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Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/INDIA – The Jubilee Year in Tamil Nadu: giving new hope to the Dalits

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Bangalore (Agenzia Fides) – “For the Dalits, the Jubilee means hoping for the recognition of their human dignity; it means breaking the spiral of discrimination and exclusion. The Jubilee period is a time of hope for them to escape from the caste mentality and enjoy opportunities in society and in the Church on an equal basis with other citizens,” said Franciscan Father Nithya Sagayam OFM Cap, Secretary of the Commission for Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCST) of the Council of Catholic Bishops of the State of Tamil Nadu, to Fides, referring to the Jubilee Year in the South Indian state. In an area that includes 18 dioceses and 38 civil districts, the religious works for the development, emancipation and spiritual accompaniment of the Dalits (the so-called “untouchables”), who make up 20% of the state’s population (81 million inhabitants in total) and live mainly in rural areas, with little or no access to education and social services. “Among the Catholics in Tamil Nadu (7.5 million believers in total)”, said the Franciscan Father, “Dalits make up about 60 percent, and they are the poorest of the poor, the excluded, the deprived of dignity. It is therefore important for the Catholic community to stand by them and to set out with them on the path of hope, as the Pope wishes at this time of the Jubilee.” “It is about awakening in them the hope of human dignity, of a life worth living, which they do not just spend resignedly on the fringes of society and history. Here, a caste mentality still prevails, which irreversibly relegates them to the last place,” he notes. The Commission for the Dalits of the Council of Bishops of Tamil Nadu has drawn up a program with various initiatives on the occasion of the Jubilee: “The first,” he reports, “is education and learning the English language to improve their situation and the possibility of employment; then there are emancipation initiatives such as seminars to learn how to do business, to start small economic activities; there is also the desire to deal with the phenomenon of emigration, since Dalits live in rural villages and tend to migrate to the cities”. “In this pilgrimage of hope alongside them – the religious concluded – we are always helped by faith in Jesus Christ, who has given salvation to all, so that each of us, each Dalit, is a beloved child’. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 24/1/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wood burning stoves are a serious problem for your health – and the environment

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Asit Kumar Mishra, Research Fellow in School of Public of Health, University College Cork

    Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

    There is something cosy and appealing about settling down next to a roaring fire in winter but, every year, nearly 61,000 premature deaths in Europe are caused by air pollution as a result of people burning wood or coal to heat their homes.

    Wood-burning stoves are often considered safer, cleaner and more attractive than open fires. This may, in part, explain why from 2021 to 2022, sales of wood-burning stoves increased by 40% in the UK.

    However, burning wood is not necessarily a healthier or greener alternative to coal or gas for home heating.

    Wood burning produces a complex chemical mixture of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and gases, which can be breathed deep into the lungs. The specific contents vary based on the type of stove and the type of fuel, but chemicals can include carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and a range of volatile organic compounds, such as cancer-causing formaldehyde and benzene.

    Exposure to wood smoke affects the heart, blood vessels and the respiratory system – and PM2.5 is considered to be the biggest threat. Wood smoke increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes and can exacerbate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Exposure to PM2.5 from wood burning can also cause premature death.

    Exposure to this pollution also leads to loss of work days, reduced productivity, higher expenses on healthcare and increased hospital admissions.

    The risks are higher for people over 65, children, pregnant women and people with existing heart or lung conditions. Chronic wood smoke inhalation has been associated with systemic inflammation, which can make the lungs more vulnerable to infections, such as flu and COVID.

    In the UK and Ireland, solid fuel heating is the main source of outdoor PM2.5 during wintertime. While wood is the dominant solid fuel in the UK, peat burning is regularly found to make the largest contribution to PM2.5 in Ireland.

    Under cold, stagnant weather conditions, air pollution, even in small rural towns, can be as high as that found in very polluted parts of north India.

    Exposure to outdoor air pollution caused by wood burning is an obvious health risk. But the pollution also finds its way into homes, worsening indoor air quality. Also, when lighting or refuelling a wood stove, large quantities of PM2.5 escape into the indoor air. Depending on how effective the home ventilation is, the PM2.5 levels can take hours to reduce.

    Looks aren’t everything

    In surveys carried out in Ireland and the UK, it was found that most people using solid fuel stoves did it for the aesthetics and the “homely feel”. The desire to save money or necessity came next.

    Most people who use indoor wood burning in London are in wealthier neighbourhoods, while those most affected by the consequent air pollution are in poorer areas.

    Educational campaigns regarding the effect of wood-burning stoves on health and the environment can be an important tool to reduce their usage. New initiatives, such as the Clean Air Night held in the UK and Ireland, are valuable in raising awareness and possibly changing long-term heating habits.

    Encouraging users to move to more efficient and renewable heating technologies like heat pumps can reduce emissions and harm to health. This move even works out to be cheaper, except for people who source their own wood.

    Communities can also be provided with information on their local air quality, allowing them to visualise real-time effects of their actions. For example, the PM2.5 sensor network map for Cork is freely accessible to the community and identifies locations and times when PM2.5 pollution is unhealthy.

    If you have a wood burner, you could check that the pollution levels aren’t too high before you fire it up.

    How to reduce emissions

    People who rely on solid fuel stoves as their only source of home heating can adopt the following measures to reduce emissions. Use low-emission labelled stoves that reduce pollution. When burning, have small hot fires, with enough air supply and do not let the fire smoulder.

    Choose carefully what is burnt, in compliance with relevant regulations. Do not burn garbage, plastics, cardboard, treated or painted wood in your stoves. These items increase exposure to toxic pollutants.

    Ensure that stoves are installed and maintained annually by professionals. And, when lighting up or refuelling, make sure that the room the stove is in is well ventilated. This means open windows, no blocked vents, and exhaust fans or kitchen hoods can be used for additional ventilation.

    People who use solid fuel stoves as a secondary source of heating could consider using the stove less or even stopping using it altogether. That really would be a breath of fresh air.

    Asit Kumar Mishra is a DOROTHY co-fund Fellow and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow and receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101034345.

    John Wenger has previously received funding from several governmental organisations in Ireland for research into solid fuel burning, including the EPA and Irish Research Council.

    – ref. Wood burning stoves are a serious problem for your health – and the environment – https://theconversation.com/wood-burning-stoves-are-a-serious-problem-for-your-health-and-the-environment-245737

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Fo Tan today

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Fo Tan today
    Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Fo Tan today
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Fo Tan this afternoon (January 24), in which a male worker, while dismantling a metal I-beam on an elevating work platform, was struck by the suspended dismantled portion of the I-beam and fell from the work platform to the ground. He was certified dead at the scene. The LD is saddened by death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.     The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the dismantling work of I-beams at the construction site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”     The spokesman added, “We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”                     To protect workers’ safety, the LD reminds contractors that substantive support shall be provided to the structures being dismantled to prevent them from accidental displacement or sudden collapse during dismantling work.      The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.     In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application “OSH 2.0”, website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

     
    Ends/Friday, January 24, 2025Issued at HKT 21:30

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: London ETO supports Year of Snake screenings at British Film Institute (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    London ETO supports Year of Snake screenings at British Film Institute (with photos)
    London ETO supports Year of Snake screenings at British Film Institute (with photos)
    ************************************************************************************

         The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO) partnered with Focus Hong Kong to celebrate the Year of the Snake with a curated selection of Hong Kong films at the British Film Institute (BFI) Southbank in London from January 23 to 26 (London time).     The Director-General of the London ETO, Mr Gilford Law, remarked that the office is committed to supporting initiatives that showcase the vibrancy and creativity of Hong Kong’s film industry on the international stage. “The Government will continue to strengthen support to Hong Kong film industry through the Film Development Fund, increase the exposure of the Hong Kong film industry globally, and leverage the cultural influence of films to strengthen tourism promotion and attract more visitors to Hong Kong,” Mr Law added.      The Focus Hong Kong Chinese New Year programme showcases three films at the BFI, namely, the UK Premiere of “True Love, for Once in My Life”, “All Shall be Well” and “Shanghai Blues (4K Restoration)”. 

     
    Ends/Friday, January 24, 2025Issued at HKT 21:40

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Amid LA fires, neighbors helped each other survive – 60 years of research shows local heroes are crucial to disaster response

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Tricia Wachtendorf, Professor of Sociology and Director, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware

    Neighbors fill and pass a bucket of pool water to help extinguish a spot fire in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Jan. 9, 2025. Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Image

    As wildfires swept through neighborhoods on the outskirts of Los Angeles in January 2025, stories about residents there helping their neighbors and total strangers began trickling out on social media.

    Accounts of Hollywood stars clearing streets for emergency vehicles to get through and raising money for fire victims were widely circulated. But there were many other examples of less-famous people helping older neighbors to safety, and even showing up with trailers to evacuate horses.

    Businesses, including fitness centers, opened their facilities so evacuees could shower or charge their phones. Organizations that routinely work with homeless populations quickly mobilized their members to help ensure people living on the streets and in camps could get to secure, safe locations away from the fires and hazardous air quality.

    Disasters, by definition, overwhelm local resources, making civilian responders like these essential. Sixty years of research at the University of Delaware’s Disaster Research Center and by others examining the social aspects of disaster has repeatedly shown effective disaster management requires mobilizing community resources far beyond official channels.

    Often the response happens through local groups that form in response to a clear need in the community and with shared skills and interests. And this is exactly what we are witnessing in Los Angeles.

