NewzIntel.com

Category: Australia

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK leads major Ukraine Summit and announces £150 million firepower package

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Defence leaders from across the world have gathered in Brussels today as the UK convenes a major Ukraine summit at NATO HQ.

    • UK convenes the 26th Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels today – the first time the meeting has been chaired by a European nation – supporting UK and European security, a foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change. 

    • Defence Secretary confirms landmark half a million rounds of artillery ammunition – worth more than £1 billion – has now been provided to Ukraine by the UK 

    • New £150 million firepower package of military aid including drones, tanks and air defence systems will give Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russia the equipment they need.  

    Defence leaders from across the world have gathered in Brussels today as the UK convenes a major Ukraine summit at NATO HQ, demonstrating the UK’s leadership and unwavering military support for Ukraine in its fight against Putin’s illegal invasion.  

    Over 50 allies and partners, including Ukraine, the US, Japan and Australia, met for the 26th Ukraine Defence Contact Group, chaired by Defence Secretary John Healey, the first time for any European nation. 

    Opening the meeting, the Defence Secretary announced a new £150m military support package to support Ukrainian troops fighting Russia on the frontline, part of the UK’s unprecedented £3 billion annual pledge to Ukraine. 

    This year, the UK’s total commitment has reached its highest ever level, standing at £4.5 billion, ensuring Ukraine can achieve peace through strength and underscoring the new 100 Year Partnership between the UK and Ukraine. 

    Chairing the meeting, Defence Secretary John Healey said:   

    2025 is the critical year for the war in Ukraine. Ukrainians continue to fight with huge courage – military and civilians alike, and their bravery – fused with our support – has proved a lethal combination. 

    Speaking as a European Defence Minister, we know our responsibilities. We are doing more of the heavy lifting and sharing more of the burden. 

    While Russia is weakened, it remains undeniably dangerous.  We must step up further – and secure peace through strength – together.

    Speaking at today’s meeting, where he was joined by Ukrainian Defence Minster Rustem Umerov, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius,  French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Defence Secretary Healey confirmed that the UK has sent a landmark 500,000 rounds of ammunition to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, worth over £1 billion.  

    The Defence Secretary also confirmed that the UK is on track to provide more than 10,000 drones to Ukraine in a single year, with final deliveries due next month.  

    Today’s £150 million package includes thousands of drones, dozens of battle tanks and armoured vehicles and air defence systems.   

    More than 50 armoured and protective vehicles, including modernised T-72 tanks will be deployed to Ukraine by the end of spring, building on the thousands of pieces of equipment the UK has already given to Ukraine.   

    The air defence equipment will support more than 100 Ukrainian air defence teams, and has a 90% success rate of shooting down kamikaze drones, protecting Ukrainian critical national infrastructure including electricity sites frequently targeted by Russia. Announced by the Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Kyiv last month, the UK and Denmark are also providing fifteen Gravehawks to Ukraine.  

    Today’s package also includes major new maintenance contracts to support in-country repairs to critical kit – helping keep Ukraine’s tanks and artillery in the fight and bringing broken equipment back into use.  

    The Government is clear that the security of the UK starts in Ukraine and is therefore committed to Ukraine’s long-term security as a foundation for the government’s Plan for Change.  

    As part of today’s announcement, thousands of pieces of military equipment the UK has already donated to Ukraine will be repaired and better maintained through contracts worth around £60 million.  

    In a boost the UK’s economy, this includes a multi-million-pound contract with UK defence firm Babcock, who will train Ukrainian personnel to maintain and repair crucial equipment such as Challenger 2 tanks, self-propelled artillery, and combat reconnaissance vehicles inside Ukraine. Through this agreement, equipment can be serviced and returned to the front line quicker.  

    UK defence giant BAE Systems has also been awarded a £14 million contract, funded by Sweden and procured through the UK-administered International Fund for Ukraine, to repair Archer artillery systems. Working with Lancashire-based firm AMS, repairs of the Swedish-gifted Archer systems will be carried out in Ukraine with Ukrainian soldiers given technical training so they can maintain equipment for years to come.  

    Today’s announcement comes ahead of tomorrow’s NATO Defence Ministerial meeting, where Defence Secretary Healey will set out that in this critical year, nations must step up and back Ukraine with the resources they need to achieve long-term peace in the face of Russian aggression.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 February 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sofas that self-assemble when you heat them up? How 4D printing could transform manufacturing

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mahdi Bodaghi, Associate Professor of Smart Materials & Manufacturing, Nottingham Trent University

    Flat-pack, but not as we know it. This is an AI image created by OpenAI’s Dall-E., CC BY-SA

    Imagine buying a flat sheet from a furniture store that changes into a sofa when you heat it with a hairdryer. Or consider the value of a stent that precisely expands inside a patient’s artery, adapting to their unique anatomy.

    Welcome to 4D printing, a frontier in material and manufacturing science that has been rapidly expanding over the past decade. While 3D printing has captured global attention for its ability to create objects layer by layer, 4D printing adds the element of time.

    It involves 3D-printing adaptable objects from materials such as polymers or alloys that can bend, twist or transform entirely when they come into contact with heat or moisture. By moving beyond the constrictions of static designs, it opens up remarkable possibilities in areas such as medicine, aerospace, robotics and construction.

    I was recently the lead author on a comprehensive report published in the journal of Smart Materials and Structures, charting the advances and challenges in this field. We outlined this industry’s potential, offering a vision of a future where smart materials redefine design and manufacturing.

    Here are some more of the main fields in which 4D printing could be transformative:

    1. Healthcare

    Like the stent I mentioned earlier, 4D printing raises the possibility of creating implants and prosthetics that adapt to patients’ needs in real time. Research teams working on these innovations include the Biomet4D project, coordinated by the IMDEA Materials Institute in Madrid, which is developing smart, biodegradable metallic implants for people with seriously damaged or defective bones. The implants can change shape and expand as the bone grows, supporting it much more effectively than a static implant.

    Another area of focus is smarter ways to give patients drugs. For example, a team of researchers based at China’s Jilin University have created 4D-printed hydrogel capsules whose outer structure stays intact inside a patient’s body until it reaches a particular temperature, such as when there is an infection, meaning the drug only takes effect when it’s required. This could be useful in situations where it’s beneficial to release a drug into a patient’s body at exactly the right time and location.

    2. Robotics and wearables

    Integrating 4D materials into robotics and wearable devices enables them to adjust their functionality in response to their environment. For instance, researchers at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute have developed self-folding robotic devices based on insights from origami that change shape when exposed to heat. One potential application could involve sending these devices to carry out tasks in environments that are difficult to reach, such as in deep seas or oceans.

    Similarly, scientists at Deakin University in Australia are researching 4D-printing robotic joints with variable stiffness that can help with rehabilitation. For example, an arm could get stiffer when the user tries to pick something up, making it easier for them to lift it.

    3. Exploring the cosmos

    In the extreme conditions of space, adaptability is critical, so again there’s a role for 4D-printed materials. For instance, Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory uses 4D-printed metallic space fabrics.

    These can fold, change shape and adapt to varying thermal and mechanical environments. This makes them suitable for a wide range of space applications, including shielding spacecraft from meteorites, insulating against extreme temperatures and conforming to uneven terrain on Jupiter’s smallest moon, the icy Europa.

    Challenges and opportunities

    The current capabilities of 4D printing are nothing short of remarkable, yet the field still faces significant challenges. While we can now create materials that transform with precision, there’s still more research required to ensure they’re biologically safe and durable for the long term.

    Also, scaling up production to meet industrial demands, particularly for high-resolution designs or nanoscale structures, requires not just new techniques but also new ways of thinking about manufacturing. Cost is another barrier – specialised materials and processes can often prove too expensive at present for widespread use.

    And yet, the promise of 4D printing is tantalising. One of the big attractions is in sustainability. From water pipes that adjust flow rates to buildings that self-regulate carbon dioxide levels, 4D printing creates the potential for adaptive systems that help in this area. A prime example is the Solar Gate, developed by the University of Stuttgart’s Institute for Computational Design and Construction.

    Inspired by the way that pine cones open in response to sunlight, the gate consists of a series of 4D-printed cellulose flaps that can be installed into buildings to open and close in response to certain levels of humidity and temperature. They curl upwards in winter to allow heat in, and flatten in the summer to block direct sunlight. It demonstrates how a building can be made more energy efficient without relying on an external source of power for, say, air conditioning.

    Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is already accelerating progress by optimising the design and behaviour of 4D-printed objects. It is helping researchers to have more precise control over how these smart materials respond under different conditions, without having to rely so much on trial and error.

    This is still a young industry, with limited venture capital investment and a workforce that is only beginning to take shape. But as more research institutions and companies recognise its potential, the pace of innovation should quicken. According to one report, the sector is due to grow at around 35% a year over the next five years.

    We are now developing structures that recover or change their shape on demand at the 4D materials and printing laboratory at Nottingham Trent University and the 4D Printing Society. For example, we’ve already 4D-printed medical stents that can self-expand in response to body temperature (see images below).


    Nottingam Trent University, CC BY-SA

    We’re also developing materials for boat fenders and car bumpers whose shape can be restored by adding heat, as a way of removing dents, as well as shape-adaptive finger splints for broken bones, and self-assembling, extra-comfortable furniture.

    So, the next time you marvel at the capabilities of 3D printing, remember: the future lies in 4D printing, where materials come alive and redefine the possibilities of tomorrow.

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

    – ref. Sofas that self-assemble when you heat them up? How 4D printing could transform manufacturing – https://theconversation.com/sofas-that-self-assemble-when-you-heat-them-up-how-4d-printing-could-transform-manufacturing-246899

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ghana’s urban strategies neglect the needs of street vendors: policy must catch up with reality

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Appiah Takyi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

    Street vending is a major economic activity in most of Ghana’s urban areas. The vendors bring everyday goods to residents and commuters at affordable prices in places convenient to them. However, the growing intensity of street vending activities in Ghanaian cities such as Accra and Kumasi is creating management problems for city authorities. Vendors are being removed as cities aim to “clean up” and modernise the urban landscape.

    City authorities haven’t created ways to support street vendors. Instead, they treat them as a nuisance and use stringent regulations aimed at displacing them. This approach overlooks the potential benefits that the thriving street economy could bring to the local economy and social fabric. In contrast, for example, South Africa’s policy supports informal economic activities by providing vending spaces for street traders.

    As academics who specialise in urban planning, we set out to investigate the rules around street vending in Ghana. Our study was conducted in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region and the second most important city in Ghana. We found that the regulation of street vending in Ghana is unclear, contradictory and ineffective. It fails to provide a clear policy direction and adequate planning tools for integrating street vending into urban areas.

    Our research reinforces the argument that the regulation of street vending is often ambiguous. We argue that these policy inconsistencies create loopholes for the hostile attitude of city authorities towards street vendors.

    We call for policies that recognise the socioeconomic value of street vending and make urban spaces more inclusive.

    The lay of the land

    Our analysis is based on two national policy documents. These are the National Urban Policy Framework and the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936). We also rely on two local policy documents specific to the Kumasi Metropolitan Area. These are the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly By-Laws on Control of Hawkers 1995 and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Medium-Term Development Plan (2018–2021).

    The National Urban Policy recognises and promotes street vending as part of the urban economy. It calls for local government authorities to recognise and include the informal sector.

    But the overarching law regulating street vending in Ghana is the Local Governance Act. It authorises local government bodies (city authorities) to pass by-laws that forbid street vending. This is in conflict with the national policy.

    The gaps

    Our study revealed that in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area, the authorities seem to want to help street vendors in some ways – to strengthen the capacity of informal economic actors. But they don’t make plans or take actions to do so in the medium term development plan. Local government authorities sometimes evict street vendors from the central business district.

    In Kumasi, urban policy, regulations and local development planning do not include street vending in the urban development process even though vendors are the largest group of business people in the city. Instead of building stalls and facilities to accommodate these economic operators, the authorities rather expropriate urban space from them to develop modern structures which are expensive for street vendors to occupy.

    There is conflict over the use of urban public spaces. City authorities view the activities of street vendors as illegal, while the vendors see them as legitimate sources of livelihood. Authorities control vending through eviction and relocation.

    In recent years, city authorities have adopted urban infrastructural planning and development as a strategy to remove street vendors. Take the case of the new Kejetia Market Redevelopment Project, which replaced the largest traditional market in west Africa with a modern urban market structure in Kumasi. Over 10,000 street vendors and 4,000 market traders were displaced.

    The neglect of street vending in the design means vendors will have to earn a living informally – which simply adds to the “problem” as the city sees it.

    What next?

    Policies and practices that try to exclude people are not a solution to the problems of street vending. They are often counter productive. Regulating street vending requires inclusive policy measures and a clear policy direction to manage these activities. At present, Ghana, like many other African countries, lacks effective planning strategies to manage the activities of street vending.

    Our recommendations include:

    • coherent and inclusive policies that recognise the socioeconomic value of street vending and give vendors a rightful place in cities

    • reforming urban governance to support the informal economy

    • coherent and precise policies that give street vendors more security.

    The current policy vacuum fuels repressive regulation and excludes street vendors from urban development processes.

    To develop effective policy models, it is critical to learn from the experiences of street vendors and involve them in urban development processes. This starts with a change of attitude among city authorities.

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

    – ref. Ghana’s urban strategies neglect the needs of street vendors: policy must catch up with reality – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-urban-strategies-neglect-the-needs-of-street-vendors-policy-must-catch-up-with-reality-248020

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana’s urban strategies neglect the needs of street vendors: policy must catch up with reality

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stephen Appiah Takyi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

    Street vending is a major economic activity in most of Ghana’s urban areas. The vendors bring everyday goods to residents and commuters at affordable prices in places convenient to them. However, the growing intensity of street vending activities in Ghanaian cities such as Accra and Kumasi is creating management problems for city authorities. Vendors are being removed as cities aim to “clean up” and modernise the urban landscape.

    City authorities haven’t created ways to support street vendors. Instead, they treat them as a nuisance and use stringent regulations aimed at displacing them. This approach overlooks the potential benefits that the thriving street economy could bring to the local economy and social fabric. In contrast, for example, South Africa’s policy supports informal economic activities by providing vending spaces for street traders.

    As academics who specialise in urban planning, we set out to investigate the rules around street vending in Ghana. Our study was conducted in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region and the second most important city in Ghana. We found that the regulation of street vending in Ghana is unclear, contradictory and ineffective. It fails to provide a clear policy direction and adequate planning tools for integrating street vending into urban areas.

    Our research reinforces the argument that the regulation of street vending is often ambiguous. We argue that these policy inconsistencies create loopholes for the hostile attitude of city authorities towards street vendors.

    We call for policies that recognise the socioeconomic value of street vending and make urban spaces more inclusive.

    The lay of the land

    Our analysis is based on two national policy documents. These are the National Urban Policy Framework and the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936). We also rely on two local policy documents specific to the Kumasi Metropolitan Area. These are the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly By-Laws on Control of Hawkers 1995 and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Medium-Term Development Plan (2018–2021).

    The National Urban Policy recognises and promotes street vending as part of the urban economy. It calls for local government authorities to recognise and include the informal sector.

    But the overarching law regulating street vending in Ghana is the Local Governance Act. It authorises local government bodies (city authorities) to pass by-laws that forbid street vending. This is in conflict with the national policy.

    The gaps

    Our study revealed that in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area, the authorities seem to want to help street vendors in some ways – to strengthen the capacity of informal economic actors. But they don’t make plans or take actions to do so in the medium term development plan. Local government authorities sometimes evict street vendors from the central business district.

