the UK, Finland, Sweden and Romania and found strong attachments to high-carbon fuels even among people committed to solving climate change.

The allure of the wood stove is hard to ignore.
Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock

Read more:
Heat pumps have a cosiness problem

Human behaviour is the most difficult variable for experts who study climate change to model. There will certainly be drawbacks to abandoning fossil fuelled conveniences at breakneck speed. Yet, there are bound to be benefits too – some of which might only materialise once we get going.

In mid-April 2020, while much of humanity was under some form of lockdown to halt the spread of COVID-19, atmospheric chemist Paul Monks of the University of Leicester was marvelling at the sudden drop in air pollution, which kills millions of people each year and is predominantly caused by burning coal, oil and gas.

“If there is something positive to take from this terrible crisis, it could be that it’s offered a taste of the air we might breathe in a low-carbon future,” he said.

Read more:
Coronavirus: lockdown’s effect on air pollution provides rare glimpse of low-carbon future

– ref. We need to switch to heat pumps fast – but can they overcome this problem? – https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-switch-to-heat-pumps-fast-but-can-they-overcome-this-problem-249658

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Governments can keep raiding takeaways and nail bars, but businesses will still employ undocumented migrants

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Aida Hajro, Chair in International Business, University of Leeds, and Founding Co-Director of Migration, Business & Society, University of Leeds

hxdbzxy/Shutterstock

The UK is far from the only country to be caught in a heated debate over its migration system and border security. Unfortunately, it is unlikely to get its response right, because the UK debate ignores a fundamental truth: migration trends largely follow economic cycles and labour demand.

It is well-documented that immigration increases during periods of economic growth and declines during downturns. Furthermore, Brexit has aggravated the UK’s labour shortages – a pinch being felt across nearly every work sector.

Nearly 40% of UK businesses have not been able to grow or take advantage of new opportunities because of these labour shortages.

Public discussions, including recent news coverage, tend to focus on border control and enforcement while overlooking the economic realities that shape migration. Past and present UK governments have largely failed to address the fact that migration is driven by the needs of UK businesses – and is often facilitated by informal recruitment systems, due to the lack of efficient legal migration channels.

Our recent research backs up the idea that demand for labour is a major driver of both documented and undocumented (also known as “irregular”) immigration. Despite not being legally allowed to work, undocumented migrants are still sought after because of the shortages.

Read more:
Irregular, not illegal: what the UK government’s language reveals about its new approach to immigration

Efforts to “crack down” on irregular migration often fail because businesses – especially in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, construction and the service industry – continue to rely on these workers. So without addressing labour shortages and recruitment practices, policies to restrict migration won’t work.

But who bears the cost of migration? It’s not the UK government.

Like most countries, the UK requires prospective workers to obtain a work visa while they are still in their country of origin. Getting this paperwork done is costly and complicated. A worker needs to apply, certify translations of the required documents, in some cases undergo a medical examination, cover travel expenses, pay the visa application fee, and show proof that they have enough personal savings to support themselves in the UK.

For example, Nepalese workers pay around £6,000 to emigrate to Europe. This can amount to four years of wages for low-income workers there.

To get to the UK, many rely on licensed recruitment agencies, known as “sponsors”. However, neither these sponsors nor the employers who desperately need workers are legally required to cover the costs of migration. For instance, the UK’s seasonal worker scheme, designed to provide much-needed labour for agriculture, does not require employers to pay for visa fees or recruitment expenses.

This is a major weakness in the system, as it leaves the burden of migration costs on prospective workers – people who are ready to take on low-paid and seasonal jobs that UK citizens often avoid. To pay their way, many of these workers borrow from private money-lenders in their home countries, whose monthly interest rates can be excessive. Unsurprisingly, some turn to people smugglers.

These smugglers often operate a business model that offers shortcuts for entering the UK, frequently making false promises about the length of employment and wages on offer. Studies show that most migrants are aware of the severe risks involved in using these illicit services, yet they still do due to the lack of better alternatives.

The Employer Pays Principle

Crossing the Channel is not the primary source of undocumented migration into the UK. The main issue is people overstaying legally granted visas, as the renewal process is complex and costly.

It is no secret in the business world that migrant workers are exposed to significant costs just to access employment. To address this, the Institute for Human Rights and Business – a UK-based thinktank – introduced the Employer Pays Principle (EPP). This asserts that the costs of migration should be paid not by the workers but by employers. Leading corporations in the UK including Unilever, Morrisons, Waitrose and IHG Hotels & Resorts have adopted EPP.