    Civilians helping often number in the thousands

    The number of those who step up to help during disasters varies by event, but it can be tremendous.

    Following the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, over 6,800 volunteers worked with the Red Cross on the response. That same year, volunteers responding to the Kobe earthquake in Japan logged more than 1 million person-days of activity, a measure of the number of people times the hours they contributed.

    People use garden hoses to try to prevent homes from catching fire in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. Neighbors rushed to help neighbors as the wind blew burning embers into neighborhoods.
    Mario Tama/Getty Images

    In an in-depth study of the Sept. 11, 2001, World Trade Center attacks, we interviewed local residents who used their retired fireboat to pump water for the firefighters at ground zero. Operators of tug, ferry and tour boats in and around New York City immediately responded to quickly evacuate 500,000 people in the area from danger. In fact, the majority of the boats involved belonged to private companies. Other volunteers queued evacuees and organized supplies and rides to get people home.

    Over 900 people, most acting in unofficial capacities, were awarded medals or ribbons for their efforts in just the marine response after the World Trade Center attack.

    A survey of residents after the 1985 Mexico City earthquake found that nearly 10% of local residents volunteered in the first three weeks of the response. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, in California, a survey of residents in Santa Cruz and San Francisco counties found that two-thirds of the public were involved in response activities.

    Local businesses are often quick to help in disasters. Greg Dulan, center, who runs a soul food restaurant and food truck, hands out hot meals to wildfire evacuees at a church in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 15, 2025.
    Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

    However, much of the work local residents contribute during and after disasters goes unaccounted for in official reports.

    There is no mechanism to quantify the full extent to which a neighbor or a complete stranger helps someone flee from peril. Yet when people are trapped and minutes count, research shows it is family, friends and neighbors who are already on the scene and are most likely to save lives. It’s often everyday citizens who also take on immediate tasks such as debris removal. Providing a phone, a car, a place to do laundry, or a little bit of elbow grease can fill a gap and let firefighters and other formal responders focus on critical operations.

    Getting the right help to where it’s needed

    Every study of a large-scale disaster conducted by the Disaster Research Center has revealed some level of emergent, informal helping behavior.

    The lack of public understanding about the large number of local residents already involved, often including disaster victims themselves, can lead to an influx of outsiders eager to help. Their arrival can actually pose challenges for the disaster response.

    When too many people show up, or when people try to operate outside their areas of expertise, they can put themselves and others at further risk. Communities often need supplies, but unsolicited goods of the wrong kind or at the wrong time can create more problems than they solve.

    Local groups such as the Pasadena Community Job Center organize volunteers to send them where help is requested. This group is removing debris from streets in Pasadena, Calif., in the wake of the Eaton Fire on Jan. 14, 2025.
    Zoë Meyers/AFP via Getty Images

    So, what can you do to best support these local efforts?

    Making a financial contribution to a trusted disaster response or local organization can go a long way to providing the support communities actually need. Organizations such as the American Red Cross or Feeding America, or local community-based groups that routinely work in the area, are often best suited to help where it’s needed the most.

    Skilled help will be needed for the long term

    Also, remember that disasters don’t end when the emergency is over. Survivors of the Los Angeles-area fires face years of confusing and frustrating recovery tasks ahead.

    Offering help after the immediate threat has passed – particularly skilled help, such as experience in construction or expertise in managing insurance and FEMA paperwork – is just as important.

    For example, after fires in 1970 destroyed hundreds of homes in the San Diego area, local architects, engineers and contractors donated their time and skills to help people rebuild. Their work was coordinated by a local architect and member of the Chamber of Commerce to ensure projects were assigned to reputable volunteers.

    As we recognize the important ways that neighbors and strangers helped those around them, the broader community can support wildfire victims by responding to offering the right help as recovery needs emerge. Just about every skill that is useful in calm times will be needed in these difficult months and years ahead.

    Tricia Wachtendorf receives funding from the National Science Foundation and Arnold Ventures Foundation.

    James Kendra receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    – ref. Amid LA fires, neighbors helped each other survive – 60 years of research shows local heroes are crucial to disaster response – https://theconversation.com/amid-la-fires-neighbors-helped-each-other-survive-60-years-of-research-shows-local-heroes-are-crucial-to-disaster-response-247660

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI announces rate of interest on GOI FRB 2035

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The rate of interest on the Government of India Floating Rate Bonds, 2035 (GOI FRB 2035) applicable for the period January 25, 2025 to January 24, 2030 shall be 6.66 per cent per annum.

    It may be recalled that the GOI FRB 2035 was issued on January 25, 2005 by the Government of India to the Reserve Bank of India on private placement basis against the transfer of subordinated debt of IDFC. The rate of interest of the bonds shall be reset by the Bank every five years at the prevailing 5-year yield on Government of India securities as on the last working day prior to commencement of each period of five years. Accordingly, the coupon of the GOI FRB 2035 has been fixed on the basis of secondary market transactions in Government of India securities as on January 24, 2025.

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2005

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Defying the Odds | World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    What does a British Olympic champion diver who was bullied at an early age for his success and a renowned chef and restaurateur who grew up as a “second daughter” in traditional India have in common?

    Join this conversation with two leaders who, while navigating social stigmatization, have forged platforms to advocate women’s empowerment and LGBTQ+ rights.

    Speakers: Tom Daley, Asma Khan, Richard Quest

    The 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum will provide a crucial space to focus on the fundamental principles driving trust, including transparency, consistency and accountability.

    This Annual Meeting will welcome over 100 governments, all major international organizations, 1000 Forum’s Partners, as well as civil society leaders, experts, youth representatives, social entrepreneurs, and news outlets.

    The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/
    Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/
    YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef
    Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/
    X ► https://twitter.com/wef
    LinkedIn ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum
    TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@worldeconomicforum
    Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF

    #Davos2025 #WorldEconomicForum #wef25

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLbT4TBEFbo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: Key Tronic Corporation Announces Preliminary Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash., Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Key Tronic Corporation (Nasdaq: KTCC), a provider of electronic manufacturing services (EMS), today announced its preliminary results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 ending December 28, 2024.

    For the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, Key Tronic anticipates reporting revenue of approximately $114 million, and a net loss of approximately $0.40-$0.48 per share, both of which are below previous guidance. The lower than anticipated revenue and earnings for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 are primarily due to the impact from unexpected component shortages, lower-than-expected production during the holiday season, and reduced demand from certain customers which together lowered revenue by approximately $15 million for the quarter. As previously announced, the Company also expects to report approximately $1.0 million in write-offs of unamortized loan fees related to refinancing its debt with a new lender.

    Key Tronic expects revenue and earnings to recover in the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 as strategic initiatives undertaken in previous quarters come to fruition. The Company is actively streamlining its international and domestic operations, with further headcount reductions to enhance efficiency, building on similar actions announced in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024. At the same time, Key Tronic continues to win new programs involving aerospace systems and energy resiliency technology products, which was announced in a separate press release on January 24, 2025, and has reduced inventories to be more in line with current revenue levels.

    For the third quarter of 2025, the Company expects to report revenue in the range of $115 million to $130 million and earnings in the range of $0.00 to $0.15 per diluted share.

    The revenue and earnings estimates for the second and third quarters of fiscal 2025, and the finalization of financial results for the second quarter of 2025, are subject to completion of the Company’s quarterly close and review procedures which are still ongoing. The Company plans to report its complete results and host its earnings conference call for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 on February 4, 2025. Details for the conference call have been announced in a separate press release.

    About Key Tronic

    Key Tronic is a leading contract manufacturer offering value-added design and manufacturing services from its facilities in the United States, Mexico, China and Vietnam. The Company provides its customers full engineering services, materials management, worldwide manufacturing facilities, assembly services, in-house testing, and worldwide distribution. Its customers include some of the world’s leading original equipment manufacturers. For more information about Key Tronic visit: http://www.keytronic.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Some of the statements in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to those including such words as aims, anticipates, believes, continues, estimates, expects, hopes, intends, plans, predicts, projects, targets, will, or would, similar verbs, or nouns corresponding to such verbs, which may be forward looking. Forward-looking statements also include other passages that are relevant to expected future events, performances, and actions or that can only be fully evaluated by events that will occur in the future. Forward-looking statements in this release include, without limitation, the Company’s statements regarding its expectations with respect to financial conditions and results, including revenue and earnings, cost savings from headcount reduction and the Mexican Peso exchange rate, demand for certain products and the effectiveness of some of its programs, business from customers and programs, and impacts from operational streamlining and efficiencies, including reductions in inventories. There are many factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted or projected in forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the future of the global economic environment and its impact on our customers and suppliers; the availability of components from the supply chain; the availability of a healthy workforce; the accuracy of suppliers’ and customers’ forecasts; development and success of customers’ programs and products; timing and effectiveness of ramping of new programs; success of new-product introductions; the risk of legal proceedings or governmental investigations relating to the previously reported financial statement restatements and related material weaknesses, the May 2024 cybersecurity incident and the subject of the internal investigation by the Company’s Audit Committee and related or other unrelated matters; acquisitions or divestitures of operations or facilities; technology advances; changes in pricing policies by the Company, its competitors, customers or suppliers; impact of new governmental legislation and regulation, including tax reform, tariffs and related activities, such trade negotiations and other risks; and other factors, risks, and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s SEC filings.