    In Kumasi, urban policy, regulations and local development planning do not include street vending in the urban development process even though vendors are the largest group of business people in the city. Instead of building stalls and facilities to accommodate these economic operators, the authorities rather expropriate urban space from them to develop modern structures which are expensive for street vendors to occupy.

    There is conflict over the use of urban public spaces. City authorities view the activities of street vendors as illegal, while the vendors see them as legitimate sources of livelihood. Authorities control vending through eviction and relocation.

    In recent years, city authorities have adopted urban infrastructural planning and development as a strategy to remove street vendors. Take the case of the new Kejetia Market Redevelopment Project, which replaced the largest traditional market in west Africa with a modern urban market structure in Kumasi. Over 10,000 street vendors and 4,000 market traders were displaced.

    The neglect of street vending in the design means vendors will have to earn a living informally – which simply adds to the “problem” as the city sees it.

    What next?

    Policies and practices that try to exclude people are not a solution to the problems of street vending. They are often counter productive. Regulating street vending requires inclusive policy measures and a clear policy direction to manage these activities. At present, Ghana, like many other African countries, lacks effective planning strategies to manage the activities of street vending.

    Our recommendations include:

    • coherent and inclusive policies that recognise the socioeconomic value of street vending and give vendors a rightful place in cities

    • reforming urban governance to support the informal economy

    • coherent and precise policies that give street vendors more security.

    The current policy vacuum fuels repressive regulation and excludes street vendors from urban development processes.

    To develop effective policy models, it is critical to learn from the experiences of street vendors and involve them in urban development processes. This starts with a change of attitude among city authorities.

    – Ghana’s urban strategies neglect the needs of street vendors: policy must catch up with reality
    – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-urban-strategies-neglect-the-needs-of-street-vendors-policy-must-catch-up-with-reality-248020

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ghana’s urban strategies neglect the needs of street vendors: policy must catch up with reality

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stephen Appiah Takyi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

    Street vending is a major economic activity in most of Ghana’s urban areas. The vendors bring everyday goods to residents and commuters at affordable prices in places convenient to them. However, the growing intensity of street vending activities in Ghanaian cities such as Accra and Kumasi is creating management problems for city authorities. Vendors are being removed as cities aim to “clean up” and modernise the urban landscape.

    City authorities haven’t created ways to support street vendors. Instead, they treat them as a nuisance and use stringent regulations aimed at displacing them. This approach overlooks the potential benefits that the thriving street economy could bring to the local economy and social fabric. In contrast, for example, South Africa’s policy supports informal economic activities by providing vending spaces for street traders.

    As academics who specialise in urban planning, we set out to investigate the rules around street vending in Ghana. Our study was conducted in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region and the second most important city in Ghana. We found that the regulation of street vending in Ghana is unclear, contradictory and ineffective. It fails to provide a clear policy direction and adequate planning tools for integrating street vending into urban areas.

    Our research reinforces the argument that the regulation of street vending is often ambiguous. We argue that these policy inconsistencies create loopholes for the hostile attitude of city authorities towards street vendors.

    We call for policies that recognise the socioeconomic value of street vending and make urban spaces more inclusive.

    The lay of the land

    Our analysis is based on two national policy documents. These are the National Urban Policy Framework and the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936). We also rely on two local policy documents specific to the Kumasi Metropolitan Area. These are the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly By-Laws on Control of Hawkers 1995 and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Medium-Term Development Plan (2018–2021).

    The National Urban Policy recognises and promotes street vending as part of the urban economy. It calls for local government authorities to recognise and include the informal sector.

    But the overarching law regulating street vending in Ghana is the Local Governance Act. It authorises local government bodies (city authorities) to pass by-laws that forbid street vending. This is in conflict with the national policy.

    The gaps

    Our study revealed that in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area, the authorities seem to want to help street vendors in some ways – to strengthen the capacity of informal economic actors. But they don’t make plans or take actions to do so in the medium term development plan. Local government authorities sometimes evict street vendors from the central business district.

    In Kumasi, urban policy, regulations and local development planning do not include street vending in the urban development process even though vendors are the largest group of business people in the city. Instead of building stalls and facilities to accommodate these economic operators, the authorities rather expropriate urban space from them to develop modern structures which are expensive for street vendors to occupy.

    There is conflict over the use of urban public spaces. City authorities view the activities of street vendors as illegal, while the vendors see them as legitimate sources of livelihood. Authorities control vending through eviction and relocation.

    In recent years, city authorities have adopted urban infrastructural planning and development as a strategy to remove street vendors. Take the case of the new Kejetia Market Redevelopment Project, which replaced the largest traditional market in west Africa with a modern urban market structure in Kumasi. Over 10,000 street vendors and 4,000 market traders were displaced.

    The neglect of street vending in the design means vendors will have to earn a living informally – which simply adds to the “problem” as the city sees it.

    What next?

    Policies and practices that try to exclude people are not a solution to the problems of street vending. They are often counter productive. Regulating street vending requires inclusive policy measures and a clear policy direction to manage these activities. At present, Ghana, like many other African countries, lacks effective planning strategies to manage the activities of street vending.

    Our recommendations include:

    • coherent and inclusive policies that recognise the socioeconomic value of street vending and give vendors a rightful place in cities

    • reforming urban governance to support the informal economy

    • coherent and precise policies that give street vendors more security.

    The current policy vacuum fuels repressive regulation and excludes street vendors from urban development processes.

    To develop effective policy models, it is critical to learn from the experiences of street vendors and involve them in urban development processes. This starts with a change of attitude among city authorities.

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

    – ref. Ghana’s urban strategies neglect the needs of street vendors: policy must catch up with reality – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-urban-strategies-neglect-the-needs-of-street-vendors-policy-must-catch-up-with-reality-248020

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Toolbox for enhancing digital and sustainable trade facilitation along transit corridors

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The purpose of this project is to develop a policy recommendation that assists UN Member States in enhancing digital and sustainable trade facilitation along transit corridors.

    The first phase will focus on scoping the project deliverables, gathering insights into the persistent challenges and inefficiencies in soft trade infrastructure that hinder seamless transit procedures and data exchange along corridors, particularly impacting trade competitiveness for landlocked developing countries. It will also develop implementation guidelines for the UN/CEFACT Package of Standards for Data Exchange, which supports the digital transformation of cross-border trade which will be tested in a pilot (a real-world scenario), ensuring their effectiveness and relevance.

    In today’s global trade landscape, competitiveness relies on seamless connectivity across multiple domains, including transport, logistics, telecom, and IT. This initiative will build on the UNECE UN/CEFACT Package of Standards for data exchange along supply chains, given the increasing importance of UNECE UN/CEFACT tools in managing the complexities of data transfer across transport modes.

    Agenda:

    • Context & Background
       
    • Recap of the past High-level policy dialogues:
      a) 30th UNECE- UN/CEFACT Plenary in Geneva (July 2024)
      b) 43rd UNECE- UN/CEFACT Forum in Rome ( December 2024)
       
    • Structure of the policy recommendation & deliverables:
      i) Policy recommendation
      ii) Implementation guidelines for the UN/CEFACT Package of Standards for Data Exchange
      iii) Pilot projects
       
    • Brainstorming the scope of the policy recommendation
       
    • Sharing some publications/readings ahead of the next meeting to scope further

    For more information contact the Project Lead Ms. Nogaye Diagne  with Ms. Ludovica Poponcini in copy

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Waterbury Poised for Expansion with New Building’s Imminent Opening

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn Waterbury’s local footprint is growing significantly with the expansion of several of its academic, research, and administrative operations into a historic building adjacent to the downtown campus.

    The six-story building at 36 N. Main St. has undergone extensive renovation by Green Hub Development III, LLC., which is leasing about 26,300 square feet to UConn to expand the University’s offerings in nursing, allied health, and other programs.

    UConn has been moving equipment and furnishings into the building and started using some of the space already over the winter, with the rest to be occupied starting later this month.

    They include clinic-style nursing and health care simulation rooms, research facilities, study lounges, office and administrative space, a spacious former banquet room, and other areas suitable for maker space, incubator studios, classes, and large gatherings.

    UConn’s plan to expand its nursing education programs into the building is particularly noteworthy given the high demand in that profession, both statewide and specifically in Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley region.

    “UConn Waterbury’s expansion into this historic space is an investment in our students, faculty, and the greater community,” says Fumiko Hoeft, UConn Waterbury’s campus dean and chief administrative officer, and a neuroscientist and UConn professor of psychological sciences.

    The Odd Fellows Building at 36 N. Main St. in Waterbury sits around the corner from the UConn Waterbury campus on Jan. 27, 2025. About 26,300 square feet of the building’s interior was recently renovated to provide additional space for various programs at UConn Waterbury. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

    “With the new facilities, we are strengthening our role as an educational and economic driver in the Naugatuck Valley,” she says. “We are honored to be part of this building’s next chapter. Its transformation aligns with our commitment to innovation, workforce development, and community partnerships.”

    The growth of UConn Waterbury’s campus and academic offerings complements the UConn Strategic Plan, which includes ensuring that the campuses in Waterbury, Hartford, Stamford, and Avery Point offer signature programs that are destinations within UConn.

    “The spirit of every UConn campus is unique, and we are looking closely at their academic offerings and facilities to best build on those strengths and opportunities, in alignment with our university-wide strategic plan,” says Anne D’Alleva, UConn’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

    “At UConn Waterbury, the new space fits perfectly with that vision,” she adds. “Our academic programs and research will grow and thrive there, and further underscore UConn’s role as a core element of this richly diverse, innovative city and region.”

    UConn’s Board of Trustees approved the expansion plans in 2023, which are part of a larger commitment to strengthen the University’s presence and partnerships in the Naugatuck Valley.

    They include UConn’s deep involvement in the Waterbury Promise scholarship program, under which many dozens of Waterbury graduates are attending the University; and the establishment and growth of the allied health sciences major on the campus.

    UConn Waterbury also prides itself on providing a tight-knit community that serves students’ individual needs while ensuring they can access world-class UConn programs in undergraduate and graduate-level fields that lead to strong, satisfying career paths.

    “The demand for skilled professionals is higher than ever. UConn Waterbury’s expansion directly aligns with our mission to prepare students for high-demand careers, ensuring that our regional workforce remains strong and competitive,” says Cathy Awwad, president and chief executive officer of the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board (NRWIB).

    UConn Waterbury’s new space in the building at 36 N. Main St. will also be ideal for serving current students while also advancing community partnerships with schools, the City of Waterbury, the regional business community, and other groups.

    The six-story building, originally built for the local chapter of the International Order of Odd Fellows social group, is in a prime downtown location and dates to 1895.

    Its renovation was funded through a state grant to the City of Waterbury along with Green Hub’s private funding. It was modernized for today’s needs while retaining key elements of its history, including Venetian Gothic exterior features overlooking the Waterbury Green and the ornate ceiling in its former banquet hall.

    “This project has been years in the making, and seeing it come to life is a testament to UConn’s commitment to Waterbury and the region,” says former Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary, who was deeply involved in the project and other partnerships with the University during and after his time in office.

    “This expansion is more than just a physical footprint; it’s an investment in the next generation of healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders,” he says.

    The building is around the corner from UConn Waterbury’s East Main Street location, with easy access between the back courtyard of the campus and an entrance to the newly leased space.

    It will house clinical simulation spaces, clinical and cognitive neuroscience research dry and wet laboratories, a maker space, and an incubator studio.

    It will also provide resources for humanities and social sciences, including the HACER Lab, a hub for humanistic inquiry, research, and pedagogy developed in collaboration with Waterbury students and community partners, the Ideas + Impact initiative and other learning communities focused on social impact, sustainability, and health-related projects.

    These facilities will be used by programs in nursing, allied health, psychological sciences, urban and community studies, humanities and social sciences, business, and community partnerships.

    Additionally, it will serve as the home for the Haskins Global Literacy Hub, a newly formed partnership between Yale, UConn Global Affairs, and UConn Waterbury focused on promoting education and conducting cutting-edge research to enhance literacy globally.

    A large nursing simulation lab with equipment sits on the fifth floor of the Odd Fellows Building in Waterbury on Jan. 27, 2025. About 26,300 square feet of the building’s interior was recently renovated to provide additional space for various programs at UConn Waterbury. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

    “Having UConn expand in downtown Waterbury strengthens our local economy, creates new opportunities for students, and enhances the city’s reputation as a center for education and innovation. This project is a great example of how partnerships between the city, state, and private sector can drive meaningful change,” Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski says.

    Programs and activities in the space will also advance UConn Waterbury’s connections with local schools and others as a location for community events.

    For instance, on a recent morning, scores of local high school students visited UConn Waterbury for the kickoff of the Waterbury Robotics Institute to be based at the campus. The initiative, a collaboration with First Robotics, will bring students from the city’s high schools and middle schools to campus to work on projects with their peers, UConn students, and UConn faculty mentors.

    They were among the first to use the newly leased space at 36 N. Main St., with several of the student groups testing and demonstrating their robots in the large collaborative learning room on the building’s second floor.

    “This expansion will have a lasting impact not only on UConn students, but also on Waterbury’s middle and high schoolers who aspire to pursue careers in healthcare, technology, business, and other growing fields,” says Waterbury Public Schools Interim Superintendent Darren Schwartz.

    “The increased access to cutting-edge learning spaces and mentorship opportunities will strengthen our student college and career readiness,” he says.

    The Odd Fellows Building has a rich history in the City of Waterbury, and its restoration and use by UConn carries strong emotional and economic significance to the area.

    Built at a cost of $100,000 and said to be among the finest of its time in the region, the building’s opening in 1895 drew more than 5,000 members of the group from around the East Coast and was featured in the New York Times.

    In fact, the opening was marked by a parade and the event was so important to the city that all factories and schools were closed for the day, and all business shut down at noon, according to another Times article.

    A clothing store occupied the first floor for about its first five years in addition to the meeting rooms and social spaces used by the Odd Fellows and others on the higher floors. Later, the popular Grieve, Bissett & Holland department store was in the building from 1902 until the mid-1960s.

    The structure had been unused for more than 15 years before the renovation.

    “Restoring this landmark building and giving it a new purpose has been incredibly rewarding,” says Joe Gramando, Green Hub’s managing partner. “UConn’s presence here ensures that this space will remain a vibrant part of Waterbury’s future, serving students, researchers, and the broader community for years to come.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Council homes completed in Kinross

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    The new houses for affordable social rent at Kepitknow Crescent have been bought by the Council at the development built by Persimmon Homes.

    The four 3-bed and two 2-bed homes were handed over to the Council today (February 12th) during a visit by Housing and Social Wellbeing Convener, Councillor Tom McEwan.  

    The properties were purchased ‘off the shelf’ from the developer. They have been built to the highest standard, with energy efficiency measures included which will keep tenants’ bills as low as possible and reduce the carbon footprint of the development.

    All of the houses have spaces included that can be used for a home office, reflecting the requirements of modern living.

    Councillor McEwan said: “As a Council we are committed to increasing the number of homes for affordable social rent right across Perth and Kinross, and we are doing this in a number of ways.

    “Our programme of building new Council homes has provided an additional 500 houses and flats since 2012. Our innovative scheme to buy-back ex-Council properties has seen hundreds of new properties added to our housing stock, and we also work hard to bring empty properties back into use as Council housing.

    “Another way to boost affordable social housing numbers is to buy homes “off the shelf” from developers, like we have done here in Kinross. We have invested £1.4m in the homes on this modern new development and is fantastic to see them completed and keys being handed over to tenants. The houses, built to a very high specification, will provide us with valuable affordable housing for tenants in an area of high demand.”