However, embracing this principle can be much more challenging for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The more-than-800 premises, including nail salons and takeaways, raided across the UK in January 2025 are unlikely to have the human resources and financial means to cover migration costs for the workers they need. Issuing civil penalty notices and demanding that SMEs pay £60,000 per worker if found liable will not solve the problem of undocumented workers.

In general, punitive policies do not stop migration. They simply make it more precarious for already vulnerable people.

And the government’s social media campaigns in countries like Vietnam and Albania, aimed at discouraging people from illegal travel to the UK, are also unlikely to work. The EU tried similar policies between 2015 and 2019 at a cost of nearly €45 million (£37 million) – and they largely failed.

The UK government has run campaigns aimed at discouraging would-be migrants from Vietnam.

To prevent undocumented migration, firms in need of workers should take responsibility for covering the actual costs of migration. Large firms should be legally required to do so, while for SMEs, the UK government could consider ways to improve access to financing and advisory services. It should also consider incentives and rewards for companies that have voluntarily adopted the EPP or introduced other good practices.

Important next steps

It is possible to estimate the cost of responsibly recruiting a migrant worker from a specific country to the UK. Providing clear and open access to this information would be another important step towards facilitating legal migration routes. After all, universities, consultancies and non-governmental organisations are collecting this data. Cross-sector partnerships could save time and money.

Social media campaigns should prioritise educating potential migrants about UK immigration laws and their rights. This would be more valuable than focusing on the risks of undocumented journeys.

It is also crucial to evaluate whether educational campaigns are more effective than those aimed at deterring migration. The government should remain open to abandoning any overseas social media campaigns that don’t demonstrate cost-effectiveness.

The solution starts with accepting the realities of migration and acknowledging labour market forces. Then, creating the right regulatory environment will reduce the human cost of irregular migration, while supporting UK businesses to find the workers they need.

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. Governments can keep raiding takeaways and nail bars, but businesses will still employ undocumented migrants – https://theconversation.com/governments-can-keep-raiding-takeaways-and-nail-bars-but-businesses-will-still-employ-undocumented-migrants-250947

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: Howard Lee: Keynote address – Asia Pacific Loan Market Association Global Loan Market Summit

Source: Bank for International Settlements

Tibor (Papp, Chair of APLMA), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Let me first thank APLMA for inviting me here today. The loan markets were full of challenges in 2024. Geopolitical conflicts, high interest rate environment and uneven economic performances across regions have put pressure on loan demand in the Asia Pacific. Despite the uncertain environment, 2024 will probably be remembered as the starting point of mass adoption of Generative A.I. (GenA.I.) technologies. A few market statistics for putting this into perspective. Globally, fueled by the GenA.I. race, syndicated loans surged 35% to roughly USD 6 trillion, marking the highest volume on record. There was a 70% increase in syndicated loans in the high technology industry¹.

The spike in loan demand last year was mostly observed in the North American market. But we have also seen more GenA.I. innovations in other parts of the world, such as the sudden emergence of the cost-effective DeepSeek last month. To support GenA.I. development, large investments will be required for data centers and communication technology. We are probably still in the first inning of what is to come from GenA.I., and GenA.I. related syndicated loan transactions will likely be a running theme in the loan market for years to come.

Harnessing Gen A.I.: A Smarter, Data-Driven Future

With GenA.I.’s unique capabilities in processing vast amounts of documents and unstructured data, as well as its ability to handle cross-media inputs and outputs, such as text, audio and graphics, the technology has the potential to revolutionise the operation of financial institutions, from customer-facing functions such as remote account onboarding and customer chatbots, to middle and back-office operations for risk management, fraud detection and automation of work processes.

At the HKMA, we are committed to promoting responsible GenA.I. adoption, and ensuring that innovation aligns with ethical standards and regulatory requirements. As a banking regulator, we are tasked not only with safeguarding the integrity and stability of financial systems but also with fostering an environment where innovation can flourish.

Regulatory innovation is more than just introducing new rules; it involves creating an adaptable framework that encourages experimentation while ensuring consumer protection and market integrity. By collaborating with the industry, we aim to better understand the application of emerging technologies in the financial sector. We have adopted an “explorer” mindset, embracing innovative thinking even at an early stage.

We have recently launched our GenA.I. Sandbox in collaboration with the Cyberport². Within that, banks may partner with technology companies to test new ideas that leverage the latest GenA.I. technologies, refine innovative strategies and obtain early supervisory feedback.