         
    CONTACTS: Anthony G. Voorhees Michael Newman
      Chief Financial Officer Investor Relations
      Key Tronic Corporation StreetConnect
      (509) 927-5345 (206) 729-3625

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Key Tronic Corporation Announces Second Quarter Reporting Date

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash., Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Key Tronic Corporation (Nasdaq: KTCC), announced today that it plans to report its results for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 after market close on February 4, 2025.

    Key Tronic will host a conference call to discuss its financial results at 2:00 PM Pacific (5:00 PM Eastern) on February 4, 2025. A broadcast of the conference call will be available at http://www.keytronic.com under “Investor Relations” or by calling 888-394-8218 or +1-313-209-4906 (Access Code: 2254355). A replay will be available at http://www.keytronic.com under “Investor Relations”.

    About Key Tronic

    Key Tronic is a leading contract manufacturer offering value-added design and manufacturing services from its facilities in the United States, Mexico, China and Vietnam. The Company provides its customers full engineering services, materials management, worldwide manufacturing facilities, assembly services, in-house testing, and worldwide distribution. Its customers include some of the world’s leading original equipment manufacturers. For more information about Key Tronic visit: http://www.keytronic.com.

    CONTACTS: Anthony G. Voorhees Michael Newman
      Chief Financial Officer Investor Relations
      Key Tronic Corporation StreetConnect
      (509) 927-5345 (206) 729-3625

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: AvePoint Submits Application for Dual Listing on the Singapore Exchange

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AvePoint (Nasdaq: AVPT), the global leader in data security, governance, and resilience, has submitted an application to list its shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”), on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the “SGX-ST”). The Company’s Shares currently trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, and if such application is approved would also trade on the SGX-ST. 

    “Our application to list AvePoint’s common stock on the Singapore Exchange – which would be in addition to our current and continuing listing on Nasdaq – aligns with our ongoing strategy to broaden our presence in the APAC region, where we have a long and successful track record,” said Dr. Tianyi Jiang (TJ), CEO and Co-Founder, AvePoint. “We established a presence in Singapore in 2009, and since then have fostered strong relationships with governmental organizations and corporations in the region; today, Singapore serves as our Asia headquarters and International R&D Hub. Finally, we believe that our consistent execution and strong financial performance, both globally and particularly in APAC, will make us attractive to APAC-focused investors seeking in-region high quality B2B SaaS opportunities.”

    No final decision or commitment has been made as to the timing, terms or conditions of any such listing on the SGX-ST, and the Company may decide to not proceed with an SGX-ST listing of its Shares.

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

    About AvePoint:

    Securing the Future. AvePoint is a global leader in data security, governance, and resilience, and over 21,000 customers worldwide rely on our solutions to modernize the digital workplace across Microsoft, Google, Salesforce and other collaboration environments. AvePoint’s global channel partner program includes over 3,500 managed service providers, value added resellers and systems integrators, with our solutions available in more than 100 cloud marketplaces. To learn more, visit http://www.avepoint.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements:

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws including statements regarding the future performance of and market opportunities for AvePoint. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: changes in the competitive and regulated industries in which AvePoint operates, variations in operating performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting AvePoint’s business and changes in AvePoint’s ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and ability to identify and realize additional opportunities, and the risk of downturns in the market and the technology industry. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of AvePoint’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Copies of these and other documents filed by AvePoint from time to time are available on the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and AvePoint does not assume any obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements after the date of this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. AvePoint does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations. Unless the context otherwise indicates, references in this press release to the terms “AvePoint”, “the Company”, “we”, “our” and “us” refer to AvePoint, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

    Disclosure Information:

    AvePoint uses the https://www.avepoint.com/ir website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD.

    Investor Contact
    AvePoint
    Jamie Arestia
    ir@avepoint.com
    (551) 220-5654

    Media Contact
    AvePoint
    Nicole Caci
    pr@avepoint.com
    (201) 201-8143

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: First Federal Savings Bank and ICBA Provide Tips to Safeguard Sensitive Information During Data Privacy Week Jan 24-28

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EVANSVILLE, Ind., Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In recognition of Data Privacy Week, First Federal Savings Bank and the Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA) are reminding customers to take steps to safeguard their sensitive data and shield against financial losses in the event of a compromise or data breach. The global average cost of a data breach in 2024 was $4.88 million, a 10 percent increase over 2023 and the highest ever recorded.

    “While there’s no fool-proof method to safeguard sensitive data, at First Federal Savings Bank, we believe that an important step in the fight against such attacks is arming customers with the proper protocols to reduce their exposure,” said Christy McBride, Chief Operations Officer & Information Security Officer, EVP. “As a community bank, First Federal Savings Bank uses sophisticated technology and monitoring techniques, intricate firewalls, and other methods to secure customer data. Additionally, we maintain stringent privacy policies and educate employees to treat confidential information with the utmost care.”

    Reducing Your Risk
    As a consumer you also can help minimize your risk by:

    • Restricting use of public wi-fi and computers—These networks may be convenient but are not as secure. If you make purchases while away from your home or work network, use a virtual private network or mobile hotspot.
    • Limiting disclosed information—Never respond to requests for personal information such as your banking ID, account number, username, or password, even if they appear to originate from your bank, government agencies or officials, or companies with which you have a relationship.
    • Taking advantage of security features—Update your computer security software and apply software updates to your computer system, mobile devices, web browsers, and operating system regularly to defend against viruses, malware, and other online threats.
    • Monitoring account activity—Carefully review bank statements, card transactions, and check your credit report regularly for unusual or unexplained charges, unknown accounts in your name, or unexpected denials on your card and report any suspicious activity to your bank immediately.
    • Protecting each account with a unique, complex password—Use numbers and symbols at least 12 characters long along with using a password manager. Use multifactor authentication for accounts that allow it.

    Responding to a Data Breach
    In the unfortunate event of a data breach, to minimize your risk:

    • Consider a security freeze on your credit report to restrict credit file access.
    • Set up a fraud alert, which directs banks to verify your identity before opening a new account, issuing an additional card, or increasing the credit limit on an existing account.
    • Shred documents with personal or sensitive information and change your passwords.
    • Report stolen finances or identities and other cybercrime to the Internet Crime Complaint Center and to your local law enforcement and/or state attorney general.

    Learn more about how to protect your digital life by visiting the Stay Safe Online website and spreading the word on social media with the hashtag #BeCyberSmart.

    About First Federal Savings Bank Member FDIC

    First Federal Savings Bank was established on Evansville, Indiana’s Westside in 1904. A community bank offering eight locations in Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, and Henderson County. First Federal Savings Bank is also proud to offer Home Building Savings Bank locations in Daviess and Pike County.

    About ICBA

    The Independent Community Bankers of America® has one mission: to create and promote an environment where community banks flourish. We power the potential of the nation’s community banks through effective advocacy, education, and innovation.

    As local and trusted sources of credit, America’s community banks leverage their relationship-based business model and innovative offerings to channel deposits into the neighborhoods they serve, creating jobs, fostering economic prosperity, and fueling their customers’ financial goals and dreams. For more information, visit ICBA’s website at icba.org.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Key Tronic Corporation Awarded Major New Contract with Energy Resilience Technology Provider

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash., Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Key Tronic Corporation (Nasdaq KTCC), a world class provider of manufacturing and design engineering services, today announced that it expects to begin manufacturing in the second half of 2025 for a market revolutionizing, innovative energy resilience technology provider.   

    Key Tronic has been awarded the manufacturing of an industry leading, innovative energy resiliency product. Initial production will ramp in late 2025 at the Key Tronic manufacturing campuses in Juarez, Mexico and Arkansas. Once fully ramped, Key Tronic believes the yearly revenue could exceed $60 million dollars.

    “We are looking forward to the design and manufacturing expertise of Key Tronic to help accelerate introduction of new products, as well as enhance our ability to increase product availability to fulfill the anticipated overwhelming demand,” said the CEO of Key Tronic’s new customer.

    “We are very excited to be working with a recognized, emerging leader in the energy resiliency industry,” said Brett Larsen, President and CEO of Key Tronic. “The product has the potential to assist in better asset management and public safety by ensuring increased vigilance across all operations. Our new customer is a highly respected company and we are thrilled to be involved with a product that can assist in the greater good. This important new strategic relationship represents an expansion of our customer base and we expect it will contribute to profitable long term growth.”

    About Key Tronic

    Key Tronic is a leading design engineering and contract manufacturer offering value-added design and manufacturing services from its facilities in the United States, Mexico, China and Vietnam. Key Tronic provides its customers full engineering services, materials management, worldwide manufacturing facilities, assembly services, in-house testing, and worldwide distribution. Its customers include some of the world’s leading original equipment manufacturers. For more information about Key Tronic visit: http://www.keytronic.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Some of the statements in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including Key Tronic’s opportunities and its partnership, the potential success of Key Tronic and the customer, and related revenues. Forward-looking statements include all passages containing verbs such as aims, anticipates, believes, estimates, expects, hopes, intends, plans, predicts, projects or targets or nouns corresponding to such verbs.  Forward-looking statements also include other passages that are primarily relevant to expected future events or revenue or that can only be fully evaluated by events that will occur in the future.  There are many factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted or projected in forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the success and timing of ramping; availability and timing and receipt of critical parts or components; demand from customers and sales channels; the future of the global economic environment and its impact on our customers and suppliers; the availability of a healthy workforce; the accuracy of suppliers’ and customers’ forecasts; development and success of customers’ programs and products; success of new-product introductions; the risk of legal proceedings or governmental investigations relating to the previously reported financial statement restatements and related material weaknesses, the May 2024 cybersecurity incident and the subject of the internal investigation by the Company’s Audit Committee and related or other unrelated matters; acquisitions or divestitures of operations or facilities; technology advances; changes in pricing policies by the Company, its competitors, customers or suppliers; impact of new governmental legislation and regulation, including tax reform, tariffs and related activities, such trade negotiations and other risks; and other factors, risks, and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s SEC filings.