    James MacKay, Persimmon North Scotland Managing Director, said: “We are pleased to be working with Perth and Kinross Council to deliver high-quality, affordable homes for local people.

    “Collaboration is crucial to increasing housing supply and we’re committed to working closely with our partners to deliver the homes that people need.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ8: Hosting events of 15th National Games, 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and 9th National Special Olympic Games

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Kenneth Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (February 12):
     
    Question:
     
         The 15th National Games (NG), the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG) to be co-hosted by Guangdong Province, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region for the first time will be held from November 9 to 21 and from December 8 to 15 this year respectively. Hong Kong will host eight competition events and one mass participation event for the 15th NG, as well as four competition events and one mass participation event for the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the following information on the events to be hosted in Hong Kong: (i) the arrangements for event management and competition schedules, (ii) the number of participating athletes, (iii) the expected number of spectators, (iv) the details of the publicity and promotional activities, and (v) the ticketing arrangements;
     
    (2) of the specific measures put in place by the authorities to enhance the ancillary transport facilities and capacity of the main stadiums and venues of the events to be hosted in Hong Kong (including Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong Coliseum, Hong Kong Velodrome, Hong Kong Golf Club – Fanling Golf Course, Victoria Park, and Central Harbourfront Event Space and Victoria Harbour) during the events;
     
    (3) as it is learnt that the recruitment of volunteers for the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG was conducted from July to November last year, of (i) the number of applications received, (ii) the number of volunteers finally selected and (iii) their age distribution;
     
    (4) as it is learnt that the selected volunteers mentioned in (3) will mainly be responsible for tasks such as reception services upon arrival and departure, spectator services, guest reception, crowd control, transport and logistics, catering management and presentation ceremony support, and will receive training, of the details of the manpower establishment and training of volunteers for the aforesaid tasks; and
     
    (5) whether it has assessed if the number of selected volunteers mentioned in (3) can meet the relevant manpower demand, and whether it will consider recruiting more volunteers or mobilising civil servants to participate in the support work for the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, the 15th National Games (15th NG), and the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (12th NGD and 9th NSOG) will be held from November 9 to 21 and from December 8 to 15, 2025, respectively. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been maintaining close liaison with the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC), the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government. In addition, the HKSAR Government has been working with the concerned National Sports Associations and other related organisations in Hong Kong to press ahead with the preparatory work. Bringing success to the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG is a significant mission of the HKSAR Government this year, and they are also mega events. We will continue to dedicate the fullest efforts to taking forward the related work with a view to co‑hosting a “simple, safe and wonderful” 15th NG as well as 12th NGD and 9th NSOG in collaboration with Guangdong and Macao, and thereby deepening the exchanges and collaborations in sports between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area cities, and also their overall integrated development.
          
         Our reply to the question raised by the Hon Kenneth Lau is as follows:
     
     (1)(i) The 15th NG will have competition events for 34 sports and mass participation events for 23 sports. Hong Kong will host eight competition events (namely basketball (men U22), track cycling, fencing, golf, handball (men), rugby sevens, triathlon and beach volleyball) and one mass participation event (namely bowling). In addition, Hong Kong will assist Zhuhai and Shenzhen respectively in organising two cross-boundary events, namely road cycling and marathon.
     
         The 12th NGD and 9th NSOG will have competition events for 35 sports and mass participation events for 11 sports. Hong Kong will host four competition events (namely boccia, wheelchair fencing and table tennis (TT11) for NGD, and table tennis for NSOG) and one mass participation event (namely para dance sport).
          
         In view of the numerous events in the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG, the Governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are co-ordinating the overall schedules of the Games for submission to the GASC and the CDPF for approval. We will continue to liaise closely with the GASC, the CDPF as well as the Governments of Guangdong and Macao with a view to finalising the schedules of the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG as soon as possible. The details will be announced in due course.
     
    (ii) Based on the competition prospectuses and guidelines promulgated by the GASC and the CDPF, it is estimated that about 1 800 and 700 athletes will participate respectively in the 15th NG events and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG events in Hong Kong. In addition, it is estimated that about 1 000 delegation officials (including coaches, team physicians), 800 technical officials (including referees), and 750 members of the media will visit Hong Kong during the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG.
     
    (iii) It is estimated that the events in Hong Kong will attract more than 100 000 spectators from Hong Kong, the Mainland and other regions.
     
    (iv) The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) is working with relevant government departments and organisations to launch territory-wide publicity and promotion campaigns through various online and offline channels, with a view to enhancing the awareness and interest in the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG among different sectors of the community. The initiatives include conducting multi-channel publicity through traditional media, social media, city dress-up and roving exhibitions; organising community and school promotion programmes in co-operation with local organisations and schools; hosting feature events such as exchanges with athletes and sports experiential activities in collaboration with sports organisations; and launching a dedicated website and applications for digital marketing.
     
         The first stage of the publicity and promotion campaigns was launched during November to December last year to tie in with the one-year countdown to the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG, which included rolling out a series of cityscape enhancement, roving exhibitions, publicity videos, thematic website (www.2025nationalgames.gov.hk) and social media pages (www.facebook.com/2025nationalgames.hk, www.instagram.com/2025nationalgames.hk) of Hong Kong for the Games. The second stage commenced in January this year, with initiatives including city dress-up and photo-taking spots featuring the mascots of the Games, enhancing the design of the thematic website, enriching social media content, etc. The third stage, covering the 100-day countdown, torch relay, etc, will begin in August 2025. We will do our utmost to foster a welcoming atmosphere and enhance the popularity and participation of the Games in Hong Kong, whilst encouraging Hong Kong people and tourists to watch the Games and cheer for the athletes.
     
    (v) Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao are discussing the ticketing plans and sales arrangements for the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG. The three places will adopt the same sales platform. 
     
    (2) The competition venues for the events in Hong Kong, including the soon‑to-open Kai Tak Sports Park, have hosted various large-scale events and competitions previously, or undergone different drills and stress tests. The CSTB is, in collaboration with the relevant departments including the Hong Kong Police Force, the Transport Department, conducting a detailed assessment on the traffic and transport arrangements to and from the venues having regard to the transport facilities and capacity of the venues, their past experiences in staging competitions, and the number of participating athletes and spectators for each event.  We will formulate specific transport measures and special transport arrangements having regard to the assessment, and discuss with the various public transport operators on strengthening the public transport service as appropriate.
     
    (3) (i) to (iii) The recruitment of volunteers for the Hong Kong Volunteer Programme of the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG was conducted from July to November last year. We received a total of over 30 000 applications for volunteer leaders or volunteers. In addition, about 2 000 young people aged between 15 and 17 have applied as youth volunteers. The selection interviews for volunteer leaders and volunteers were completed in January this year, and we plan to invite about 15 000 applicants to attend training. Individuals completing all the required training sessions will be appointed as the Games’ volunteers in Hong Kong. The final number of volunteers and their age distribution will only be available after completion of the whole recruitment exercise.
     
    (4) We are formulating the detailed volunteer deployment plan. We will take into account the nature and arrangements of individual events as well as the numbers of participating athletes and spectators, and thereby assessing the requirements for supporting services and the types of volunteer positions. We will also estimate the manpower requirement for different volunteer positions having regard to factors such as the skills required, the service hours and the place of work of the positions involved.
     
         All volunteers are required to attend basic training and position-related training. The basic training, lasting for about two days, will cover various areas including the background of the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG and a brief introduction of the events in Hong Kong; the principles, code of practice and etiquette of volunteer work; communication, response and problem-solving skills; the ways of assisting people with disabilities and basic first-aid knowledge. Volunteer leaders are required to receive additional advanced training of about two days, covering the roles of volunteer leaders, the ways of handling unexpected situations, expectation management, mental health management, media handling skills, operation of volunteer management system, skills in leading and bonding volunteers. We will start the training for volunteer leaders in February this year and that for volunteers in general in March.
     
    (5) The response to the Hong Kong Volunteer Programme has been satisfactory, with the number of applicants succeeding in the selection far exceeding the original recruitment target of 10 000 volunteers. The volunteer applicants have already included members of civil service volunteer teams. At present, we have no plan to recruit additional volunteers.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Housing Market – Subtle turning point for property sellers – CoreLogic

    Source: CoreLogic

    New Zealand’s property market is showing early signs of a gentle turnaround, giving resellers a glimmer of renewed leverage after a prolonged downturn.

    CoreLogic NZ’s latest Pain & Gain report for Q4 2024 shows the proportion of properties being resold for more than the original purchase price was 91.0%, up from 90.1% in Q3 2024.
    However, that’s still low compared to the post-COVID boom when more than 99% of properties typically sold for a profit.

    CoreLogic NZ Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said the small rise suggests resale conditions are gradually improving, aligning with broader signs of a market turnaround.

    “While profits are down from the peak, most property resellers continue to see gains.

    “The latest increase in the frequency of resale profits supports other indicators that the market may have found a floor, largely due to recent mortgage rate falls.

    “However, with property values still about 18% below their peak and the overhang of listings keeping buyers in a strong position, selling conditions remain subdued, he said.

    Regaining ground
    Mr Davidson said while buyers still have the upper hand, resellers may be regaining ground as profits grow.

    “In Q4, the typical size of reseller gains ticked up to $289,500 from $279,000 in the third quarter of last year.

    “While the figure is still low compared to the peak in late 2021 of $440,000, it’ still larger than anything we saw prior to Q4 2020.

    “On the flipside, the median resale loss was unchanged at $55,000 in Q4, remaining within the $50,000–$60,000 range seen over the past two years,” he said.

    Mr Davidson added that although these profits are still significant and losses small, it’s important to acknowledge two extra factors.

    “Hold period plays a key role, and even in a downturn, anybody who has owned property for several years will still tend to make a profit. For owner-occupiers it’s not necessarily a cash windfall either. Indeed, most equity will just need to be recycled back into the next purchase.”

    Holding out
    In Q4 2024, sellers who resold for a gross profit held their properties for a median of 9 years, up from 8.6 years the previous quarter.

    Mr Davidson said this could reflect caution amid softer market conditions, with many choosing to wait for more favourable opportunities.
    “In some cases, particularly for investors, a target return strategy has meant holding properties longer due to the slower housing market over the past 2-3 years.

    “However, it may also reflect weaker housing sentiment and greater caution, with owners opting to ride out the current soft patch before testing the market,” he said.

    Losses ease  
    Mr Davidson said resale performance across property types suggested a turning point, with incurred losses starting to ease.

    “In the fourth quarter of the year apartment resales incurred a loss on 29.5% of deals, compared to 8.3% for standalone houses.”

    “Although the apartment figure clearly remains high, it dropped from 31.8% in the third quarter of last year. Whereas the ‘pain’ percentage of houses fell from 9.1% in Q3,” he said.

    Falling rates to boost confidence
    Looking ahead, Mr Davidson expects that lower mortgage rates will push up house prices to some extent in 2025, which will tend to strengthen the position for property resellers.

    “But any turning point for house prices won’t be sudden or strong, and lingering weakness in the labour market alongside an abundance of listings should mean finance-approved buyers continue to see good opportunities,” he concluded.

    Read CoreLogic’s latest Pain & Gain report at www.corelogic.co.nz/news-research/reports/pain-and-gain-report.

    About CoreLogic
    CoreLogic NZ is a leading, independent provider of property data and analytics. We help people build better lives by providing rich, up-to-the-minute property insights that inform the very best property decisions. Formed in 2014 following the merger of two companies that had strong foundations in New Zealand’s property industry – Terralink Ltd and PropertyIQ NZ Ltd – we have the most comprehensive property database with coverage of 99% of the NZ property market and more than 500 million decision points in our database.
    We provide services across a wide range of industries, including Banking & Finance, Real Estate, Government, Insurance and Construction. Our diverse, innovative solutions help our clients identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk. We also operate consumer-facing portal propertyvalue.co.nz – providing important insights for people looking to buy or sell their home or investment property. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of CoreLogic, Inc – one of the largest data and analytics companies in the world with offices in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and United Kingdom. For more information visit corelogic.co.nz.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ ETFs Announces Distributions on SMCY (101.33%), MSTY (100.07%), AIYY (64.15%), YMAX (47.62%), SQY (45.38%) and Others

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ today announced distributions for the YieldMax™ Weekly Payers and Group D ETFs listed in the table below.

    ETF Ticker1 ETF Name Distribution Frequency Distribution per share Distribution Rate2,4 30-Day
    SEC Yield3    		 ROC5 Ex-Date & Record Date Payment Date
    SDTY* YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly   – –   –   –   – –
    GPTY YieldMax™ AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $ 0.2936 –   –   99.05 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    LFGY YieldMax™ Crypto Industry
    & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF    		 Weekly $ 0.5642 –   –   100.00 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    YMAX YieldMax™ Universe
    Fund of Option Income ETFs    		 Weekly $ 0.1503 47.62 % 77.11 % 92.31 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    YMAG YieldMax™ Magnificent 7
    Fund of Option Income ETFs    		 Weekly $ 0.0509 14.71 % 56.75 % 85.74 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    MSTY YieldMax™ MSTR Option
    Income Strategy ETF    		 Every 4 weeks $ 2.0216 100.07 % 0.00 % 33.44 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    YQQQ YieldMax™ Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $ 0.2498 19.44 % 3.81 % 0.00 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    AMZY YieldMax™ AMZN Option
    Income Strategy ETF    		 Every 4 weeks $ 0.5480 36.33 % 2.89 % 0.00 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    APLY YieldMax™ AAPL Option
    Income Strategy ETF    		 Every 4 weeks $ 0.3625 28.26 % 3.14 % 88.56 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    AIYY YieldMax™ AI Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $ 0.3710 64.15 % 3.59 % 94.49 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    DISO YieldMax™ DIS Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $ 0.4574 36.46 % 3.60 % 90.80 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    SQY YieldMax™ SQ Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $ 0.5840 45.38 % 4.13 % 93.58 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    SMCY YieldMax™ SMCI Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $ 2.0901 101.33 % 3.39 % 97.65 % 2/13/25 2/14/25
    Weekly Payers & Group A ETFs scheduled for next week: SDTY GPTY LFGY YMAX YMAG TSLY CRSH GOOY YBIT OARK XOMO SNOY TSMY FEAT FIVY

    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling (833) 378-0717.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH and YQQQ are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs”.

    Distributions are not guaranteed. The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    *The inception date for SDTY is February 5, 2025.

    1. All YieldMax™ ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, YMAG and FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax™ ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio of 1.24% but the investment adviser has agreed to a 0.10% fee waiver through at least February 28, 2025.
    2. The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on February 11, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.
    3. The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended January 31, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.
    4. Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.
    5. ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage is the portion of the distribution that represents an investor’s original investment.

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Standardized Performance

    For YMAX, click here. For YMAG, click here. For TSLY, click here. For OARK, click here. For APLY, click here. For NVDY, click here. For AMZY, click here. For FBY, click here. For GOOY, click here. For NFLY, click here. For CONY, click here. For MSFO, click here. For DISO, click here. For XOMO, click here. For JPMO, click here. For AMDY, click here. For PYPY, click here. For SQY, click here. For MRNY, click here. For AIYY, click here. For MSTY, click here. For ULTY, click here. For YBIT, click here. For CRSH, click here. For GDXY, click here. For SNOY, click here. For ABNY, click here. For FIAT, click here. For DIPS, click here. For BABO, click here. For YQQQ, click here. For TSMY, click here. For SMCY, click here. For PLTY, click here. For BIGY, click here. For SOXY, click here. For MARO, click here. For FEAT, click here. For FIVY, click here. For LFGY, click here. For GPTY, click here. For CVNY, click here. For SDTY, click here.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax™ ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)

    YMAX, YMAG, FEAT and FIVY generally invest in other YieldMax™ ETFs. As such, these two Funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax™ ETFs they may hold from time to time.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax™ ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, YieldMax™ ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax™ ETFs

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes Thiogenesis Therapeutics, Corp. to OTCQX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Thiogenesis Therapeutics Corp. (TSX-V: TTI; OTCQX: TTIPF), a clinical-stage biotech company, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Thiogenesis Therapeutics Corp. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink® market.