A total of 15 use cases from 10 banks and 4 technology partners have been selected as the inaugural participants in the GenA.I. Sandbox. Notable use cases include augmenting credit assessment and fraud detection by automated processing of unstructured data, and enhancing customer service to handle more personalised and complex enquiries. This initiative ensures that we harness the benefits of A.I. while mitigating potential risks, facilitating innovation in a controlled environment.

Sustainability: The New Frontier in Finance

Development of GenA.I. goes hand-in-hand with increase in power demand. In addition to investments in digital infrastructure, we will also see increase in investments for power generation and transmission. With rising temperatures and a rapidly changing global climate, it is imperative such increase in power demand is met in a sustainable manner.

Our Sustainable Finance Action Agenda outlines a vision for integrating sustainability at the core of our financial system. It calls on all banks to strive to achieve Net Zero in their operations by 2030 and in their financed emissions by 2050, reflecting Hong Kong’s commitment to a greener economy.

Green and sustainable finance is closely tied to financial innovation. For instance, tokenisation technology could help solve long-standing challenges such as double counting in carbon credits, a key issue in carbon trading. This could unlock new business models and create opportunities for businesses and investors to engage in sustainable practices. We have also assisted the HKSAR Government in issuing two tokenised green bonds, creating demonstrative effect and promoting broader technology adoption in the capital market.

As announced by the Financial Secretary in his Budget Speech this morning, the Government will regularise the issuance of tokenised bond. So the HKMA is preparing for issuing the third tranche and will also continue to encourage private issuances through the Digital Bond Grant Scheme.

At the same time, the Financial Secretary also announced a bond issuance programme of $150 billion to $195 billion per year in the next five years. The Government debt-to-GDP ratio will remain at manageable levels of 12 to 16.5%. The proceeds will be used to invest in infrastructure but not fund Government recurrent expenditure. So this would bring more opportunities to the debt capital market and provide good quality assets for investors.

On the investment front, the HKMA is prioritising ESG investments across all asset classes under the Exchange Fund, striving toward the Net Zero target by 2050 while contributing to a sustainable economy. Our investment approach integrates both quantitative indicators and the long-term sustainable value of investments.

Infrastructure Financing for a Sustainable and Digital Future

Even with its vast scale, funding raised from the syndicated loan market may not be enough to support the global transition to a digital and sustainable future. More needs to be done to channel market capital into high-quality infrastructure development. In 2019, the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation (HKMC) entered the infrastructure financing business, aiming to address the funding gap in the infrastructure market through securitisation.

So far, the HKMC has successfully issued two series of infrastructure loan-backed securities in the institutional market, with total value of over US$800 million. The securitisation issues received a strong response from investors, and promoted the development of local debt market.

In alignment with our vision for Hong Kong to play a central role in supporting green and sustainable financing needs in Asia and globally, both securitisation issues include sustainability tranches which are backed by sustainable, green and social assets, and issued in accordance with the HKMC’s Social, Green and Sustainability Financing Framework.

Conclusion

Looking ahead, we envision a future where new technologies will not only enhance connectivity among users, data, and services but also drives economic progress across sectors.

As we continue to evolve as regulators, it is imperative that we remain agile and responsive to the changing landscape. The journey of regulatory innovation and market transformation is one of immense opportunity and responsibility. By working together, we can create a financial ecosystem that is innovative, sustainable, and inclusive.

Thank you for your attention. I look forward to engaging with you in meaningful discussions that will shape our collective future. Once again, I thank APLMA for today’s invitation.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/INDIA – Bangalore, the Eucharist chapel desecrated: monstrance with the consecrated host stolen

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Monday, 3 March 2025

Bangalore (Agenzia Fides) – Last weekend, numerous Catholic faithful took part in prayers of reparation in the churches of Bangalore, the capital of the southern Indian state of Karnataka, after the desecration of the Eucharistic chapel of St. Anthony’s Church in the Uttarhalli district a few days ago.According to the archdiocese, unknown persons entered the liturgical room on February 25 and stole the monstrance, which contained a consecrated host. The police, who were immediately alerted, are now investigating to find the stolen monstrance, which, according to the archdiocese of Bangalore, is not made of precious metal.The concern of the entire People of God, meanwhile, is the Eucharistic bread that was in the monstrance. The fear is that the host has been desecrated. For this reason, Archbishop Peter Machado requested rites and prayers of reparation, which were joined by many faithful. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/3/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: Synchronoss Unveils Capsyl Cloud at MWC Barcelona – A Turn-Key Personal Cloud Solution for Global Operators
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Empowering Mobile Operators and Service Providers to
Rapidly Launch and Monetize Consumer Cloud Services

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (“Synchronoss”) (NASDAQ: SNCR), a global leader in personal cloud solutions, today introduced Capsyl Cloud™, a new turn-key personal cloud platform designed for mobile operators and broadband service providers worldwide. Capsyl Cloud expands Synchronoss’s cloud portfolio, enabling service providers to launch secure, scalable, and revenue-generating personal cloud services with minimal deployment time.