    CONTACTS: Anthony G. Voorhees   Michael Newman
      Chief Financial Officer   Investor Relations
      Key Tronic Corporation   StreetConnect
      (509) 927-5345   (206) 729-3625

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: China Medical System（00867）Obtained Class 1 Innovative Drug Long-acting Anti-IL-4Rα Monoclonal Antibody MG-K10

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHENZHEN, CHINA, Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — China Medical System Holdings Limited (the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group” or “CMS”) is pleased to announce that on 24 January 2025, the Group through subsidiaries of the Company entered into a Collaboration Agreement with Hunan Mabgeek Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (“Mabgeek Biotechnology”) and its subsidiary for Class 1 innovative drug anti-IL-4Rα humanized monoclonal antibody injection MG-K10 (“MG-K10” or the “Product”). The Group has obtained the co-development right as specifically agreed upon in the Agreement and exclusive commercialization right to the Product in Mainland China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region, Taiwan Region and Singapore (the “Territory”); Mabgeek Biotechnology will support the commercialization activities and is responsible for the sale and supply of the Product. The collaboration term is perpetual.

    IL-4Rα is considered a key target for the treatment of type 2 inflammatory diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (AD), asthma, prurigo nodularis, etc. Anti-IL-4Rα monoclonal antibodies are among the best-selling biologics in this field. MG-K10 is an innovative long-acting anti-IL-4Rα humanized monoclonal antibody that simultaneously blocks the signaling of key type 2 inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-13. Following Fc mutation, MG-K10 allows long dosing interval owing to its prolonged half-life, and it is expected to be the first long-acting anti-IL-4Rα monoclonal antibody marketed in China. Currently marketed anti-IL-4Rα drugs require dosing every two weeks, whereas MG-K10 only requires dosing every four weeks, demonstrating good efficacy and safety. MG-K10 has the potential to be the Best-in-Class (BIC).

    This collaboration marks another significant milestone for Dermavon (formerly known as CMS Skinhealth)’s layout in the dermatology field. MG-K10 will enrich the global differentiated innovative pipeline of Dermavon, and will strongly synergize with the existing product portfolio, such as marketed innovative drug ILUMETRI (tildrakizumab injection), marketed exclusive drug Hirudoid (mucopolysaccharide polysulfate cream) and dermatology-grade skincare products of Heling soothing product series (developed for AD patients), and innovative pipeline drugs ruxolitinib cream (for the topical treatment of mild to moderate AD and non-segmental vitiligo) and povorcitinib (for the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo, hidradenitis suppurativa, prurigo nodularis and chronic spontaneous urticaria), etc. Leveraging its proven clinical development and commercialization capabilities, the Group will fully cooperate with Mabgeek Biotechnology to promote the approval of MG-K10 in China, bringing a new treatment option with lower dosing frequency, good efficacy and safety to patients with type 2 inflammatory diseases in China.

    More information about MG-K10
    MG-K10 is a Class 1 innovative drug anti-IL-4Rα humanized monoclonal antibody injection that used for the treatment of type 2 inflammatory diseases, including AD, asthma, prurigo nodularis, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, eosinophilic esophagitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and so on. It holds substance patents in specific countries/regions within the Territory.

    MG-K10 has entered Phase III clinical trials in China for AD, asthma, and prurigo nodularis. In the completed Phase II clinical trials for adult moderate-to-severe AD and moderate-to-severe asthma, MG-K10 has demonstrated good efficacy and safety[1-2]. Additionally, MG-K10 has obtained IND approval for eosinophilic esophagitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and seasonal allergic rhinitis in China.

    According to Frost & Sullivan, the global market for treatments targeting IL-4Rα is expected to reach US$28.7 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.8% from 2020 to 2030. In China, the market is projected to reach US$4.08 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 76.8% from 2020 to 2030.

    About AD indication
    MG-K10’s first indication, AD, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by severe itching. It is the most burdensome non-fatal skin disease globally, with at least 230 million people affected worldwide[3]. AD is also a prevalent and high-burden chronic disease in China, with the prevalence showing an upward trend[3]. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, the number of AD patients in China increased by 25.65% from 1990 to 2019[3]. It is estimated that there are approximately 36.09 million AD patients in China[3], with approximately 9.625 million suffering from moderate-to-severe AD[4].

    Current treatment options for AD primarily include topical and systemic treatments. For moderate-to-severe AD, topical medications are often insufficient to achieve disease control, necessitating the initiation of systemic treatments. However, due to the limitations in efficacy and safety of traditional systemic therapies for AD, moderate-to-severe AD patients often experience delays in systemic treatment initiation, poor compliance, and suboptimal disease control, leaving a significant unmet need in clinical practice[3]. MG-K10, with its extended dosing interval of once every four weeks, is expected to improve patient adherence and provide a new, effective, and safe systemic treatment option for patients with moderate-to-severe AD.

    About Mabgeek Biotechnology
    Mabgeek Biotechnology was founded in 2016 and has always adhered to the research and development concept of “innovation, efficiency and safety”, focusing on the fields of allergic inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases. Mabgeek Biotechnology is equipped with a research and development team composed of top industry experts. With excellent research capabilities and deep industry experience, Mabgeek Biotechnology uses its unique TEADA high-throughput antibody screening platform to develop innovative antibody drugs with high biological activity, excellent druggability, and differentiation. Mabgeek Biotechnology is committed to providing safer, more effective and more convenient treatment solutions for patients worldwide. For more information about Mabgeek Biotechnology and its products, please visit: https://www.mabge.com/.

    About CMS
    CMS is a platform company linking pharmaceutical innovation and commercialization with strong product lifecycle management capability, dedicated to providing competitive products and services to meet unmet medical needs.

    CMS focuses on the global first-in-class (FIC) and best-in-class (BIC) innovative products, and efficiently promotes the clinical research, development and commercialization of innovative products, enabling the continuous transformation of scientific research into clinical practices to benefit patients.

    CMS deeply engages in several specialty therapeutic fields, and has developed proven commercialization capabilities, extensive networks and expert resources, resulting in leading academic and market positions for its major marketed products. CMS continues to promote the in-depth development of its advantageous specialty fields and expand business boundaries. While strengthening the competitiveness of the cardio-cerebrovascular/gastroenterology business, CMS independently operates its dermatology and medical aesthetics business, and ophthalmology business, aiming to gain leading positions in specialty therapeutic fields, whilst enhancing the scale and efficiency. At the same time, CMS has expanded its business territory to the Southeast Asian market, striving to become a “bridgehead” for global pharmaceutical companies to enter the Southeast Asian market, further escorting the sustainable and healthy development of the Group.

    Reference:

    1. The data of the product’s Phase II clinical trial for AD indication as disclosed by Mabgeek: https://www.mabge.com/en/index.php?c=show&id=23
    2. The interim data of the product’s Phase II clinical trial for asthma indication as disclosed by Mabgeek: https://www.mabge.com/index.php?c=show&id=18
    3. Chinese Society of Dermatology, China Dermatologist Association. Clinical pathway for the diagnosis and treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in China (2023): an expert consensus[J]. Chinese Journal of Dermatology, 2023, 56(11): 1000-1007. DOI: 10.35541/cjd.20230247.
    4. Mao, Dandan et al. Prevalence and risk factors of atopic dermatitis in Chinese adults: a nationwide population-based cross-sectional study. Chinese medical journal vol. 136,5 604-606. 5 Mar. 2023, DOI:10.1097/CM9.0000000000002560

    CMS Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release is not intended to promote any products to you and is not for advertising purposes. This press release does not recommend any drugs, medical devices and/or indications. If you want to know more about the diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases, please follow the opinions or guidance of your doctor or other medical and health professionals. Any treatment-related decisions made by healthcare professionals should be based on the patient’s specific circumstances and in accordance with the drug package insert.

    This press release which has been prepared by CMS does not constitute any offer or invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities, and shall not form the basis for or be relied on in connection with any contract or binding commitment whatsoever. This press release has been prepared by CMS based on information and data which it considers reliable, but CMS makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, whatsoever, and no reliance shall be placed on, the truth, accuracy, completeness, fairness and reasonableness of the contents of this press release. Certain matters discussed in this press release may contain statements regarding the Group’s market opportunity and business prospects that are individually and collectively forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Any forward-looking statements and projections made by third parties included in this press release are not adopted by the Group and the Company is not responsible for such third-party statements and projections.

    Media Contact

    Brand: China Medical System Holdings Ltd.

    Contact: CMS Investor Relations

    Email: ir@cms.net.cn

    Website: https://web.cms.net.cn/en/home/

    Source: China Medical System Holdings Ltd.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKETO, Brussels promotes Hong Kong’s advantages and maritime opportunities in Antwerp, Belgium (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) joined The Beacon and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to host a compelling “lunch and learn” session on January 23 (Antwerp time), in Antwerp, Belgium, aimed at promoting Hong Kong’s advantages and opportunities to European businesses and entrepreneurs in the maritime industry.