    Thiogenesis Therapeutics Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “TTIPF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

    Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

    About Thiogenesis Therapeutics Corp.

    Thiogenesis Therapeutics, Corp., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company operating through its wholly owned subsidiary based in San Diego, CA. Thiogenesis is developing sulfur-containing prodrugs that act as precursors to previously approved thiol compounds, with the potential to treat serious pediatric diseases with unmet medical needs. Prodrugs are drugs that contain previously approved active ingredients and are modified so that they only become active when metabolized. For regulatory purposes prodrugs can use existing third-party safety data in regulatory submissions in the streamlined 505 (b)(2) regulatory pathway in the US, and its equivalent hybrid system in Europe, to proceed into human efficacy trials with regulatory clearance. Prodrugs may enhance the profile of the active ingredient to increase its bioavailability and reduce side effects. The Company’s initial target indications include Mitochondrial Encephalopathy Lactic Acidosis and Stroke (“MELAS”), Leigh’s syndrome, Rett syndrome and pediatric MASH.

    About OTC Markets Group Inc.
    OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market.

    Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

    OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

    To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

    Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

    Media Contact:
    OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fourth UK-India Energy Dialogue: joint statement

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    This joint statement was released following the meeting between UK Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband and India’s Minister of Power, Manohar Lal.

    The Fourth India-UK Energy Dialogue, co-chaired by Shri Manohar Lal, Union Minister of Power, India and Mr Ed Miliband, Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero for United Kingdom, was held in, New Delhi on Monday 10th February, 2025.

    The dialogue focused on reviewing progress made in the energy sectors of both nations, including power and renewable energy, and reaffirming the commitment to a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive energy future. including across the breadth of sectors represented. They expressed satisfaction over the progress made to support green and sustainable growth, alongside accelerating the clean energy transition and ensuring energy security. The Ministers underscored the importance of ensuring that the energy transition and economic growth proceed together, while maintaining affordable and clean energy access for all.

    The Ministers underscored the importance of ensuring energy security and sustainable development and emphasised expanding the cooperation in the areas of power distribution, sector reforms, industrial energy efficiency and de-carbonisation, and electric mobility while exploring new opportunities in the emerging fields such as energy storage, green data centres, and offshore wind, with an increased focus on MSMEs.

    The Ministers were pleased to announce the launch of Phase-2 of the India-UK bilateral Accelerating Smart Power & Renewable Energy in India programme. This phase will aim to provide technical support for ensuring round the clock power supply, expanding renewable energy initiatives, and accelerating industrial energy efficiency and de-carbonisation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Power (MOP) and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

    The Ministers were pleased to observe the bilateral collaboration between the two sides to promote growth and jobs, through technical assistance cooperation and investment. They also discussed the progress of trade missions focusing on offshore wind and green hydrogen, as well as the cooperation between the UK’s Energy Systems Catapult and India’s Power Trading Corporation.

    Recognising the shared ambition for advancing offshore wind development, the Ministers announced the establishment of a UK-India Offshore Wind Taskforce, which will focus on advancing offshore wind ecosystem development, supply chains, and financing models in both countries. Mr Miliband commended India’s ambitious initiatives in the renewable energy sector and shown a strong interest in gaining insights from India’s experience in implementing the Solar Rooftop Programme (PM – Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna).

    The Ministers agreed on the importance of power market regulations in driving the energy transition and ensuring greater energy security and access. To support this, they announced the continuation of the Power Sector Reforms programme under the UK Partnering for Accelerating Climate Change (UKPACT). Additionally, a new taskforce has been proposed between the UK’s Office of Gas and Electricity Markets and India’s Central Electricity Regulatory Commission to support renewable energy integration and grid transformation in India.

    Both Ministers emphasised the ongoing value of the India-UK Energy Dialogue in advancing mutual energy transition goals, ensuring energy access, and building secure and sustainable clean energy supply chains while aligning these efforts with economic growth.

    The Ministers expressed their intention to further strengthen their collaboration through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and looked forward to the fifth UK-India Energy Dialogue in 2026. The dialogue concluded with the launch of the ‘Best Practices Compendium of Industrial Energy Efficiency/Decarbonisation’ and a ‘Pathways for Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation in the Indian Aluminium Sector’.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: AI, big data and cloud prominent technology themes in hiring in 2024, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    AI, big data and cloud prominent technology themes in hiring in 2024, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    • Active job index experiences a 1.4% YoY growth
    • India top country in terms of growth
    • Retail sector trends with high growth and postings

    The global job market dynamics in 2024 revealed a positive year-over-year (YoY) trend, despite companies continuing optimization efforts, with over 500 companies announcing layoffs. The retail sector experienced a rise in postings, driven by companies such as Amazon and Walgreens. The technology and communications sector, with major recruiters including Accenture, Reliance Jio, and Microsoft, also saw a rise in postings. Key technology themes driving hiring trends include artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, big data, cybersecurity, and batteries, reveals the Job Analytics Database of GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report, Global Hiring Activity Trends & Signals – 2024, reveals that the new job postings for 2024 were driven by roles for AI/ML Engineers, Cloud Architects, and Generative AI Solution Architects.

    Sherla Sriprada, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The AI theme has experienced a notable 61% increase in job postings, driven by the need for AI/ML Engineers, Cloud Architects, and Generative AI Solution Architects in 2024. There is a growing demand for professionals skilled in ChatGPT and Copilot, reflecting a heightened focus on GenAI, AI Agents, and Agentic AI roles.”

    Countries such as China, Brazil, India, and Australia had a growth in job postings compared to the previous year. The US companies increased their hiring exposure to India while scaling back in China. The North American job onshoring declined in favor of postings in European and APAC nations.

    Meanwhile, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) gained traction, driven by Cloud Infra Leads, Infra Security Engineers, and Data Center InfraOps Managers. Additionally, office productivity applications and enterprise resource planning applications were trending in 2024.

    Sriprada concludes: “2024 marks a pivotal year for the global job market, with tech themes driving much of the hiring activity. On the other hand, it is important to note that the shift towards onshoring in regions like India, coupled with reduced hiring in China, underscores the broader geopolitical and economic trends influencing talent acquisition strategies. This dynamic landscape presents both opportunities and challenges for organizations as they navigate the complexities of a rapidly evolving global workforce.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India – France Joint Statement on the visit of Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to France

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 3:22PM by PIB Delhi

    At the invitation of the President of the French Republic, H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, paid a visit to France on 10-12 February 2025. On 10 and 11 February 2025, France and India co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit, gathering Heads of State and Government, leaders of international organizations, small and large enterprises, representatives of academia, non-governmental organizations, artists and members of civil society, in order to build on the important milestones reached during the Bletchley Park (November 2023) and Seoul (May 2024) summits. They underlined their commitment to take concrete actions to ensure that the global AI sector can drive beneficial social, economic and environmental outcomes in the public interest. Prime Minister Modi congratulated President Macron on France’s successful organization of AI Action Summit. France welcomed India’s hosting of the next AI Summit.

    This was Prime Minister Modi’s sixth visit to France, and follows President Macron’s visit to India in January 2024 as the Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day of India. Prime Minister Modi and President Macron held bilateral discussions on the entire gamut of the exceptionally strong and multifaceted bilateral cooperation and on global and regional matters. Both leaders also went to Marseille where President Macron hosted a private dinner for Prime Minister Modi, reflecting the excellent relationship between the two leaders. They jointly inaugurated India’s Consulate General in Marseille. They also visited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor facility.

    President Macron and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed their shared vision for bilateral cooperation and international partnership, outlined in the Joint Statement issued following President Macron’s State Visit to India in January 2024 and in the Horizon 2047 Roadmap published during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to France in July 2023 as the Chief Guest of the Bastille Day Celebrations on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership. They commended the progress achieved in their bilateral cooperation and committed to accelerating it further across its three pillars.

    The two leaders reiterated their call for reformed and effective multilateralism to sustain an equitable and peaceful international order, address pressing global challenges and prepare the world for emerging developments, including in the technological and economic domains. The two leaders stressed, in particular, the urgent need for the reform of the United Nations Security Council and agreed to coordinate closely in multilateral fora, including on UNSC matters. France reiterated its firm support for India’s permanent membership of the UNSC. The two leaders agreed to strengthen conversations on regulation of use of the veto in case of mass atrocities. They held extensive discussions on long-term global challenges and current international developments and agreed to intensify their global and regional engagement, including through multilateral initiatives and institutions.

    Acknowledging the paramount importance of advancing scientific knowledge, research and innovation, and recalling the long and enduring engagement between India and France in those areas, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi announced the grand inauguration of the India-France Year of Innovation in New Delhi in March 2026 by launching its Logo.

    Partnership for Security and Sovereignty

    Recalling the deep and longstanding defence cooperation between France and India as part of the Strategic Partnership, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the continuation of the cooperation of air and maritime assets in line with the ambitious Defence Industrial Roadmap agreed in 2024. Both leaders commended progress in collaboration in construction of Scorpene submarines in India, including indigenization, and in particular the work carried out with a view to the integration of DRDO developed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) into P75-Scorpene submarines and the analyses conducted regarding the possible integration of the Integrated Combat System (ICS) into the future P75-AS submarines. Both leaders welcomed the commissioning of the sixth and final submarine of the P75 Scorpene-class project, INS Vaghsheer, on 15 January 2025.Both sides welcomed the ongoing discussions in missiles, helicopter engines and jet engines. They also welcomed the excellent cooperation between the relevant entities in the Safran group and their Indian counterparts. Prime Minister Modi also invited the French Army to take a closer look at the Pinaka MBLR, emphasizing that an acquisition of this system by France would be another milestone in Indo-French defence ties. In addition, President Macron welcomed the decision to include India as an observer to the Eurodrone MALE programme managed by OCCAR, which is another step forward in the growing strength of our partnership in defence equipment programmes.

    Both leaders appreciated the regular conduct of military exercises in all domains including maritime exercises and joint patrolling by maritime patrol aircraft. They noted the recent visit of the French Carrier Strike Group Charles De Gaulle to India in January 2025, followed by the Indian Navy’s participation in the French multinational exercise La Perouse, and the future conduct of the Varuna exercise in March 2025.

    They welcomed the launch of FRIND-X (France-India Defence Startup Excellence) in Paris on 5-6 December 2024, involving the DGA and the Defence Innovation Agency, in line with the vision enshrined in HORIZON 2047 and the India-France Defence Industrial Roadmap. This collaborative platform brings together key stakeholders across both defence ecosystems, including defence startups, investors, incubators, accelerators, and academia, fostering a new era of defence innovation and partnership.

    In order to deepen the research and development partnerships in defence, both leaders stressed on the early launch of an R&D framework through a Technical Arrangement for cooperation in defence technologies between DGA and DRDO. Inaddition, both leaders welcomed the ongoing discussions between L’Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to identify technologies for R&D partnerships. Further, India welcomes the participation of Indian students, alongside French students, in the challenge on distributed intelligencelaunched recently by Interdisciplinary Center for Defence and Security from the Institut Polytechnique de Parisand encourages organizing of more joint challenges in the future to evoke the interest of students in defence.

    Both leaders had a detailed conversation on international issues, including on the Middle-East and the war in Ukraine. They agreed to pursue their efforts to coordinate and remain closely engaged on a regular basis.

    The two leaders recalled the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) on the margins of the G20 Summit in Delhi in September 2023 and agreed to work together more closely on implementing the initiative. Both leaders stressed the importance of IMEC to foster connectivity, sustainable growth trajectories and access to clean energy across these regions. In this regard, they acknowledged the strategic location of Marseille in the Mediterranean Sea.

    They underlined the key importance of strengthening EU-India relations, in view of the upcoming India-EU summit at the earliest possible in New Delhi.

    They appreciated the growing cooperation in trilateral format with Australia and with the United Arab Emirates. They commended the joint military exercises that took place between France, India and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the participation of India, France and Australia in each others’ multilateral military exercises. At the invitation of the United Arab Emirates and India, France joined the Mangrove Alliance for Climate. They directed their concerned officials to work together with officials from the Governments of United Arab Emirates and Australia, towards identifying concrete projects of trilateral cooperation in the field of economy, innovation, health, renewable energy, education, culture, and the maritime domain, including under the IPOI and IORA as identified during the focal points meeting held virtually last year for both the trilateral dialogues.

    The two leaders underlined their common commitment to a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.

    They reiterated their desire to continue to deepen bilateral cooperation in the space sector. Taking note of the substantial contribution of the first two sessions of the India-France Strategic Space Dialogue to furthering this objective, they agreed to hold its third session in 2025. They commended the strength of the partnership between CNES and ISRO and supported the development of collaborations and synergies between their space industries.

    The two leaders reaffirmed their unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. They called for the disruption of terrorism financing networks and safe havens. They further agreed that no country should provide safe haven to those who finance, plan, support, or commit terrorist acts. The leaders also called for concerted action against all terrorists, including through designations of individuals affiliated with groups that are listed by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. The two sides emphasized the importance of upholding international standards on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, consistent with Financial Action Task Force recommendations. Both countries reiterated their commitment to work together in FATF, No Money For Terror (NMFT) and other multilateral platforms.

    They commended the cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism. The two leaders welcomed the outcomes of the counter-terrorism dialogue held in April 2024, reflecting the growing India – France counter-terrorism and intelligence cooperation. The two leaders also looked forward to the successful organization of Milipol 2025 in New Delhi.

    They welcomed the ongoing discussions to create a comprehensive framework for an enhanced bilateral cooperation in the civil aviation sector, which are at advanced stages.

    Prime Minister Modi and President Macron launched an India-France Roadmap on Artificial Intelligence (AI), rooted in the philosophical convergence in their approaches focusing on the development of safe, open, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence. They welcomed the inclusion of Indian startups at the French Startup Incubator Station F. They also welcomed the expanded possibilities for using India’s real-time payment system – Unified Payments Interface (UPI) – in France. The two leaders reiterated the strategic significance of cyberspace and their wish to strengthen their coordination at the United Nations regarding the application of international law and the implementation of the framework for responsible State behaviour in cyberspace, as well as the need to address issues arising from the proliferation of malicious cyber tools and practices. They looked forward to the next India-France Strategic Cybersecurity and Cyberdiplomacy Dialogues to be held in 2025.

    Partnership for the Planet

    Prime Minister Modi and President Macron stressed that nuclear energy is an essential part of the energy mix for strengthening energy security and transitioning towards a low-carbon economy. Both leaders acknowledged the India-France civil nuclear ties and efforts in cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, notably in relation with the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project. They welcomed the first meeting of the Special Task Force on Civil Nuclear Energy, and welcomed the signing of a letter of intent on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) and the Implementing Agreement between India’s GCNEP, DAE and France’s INSTN, CEA for cooperation in training and education of nuclear professionals.

