Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI: Aries.com Announces U.S Regulatory Approval

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aries Financial Inc. today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Ram Financial LLC, received its broker-dealer license from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), creating the first open source brokerage in the United States.

    “Think about Unity or Unreal Engine for game development. Before development engines like Unreal, indie game developers were struggling, spending all their resources on building a physics engine before they could focus on characters and storytelling. Similarly, fintech faces one of the highest startup failure rates, primarily due to regulatory, data, and infrastructure hurdles that entrepreneurs must overcome. Our team has worked with enterprise APIs from the largest brokerages in the U.S. and has firsthand experience with the challenges fintech developers face. Our core product Aries Engine is designed to do all of the leg work so that builders can focus on building and getting to market.” said Reda Falih, Chief Executive Officer of Aries

    To demonstrate Aries Engine’s capabilities, Aries built two consumer-facing trading platforms: Aries Infinite, an infinite canvas trading cockpit, and Aries Mobile, a low-latency brokerage app; both of which will soon be open source. The products can be seen in the blog post: https://aries.com/blog/milestone

    About Aries

    Aries, headquartered in San Francisco, CA, is a financial technology company focused on building financial infrastructure for traders, investors, and developers. Through innovative solutions like Aries Infinite and Aries Engine, Aries aims to revolutionize financial technology with a commitment to openness, flexibility, and user empowerment. For more information, visit aries.com or follow us on X @Aries.

    “Aries” and the Aries Ram logo are registered trademarks of Aries Financial, Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

    Contact
    media@aries.com

    Source: Aries Financial Inc.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Are value-added taxes a barrier to trade?

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: Are value-added taxes a barrier to trade?

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    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Fragile stability’ in Libya increasingly at risk, Security Council hears

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    The dream of a civil, democratic and prosperous Libya remains unfulfilled 14 years after the revolution that led to the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime, the head of UN Political and Peacebuilding Affairs told the Security Council on Wednesday. 

    Rosemary DiCarlo said entrenched divisions, economic mismanagement, continued human rights violations, and competing domestic and external interests, continue to erode unity and stability in the country.

    “The fragile stability in Libya is increasingly at risk,” she warned. “The country’s leaders and security actors are failing to put the national interest ahead of their competition for political and personal gain.”

    Support new UN envoy

    She urged Council members to support the newly appointed UN Special Representative for Libya Hanna Tetteh “in her work to help break the political impasse, resolve Libya’s protracted crisis and support the Libyan people towards unifying Libya’s institutions and holding inclusive national elections.”

    The North African country has been split between two rival administrations for over a decade, with the internationally recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) based in the northwest while the Government of National Stability (GNS) is in the east.

    Landmark elections scheduled for December 2021 were cancelled, including due to disputes over the eligibility of candidates.

    Advisory Committee established

    Ms. DiCarlo stressed the urgent need for progress in Libya. She said the UN Mission there, UNSMIL, is taking steps to revive a political process anchored in the principles of inclusivity and national ownership.

    UNSMIL recently established an Advisory Committee that will provide recommendations for resolving outstanding contentious issues that have prevented national elections from taking place.

    The Committee is composed of 20 members who include legal and constitutional experts. More than a third are women. She emphasized that it is not a decision-making body, but its proposals will support efforts to remove obstacles to holding national elections.

    Many Libyan stakeholders, including political parties, social movements, and women and youth groups, have publicly welcomed its establishment as an opportunity to move the political process forward,” she said.

    Supporting inclusive dialogue

    UNSMIL convened the Committee’s inaugural meeting in the capital, Tripoli, last week. Members are meeting again over three days this week to examine the contentious issues in detail and begin considering ways to overcome them.

    “In parallel, UNSMIL is also taking steps to convene a structured dialogue among Libyans on ways to address longstanding drivers of conflict and develop an inclusive, bottom-up vision for their country’s future,” she said.

    The Mission is also facilitating consultations among Libyan economic experts to identify priorities, barriers and solutions to achieve sound economic governance.  

    Divisions and competition

    Ms. DiCarlo said divisions and competition over the control of State institutions continue to dominate the political and economic landscape. No progress has been made on a unified budget or agreed spending framework despite UNSMIL engagement with all relevant stakeholders.

    “It is critical to address the issue to support the efforts of the Central Bank of Libya to stabilize the financial situation of the country and enable transparent and equitable public spending,” she explained.

    A dispute over the position of president of the High Council of State, a top governing body, also remains unresolved even after six months of litigation and contradictory rulings. The Council now stands “deeply divided and unable to fulfil its institutional role.” 

    UNSMIL

    People gather at a market in Tripoli, the capital of Libya. (file)

    National reconciliation at risk

    Politicization and political divisions are also hindering progress on national reconciliation, she added. 

    Last December, UNSMIL facilitated an agreement among three key institutions – the Presidential Council, the House of Representatives, and the High Council of State – on a draft law on the issue. 

    However, subsequent amendments to the draft law by parliamentarians have raised concerns over the independence of a National Reconciliation Commission.

    A charter for reconciliation was agreed earlier this month through a process led by the African Union.  It was adopted on 14 February in the margins of the bloc’s summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    “While some Libyan stakeholders have supported the charter, others did not,” she said, noting that UNSMIL continues to engage with all relevant parties.

    Security threats persist

    Meanwhile, the activities of non-State and quasi-State armed groups continue to pose a threat to Libya’s fragile stability. 

    Ms. DiCarlo called for a full and transparent investigation into an armed attack on a Government of National Unity (GNU) Minister in Tripoli on 12 February.

    She said the Libyan National Army took control of a military base in the south previously held by a GNU-affiliated military officer. Furthermore, the 2020 Ceasefire Agreement has only been partially implemented. 

    “Renewed efforts by Libyan authorities to implement its remaining provisions are crucial to improve the fragile security situation and to create conditions for the reunification and reform of security institutions,” she said. 

    Migrants and mass graves

    Turning to other challenges, she said the continuing trend of arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances is deeply concerning and the increasing number of deaths in custody is troubling, with 15 cases recorded since March 2024. 

    Migrants and asylum-seekers, including children, also continue to face serious human rights violations including torture and cruel and inhumane treatment. 

    The alarming and tragic discovery of mass graves following raids on human trafficking sites highlights the severe danger faced by migrants in Libya,” she said.

    On 7 February a mass grave was discovered on a farm in Jikharra in the northeast; another was found a day later in Al-Kufra in the southeast. To date, 93 bodies have been exhumed.

    “A full and independent investigation is critical to bring the perpetrators to justice. “This is yet another reminder of the urgent need to protect migrants and combat human trafficking,” she said.

    Last December, a joint UNSMIL and UN mission to Al-Kufra engaged with local authorities, partners, refugees and host communities to strengthen humanitarian response for Sudanese refugees, who continue to flee to Libya.

    Ms. DiCarlo said the chapter of the 2025 Sudan Refugee Regional Response Plan relating to Libya targets 446,000 people and requires $106 million – double the support from 2024. 

    She appealed to donors for their continued support to address the growing needs of Sudanese refugees in Libya and across the region. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Amid Rising Living Costs, Climate Change, Secretary-General Tells Second Food Systems Summit Stocktake ‘All Hands on Deck’ Needed to Create Healthy, Resilient Structure

    Source: United Nations 4

    Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s opening remarks, as delivered, at the Member States’ briefing on the second Food Systems Summit Stocktake, in New York today:

    It is a real pleasure to join our permanent representatives and welcome you all today.

    As you all know transforming our food systems is essential to driving progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and delivering for everyone, everywhere — sufficient, nutritious food — now and in the future, particularly as we go towards the five years to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    That is why, in 2021, the UN Secretary-General convened the UN Food Systems Summit.  This established the foundation for a new, integrated approach to food systems — placing food at the heart of our efforts to address poverty, zero hunger, inequality, climate change and biodiversity loss.  It has reshaped the global narrative, building an engine of transformation that recognizes food systems as a key lever to accelerate and reinforce SDG progress.

    Building on this momentum, the first Summit Stocktake, hosted by the Government of Italy in 2023, reaffirmed strong political will among nations.  Countries pledged to increase the pace of their efforts towards sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems transformation.

    But, it also highlighted persistent gaps and challenges.  Among them, an urgent need to enhance public-private-community partnerships, and strengthen private sector engagement.

    These crucial issues identified at the first stocktake, resulted in the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action.  The Call identified six critical areas for concerted action, including: securing concessional finance, investments, budget support and debt restructuring.  It also emphasized addressing food security in crisis situations.

    The proposed SDG Stimulus — of $500 billion a year — was recognized as a game-changer, offering fiscal space and resources, including through Special Drawing Rights rechannelling.  Finance was emphasized as a critical component of food systems transformation, along with support of our multilateral development banks in unlocking investments in this field.

    Given the global context riddled with challenges of rising living costs, social inequalities, climate change and geopolitical tensions, we will need all hands on deck to reach food systems transformations with the impact to advance on the 2030 Agenda.

    Now, in just over five months, Addis Ababa will host the second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake.

    We are grateful to the Government of Ethiopia for hosting this important event and for making our commitment to take the second stocktake to a developing country, a reality.  Worth noting also is its leadership and extensive work on its policy environment, infrastructure development and the production of food that engages small holder farmers across the country.  We are grateful to Italy, which has agreed to co-host, for its legacy and continued leadership and support to food systems transformation.  It is important that we see leadership and sustainability of that support at the country level.

    The Stocktake will be different — it has to be — in response to many of the requests for us to have more focus and impact.

    First, we will be reflecting on progress since 2023, with a report from the system, but also a shadow report from our stakeholders.  Second, we will be partnering to track commitments and outcomes through national food systems pathways to accelerate SDG implementation.  And third, unlocking investments to sustain and scale transformative initiatives aligned with the SDGs.

    In preparations for the Stocktake, we are committed to an inclusive, cross-sectoral efforts and consultations.  We will hold a second briefing in Nairobi next week engaging UN headquarters in Nairobi, Rome and Geneva.  In addition, we will hold five regional briefings, on the margins of the United Nations Regional Forums on Sustainable Development, from March to May.

    We will also be engaging all our resident coordinators in UN country teams, at the country level so that they are fully engaged with our Member States in bringing to Addis Ababa the progress, and of course, the challenges and opportunities.

    At the same time, we will push progress towards food systems transformation, including through important gatherings this year — the fourth Financing for Development Conference in Spain, thirtieth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in Brazil, the second World Summit on Social Development in Qatar and the third United Nations Ocean Conference in France.

    These are all critical platforms to drive progress, harness collective action and create new investment opportunities.

    As Member States, you are at the forefront of this transformation.  Your leadership and coordination will be instrumental in ensuring that the Stocktake inspires real action at the national level.  The United Nations is with you — committed to creating sustainable, inclusive, healthy and resilient food systems everywhere, across all our regions, reaching everyone.