         Based in Antwerp, the most important port city of Belgium, The Beacon is a thriving community of forward-thinking companies dedicated to addressing challenges in cities, ports, and industries through digital innovation. As a hub for collaboration, The Beacon aims to inspire technology companies and drive impactful solutions for the future.

         In the sharing session, Deputy Representative of HKETO, Brussels, Miss Fiona Li provided an in-depth overview of Hong Kong’s robust economic fundamentals, its strategic role in connecting Belgian and European businesses to Asian markets, in particular its unique position as a gateway to the Greater Bay Area and Mainland China. Miss Li stated, “Hong Kong’s strong ground rules and distinctive advantages including the rule of law, free flow of capital, a free trade and investment regime and an efficient and clean government are kept under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. Hong Kong’s ranking fourth in the 2024 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index is a testament to our strengths and the pivotal role in global shipping and international trade.”

         Miss Li also highlighted Hong Kong fleet’s high degree of safety and reliability, “Hong Kong-registered ships rank as the fourth largest in the world in terms of gross tonnage, and the Port State Control detention rate of Hong Kong-registered ships is only 0.81 per cent, which is significantly lower than the world average of 3.39 per cent”. Miss Li also shared with the participants on the latest policies regarding the maritime industry.

         During the sharing session, Marketing Manager, Frankfurt Office, HKTDC, Ms Kristie Chu had an intriguing dialogue with Editor-in-chief of Flows magazine Mr Koen Dejaeger on the experience of his participation in the Hong Kong Maritime Week in November 2024 and the latest opportunities in Hong Kong’s maritime sector.   

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: fincareglobal.org: BaFin warns of website and points out suspected identity theft

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The website operator mainly appears under the name ‘Finance C G’ or ‘Finance C G Global Ltd’. In some places, however, he also calls himself ‘Fincare Global PTE. Ltd’ and claims to be based in Singapore and regulated by the Financial Services Commission of Belize (FSC, Financial Services Commission of Belize).

    In the past, the operator has also provided customers with business addresses in Frankfurt am Main and London, United Kingdom. In addition, he was previously responsible for the identical, now inactive websites fincare-global.org, fincare-global.ltd and fincare-global.net.

    BaFin has no information about a possible connection between the fincareglobal.org website and the fincareglobal.com website, which is operated by FinCARE Global Pte Ltd. This is presumably a case of identity theft at the expense of the company mentioned.

    Anyone offering financial or investment services in Germany requires a licence from BaFin. However, some companies offer such services without the required licence. You can find information on whether a particular company is licensed by BaFin in the company database.

    BaFin bases this information on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz).

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Introduces 100x Leverage, Double Deposit Bonus, and $50 Welcome Bonus—A Game-Changer for Crypto Traders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Bitcoin’s price hovers around the $100,000 mark and enters a phase of high volatility, many analysts predict the market will remain active for the long term. For traders seeking to maximize profits under these conditions, BexBack Exchange has launched an unparalleled promotional package. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading—all while maintaining a No KYC policy, ensuring a seamless and private trading experience.

    Unleash the Power of 100x Leverage

    BexBack’s 100x leverage feature allows traders to control larger positions with smaller capital, offering significant profit potential. For instance:

    • If Bitcoin is priced at $100,000 and you open a position with 1 BTC using 100x leverage, your trade equates to 100 BTC.
    • If Bitcoin’s price rises to $105,000, your profit would be: (105,000−100,000)×100/100,000=5BTC, yielding a 500% return.

    Maximize Gains with the 100% Deposit Bonus

    The 100% deposit bonus is designed to double traders’ capital. For example:

    • Deposit 1 BTC and receive an additional 1 BTC as a bonus, enabling you to trade with 2 BTC. While the bonus cannot be directly withdrawn, it acts as extra margin, reducing liquidation risks during volatile markets.

    Why Choose BexBack?

    BexBack’s innovative features and user-centric approach set it apart:

    1. No KYC Policy: Start trading instantly with just an email—no lengthy verifications required.
    2. High Leverage: Trade with up to 100x leverage, amplifying your capital efficiency.
    3. Transparent Fees: Zero spreads and no slippage ensure precise trade execution.
    4. Comprehensive Accessibility: Available on both web and mobile platforms, offering 24/7 access.
    5. Global Reach: Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe, and holds a US MSB license.
    6. Demo Account: Perfect for beginners, with 10 BTC in virtual funds to practice strategies risk-free.
    7. Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission through the lucrative affiliate program.

    About BexBack

    BexBack is a global leader in cryptocurrency derivatives trading, offering perpetual contracts for BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, and XRP with up to 100x leverage. Headquartered in Singapore, with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina, BexBack is trusted by over 200,000 traders worldwide. The platform holds a US MSB license and is dedicated to providing a seamless trading experience with no deposit fees, 24/7 multilingual customer support, and advanced trading tools.

    Don’t Miss the Opportunity!

    With Bitcoin at $100,000, the cryptocurrency market is at a critical juncture. BexBack’s unbeatable bonuses and high-leverage offerings make it the ideal platform for traders looking to capitalize on this dynamic market.

    Sign up today on BexBack to claim your bonuses and start trading with the tools you need to succeed in the new era of cryptocurrency trading.

    Website: http://www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

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

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/055bdd3e-9532-4205-b957-764c3c1b0717

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/665fdfca-e73b-4a8e-93ae-2ed294730a1a

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8d1af240-ffb5-4c85-a9e6-939c54ed7a62

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/623cdedd-2b86-4a21-9833-8263886d659c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Goshen Man Found Guilty After 3-Day Jury Trial

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SOUTH BEND – Late yesterday, Orlando Rodriguez-Roman, 42 years old, of Goshen, Indiana, was convicted of three felony counts after a three-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Rodriguez-Roman was found guilty of attempted possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

    Sentencing is scheduled for April 29, 2025.

    This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service including the USPS Forensic Laboratory Services, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Elkhart County Intelligence and Covert Enforcement Unit and the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for House Burglary on the Choctaw Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jackson, MS – A Philadelphia man was sentenced to three years in federal prison for burglarizing a home in the Tucker community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Reservation.

    According to court documents, Sherente Tubby, 23, burglarized the home of a tribal member in December of 2021.  Tubby was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022, and pled guilty in September of 2024.  He was sentenced on January 14, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.  

    The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), a nationwide initiative that was launched in 2001 and works to reduce violent crime and gun violence.  It’s a collaboration between federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement, prosecutors, and community leaders.  PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, please visit http://www.psn.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bartlesville Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Killing Dewey Couple

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Lucas Anthony Walker, 22, for two counts of Second Degree Murder in Indian County. Judge Russell ordered Walked to serve 420 months for each count, followed by five years of supervised release.

    In January 2023, Washington County Sheriff’s deputies began investigating the disappearance of Deborah and Larry Dutton. After searching the Dutton’s home, deputies found Deborah and Larry deceased in a shallow grave in the backyard. Walker confessed to shooting and stabbing Deborah and stabbing Larry to death.

    Walker is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The FBI, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Large-scale stress test held at Kai Tak Sports Park (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) conducted a large-scale stress test at the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) tonight (January 24) to test the operation and capability of the three venues and the supporting facilities in the vicinity during events with maximum attendance, with a view to ensuring the smooth operation of the KTSP upon its official commissioning in the first quarter of this year.

         Co-ordinated by the Exercise Team of the HKPF, the stress test covered five specific testing and evaluation areas, namely security screening and ticket checks; venue signage and designated seating arrangements; inter-agency co-ordination in response to emergencies; various crowd management measures; and passenger flow management by public transport operators.
     
         Over 60 000 participants simulated crowd flow during the test. A number of bureaux, departments and organisations, namely the HKPF, the Fire Services Department, the Transport Department, the Civil Aid Service, the Auxiliary Medical Service, the MTR Corporation Limited and the KTSP Limited, also participated in the stress test.
     
         The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, inspected the stress test. He said that, thanks to the close collaboration of all parties, the exercise was conducted in a smooth manner. The anticipated effects and test objectives were achieved with satisfactory results.
     
         He added that during the stress test, the arrangements for participants entering and leaving the venue, as well as public transportation, became more refined and orderly. All units were able to respond promptly to deal with simulated emergencies.
     
         Mr Chan expressed gratitude to various government departments, the KTSP Limited and public transport operators for their preparation and co-ordination work. He also thanked the personnel involved in the test, including civil servants from 77 bureaux and departments, community members, and residents of the Kai Tak area, for their full support and co-operation.
     
         He said he believes that the KTSP will become a new landmark in Hong Kong, welcoming audiences from all over the world to enjoy exciting events and activities together with Hong Kong citizens.
     
         In future test events and stress tests co-ordinated by the Exercise Team, the “Red Team” concept will continue to be applied to identify vulnerable areas, working in concert with relevant bureaux, departments and organisations to continuously review and enhance various aspects, with a view to ensuring full preparedness for the official commissioning of the KTSP.
                          

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Remarks by CS at media session after stress test at Kai Tak Sports Park

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law; and the Exercise Director of Inter-departmental Task Group on Test and Drills and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Chow Yat-ming, met the media after the stress test at the Kai Tak Sports Park this evening (January 24). Following are the remarks of the media session:
     
    Reporter: Can you confirm that the Kai Tak Sports Park will open officially on March 1? What can we expect to see at the opening ceremony? This is the first time such a large crowd disperse at the same time and we observed that sometimes the paths were quite packed. Are there any concerns about the potential bottleneck or crowd crush and how can we prevent that? Thank you.
     