    The two leaders reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to jointly address the environmental crises and challenges including climate change and promoting sustainable lifestyles. The leaders welcomed the renewal of bilateral cooperation in the field of environment between the Ministries of Environment. Both leaders reiterated their commitment to the principles established by the Paris Pact for People and the Planet for reform of the international financing system towards supporting vulnerable countries in addressing both the eradication of poverty and the preservation of the planet. Both leaders affirmed the significance of United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC-3) as an important milestone in international efforts towards conservation and sustainable use of oceans. In the context of upcoming UNOC-3 to be held in Nice in June 2025, France and India recognize the importance of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity Beyond Areas of Natural Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), as one of the pillars of inclusive and holistic international ocean governance. Having already signed the treaty, they called for its entry into force at the earliest. Prime Minister Modi offered India’s support to France for UNOC-3 in June 2025.

    They lauded the launching of the India-France Indo-Pacific Triangular Development Cooperation, aiming to support climate- and SDG-focused projects from third countries in the Indo-Pacific region. The two leaders welcome the partnership between Proparco and the concerned Indian microfinance institutions for an equity agreement of 13 million Euros in the areas of financial inclusion and women empowerment. They also commended the strong and fruitful cooperation within the framework of the Franco Indian presidency of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the International Solar Alliance.

    Noting the record level of bilateral trade in 2024, they acknowledged that there is vast untapped potential for trade and investment between the two countries. Both leaders highlighted the need to maintain strong confidence for companies investing in France and in India. They commended the numerous economic cooperation projects announced in 2024 in the field of urban development. They recalled the participation of India as guest of honor of the 7th Choose France Summit in Versailles in May 2024. The two leaders were delighted with the organization of the bilateral CEOs Forum in November 2024 and February 2025.

    The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the unprecedented momentum initiated for cooperation between the two Ministries of Health, with the first mission in Paris of India’s Ministry for Health and Family Welfare last January. Digital health, anti-microbial resistance and exchange of health professionals have been identified as the main priorities for bilateral cooperation in 2025. The two leaders welcomed the signature of a Letter of Intent between PariSante Campus and the C-CAMP (Centre for Molecular Platforms), and the creation of the Indo-French Life Sciences Sister Innovation Hub.

    Partnership for the People

    Recalling the ambition underpinning the Letter of Intent signed on the occasion of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France in July 2023, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the signature of the Agreement between the National Museum in Delhi and France Muséums Développement in December 2024. This agreement paves the way for further collaboration as well as broader museum cooperation including training of Indian professionals. France offered to continue consultations on its participation in the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex.

    To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the first cultural agreement between India and France in 1966, both sides agreed to undertake multiple cultural exchanges and programs in the context of the Year of Innovation 2026 which is a cross-sectoral initiative that includes culture.

    Prime Minister Modi congratulated President Macron on the successful organization of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024 and thanked President Macron’s willingness to share France’s experience and expertise regarding the organization and securing of major international sporting events in the context of India’s bid to host the Olympics and Paralympics Games in 2036.

    Both Leaders welcomed the launch of a regional edition of the Raisina Dialogue focusing on Mediterranean issues in Marseille in 2025, to foster high-level dialogue involving representatives of governments, industry leaders, experts on trade and connectivity issues and other relevant stakeholders with an aim to enhance trade and connectivity between the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific regions.

    Both leaders welcomed the successful launch in September 2024 of the International Classes Scheme under which Indian students are taught French as a foreign language, and methodology and academic contents in highly reputed French universities in France during one academic year, before entering their chosen curricula in France. It will create conducive conditions to increase student mobility and meet the target of 30,000 Indian students in France by 2030. In that regard, they welcomed the rising number of Indian students in France, with 2025 figures expected to reach an unprecedented 10,000.

    Both leaders also welcomed the operationalization of the Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) under India-France Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA) which will facilitate two way mobility of youth and professionals, further strengthening the bonds of friendship between people of India and France. Moreover, both leaders stressed on early conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding to foster cooperation in the fields of skill development, vocational education and training which will create opportunities for both countries to strengthen cooperation in this field.

    To foster their dynamic and comprehensive Strategic Partnership, both countries committed to constantly deepen their long-term cooperation following the ambitions expressed in the bilateral Horizon 2047 Roadmap.

    ***

    MJPS/SR/SKS

    (Release ID: 2102247) Visitor Counter : 146

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    1. Participants from over 100 countries, including government leaders, international organisations, representatives of civil society, the private sector, and the academic and research communities gathered in Paris on February 10 and 11, 2025, to hold the AI Action Summit. Rapid development of AI technologies represents a major paradigm shift, impacting our citizens, and societies in many ways. In line with the Paris Pact for People and the Planet, and the principles that countries must have ownership of their transition strategies, we have identified priorities and launched concrete actions to advance the public interest and to bridge digital divides through accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our actions are grounded in three main principles of science, solutions – focusing on open AI models in compliance with countries frameworks – and policy standards, in line with international frameworks.
    2. This Summit has highlighted the importance of reinforcing the diversity of the AI ecosystem. It has laid an open, multi-stakeholder and inclusive approach that will enable AI to be human rights based, human-centric, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy while also stressing the need and urgency to narrow the inequalities and assist developing countries in artificial intelligence capacity-building so they can build AI capacities.
    3. Acknowledging existing multilateral initiatives on AI, including the United Nations General Assembly Resolutions, the Global Digital Compact, the UNESCO Recommendation on Ethics of AI, the African Union Continental AI Strategy, and the works of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Council of Europe and European Union, the G7 including the Hiroshima AI Process and G20, we have affirmed the following main priorities: 

    • Promoting AI accessibility to reduce digital divides

    • Ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy, taking into account international frameworks for all 

    • Making innovation in AI thrive by enabling conditions for its development and avoiding market concentration driving industrial recovery and development

    • Encouraging AI deployment that positively shapes the future of work and labour markets and delivers opportunity for sustainable growth

    • Making AI sustainable for people and the planet

    • Reinforcing international cooperation to promote coordination in international governance

    To deliver on these priorities: 

    • Founding members have launched a major Public Interest AI Platform and Incubator, to support, amplify, decrease fragmentation between existing public and private initiatives on Public Interest AI and address digital divides. The Public interest AI Initiative will sustain and support digital public goods and technical assistance and capacity building projects in data, model development, openness and transparency, audit, compute, talent, financing and collaboration to support and co-create a trustworthy AI ecosystem advancing the public interest of all, for all and by all. 

    • We have discussed, at a Summit for the first time and in a multi-stakeholder format, issues related to AI and energy. This discussion has led to sharing knowledge to foster investments for sustainable AI systems (hardware, infrastructure, models), to promoting an international discussion on AI and environment, to welcoming an observatory on the energy impact of AI with the International Energy Agency, to showcasing energy-friendly AI innovation.
    • We recognize the need to enhance our shared knowledge on the impacts of AI in the job market, though the creation of network of Observatories, to better anticipate AI implications for workplaces, training and education and to use AI to foster productivity, skill development, quality and working conditions and social dialogue.
    1. We recognize the need for inclusive multistakeholder dialogues and cooperation on AI governance. We underline the need for a global reflection integrating inter alia questions of safety, sustainable development, innovation, respect of international laws including humanitarian law and human rights law and the protection of human rights, gender equality, linguistic diversity, protection of consumers and of intellectual property rights. We take notes of efforts and discussions related to international fora where AI governance is examined. As outlined in the Global Digital Compact adopted by the UN General Assembly, participants also reaffirmed their commitment to initiate a Global Dialogue on AI governance and the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and to align on-going governance efforts, ensuring complementarity and avoiding duplication. 
    2. Harnessing the benefits of AI technologies to support our economies and societies depends on advancing Trust and Safety. We commend the role of the Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit and Seoul Summits that have been essential in progressing international cooperation on AI safety and we note the voluntary commitments launched there. We will keep addressing the risks of AI to information integrity and continue the work on AI transparency. 
    3. We look forward to next AI milestones such as the Kigali Summit, the 3rd Global Forum on the Ethics of AI hosted by Thailand and UNESCO, the 2025 World AI Conference and the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 to follow up on our commitments and continue to take concrete actions aligned with a sustainable and inclusive AI.

    Signatory countries: 

    1. Armenia
    2. Australia
    3. Austria
    4. Belgium
    5. Brazil
    6. Bulgaria
    7. Cambodia
    8. Canada
    9. Chile
    10. China
    11. Croatia
    12. Cyprus
    13. Czechia
    14. Denmark
    15. Djibouti
    16. Estonia
    17. Finland
    18. France
    19. Germany
    20. Greece
    21. Hungary
    22. India
    23. Indonesia
    24. Ireland
    25. Italy
    26. Japan
    27. Kazakhstan
    28. Kenya
    29. Latvia
    30. Lithuania
    31. Luxembourg
    32. Malta
    33. Mexico
    34. Monaco
    35. Morocco
    36. New Zealand
    37. Nigeria
    38. Norway
    39. Poland
    40. Portugal
    41. Romania
    42. Rwanda
    43. Senegal
    44. Serbia
    45. Singapore
    46. Slovakia
    47. Slovenia
    48. South Africa
    49. Republic of Korea
    50. Spain
    51. Sweden
    52. Switzerland
    53. Thailand
    54. Netherlands
    55. United Arab Emirates
    56. Ukraine
    57. Uruguay
    58. Vatican
    59. European Union
    60. African Union Commission

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu Met with the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon. John Howard, OM AC

    Source: Republic Of China Taiwan 2

    Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu had the honor once again of meeting with the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. John Howard, OM AC, and conveyed President Lai’s New Year greetings.
    PM Howard generously shared his observations on the current global affairs and DG Wu updated him about Taiwan’s political and economic newly development.
    As the second-longest-serving Prime Minister in Australia’s history, having called for four federal elections during his tenure, he offered in-depth insights on the upcoming Australian federal election.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Radware Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Highlights

    • Revenue of $73 million, an increase of 12% year–over–year
    • Non-GAAP diluted EPS of $0.27 vs. $0.13 in Q4 2023; GAAP diluted EPS of $0.06 vs. $(0.14) in Q4 2023

    Full Year 2024 Financial Results and Highlights

    • Revenue of $275 million, an increase of 5% year-over-year
    • Cloud ARR of $77.3 million, an increase of 19% year-over-year
    • Non-GAAP diluted EPS of $0.87 vs. $0.43 in 2023; GAAP diluted EPS of $0.14 vs. $(0.50) in 2023
    • Cash flow from operations of $71.6 million compared to $(3.5) million last year

    TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR), a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments, today announced its consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024.

    “We are pleased to report a strong finish to 2024, growing revenue 12% year-over-year and more than doubling non-GAAP EPS to $0.27 in the fourth quarter. Our full year results were driven by accelerated cloud ARR growth of 19%, the success of our DefensePro X DDoS protection refresh, and strong performance from our OEM partnerships,” said Roy Zisapel, Radware’s president and CEO. “Looking ahead, we plan to increase investment in and accelerate our cloud security growth by further expanding our market leading AI enabled security capabilities, opening new cloud security service centers and expanding our cloud channels. We are confident in our strategy, excited about the opportunities ahead, and believe in our ability to deliver long-term success.”

    Financial Highlights for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024

    Revenue for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024 totaled $73.0 million and $274.9 million, respectively:

    • Revenue in the Americas region was $32.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 33% from $24.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Revenue in the Americas region for the full year of 2024 was $117.7 million, an increase of 14% from $103.4 million in the full year of 2023.
    • Revenue in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (“EMEA”) region was $23.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, a decrease of 6% from $24.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Revenue in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (“EMEA”) region for the full year of 2024 was $94.1 million, a decrease of 2% from $96.5 million in the full year of 2023.
    • Revenue in the Asia-Pacific (“APAC”) region was $16.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 8% from $15.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Revenue in the Asia-Pacific (“APAC”) region for the full year of 2024 was $63.1 million, an increase of 3% from $61.4 million in the full year of 2023.

    GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $2.5 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net loss of $5.9 million, or $(0.14) per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2023. GAAP net income for the full year of 2024 was $6.0 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net loss of $21.6 million, or $(0.50) per diluted share, for the full year of 2023.

    Non-GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $11.9 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $5.5 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP net income for the full year of 2024 was $37.7 million, or $0.87 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $18.9 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, for the full year of 2023.

    As of December 31, 2024, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term bank deposits, and marketable securities of $419.7 million. Cash flow from operations was $12.7 million and $71.6 million in the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, respectively.

    Non-GAAP results are calculated excluding, as applicable, the impact of stock-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets, litigation costs, acquisition costs, restructuring costs, exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net, and tax-related adjustments. A reconciliation of each of the Company’s non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is included at the end of this press release.

    Conference Call
    Radware management will host a call today, February 12, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EST to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2024 results and first quarter 2025 outlook. To participate on the call, please use the following numbers:
    U.S. participants call toll free: 1-877-704-4453
    International participants call: 1-201-389-0920

    A replay will be available for seven days, starting two hours after the end of the call, on telephone number 1-844-512-2921 (US toll-free) or 1-412-317-6671. Access ID 13750817.

    The call will be webcast live on the Company’s website at: http://www.radware.com/IR/. The webcast will remain available for replay during the next 12 months.

    Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information and Key Performance Indicators
    In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), Radware uses non-GAAP measures of gross profit, research and development expense, selling and marketing expense, general and administrative expense, total operating expenses, operating income, financial income, net, income before taxes on income, taxes on income, net income and diluted earnings per share, which are adjustments from results based on GAAP to exclude, as applicable, stock-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets, litigation costs, acquisition costs, restructuring costs, exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net, and tax–related adjustments. Management believes that exclusion of these charges allows for meaningful comparisons of operating results across past, present, and future periods. Radware’s management believes the non-GAAP financial measures provided in this release are useful to investors for the purpose of understanding and assessing Radware’s ongoing operations. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is included with the financial information contained in this press release. Management uses both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating and operating the business and, as such, has determined that it is important to provide this information to investors.

    Annual recurring revenue (“ARR”) is a key performance indicator defined as the annualized value of booked orders for term-based cloud services, subscription licenses, and maintenance contracts that are in effect at the end of a reporting period. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue and is not intended to be combined with or to replace either of those items. ARR is not a forecast of future revenue, which can be impacted by contract start and end dates and renewal rates and does not include revenue reported as perpetual license or professional services revenue in our consolidated statement of operations. We consider ARR a key performance indicator of the value of the recurring components of our business.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements made herein that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about Radware’s plans, outlook, beliefs, or opinions, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may,” and “could.” Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, could differ materially from Radware’s current forecasts and estimates. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the impact of global economic conditions, including as a result of the state of war declared in Israel in October 2023 and instability in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and the tensions between China and Taiwan; our dependence on independent distributors to sell our products; our ability to manage our anticipated growth effectively; a shortage of components or manufacturing capacity could cause a delay in our ability to fulfill orders or increase our manufacturing costs; our business may be affected by sanctions, export controls, and similar measures, targeting Russia and other countries and territories, as well as other responses to Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine, including indefinite suspension of operations in Russia and dealings with Russian entities by many multi-national businesses across a variety of industries; the ability of vendors to provide our hardware platforms and components for the manufacture of our products; our ability to attract, train, and retain highly qualified personnel; intense competition in the market for cyber security and application delivery solutions and in our industry in general, and changes in the competitive landscape; our ability to develop new solutions and enhance existing solutions; the impact to our reputation and business in the event of real or perceived shortcomings, defects, or vulnerabilities in our solutions, if our end-users experience security breaches, if our information technology systems and data, or those of our service providers and other contractors, are compromised by cyber-attackers or other malicious actors, or by a critical system failure; outages, interruptions, or delays in hosting services; the risks associated with our global operations, such as difficulties and costs of staffing and managing foreign operations, compliance costs arising from host country laws or regulations, partial or total expropriation, export duties and quotas, local tax exposure, economic or political instability, including as a result of insurrection, war, natural disasters, and major environmental, climate, or public health concerns, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; our net losses in the past two years and possibility we may incur losses in the future; a slowdown in the growth of the cyber security and application delivery solutions market or in the development of the market for our cloud-based solutions; long sales cycles for our solutions; risks and uncertainties relating to acquisitions or other investments; risks associated with doing business in countries with a history of corruption or with foreign governments; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; risks associated with undetected defects or errors in our products; our ability to protect our proprietary technology; intellectual property infringement claims made by fourth parties; laws, regulations, and industry standards affecting our business; compliance with open source and fourth-party licenses; and other factors and risks over which we may have little or no control. This list is intended to identify only certain of the principal factors that could cause actual results to differ. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Radware, refer to Radware’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the other risk factors discussed from time to time by Radware in reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except as required by applicable law, Radware undertakes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statement in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date any such statement is made. Radware’s public filings are available from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or may be obtained on Radware’s website at www.radware.com.