Synchronoss will showcase live demonstrations of Capsyl Cloud at MWC Barcelona in Executive Suite [3A19EX], providing a first-hand look at how operators can rapidly deploy and monetize branded cloud services.

Capsyl Cloud is a secure, cross-platform personal cloud solution that allows users to store, manage, and protect their digital content across all devices—including photos, videos, documents, audio, contacts, and messages. With seamless integration across smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, Capsyl Cloud provides a consistent, hassle-free user experience.

Capsyl Cloud goes beyond storage—it leverages AI-powered tools to enhance how users organize, relive, and optimize their digital memories. Advanced AI capabilities include:
- Memories – AI-curated memories that automatically surface meaningful photos and videos.
- Intelligent Search & Organization – AI powered categorization and metadata tagging for effortless content discovery.
- Content Cleanup & Space Saver – Detects duplicates, blurry images, and redundant files to free up storage.
- Genius AI Tools – Enhances images, upscales resolution, restores color, and applies dynamic visual effects.
By integrating these AI-driven capabilities, Capsyl Cloud offers a smarter, more compelling personal cloud experience—helping users engage with their memories in new ways.

Capsyl Cloud has been refined through extensive beta testing since 2022, leveraging the proven technology, scalability, and infrastructure of Synchronoss Personal Cloud—the trusted white-label cloud solution used by service providers, supporting over 11 million users worldwide.

A turn-key platform, Capsyl Cloud requires minimal capital expenditure, allowing service providers to easily deploy a proven, feature-rich, and highly scalable personal cloud solution. It significantly accelerates time to market to introduce a personal cloud solution as a complement to other voice, data, and value-added services. Capsyl Cloud also offers the flexibility to deploy and monetize personal cloud services through tiered storage plans, bundles, freemium and premium offerings.

“Mobile operators worldwide are looking for new ways to differentiate, drive revenue, and enhance customer loyalty,” said Jeff Miller, President and CEO of Synchronoss. “Capsyl Cloud provides a powerful, turn-key solution that allows service providers to rapidly launch premium personal cloud services—without the burden of heavy infrastructure investment. As digital content consumption accelerates, we’re excited to help operators capture this growing demand and deliver a seamless, secure cloud experience for users to protect and relive their most treasured moments.”

Telkomsel, Indonesia’s largest mobile network operator, is the first to deploy Capsyl Cloud, making this solution available to millions of Telkomsel’s prepaid and post-paid subscribers. Lesley Simpson, VP Digital Lifestyle at Telkomsel, stated, “Telkomsel is always striving to provide a range of cloud solutions that make our customers’ daily lives easier. With Capsyl Cloud Storage by Synchronoss, customers can store and manage their photos, videos, and other important content more securely and conveniently. We hope this service will be a practical solution for those who want to ensure their precious memories are well-preserved and can be easily shared at any time.”

Following Telkomsel’s successful deployment, Synchronoss anticipates strong demand for Capsyl Cloud in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Operators in these regions are actively seeking revenue-generating cloud services to increase ARPU, reduce churn, and strengthen customer engagement.

Capsyl Cloud adheres to the highest industry standards for data security, privacy, and compliance, ensuring that user content remains protected and accessible across devices.

Learn More:

Capsyl Cloud on Synchronoss: www.synchronoss.com/capsyl
Official Capsyl Website: www.capsyl.com

Follow Capsyl Cloud on Social Media:

Instagram: Capsyl_Cloud
LinkedIn: Capsyl Showcase
TikTok: @CapsylCloud
Capsyl Indonesia: Capsyl Indonesia Portal

About Synchronoss

Synchronoss Technologies (Nasdaq: SNCR), a global leader in personal Cloud solutions, empowers service providers to establish secure and meaningful connections with their subscribers. Our SaaS Cloud platform simplifies onboarding processes and fosters subscriber engagement using artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and other advanced features, resulting in enhanced revenue streams, reduced expenses, and faster time-to-market. Millions of subscribers trust Synchronoss to safeguard their most cherished memories and important digital content. Explore how our Cloud-focused solutions redefine the way you connect with your digital world at www.synchronoss.com.

Media Relations Contact:
Domenick Cilea
Springboard
dcilea@springboardpr.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Brian Denyeau / Ryan Gardella
ICR INC.
brian.denyeau@icrinc.com
ryan.gardella@icrinc.com

The MIL Network –
March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How are clouds’ shapes made? A scientist explains the different cloud types and how they help forecast weather

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ross Lazear, Instructor in Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York

Lenticular clouds, like this one over a mountain in Chile, can look like flying saucers. Bilderbuch/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

“How are clouds’ shapes made?” – Amanda, age 5, Chile

I’m a meteorologist, and I’ve been fascinated by weather since I was 8 years old. I grew up in Minnesota, where the weather changes from wind-whipping blizzards in winter to severe thunderstorms – sometimes with tornadoes – in the summer. So, it’s not all that surprising that I’ve spent most of my life looking at clouds.

All clouds form as a result of saturation – that’s when the air contains so much water vapor that it begins producing liquid or ice.

Once you understand how certain clouds develop their shapes, you can learn to forecast the weather.

Cloud types show their general heights.
Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Cotton ball cumulus clouds

Clouds that look like cartoon cotton balls or cauliflower are made up of tiny liquid water droplets and are called cumulus clouds.

Often, these are fair-weather clouds that form when the Sun warms the ground and the warm air rises. You’ll often see them on humid summer days.

Cumulus clouds over Lander, Wyo.
Ross Lazear, CC BY-ND

However, if the air is particularly warm and humid, and the atmosphere above is much colder, cumulus clouds can rapidly grow vertically into cumulonimbus. When the edges of these clouds look especially crisp, it’s a sign that heavy rain or snow may be imminent.

Wispy cirrus are ice clouds

When cumulonimbus clouds grow high enough into the atmosphere, the temperature becomes cold enough for ice clouds, or cirrus, to form.

Clouds made up entirely of ice are usually more transparent. In some cases, you can see the Sun or Moon through them.

Cirrus clouds over the roof of Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Ross Lazear, CC BY-ND

Cirrus clouds that forms atop a thunderstorm spread outward and can form anvil clouds. These clouds flatten on top as they reach the stratosphere, where the atmosphere begins to warm with height.

However, most cirrus clouds aren’t associated with storms at all. There are many ice clouds associated with tranquil weather that are simply regions of the atmosphere with more moisture but not precipitation.

Fog and stratus clouds

Clouds are a result of saturation, but saturated air can also exist at ground level. When this occurs, we call it fog.

In temperatures below freezing, fog can actually deposit ice onto objects at or near the ground, called rime ice.

Reading clouds, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

When clouds form thick layers, we add the word “stratus,” or “layer,” to the name. Stratus can occur just above the ground, or a bit higher up – we call it altostratus then. It can occur even higher and become cirrostratus, or a layer or ice clouds.

If there’s enough moisture and lift, stratus clouds can create rain or snow. These are nimbostratus.

How mountains can create their own clouds

There are a number of other unique and beautiful cloud types that can form as air rises over mountain slopes and other topography.

Lenticular clouds, for example, can look like flying saucers hovering just above, or near, mountaintops. Lenticular clouds can actually form far from mountains, as wind over a mountain range creates an effect like ripples in a pond.

A banner cloud appears to stream out from the Matterhorn, in the Alps on the border between Italy and Switzerland.
Zacharie Grossen via Wikimedia, CC BY

Rarer are banner clouds, which form from horizontally spinning air on one side of a mountain.

Wind plays a big role

You might have looked up at the sky and noticed one layer of clouds moving in a different direction from another. Clouds move along with the wind, so what you’re seeing is the wind changing direction with height.

Cirrus clouds at the level of the jet stream – often about 6 miles (10 kilometers), above the ground – can sometimes move at over 200 miles per hour (320 kilometers per hour). But because they are so high up, it’s often hard to tell how fast they are moving.

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

– ref. How are clouds’ shapes made? A scientist explains the different cloud types and how they help forecast weather – https://theconversation.com/how-are-clouds-shapes-made-a-scientist-explains-the-different-cloud-types-and-how-they-help-forecast-weather-247682

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: America’s designs on annexing Canada have a long history − and record of political failures

Source: The Conversation – USA – By G. Patrick O’Brien, Assistant Teaching Professor of History, University of Tampa

Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the specter of annexing Canada since his inauguration to a second term as president.