    Chief Secretary for Administration: We will have many stress tests in the future, as I just told you that we have two large scale stress tests in the future. So up to now, depending on the results of the tests, I think we cannot confirm the official opening day of the Kai Tak Sports Park. But once when everything is ready, we will make an announcement as soon as possible. Today, the dispersal is very smooth, I would say, and I really don’t see any bottleneck actually, because the situation, I would say, is far better than my expectation.
     
    (Please also refer to the Chinese version of the remarks.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Anderson Felon Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Following Drunk Driving Crash

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    INDIANAPOLIS— Jonathon Jerald Ashley Jr., 30, of Anderson, Indiana, has been sentenced to five years 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 October 22, 2023, an Anderson Police Department officer was called to a vehicle crash in the vicinity of 20th and Noble Streets. The officer arrived to find a heavily intoxicated Jonathon Ashley walking away from the accident.

    During a search of Ashley’s person, officers located a loaded Glock handgun in his front right pocket. At the time of arrest, Ashley had been previously convicted of domestic battery, resisting law enforcement, invasion of privacy, dealing in a narcotic drug, and pointing a firearm. His felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm again.

    “This defendant has repeatedly demonstrated his utter disregard for the law or the safety of others, including those closest to him,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Many illegally armed perpetrators of gun violence in the home and in the community have a prior history of domestic violence. That’s why our office is working together with the FBI, through the LEATH initiative, to protect the public from these offenders and save lives.”

    “This dangerous combination of impaired driving and illegal possession of a firearm had the potential to lead to devastating consequences and this sentence underscores the seriousness of the defendant’s actions,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who show such reckless disregard for the law and the safety of others will be held accountable.”

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Anderson Police Department and investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.

    This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call.  A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney and HSI Announce Federal Sex Crimes Involving a Minor Against U.S. Army Soldier

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A U.S. Army soldier has been charged with multiple federal sex crimes involving a minor, including interstate travel for sexual conduct and production of child sexual abuse material, following an investigation by federal authorities.

    The indictment alleges that between November 2022, and May 2024, Victor Barnett Lane allegedly coerced a minor into sexual activity, traveled from South Korea to New Mexico for purposes of sexual activity, and produced child sexual abuse imagery.

    Lane has been ordered to remain in custody pending trial. If convicted, Lane faces a minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.

    Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division and Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Holocaust poets who can help us to understand genocides past and present

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jean Boase-Beier, Emeritus Professor, School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, University of East Anglia

    On Holocaust Memorial Day we remember the victims of the Nazi Holocaust in 1940s Europe and all those affected by later genocides.

    I believe that reading poetry is an important way to commemorate these victims because it is such a personal form.

    The events of the Holocaust are familiar to many people as dates and numbers. The first concentration camp opened in Dachau in 1933. In 1942 the infamous meeting at the Wannsee took place in Berlin to decide upon the “final solution” to the perceived problem of Jewish people in Germany and beyond.

    Some 6 million Jewish people were murdered, some 200,000 disabled and ill people were killed in Germany alone and 400,000 people were forcibly sterilised because they possessed traits the Nazis deemed undesirable.

    Such statistics are well documented by Holocaust historians. But behind these numbers, overwhelming in their sheer vastness, are individuals, those whose voices we hear especially clearly in poems.

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

    People wrote poetry as realisation grew of their likely fate even before the murderous events that later came to be called the Holocaust. Many wrote poetry about the Holocaust later, because they survived and wanted the world to hear their stories, or because they lost family members and wanted to remember them.

    Among those who wrote after the Holocaust was German poet Volker von Törne, who was wracked with vicarious guilt for his father’s Nazi past.

    But it is the poems written as the events of the Holocaust were unfolding that strike a particular chord. These are poems by prisoners facing execution, by Jewish members of society forced to live in overcrowded ghettos, by those in camps and those about to be transported to camps. Often such poems were written on odd scraps of paper, carefully hidden or buried in the ground, or smuggled out of prison, ghetto or camp.

    These writers, desperate to tell their stories, chose poetry because of its immediacy, its conciseness, its emotional impact and its ability to say what cannot easily be said in prose.

    Almost none of them wrote in English, so English speakers read them via translators who can speak their words for them, fashioning new versions that aim to capture the style of the originals with all its resonances and as much of their immediacy and impact as possible.

    Poets of the Holocaust

    Some Holocaust poets became famous, and their work has been translated many times. One of the best known, Paul Celan, was a Romanian-German poet. His parents died in the Holocaust. He died by suicide in 1970, having written some of the most memorable poems about the Holocaust, including Death-Fugue (1948), which described the repetitive and deadly rhythm of camp life and death.

    German poet Nelly Sachs, who escaped at the last minute to Sweden, won the Nobel prize in 1966. Her work is readily available in a number of excellent recent translations.

    Other famous poets of the Holocaust include Yiddish poet Abraham Sutzkever, Italian essayist Primo Levi and Hungarian poet Miklós Radnóti.

    But the stories told by these famous poets, important though they are, can only give a partial picture. Often the fine details of everyday experience, the fears and hopes of individual women, men and children, have a particular resonance in the work of lesser-known poets.

    Romanian-German poet Selma Meerbaum-Eisinger was only 17 when she wrote her poetry of fearful anticipation. She was transported to a concentration camp where she died a year later.

    Lithuanian poet Matilda Olkinaitė was murdered at 19. How would their poetry have developed had they lived? We will never know. But what they have left us, recreated through their translators, is a highly sensitive view of life in the chaos of approaching catastrophe.

    Voices in anthologies

    For readers who want a fuller picture of Holocaust poetry, anthologies are invaluable. They usually have an introduction, or notes, providing the context that is so crucial to understanding the poems.

    Two older anthologies, Holocaust Poetry by Hilda Schiff (1995) and Beyond Lament by Marguerite Striar (1998) are still very useful.

    More recently, I co-edited the anthology Poetry of the Holocaust (2019), which arose from a research project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Our aim was to collect less well-known Holocaust poetry, and, with the help of 35 translators from languages as varied as Yiddish, Norwegian, Japanese and Hungarian, to present the poems in original and translation, with a contextual note for each.

    We tried to include a broader range of poems than earlier anthologies have tended to do. The anonymous Song of the Roma, for example, laments the fate of the more than 200,000 Gypsy, Roma and Traveller victims of the Nazis.

    Many poems in the anthology document very specific events, such as French writer Andrė Sarcq’s To the Twice-Murdered Men, which depicts the dreadful detail of his lover’s death at the hands of the Nazis, who treated gay men with unfathomable barbarity.

    Polish Resistance member Irena Bobowska suffered the cruel removal of the wheelchair upon which she depended. She imagined the world she has lost in So I Learn Life’s Greatest Art.

    German poet Alfred Schmidt-Sas wrote with extreme difficulty, as his hands were bound. He reflected on his imminent beheading in Strange Lightness of Life. And in My God, French poet Catherine Roux told of the horrifying and mundane details of her arrival in a concentration camp: “I’ve no hair / I’ve no hanky.”

    It is only by listening to these individual voices that we can really begin to understand what the many millions of Holocaust victims went through, and what victims of genocides all over the world have suffered and are suffering at this moment. Poetry helps us to do this.

    Jean Boase-Beier acts as Translations Editor for Arc Publications. She has received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for research relevant to this article.

    – ref. The Holocaust poets who can help us to understand genocides past and present – https://theconversation.com/the-holocaust-poets-who-can-help-us-to-understand-genocides-past-and-present-248205

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: The 2025 Call for nominations UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes is open

    Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre

    From Borneo to Tikal, from Longyearbyen to Puerto Toro, UNESCO is calling on communities around the world to celebrate and protect some of the planet’s most stunning cultural landscapes. Nominations are now open for the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes.

    This prestigious award honours the deep connections communities have forged with their environments and encourages further efforts in the knowledge, practice, and research necessary to protect these landscapes. The Prize includes a US$30,000 endowment and emphasizes the crucial role of cultural landscape preservation in safeguarding our shared heritage while inspiring future action.

    Established in 1995 in tribute to the iconic Greek actress and former Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri, the Prize has recognised outstanding conservation efforts for over two decades, promoting the sustainable management of cultural landscapes in alignment with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    Who Should Apply?

    Whether you represent a community, an institution, or NGO focused on the safeguarding and enhancement cultural landscapes, this is your opportunity to gain international recognition. Cultural landscapes are powerful symbols of the connection between people and nature, offering living narratives of human history and creativity.

    Key Details

    • Nominations must be submitted by governments, National Commissions for UNESCO, or professional organizations.
    • Nominated cultural landscapes do not need to be inscribed on the World Heritage List to be eligible.
    • Sites under review for possible inscription on the World Heritage List in 2025 are not eligible.

    How to Apply

    Submit your application online by 30 April 2025 (midnight CET, UTC+1). For full details and to apply, visit the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes website.

    Do not miss this opportunity to showcase the importance of cultural landscapes for sustainable development and ensure that your work receives the recognition it deserves.

    Apply

    The nomination process takes place online only on the UNESCO website. Online nominations must be submitted in English or French no later than 30 April 2025 (midnight CET, UTC+1).