    About Radware
    Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR) is a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments. The company’s cloud application, infrastructure, and API security solutions use AI-driven algorithms for precise, hands-free, real-time protection from the most sophisticated web, application, and DDoS attacks, API abuse, and bad bots. Enterprises and carriers worldwide rely on Radware’s solutions to address evolving cybersecurity challenges and protect their brands and business operations while reducing costs. For more information, please visit the Radware website.

    Radware encourages you to join our community and follow us on: Facebook, LinkedIn, Radware Blog, X, YouTube, and Radware Mobile for iOS.

    ©2025 Radware Ltd. All rights reserved. Any Radware products and solutions mentioned in this press release are protected by trademarks, patents, and pending patent applications of Radware in the U.S. and other countries. For more details, please see: https://www.radware.com/LegalNotice/. All other trademarks and names are property of their respective owners.

    Radware believes the information in this document is accurate in all material respects as of its publication date. However, the information is provided without any express, statutory, or implied warranties and is subject to change without notice.

    The contents of any website or hyperlinks mentioned in this press release are for informational purposes and the contents thereof are not part of this press release.

    CONTACTS
    Investor Relations:
    Yisca Erez, +972-72-3917211, ir@radware.com

    Media Contact:
    Gerri Dyrek, gerri.dyrek@radware.com

    Radware Ltd.  
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets  
    (U.S. Dollars in thousands)  
             
      December 31,   December 31,  
      2024    2023   
      (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)  
    Assets        
             
    Current assets        
    Cash and cash equivalents 98,714   70,538  
    Marketable securities 72,994   86,372  
    Short-term bank deposits 104,073   173,678  
    Trade receivables, net 16,823   20,267  
    Other receivables and prepaid expenses 14,242   9,529  
    Inventories 14,030   15,544  
      320,876   375,928  
             
    Long-term investments        
    Marketable securities 29,523   33,131  
    Long-term bank deposits 114,354   –  
    Other assets 2,171   2,166  
      146,048   35,297  
             
             
    Property and equipment, net 15,632   18,221  
    Intangible assets, net 11,750   15,718  
    Other long-term assets 37,906   37,967  
    Operating lease right-of-use assets 18,456   20,777  
    Goodwill 68,008   68,008  
    Total assets 618,676   571,916  
             
    Liabilities and equity        
             
    Current liabilities        
    Trade payables 5,581   4,298  
    Deferred revenues 106,303   105,012  
    Operating lease liabilities 4,750   4,684  
    Other payables and accrued expenses 51,836   41,021  
      168,470   155,015  
             
    Long-term liabilities        
    Deferred revenues 64,708   60,499  
    Operating lease liabilities 13,519   16,020  
    Other long-term liabilities 14,904   17,108  
      93,131   93,627  
             
    Equity        
    Radware Ltd. equity        
    Share capital 754   742  
    Additional paid-in capital 555,154   529,209  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income 1,103   77  
    Treasury stock, at cost (366,588)   (365,749)  
    Retained earnings 125,850   119,812  
    Total Radware Ltd. shareholder’s equity 316,273   284,091  
             
    Non–controlling interest 40,802   39,183  
             
    Total equity 357,075   323,274  
             
    Total liabilities and equity 618,676   571,916  
             
    Radware Ltd.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss)
    (U.S Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
                     
        For the three months ended   For the twelve months ended
        December 31,   December 31,
        2024   2023   2024   2023
        (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
                     
    Revenues   73,031   65,032     274,880     261,292  
    Cost of revenues   13,992   12,824     53,252     51,710  
    Gross profit   59,039   52,208     221,628     209,582  
                     
    Operating expenses, net:                
    Research and development, net   18,472   19,712     74,723     82,617  
    Selling and marketing   32,505   31,869     122,450     126,237  
    General and administrative   7,071   8,030     28,342     32,408  
    Total operating expenses, net   58,048   59,611     225,515     241,262  
                     
    Operating income (loss)   991   (7,403)     (3,887)     (31,680)  
    Financial income, net   3,570   3,239     16,552     13,927  
    Income (loss) before taxes on income   4,561   (4,164)     12,665     (17,753)  
    Taxes on income   2,109   1,686     6,627     3,837  
    Net income (loss)   2,452   (5,850)     6,038     (21,590)  
                     
       Basic net income (loss) per share attributed to Radware Ltd.’s shareholders   0.06   (0.14)     0.14     (0.50)  
                     
       Weighted average number of shares used to compute basic net income (loss) per share   42,238,469   41,806,042     41,982,851     42,871,770  
                     
       Diluted net income (loss) per share attributed to Radware Ltd.’s shareholders   0.06   (0.14)     0.14     (0.50)  
                     
       Weighted average number of shares used to compute diluted net income (loss) per share   43,725,803   41,806,042     43,362,906     42,871,770  
                           
      Radware Ltd.
      Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Information
      (U.S Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
                       
        For the three months ended   For the twelve months ended  
        December 31,   December 31,  
        2024   2023   2024   2023  
        (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)  
    GAAP gross profit 59,039   52,208   221,628   209,582  
      Share-based compensation 126   112   366   515  
      Amortization of intangible assets 992   992   3,968   3,968  
    Non-GAAP gross profit 60,157   53,312   225,962   214,065  
                       
    GAAP research and development, net 18,472   19,712   74,723   82,617  
      Share-based compensation 1,434   2,305   6,113   8,505  
    Non-GAAP Research and development, net 17,038   17,407   68,610   74,112  
                       
    GAAP selling and marketing 32,505   31,869   122,450   126,237  
      Share-based compensation 3,173   3,489   10,881   12,554  
      Restructuring costs –   578   –   1,851  
    Non-GAAP selling and marketing 29,332   27,802   111,569   111,832  
                       
    GAAP general and administrative 7,071   8,030   28,342   32,408  
      Share-based compensation 2,187   2,965   8,667   12,448  
      Acquisition costs 130   359   701   1,128  
    Non-GAAP general and administrative 4,754   4,706   18,974   18,832  
                       
    GAAP total operating expenses, net 58,048   59,611   225,515   241,262  
      Share-based compensation 6,794   8,759   25,661   33,507  
      Acquisition costs 130   359   701   1,128  
      Restructuring costs –   578   –   1,851  
    Non-GAAP total operating expenses, net 51,124   49,915   199,153   204,776  
                       
    GAAP operating income (loss) 991   (7,403)   (3,887)   (31,680)  
      Share-based compensation 6,920   8,871   26,027   34,022  
      Amortization of intangible assets 992   992   3,968   3,968  
      Acquisition costs 130   359   701   1,128  
      Restructuring costs –   578   –   1,851  
    Non-GAAP operating income 9,033   3,397   26,809   9,289  
                       
    GAAP financial income, net 3,570   3,239   16,552   13,927  
      Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net 1,463   563   1,232   (207)  
    Non-GAAP financial income, net 5,033   3,802   17,784   13,720  
                       
    GAAP income (loss) before taxes on income 4,561   (4,164)   12,665   (17,753)  
      Share-based compensation 6,920   8,871   26,027   34,022  
      Amortization of intangible assets 992   992   3,968   3,968  
      Acquisition costs 130   359   701   1,128  
      Restructuring costs –   578   –   1,851  
      Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net 1,463   563   1,232   (207)  
    Non-GAAP income before taxes on income 14,066   7,199   44,593   23,009  
                       
    GAAP taxes on income 2,109   1,686   6,627   3,837  
      Tax related adjustments 61   61   246   246  
    Non-GAAP taxes on income 2,170   1,747   6,873   4,083  
                       
    GAAP net income (loss) 2,452   (5,850)   6,038   (21,590)  
      Share-based compensation 6,920   8,871   26,027   34,022  
      Amortization of intangible assets 992   992   3,968   3,968  
      Acquisition costs 130   359   701   1,128  
      Restructuring costs –   578   –   1,851  
      Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net 1,463   563   1,232   (207)  
      Tax related adjustments (61)   (61)   (246)   (246)  
    Non-GAAP net income 11,896   5,452   37,720   18,926  
                       
    GAAP diluted net income (loss) per share 0.06   (0.14)   0.14   (0.50)  
      Share-based compensation 0.16   0.21   0.60   0.78  
      Amortization of intangible assets 0.02   0.02   0.09   0.09  
      Acquisition costs 0.00   0.01   0.02   0.03  
      Restructuring costs 0.00   0.02   0.00   0.04  
      Exchange rate differences, net on balance sheet items included in financial income, net 0.03   0.01   0.03   0.00  
      Tax related adjustments (0.00)   (0.00)   (0.01)   (0.01)  
    Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share 0.27   0.13   0.87   0.43  
                       
                       
    Weighted average number of shares used to compute non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share 43,725,803   42,462,751   43,362,906   43,655,555  
    Radware Ltd.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow
    (U.S. Dollars in thousands)
                     
        For the three months ended   For the twelve months ended
        December 31,   December 31,
        2024   2023   2024   2023
        (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
    Cash flow from operating activities:                
                     
    Net income (loss)   2,452   (5,850)   6,038   (21,590)
    Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:                
    Depreciation and amortization   2,918   3,028   11,836   12,244
    Share-based compensation   6,920   8,871   26,027   34,022
    Amortization of premium, accretion of discounts and accrued interest on marketable securities, net   (190)   638   (417)   1,754
    Loss (income) related to securities, net   –   (1)   –   243
    Increase (decrease) in accrued interest on bank deposits   (1,279)   549   3,366   (3,265)
    Increase (decrease) in accrued severance pay, net   (151)   207   (45)   (299)
    Decrease (increase) in trade receivables, net   3,140   (7,895)   3,444   (2,515)
    Decrease (increase) in other receivables and prepaid expenses and other long-term assets   (1,252)   2,236   (97)   (305)
    Decrease (increase) in inventories   (487)   (2,550)   1,514   (4,116)
    Increase (decrease) in trade payables   (970)   (1,771)   1,283   (2,166)
    Increase (decrease) in deferred revenues   (4,829)   (3,856)   5,500   (14,951)
    Increase (decrease) in other payables and accrued expenses   6,222   9,383   13,274   (1,415)
    Operating lease liabilities, net   255   (336)   (114)   (1,141)
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities   12,749   2,653   71,609   (3,500)
                     
    Cash flows from investing activities:                
                     
    Purchase of property and equipment   (1,059)   (936)   (5,279)   (5,429)
    Proceeds from other long-term assets, net   41   (11)   81   66
    Proceeds from (investment in) bank deposits, net   (46,682)   29,686   (48,115)   81,031
    Investment in, redemption of and purchase of marketable securities ,net   23,249   16,764   18,793   17,111
    Investment in other deposits   (5,000)   –   (5,000)   –
    Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities   (29,451)   45,503   (39,520)   92,779
                     
    Cash flows from financing activities:                
                     
    Proceeds from exercise of share options   –   63   3   371
    Repurchase of shares   –   (10,103)   (839)   (63,234)
    Payment of contingent consideration related to acquisition   –   –   (3,077)   (2,063)
    Net cash used in financing activities   –   (10,040)   (3,913)   (64,926)
                     
    Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   (16,702)   38,116   28,176   24,353
    Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period   115,416   32,422   70,538   46,185
    Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period   98,714   70,538   98,714   70,538
                     
      Radware Ltd.
      RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME (LOSS) TO EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA (NON-GAAP)
      (U.S Dollars in thousands)
                     
        For the three months ended   For the twelve months ended
        December 31,   December 31,
        2024   2023   2024   2023
        (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
    GAAP net income (loss) 2,452   (5,850)   6,038   (21,590)
      Exclude: Financial income, net (3,570)   (3,239)   (16,552)   (13,927)
      Exclude: Depreciation and amortization expense 2,918   3,028   11,836   12,244
      Exclude: Taxes on income 2,109   1,686   6,627   3,837
    EBITDA 3,909   (4,375)   7,949   (19,436)
                     
      Share-based compensation 6,920   8,871   26,027   34,022
      Restructuring costs –   578   –   1,851
      Acquisition costs 130   359   701   1,128
    Adjusted EBITDA 10,959   5,433   34,677   17,565
                     
                     
        For the three months ended   For the twelve months ended
        December 31,   December 31,
        2024   2023   2024   2023
      Amortization of intangible assets 992   992   3,968   3,968
      Depreciation 1,926   2,036   7,868   8,276
        2,918   3,028   11,836   12,244
                     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK stands up for working people by boosting economic, clean energy and climate links with India

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Energy Secretary travels to New Delhi to champion UK businesses, strengthen our partnership with India and accelerate work to tackle climate change.

    • UK and India agree action to accelerate economic growth from global clean energy transition
    • Energy Secretary travelled to New Delhi to champion for British interests; supporting UK businesses, increase clean energy investment opportunities and deliver on the government’s Plan for Change
    • closer working through fourth UK-India Energy Dialogue to boost renewables and cut emissions, protecting British families and businesses from the climate crisis

    The UK and India joined forces this week to unlock economic growth from the clean energy transition, supporting new jobs, creating export opportunities and tackling the climate crisis. 

    During a visit to New Delhi, the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband backed British businesses at India Energy Week – a major international energy event. He met with UK companies who are using their expertise to speed up India’s transition from fossil fuels to clean power, including offshore wind, solar, battery storage and hydrogen.  

    He met a number of UK companies who are using the UK’s world leading technology to speed up the global clean energy transition, create job opportunities and protect the climate. These include:

    • Sherwood Power – Sherwood Power has developed energy storage technology that converts excess, low-cost, renewable energy into compressed air and heat. When demand is high, this stored energy is released to generate electricity, reducing grid load and customer costs. The company is based in Richmond, North Yorkshire.  

    • Oomph EV – Oomph EV designs and manufacture a range of rapid, mobile, electric vehicle charging solutions. They are addressing the Indian market with a view to local manufacture. They offer hardware, software and data services to the global EV market and are based in Cambridge.  

    • Flock Energy – London based Flock Energy is building the digital infrastructure for the global energy transition. Using advanced AI, Flock Energy enables energy providers to analyse customer energy data usage in detail, all on one digital platform, to improve demand forecasting, demand-side management and energy efficiency. 

    • Venterra Group – Venterra Group, established in 2021, is a London based offshore wind services company. Venterra operates globally with over 700 employees and specialises in providing comprehensive technical services across the wind farm lifecycle to reduce project risks, time, and costs.

    India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and one which is projected to be the fourth largest global importer by 2035. Delivering on the UK Government’s Plan for Change, the Energy Secretary used his visit to increase UK clean energy investment opportunities and place British businesses at the forefront of the global race for renewables.  