The president’s rhetoric about making Canada “the 51st state” may seem to project confidence, a 21st-century vision of manifest destiny, a belief in the United States’ right and obligation to expand.

Trump is not the first American leader to dream of northern expansion. To me, a historian of early U.S.-Canadian relations, these designs suggest not power, but weakness and simmering divisions inside the United States.

Early Americans’ lust for Canada

Even before independence, social conflict helped turn American eyes northward. Throughout the 18th century, England’s Colonial population in North America doubled every 25 years. Successive generations of Colonists along the Eastern Seaboard had to compete with each other, and with Indigenous people, for resources, arable land and trade.

These unhappy, land-hungry Colonists clamored for expansion, instigating a series of wars against both the French and Spanish empires for control of the northeastern half of the continent, culminating in the French and Indian War, from 1754 to 1763.

While these Colonists were animated by their thirst for expansion, they had little else unifying them. Many Americans today are familiar with the “Join, or Die” cartoon Ben Franklin printed, featuring a segmented snake with each section representing one of the Colonies. However, few realize that it was not crafted during the Revolution to unite Colonists against Britain, but in 1754, to rally divided British Colonists in their war against France.

This famous image urging the American Colonies to unite was in support of a war against France, not Britain.
Benjamin Franklin via Wikimedia Commons

Britain finished conquering Canada in 1763, but the empire never fully supported Colonial expansion northward. In the 1750s and 1760s, British troops forcibly removed French colonists from Acadia in Nova Scotia and recruited thousands of Colonists from neighboring New England to move north. These settlers had long imagined the region rich in fishing and timber to be a land of opportunity. But disillusioned by the financial cost of sustaining their settlements, many of these Colonists returned to New England by the early 1770s.

Attempts to settle other lands ceded by France were no more successful. Fearful that Colonists might provoke a costly war with Indigenous people, Parliament issued the Proclamation of 1763, which attempted to protect native land by discouraging Colonial expansion westward. Many Colonists turned against Britain in response, especially those like George Washington, who had speculated in the land west of the Appalachian Mountains.

The failed invasion of Canada

In the earliest months of the Revolution, the Continental Congress authorized an American invasion of British-occupied Quebec. In a letter addressed to “Friends and Brethren” of Canada, Washington himself implored Canadians to join invading troops. “The Cause of America, and of Liberty, is the Cause of every virtuous American Citizen,” he wrote. “Come then, ye generous Citizens, range yourselves under the Standard of general Liberty.”

But at home, Colonists were far from united in their rebellion. Historians estimate that around 20% of the white Colonial population, more than 500,000 people, remained loyal to Britain, and an even larger number hoped to remain neutral.

The difficult realities of conquest also turned many soldiers against the invasion of Canada. In late October 1775, nearly a quarter of the underfed and overworked troops under the command of soon-to-be turncoat Benedict Arnold abandoned their arduous journey through interior Maine toward Canada. The soldiers who carried on prayed these deserters “might die by the way, or meet with some disaster, Equal to the Cowardly dastardly and unfriendly Spirit they discover’d in returning Back without orders.”

The more resilient troops who reached Quebec were emphatically defeated by British forces in December, making Washington skeptical of any future efforts to attack Canada.

American troops clash with British soldiers and the French defenders of Quebec in December 1775.
Charles William Jefferys, cover art for ‘The Father of British Canada: A Chronicle of Carleton,’ Volume 12 by William Wood, 1916

19th-century divisions

Following American independence, tens of thousands of loyal Colonists sailed north to Canada, determined to build British colonies that would become what one of these refugees called “the envy of the American States.” Their presence on the contested northern border was an unsettling reminder to the new American nation about the power Britain still exerted on the continent.

Conflict with Britain over land and trade in the early 1800s reopened old divisions among Americans. Virginia Congressman John Randolph expressed his frustrations with renewed calls for a northern invasion. “We have but one word, like the whip-poor-will, but one eternal monstrous tone,” an exasperated Randolph noted, “Canada! Canada! Canada!”

The debate over Canada was one of many issues dividing the nation, and as President James Madison would later explain, he hoped that war would help unify a polarized nation. His gamble paid off, but only after opponents from New England flirted with the idea of secession to negotiate their own end to conflict.

When the popular editor and columnist John O’Sullivan called for the annexation of Texas and war with Mexico in 1845, he also suggested the annexation of Canada would naturally follow. The anti-expansionist response united pacifists, abolitionists and a variety of religious and literary figures, helping deepen the divides that would lead to the Civil War.

Annexation talk in the 20th century

Trump’s posturing has served to unite Canadians and revive Canadian nationalism. In the U.S., most people seem to understand the practical hurdles of adding a new state or dismiss the idea altogether.

A Canadian demonstrates in Washington, D.C., against President Donald Trump’s policies on Feb. 17, 2025.
Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

One example of annexation talk from the 20th century, however, might serve as a warning to Trump, showing how aggressive rhetoric toward Canada has led to political defeat. In 1911, a bill creating free trade with Canada passed Congress with the support of President William Taft, despite objections from protectionists in both parties.

In an attempt to have the agreement defeated in the Canadian Parliament, U.S. opponents from both sides of the aisle attempted to stir popular sentiment against the U.S. in Canada. Champ Clark, the Democratic speaker of the House and a front-runner for the presidential nomination in 1912, seized on the moment.

“I hope to see the day when the American flag will float over every square foot of the British North American possessions, clear to the North Pole,” Champ proclaimed on the House floor. William Stiles Bennet, a Republican, proposed a resolution that would authorize the president to begin negotiations for annexation.

Their approach to defeating the trade agreement worked, at least in Canada. In the general election of September 1911, worried Canadian voters ousted the Liberal Party, which had supported free trade, and the new Conservative majority rejected the agreement.

Back home, however, the plan backfired. Woodrow Wilson, not Clark, secured the Democratic nomination in 1912 and would go on to defeat both the incumbent Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt. The bluster led not to success and victory, but loss and defeat.

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

– ref. America’s designs on annexing Canada have a long history − and record of political failures – https://theconversation.com/americas-designs-on-annexing-canada-have-a-long-history-and-record-of-political-failures-250229

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What is isolationism? The history and politics of an often-maligned foreign policy concept

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Andrew Latham, Professor of Political Science, Macalester College

Isolationism has deep roots in American foreign policy stretching back to George Washington. FotografiaBasica/Getty Images

Few terms in American foreign policy discourse are as misunderstood or politically charged as “isolationism.”

Often used as a political weapon, the term conjures images of a retreating America, indifferent to global challenges.

However, the reality is more complex. For example, some commentators argue that President Donald Trump’s return to the White House signals a new era of isolationism. But others contend his foreign policy is more akin to “sovereigntism,” which prioritizes national autonomy and decision-making free from external constraints, and advocates for international engagement only when it directly serves a nation’s interests.

Understanding isolationism’s role in U.S. policy requires a closer look at its historical roots and political usage.

‘Entangling alliances’

The idea of avoiding foreign entanglements has been a part of American strategic thinking since the country’s founding. President George Washington’s famous warning against “entangling alliances” reflected a desire to insulate the young republic from European conflicts.

Throughout the 19th century, this sentiment shaped U.S. policy, though not exclusively. The country expanded its influence in the Western Hemisphere, maintained strong economic ties abroad and occasionally intervened in regional affairs.

This cautious approach allowed the U.S. to develop its economy and military strength without becoming deeply embroiled in European rivalries.

After World War I, isolationism became more pronounced. The staggering human and financial costs of the war led many Americans to question deep international involvement. Skepticism toward President Woodrow Wilson’s League of Nations reinforced this sentiment, and in the 1930s, the U.S. passed Neutrality Acts designed to keep the country out of foreign wars. However, this approach proved unsustainable.

Though getting increasingly involved in the European conflict in the years before the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, that day officially led the U.S. into World War II, marking the definitive end of traditional isolationism. With the war’s conclusion, American strategic thinking shifted, recognizing that even partial disengagement was no longer an option in a globalized world.

Isolationism as a slur

In the postwar era, isolationism devolved from a coherent strategic perspective into a term of political derision. During the Cold War, those who opposed military alliances like NATO or U.S. interventions in Korea and Vietnam were often dismissed as isolationists, regardless of their actual policy preferences.

This framing marginalized critics of U.S. global engagement, even when their concerns were grounded in strategic prudence rather than a reflexive desire to withdraw from the world.

The same pattern persisted going into the 21st century. In debates over U.S. involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine, critics of expansive military commitments were frequently labeled isolationists, despite advocating for a recalibration of foreign policy rather than outright disengagement.

Many of those calling for an end to America’s “forever wars” did not argue for global retreat but for a prioritization of national interests over the broad defense of the so-called rules-based international order.

A persistent myth is that isolationism represents a total disengagement from the world. Historically, even during its peak, isolationism in the U.S. was never absolute. Trade, diplomacy and cultural exchanges continued even in periods marked by reluctance to intervene militarily. What critics of interventionism have historically sought is prudence in foreign affairs – avoiding unnecessary wars while ensuring the protection of core national interests.

Moving beyond isolationism

In recent years, “restraint” has gained traction as a more precise and useful framework for U.S. foreign policy. Unlike isolationism, restraint does not imply withdrawal from global affairs but rather advocates a more selective and strategic approach.

Proponents argue that the U.S. should avoid unnecessary wars, focus on core national interests and work with its allies to maintain stability rather than relying on unilateral military action. This perspective acknowledges the limits of American power and the risks of overextension while still recognizing the necessity of international engagement. Advocates of restraint suggest that recalibrating U.S. foreign policy would allow the country to address pressing domestic concerns while maintaining a strong international presence where it matters most.

As the U.S. reassesses decades of intervention, restraint offers a middle path between disengagement and unrestrained global activism. It encourages a more thoughtful and sustainable approach to foreign policy that prioritizes long-term stability and national interests over automatic involvement in conflicts.

Moving beyond the outdated and politically charged debate over isolationism would, I believe, allow for a more productive conversation about how the U.S. can engage globally in a way that is both effective and aligned with its strategic interests.

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

– ref. What is isolationism? The history and politics of an often-maligned foreign policy concept – https://theconversation.com/what-is-isolationism-the-history-and-politics-of-an-often-maligned-foreign-policy-concept-245201

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 4, 2025
MIL-OSI China: What to know about CPPCC in China’s democratic process

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

BEIJING, March 3 — Around 2,100 members will attend the annual session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China’s top political advisory body, which is set to open on Tuesday.

This session and the annual session of the National People’s Congress, China’s national legislature, form the “two sessions” of the country, making headlines every year in this country.

ROLES OF CPPCC

The CPPCC is an initiative that brings together various political parties in the country, prominent individuals without party affiliation, people’s organizations, and individuals from all ethnic groups and sectors of society to participate in the political system.

It is a key mechanism for multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and fulfills a major role in the promotion of socialist democracy and the practice of whole-process people’s democracy in China.

The CPPCC promotes unity and cooperation among its participating political parties and individuals without party affiliation. It also works to promote democracy and offer proposals on state affairs while fostering consensus.

The CPPCC consists of a national committee and local committees. The national committee guides the work of local committees and they all enjoy a term of five years.

The main functions of the national committee are political consultation, democratic oversight, and participation in and deliberation of state affairs.

SECTORS OF NATIONAL POLITICAL ADVISORS

Members of the CPPCC National Committee are from a wide range of sectors, such as literature and arts, science and technology, the social sciences, and economics. They are selected through extensive consultations within their respective circles.

Individuals from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions are also among members of the top political advisory body.

The 14th CPPCC National Committee consists of 34 sectors. Among them, the sector of environment and resources was established in 2023 to help promote green transformation and development.

DUTIES OF NATIONAL POLITICAL ADVISORS

National political advisors can help with formulating national policies by raising comments and suggestions after thorough research and consultations.

Their comments and suggestions, when formally documented and submitted, are officially referred to as proposals. Each proposal, whether adopted or not, must receive a reply.

During the annual session, national political advisors usually hold group meetings to deliberate the work report of the top political advisory body and a report on how the proposals from political advisors have been handled. They also sit in on the annual session of the national legislature as non-voting participants to hear and discuss documents — including the government work report.

Political advisors are encouraged to engage deeply with the people and their communities, seek people’s opinions and suggestions, and effectively reach out to, serve, unite and guide their respective sectors throughout the year.

MIL OSI China News –

March 4, 2025

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Important next steps

Harnessing Gen A.I.: A Smarter, Data-Driven Future

Sustainability: The New Frontier in Finance

Infrastructure Financing for a Sustainable and Digital Future

Conclusion

Cotton ball cumulus clouds

Wispy cirrus are ice clouds

Fog and stratus clouds

How mountains can create their own clouds

Wind plays a big role

Early Americans’ lust for Canada

The failed invasion of Canada

19th-century divisions

Annexation talk in the 20th century

‘Entangling alliances’

Isolationism as a slur

Moving beyond isolationism