    English French

    Introduction leaflet of the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes

    EnglishFrench

    For further information visit: UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes

    Questions can be directed to the Secretariat of the Prize at: melinamercouriprize@unesco.org

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Relief Still Available to Indiana Small Businesses and Nonprofits Hit by May Storms: Don’t Miss the Deadline to Apply for an SBA Disaster Loan!

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Indiana of the Feb. 24 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred May 7, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Ripley, Rush, and Union in Indiana, as well as Butler and Hamilton counties in Ohio. 

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.  

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.  

    “When disasters strike, businesses and nonprofits face significant challenges,” said Randle Logan, acting associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. “These SBA loans provide the financial support they need to manage costs and continue moving forward.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.  

    SBA’s disaster loan program has been replenished through the American Relief Act of 2025, signed into law by President Biden on December 21, 2024.  

    For more information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 6592955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.  

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 24, 2025. 

    ### 

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Newberry County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>COLUMBIA, S.C. – A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Newberry County to provide in-person assistance to South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene.  
    Newberry County
    Newberry Armory275 General Henderson RoadNewberry, SC 29108
    Open Jan. 24, Jan. 27-29, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., closed Jan. 25-26.
    FEMA is encouraging South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene to apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is Jan. 28.
    Click here to find centers that are already open in South Carolina. To find all other center locations, including those in other states, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. 
    You can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the state of South Carolina and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed. 
    Homeowners and renters in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation can apply for federal assistance.
    The quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or by calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For a video with American Sign Language, voiceover and open captions about how to apply for FEMA assistance, select this link.
    FEMA programs are accessible to survivors with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Urges Senate to Confirm Hegseth and Rollins, Secure American Farmland with the FARM Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke on the Senate floor in support of Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Defense, who will bring much-needed change to the Department of Defense.
    Additionally, Sen. Tuberville addressed legislation he reintroduced on Wednesday, the Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act. The FARM Act will help secure America’s agricultural industry and food supply chains from foreign adversaries by creating a permanent seat for the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Additionally, Sen. Tuberville encouraged the Senate to move quickly on confirming President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, who will fight for America’s farming communities and defend against foreign influence in the U.S. agricultural sector.
    Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.

    ON CONFIRMING PETE HEGSETH
    “Thank you, Mr. President,
    I want to reiterate what my colleague from Tennessee just talked about, the importance of the vote that we just took. Just a few minutes ago our nominee for new Secretary Defense, Pete Hegseth. 
    Now the procedure is, as we just voted, to close the vote and now, we wait 30 hours from just a few minutes ago and have the final vote on his nomination, which it looks like that he has the votes of a majority to be appointed, or sent to the White House, to be confirmed as the next Secretary of Defense.
    I’m on the Armed Services Committee, and I’ve watched four years of the destruction of the best military in our world, United States of America. It is a shame what has happened, the DEI, the woke agenda that’s being pushed on the troops in our country, to me, is embarrassing.
    I’m a military brat. My dad died on active duty in the military. Awarded five bronze stars and a Purple Heart at age 17 driving a tank across Europe after landing the first day at Normandy. We have to change course in our military, and we can talk about inflation and pumping gas and the crime and all the things that we’re having a lot of problems with, but if you don’t have a strong military to protect our borders and protect the citizens in our country from adversaries all over the world, we got problems. And it’s got to start there.
    Pete Hegseth is the choice, the right choice. I like his age, I like his demeanor, I like the things he brings to our military. He’s exciting and he will energize this military into the next decade. And I’m excited about that. 
    So, hopefully in about 30 hours we’ll vote tomorrow night around 9:00 and we’ll vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as our new Secretary of Defense.
    ON THE FARM ACT
    Now, I’d like to turn to national security threats in our Nation’s agriculture sector and food supply chains.
    I’m on the Ag Committee. Over the past few years, the United States has experienced a rapid increase in foreign investment in agricultural sector, particularly from China. We have to open our eyes. Bad things are happening around us. Growing foreign investment in agriculture and other essential industries like health care and energy is a direct threat to our country’s national security.
    You know for years now I’ve been sounding the alarm about foreign ownership of American farmland and other elements of our food chain. According to USDA data from December 2023,  foreign investors own approximately 45 million acres of U.S. agriculture land. Now let me say that again: 45 million acres of our forest and agriculture land in this country has been sold to foreign entities. Does that not scare us? What [did] we just see during COVID about our drug supply? We looked around, we looked for health care and help after COVID hit our hit our borders and what happened? We found out that it was all being made in China.
    So, 45 million acres, this represents over 1.5 million acres in one calendar year. Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land in increased modestly from 2012 to [20]17 an average increase of 0.6 million acres per year, that’s 2012 to 2017. But since 2017, the number has skyrocketed to an average of 2.6 million acres a year that we’re selling, our farmland, to our adversaries. And it’s just not China. It’s Russia it’s other entities that don’t wish us well at the end of the day. So additionally, between 2010 and [20]21, entities or individuals from China increased their ownership of U.S. agriculture land more than twenty-fold from about 14,000 acres to 400,000 Acres. This is an unbelievable and unsustainable pace for the United States of America.
    Now, Alabama is experiencing, my state, this firsthand. We have the fourth largest amount of foreign owned agricultural land in the United States at 2.2 million acres, most of which is forest land. It’s not really agriculture in terms of growing row crops, it’s basically our forest. You know, I represent over 62,000 farmers in the state of Alabama. I hear from them time and time again about foreign activity in our agriculture community. Threats like these are something our states can’t handle all on their own.
    Which is why President Ford established, President Ford, established a Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, also known in short terms, CFIUS. This was in 1975. In other words, this committee is supposed to keep an eye on foreign investments in our country. This is the governmental body that oversees the vetting process of foreign investments and acquisitions of American companies in the interest of national security. CFIUS is composed of nine members of President’s cabinet including the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Energy. The Attorney General, the US Trade Representative, and the Director of Office of Science and Technology Policy also sit on this vetting board of industry and land in our country.
    Nowhere on that list did you hear me say the Secretary of Agriculture. Now why is that? […] Considering the massive increase in foreign investment in our country, we need additional oversight for what’s going on in our country. We got our eyes closed. Which is why yesterday I introduced the Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act, called the FARM Act, here on the floor that will accomplish three major things.
    First, it would add the Secretary of Agriculture as a permanent member of CFIUS. In other words, that somebody that’s going to help our agriculture people vet land that’s being bought by foreign entities. Second, it would protect U.S. agriculture industry from foreign control through transactions, mergers, and acquisitions, and agreements, and it would also designate agriculture supply chains as critical infrastructure and critical technology. Third, it would require a report to Congress on current and potential foreign investments in the U.S. agriculture industry. This legislation, folks, is long overdue.
    These foreign investments now reach into every aspect of agriculture industry and supply chains from farming and processing, to packaging and shipping. We cannot, and I repeat, we cannot allow our adversaries to have a foot in the door to our critical supply chains. Food security is national security. We must prioritize increased oversight of foreign investment, and our food supply chains especially those coming from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. 
    This starts with giving the agriculture community a permanent seat at the table of CFIUS. The FARM Act does just that.
    ON CONFIRMING BROOKE ROLLINS
    And there’s no better person to fill this permanent seat on CFIUS than my good friend, who we had a hearing today, as a new nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins. I’ve known Brooke for 30 years. I met her while I was coaching at Texas A&M. She was the student body president in 1994. The students saw then what President Trump, what they see in her today, her strong leadership and her conviction of agriculture. It will be no different when she becomes the Secretary of Agriculture for the United States of America. 
    Brooke was brought up in a small agricultural community of Glen Rose, Texas. She comes from several generations of American farmers. She participated in levels of 4-H and FFA. She raised livestock throughout her life. Now she is [a] mother, she’s involved in the show steer industry with her four children. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural development from A&M and later earned a law degree at the University of Texas. 
    Later at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, she was engaged with rural and agriculture communities throughout Texas. She led litigation efforts that focused on the defense of Texas landowners and farmers against federal interference and regulations. Next, Brooke went on to serve in several roles in President Trump’s White House. She served as the Director of Domestic Policy Council, Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives, and Director of The Office of American Innovation. In these roles, she helped roll back terrible EPA rules like Waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, that targeted farmers and ranchers. 
    After the White House, she joined the American First Policy Institute, where she focused on protecting U.S. farmland and foreign entities seeking to gain control, especially from the Chinese. At AFPI, she strove to improve American food security, independence, as well as support measures that defend U.S. agriculture trade. Brooke understands these many challenges.
    In short, Brooke is a conservative warrior and will be an excellent Ag Secretary. I look forward to working with her to secure our farmland from foreign entities and working with her on passing a Farm Bill that puts American producers first again.
    As Alabama’s voiced on the Senate Ag Committee, I will continue fighting to secure our agriculture supply chain so our agriculture community can continue to put food on the table. And that starts with someone like Brooke Rollins as our Secretary of Agriculture. She is a terrific nominee, and I look forward to working with her on the Committee.
    I expect to move, her to move easily through the Committee vote, and here on this floor. So, once she’s out of Committee, the Senate must vote on her for confirmation. She’ll do great. She’s perfect for the job and I ask that the Senate take up both efforts quickly to defend our agriculture communities which feeds not only the American people but the entire world.
    I yield the floor.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump inherits the Guantánamo prison, complete with 4 ‘forever prisoners’

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lisa Hajjar, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara

    A control tower overlooks the Camp VI detention facility, at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    President Joe Biden’s record of handling the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, is decidedly mixed. He succeeded in reducing the detainee population he inherited by more than half, but he compounded problems in the military commissions that the Bush administration had invented in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to try people captured in the “war on terror.” Now all the problems at Guantánamo are again President Donald Trump’s.