    As one of the world’s biggest emitters, working with India on clean energy and climate is crucial to protecting British families and businesses from the threat of climate change. Increasing investment in renewables and clean technology supports the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower, protecting households from unstable fossil fuel markets and helping keep bills down for good.  

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: 

    We are standing up for the British people by fighting for investment into our country, and setting the example for all countries play their part in protecting our planet for future generations.  

    The UK and India are strengthening our partnership under our Plan for Change to unlock investment and accelerate the global transition to clean, secure, affordable energy.  

    Both our countries are determined to address the climate emergency to protect our way of life, while reaping the rewards of the industrial and economic opportunity of our time.

    The  Energy Secretary took part in the fourth UK-India Energy Dialogue with India’s Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar, and met with G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant.  

    Both countries agreed: 

    • a new shared ambition on offshore wind, including a UK-India Offshore Wind Taskforce to drive the progress needed across the offshore wind supply chains and financing models

    • funding to reform in India’s power sector to support decarbonisation through UKPACT, which aims to deliver grid transformation as part of India’s renewables rollout

    • an extension of the bilateral Accelerating Smart Power and Renewable Energy in India (ASPIRE) programme, which will work to deliver round-the-clock power supply, accelerate industrial decarbonisation and roll out renewables 

    This builds on the UK and India’s close collaboration to tackle climate change through innovation agreed as part of the Technology Security Initiative in 2024, from using AI to increase resilience, to bringing together experts to safeguard the critical minerals needed for renewable technologies like wind turbines and batteries. 

    Talks come ahead of expected negotiations with India on a Free Trade Agreement and Bilateral Investment Treaty, led by the Business and Trade Secretary, at the end of the month.  
     
    Striking a deal would increase economic growth across both countries, facilitating the trade of renewable technologies and sustainable materials, supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower. 

    There are over 950 Indian-owned companies in the UK and over 650 UK companies in India supporting over 600,000 jobs and driving innovation across both economies. 

    Engagement with India comes ahead of COP30, due to take place in Brazil later this year, where both countries will be pushing for ambitious outcomes to address the climate emergency.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Free and low-cost half term activities in Leeds

    Source: City of Leeds

    Leeds Valentine’s Fair at Millennium Square, Victoria Gardens and Cookridge Street

    The UK’s best known Valentine’s event returns to Leeds with a range of rides, attractions and games will be available for families and thrill seekers to enjoy.

    Friday 14 to Sunday 23 February, cost: free admission with individual admission fees for all rides and attractions.

    Find out more: Leeds Valentine’s Fair

    Sparkle and Shine at Temple Newsam House

    Visit the brand new Butler’s Pantry and celebrate all things sparkly and shiny at Temple Newsam!

    Saturday 15 and Tuesday 18 February, cost: included in general admission

    Find out more: Sparkle and Shine

    The Bug Bigrade at Leeds Discovery Centre

    Join for this free family workshop and explore Leeds Museums & Galleries’ amazing insect collection.

    Monday 17 February, cost: free

    Find out more: The Bug Bigrade

    Wrongsemble presents… ‘The Lost Property Library’ at Leeds libraries

    An interactive performance welcoming you to the Lost Property Library – a place where lost stories, memories, and objects come to be archived and kept safe.

    Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 February, cost: pay what you can

    Find out more: The Lost Property Library

    Who Do You See in the Gallery? at Leeds Art Gallery

    Have fun drawing people in this school holiday workshop in Artspace, Leeds Art Gallery’s relaxed, family friendly, creative studio space.

    Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 February, cost: free

    Find out more: What Do You See in the Gallery?

    Roller Skating at Kirkgate Market

    Take a spin with LS-TEN who will be doing guided roller-skating sessions. For ages 6+. Skates provided. No need to book, drop-in sessions.

    Tuesday 18 to Thursday 20 February, 11am to 3pm

    Find out more: Roller Skating at Kirkgate Market

    Miffy’s 70th birthday celebration at Leeds City Museum

    Celebrate Miffy’s 70th birthday at Leeds City Museum by experiencing the exhibition, trail, crafts, and workshops taking place over half term.

    All half term, cost: free

    Find out more: Exhibition, Trail, Crafts, Workshop

    Springtime Babies at Temple Newsam Home Farm

    Visit Home Farm as the farm team gear up for Spring and welcome their new born lambs, piglets and other farm animals!

    All half term, cost: free

    Find out more: Springtime Babies

    Love Birds at Lotherton

    Join the team at Lotherton for some feathered, family fun.

    All half term, cost: included in general admission

    Find out more: Love Birds

    Mystery Matinees at Leeds Industrial Museum

    Enjoy a family film in Leeds Industrial Museum’s mini cinema, the Palace Picture House.

    All half term, cost: included in general admission

    Find out more: Mystery Matinees

    Perfect Partners at Tropical World

    Help your little Explorers discover how our cute couples show their love for each other! Find out who likes to show off their dance moves, which animal changes colour and who loves to sing to their sweetheart.

    All half term, cost: free

    Find out more: Perfect Partners

    Superheroes at Royal Armouries Museum

    Experience an action-packed week of combat demos, special effects shows, catwalks, plus meet and greets with your favourite costumed characters.

    All half term, cost: free and paid activities

    Find out more: Superheroes

    Story Time at Abbey House Museum

    Are you sitting comfortably? Uncover a love of reading in this family-friendly exhibition. A playful look at children’s story telling and imagination, featuring younger children’s books, songs and games from the museum collections.

    All of 2025, cost: included in general admission

    Find out more: Story Time

    You can find out more about what’s happening this February half term by visiting Leeds Inspired.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: COP29: ‘You have every right to be angry’ Guterres tells youth advocates frustrated over lack of climate action

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Climate and Environment

    As negotiations over how to tackle climate change head into their fifth day in Baku, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed solidarity with young climate advocates at COP29, who told him they are frustrated by the lack of political action on the crisis.

    “You have every right to be angry. I am angry too,” the UN chief posted on social media on Thursday following his meeting with youth representatives and young environmental activists. “I am angry because we are on the verge of the climate abyss, and I don’t see enough urgency or political will to address the emergency.”

    While the opening days of this year’s COP have featured the expected speeches, report launches and expert interventions, today’s youth roundtable was something different.

    Organized by the Youth Advisory Group and YOUNGO – the official youth community of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – the discussion was a candid departure from the usual formalities of the UN Secretary-General’s usual schedule.

    Opting out of traditional speeches, young eco-activists from across the globe chose to present their visions on tackling climate change, engage in frank discussions about challenges they encounter, and even to solicit advice from the UN chief on how to take significant steps towards preventing a climate catastrophe.

    An everyday reality

    The participants spoke of their dreams and fears, proposing concrete steps to make the world more sustainable and secure for future generations. For many, climate issues are not abstract concepts but everyday realities they are determined to face head on.

    “We discussed the role of youth in sustainable development and the fight against climate change. The fact that Mr. Guterres listens to young people’s opinions and values their ideas is very important to me,” said Aysel Azizova, a young environmental activist from Azerbaijan, who told UN News afterward that her meeting with the Secretary-General “was very productive and inspiring”.

    “This dialogue helped me and my colleagues better understand the causes of climate change and potential solutions. He gave us practical advice,” Ms. Azizova said.

    She said that during the discussion, she had suggested measures to stimulate investment in green technologies and tackle resource limitations, especially for developing countries. “Mr. Guterres kindly addressed my question and explained all the details,” she added.

    Youth are central to climate action

    Lamin Jawo, an 18-year-old child rights activist from the Gambia, shared his reflections with UN News: “I took two important points from his speech, one was about youth involvement. The voices of young people, especially marginalized groups like children and people with disabilities, are essential in climate action.”

    The perspective of young people should be integral to climate initiatives, he said, and added: “The second point concerns climate finance. The Secretary-General mentioned that funding is available, so I want to say that it should be accessible to all nations, especially the most vulnerable to climate change.”

    © UN Office for Partnerships

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres meets with young climate and environmental activists at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

    Urban resilience, indigenous knowledge

    Architect and urban planner HY William Chan, who is also the youngest-ever Lord Mayoral City Councilor from Sydney, Australia, also spoke with UN News, highlighting the role of cities on the front lines of climate change.

    “The UN Secretary-General’s remarks resonated with me, particularly since Australia has a deep Indigenous history that emphasizes a harmonious relationship with the environment,” he said.

    “The Secretary-General also emphasized the need for global reform, which our generation has long called for,” Mr. Chan added. “Current governance systems are failing us, especially the vulnerable communities and developing nations on the front lines of the climate emergency. He reinforced the need for a more equitable approach to development and financing – one that ensures resources and policies are accessible and responsive to the most affected communities, including small island states, particularly in my backyard, the Pacific.”

    According to Mr. Chan, young people should be decision-makers, not just participants in the process. He emphasized that the Mr. Guterres’ words serve as a powerful reminder of the collective moral responsibility to pursue systemic change for the sake of future generations.

    UN Video | ‘You Can Count On Me’ UN Secretary-General Tells Youth Climate Activists at COP29

    ‘I count on you, you can count on me’

    In a follow-up message to young people, the UN chief urged: “I ask you to be even more determined and imaginative in keeping up the pressure for climate action. We need a strong youth movement – now more than ever.”

    The UN Secretary-General reaffirmed his commitment to supporting young climate advocates, calling the climate crisis “the most important battle of our time” and insisting, “we must win.”

    “I count on you, and you can count on me,” he concluded.

    Want to know more? Check out our special events page, where you can find all our coverage of COP29, including stories and videos, explainers and our newsletter.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – $1.4m for research on childhood wheeze – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    An HRC grant of $1.4m will support research into a promising new oral medicine for childhood wheeze.
    A Health Research Council grant of $1.4m will support research into a promising new oral medicine for childhood wheeze, a condition that sees more than 3,000 preschoolers admitted to hospitals in New Zealand each year.
     
    Of children hospitalised with preschool wheeze, one-in-five will return to hospital within the next year for the same condition, typified by a shrill, coarse whistling or rattling sound when the child tries to breathe.
    “Childhood wheeze is a disease for which our current treatments are not very effective,” says paediatrician and researcher at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland Professor Cameron Grant, also head of the Department of Paediatrics, Child, and Youth Health.
    The research project is called ‘Assessing the Reduction of Recurrent admissions using OM-85 for the treatment of preschool Wheeze’, or ‘ARROW’.
    Grant is co-leading the New Zealand arm of the Australasian project with nurse researcher Marisa van Arragon, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Paediatrics at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
    The trial of OM-85 will involve more than 1,000 children under five who have repeatedly visited a hospital in New Zealand or Australia with childhood wheeze, a condition where airways are partially blocked, usually triggered by a cold, flu, RSV, or other viruses.
    “We treat childhood wheeze in preschool aged children with asthma medicines, even though the pathophysiology is different from asthma,” Grant says.
    “Plus, asthma medicines have limitations, including environmental harms and side effects, which are particularly concerning in younger children.”
    The medicine being used in this study, OM-85, can be taken as a drink. OM-85 contains several killed respiratory bacteria, which prime the immune system to fight respiratory viruses.
    The pressing issue Grant sees in his clinical work is a tendency for these children to make repeated visits to hospital with wheeze, creating enormous stress for families.
    “Some of the children who are involved in the project have already had over 20 admissions to hospital,” Grant says.
    Two pilot research projects show Māori and Pacific families are over-represented in children being re-admitted to hospital with wheeze.
    An audit of visits to Waitakere Hospital in Auckland showed Māori children were twice as likely to be admitted with wheeze, and 30 percent of Māori children came back to hospital with wheeze compared with 16 percent of non-Māori.
    An audit in Waikato Hospital of patients aged one to five years admitted to the emergency department with wheeze, showed the rate of re-admission was twice as high for Māori and Pacific compared with ‘European and other’.
     
    Funding from Te Niwha in 2024 enabled Grant and van Arragon to take the project into the community and to develop relationships with primary care practices, kōhanga reo, pharmacies, and other healthcare providers in Auckland and Waikato.
     
    Grant says developing relationships within the community and with Māori whānau has been a project highlight.
    The study also creates opportunities for nurses and emerging researchers. As an example of this, Claudia Reid, a Māori medical student at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, is doing a project interviewing wāhine Māori, whose children attend kōhanga reo in the Waikato, around access to care when their tamaiti has a respiratory illness.
    The ARROW study started in 2022 in Australia and a little later in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
    So far, more than half of the more than 160 children enrolled in the study in New Zealand are Māori or Pacific. In Australia and New Zealand, about 600 children have already been enrolled in the trial. The trial uses a randomised, placebo-controlled and double-blinded design.
    In addition to preventing hospital admissions and other healthcare visits, the research team hopes that OM-85 will reduce antibiotic prescribing and the use of propellant inhalers, which are highly polluting.
    “The molecules in the propellants used in inhalers are 3,000 times more globally warming than carbon dioxide,” Grant says.
    “The World Health Organization says we must reduce the use of propellant inhalers, but young children can’t use the alternative dry-powder inhalers, because the technique required to use them is too complicated for young children.
    “So, the only way to reduce the use of propellant inhalers in young children is to reduce the number of wheezing episodes they get, through interventions such as OM-85.”
    Data from the study will be used to create a cost-benefit analysis which will be submitted to Pharmac as an evidence base for potentially funding the OM-85 treatment.
    The ARROW research team includes research nurses from Starship, KidzFirst, Waitakere, Waikato and Tauranga involved in the project.
    Grant and van Arragon say the nurses’ professionalism, passionate approach and whānau-centred care are driving this promising research towards making a difference for whānau suffering from the frightening condition of childhood wheeze.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Quantum Matters in Material Sciences (QMMS)

    Source: US Government research organizations

    As part of the JARVIS workshop series, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is organizing the 4th Quantum Matters in Materials Science (QMMS) workshop in-person on Feb 19-20, 2025. The workshop will be focused on quantum phenomena in emerging materials for next generation devices. All materials are inherently quantum in nature, but when quantum phenomena manifest at the classical scale can we hope to leverage their properties for applications. Large scale initiatives such as the Materials Genome Initiative, the National Quantum Initiative, and the CHIPS for America Act represent compelling approaches to investigate quantum materials and accelerate their development for quantum information systems (QIS), for the use in future integrated circuits, and other practical industrial applications. For these approaches and initiatives to be successful, it is essential to have good synergy between experimental and computational efforts. This workshop aims at streamlining this effort. To make the workshop as effective as possible, we plan to mainly focus on 2D and 3D inorganic superconductor, topological, magnetic, and semiconducting materials, but we are not limited to those systems.

     

    Some of the key topics to be addressed by both theory and experiments are:

    1) discovery and characterization of new superconductors/topological, magnetic, and semiconducting materials,

    2) optimization of known quantum materials,

    3) investigation of defect induced behavior and transitions,

    4) electronics, spintronics, and quantum memory applications,

    5) challenges in applying QIS technologies at industrial scale,

    6) successes and challenges in integrating next-generation materials into integrated circuits (microchips),

    7) the role of material interfaces at the quantum level,

    8) high fidelity many-body computational methods to treat quantum materials,

    9) applications for quantum computing and quantum simulations.

     

    CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

    If registered participants are interested in presenting a poster, please send name, affiliation, title, and abstract to nia.rodney-pollard [at] nist.gov (nia[dot]rodney-pollard[at]nist[dot]gov) no later than 1/31/2025.

    A room block has been reserved at the following location:

    Sheraton Rockville

    Address: 920 King Farm Blvd, Rockville, MD 20850

    Rate: $119/person (plus tax). Rate includes shuttle to and from NCCoE for both days of the workshop.

    CLICK HERE to book your room

    Last day to book your room: January 27, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: GTreasury Customer The Arnott’s Group Wins Adam Smith Award for Cash Forecasting Success

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO and SYDNEY, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GTreasury, the pioneer and global leader in Digital Treasury Solutions for the Office of the CFO, today announced that its customer, The Arnott’s Group, has been named a Highly Commended Winner in Treasury Today’s 2024 Adam Smith Awards Asia. The annual industry benchmark for corporate treasury achievement honors the most innovative and transformative treasury initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region.

    The Arnott’s Group—one of Australia’s most iconic food manufacturers, with a portfolio of beloved brands including Arnott’s, Tim Tam & Shapes, V8, Messy Monkeys, Freedom Cereals, and 180degrees—was honored in Treasury Today’s Best Cash Flow Forecasting Solution category.

    “Our separation from Campbell’s presented us with an immediate need to build an independent, modern treasury function from the ground up,” said Joanne Parnell, Treasurer, The Arnott’s Group. “GTreasury’s cloud-based platform eliminated our reliance on manual Excel processes and automated our entire treasury operations, from cash forecasting to FX deal capture. The results continue to speak for themselves: we’ve cut payment preparation time by 30% and reduced our monthly close cycle by a full day. We’re honored that Treasury Today has recognized our treasury team’s work, and the transformative advantages we’ve achieved.”

    Among The Arnott’s Group’s measurable improvements across its treasury operations since implementing GTreasury:

    • Reduced daily cash reconciliation and payment preparation time by 30% through automation
    • Transformed month-end closing from a 1.5-day process to just half a day
    • Shifted from monthly to daily journal preparation, with entries now completed within hours
    • Streamlined team onboarding and training through intuitive cloud-based workflows

    The automated platform has also enhanced The Arnott’s Group’s strategic capabilities, enabling real-time visibility into cash positions and more sophisticated FX risk management. These improvements have freed up the treasury team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than manual processes.

    “The Arnott’s Group treasury team, working in collaboration with HSBC Australia as an implementation partner, was able to transform their entire operation in just six months,” said Jason Baldree, Chief Customer Officer, GTreasury. “It’s a remarkable achievement that we’re proud to have played a role in. Their success sets a blueprint for treasury modernization in the Asia-Pacific region, and we congratulate the team on this well-deserved recognition.”

    About GTreasury

    GTreasury provides CFOs and Treasurers with The Clarity to Act on strategic financial decisions with the world’s most adaptable treasury platform, empowering them to face the challenges of today and tomorrow. Our industry leading solutions are purposefully designed to support every stage of treasury complexity, from Cash Visibility and Forecasting to Payments, Risk, Debt, and Investments. With GTreasury, financial leaders gain comprehensive connectivity across all banks and ERPs to build an orchestrated data environment, enabling rapid value realization with implementations up and running in weeks. Plus, our unmatched industry expertise ensures clients’ continued success through dedicated guidance and top-tier support. Trusted by over 1,000 customers across 160 countries, GTreasury provides treasury and finance teams with the ability to connect, compile, and manage mission-critical data to optimize cash flows and capital structures. To learn more, visit GTreasury.com.

    GTreasury is headquartered in Chicago, with locations serving EMEA (Dublin and London) and APAC (Sydney, Singapore, and Manila).

    Contact
    Kyle Peterson
    kyle@clementpeterson.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SimpSide – All In One

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SimpSide has been designed to address the most pressing challenges in the world of financial trading. By providing innovative solutions to common issues, SimpSide delivers an entirely new and efficient experience for its users.

    Unmatched Security with SimpSide

    One of SimpSide’s most outstanding features is its commitment to user security and privacy. Unlike many other platforms that store user data on centralized servers thereby increasing the risk of breaches or misuse SimpSide takes a completely different approach. User information is never stored or shared with third parties, except in extreme cases such as combating money laundering or terrorism. This ensures that users retain complete control over their data and can trade with absolute peace of mind.

    Speed and Efficiency Like Never Before

    A common issue with many trading platforms is a decline in speed during periods of high market activity. SimpSide eliminates this problem with its state-of-the-art trading engine, which executes trades up to 12 times faster than traditional platforms. Even during times of extreme market volatility, SimpSide maintains a stable and fast performance. This allows users to act on investment opportunities in real-time, without worrying about delays or missed chances.

    All Markets, One Platform

    One of SimpSide’s most innovative features is its unified platform that provides simultaneous access to stocks, cryptocurrencies, and forex markets. Gone are the days of juggling multiple platforms to manage your investments or transferring funds between different systems. SimpSide brings everything together in one seamless, user-friendly interface, enabling users to manage their entire portfolio from a single location. This approach not only saves time and reduces costs but also significantly enhances the user experience.

    A Platform Built for the Future of Trading

    SimpSide is not just about solving existing problems in financial markets; it’s about setting new standards in the industry. By combining robust security measures, lightning-fast speed, and market integration, SimpSide empowers users to trade with confidence and convenience. This isn’t just a tool; it’s a step toward a better future in financial trading.

    Conclusion

    With SimpSide, concerns about data security, trade delays, or limited market access become a thing of the past. This platform is designed to meet all the needs of modern traders and provide a seamless, worry-free investment experience. SimpSide is the answer to the challenges of today’s financial markets and the bridge to a simpler, faster, and safer tomorrow.

    CONTACT:

    Official Website: Simpside.com

    X: SimpSide

    CEO: Antony Dee

    Email: Support@SimpSide.com

    Adress: Al Maktoum Street, Port Saeed, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by SimpSide. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the sponsor and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in cloud mining and related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: 

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d421263-a8f1-4682-831a-e8f94a741a71

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/79c9bc6d-1212-4b1f-9a67-ce5e9d1fb35c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Government-Coalition deal secures sweeping new regime for political donations and spending

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    The Albanese government has secured bipartisan support for a major new regime covering political donations and spending, after making significant concessions.

    The government agreed to increase the proposed threshold above which donations must be disclosed from $1000 to $5000. The present disclosure threshold is $16,900.

    In addition, it has boosted the cap on individual donations to a candidate or party from the earlier proposed $20,000 to $50,000.

    The deal was sealed on Wednesday when Special Minister of State Don Farrell had separate meetings on the final package with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton.

    The legislation had been expected to pass late last year but negotiations between the government and opposition stalled at the final moment.

    The government concessions were to accommodate not just the Coalition but also to respond to a degree to criticism from crossbenchers and some stakeholders outside parliament.

    The government needed to get opposition backing to ensure the legislation’s passage before parliament rises this week. If the PM called an April election this would be the last parliamentary sitting.

    Also, it wanted to pass the measures with the support of the alternative government so the new regime would not be undone in the future.

    The reforms are the most comprehensive changes to the electoral system in four decades. The government says they will stop big money coming to dominate politics. But they have been under attack from teal MPs and other critics, including Simon Holmes à Court from Climate 200, which has funded community independents. The critics say they favour the major parties and disadvantage new and small players.

    The new regime will not come into operation until the next parliamentary term and so does not affect this election.

    The changes include disclosure of donations in real time or near-real time, and a series of caps on spending, The cap on each candidate in an electorate would be $800,000, while a party’s national spending would also be capped. At the moment there are no spending caps.

    The legislation increases public funding for elections from under $3.50 per vote to about $5.

    Farrell has not proceeded with a separate measure on truth in advertising, saying there was not enough support for it.

    The Greens described the deal as “a fix”. “Labor and the Coalition are agreeing on rigging the system to lock out their competitors.”

    Independent Zoe Daniel, a teal, said the legislation “entrenches the dominance of the major parties and locks out independents and new competitors”.

    She said it imposed “strict campaign spending caps on Independents while
    allowing major parties to exploit loopholes to pour millions into key
    electorates.

    “Under the new rules, all an independent’s campaign materials – posters, ads, or billboards – would count towards the cap, while major party branding on billboards, leaflets and ads would not. This deliberate imbalance ensures that Labor and the Coalition maintain a financial stranglehold over elections,” Daniel said.

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

    – ref. Government-Coalition deal secures sweeping new regime for political donations and spending – https://theconversation.com/government-coalition-deal-secures-sweeping-new-regime-for-political-donations-and-spending-249720

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 37-2025: List of treatment providers: treatment provider suspended – Inavab Fumigation & Pest Ctrl Mgt Pte Ltd (AEI: SG4003SB)

    Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture

    12 February 2025

    Who does this notice affect?

    Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including vessel masters, freight forwarders, offshore treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers, principal agents and master consolidators.

    What has changed?

    Following identification of critical non-compliance, we have suspended Inavab Fumigation & Pest Ctrl Mgt Pte Ltd (AEI: SG4003SB) from AusTreat.

    The treatment…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Rafael Epstein, Melbourne Mornings, ABC Radio

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Rafael Epstein:

    Pretty big announcement from the federal government today. They’re going to let the banks, when they lend you money for a mortgage, they can relax the rules when it comes to the debt you owe for your university degree. So, you might say, woohoo, fantastic. You can borrow more or borrow sooner. Is it financially smart? Andrew Leigh joins us. He speaks for the Albanese government on this.

    Andrew is the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury and Employment. Andrew Leigh, good morning.

    Andrew Leigh:

    Good morning, Raf. Great to be with you.

    Epstein:

    Is it a good idea?

    Leigh:

    Certainly is. We need to make sure that more Australians get into housing and to the extent that lenders have been taking into account your HECS debt, that can sometimes hold young people back from home ownership. And the fact is HECS is not a debt like any other, it’s a debt whose repayments stop if you lose your job. It’s proportional to your income. It is a repayment that occurs through an income contingent loan. And so, taking that off the table when lenders are considering how to allocate funding and who to lend to is really important in terms of boosting home ownership rates.

    Epstein:

    So, I understand that it’ll allow more people to buy a home. That’s a good thing. I’m just not sure if it’s a smart thing financially. I mean, if I’m earning say $80 grand, I still have to, I’ve got to pay that HECS debt. So, if interest rates go up suddenly, it is an extra cost that I have to pay. Why should the banks not take that into consideration?

    Leigh:

    Well, the first thing to say, we’re reducing those HECS debts. A re‑elected Albanese government would cut all the HECS debts by 20 per cent. We’ve already changed indexation so that that’s operating off the lesser of wages or inflation and backdated that over a year, saving hundreds of dollars for the typical HECS debtor.

    But more broadly to your question, Raf, this is an appropriate way of recognising that an income contingent loan isn’t like having a car loan, for example. It’s a fundamentally different kind of loan and we want to make sure that people don’t have to choose between getting an education or getting a house, that both of those are easily open to young Australians.

    Epstein:

    A slightly different issue. I know your time is short because parliament is sitting. Free trade is clearly something that Donald Trump supporters don’t like. And I think it’s worth noting the US Presidents kind of almost torn up the free trade agreement between America and Australia by even talking about tariffs. But is free trade, is it actually fair? Is it effective? Does it actually help all of us?

    Leigh:

    Well, Raf, the way I think about trade is it’s another form of comparative advantage. Just as most of us don’t fix our own car or cut our own hair or make our own wine, so too countries tend to specialise in what they do best. And this isn’t a zero‑sum game. Trade isn’t like the Eurovision Song Contest or the Olympics. Trade is a way in which each of us can benefit from specialising in what we do best. And just as your hairdresser doesn’t defeat you when you get a haircut, Japan doesn’t defeat you when you buy a Honda.

    That is an example of comparative advantage in action. And Australia, with 0.3 per cent of the global population, benefits enormously from open markets. The tariff liberalisation in Australia saved the typical Australian household around $4,000 a year. And my party, the Labor Party, was in the thick of that with Whitlam, Hawke and Keating spearheading significant tariff cuts. So, of course we’ve been strong advocates of open markets on the global stage.

    The conversation between Prime Minister Albanese and President Trump went well and the Americans are considering our request for an exemption.

    Epstein:

    I just wanted to give you one example. There’s a window maker in Melbourne called Oceania Glass in Dandenong. They’ve got 260 employees. Their problem, they say, is the dumping of cheap windows from Thailand. I did go on the default website.

    We’ve had a free trade agreement with Thailand for 20 years, so we get lots of tariff‑free cars, trucks and air conditioners. So, that’s the good part of free trade with Thailand. The bad part of free trade with Thailand is they can sell really cheap windows.

    And we’re going to lose our only domestic architectural window maker. Is that just a sort of a cost we have to put up with, so we get cheap air conditioners? Is that the trade off?

    Leigh:

    Well, the Australian Government takes anti‑dumping very seriously. Dumping is where an overseas exporter aims to drive down the price, temporarily knock out the local producers and then spike the price back up again. So, ultimately consumers suffer.

    What we’ve seen over the course of, of the last couple of decades, Raf, is Australian manufacturers increasingly moving into higher and higher and more advanced manufacturing, more value added. We don’t produce kids’ pyjamas anymore, but we do well in high‑end fashion.

    Epstein:

    But we’re not going to have anybody making windows for houses at all in the country. Is that a cost? Are we just happy to lose that because we’re moving into more advanced manufacturing?

    Leigh:

    Not at all. The government strongly committed to advanced manufacturing and strongly committed to working with our manufacturing sector. We’re investing in the skills that are available. The Future Made in Australia plan provides resources to encourage a strong Australian manufacturing sector. But the trend throughout the advanced world is for manufacturers to steadily move up and up the value chain.

    That means better jobs for the people working in those sectors, and it means more earnings for the firms in those sectors. So, I think there are great opportunities for Australian manufacturers to increasingly capture that high advanced manufacturing sector.

    Epstein:

    I appreciate your time this morning. Andrew Leigh, thank you.

    Leigh:

    Always a pleasure to chat, Raf.

    Epstein:

    Part of the Anthony Albanese Labor government. Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury and Employment.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Southern suburbs man charged with weapons and child sex offences

    Source: South Australia Police

    A southern suburbs man faced court today charged with weapons and child sex offences after police searched his home yesterday.

    ​
    Detectives from the SA Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET), a partnership between SAPOL’s Public Protection Branch and the Australian Federal Police, arrested the 36-year-old man yesterday morning, Tuesday 11 February.
    ​
    It will be alleged that, acting on information received, police attended the man’s address and conducted a search.
    ​
    Digital evidence experts from SAPOL commenced a forensic review of electronic devices belonging to the man and he was subsequently charged with possession of child exploitation material offences.
    ​
    The search also uncovered two gel blasters, a crossbow, a slingshot, various knives and machetes and a ballistic vest.
    ​
    He was further charged with firearms (gel blaster) offences, possess prohibited weapon and possess body armour.
    ​
    He was refused police bail and appeared in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court today, Wednesday 12 February.
    ​
    Digital evidence specialists continue to analyse the electronic devices and further charges may result.
    ​
    Police remind the public that child exploitation material are not just images on a screen.  Every image and every second of a video are a real child being abused and being subjected to a situation that no child should ever experience.
    ​
    Anyone with information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au
    ​
    CO2500006115, CO2500006146

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: WARMINGTON RUN, MOUNT TORRENS (Grass Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    MOUNT TORRENS

    Mount Torrens

    Issued for Mount Torrens, Charleston, and Woodside in the Adelaide Hills.

    Mount Torrens Fire

    The CFS is responding to a grass fire south of Mount Torrens in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia.

    CFS volunteers, alongside Farm Fire Units and National Parks and Wildlife Service SA, are currently working on the fireground supported by aircraft, including firebombers and observational aircraft.

    Smoke may be visible in the area for some time, and visibility may be reduced. To ensure your safety and that of firefighters and other emergency personnel who are working in the area, please do not enter the area unless necessary.

    Message ID 0008162

    MIL OSI News –