    We thank you for this important opportunity that will help us to shape the Stocktake in Addis Ababa in July.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SUDAN – Crisis between Sudan and Kenya after the signing in Nairobi of the constitutive act of an alternative Sudanese government

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – A violation of “international law, the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.” This is how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sudanese government, led by General Abdel Fattah al Burhan, defined Kenya’s decision to welcome the “signing of a political agreement between the terrorist militia Janjaweed, responsible for the ongoing acts of genocide in Sudan, and its affiliated individuals and groups”.The document, called the “Political Charter for the Government of Peace and Unity,” promoted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagalo, together with other Sudanese political and military actors, effectively represents the creation of a parallel government to that led by Al Burhan from Port Sudan. The capital Khartoum is still disputed between the two adversaries, although the military of Al Burhan’s Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) appears to have regained some important strategic points in the region in recent weeks.“Since the stated aim of this agreement is to establish a parallel government in part of Sudanese territory, this step promotes the fragmentation of African states, violates their sovereignty and interferes in their internal affairs,” the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “This is therefore a clear violation of the UN Charter, the founding act of the African Union and the established principles of the modern international order.” Meanwhile, the term “Janjaweed” used in the statement evokes sad memories, especially for people in Darfur, the RSF’s bastion. The Janjaweed were the militias allied with the Khartoum regime that bloodily suppressed the uprisings in this region of western Sudan in the early 2000s. The RSF is its evolution, which in turn has rebelled against the regular army over the years.According to the statement, by hosting the event, Kenya is also complicit in the crimes committed by the RSF (“genocide, ethnically motivated massacres of civilians, attacks on camps for displaced persons and rapes”).The formation of an alternative government is seen as an attempt by the RSF leader, Dagalo, to gain international legitimacy. Both the Sudanese army and the RSF are subject to international sanctions for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the conflict. However, Al Burhan’s government enjoys international recognition that Dagalo’s troops do not. Nairobi’s decision to host the event should be seen against the backdrop of the renewed relations of the Sudanese government with Russia and Iran. Russia, through the private military company Wagner, had initially supported the RSF and has now decided to support General Al Burhan, who in return has granted Moscow a military base on the Red Sea. Iran, which until 15 years ago had close military relations with the Al-Bashir regime, which were severed by the latter under pressure from the West and some Gulf countries, now sees a new window opened for the resumption of relations with the meeting of the two foreign ministers on February 17, during which Tehran stressed the importance of Sudan’s territorial integrity and the end of foreign interference in Sudan. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 19/2/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak held a meeting of the presidium of the subcommittee on expanding foreign economic cooperation

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Previous news Next news

    Alexander Novak held a meeting of the presidium of the subcommittee on expanding foreign economic cooperation

    Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak held a meeting of the presidium of the subcommittee on expanding foreign economic cooperation with promising partners from friendly states of the Government Commission on Economic Development and Integration at the Government Coordination Center. Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, representatives of federal executive bodies, the Bank of Russia, and specialized companies took part in the event.

    Deputy Minister of Economic Development Vladimir Ilyichev reported on the work being carried out with foreign countries in the trade, economic, investment, energy, industrial, technological, educational, cultural, sports and other spheres.

    Alexander Novak instructed federal executive bodies to monitor the implementation of measures to expand integration with partners from friendly countries. The Ministry of Economic Development will coordinate this work.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Media Advisory: Baltimore City District Court Re-Entry Project celebrates 11th graduation

    Source: US State of Maryland

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    February 19, 2025

    Government Relations and Public Affairs
    187 Harry S. Truman Parkway
    Annapolis, Maryland 21401

    Media Advisory:
    Baltimore City District Court Re-Entry Project celebrates 11th graduation 
    Retired Baltimore Ravens running back Obafemi Ayanbadejo to serve as the keynote speaker

    On Friday, February 21, 2025, 16 graduates of the Baltimore City District Court Re-Entry Project (DCREP) will be recognized for their successful completion of the program. Baltimore City District Court Judge Nicole Pastore presides and founded DCREP in 2016 as a court-focused, criminal recidivism initiative offering defendants an opportunity to participate in full-time job training and job placement programs as a condition of their probation or in lieu of incarceration. To date, approximately 250 participants have completed the program. The DCREP graduates will be joined by family, friends, judges, and prosecutors who celebrate their achievement.

    In addition, retired Baltimore Ravens running back and 2000 Super Bowl XXXV Champion Obafemi Ayanbadejo will serve as the keynote speaker. Ayanbadejo played for the National Football League (NFL) and United Football League (UFL) on multiple teams, including the Baltimore Ravens (1999–2002), Miami Dolphins (2003), Arizona Cardinals (2004–2007), Chicago Bears (2007), and the UFL’s California Redwoods (2009). He played college football at San Diego State and later earned Master of Business Administration from the Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University.

    WHAT: Baltimore City District Court Re-Entry Project’s 11th graduation ceremony
    WHEN: Friday, February 21, 2025, 11 a.m.
    WHERE: District Court in Baltimore City
    Eastside District Court Building, Courtroom 7
    1400 E. North Avenue
    Baltimore, MD 21213
    WHO: District Court of Maryland Chief Judge John P. Morrissey
    Baltimore City District Court Administrative Judge Geoffrey G. Hengerer
    Baltimore City District Court Judge Nicole Pastore, presiding
    Baltimore Ravens player Obafemi Ayanbadejo, keynote speaker
    Baltimore City District Court Re-Entry Project graduates

    NOTE: Please contact the Maryland Judiciary, Government Relations and Public Affairs, by email at [email protected] or 410-260-1488, if you plan to attend or have questions about the event. Cameras will not be allowed in the courtroom during the graduation ceremony; however, members of the media may conduct on-camera interviews in the hallway outside of the courtroom. Judge Pastore will be available for interviews before or after the ceremony. All persons being photographed should be asked for their consent. Program participants can also be interviewed before or after the ceremony.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: FinTech Grad Student Nick Savignano Earns Competitive International Business Fellowship

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Graduate student Nick Savignano ’25 has always been the type of person to roll up his sleeves and help others, whether spearheading a new project at work or clearing debris after Hurricane Katrina.

    When Savignano, a graduate student in the FinTech program, heard about a program that connects postgraduate business students with small- and medium-sized enterprises in the developing world, he was immediately interested.

    He recently learned that he was accepted as a Fellow in the prestigious DHL GoTrade GBSN Fellowship Program and is waiting to learn what industry and country he will be paired with during the eight-month program, which begins in March. The Fellowship program, which is remote, will also give him the chance to engage with global experts, participate in workshops, and develop new skills and mentorship.

    “Figuring out how to address problems and challenges and coming up with unique solutions is all very exciting for me. I’m going to give it my heart and soul,’’ he said. Savignano said he is looking forward to collaborating with people from another part of the world and the opportunity to work with another fellow.

    Students from 45 Countries Competed for 61 Fellowships

    The Fellowship program is highly competitive, said Natalie Timinskas, Coordinator of Students Programs at the Global Business School Network (GBSN). This year, the organization received almost 300 applications from master’s and Ph.D. candidates from 45 countries and 88 universities. Only 61 were accepted into the cohort.

    “The caliber of candidates was exceptional, with applicants showcasing impressive passion and dedication to advancing management and entrepreneurship in emerging and developing markets,’’ she said.

    The network cannot disclose the specific enterprises, as they are still finalizing agreements, but they are working with businesses from various industries, she said. Last year’s cohort worked on projects across diverse sectors, such as food and beverage, jewelry, textiles, e-commerce, crafts, and leather goods.

    Creating, Improving and Shaking Things Up

    Savignano earned his bachelor’s degree at Loyola University in 2018, with a finance major. He spent the next five years working in the mortgage industry in Maryland.

    He chose to apply to the UConn FinTech program, at that time only the second in the nation, because he loved everything about finance, and was intrigued by new ways of receiving and processing payments. During his time at UConn, he has also worked with the entrepreneurship programs here to investigate an idea he has for creating his own company.

    Savignano said he enjoys creating, improving processes, and shaking things up.

    “The Fellowship will be an exciting resume builder and also a very unique story to share,’’ he said. “I think it will also be one of those ‘contagious’ things that many people will become interested in doing.’’

    As he looks at his career growth, Savignano said he wants to be in a position to make strategic decisions.

    “I came to UConn to learn that aspect of business, and I think I’ve been successful,’’ he said. “I’m happy to represent UConn through this and to spread the UConn name because this university has done so much for me.’’

    John Wilson, Academic Director of FinTech program, said Savignano has been a standout student.

    “We encourage all students to map their own academic journey. Nicholas has taken that encouragement to heart and taken advantage of every opportunity,’’ Wilson said. “This, along with his drive and dedication, makes him a solid selection for the Fellowship program and we are confident that he will represent UConn well.’’

    Savignano said he feels fortunate that the FinTech program created an opportunity for him to attend ITC insurance innovation conference in Las Vegas last year, where he met industry veterans, tried brand-new products, learned about challenges of the insurance industry, and engaged with top executives.’’

    Network Offers Host of Opportunities for Ambitious Students

    Arminda Kamphausen, Director of Global & Sustainability Initiatives, said the School’s recent decision to become a member of the GBSN has provided both students and faculty with international opportunities that enrich educational experiences and research resources.

    “This chance for Nick to use what he is learning in the FinTech program to work on an international team to support a small or medium enterprise is just one of many such opportunities,’’ she said.

    “GBSN also gives our students opportunities to compete in an annual case competition, organizes thematic faculty working groups, such as Business and Human Rights, and offers monthly virtual events for sharing of member institution best practices,’’ Kamphausen said. “It also convenes an annual conference for substantive discussions on how business schools can continue to provide responsible training to their students and positive impact in the world.’’

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Rygen Announces Partnership with Cargo Insurance Provider, Loadsure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GREENVILLE, S.C., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rygen Technologies, a leading supply chain solutions provider, has entered into a partnership agreement with Loadsure, an innovative Insurtech Managing General Agent (MGA), providing users of Corsair TMS access to insurance options through one platform. Both Rygen and Loadsure use advanced technologies that leverage data and AI, to provide speed, accuracy, and convenience to ultimately support the needs of today’s supply chain professionals.

    “The ability to seamlessly integrate Corsair with Loadsure and receive all necessary information in one place, omitting the need to seek outside sources for their client’s insurance needs, will immediately add value for customers,” said Jonathan Wollschleager, Director of Partnership and Enterprise Sales at Rygen. “This partnership reflects the Rygen commitment to creating state-of-the-art technology solutions that integrate seamlessly with other advanced systems, like the ones offered by Loadsure.”

    Corsair is an advanced Transportation Management System (TMS) that enables users to efficiently onboard carriers and execute transactions, as well as maintain end-to-end visibility of shipments. Because Corsair is built using cloud-native architecture, a wider range of suppliers, customers, and providers are available to users, enhancing flexibility and connectivity for supply chain managers. The implementation process is designed to be streamlined and hassle-free.

    Loadsure leverages high-resolution data and AI to analyze customers’ supply chain risk in detail and generate custom insurance policies to their exact specification. With its revolutionary “holistic freight protection” approach, Loadsure provides cost-effective protection for carriers, brokers, and shippers and enables near real-time claims processing in the event of a loss.

    Loadsure’s CEO and Founder, Johnny McCord stated, “We’re excited to partner with Rygen. Loadsure’s data-powered insurance products empower their customers to protect their businesses from loss, within their intuitive platform.”

    About Rygen Technologies  
    Rygen Technologies is a leading provider of state-of-the-art supply chain solutions that empower users to quickly, easily, and efficiently execute and manage freight, connect with partners, and seamlessly integrate with other operating systems. By leveraging advanced technology, the company is creating smarter, data-driven solutions, supported by excellent customer service to deliver real value.

    For more information, visit www.rygen.com.

    About Loadsure
    Loadsure is an Insurtech Managing General Agent (MGA) and Lloyd’s cover holder, currently serving the North America, and Europe markets. Built to tackle the underinsurance crisis, Loadsure leverages high-resolution data and AI to analyze every detail of an assured risk and generate custom insurance policies to the exact specification in seconds. With its revolutionary “holistic freight protection” approach, Loadsure empowers the freight community to make informed decisions about exposure and cost-effectively protect their businesses from loss with a portfolio of digital insurance products and near real-time claims processing. Loadsure’s platform integrates seamlessly into insurance intermediary workflows and can be embedded into freight industry TMSs and load boards or accessed directly via a web portal.
    Welcome to Freight Protection 2.0.
    Visit loadsure.net.

    Contact:
    Jonathan Wollschleager
    Director of Partnerships and Enterprise Sales
    jwollschleager@rygen.com
    732-546-7894

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: FPSO Almirante Tamandaré producing and on hire

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Amsterdam, February 19, 2025

    SBM Offshore announces that FPSO Almirante Tamandaré is formally on hire as of February 16, 2025 after achieving first oil and the completion of a 72-hour continuous production test leading to Final Acceptance.

    FPSO Almirante Tamandaré is the largest oil producing unit in Brazil with a processing capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil and 12 million m3 of gas per day. This FPSO has an estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity below 10 kgCO2e/boe1 and benefits from emission reduction technologies such as the closed flare technology which increases gas utilization, preventing it from being burnt into the atmosphere. FPSO Almirante Tamandaré is the first unit in Brazil to receive a Sustainability-1 Notation2 certification reflecting the Company’s efforts to reduce emissions over the lifecycle of the vessel.

    FPSO Almirante Tamandaré is owned and operated by special purpose companies owned by affiliated companies of SBM Offshore (55%) and its partners (45%). The FPSO will operate under a 26.25-year charter and operation services contracts with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras).

    FPSO Almirante Tamandaré is installed at the Búzios unitized field located in the Santos Basin, approximately 180 kilometers offshore Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The Búzios unitized field is operated by Petrobras (88.99%) in partnership with CNODC (3.67%) and CNOOC (7.34%).

    Corporate Profile

    SBM Offshore is the world’s deepwater ocean-infrastructure expert. Through the design, construction, installation, and operation of offshore floating facilities, we play a pivotal role in a just transition. By advancing our core, we deliver cleaner, more efficient energy production. By pioneering more, we unlock new markets within the blue economy. 
    More than 7,400 SBMers collaborate worldwide to deliver innovative solutions as a responsible partner towards a sustainable future, balancing ocean protection with progress.
    For further information, please visit our website at www.sbmoffshore.com.

    Financial Calendar   Date Year
    Full Year 2024 Earnings   February 20 2025
    Annual General Meeting   April 9 2025
    First Quarter 2025 Trading Update   May 15 2025
    Half Year 2025 Earnings   August 7 2025
    Third Quarter 2025 Trading Update   November 13 2025

    For further information, please contact:

    Investor Relations

    Wouter Holties
    Corporate Finance & Investor Relations Manager

    Media Relations

    Giampaolo Arghittu
    Head of External Relations

    Market Abuse Regulation
    This press release may contain inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Disclaimer
    Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or events to differ materially from those in such statements. These statements may be identified by words such as ‘expect’, ‘should’, ‘could’, ‘shall’ and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The principal risks which could affect the future operations of SBM Offshore N.V. are described in the ‘Impact, Risk and Opportunity Management’ section of the 2023 Annual Report.

    Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and performance of the Company’s business may vary materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements described in this release. SBM Offshore does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise. 

    This release contains certain alternative performance measures (APMs) as defined by the ESMA guidelines which are not defined under IFRS. Further information on these APMs is included in the Half-Year Management Report accompanying the Half Year Earnings 2024 report, available on our website https://www.sbmoffshore.com/investors/financial-disclosures.

    Nothing in this release shall be deemed an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities. The companies in which SBM Offshore N.V. directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this release “SBM Offshore” and “SBM” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to SBM Offshore N.V. and its subsidiaries in general. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.

    “SBM Offshore®“, the SBM logomark, “Fast4Ward®”, “emissionZERO®” and “F4W®” are proprietary marks owned by SBM Offshore.


    1 Calculated based on nameplate capacity.
    2 This sustainability certification from Bureau Veritas recognizes the Company’s efforts in minimizing environmental impacts over the lifecycle of the FPSO, from design to construction and operations.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: SBM Offshore announces changes in Supervisory Board

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Amsterdam, February 19, 2025

    SBM Offshore today announces that Bernard Bajolet has, for personal reasons, decided to step down as member of the Supervisory Board after the 2025 Annual General Meeting, following seven years of service. Bernard Bajolet will continue to be involved with the Company as advisor.

    Roeland Baan says: “We thank Bernard Bajolet for the valuable contribution to the Company as Supervisory Board member and look forward to his continued involvement as advisor.”

            

    Corporate Profile

    SBM Offshore is the world’s deepwater ocean-infrastructure expert. Through the design, construction, installation, and operation of offshore floating facilities, we play a pivotal role in a just transition. By advancing our core, we deliver cleaner, more efficient energy production. By pioneering more, we unlock new markets within the blue economy. 
    More than 7,400 SBMers collaborate worldwide to deliver innovative solutions as a responsible partner towards a sustainable future, balancing ocean protection with progress.
    For further information, please visit our website at www.sbmoffshore.com.

    Financial Calendar   Date Year
    Full Year 2024 Earnings   February 20 2025
    Annual General Meeting   April 9 2025
    First Quarter 2025 Trading Update   May 15 2025
    Half Year 2025 Earnings   August 7 2025
    Third Quarter 2025 Trading Update   November 13 2025

    For further information, please contact:

    Investor Relations

    Wouter Holties
    Corporate Finance & Investor Relations Manager

    Media Relations

    Giampaolo Arghittu
    Head of External Relations

    Market Abuse Regulation
    This press release may contain inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Disclaimer
    Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or events to differ materially from those in such statements. These statements may be identified by words such as ‘expect’, ‘should’, ‘could’, ‘shall’ and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The principal risks which could affect the future operations of SBM Offshore N.V. are described in the ‘Impact, Risk and Opportunity Management’ section of the 2023 Annual Report.
    Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and performance of the Company’s business may vary materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements described in this release. SBM Offshore does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise. 
    This release contains certain alternative performance measures (APMs) as defined by the ESMA guidelines which are not defined under IFRS. Further information on these APMs is included in the Half-Year Management Report accompanying the Half Year Earnings 2024 report, available on our website https://www.sbmoffshore.com/investors/financial-disclosures.
    Nothing in this release shall be deemed an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities. The companies in which SBM Offshore N.V. directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this release “SBM Offshore” and “SBM” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to SBM Offshore N.V. and its subsidiaries in general. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.
    “SBM Offshore®“, the SBM logomark, “Fast4Ward®”, “emissionZERO®” and “F4W®” are proprietary marks owned by SBM Offshore.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Sweetheart Bakery and Homer’s Deli

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Sweetheart Bakery and Homer’s Deli of Clinton County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
    “Founded by real sweethearts almost 75 years ago, Sweetheart Bakery and Homer’s Deli continues to operate as a family business today,” said Chair Ernst. “Whether it is their homemade breads, custom cakes, or original Blarney Stones, the Thornton family sure knows how to rise to the occasion!”
    In 1950, Charlie and Florence Thornton opened Sweetheart Bakery using original family recipes on Main Avenue. In 1978, their son, Charles, and his wife, Joanne, expanded the business, moving it one block west into its current storefront in the Lyons business district. After decades of success baking generational recipes made from scratch, Charles’ son, Chuck, and his wife, Brenda, purchased the bakery. Upon taking over, they merged the family bakery with Homer’s Deli, a restaurant they also owned next door. Today, their children, Derek and Shauna, help run and manage the store. In March, the business will celebrate its 75th anniversary in Iowa.
    Stay tuned as Chair Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Markey, Merkley, Welch Press Google on Changes to AI Commitments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Letter Text (PDF)

    Washington (February 19, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) wrote to Google CEO Sundar Pichai with concerns that the company has recently reversed promises to not develop potentially harmful and dangerous AI technologies.

    In the letter the lawmakers write, “For years, Google’s AI Principles have allowed the public to understand the company’s values for the development and deployment of new technologies. The company first published the AI Principles in 2018 following employee backlash to one of its contracts.”

    The lawmakers continue, “Google removed those limitations on the development and deployment of AI products, among other changes to its AI Principles. A blog post accompanying these revisions made no reference to the removal of these long-standing commitments. Instead, the blog highlighted Google’s new core tenets in AI developments. The closest the post came to referencing these critical changes was its noting Google’s commitment to ‘pursue AI responsibly throughout the development and deployment lifecycle.’ This vague language does not provide any guidelines on the types of technology Google will or will not develop, raising more questions than answers and sparking concerns from Google’s current and former employees.”

    The lawmakers request Mr. Pichai respond to the following questions by March 7, 2025:

    • Please describe Google’s rationale for revising its AI Principles, especially its decision to remove the limitation on developing AI products for weapons or certain surveillance applications. 
    • Is Google currently developing or has Google currently deployed any AI products or potential projects that could be considered a weapon? 
      • If so, please provide detailed description of those projects. 
      • Going forward, if Google develops AI weapons projects, how does Google intended to mitigate the risks they pose?
    • Is Google developing or has Google currently deployed any AI products or potential projects that could be used for surveillance purposes in violation of internationally accepted norms? 
      • If so, please provide detailed description of those projects. 
      • Going forward, if Google develops AI surveillance projects in violation of internationally accepted norms, how does Google intended to mitigate the risks they pose?
    • Is Google developing or has Google currently deployed any AI products or potential products that could cause or are likely to cause overall harm? 
      • If so, please provide detailed description of those projects. 
      • Going forward, if Google develops AI projects that could cause or are likely to cause overall harm, how does Google intended to mitigate the risks they pose?
    • The new Google AI Principles state the company will ensure “appropriate human oversight, due diligence, and feedback mechanisms to align with user goals, social responsibility, and widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.” Please provide a detailed description of how Google plans to uphold these commitments.
    • The new Google AI Principles state the company will “employ rigorous design, testing, monitoring, and safeguards to mitigate unintended or harmful outcomes and avoid unfair bias.” Please provide a detailed description of how Google plans to uphold these commitments, including a detailed description of the testing and monitoring Google intends to implement.  
    • Will Google commit that any AI development that conflicts with the 2018 principles will include robust stakeholder consultation, including collaboration with workers, relevant experts, and impacted communities? If not, why not?

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Proposes New Law To Protect Veterans’ Disability Benefits From Claim Sharks

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is urging the Connecticut General Assembly to approve legislation he is proposing this session that will enact a new state law protecting veterans against being exploited by for-profit companies that charge exorbitant fees for filing disability claims on their behalf with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

    Commonly known as “claim sharks,” these unaccredited companies solicit veterans with the promise that their services can help them get disability claims approved by the VA. Frequently, these companies wait until after the claim has been approved to notify the veteran that they will be charged fees for this service, sometimes taking a large cut of the veteran’s future disability benefits, which could amount to thousands of dollars.

    Claim sharks also expose veterans to fraud and identity theft. Since unaccredited actors do not have access to the VA claim system, some require the veteran to share system logins, passwords, and bank account information so fees can be immediately withdrawn even before the veteran learns claim money has been deposited.

    “Veterans deserve the disability benefits they’ve earned, and taking a cut of these benefits for one’s own profit through manipulative schemes is morally wrong and disturbing,” Governor Lamont said. “We need stronger laws that bring transparency to these practices so that veterans can make informed decisions and are able to avoid these kinds of exploitative practices that we’ve seen happening across the country.”

    While federal law currently prohibits companies without VA accreditation from charging veterans fees to file disability claims, there are no criminal penalties for violating the law and recent legislative efforts to rein in this profit-driven shadow industry have stalled in Congress.

    Governor Lamont is proposing to require more transparency around this practice and obligate these companies to provide veterans with information on all fees prior to beginning their services. Specifically, he is proposing a law that will:

    • Require companies that provide these services to notify recipients of all fees in advance of the services being provided and create a written agreement signed by both parties; and
    • Require companies that provide these services to explicitly notify veterans in advance that they are not endorsed or affiliated with the VA or the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs and that local and federal veteran service organizations may provide this service free of charge. These same notices must also be included in any advertising related to these services.

    Attorney General William Tong has also proposed legislation on this topic and is supportive of Governor Lamont’s proposal.

    “Applying for VA benefits is free, and accredited, vetted, veteran service officers are available to assist at no cost,” Attorney General Tong said. “Unaccredited, illegitimate services waste veterans’ money and time, and may expose veterans to potential fraud and identity theft. Connecticut veterans cannot afford to wait for federal action – we need strong state accountability and oversight, including real penalties for anyone who abuses the claims process to take advantage of veterans and their families.”

    “Governor Lamont and Attorney General Tong, we thank you for taking on this important topic of protecting our veterans and families from claim sharks,” Connecticut Veterans Affairs Commissioner Ronald P. Welch, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, said. “The Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs wants to ensure our 146,000, Connecticut veterans and their families are protected against the predatory activities of claim sharks and others not properly accredited to legally represent those that have served our great state and nation. We fully support legislation that holds claim sharks and others attempting to take advantage of our veterans who have service-connected injuries or illnesses accountable for their reprehensible actions.”

    “Veterans put their lives on the line for our country, and the last thing they should face is fraud and exploitation when accessing the benefits they’ve already earned,” State Senator Paul Honig (D-Harwinton), co-chair of the legislature’s Committee on Veterans’ and Military Affairs, said. “We won’t stand for bad actors preying on our vets here in Connecticut.”

    “Our veterans earned their benefits through service and sacrifice – no one should exploit them for profit,” State Representative Jaime Foster (D-East Windsor, Ellington, Vernon), co-chair of the legislature’s Committee on Veterans’ and Military Affairs, said. “This bill enforces existing federal protections with real accountability, ensuring transparency and safeguarding veterans from predatory claim sharks. I applaud Attorney General Tong for his leadership on this issue and I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance these critical protections.”

    Applying for benefits through the VA is free, as is talking to an accredited veteran service officer who can help veterans navigate the process. In Connecticut, the VA operates Veterans Service Offices in all five of its district offices:

    • 1st District – Newington Office: (860) 594-6606
    • 2nd District – Norwich Office: (860) 887-9162
    • 3rd District – Milford Office: (203) 874-6711
    • 4th District – Fairfield Office: (203) 418-2005
    • 5th District – Waterbury Office: (203) 805-6343

    Additional information on accredited Veterans Service Organization representatives, attorneys, and claims agents can be found online at www.benefits.va.gov/vso.

    The governor’s legislative proposal is House Bill 6874, An Act Establishing Protections for Veterans From Benefits Claim Sharks. It is currently pending in the Committee on Veterans’ and Military Affairs.

    **Download: Fact sheet on Governor Lamont’s proposal to protect veterans’ disability benefits from claim sharks

     

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Names the Stagecoach Inn as the February Small Business of the Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch, senior member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced the selection of the Stagecoach Inn in Garden City as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for February 2025. The Stagecoach Inn will be recognized for its contribution to the community in the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate. 

    “The Stagecoach Inn has been a feature of Idaho’s political and social landscape for decades,” said Risch. “This Treasure Valley institution has been around since 1959 and is now owned by Wanda Martinat and Fred and Francie Oliver. I’m proud to recognize the Stagecoach Inn as the February Small Business of the Month.”

    Idaho is consistently ranked one of the best places in the country to do business. Each month, Senator Risch selects an Idaho small business that exemplifies the Idaho values of hard work, entrepreneurial spirit, and exceptional commitment to the community.

    ?

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: FN2/2025 Kapitalforhøjelse – Nye aktier

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NASDAQ FIRST NORTH GROWTH MARKET MEDDELELSE NR. 2/2025

    København, den 19. februar 2025

    FN2/2025 Kapitalforhøjelse – Nye aktier

    I forlængelse af FN1 vedrørende kapitalforhøjelsen meddeler selskabet hermed, at de nye aktier (i alt 49.257 stk.) er ansøgt optaget til handel på Nasdaq First North Growth Market Denmark hurtigst muligt. 

    Yderligere oplysninger

    FastPassCorp A/S, administrerende direktør Anders Meyer, am@fastpasscorp.com

    Certified Adviser

    Baker Tilly Corporate Finance P/S, Poul Bundgaards Vej 1, DK-2500 Valby, Tlf.: +45 33 45 10 00,

    www.bakertilly.dk

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Minutes of the Monetary Policy Committee meeting of 3 and 4 February 2025

    Source: Central Bank of Iceland

    In accordance with the Monetary Policy Committee Rules of Procedure, the minutes of the Committee’s most recent meeting have been published on the Bank’s website. The minutes are published two weeks after the announcement of the Committee‘s decision.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Video: How tightening mortgage credit raises rents and increases inequality in the housing market

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    ECB Research Bulletin by Juan Castellanos, Andrew Hannon and Gonzalo Paz-Pardo.

    Read more: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/research-publications/resbull/2025/html/ecb.rb250116~b428fdb4db.en.html
    The Research Bulletin features a selection of recent work on policy-relevant topics by ECB economists. Published on a monthly basis, the articles in the Research Bulletin are intended for a general audience.

    The views expressed in each article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the European Central Bank and the Eurosystem.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-SDYdwDin4

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI: DTEX Systems Announces Collaboration with AWS Generative AI Innovation Center

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DTEX Systems, the trusted leader of insider risk management, today announced that it has been selected to collaborate with Amazon Web Services (AWS), on its ​​Generative AI Innovation Center. This collaboration will allow DTEX to accelerate the availability of its generative AI capabilities to proactively prevent and detect insider threats, while preserving user privacy.

    Through this collaboration, DTEX’s Ai³ Risk Assistant will achieve general availability on Amazon Bedrock, making it one of the first risk generative AI assistant partners to be available on the service. DTEX and AWS will also work together to fast-track a new generative AI and insider risk prototype that will scale semantic search for insider risk analysts, allowing analysts to focus on high-value tasks rather than manual data exploration.

    “We at DTEX are committed to using emerging technologies, such as generative AI, to combat the ever-evolving insider threat landscape,” said Marshall Heilman, CEO of DTEX Systems. “Working closely alongside the expert data scientists and developers at AWS, we are further cementing our status as the leading insider risk and data loss prevention solution that is powered by AI.”

    The AWS Generative AI Innovation Center supports companies, such as DoorDash, PGA TOUR, and Thomas Reuters, to progress and bring their corresponding generative AI technologies to market, with assistance from leading AWS data scientists and developers to fast-track the timeline. Support from AWS also includes the building of prototypes and embedding advanced capabilities into DTEX’s generative AI offerings.

    “Very excited about AWS’s Generative AI Innovation Center collaboration with DTEX Systems to transform the cybersecurity industry,” said Sri Elaprolu, Director at the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center. “DTEX Systems is launching Ai³ (A.I. Assisted Insider Risk Investigations), a platform that helps analysts interact with their data in a conversational manner while automating and streamlining the investigation workflow. Ai³ leverages Bedrock, Claude, and OpenSearch Serverless to automate analyst’s work, including surfacing relevant dashboards, retrieving summaries of and generating risk profiles, and running regular risk assessments to provide the summarized insights to analysts for final decision-making. A powerful example of how generative AI can remove manual, repetitive tasks so employees can focus on strategic, high value actions.”

    In February 2024, DTEX announced the launch of the Ai³ Risk Assistant, making them the first organization to leverage generative AI as a tool to proactively combat and detect insider threats. As a feature within the InTERCEPT™ platform, it processes natural language to provide insights into potential insider risk and intent.

    To learn more about DTEX Systems, please visit www.dtexsystems.com.

    About DTEX Systems
    As the trusted leader of insider risk management, DTEX transforms enterprise security by displacing reactive tools with a proactive solution that stops insider risks from becoming data breaches. DTEX InTERCEPT™ consolidates Data Loss Prevention, User Activity Monitoring, and User Behavior Analytics in one lightweight platform to enable organizations to achieve a trusted and protected workforce. Backed by behavioral science, powered by AI, and used by governments and organizations around the world, DTEX is the trusted authority for protecting data and people at scale with privacy by design.

    To learn more about DTEX, please visit dtexsystems.com

    Connect with DTEX: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube

    Media Contact
    Mariah Gauthier
    dtex@highwirepr.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Northern Horizon Capital A/S appoints Christoffer Abramson as the Group CEO

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Northern Horizon Capital AS, the management company of Baltic Horizon Fund, hereby informs of changes in the leadership of Northern Horizon Capital A/S (the parent company of Northern Horizon Capital AS).

    After leading Northern Horizon group for almost 7 years, Milda Darguzaite will step aside from her CEO position to assume the role as Member of the Board of Directors of Northern Horizon Capital A/S.

    Christoffer Abramson shall assume the position as Group Chief Executive Officer of Northern Horizon Capital A/S effective 4 March 2025.

    Christoffer Abramson is a seasoned international executive and real estate investment expert. Most recently, Christoffer Abramson was President and CEO of Catella AB (publ.). Prior to this role, Christoffer Abramson spent seven years based in the US at EF Education First where he helped create and build a significant global Real Estate business. He has also worked General Electric across the globe for 10 years, ending his GE career as the CFO of GE Real Estate based in London.

    “We are confident that Christoffer, with his extensive experience, Nordic background and strategic thinking, is the right person to lead the company and drive our next chapter of growth. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to Milda for her dedicated leadership. We are privileged that she has accepted to become a Member of the Board. Her expertise will be invaluable as we continue to grow our platform,” Lars Ohnemus, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Northern Horizon Capital A/S, commented.

    For additional information, please contact:

    Tarmo Karotam
    Baltic Horizon Fund manager
    E-mail tarmo.karotam@nh-cap.com
    www.baltichorizon.com

    The Fund is a registered contractual public closed-end real estate fund that is managed by Alternative Investment Fund Manager license holder Northern Horizon Capital AS. 

    Distribution: GlobeNewswire, Nasdaq Tallinn, Nasdaq Stockholm, www.baltichorizon.com

    To receive Nasdaq announcements and news from Baltic Horizon Fund about its projects, plans and more, register on www.baltichorizon.com. You can also follow Baltic Horizon Fund on www.baltichorizon.com and on LinkedIn, FacebookX and YouTube.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Coop Pank AS establishes an EUR 750,000,000 Covered Bond Programme

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Coop Pank AS (Bank) has established an EUR 750,000,000 Covered Bond Programme (Programme). The Central Bank of Ireland has approved the base prospectus (Base Prospectus) for the Programme on 19 February 2025. The Base Prospectus will be available on the website of Euronext Dublin at www.ise.ie and on the Bank’s website at https://www.cooppank.ee/en/investor.

    Establishment of the Programme is one of the preparatory steps in the commencement of issuance of covered bonds by the Bank. According to initial forecasts, the first issuance is expected to take place in the first half of 2025. The Bank will notify the market with a separate stock exchange announcement once the exact timing and conditions of the issuance are determined. The covered bonds to be issued under the Programme are expected to be rated (P)Aa2 by Moody’s Investors Service Ltd.

    Coop Pank, based on Estonian capital, is one of the five universal banks operating in Estonia. The number of clients using Coop Pank for their daily banking reached 209,500. Coop Pank aims to put the synergy generated by the interaction of retail business and banking to good use and to bring everyday banking services closer to people’s homes. The strategic shareholder of the bank is the domestic retail chain Coop Eesti, comprising of 320 stores. 

    Additional information:
    Paavo Truu
    CFO
    Phone: +372 5160 231
    E-mail: paavo.truu@cooppank.ee

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family

    February 19, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family

    iPhone 16e joins the iPhone 16 lineup, featuring the fast performance of the A18 chip, Apple Intelligence, extraordinary battery life, and a 48MP 2-in-1 camera system — all at an incredible value

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced iPhone 16e, a new addition to the iPhone 16 lineup that offers powerful capabilities at a more affordable price. iPhone 16e delivers fast, smooth performance and breakthrough battery life, thanks to the industry-leading efficiency of the A18 chip and the new Apple C1, the first cellular modem designed by Apple. iPhone 16e is also built for Apple Intelligence, the intuitive personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence while taking an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI. The 48MP Fusion camera takes gorgeous photos and videos, and with an integrated 2x Telephoto, it is like having two cameras in one, so users can zoom in with optical quality. When outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s groundbreaking satellite features — including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite — help iPhone 16e users stay connected and get assistance when it matters most.1

    iPhone 16e will be available in two elegant matte finishes — black and white — with colorful cases available to accessorize. Pre-orders begin Friday, February 21, with availability beginning Friday, February 28.

    “iPhone 16e packs in the features our users love about the iPhone 16 lineup, including breakthrough battery life, fast performance powered by the latest-generation A18 chip, an innovative 2-in-1 camera system, and Apple Intelligence,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. “We’re so excited for iPhone 16e to complete the lineup as a powerful, more affordable option to bring the iPhone experience to even more people.”

    A Beautiful and Durable Design with Breakthrough Battery Life

    iPhone 16e is built to last, featuring splash, water, and dust resistance with a rating of IP68; the Ceramic Shield front cover with an advanced formulation that is tougher than any smartphone glass; and the toughest back glass in a smartphone.2 The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with OLED technology has an edge-to-edge design that is perfect for watching HDR videos, playing games, and reading crisp text.3 iPhone 16e has the best battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone, lasting up to six hours longer than iPhone 11 and up to 12 hours longer than all generations of iPhone SE.4 And with Face ID enabled by the TrueDepth camera system, users can securely unlock their iPhone, authenticate purchases, sign in to apps, and more. iPhone 16e also offers convenient charging options, including both wireless charging and USB-C for easy connection to a wide range of accessories.

    Performance and Connectivity

    iPhone 16e is powered by Apple’s latest-generation A18 chip, which enables fast, smooth performance, incredible power efficiency, and Apple Intelligence. The 6-core CPU is up to 80 percent faster than the A13 Bionic chip on iPhone 11, handling both everyday and intensive tasks with ease — from simple workloads, to more demanding actions with Apple Intelligence. The 4-core GPU powers stunning graphics performance and unlocks next-level mobile gaming on the go, enabling graphically demanding AAA titles and hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more realistic lighting and reflections. The 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models and runs machine learning (ML) models up to 6x faster than A13 Bionic.

    Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, delivering fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity. Apple silicon — including C1 — the all-new internal design, and the advanced power management of iOS 18 all contribute to extraordinary battery life.

    Built for Apple Intelligence

    iPhone 16e is built for Apple Intelligence, unlocking exciting new capabilities that make iPhone even more helpful and powerful. With the Clean Up tool, it’s easy to remove distracting elements in images, and natural language search in the Photos app allows users to search for just about any photo or video by simply describing what they are looking for.

    Users can also explore creative new ways to express themselves visually with Image Playground, create the perfect emoji with Genmoj, and make their writing even more dynamic with Writing Tools. They can now type to Siri, and Siri is more conversational with the ability to follow along if users stumble over their words. Siri can also maintain context from one request to the next. With extensive product knowledge, Siri can answer thousands of questions about the features and settings of Apple products, so users can learn how to do things like take a screen recording or schedule a text message to send later.

    With access to ChatGPT seamlessly integrated into Writing Tools and Siri, users can choose to access ChatGPT’s expertise without jumping between applications, so they can get things done faster and easier than ever before. In addition, users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and privacy protections are built in — their IP addresses are obscured and OpenAI won’t store requests. Users can choose whether to enable ChatGPT integration, and are in full control of when to use it and what information is shared with ChatGPT.

    Apple Intelligence marks an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI and is designed to protect users’ privacy at every step. It starts with on-device processing, meaning that many of the models that power Apple Inteligence run entirely on device. For requests that require access to larger models, Apple’s groundbreaking Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of iPhone into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence. When using Private Cloud Compute, users’ data is never stored or shared with Apple; it is used only to fulfill their request.

    Access Favorite Features and Unlock Visual Intelligence with the Action Button

    iPhone 16e features the Action button, allowing users to easily access a variety of functions with just a press. Once customized in Settings, the Action button can be used to quickly open the camera or flashlight; switch between Ring and Silent modes; recognize music with Shazam; activate Voice Memos, Focus, Translate, and accessibility features like Magnifier; or use Shortcuts for more options. The Action button can even access in-app functionality like launching the camera in Snapchat, unlocking a car door with FordPass, tracking a child’s sleep schedule with Napper, and more.

    The Action button on iPhone 16e also unlocks a new visual intelligence experience that builds on Apple Intelligence to help users learn about objects and places. Visual intelligence can summarize and copy text, translate text between languages, detect phone numbers or email addresses with the option to add to contacts, identify an animal or plant, and more. Visual intelligence also allows users to search Google so they can see where they can buy an item, or benefit from ChatGPT’s problem-solving skills. Users are in control of when third-party tools are used and what information is shared.

    A Powerful Camera System to Capture Any Moment

    The powerful 2-in-1 camera system on iPhone 16e is perfect for capturing everyday moments and important memories, including in Night mode and Portrait mode. Using computational photography, the 48MP Fusion camera takes super-high-resolution photos, so users can capture gorgeous images that balance light and detail. With an integrated 2x Telephoto, users have the equivalent of two cameras in one, and can zoom in with optical quality to get closer to the subject and easily frame their shot. And the front-facing TrueDepth camera with autofocus enables sharper close-ups and beautiful group selfies. The latest generation of HDR captures subjects and the background with true-to-life renderings of skin tones, while ensuring photos have bright highlights, rich mid-tones, and deep shadows.

    iPhone 16e takes stunning videos with the ability to record in 4K with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps, and users can stop and restart a recording for more flexibility when capturing the moment. iPhone 16e also records video in Spatial Audio for immersive listening with AirPods, Apple Vision Pro, or a surround sound system, and enables more ways to edit video sound with Audio Mix. Users can adjust their sound after capture to focus on the voice of the person on camera, make it sound like the video was recorded inside a professional studio, or position vocal tracks in the front and environmental noises in surround sound. With wind noise reduction, powerful ML algorithms automatically reduce unwanted noise for better audio quality.

    Groundbreaking Safety and Communication Capabilities

    iPhone 16e helps users stay connected and get assistance when it matters most. Apple’s satellite features help users text via satellite when they’re outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. This includes Messages via satellite to text friends and family; Emergency SOS via satellite to connect with emergency services; and Roadside Assistance via satellite to reach a roadside assistance provider in case of car trouble. Users can also use the Find My app to share their location via satellite, reassuring friends and family of their whereabouts while traveling off the grid. Crash Detection on iPhone 16e can detect a severe car crash and automatically dial emergency services if a user is unconscious or unable to reach their iPhone.5

    Featuring iOS 18

    iOS 18 makes iPhone 16e more personal, capable, and intelligent than ever.6 With more customization options, users can give apps and widgets a new dark or tinted look and arrange them in any open space on the Home Screen. The controls at the bottom of the Lock Screen can be customized; Control Center has been redesigned to provide users with easier access to many of the things they use every day, including third-party apps; and new privacy protections include the ability to lock and hide apps to protect sensitive apps and the information inside them. iOS 18 also provides powerful updates for staying connected. In Messages, users can use text effects to bring words, phrases, sentences, and more to life. Tapbacks expand to include emoji, Genmoji, or stickers, and now users can schedule a message to send later. When messaging contacts who do not have an Apple device, the Messages app now supports RCS for richer media and more reliable group messaging when compared to SMS and MMS.

    Better for the Environment

    iPhone 16e is designed with the environment in mind. As part of Apple 2030, the company’s ambitious goal to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade, Apple is transitioning to renewable electricity for its manufacturing, and investing in wind and solar projects around the world to address the electricity used to charge all Apple products, including iPhone 16e. Today, all Apple facilities run on 100 percent renewable electricity — including the data centers that power Apple Intelligence.

    To achieve Apple 2030, the company is designing products with more recycled and renewable materials, which further drives down the carbon footprint. iPhone 16e features over 30 percent recycled content overall, including 100 percent recycled cobalt and 95 percent recycled lithium in the battery, 85 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure, and more.7 Additionally, the main logic board and back glass of iPhone 16e are designed to be manufactured more efficiently, reducing the amount of raw materials needed. The packaging is also entirely fiber-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal of removing plastic from its packaging by the end of this year.8

    Pricing and Availability

    • iPhone 16e will be available in white and black in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, starting at $599 (U.S.) or $24.95 (U.S.) per month for 24 months.
    • Apple offers great ways to save and upgrade to the latest iPhone. With Apple Trade In, customers can get up to $120 (U.S.) in credit when they trade in iPhone 11, or up to $170 (U.S.) in credit when they trade in iPhone 12. With a carrier offer, customers can get up to $400 (U.S.) in credit when they trade in iPhone 11, or up to $599 (U.S.) in credit when they trade in iPhone 12 to put toward an iPhone 16e. Customers can take advantage of these offers by visiting the Apple Store online or an Apple Store location. For carrier offer eligibility requirements and more details, see apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/carrier-offers. To see what their device is worth and for Apple Trade In terms and conditions, customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in.
    • Customers in 59 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S., will be able to pre-order iPhone 16e beginning at 5 a.m. PST on Friday, February 21, with availability beginning Friday, February 28.
    • Apple Intelligence is available in localized English for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK, and the U.S. Additional languages — including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (simplified), English (Singapore), and English (India) — will be available in April, with more languages coming over the course of the year, including Vietnamese. Some features, applications, and services may not be available in all regions or all languages.
    • Visual intelligence is available in iOS 18.2 or later on all iPhone 16 models. For more information on visual intelligence, visit support.apple.com/guide/iphone.
    • iPhone 16e Silicone Case will be available in five colors for $39 (U.S.): winter blue, fuchsia, lake green, black, and white.
    • AppleCare+ for iPhone provides unparalleled service and support. This includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage, battery service coverage, and 24/7 support from the people who know iPhone best. For more information, visit apple.com/support/products/iphone.
    • iCloud+ plans start at just $0.99 (U.S.) per month and offer up to 12TB of additional storage to keep photos, videos, files, and more safe in the cloud and available across devices. An iCloud+ subscription gives access to premium features such as unlimited event creation in the new Apple Invites app, as well as Private Relay, Hide My Email, and custom email domains. With Family Sharing, users can share their subscription with five other family members at no extra cost.
    • Customers who purchase iPhone 16e may receive three free months of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Apple Fitness+, with a new subscription. Offer and services availability varies by region. See apple.com/promo for details.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Apple’s satellite features are included for free for two years starting at the time of activation of a new iPhone 14 or later. For Emergency SOS via satellite availability, visit support.apple.com/en-us/HT213426. Messages via satellite will be available in the U.S. and Canada in iOS 18 or later. SMS availability will depend on carrier. Carrier fees may apply. Users should check with their carrier for details. Roadside Assistance via satellite is currently available in the U.S. with AAA and Verizon Roadside Assistance, and in the UK with Green Flag. Participating roadside assistance providers may charge for services, and iPhone users who are not members can take advantage of their roadside assistance services on a pay-per-use basis. Apple’s satellite features were designed for use in open spaces with a clear line of sight to the sky. Performance may be impacted by obstructions such as trees or surrounding buildings.
    2. iPhone 16e is splash-, water-, and dust-resistant. It was tested under controlled laboratory conditions and has a rating of IP68 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes). Splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions. Resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge a wet iPhone; refer to the user guide for cleaning and drying instructions. Liquid damage is not covered under warranty.
    3. The display has rounded corners that follow a beautiful curved design, and these corners are within a standard rectangle. When measured as a standard rectangular shape, the screen is 6.06 inches diagonally. The actual viewable area is smaller.
    4. All battery claims depend on the cellular network, location, signal strength, feature configuration, usage, and many other factors; actual results will vary. The battery has limited recharge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. Battery tests are conducted using specific iPhone units. See apple.com/batteries and apple.com/iphone/compare for more information.
    5. Crash Detection is designed for four-wheel passenger vehicle crashes with certain mass, G-force, and speed profiles consistent with severe, life-threatening crashes. It was designed for severe, life-threatening, high-impact front and rear, side-swipe, T-bone, and rollover crashes. Crash Detection is available worldwide on iPhone 14 or later, Apple Watch Series 8 or later, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra or later.
    6. Some features may not be available for all countries or all areas. For more information on iOS 18, visit apple.com/ios/ios-18.
    7. All cobalt and lithium references use a mass balance allocation.
    8. Based on retail packaging as shipped by Apple. Breakdown of U.S. retail packaging by weight. Adhesives, inks, and coatings are excluded from calculations of plastic content and packaging weight.

    Press Contacts

    Blair Ranger

    Apple

    blair_ranger@apple.com

    Alex Kirschner

    Apple

    alexkirschner@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Global: Team conflict at work can boost creativity, but it depends on the ‘fighters’ as much as the fights

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Brad Harris, Professor of management, associate dean of MBA programs, HEC Paris Business School

    For many corporate teams, the notion of “good conflict” is merely a myth. Most often, conflict is seen as a roadblock to success–especially when it involves clashing personalities or disagreements over strategy. But what if, in certain cases, the right kind of team conflict fuels creativity? That’s the idea behind our new research, which suggests that, handled well, some team fights might just be the key to sparking fresh ideas.

    And it turns out that who is in conflict can make all the difference.

    Researchers have long explored how team conflicts affect creativity, with some arguing that the right conflict can boost creativity, and others saying that conflict erodes it. Unfortunately, the findings have been all over the place so far. A common research approach has been to lump all conflict into the same bucket, or to separate task-centered conflict and relationship-oriented conflict and then assume they affect everyone in the team equally. But as we’re learning, these approaches might be too simplistic.

    Newer research, including our own, suggests that considering the roles of individual team members, and particularly their network status in the team, can paint a much clearer picture of how conflict can affect creativity. In particular, conflicts involving “critical members”–those who play a central role in a team’s workflow–seem to be where the real action is.

    The (sometimes) bright side of conflict

    In any team, disagreements about the task at hand–such as how to distribute resources, make decisions or handle workflow – are bound to happen. These are known as “task conflicts”. And traditional research has often considered such disputes as potentially helpful, arguing that they can bring in new perspectives, spur discussion and, if managed properly, enhance team creativity. That said, data often tell a different, more complicated story. We started our research as an attempt to reconcile some of the inconclusive results.

    Using network analysis, which is a way to explore the unique interactions and relationships between individuals, in 70 new product development teams, we found that task conflicts involving critical members of a team can indeed spark creativity by pushing the team to reflect on their work. But this is only under certain conditions. Specifically, critical members’ task-related disagreements seem to have creative potential when they occur in teams that report higher levels of shared goals. These results hold even when accounting for all other task conflicts in the team.

    Here’s how it works: when a critical member – the one others depend on for essential information – engages in task conflict, teams are forced to take a step back, reassess what’s happening and consider new approaches. It pushes the team out of autopilot mode and, so long as team members are aligned with shared goals, it encourages a mindset of flexibility and fresh ideas, which are the lifeblood of creativity. Absent shared goals, we don’t really see much creative benefit from critical members’ task conflicts, which is not surprising – why do the hard work of questioning the status quo if you don’t agree on the outcome you want? As it turns out, much of what we have traditionally assumed about and measured in task conflict does not really help us understand how it is conducive to creativity; what happens with the critical members in the center of a team’s network is where the fruits of diverse thinking can emerge.

    The dark side of conflict

    On the flip side, personal spats – known as “relationship conflicts” – have a different effect. These are conflicts that aren’t really about the work itself, but rather stem from personality clashes or interpersonal issues.

    Past research has been pretty clear about the negative effects of team relationship conflict on creativity, but our work shows that when these conflicts involve critical members, the effects are even more deleterious. Namely, critical members’ interpersonal conflicts erode the team’s cohesion, i.e., the “glue” of the group, which destroys the trust and safety needed to try new, creative things.

    When critical members possess high levels of emotional intelligence, the worst of these negative effects can be mitigated. In short, emotional intelligence helps these key players handle personal tensions in a way that keeps the team together, even when conflicts pop up. So, once again, our study’s findings emphasize that the way conflict affects teamwork is largely dependent on how the people in the center of the network experience it.

    Practical takeaways

    So, what can leaders do to harness the creative potential of conflict while minimizing its downsides? Here are a few actionable steps:

    Get crystal clear on goals: By establishing common goals, leaders create an environment where task conflicts are more likely to be constructive. When team members are all pulling in the same direction, disagreements about how to get there can be resolved more productively, driving the team to reflect and adapt in creative ways.

    Coach for emotional intelligence: Because relationship conflicts involving critical members can harm cohesion, it’s essential to equip these key players with the emotional skills needed to manage personal tensions. Often, star individual contributors find themselves in the center of a team’s network because of their task-related skills, not because of their interpersonal ones. This is a dangerous recipe! Selecting for or coaching on emotional intelligence can help set critical members up to handle conflicts in ways that don’t damage team unity, preserving the group’s creative potential.

    Reconsider conflict: Recognize that not all conflicts are equally disruptive – or equally beneficial. A well-designed team structure will consider both the roles of critical members and how conflicts involving them can shape team dynamics. Leaders can look at conflict not just as a problem, but as a potential driver of creativity, depending on who is involved and how it’s handled.

    Overall, traditional research on team conflict treated task and relationship conflicts as if they affect everyone equally. This might explain why we still know relatively little about links between conflict and creativity. Thanks to advances in how we explore team data using more complex network analyses, we can see that conflict involving critical members disproportionately affects team dynamics and creativity – and start identifying ways to manage conflict in more productive ways.

    Brad Harris ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.

    ref. Team conflict at work can boost creativity, but it depends on the ‘fighters’ as much as the fights – https://theconversation.com/team-conflict-at-work-can-boost-creativity-but-it-depends-on-the-fighters-as-much-as-the-fights-247934

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study from Microsoft Azure Quantum on measuring topological qubits

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Nature looks at Microsoft Azure Quantum on measuring topological qubits. 

    Professor George Booth, Professor of Theoretical Physics at King’s College London, said:

    What is the significance of this work?

    “Companies have typically measured their progress in terms of qubits, or quantum units of information that they compute and by this measurement Microsoft have lagged behind others. However, they have instead focused on the long-game by working on a system which is inherently more resilient to noise and interference – using so called ‘topological’ qubits. This noise resilience could pay off in the long term, as processing quantum information (rather than the classical bits that traditional computers work with) is inherently fragile.

    These topological qubits protect the information they carry by using the properties of a new type of “emergent particle, a Majorana fermion, which means that it is harder for this information to be lost as it is processed. However, this added layer of complexity when constructing these qubits when compared to competing architectures.

    “This work demonstrates progress on measuring these topological qubits, which is an essential operation to realise the potential of these devices. They stop short of unambiguously demonstrating that they can measure a full topological qubit but get closer to a viable topological qubit.

    What does it mean for progress in quantum computing?

    “There is no doubt that having competition between scientific platforms for quantum computing compounds the probability that (at least) one will emerge as a viable platform. This is a step in the direction of a very different platform that could compete with the more mature technologies pioneered by the likes of Google. There is still a significant way to go from here in demonstrating that the technology can be scaled up, but Microsoft is bullish about their roadmap for the future. 

    “Ultimately, the importance of this work will probably only be able to be judged in hindsight, if and when the technology reaches maturity compared to other platforms. However, it is certainly an impressive technical achievement, demonstrating control over these emergent particles at the most fundamental levels.

    Is this good quality research?  Are the conclusions backed up by solid data? How does this work fit with the existing evidence?

    “It is a highly technical paper, and works hard to present the scientific facts without hyperbole. They are cautious, likely since Microsoft have been burnt before by their claims of developing topological qubits in a paper which had to be later retracted after scientific flaws were pointed out. In this work, they are much more tempered about their conclusions that they are actually measuring a topological qubit, but present the evidence that it is at least highly likely.”

    Have the authors accounted for confounders?  Are there important limitations to be aware of?

    “The work is clearly seen by all as a step on a long road and not an ending point. Within the paper, it even takes care not to overstate the implications of the work, or even the certainty by which they have measured a topological state. 

    “I think that for many in the field there is still some healthy scepticism of the timescales for the roadmaps of some of these tech companies towards a quantum computer that is routinely solving practical problems, but this paper demonstrates that fundamental hurdles are being overcome. Whether a claim of ‘years’ is accurate will remain to be seen.

    What are the implications in the real world?  Is there any overspeculation? 

    “The end goal of this line of research is a ‘universal’ quantum computer. This would be able to simulate certain problems much faster than classical supercomputers would ever be able to. 

    “Of these problems where a speedup can be demonstrated, certain ones are causing the most interest and are likely driving the investment. Namely, these are breaking encryption protocols, chemical simulations to design new drugs and materials, and solving certain ‘difficult’ optimisation problems, like a logistical supply chain issue. 

    “These are not problems that most people have to tackle on a day-to-day basis, so they will likely always be specialist machines for these jobs and not something that most people would have or need access to. However, there is significant commercial interest in these activities, and therefore a significant payoff to the company who can develop the viable technology first.”

    Prof Paul Stevenson, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Surrey, said:

    “Microsoft have pioneered the idea of so-called “topological qubits” as the basic building blocks of future quantum computers, but so far have failed to demonstrate working devices while competitors have been building basic quantum computers for a few years now using other qubit technology.  What Microsoft are counting on is that their devices, once realised, will be naturally much more robust by design than the somewhat temperamental competing technologies.  Their latest result shows that they have managed to build roughly one half of one qubit.  Now the challenge is to build that up first into a single qubit, then an array of qubits, at which point they will be very serious competitors in the field.  The new papers are a significant step, but as with much promising work in quantum computing, the next steps are difficult and until the next steps have been achieved, it is too soon to be anything more than cautiously optimistic.”

    Interferometric Single-Shot Parity Measurement in InAs-Al Hybrid Devices’ by Morteza Aghaee et al. was published in Nature at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 19 February 2025. 

    Declared interests

    Professor George Booth:

    • Research funding from US DoD (neither for defense or quantum computing activities)
    • Funding from the UKRI (on a grant related to quantum computing software)
    • He is on the scientific board of a drug design company leveraging the use of emerging quantum computers

    Prof Paul Stevenson: I am funded for my research by direct UK government research council grants, and grants from AWE, part of MOD.  I am a member of UK Government research council funding and advisory panels and a UK delegate to the NuPECC European Nuclear Physics committee

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at aspartame artificial sweetener and insulin levels and blood vessel inflammation in mice

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Cell Metabolism looks at the artificial sweetener aspartame, insulin levels and blood inflammation in mice. 

    Prof Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine/Honorary Consultant, University of Glasgow, said:

    “This seems like worrying findings but of course, before it can taken seriously, the findings have to be replicated in man.  There is no good evidence from trials that exogenous insulin increases cardiovascular risks in people with prior cardiovascular disease AND in people with type 1, by improving glucose levels, exogenous insulin lowers many risks.  Whether excess pancreatic insulin occurs with aspartame in amounts regularly consumed occurs and then accelerates vascular risks in man is also not proven.  For now, I remain happy to take sweeteners and related diet beverages instead of sugar filled drinks as the former limits excess calorie intake.”

    Prof James Leiper, Director of Research, British Heart Foundation, said:

    “This study has revealed much more about the known potential risks of artificial sweeteners.  In these mice, a diet that included an artificially high level of aspartame did exacerbate the size and number of fatty plaques in their arteries.  The effect of these plaques was not measured here, but they are known to greatly increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

    “While it is important to note that these findings have not yet been seen in humans, the results highlight the importance of further research to determine whether these additions to our food, and their effect on insulin levels, are contributing to an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

    “These sweeteners are now found in many foods and drinks, and people are probably consuming more than they realise.  But this research is not a green light to have more sugar instead.  We all need to reduce our intake of the processed foods and beverages that contain high levels of fat, sugars, sweeteners and salt.  This is the best way of ensuring a healthy diet and a lowered risk of heart and circulatory disease.”

    Prof Oliver Jones, Professor of Chemistry, RMIT University in Melbourne, said:

    “I have several concerns about this study.

    “The authors claim that the consumption of Aspartame by adults and children “often exceeds those levels recommended by the FDA” – this is extremely unlikely in my view.  The FDA-acceptable daily intake of Aspartame is 50 mg per kg of body weight per day.  I weigh 80 kg, so this means this means the FDA-based safe dose for me is 4000 mg (or 4 grams) of Aspartame per day, every day, for life.  Given a diet drink contains about 200 mg of Aspartame, I would have to drink the equivalent of 20 cans of diet soda a day to get this dose.  A child of 40 kg would have to drink 10 cans a day, every day.  Even then, the 50 mg/kg dose has a safety factor of 100 built-in.

    “The study design also has some issues.  The main one is that the authors used a particular type of lab mouse called an ApoE mouse, which is bred to be prone to heart disease.  They also fed it a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, which itself increases the risk of heart disease.  They also don’t seem to have measured how much of the Aspartame water the mice drank, or the Aspartame level in the blood, so it is unknown what the mice actually received.

    “To my mind, the authors’ admission that feeding mice that are already genetically susceptible to heart disease with a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet that is known to cause heart disease “diminishes clinical relevance” is somewhat of an understatement.

    “Contrary to the paper’s claims, it is quite well-established that Aspartame doesn’t stimulate glucose or insulin levels in humans [1, 2].

    “Aspartame is essentially just two common amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine) joined together.  In the gut, it is broken down to aspartic acid and phenylalanine.  There is no reason to think amino acids from Aspartame would be worse than those from any other source.

    “The authors would appear to think little work has been done on safety testing in Aspartame; this is just not true.  All food ingredients are rigorously tested and safety assessed before they are approved for use.  Aspartame is one of the most researched ingredients in the world.  It is just that a lot of the data is in safety assessments for regulatory approval, not the academic literature.

    “Finally, even if Aspartame did cause some increase in cardiovascular risk (which this study does not prove), then that risk would likely be very small compared to things like high fat/high sugar diets and lack of exercise, etc.

    “In short, I don’t think this study itself gives us more reason to worry about diet drinks or aspartame.”

    References

    1 Santos, N. C., de Araujo, L. M., De Luca Canto, G., Guerra, E. N. S., Coelho, M. S., Borin, M. de F. (2017). Metabolic effects of aspartame in adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 58(12), 2068-2081. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1304358

    2 Stern S.B., Bleicher S.J., Flores A., Gombos G., Recitas D., Shu J. Administration of aspartame in non-insulin-dependent diabetics. (1976) Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health,. 2(2):429-39. https:// 10.1080/15287397609529444

    ‘Sweetener aspartame aggravates atherosclerosis through insulin-triggered inflammation’ by Weijie Wu et al. was published in Cell Metabolism at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 19 February 2025. 

    DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2025.01.006

    Declared interests

    Prof Naveed Sattar: “Takes occasional diet drinks.

    Has consulted for several companies that make diabetes medicines but also contributed to several lifestyle trials.

    “For Novo Nordisk: have consulted for company in advisory boards but not on any of their weight loss drug trial committees; am on steering committee for ZEUS trial but this is not a weight loss trial product but anti-inflammatory.  Do not have any shares either for any product in health etc.

    “N.S. declares consulting fees and/or speaker honoraria from Abbott Laboratories, Afimmune, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, and Sanofi; and grant support paid to his university from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and Roche Diagnostics.”

    Prof James Leiper: “No conflicts of interest to declare.”

    Prof Oliver Jones: “I have no conflicts of interest to declare.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Local Plan takes another step closer to unlocking York’s development and growth ambitions

    Source: City of York

    City of York Council is set to consider the adoption of its Local Plan following the findings of the Inspector’s Report on the Examination of City of York’s Local Plan.

    The Local Plan will be presented for consideration at Full Council on Thursday 27 February.

    City of York Council is set to consider the adoption of its Local Plan following the findings of the Inspector’s Report on the Examination of City of York’s Local Plan, which will be presented for consideration at Full Council on Thursday 27 February.  

    Once adopted, this Plan will be the city’s first comprehensive development framework since 1956 and will guide York’s growth for the next decade, marking a pivotal milestone in the city’s future development and growth ambitions, whilst establishing the city’s green belt and historic setting for the first time. 

    The Local Plan outlines the vision for sustainable housing, economic development, and infrastructure in York. It addresses key priorities such as affordable housing, environmental sustainability, and the protection of York’s historic character. The Plan provides a policy framework for decisions on development, shaping the city’s future spatial development until 2038. 

    As part of the adoption process, the Council will review the Inspector’s recommendations and the main modifications to housing allocations, green belt boundaries, and transport infrastructure planning. The final decision on whether to formally adopt the Local Plan will be made at the Full Council meeting on Thursday 27 February. 

    Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of the Council, said: 

    “The Local Plan is an historic step in shaping York’s bright future, and we’re excited about what it means for our city. We welcome the Inspector’s findings and are confident that their modifications will strengthen the Plan, ensuring it supports York’s vision for a sustainable, inclusive city for all. The Plan provides us with a clear roadmap for how our city will develop and grow over the next decade – meeting the needs of our residents and businesses.  

    “A huge thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to bring this Plan to life. We truly appreciate your dedication and commitment to York’s future.” 

    Cllr Katie Lomas, Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality, and Inclusion, added: 

    “This Local Plan is designed to support the growth of York while promoting equality, accessibility, and sustainability. We are particularly focused on ensuring that affordable housing remains a central component of this Plan, along with infrastructure that meets the needs of all residents, including those from the most disadvantaged groups. This is a long-term investment in creating a fairer, greener York for future generations.” 

    Cllr. Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities, commented: 

    “The Local Plan represents the outcome of 7 years extensive consultation, public hearings, and thorough examination. The Plan outlines significant investments in housing, transport, and employment opportunities, which will help drive York’s economy and provide much-needed infrastructure. For York to prosper we need to be ambitious, and this Plan unlocks the potential to make those ambitions a reality.” 
     
    Inspector’s Report and Next Steps 

    The Inspector’s Report, published following extensive independent examination, recognised that the Local Plan meets all statutory duties to cooperate and aligns with national planning policies. However, the Report also identified certain areas requiring modifications to ensure the Plan’s soundness, particularly regarding the housing supply, green belt boundaries, and infrastructure delivery.  

    The Council has already responded to the Inspector’s recommendations, requesting main modifications that will address these deficiencies. Full Council will be asked to adopt the plan with the Inspectors’ modifications. 

    The Local Plan in Brief 

    The Local Plan will provide a comprehensive strategy for:
     
    •    Delivering 20,000 new homes over the duration of the plan, including a significant proportion of affordable housing.

     
    •    Allocating sites for economic growth, including areas for employment and retail expansion. 

    •    Investing in sustainable transport infrastructure, including improved bus routes, cycling paths, and EV charging stations. 

    •    Mitigating and adapting to climate change with enhanced green infrastructure, flood defences, and energy-efficient building standards. 

    •    Safeguarding York’s historic and cultural heritage while ensuring new development respects the city’s unique character. 

    •    Setting the city’s green belt and protecting the historic setting for the first time. 

    The adoption of the Local Plan represents a turning point in York’s growth, ensuring that development is sustainable, well-planned, and consistent with local priorities. 

    For more details on the Inspector’s Report and the upcoming Full Council meeting, visit the City of York Council website at www.york.gov.uk/LocalPlanInspectorsReport

    Full Council takes place on Thursday 27 February, the agenda is available to view online at https://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=331&MId=15004 and the meeting will be available to view live or on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.   
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: Dassault Systèmes: disclosure of trading in own shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, FranceFebruary 19, 2025

    DISCLOSURE OF TRADING IN OWN SHARES
    (Repurchase program decided by the General Meeting of
    Shareholders of May 22, 2024)

    Issuer: Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA)
    Type of securities: Ordinary shares
    Period: From February 11 to February 14, 2025

    Detailed information (presentation by day and by market and transaction-by-transaction details) can be consulted on the website of Dassault Systèmes: https://investor.3ds.com/regulated-information/permanent-information

    Presentation of the trading in own shares by day and by market

    Name of issuer Identification code of the issuer Date of trading Identification code of the financial instrument Daily total volume
    (in number of shares)
    Daily weighted average acquisition price of the shares* Market
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 17 669 39,9992 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 10 507 39,9990 DXE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 2 952 39,9900 TQE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 4 000 39,9900 AQE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 9695002I9DJHZ3449O66 11-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 46 773 40,0000 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 287 836 39,9865 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 61 161 39,9939 DXE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 11 649 39,9922 TQE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 10 039 39,9933 AQE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 34 419 39,9966 DXE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 9695002I9DJHZ3449O66 12-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 208 462 40,0000 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 13-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 55 259 40,0000 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 13-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 20 327 40,0000 DXE
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 9695002I9DJHZ3449O66 13-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 56 509 40,0000 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 14-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 8 496 39,9932 XPAR
    DASSAULT SYSTEMES 96950065LBWY0APQIM86 14-Feb-25 FR0014003TT8 5 105 39,9890 DXE

    (*)The weighted average unit price is a rounded price

    ###

    ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    Dassault Systèmes is a catalyst for human progress. Since 1981, the company has pioneered virtual worlds to improve real life for consumers, patients and citizens. With Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 350 000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, can collaborate, imagine and create sustainable innovations that drive meaningful impact. For more information, visit www.3ds.com

    Dassault Systèmes Investor Relations Team                FTI Consulting
    Béatrix Martinez :                                        Arnaud de Cheffontaines: +33 1 47 03 69 48
    +33 1 61 62 40 73                                        Jamie Ricketts : +44 20 3727 1600
    investors@3ds.com                                        

    Dassault Systèmes Press Contacts
    Corporate / France        
    Arnaud Malherbe: +33 1 61 62 87 73
    arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com        

    © Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the 3DS logo, the Compass icon, IFWE, 3DEXCITE, 3DVIA, BIOVIA, CATIA, CENTRIC PLM, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, MEDIDATA, NETVIBES, OUTSCALE, SIMULIA and SOLIDWORKS are commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes, a European company (Societas Europaea) incorporated under French law, and registered with the Versailles trade and companies registry under number 322 306 440, or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Use of any Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries trademarks is subject to their express written approval.

     ; 

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Integrates Monad Testnet to Expand DeFi Capabilities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, a leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, has officially integrated support for Monad Testnet, a high-performance EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain. Users can now easily add the Monad Testnet through the wallet interface and interact with ecosystem projects listed on the dedicated Monad DApp section.

    Monad is a next-generation blockchain built to overcome performance and scalability limitations in decentralized networks. With high transaction throughput and low latency, it offers robust infrastructure for DeFi applications. Its compatibility with Ethereum ensures smooth transitions for developers and users without workflow adjustments. Monad also reduces transaction costs and delays, delivering a more efficient, cost-effective experience in decentralized exchanges, lending, and yield farming.

    Bitget Wallet’s integration of Monad supports its goal of expanding access to innovative DeFi applications. With Monad’s optimized performance, users of Bitget Wallet can experience faster transactions and reduced fees, making activities like token swaps and staking more efficient. This integration empowers users to take advantage of emerging DeFi opportunities while enjoying a seamless user experience.

    By integrating Monad, we’re reinforcing our mission to simplify access to Web3 innovation while lowering the barrier to blockchain adoption,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “Our users will benefit from faster and more affordable transactions, and we’re excited to leverage this integration in upcoming interactive incentive campaigns to deliver even more value.”

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is the home of Web3, uniting endless possibilities in one non-custodial wallet. With over 60 million users, it offers comprehensive onchain services, including asset management, instant swaps, rewards, staking, trading tools, live market data, a DApp browser, an NFT marketplace and crypto payment. Supporting over 100 blockchains, 20,000+ DApps, and 500,000+ tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges, along with a $300+ million protection fund to ensure safety of users’ assets. Experience Bitget Wallet Lite to start a Web3 journey.
    For more information, visit: XTelegramInstagramYouTubeLinkedInTikTokDiscordFacebook
    For media inquiries, please contact media.web3@bitget.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e98f7bc4-08ab-4317-9997-94269e2756e7

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: ESET’s Ryan Grant Named a CRN® Channel Chief for Third Year in a Row

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Ryan Grant, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, to its 2025 CRN® Channel Chiefs list. This list recognizes the executives who are driving strategy, setting the channel agenda for their companies and working tirelessly to ensure mutual success with their partners and customers. 2025 marks the third year in a row that Grant has been named a Channel Chief.

    Since joining ESET North America in 2021, Grant has been instrumental to the transformation and success of the company’s channel business. Grant oversees ESET’s U.S. & Canada sales and marketing teams, including enterprise, distribution, managed service provider (MSP), national service provider (NSP), value added reseller (VAR), and retailer segments. He is also committed to providing more dynamic opportunities for ESET’s channel partners through innovative campaigns and go-to-market programs by working closely with the company’s events, marketing and public relations teams.

    “I’m honored to be recognized by CRN alongside so many outstanding leaders from the channel community,” said Grant. “At ESET, we remain committed to empowering our partners with cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions, technical expertise, and tailored support to help them navigate an increasingly complex threat and regulatory landscape. As a channel-first company, we view partner success as our success, so it’s critical that we empower partners with threat intelligence, resources and support that ensures they can quickly capitalize on new market opportunities and deliver exceptional protection to customers.”

    The 2025 CRN Channel Chiefs were selected by CRN’s editorial staff based on their proven record of strategic innovation and dedication to the channel community. Under Grant’s direction, ESET has continued to refine its partner program and develop innovative technologies, processes and merchandising strategies. In 2024, the company focused on streamlining order processing, expanding its presence in the cyber risk insurance market and developing a unified API gateway, ESET Connect to empower partners with a catalogue of best-in-class integration partners. ESET also launched AI Advisor, which provides businesses with SOC-level advisory and enabling enhanced security analyst workflows. Unlike other vendor offerings and typical generative AI assistants that focus on soft features like administration or device management, ESET AI Advisor seamlessly integrates into the day-to-day operations of security analysts. This is a gamechanger for companies with limited IT resources who want to utilize the advantages of advanced XDR solutions and threat intelligence feeds.

    Grant added, “As cyber threats grow more advanced and adversaries exploit generative AI, it’s crucial for our channel partners to adopt a robust security portfolio that reduces risk for their business customers. ESET stands out with a prevention-first strategy, leveraging AI and human expertise—backed by a world-class R&D team and industry-renowned researchers.”

    “This year’s honorees exemplify dedication, innovation, and leadership that supports solution provider success and fosters growth across the channel,” said Jennifer Follett, VP, U.S. Content, and Executive Editor, CRN, at The Channel Company. “Each of these exceptional leaders has made a lasting channel impact by championing partnerships and designing creative strategies that get results. They’ve set a high bar in the channel, and we’re thrilled to recognize their standout achievements.”

    CRN’s 2025 Channel Chiefs list is featured in the February 2025 print issue of CRN® Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/ChannelChiefs.

    To learn more about ESET’s partner program, visit https://www.eset.com/us/partnernow/.

    About ESET
    ESET provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of known and emerging cyber threats — securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud or mobile protection, its AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multi-factor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. An ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow us on LinkedInFacebook, and Twitter.

    About The Channel Company
    The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the world’s top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers, and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit thechannelco.com.

    Follow The Channel Company: LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.

    © 2025 The Channel Company, Inc. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/af926679-9184-453e-ac91-ba69f9e2ef76

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: DDB Miner Announces New High-Yield Investment Plans for 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DDB Miner, a leading cryptocurrency mining platform, has launched new investment plans designed to maximize earnings while ensuring sustainability and efficiency. With its advanced technology and renewable energy-powered mining operations, DDB Miner offers a seamless and profitable way for investors to generate passive income. The latest investment options allow users to earn up to $9,999 per day with minimal effort.

    New Investment Plans for 2025

    DDB Miner introduces flexible investment options tailored to different levels of investors, ranging from beginners to experienced traders. These plans offer daily returns and include a principal return upon contract expiration. The updated plans include:

    • Starter Plan
      • Investment: $12
      • Daily Return: $0.50
      • Includes a $12 welcome bonus
    • Boosted Hash Power
      • Investment: $100
      • Daily Return: $6
      • Designed for steady profits
    • Top Hash Power
      • Investment: $500
      • Daily Return: $31.50
      • Ideal for long-term growth
    • Premium Contracts
      • Investments range from $8,000 to $50,000
      • Increasing returns based on contract size

    These investment opportunities ensure daily payouts, reliable earnings, and a secure method to grow wealth passively.

    Why Choose DDB Miner?

    Since its founding in 2017, DDB Miner has grown to accommodate over 9 million members worldwide. The platform is recognized for its advanced infrastructure, transparency, and strong commitment to sustainable mining. Here’s what makes DDB Miner stand out:

    • Solar-Powered Mining – Utilizing renewable energy, reducing costs, and minimizing environmental impact
    • Secure and Transparent Operations – Protecting user assets with advanced SSL encryption
    • User-Friendly Interface – A simple and intuitive platform, suitable for both beginners and experienced investors
    • Fast & Reliable Payouts – Investors receive guaranteed daily earnings
    • 24/7 Customer Support – A dedicated team is available to assist users at any time

    How to Get Started?

    Getting started with DDB Miner is quick and easy. Investors can begin earning by following these simple steps:

    1. Sign Up & Get a $12 Bonus – Register on DDB Miner’s official website and receive an instant welcome bonus.
    2. Select an Investment Plan – Choose a contract that aligns with your financial goals and budget.
    3. Start Earning Daily – Once your contract is active, the mining process begins automatically, generating passive income with no manual effort required.

    A Secure and Profitable Future

    As cryptocurrency continues to evolve, DDB Miner remains at the forefront of providing secure, transparent, and high-yield investment opportunities. Whether you’re a newcomer exploring passive income options or an experienced investor looking for steady returns, these new plans offer an excellent way to capitalize on cryptocurrency mining.

    DDB Miner’s commitment to sustainability, security, and profitability makes it a top choice for those looking to enhance their financial future. With a trusted platform, innovative mining technology, and a focus on user satisfaction, DDB Miner is paving the way for a new era of crypto investments.

    Sign up now, claim your $12 bonus, and start your journey to financial freedom. Visit the official website for more details: https://ddbminer.com/

    Media Contact:
    Katerina Audrey
    DDB Miner Media Relations
    Email: info@ddbminer.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by DDB Miner. 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/1c2f09cc-02cf-45fd-887e-db8a15e701bc

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d5f2fe4-b799-4736-904c-23ff4a781b15

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5d5d0768-9947-4a65-9331-bfc2475e3d73

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8266c1a6-b8dd-4457-9091-41f63d0dec0a

    The MIL Network