    When Biden took office in 2021, there were 40 prisoners. Today there are 15, the lowest number since the first 20 Muslim men and boys captured in Afghanistan were airlifted to the base on Jan. 11, 2002.

    Biden left Trump four people the U.S. will not release but also cannot put on trial – the so-called “forever prisoners.” He also left intact the troubled military commissions system, with three pending criminal cases against a total of six detainees.

    In December 2021, former chief military defense attorney Brig. Gen. John Baker testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee: “It is too late in the process for the current military commissions to do justice for anyone. The best that can be hoped for at this point … is to bring this sordid chapter of American history to an end.” Baker made clear that the only viable option is to resolve the cases with plea bargains for the defendants.

    Marine Brig. Gen. John Baker tells U.S. senators that there is no opportunity for justice to be done at Guantánamo.

    A chance to make progress

    There are three cases that have not yet gone to trial – the 9/11 case with four defendants facing charges for their connections with the attacks, the USS Cole bombing in October 2000 with one defendant and the Bali bombing in October 2002 with one defendant.

    The 9/11 and USS Cole cases have been stuck in the pretrial phase since Biden was Barack Obama’s vice president. In the summer of 2024, a breakthrough in the 9/11 case appeared imminent: Prosecutors and defense lawyers for three of the four defendants reportedly reached plea-bargain agreements. Khalid Sheikh Mohammad – the alleged “mastermind” of the attacks – Walid bin Attash and Mustafa Hawsawi agreed to plead guilty and accept life sentences in exchange for the government taking the death penalty off the table. There was no deal for the fourth 9/11 defendant, Ammar al-Baluchi.

    The deals were approved on July 31 by the top military officer overseeing the Guantánamo commissions, retired Brig. Gen. Susan Escallier. But two days later, Biden’s defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, stepped into the process and overrode Escallier – whom he had appointed. Austin announced that the plea deals were revoked.

    The judge, Air Force Col. Matthew McCall, decided to schedule plea hearings for early January. But after some legal back-and-forth that forced a stay, he had to cancel them. Biden left the case against three 9/11 defendants in limbo.

    The basement of this government building in Bucharest, Romania, held a secret CIA prison, one of many across the world.
    AP Photo

    Witness to the transition

    In mid-January 2025, I made my sixteenth reporting trip to Guantánamo. I came for closing arguments on a motion in the 9/11 case that seeks to suppress statements that Ammar al-Baluchi made to the FBI in January 2007. That was four months after he and 13 others were transferred to Guantánamo from CIA black sites where they were held for years. The litigation to suppress those statements started in 2019.

    In Chapter 10 of my book, “The War in Court: Inside the Long Fight against Torture,” I detail how the litigation on this suppression motion made public previously unknown details and under-acknowledged horrors of the CIA’s rendition, detention and interrogation program.

    These closing arguments were the culmination of six years of litigation on the key question in the 9/11 case: Does torture matter in the pursuit of justice in the military commissions?

    A drawing by Guantánamo detainee Abu Zubaydah depicts a person being waterboarded.
    Copyright Abu Zubaydah 2019. Licensed by Professor Mark Denbeaux, Seton Hall Law School

    Can Guantánamo be closed?

    Of the 780 people ever detained at Guantánamo, 540 were released during the presidency of George W. Bush, who established the detention facility. Obama, who signed an executive order on his second day in office pledging to close Guantánamo within a year, released 200.

    In his first term, Trump pledged to keep the facility open. The only man to leave Guantánamo during Trump’s first term was Ahmed al-Darbi, who was repatriated to Saudi Arabia in 2018 to serve out the remainder of his sentence from a 2014 plea bargain agreement.

    When Biden took office, he said that he supported shutting down the military prison at Guantánamo. In the early years of his presidency, there was a slow stream of transfers, mostly people who had been cleared for release long ago and were freed.

    In Biden’s last months, the pace of transfers quickened. In December 2024, a Kenyan detainee, two Malaysian members of al-Qaida who had pled guilty the previous January, and a Tunisian man who had been in Guantánamo since the day the facility was opened were all repatriated to their countries of origin and freed. In January 2024, 11 Yemenis were transported from the prison to Oman to be resettled.

    15 men left behind

    The Biden administration had also planned to repatriate a severely disabled Iraqi detainee, Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, to serve out his plea-bargained sentence in a Baghdad prison. But a federal judge blocked that transfer, ruling that al-Iraqi would not get necessary medical treatment in Iraq and might be subject to abuse there.

    Al-Iraqi is one of the 15 that Biden left behind. Three of them – a Libyan, a Somali and a stateless Rohingya – have long been cleared for release. Their continuing detention without charges highlights a key element of the Guantánamo problem: No one can be released unless the U.S. government finds another country willing to accept them.

    One of the remaining detainees, Ali Bahlul, is serving a life sentence for conspiracy to commit war crimes. Six others, including the four 9/11 defendants, are awaiting their trials.

    There are also four detainees whom the government refuses to transfer but cannot put on trial for lack of evidence.

    The U.S. goverment says it cannot release Abu Zubaydah from Guantánamo because he would disclose classified interrogation techniques critics have labeled torture.
    U.S. Central Command via AP

    These so-called “forever prisoners” include Abu Zubaydah, a Saudi-born man of Palestinian descent who was taken into CIA custody in 2002 and was used as the guinea pig for the CIA torture program. The government long ago conceded that Abu Zubaydah was not a top leader of al-Qaida – in fact he was not even a member. But he will not be released because he knows how he was treated by the CIA, and that treatment remains highly classified.

    The newest forever prisoner is one of the original 9/11 defendants, Ramzi bin al-Shibh; in September 2023, he was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. Now he is uncharged, unreleased and untreated for his psychological maladies that were caused by the torture he endured in CIA black sites.

    The ‘War on Terror’ is not over

    When Biden pulled U.S. troops out of Afghanistan in August 2021, he claimed to have ended America’s longest war – and repeated this claim in a January 2025 speech. But the Guantánamo prison remains open, and as long as it is, the “war on terror,” which first put U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2001, is not over.

    How Trump will deal with Guantánamo is an open question. If he focuses on the death penalty, he will press ahead with military commission trials like his predecessors, hoping for unanimous guilty verdicts and death sentences. If he prioritizes cutting wasteful government spending, he will release additional detainees and allow the three plea bargain agreements to go into effect.

    No one I spoke to during my last trip was willing to predict what a second Trump term might bode for Guantánamo – except that it won’t be closed.

    Lisa Hajjar 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. Trump inherits the Guantánamo prison, complete with 4 ‘forever prisoners’ – https://theconversation.com/trump-inherits-the-guantanamo-prison-complete-with-4-forever-prisoners-247058

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall on Newsmax: President Trump Will Bring Manufacturing Jobs Back to the United States

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined Newsmax: The Record with Greta Van Susteren to discuss President Trump’s Executive Actions in the first days in office and his economic plans, including the Trump tax cuts, returning manufacturing to the United States, and decreasing the United States’ reliance on trade with China. 
    Additionally, Senator Marshall discussed President Trump’s Executive Orders to remove the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and requiring NATO countries to pay 5% of their GDP on defense. 

    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview. 
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:
    On President Trump’s tax cuts and plan for economic revival in the United States: 
    “Welcome to the world of Donald Trump. He did talk about decreasing the tax cuts to 15%, and I want Americans to remember what happened when we decreased it from 35% to 21%. I think number one is we saw record growth in federal government tax revenues, but we also saw 401k’s jump as well – so I think that this makes perfect sense to me. President Trump, the great negotiator out there – jobs, jobs, jobs. President Trump is trying to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States.”
    “This is part of President Trump’s America First agenda. If you think about manufacturing, it’s energy cost, and then people – the labor is what determines what we can manufacture, the raw material. So I think he’s kind of thinking about all these pieces of the puzzle…” 
    On manufacturers returning to the Americas from China:
    “A lot of this is dependent upon raw earth materials – so I think you’ve already seen a lot of the manufacturers are bringing that to South America, and then a lot of it’s moving to Vietnam as well. India is doing a lot of it as well. So we need to keep moving those out of the Chinese market. Just like I told my farmers, you cannot depend on China, and I think all these big group purchasing organizations got caught with their pants down during COVID, and have realized that, and are indeed starting to move them back to the Americas.” 
    On President Trump’s executive order removing the United States from the WHO: 
    “We should have gotten out of the WHO years ago. To your point, what you’re describing when the World Health Organization said there was no person-to-person transmission, that COVID was already in three different countries… but yet they were denying it.”
    “I couldn’t agree with you more, the World Health Organization has gotten way outside of what its mission set should be. They should be focusing on clean water, on clean sewage, vaccines as well. But instead, they’re way outside of their mission. And they are bought and paid for by China.”
    On President Trump’s executive order requiring NATO countries to pay 5% of their GDP on defense: 
    “I was over in Belgium recently. NATO has made a huge, huge, incredible office building… and I said to myself, well, how many troops would that have paid for?”
    “[Europe] has over 100,000 of our troops. My son was one of them – just getting back from Poland – in Europe, protecting them. Europe needs to take care of themselves. Italy alone has a GDP the size of Russia. So certainly, Europe should be able to defend themselves against Russia. I don’t understand why we need that much money for NATO either.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –