Category: Business

MIL-OSI Global: Living with multiple chronic conditions cuts lives short – but Africans are overlooked in research

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Isaac Kisiangani, Researcher and PhD student, African Population and Health Research Center

When a person suffers from two or more long-term health conditions at the same time this is known as multimorbidity.

The World Health Organization says multimorbidity puts patients at greater risk and complicates primary care. It also drives up healthcare costs.

People with more than one condition face a higher risk of early death and poorer quality of life. They may also have to take multiple medications. Polypharmacy increases the risk of harmful drug interactions and side effects, and patients find it harder to stick to treatment.

In African countries the situation is further complicated by several disease burdens converging. Individuals may suffer non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes, as well as from infectious diseases like HIV and tuberculosis.

Poverty and unequal access to healthcare add to the impact of multimorbidity.

Most research on multimorbidity has focused on populations of European ancestry. When people of African descent are included, the focus is often on African-Americans. This group does not represent the diversity or health challenges faced in Africa.

As specialists in genetic epidemiology and chronic diseases management, we set out to research the gaps in understanding multimorbidity among people with African ancestry.

Identifying gaps

We examined 232 medical research publications (published from 2010 to June 2022), and included those published in English and French. That’s not a lot if one considers all the different health challenges that people of African descent suffer globally.

Of these studies, 113 focused on continental African populations and 100 on the diaspora. Nineteen included both groups.

Our review spanned five major academic databases. We used search terms such as “multimorbidity”, “comorbidity” and “African population”. Restricting searches to titles and abstracts and relying on texts that our institutions could access may have excluded some studies.

Heart diseases dominate

Cardiometabolic diseases, including hypertension, heart disease and diabetes, were the most studied conditions in both populations (those in Africa and those elsewhere).

But notable differences emerged.

In populations on the continent, cardiometabolic diseases tended to occur along with chronic infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis.

In diaspora populations, cardiometabolic diseases more commonly occurred along with other non-communicable diseases and psychiatric conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Age, sex, poverty

As with all populations worldwide, older people in the studies we reviewed were the group most likely to have more than one health condition.

But on the continent, the burden of infectious diseases meant younger adults were also at risk of having more than one illness.

Women were more likely than men to have multiple conditions, particularly in relation to conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. This likely reflects both biological factors, such as hormonal differences, and social influences like income inequalities and differences in working environments.

Individuals with lower socioeconomic status (which often means women) would be more likely to be exposed to unhealthy lifestyles, and to have less access to preventive care.

What can be done?

Our review found that the way health conditions combine differs between people of African descent outside Africa and those on the continent. This means medical research should include a greater diversity of participants.

Expanded data collection should include genetic and metabolomic data.

It is also essential to study a wider range of chronic conditions.

The increasing co-existence of conditions means that treatment for cardiovascular, metabolic and infectious diseases should be integrated.

Some African countries, including South Africa and Kenya, have already introduced integrated care, with encouraging results. A patient with two or more diseases is offered treatment for the conditions at the same facility during the same visit.

Michele Ramsay receives funding from the National Research Foundation (RSA), National Institutes of Health (USA) and Wellcome (UK). She serves on the WHO TAG-G committee.

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

– ref. Living with multiple chronic conditions cuts lives short – but Africans are overlooked in research – https://theconversation.com/living-with-multiple-chronic-conditions-cuts-lives-short-but-africans-are-overlooked-in-research-241627

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s history uncovered: the 1,000-year gap they don’t teach in school

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Peter Delius, Professor emeritus, University of the Witwatersrand

Were you told that gold mining in southern Africa started after 1852? Or that the export of iron, steel, copper and gold began in the late 19th century? Or that South Africa became integrated into a global trading system only after 1652? Or that the first powerful state in South Africa was the Zulu kingdom?

If you learned that any of these things were true, you are like most South Africans, who have missed out on at least a thousand years of the country’s history.

Both radical and conservative historians have focused heavily on colonial history, a story starting at the Cape and playing out within colonial boundaries. As a result, South Africa’s past has been compressed into a shortened timeline and a limited geography. That shorter version is what’s taught at schools and universities.

If we abandon 1652 – when the first Dutch settlers arrived in the Cape – as the key historical starting point, and go back a thousand years and cast our gaze 2,000km north of Table Mountain, a very different story unfolds.

Our research is attempting to rethink South African history. As many years of work in the interior show, along with our new focus on a central southern African trading landscape, Thulamela, the formative steps in South Africa’s history began here, along the Limpopo River.

Early cooperative relationships

Two thousand years ago, San hunter gatherers were the primary occupants of the region around the Limpopo River valley, an area around the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers that includes Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Contrary to popular opinion, these groups weren’t living in isolated bands. They were connected through regional networks of exchange spanning hundreds, even thousands, of kilometres.

At this time, South Africa was on the brink of fundamental change. From about 350 AD, Bantu-speaking, iron-using, livestock-owning farmers began to settle the Soutpansberg, south of the Limpopo River. They initially established mainly cooperative relationships with the San, especially in hunting and trading.

Read more:
Archaeology shows how hunter-gatherers fitted into southern Africa’s first city, 800 years ago

These farmers introduced a key innovation into the region – the production of metal tools, weapons, currency and jewellery. These goods were for their own use and for expanding trade networks.

At the start, iron was the most important metal but over time, copper and gold became more and more significant. The farmers were skilled in locating and extracting these ores, which, in the case of gold and copper, often involved shaft mining. Metal production also demanded pyrotechnical knowledge to smelt ores and to fashion metals into functional and decorative forms.

Local trade, global connections

Another crucial development took place in the 7th century AD. The Indian Ocean world connected to the expanding regional trade networks which had linked the coast and the interior. The transoceanic sailors and traders were initially motivated by the growing demand for ivory in Asia and the Middle East.

Read more:
South Africa risks losing rich insights into an ancient farming society

This external demand brought exotic glass beads and cloth deep into the interior, through African traders and rulers. A node in the system was Chibuene, a large coastal trading settlement on the Mozambican coast near modern Vilanculos. From here, beads and cloth travelled south, to the vicinity of Durban in modern-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and across the interior, past the Okavango delta to places such as the Tsodilo hills west of the delta’s panhandle in Botswana.

Between the 10th and 15th centuries, the market for gold boomed – especially in Egypt, Persia, India and China. Southern Africa played an important role in meeting this demand because of the rich gold reserves of the Zimbabwe plateau and the adjacent region of the Limpopo valley.

So, it is clear that an economic and mineral revolution took place long before Europeans settled South Africa’s Cape. Colonial processes of globalisation and the mineral revolution in the 19th century trailed far in the wake of African involvement in the vast Indian Ocean economy through their hunting, mining, smelting and artisanal skills.

Rise of states

Indian Ocean trade contributed to major transformations in the interior. The wealth it generated led to social stratification and the emergence of a distinct ruling class. Leaders’ economic, political and spiritual power intensified. These processes found expression in the establishment in 1220 of Mapungubwe, in the middle Limpopo Valley, and the first state in southern Africa.

Read more:
New book on Mapungubwe Archive contests history of South African world heritage site

Over the centuries that followed, linked but shifting patterns of demand gave rise to major states like Great Zimbabwe, Thulamela, and later the Venda Kingdom, the Pedi Kingdom and the Zulu Kingdom.

The little-known trading state, Thulamela, was located in the north of what’s now the Kruger Park. From 1250 to 1650 it was a key node of production and exchange. But for many decades the site was ignored. When intensive research finally started in the 1990s it made very limited progress in revealing the form and nature of the state. But renewed and interdisciplinary research at the site and surrounding areas has already produced new insights into the history of Thulamela and promises to generate many more in the near future.

New windows to a past

Given this deep history of powerful kingdoms connected by an underlying but dynamic economic system, we have to let go of the idea that the Zulu Kingdom, which formed in the early 19th century, was the first powerful state in what was to become South Africa. In fact, it was a relatively recent example of much deeper and wider transformations.

It was only in the 19th century that expanding colonial capitalism and settlement fuelled by the “second” mineral revolution penetrated the interior and encountered its kingdoms and trading opportunities.

The interaction between the two worlds culminated in a hard-fought struggle over trade, land and labour. While the African kingdoms were ultimately defeated and traders and craftsmen were displaced, their impact on the shape and nature of South African society is still felt today.

A challenge to historians now is to deepen our understanding of this missing millennium, and of pre-colonial transformations.

Researchers need to pay greater attention to a wider range of documentary sources (beyond those in English) and to oral traditions. Collaboration with scholars working on archaeology, historical linguistics and genetics will also tell us more about the forces that have shaped our present.

Linell Chewins received funding from the National Research Foundation for her Masters.

Tim Forssman receives funding from the National Research Foundation.

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

– ref. South Africa’s history uncovered: the 1,000-year gap they don’t teach in school – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-history-uncovered-the-1-000-year-gap-they-dont-teach-in-school-248244

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Online romance scams: who Nigeria and Ghana’s fraudsters are, how they operate, and why they do it

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Suleman Lazarus, Visiting Fellow, Mannheim Centre for Criminology, London School of Economics and Political Science

People find love in many ways and through diverse mediums. Online platforms have become popular meeting places for people looking to find intimate partners, making them a prime target for cybercriminals.

Online romance fraud has become a global phenomenon. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US, romance scams accounted for losses to about 24,000 Americans, exceeding US$1 billion, in 2022.

On the African continent, Nigeria and Ghana have emerged as hubs for internet fraud. The “Yahoo Boys” operating in Nigeria and “Sakawa Boys” in Ghana have a reputation for engaging in various fraudulent schemes, including online romance scams.

Over the past decade, I have researched cybercrime and criminology, focusing on west African online fraudsters. Coverage of romance scams often centres on victim narratives or sensational headlines, leaving offender-focused research largely unexplored.

In a recent paper, I studied the cases of 50 people convicted of online romance in Nigeria. A separate research study I spearheaded involved interviews with active offenders in Ghana. Rather than relying solely on fragmented media accounts, the two research papers offer a robust, evidence-based understanding of the cultural, economic and historical factors driving cybercriminal behaviour.

My findings from both papers show that romance fraud offenders frequently present themselves as white and primarily target western societies. In framing fraud as a way to reclaim wealth they believed was unjustly taken during colonial rule, many saw their actions as a civic duty. In the case file study on Nigerian fraudsters, I found that many were driven by “socioeconomic needs”.

My findings provide insights into offenders’ tactics and motivations. This could be useful for law enforcement officials developing targeted interventions, and for policymakers wanting to frame informed strategies.

Who, where, how and why

This article uses “scam” and “fraud”, as well as “scammers” and “fraudsters”, interchangeably. The media, financial institutions, and the public typically use “scams” and “scammers”. Academics often prefer “fraud” and “fraudsters” to emphasise the seriousness of these crimes, as noted in my research.

I examined case files of 50 individuals convicted of romance fraud in Nigeria following prosecutions by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. In a separate study I conducted interviews with active romance fraud offenders in Ghana.

My decision to focus on Nigeria and Ghana was based on findings in research done earlier. For example, I co-authored a paper that reviewed 21 years of empirical studies (2000–2021) in which we found that many west African scammers predominantly targeted individuals in the west. Another research study I spearheaded showed how songs by Nigerian artists glamorised the actions of scammers and highlighted their preference for western victims.

Read more:
What Nigerian hip-hop lyrics have to say about the country’s Yahoo Boys

Similarly, the Nigeria case file study found that over half of the romance scam victims (56%) were in the US. My interviews with offenders in Ghana further showed that romance scammers viewed their actions as “legitimate retribution for colonial injustice”. These scammers operate within a historical framework in which colonial subjugation narratives influence their motivations and societal attitudes toward cybercrime.

Profile of an online fraudster

The analysis of the case files of the 50 convicted romance scammers showed patterns in offender profiles and strategies. Most were young – 81.7% were under 26. Nearly 60% preferred Apple’s iPhone for their fraudulent schemes. When it came to occupation, 74% were university students.

Offenders carefully constructed their online personas. Nearly half (46%) posed as white American males, 12% as military personnel, and 10% as white European males.

The victims they chose were mostly women: 70% of offenders primarily targeted females, 14% targeted males, 10% targeted both genders and 6% did not specify the victim’s gender.

Facebook was the most commonly used platform, appearing in 46% of the Nigerian cases.

Some of the Ghanaian scammers said they saw their crimes as acts of service to a greater cause. This included loyalty to their communities or the pursuit of economic justice. They portrayed their scams as efforts to reclaim wealth from nations historically exploiting their regions.

Policymakers and law enforcement agencies can use these findings to develop more effective prevention strategies and intervention measures.

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

– ref. Online romance scams: who Nigeria and Ghana’s fraudsters are, how they operate, and why they do it – https://theconversation.com/online-romance-scams-who-nigeria-and-ghanas-fraudsters-are-how-they-operate-and-why-they-do-it-247916

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: As global leaders, Canada and Norway’s co-operation is timely in the face of surging energy demand

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ian H. Rowlands, Professor, School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo

In March 2023, Canada and Norway issued a joint statement on bilateral co-operation. Notably, the statement emphasized a commitment to “achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, to promoting research collaboration and to increasing trade and investment in clean technologies and renewables that help enable a green and just transition.”

Co-operation on energy transitions offers a timely way to strengthen this bond from 2025 onwards, more than ever in light of unfolding events on the global stage.

Canada and Norway have a long history of strong collaboration: they have had formal bilateral relations since 1942, were founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949 and the Arctic Council in 1996 and co-signatories to the Canada-European Free Trade Association’s Free Trade Agreement since 2008.

Canada’s and Norway’s geographical and socio-economic similarities are striking, and help explain this active kinship.

An opportune moment

Unfolding geopolitical developments — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s continued rise and U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term — make it desirable to deepen connections between Canada and Norway.

As researchers in environmental policy, we argue that this collaboration should focus on advancing the energy transition. Here, both countries are faced with tremendous opportunities, but also difficult decisions that require political gumption. There are national elections that will take place in each country this year, which makes this a particularly opportune political moment to address this concern.

Both these climate-ambitious petro-powers have great potential to co-create pathways for prosperity. Both could conceivably implement advanced energy transition strategies that focus on the use of fossil fuel reserves judiciously and purposefully to finance climate change goals.

The National Bank of Canada envisioned something like this in a 2023 report, continuing discussions that date back at least a decade. The report concluded that:

“Similar to Norway, Canada is well positioned to benefit from both an economic and environmental standpoint if its existing energy resources can be leveraged to finance the transition to green energy.”

Meanwhile, Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global crossed US$1.7 trillion in 2024, bearing testament to the financial strength the country has derived from the petroleum era.

Electrification

The connections between fossil fuel wealth and a climate-friendly transition show much potential. However, too often those advocating for continued exploitation of carbon-based resources fail to acknowledge the accelerated phaseout timetable needed for greenhouse gas emission reductions. The use of natural gas as a transition fuel, for instance, requires a long-term plan for carbon neutrality. Without that, deployment effectively locks in decades of additional emissions.

We are all for using national resources for wealth creation if they quicken fossil fuel phase-down. But investments that impede this — such as state support for offshore wind development to electrify offshore oil rigs in Norway — are not only counter-productive, but also hypocritical.

The real promise these countries hold for the energy transition is in the call to electrify (almost) everything. This approach simultaneously uses two pathways: “greening” the electricity grid with low-carbon energy sources, and moving fossil fuel energy demand onto these clean electricity grids.

Digitalization, which refers to the wider socioeconomic changes inextricably linked to the shift from analog to digital systems, should also be seen as a parallel priority to enable real-time co-ordination of electricity demand and supply across coupled sectors.

Global leadership

Both countries already have relatively green grids. In Canada, almost 80 per cent of electricity was generated by carbon-free sources in 2023; in Norway, the equivalent figure was greater than 98 per cent. These figures measure up favourably compared to many other countries: about 60 per cent of the world’s electricity is supplied by fossil fuels, mainly coal and natural gas.

For context, these green and greener grids have been achieved in an era of relatively flat electricity demand in many parts of both countries. But that is changing: sector demands like mobility, heating and data centres are already proving to be significant, new consumers of electricity. Huge quantities of additional electricity have to be rapidly generated while maintaining system stability.

Electricity demand is expected to double in both countries by 2050, reaching 1,300 TWh in Canada (more than doubling the 2023 amount of just under 600 TWh), and 260 TWh in Norway (137 TWh in 2023).

How these two frontrunner states replace existing carbon-fuelled infrastructure and meet the anticipated growth in electricity demand is of global interest.

Energy strategy

In policy terms in both Canada and Norway, this strategy to electrify (almost) everything is well underway. Canada’s climate change action plan includes commitment to a green grid by 2050, and implementing Clean Electricity Regulations.

Norway is closing in on its target of 100 per cent vehicle sales being electric. And this June, the country is hosting the United Nations-supported Internet Governance Forum, which is an area critical to the sustainable energy transition.

Solar panels in a park in Oslo, Norway.
(Shutterstock)

Actions need to follow ambitions, especially in industrial processes like steel-making where deployable solutions appear further down the horizon.

Stronger bilateral collaboration could also result in positive outcomes in geopolitical developments in the Arctic. Rapidly consolidating trade relations more broadly has rarely been so important from a political perspective. Building this collaboration along energy transition synergies presents advantages that remain gravely underexploited.

This is likely due to the political and economic status and sway that petroleum incumbents have held. But the twin transition of low-carbon electrification and digitalization offers Canada and Norway a chance to co-operate and lead their global regions into a new era of greener energy.

Building upon their shared geographies, structures, experiences and values, the time is ripe for collaboration on the sustainable energy transition. This could include government officials, individuals from utilities and regulators, industry representatives, members of civil society and Indigenous organizations, researchers and academics.

Together, Canada and Norway have the potential to work in tandem to move towards a more prosperous and sustainable global future.

Ian H. Rowlands is a member of the Board of Directors of Waterloo Region Community Energy.

Siddharth Sareen has received funding from the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, JPI Climate and JPI Urban Europe programmes of the European Commission.

– ref. As global leaders, Canada and Norway’s co-operation is timely in the face of surging energy demand – https://theconversation.com/as-global-leaders-canada-and-norways-co-operation-is-timely-in-the-face-of-surging-energy-demand-248283

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Nearly 50% of EU citizens struggle with mental health – Hear Their Stories

Source: European Commission (video statements)

Nearly half of EU citizens reported emotional or psychological difficulties in the last 12 months. In this video, we share the powerful stories of three individuals who have battled mental health challenges, faced stigma, and found ways to move forward. Hear their experiences, learn how they cope, and join the conversation about mental health awareness.

The European Commission is dedicated to combating stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health, promoting awareness, and ensuring equal access to support and care for all.

Follow us on:
-X: https://twitter.com/EU_Commission
-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/europeancommission/
-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanCommission
-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-commission/
-Medium: https://medium.com/@EuropeanCommission

Check our website: http://ec.europa.eu/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIbtmQZpXl0

MIL OSI Video –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City of London Policy Chairman visits to strengthen business links

Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

City of London Policy Chairman visits to strengthen business links

11 February 2025

The City of London Corporation’s Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, was in Derry this week to attend the launch of the MATRIX NI report and a number of engagements to build on the North West’s strong connections with the City of London.

Matrix, Northern Ireland’s Science and Industry Advisory Panel, supported by the Department for the Economy, launched a new report exploring opportunities for the application of regulatory technologies (RegTech).

The report finds that Northern Ireland, with its skilled workforce and strong academic institutions, is strongly positioned to help businesses navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment. This can be achieved by the development of innovative solutions to streamline compliance processes, enhancing transparency, while mitigating any risks in the financial services sector

Mr Hayward and his delegation were welcomed to the city by the Chief Executive of Derry City and Strabane District Council, John Kelpie, who took the opportunity to discuss shared interests in business, innovation and culture. The significant work being done by the Council and its delivery partners to bring forward an ambitious suite of innovative City Deal projects that will create jobs, attract investment and growth to the region was also discussed.

Mr Kelpie said it was a great honour to welcome Mr Hayward to the region to talk about the opportunities to promote the RegTech proposition, harnessing the city region’s unique cross-jurisdictional location and collaborative partnerships and to build on existing relationships between the two cities and regions.

He said: “We have extremely strong links with the City of London and it’s hugely encouraging to see Mr Hayward and his delegation taking time out of their schedule to visit our city and meet with industry leaders to hear about the excellent work that is being done here in terms of attracting global investment and helping home-grown success stories compete internationally. The City of London Corporation is a global financial and professional services capital that drives the UK’s economy and the sector is of huge importance to this region.”

During his visit, Mr Hayward met with RegTech Supercluster representatives to hear at first-hand about the collaborative work being done on the ground to develop the region’s RegTech offering.

It was also an opportunity to provide the delegation with an update on the ‘Innovation Challenge’ programme that was launched late last year with the City of London Corporation as a strategic partner, to encourage innovators to develop creative technology solutions to tackle cross border regulatory and compliance challenges.

A key element of the visit was to discuss with key stakeholders the key findings of the Matrix NI report and how to bring forward its recommendations.

The launch provided the opportunity for the RegTech Supercluster to discuss how it can support the Department to shape the RegTech proposition and working with key stakeholders generate economic growth and competitive advantage across the region.

The delegation met with senior officials at the Ulster University to discuss their expansion plans and to receive an update on the work being carried out by the Task Force and key research and development projects.

Mr Heyward also met with representatives from the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce before taking a tour of the local Seagate plant at Springtown and meeting with Chief Operating Officer with EY, Jonathan Williamson, to discuss their future plans for development at Ebrington Plaza and their wider growth across the region.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: In Khabarovsk, Yuri Trutnev held meetings on the implementation of master plans and met with investors

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of long-term plans for the integrated socio-economic development of the Khabarovsk urban agglomeration and the urban district “City of Komsomolsk-on-Amur” for the period up to 2030

February 11, 2025

Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of long-term plans for the integrated socio-economic development of the Khabarovsk urban agglomeration and the urban district “City of Komsomolsk-on-Amur” for the period up to 2030

February 11, 2025

Yuri Trutnev inspected the new modular multifunctional sports hall at School No. 9 in Khabarovsk and attended a training session for children’s sports groups in Kyokushin karate and other martial arts

February 11, 2025

Yuri Trutnev inspected the new modular multifunctional sports hall at School No. 9 in Khabarovsk and attended a training session for children’s sports groups in Kyokushin karate and other martial arts

February 11, 2025

Previous news Next news

Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of long-term plans for the integrated socio-economic development of the Khabarovsk urban agglomeration and the urban district “City of Komsomolsk-on-Amur” for the period up to 2030

During a working visit to Khabarovsk Krai, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev held meetings on the implementation of long-term plans for the comprehensive socio-economic development of the Khabarovsk urban agglomeration and the urban district “City of Komsomolsk-on-Amur” for the period up to 2030, on the implementation of major investment projects in the region, and also visited a number of social facilities.

“In accordance with the instructions of the President of Russia, master plan activities are being implemented in the Khabarovsk agglomeration and Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Khabarovsk Krai. The development plans for the two cities include 48 activities for 414 billion rubles. More than 124 billion rubles have already been allocated from budgets at all levels for the implementation of activities until 2030,” Yuri Trutnev opened the meeting on the implementation of master plans.

The master plans of the Khabarovsk agglomeration and Komsomolsk-on-Amur were approved by the President of Russia in 2023. Of the 84 objects of the master plans of the Khabarovsk Territory, four have been completed, ten are being designed, 21 are under construction, and 49 are in the planning stage. As part of the implementation of the master plans in Khabarovsk in 2024, 16 trolleybuses and 10 trams were purchased, and preferential financing was approved through VEB.RF for the construction of the Far Eastern bus cluster. New microdistricts with developed social infrastructure and rental housing are being built in the Northern District. Under the Far Eastern concession, projects have begun to build the Far Eastern Art Museum and the Far Eastern Children’s Recreation and Health Center.

“We will complete the design in the first half of the year. I gave instructions to begin preparing the construction sites. The new museum will open to visitors in the first quarter of 2028. Its halls will display over 15 thousand works of art. The first children’s camp created in the region in the post-Soviet period will be completed in 2027. The company has begun preparing the construction site. Once commissioned, the camp will be able to accommodate over 5 thousand children per year,” said Dmitry Demeshin, Governor of Khabarovsk Krai.

In Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the reconstruction of the embankment will be completed in March, and the innovative interactive center “Euristics” is planned to be launched. “The long-term plan for Komsomolsk-on-Amur provides for the revitalization of iconic spaces. It was decided to allocate more than 400 million rubles from the regional reserve fund for the restoration of the Stroitel cultural center. The design and estimate documentation is ready. The work will take two years,” the head of the region specified.

Yuri Trutnev noted the need to complete the construction of social facilities, including a children’s hospital complex and an inter-district oncology dispensary in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, and asked Dmitry Demeshin to pay special attention to them.

Funds are allocated for the implementation of master plans from the presidential single subsidy. As explained by the Minister for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Alexey Chekunkov, the Presidium of the Government Commission on the Socio-Economic Development of the Far East supported three events: the creation of the Far Eastern Children’s Recreation and Health Center, the construction of the Far Eastern Art Museum building, and the fifth stage of the construction of the unified embankment.

The creation of a “Far Eastern quarter” in the Zheleznodorozhny district of Khabarovsk was discussed. The project was developed to support integrated development.

During a meeting on the implementation of major investment projects in the region, Yuri Trutnev noted that Khabarovsk Krai is one of the leaders in attracting investment in the Far East. “Here, 145 investment projects are being implemented with state support. More than 15.3 thousand jobs have been created, 63 enterprises have been introduced. Our priority task is to ensure the timely and successful implementation of investment projects, providing comprehensive support to investors,” Yuri Trutnev opened the meeting.

The meeting discussed projects in the fields of mining, logistics, tourism, construction and transport infrastructure. A-Steel presented a project to build a mining and processing plant based on the Milkan iron ore deposit. Amur Minerals, a resident of the priority development area, is building a mining and processing plant at the Malmyzhskoye deposit in the Nanai district. Elga Management Company LLC is creating the Pacific Ocean railway and a sea coal terminal near Cape Manorsky. VB Khabarovsk presented a project to build a high-tech warehouse complex, the implementation of which is planned for the new integrated investment site of the priority development area Khabarovsk – Severnaya. The development of the Kholdomi mountain resort was discussed. The Etalon financial and construction group held a presentation of the Khabarovsk-City project. Projects for the development of port infrastructure were also discussed.

Yuri Trutnev visited the regional branch of the Voin center. The Khabarovsk branch of the Voin center opened its doors on May 11, 2023 and has already achieved significant success. If in 2023, 1,413 people completed its educational programs, then in 2024 it has already trained 3,067 cadets. Over the entire period of its work, the branch team has held about 200 military-patriotic events in educational institutions of the region, master classes with employees of law enforcement agencies, and exhibitions.

On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister inspected the new modular multifunctional sports hall at School No. 9 in Khabarovsk and attended a training session of children’s sports groups in Kyokushin karate and other types of martial arts. The facility is one of six being built in Khabarovsk under the “50 Sports Halls in Far Eastern Schools” program at the initiative of three-time Kyokushin karate world champion Khaid Mantayev together with the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and with the personal support of Yuri Trutnev. The new sports hall is equipped with all the necessary equipment and was built as part of the social development plan for economic growth centers in Khabarovsk Krai using funds from the presidential single subsidy provided by the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East. The modular hall with an area of 360 square meters will be able to accommodate about 30 sports fans at a time. The sports hall will include mini-football, basketball, volleyball, karate, taekwondo and judo. In the future, there are plans to open hand-to-hand combat and gymnastics sections here, as well as install a boxing ring.

Yuri Trutnev also visited a site in the village of Blagovatnoye where it is planned to create a training ground for UAV operators and conduct classes as part of the development of a system of patriotic education and military-sports training.

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 –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Bank of Canada announces appointment of second external Deputy Governor

Source: Bank of Canada

The Board of Directors of the Bank of Canada today announced the appointment of Michelle Alexopoulos as an external Deputy Governor for a term of two years, effective March 17, 2025. Dr. Alexopoulos’ appointment is the result of a public external recruitment process and will bring the size of the Bank’s Governing Council to seven members on an ongoing basis.

“I am delighted that Michelle Alexopoulos is joining the Bank’s Governing Council and I am looking forward to working with her,” said Governor Tiff Macklem. “She is a top-tier macroeconomist with deep expertise in issues critical to Canada’s economic prospects. I am confident that her knowledge and innovative thinking will contribute importantly to our policy decision making.”

The Bank’s Governing Council is its policy-making body, responsible for conducting monetary policy and promoting a safe and efficient financial system. Alongside other members of the Council, Dr. Alexopoulos will also be responsible for communicating with Canadians about the Bank’s policy decisions and its outlook for the economy and inflation.

The Bank created the external Deputy Governor role in 2023 to bring diverse perspectives to its consensus-based policy-making process. The first external Deputy Governor, Nicolas Vincent, was appointed effective March 2023 for a term that has been extended to three years. In October of last year, the Bank announced it would create a second external Deputy Governor position.

In keeping with the nature of the role, Dr. Alexopoulos will work with the Bank of Canada in a part-time capacity and will maintain her affiliation with the University of Toronto, where she is a professor of economics.

Dr. Alexopoulos’ research focuses on the business cycle as well as the effects of technical change and uncertainty. She has conducted innovative work in the application of data mining and textual analysis to create indicators for economic modeling and forecasting. More recently, her research has looked at technological change, productivity and central bank communications. She is past president of the Canadian Economics Association and has been a multi-year recipient of the Bank of Canada’s Fellowship Award.

Born in Toronto, Dr. Alexopoulos received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto, as well as a Master’s and a PhD in economics from Northwestern University.

MIL OSI Canada News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Agriculture Minister to Advance International Trade Relations in India and UAE

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on February 11, 2025

Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison will lead a trade mission to India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) February 11-19 where he will meet with key business groups, buyers and investors, as well as attend the Pulses Conclave in Delhi, India, and the Gulfood Exhibition in Dubai, UAE.

“The United Arab Emirates and India are important export markets for Saskatchewan, especially in the pulse sector,” Harrison said. “We will continue to reinforce our longstanding commitment as a reliable and trustworthy supplier of high-quality agricultural products.”

In 2024, Saskatchewan was the UAE’s and India’s largest supplier of lentils and dry peas. The province was responsible for 70 per cent of the UAE’s lentil imports and 54 per cent of its dry pea imports. The province was responsible for 46 per cent of India’s lentil imports and 43 per cent of its dry pea imports. India was Saskatchewan’s third largest agri-food export market with the UAE being the ninth largest. India is also the world’s largest consumer of pulses.

During the mission, Minister Harrison will promote the sustainability of Saskatchewan’s crop production while strengthening trade, research and investment ties with some of Saskatchewan’s long-standing partners. Additionally, the mission will help companies and industry organizations within the province expand their relationships with stakeholders.

Minister Harrison will begin his trip in Delhi and speak at the Pulses Conclave, a conference focused on bringing together international pulse suppliers and Indian buyers and processers. During the mission, he will meet with the Consul Generals of Canada to India and the UAE. In Dubai, he will attend the Gulfood 2025 trade show and conference, which attracts 5,500 exhibitors from 129 countries. He will also meet with industry associations and oilseed, wheat, pulse and ingredient companies.

Saskatchewan has a network of nine international trade offices, two of which are in India and the UAE. The offices are working to grow Saskatchewan’s exports, attract investment into the province and strengthen relationships with our partners in these markets.

-30-

For more information, contact:

MIL OSI Canada News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Anderson County Man Pleads Guilty to $13 Million Ponzi Scheme and Cyber Stalking

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Michael J. French, 41, of Pendleton, has pleaded guilty to operating a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme and to stalking two social media content creators.

Evidence put forth at the plea hearing established that French owned MJF Holdings, LLC and MJF Capital, LLC. Beginning in March 2019, through these companies, French offered promissory notes to investors that projected annual returns of 12 percent. He represented to investors that their funds would be used to provide loans to small businesses and that he had experience in the financial industry, including underwriting the loans in which the investor would be invested. French represented to investors that he would not receive compensation unless the promissory notes earned in excess of the 12 percent guaranteed to investors.

These were false representations. French paid previous investors with new investor monies because his investment product was not generating returns. This lulled investors into believing the product was successful, when, in fact, French was spending investor money to maintain a lavish lifestyle that included supporting female social media content creators by paying them thousands of dollars each month.

At one point, the content creators stopped communicating with French. He became angry with the women and began harassing them through various “burner” phone numbers and fake email accounts. French claimed that he was a sniper, had killed people, and that the police could not protect them. French traveled to one woman’s home unannounced, forcing her to hide in a locked vehicle in the garage with her 2-year-old child. She called 911 as French attempted to force his way into the home. He was arrested by local police before he could reach them.

United State Chief District Judge Timothy Cain accepted French’s guilty plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report from the U.S. Probation Office. French faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.

The FBI Columbia Field Office and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins is prosecuting the case.

###

MIL Security OSI –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: OEUK news Major companies to flag business opportunities to energy supply chain at 2025 Share Fair 11 February 2025

Source: Offshore Energy UK

Headline: OEUK news

Major companies to flag business opportunities to energy supply chain at 2025 Share Fair

11 February 2025

Supply chain companies keen to source market intelligence about the pipeline of energy projects and secure meetings with key business contacts are snapping up places at OEUK’s Share Fair on March 19 at Aberdeen’s P&J Live.

With support from the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and Aker Solutions as supporting sponsor, Share Fair illuminates business opportunities for suppliers and enables contract and procurement teams from major companies to broaden their knowledge of the expertise, innovative technology and specialised services offered by the UK supply chain.

The growing list of leading operators, developers and major contractors confirmed as participants in Share Fair includes those with interests across the energy sector ranging from oil and gas, offshore wind, hydrogen and geothermal to carbon capture and storage. All will be sharing details about their upcoming projects and contract opportunities available to the supply chain.

Companies signed up to present or offer the sought after one-to-one appointments include Aker Solutions, Anasuria Operating Company, bp Aberdeen Hydrogen Energy Ltd, Camm-Pro Limited, Ceraphi Energy, Copenhagen Offshore Partners, CNOOC, Dana Petroleum, Energy Pathways, Flotation Energy, Inch Cape Offshore Limited, INEOS, Ithaca Energy, Petrogas, Serica Energy, Spirit Energy, Subsea7, TAQA, Valaris and Wood, with more expected to confirm in due course.

Katy Heidenreich, OEUK’s Supply Chain and People Director, said:

“The UK’s sustainable energy future depends on our amazing supply chain companies. They employ our talented workforce, and we depend on them to provide the technology, services and solutions to deliver the projects of today and tomorrow. They need visibility of when projects will happen so they can address constraints on people and equipment, and uncertainty on investment decisions. Share Fair provides clear visibility of future confirmed work, enabling them to forecast demand for their goods, services and expertise. It’s the ideal arena for encouraging greater collaboration on demand planning, project scheduling and resource management, helping our industry improve its competitiveness and ensuring resources are available to support the UK’s future sustainable energy supply.”

Bill Cattanach, Head of Supply Chain at the North Sea Transition Authority, said:

“Every year without fail, Share Fair attracts an impressive cast-list of major operators with major opportunities for the supply chain. While more big hitters are expected to confirm their participation before March 19, it is already clear this year’s event will be another success. I’m also encouraged that the involvement of decarbonisation project developers continues to grow at Share Fair. At the NSTA, we’re seeing the same trend with our Energy Pathfinder tool, with details of contracting opportunities for energy transition schemes being added all the time.”

Steve Nicol, Supply Chain Champion for the offshore energies industry, said:

“Our world class supply chain requires knowledge, resources and investment to support the delivery of both homegrown energy and the energy transition. Share Fair creates a fantastic opportunity for collaboration and helps to better inform our supply chain by connecting them to the right people at this critical time. In short, the event can help set businesses up for future success.”

The Share Fair format comprises presentations from operators, developers and contractors on future projects, one-to-one meetings with key decision makers procuring goods and services plus extensive opportunities for suppliers to network with industry peers and book exhibition space.

In late February, when OEUK opens booking for one-to-one appointments, suppliers will be able to secure business appointments with key decision-makers in companies looking to issue contracts to supply chain companies.

The event takes place in Aberdeen’s P&J Live on March 19 and more information about bookings is available on the website here .

Share this article

MIL OSI Economics –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks at AI Action Summit [scroll down for all-English version]

Source: United Nations – English

strong>[Bilingual, as delivered]

Excellences,

Permettez-moi tout d’abord de remercier le Président Macron et le Premier ministre Modi d’avoir organisé ce Sommet pour l’action sur l’intelligence artificielle.

Mesdames et Messieurs,

Allons droit au but.

Regardons le monde qui nous entoure au-delà de ceux qui sont dans cette salle.

Notre réunion pose une question fondamentale sur notre rapport à l’intelligence artificielle.

Sommes-nous prêts pour l’avenir ?

La réponse s’impose d’elle-même.

Non.

Nous ne sommes peut-être même pas prêts pour le présent.

En un battement de cils, l’Intelligence Artificielle a quitté l’univers de la science-fiction pour devenir une force puissante qui révolutionne notre monde.

Transformant nos modes de vie, de travail et d’interaction.

Alimentant des avancées majeures dans l’éducation, la santé, l’agriculture…

Mais mettant également à l’épreuve nos valeurs communes et nos droits fondamentaux.

Le pouvoir de l’intelligence artificielle impose d’immenses responsabilités.

Aujourd’hui, ce pouvoir est entre les mains d’une poignée de personnes.

Tandis que certaines entreprises et certains pays se lancent dans une course effrénée avec des investissements sans précédent, la plupart des nations en développement se retrouvent laissées pour compte.

Cette concentration grandissante des capacités en matière d’intelligence artificielle menace d’aggraver les clivages géopolitiques.

Nous devons empêcher l’émergence d’un monde de “nantis” et de “démunis” de l’Intelligence Artificielle.

Nous tous devons travailler ensemble pour que l’Intelligence Artificielle puissent combler le fossé entre les pays développés et les pays en développement – et non le creuser.

Elle doit accélérer le développement durable – au lieu de perpétuer les inégalités.

Excellencies,

The United Nations offers an inclusive, transparent and effective platform for AI solidarity.

And we are working to strengthen that platform.

The Global Digital Compact, adopted at the Summit of the Future, established the first universal agreement on the governance of AI.

It brings the world together around a shared vision:

One where technology serves humanity, not the other way around.

The creation of an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI will be central to translating this vision into reality.

By pooling global expertise, this Scientific Panel will promote a common understanding of AI risks, benefits and capabilities, and opportunities and help bridge knowledge gaps.

I urge everyone to support its creation without delay.

Member States also agreed to establish a Global Dialogue on AI Governance – within the United Nations – to ensure that all countries have a voice in shaping the future of AI.

Through the Global Dialogue, we can align governance efforts around the world and reinforce their interoperability; uphold human rights in AI applications and prevent misuse.

The UN provides an inclusive forum for cooperation, complementing existing mechanisms such as the OECD AI Principles, G7 and the Global Partnership on AI – as well as regional efforts by the African Union, European Union, ASEAN and the Council of Europe.

And I am confident that discussions at this Summit will help enrich this Dialogue.

The Compact also calls for building AI capacity in developing nations.

This is not only about technology diffusion.

We need concerted efforts to build sustainable digital infrastructure at an unprecedented scale;

Foster talent and train workforces to develop, deploy and maintain AI systems;

And ultimately, empower peoples and nations to become not just users, but active participants in the AI revolution.

A global AI capacity-building network, as proposed by my High-Level Advisory Body on AI, is an economic necessity and a moral imperative.

Today’s launch of Current AI, a public interest partnership, is an important contribution.

I will soon present a report on innovative voluntary financing models and capacity-building initiatives to help all countries harness AI as a force for good.

Finally, we know that AI can be a force for climate action and energy efficiency.

But we also know AI power-intensive systems are already placing an unsustainable strain on our planet.

So it is crucial to design AI algorithms and infrastructures that consume less energy and integrate AI into smart grids to optimize power use.

From data centres to training models, AI must run on sustainable energy so that it fuels a more sustainable future.

Excellencies,

I began with a question. Let me end with a few more.

Who decides what problems AI should or should not resolve?

Who benefits most from its deployment?

Who bears the cost of its mistakes?

These questions affect everyone – so the answers must also involve everyone.

It is in all our interests for governments and technology leaders to commit to global guardrails, share best practices, and shape fair policy and business models.

The whole world benefits when development banks and the philanthropic community provide catalytic funding to jumpstart capacity-building worldwide.

And we all stand to gain when academia and thought leaders help us navigate through this complex landscape.

AI is not standing still.

Neither can we.

Let us move for an AI that is shaped by all of humanity, for all of humanity.

In other words, let’s make sure we are ready for the future… right now.

Thank you.

***
[all-English]

Excellencies,

Let me begin by thanking President Macron and Prime Minister Modi for convening this AI Action Summit.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let’s get straight to the point.

Let’s look at the world around us beyond those who are in this room.

This meeting poses a fundamental question about our relationship with Artificial Intelligence:

Are we ready for the future?

The answer is easy.

No.

We may not even be ready for the present.

In what seems like the blink of an eye, AI has gone from the stuff of science fiction to a powerful force that is transforming our world.

Reshaping the way we live, work, and interact.

Fueling breakthroughs in education, healthcare, agriculture…

But also testing our shared values and rights.

The power of AI carries immense responsibilities.

Today, that power sits in the hands of a few.

While some companies and some countries are racing ahead with record investments, most developing nations find themselves left out in the cold.

This growing concentration of AI capabilities risks deepening geopolitical divides.

We must prevent a world of AI “haves” and “have-nots”.

Nous tous devons travailler ensemble pour que l’Intelligence Artificielle puissent

We must all work together so that artificial can bridge the gap between developed and developing countries – not widen it.

It must accelerate sustainable development – not entrench inequalities.

Excellencies,

The United Nations offers an inclusive, transparent and effective platform for AI solidarity.

And we are working to strengthen that platform.

The Global Digital Compact, adopted at the Summit of the Future, established the first universal agreement on the governance of AI.

It brings the world together around a shared vision:

One where technology serves humanity, not the other way around.

The creation of an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI will be central to translating this vision into reality.

By pooling global expertise, this Scientific Panel will promote a common understanding of AI risks, benefits, opportunities and capabilities, and help bridge knowledge gaps.

I urge everyone to support its creation without delay.

Member States also agreed to establish a Global Dialogue on AI Governance – within the United Nations – to ensure that all countries have a voice in shaping the future of AI.

Through the Global Dialogue, we can align governance efforts around the world and reinforce their interoperability; uphold human rights in AI applications and prevent misuse.

The UN provides an inclusive forum for cooperation, complementing existing mechanisms such as the OECD AI Principles, G7 and the Global Partnership on AI – as well as regional efforts by the African Union, European Union, ASEAN and the Council of Europe.

And I am confident that discussions at this Summit will help enrich this Dialogue.

The Compact also calls for building AI capacity in developing nations.

This is not only about technology diffusion.

We need concerted efforts to build sustainable digital infrastructure at an unprecedented scale;

Foster talent and train workforces to develop, deploy and maintain AI systems;

And ultimately, empower peoples and nations to become not just users, but active participants in the AI revolution.

A global AI capacity-building network, as proposed by my High-Level Advisory Body on AI, is an economic necessity and a moral imperative.

Today’s launch of the AI Foundation for Public Interest is an important contribution.

I will soon present a report on innovative voluntary financing models and capacity-building initiatives to help all countries harness AI as a force for good.

Finally, we know that AI can be a force for climate action and energy efficiency.

But we also know AI power-intensive systems are already placing an unsustainable strain on our planet.

So it is crucial to design AI algorithms and infrastructures that consume less energy and integrate AI into smart grids to optimize power use.

From data centres to training models, AI must run on sustainable energy so that it fuels a more sustainable future.

Excellencies,

I began with a question. Let me end with a few more.

Who decides what problems AI should or should not solve?

Who benefits most from its deployment?

Who bears the cost of its mistakes?

These questions affect everyone – so the answers must also involve everyone.

It is in all our interests for governments and technology leaders to commit to global guardrails, share best practices, and shape fair policy and business models.

The whole world benefits when development banks and the philanthropic community provide catalytic funding to jumpstart capacity-building worldwide.

And we all stand to gain when academia and thought leaders help us navigate through this complex landscape.

AI is not standing still.

Neither can we.

Let us move for an AI that is shaped by all of humanity, for all of humanity.

In other words, let’s make sure we are ready for the future… right now.

Thank you.

MIL OSI Africa –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: ELD Asset Management Introduces New Hybrid Work Policy

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Singapore-based investment and wealth management practice, ELD Asset Management is pleased to announce the implementation of a new hybrid work policy, allowing all employees to work remotely for up to two days per week. This initiative reflects the firm’s ongoing commitment to fostering flexibility, enhancing work-life balance, and prioritising employee well-being.

Enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity

By adopting a hybrid work model, ELD Asset Management aims to align with the evolving expectations of its workforce. By offering employees the option to split work between home and office part of the week, the firm hopes to boost job satisfaction, increase productivity, and strengthen overall engagement.

Image by ELD Asset Management

Supporting work-life integration

Recognising the importance of flexibility in today’s professional landscape, ELD Asset Management is committed to helping employees balance their work responsibilities with their personal commitments. This policy highlights the firm’s dedication to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment where employees can thrive both in their professional and personal lives.

George Palmer, Director of Private Clients at ELD Asset Management, said, “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen evidence of a growing demand for greater workplace flexibility. Our new work-from-home policy reflects the fact that we’ve listened to our highly valued employees and are doing our part to help them achieve a better balance between their careers and their personal lives. My experience has shown me that a happy and supported employee with a well-balanced life is also a motivated and productive one.”

Employer of choice

Palmer added that the initiative would further reinforce ELD Asset Management’s reputation for being an employer of choice—one that places an emphasis on employee well-being and satisfaction as much as on professional growth and performance. The firm remains dedicated to fostering a workplace culture that encourages collaboration, innovation, and long-term success.

ELD Asset Management Pte. Ltd.
Media Contact: Mr. Luke Tan
Email: luke.tan@eldglobal.com
Website: https://www.eldglobal.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/82a412e4-c5e0-466d-8fa8-cd989ed26251

The MIL Network –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Centage Announces Paul Lynch as New CEO to Lead Next Phase of Growth

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Centage, a leader in modern FP&A software, has announced the appointment of Paul Lynch as its new Chief Executive Officer. Lynch brings extensive experience in scaling B2B SaaS businesses and a clear vision for Centage’s role in transforming financial planning and analysis for mid-market companies.

Lynch is a seasoned B2B SaaS leader, innovator, and disruptor with a proven track record of scaling fintech, developer tools, and messaging businesses. He serves as COO and Venture Partner at Scaleworks and Chairman of Import.io. Previously, he was the CEO of Assembla, successfully leading the company to an exit to Idera in September 2018. Following that, he oversaw the merger of Chargify with SaaSOptics as a larger Battery Ventures investment. Most recently, Lynch was CEO of Import.io, where post-acquisition he restructured the company, returning it to growth and profitability. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Lynch now resides in San Antonio with his wife and three young children.

Under his leadership, Centage aims to disrupt the FP&A software space by finally breaking the stranglehold that Excel has had on budget management in the mid-market for the last four decades. Financial planning has become too complex for spreadsheets, Centage provides a powerful yet intuitive budgeting and forecasting tool—bridging the gap between spreadsheets and enterprise performance management (EPM) systems. Designed for collaboration, Centage delivers better outputs for budget owners in an Excel-like environment—without the headaches of version control or the inefficiencies of disconnected spreadsheets.

“Every business reaches a point where Excel just isn’t enough. When financial planning gets too complex for spreadsheets, Centage is the perfect next step—powerful enough to handle your growing needs but intuitive enough to keep your team aligned,” said Paul Lynch, CEO of Centage. “With our upcoming Worksheets product launch, we’re finally removing the cumbersome overhead of Excel sheets and plugins, delivering a solution that not only provides better functionality than Excel but also offers superior security, governance, and ease of use. Our mission is to bridge the gap between the Excel-based startup and the Enterprise Performance Management corporate user, giving budget owners, in the mid-market, a collaborative, streamlined experience without the version control nightmares or spreadsheet chaos. Centage is here to make financial planning smarter, faster, and stress-free.”

Lynch’s vision for Centage has been set to redefine how finance teams approach budgeting and forecasting, offering a solution that scales with business needs while maintaining the simplicity and flexibility that finance professionals expect. With his leadership and the early March product launch, Centage has set to deliver an even more powerful and intuitive platform that empowers finance teams to work more efficiently and make data-driven decisions with confidence.

About Centage
Centage is a leader in modern financial planning and analysis software, providing businesses with an intuitive, collaborative, and scalable solution for budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. Designed for finance teams looking to move beyond spreadsheets, Centage delivers real-time insights, automated planning, and seamless collaboration to help organizations drive smarter financial decisions.

Contacts

Marketing Content Coordinator
Emily Schmitt
Centage
emily.schmitt@centage.com
5129399782
VP of Marketing
Andrew Fear
Centage
andrew.fear@centage.com
831-521-1735

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bdc304a8-78ac-4c23-b9d1-29ab2cd54633

The MIL Network –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: AssetMark Welcomes Seasoned Executives Doris Meister and Lisa Opoku to Board of Directors

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

CONCORD, Calif., Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AssetMark, Inc., a leading wealth management technology platform for financial advisors, today announced the appointment of Doris Meister and Lisa Opoku to its Board of Directors. The addition of these two accomplished executives reflects AssetMark’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its governance with leaders who bring deep expertise in financial services, strategic transformation, and operational excellence.

Doris Meister is a highly respected financial services CEO with extensive experience in strategy, business transformation, finance, investments, and governance. Most recently, she served as Chairman and CEO of Wilmington Trust, a wholly owned subsidiary of M&T Bank, where she led a comprehensive transformation of the wealth and investment management business, increasing revenues by 40% and significantly expanding profitability. Throughout her career, Meister has successfully built and scaled wealth management businesses, modernized technology platforms, and developed multi-segment growth strategies that have driven meaningful client and business outcomes.

Lisa Opoku, currently the Chief Operating Officer at FS Investments, brings over two decades of leadership experience in global financial services. Prior to joining FS Investments, Opoku held several senior leadership positions at Goldman Sachs, including Global Head of the Goldman Sachs Partner Family Office within Asset and Wealth Management. Her extensive experience in technology, operations, and strategic business transformation uniquely positions her to contribute to AssetMark’s continued growth and innovation.

“We are thrilled to welcome Doris and Lisa to AssetMark’s Board of Directors,” said Lou Maiuri, Chairman & Group CEO of AssetMark. “Their exceptional track records in wealth management, operational excellence, and strategic leadership will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our platform, support financial advisors, and deliver exceptional value to investors. Their insights and experience will play a key role in shaping AssetMark’s future growth.”

About AssetMark

AssetMark operates a wealth management platform whose mission is to help financial advisors and their clients. AssetMark, together with its affiliates AssetMark Trust Company, Voyant, and Adhesion Wealth Advisor Solutions, serves advisors at every stage of their journey with flexible, purpose-built solutions that champion client engagement and drive efficiency. Its ecosystem of solutions equips advisors with services and capabilities to help deliver better investor outcomes by enhancing their productivity, profitability, and client satisfaction.

With a history going back to 1996, AssetMark has over 1,000 employees, and its platform serves over 10,700 financial advisors and over 317,000 investor households. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had over $139 billion in platform assets. AssetMark, Inc. is a Registered Investment Adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.assetmark.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Vesselina Davenport
PR & Communications, AssetMark
vesselina.davenport@assetmark.com

The MIL Network –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Titan Partners Announces Launch of Equity Research Division, Appoints Boris Peaker as Senior Healthcare Analyst

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Titan Partners Group, a division of American Capital Partners, (“Titan Partners” or “Titan”) is pleased to announce the launch of its Equity Research Division with the appointment of Boris Peaker, Ph.D., CFA, as Managing Director and Senior Equity Research Analyst. Dr. Peaker will lead the firm’s research initiatives in the healthcare sector, focusing on biotechnology.

Dr. Peaker brings 17 years of experience in healthcare equity research, most recently serving as Managing Director of Biotechnology Equity Research at TD Cowen. Prior to that, he was an Executive Director at Oppenheimer & Co. and worked as a biotechnology analyst at Cowen & Co. and Rodman & Renshaw, LLC. Dr. Peaker has been recognized by multiple industry publications and associations as a top-ranked sector analyst. He holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from Stanford University and a B.S. in Physics and Chemistry from the State University of New York.

“The launch of our research platform, spearheaded by Dr. Peaker, marks an important milestone in Titan’s growth,” stated Jason Sands, Co-Founder and Partner at Titan. “Our mission has always been to build a business around fundamentally strong and scientifically compelling stories. Dr. Peaker’s experience and reputation align perfectly with this objective.”

Ryan Konik, Co-Founder and Partner at Titan, added, “Dr. Peaker’s technical background, combined with his sell-side research experience, makes him an exceptional fit for our platform. His addition underscores our continued commitment to the life sciences sector.”

About Titan Partners Group

Titan Partners Group, a division of American Capital Partners, is a boutique investment bank specializing in tailored solutions for emerging growth companies and their investors. Headquartered in New York City, Titan Partners offers a full suite of capabilities, including investment banking, capital markets advisory, and research. Committed to setting the standard for securities transactions in the middle market, Titan Partners combines expertise, trust, and a forward-thinking approach to deliver results and help corporate clients achieve their strategic goals.

Contact
Titan Partners Group
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The MIL Network –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Energy Transfer thinks they can silence us

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

© Tegan Gregory / Greenpeace

Big Oil company Energy Transfer is trying to silence Greenpeace with a $300,000,000 lawsuit. If we actually had to pay that amount, Greenpeace USA could shut down.

This lawsuit from Energy Transfer against Greenpeace USA and Greenpeace International includes a racist attempted rewrite of the history of the Indigenous-led protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline. It’s also Big Oil’s message to environmentalists everywhere: if you dare to criticize us, you could be next.

The world has taken notice.

Word of this threat to the entire climate justice movement has spread across the world, and over the last few months, thousands of Greenpeace activists, allies, and supporters in more than two dozen countries have responded to Big Oil in one unified voice.

Our message is loud and clear: we will not be silenced. And that message is now echoing across the planet.

Take a look at these photos from more than 25 different countries — as you scroll, think about what our movement is capable of when we work together.

United States

© Tim Aubry / Greenpeace

Netherlands

© Gosse Bouma / Greenpeace

Germany

© Markus J. Feger / Greenpeace

Czech Republic

© Ray Baseley / Greenpeace

Sweden

© Jana Eriksson / Greenpeace

Denmark

© Philip Raissnia / Greenpeace

Indonesia

© Pangeran / Greenpeace

Thailand

© Purimpat Jansuwan / Greenpeace

Croatia

© Maja Bota / Greenpeace

Norway

© Greenpeace

Poland

© Greenpeace / Max Zielinski

United Kingdom

© David Mirzoeff / Greenpeace

Brazil

© Victor Bravo / Greenpeace

Hungary

© Zsuzsi Dorgo / Greenpeace

Switzerland

© Maksym Zaika / Greenpeace

France

© Fanny Noret / Greenpeace

Philippines

© Greenpeace

Spain

© Greenpeace / Pablo Blazquez

Finland

© Heikki S. Laherma / Greenpeace

Greece

© Evelina Manou / Greenpeace

Mexico

© Prometeo Lucero / Greenpeace

Slovenia

© Petra Godeša / Greenpeace

Romania

© Ioana Moldovan / Greenpeace

Ukraine

© Greenpeace

Aotearoa

© Clae Baxter / Greenpeace

Australia

© Greenpeace / Toby Davidson

Belgium

© Mathieu Soete / Greenpeace

Germany. Indonesia. Thailand. Poland. Brazil. Hungary. France. Spain. Greece. Mexico. Australia. Belgium.

Greenpeace is a global movement. Environmental justice is a global movement.

That’s what Big Oil fails to understand: if they try to silence one of us, millions more will speak out. We will not be silenced. We cannot be silenced.

Big Oil knows that free speech and protest are the best tools we have to demand a green and just world, and they’re afraid of what happens when we exercise those rights. So that’s what we’re going to continue doing.

Recently, we launched an open letter to pressure Energy Transfer to drop their lawsuit. We’re proud to say that hundreds of thousands of people have now signed it, along with more than 400 organizations representing millions of people around the world.

With less than two weeks until we go to trial in North Dakota, we must keep raising our voices.

In September, The Wall Street Journal reported that “some oil-and-gas investors expressed concerns” about Energy Transfer’s $300 million lawsuit against us. Their concern? “It makes the industry look vindictive and could result in a reinvigorated protest movement.”

That’s precisely what Energy Transfer has ignited — a reinvigorated movement.

We all know that Big Oil has infinite sums of money, and immense power. And it’s true that a defeat in court could threaten Greenpeace USA’s existence, and have far-reaching implications for the climate justice movement around the world.

But we will not be silenced.

Sign our open letter to Energy Transfer

MIL OSI NGO –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: WTW launches HR AI assistant, Expert
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company, today announced the launch of Expert, an AI-enabled assistant designed to help U.S. midsize businesses streamline and enhance their HR, compensation and benefits work. Based on WTW’s deep expertise in benefits, rewards and human capital, Expert helps teams with a range of tasks — from summarizing benefit trends to drafting employee communication materials.

Powered by generative AI, Expert brings WTW’s expertise to users’ fingertips along with access to a comprehensive database of U.S. federal and state HR, benefits and insurance legislation. Expert includes features that help with:
- Research: Teams can explore market-leading data on compensation and benefits and find information on the latest trends and best practices
- Regulatory expertise: Users can get information about regulatory and compliance matters
- Writing: Expert can help users draft colleague communications, job descriptions and employee surveys
- Search engine: Strategy, policy and benefit plan documents can be stored and searched for in a secure library
Expert’s catalogue of content includes WTW’s benefit and compensation-related leading human capital research, trend data, thought leadership, white papers, regulatory briefings, best practices and case studies.

“Generative AI is ideally suited to help benefits, compensation and HR teams save time and access proprietary information. We know that midsize company HR teams are particularly time-constrained, making Expert a welcomed addition,” said Julie Gebauer, President of Health, Wealth & Career, WTW. “Backed by the enthusiasm of clients who beta-tested Expert, we’re excited to bring this breakthrough to even more organizations.”

Learn more about Expert here.

About WTW

At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.

Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you. Learn more at wtwco.com.

Media contacts

Ileana Feoli
ileana.feoli@wtwco.com

Stacy Bronstein
stacy.bronstein@wtwco.com

The MIL Network –
February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: finzworld-group.com: BaFin investigates Finanz World Group

Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warns consumers about the company Finanz World Group and the services it is offering. According to information available to BaFin, the company offers banking business on the website finzworld-group.com, such as the opportunity to take out loans or open bank accounts. BaFin does not supervise any company called Finanz World Group.

Anyone conducting banking business or providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation. Information on whether a particular company has been granted authorisation by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.

BaFin is issuing this information on the basis of section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).

Please be aware:

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

MIL OSI Economics –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: King Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation To Protect Kids from the Harmful Impacts of Social Media
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to help protect youth from the harmful impacts of social media. The Kids Off Social Media Act would enforce minimum age limits to use social media platforms and prevent social media companies from feeding algorithmically-targeted content to users under the age of 17.

Studies have shown a strong relationship between social media use and poor mental health, especially among children. From 2019 to 2021, overall screen use among teens and tweens (ages 8 to 12) increased by 17 percent, with tweens using screens for five hours and 33 minutes per day and teens using screens for eight hours and 39 minutes. Based on the clear and growing evidence, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory in 2023, calling for new policies to set and enforce age minimums and highlighting the importance of limiting the use of features, like algorithms, that attempt to maximize time, attention, and engagement.

“Children in Maine and across the country deserve protection from the potential harm posed by social media — especially during their most vulnerable years,” said Senator King. “The bipartisan Kids Off Social Media Act would limit the harmful impacts of social media by establishing reasonable guardrails such as age minimums for new accounts and restrictions on targeting content to children under the age of 17. Our children deserve to grow up in a safe and supportive environment — and that doesn’t define the harsh online tone proliferating on online platforms — so this bipartisan legislation will ensure this protection for generations to come.”

No age demographic is more affected by the ongoing mental health crisis in the United States than kids, especially young girls. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 57 percent of high school girls and 29 percent of high school boys felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, with 22 percent of all high school students — and nearly a third of high school girls — reporting they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the preceding year.

Specifically, the Kids Off Social Media Act would:
1. Prohibit social media platforms from allowing children under the age of 13 to create or maintain social media accounts;
2. Prohibit social media companies from pushing targeted content using algorithms to users under the age of 17;
3. Provide the FTC and state attorneys general authority to enforce the provisions of the bill; and
4. Follow existing CIPA framework, with changes, to require schools to work in good faith to limit social media on their federally-funded networks, which many schools already do.
Studies have shown a strong relationship between social media use and poor mental health, especially among children. From 2019 to 2021, overall screen use among teens and tweens (ages 8 to 12) increased by 17 percent, with tweens using screens for five hours and 33 minutes per day and teens using screens for eight hours and 39 minutes. Based on the clear and growing evidence, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory in 2023, calling for new policies to set and enforce age minimums and highlighting the importance of limiting the use of features, like algorithms, that attempt to maximize time, attention, and engagement.

In addition to King, the bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Katie Britt (R-AL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Mark Warner (D-VA).

Senator King has been a longstanding advocate of protecting children online. He previously cosponsored the Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act — two pieces of legislation that set safeguards, require transparency reports, and protect children from the non-consensual collection of personal data that could be used to exploit or manipulate them.

For more information on the Kids Off Social Media Act, click here.
MIL OSI USA News –
February 12, 2025

MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes the 2024 Article IV Consultation with Qatar

Source: IMF – News in Russian

February 11, 2025

Washington, DC: On January 27, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation^{^[1]} with Qatar.

Growth normalization after the 2022 FIFA World Cup continued, with signs of strengthening activities more recently. Real GDP growth is projected to improve gradually to 2 percent in 2024–25 supported by public investment, spillovers from the ongoing LNG expansion project, and strong tourism. Medium-term growth is expected to accelerate to 4¾ percent on average, boosted by the significant LNG production expansion and initial gains from implementing reforms guided by the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3). Headline inflation will likely ease to 1 percent in 2024 and converge to around 2 percent over the medium term.

With lower hydrocarbon prices, both the current account and fiscal surpluses narrowed in 2023, to 17 percent of GDP and 5½ percent of GDP, respectively. The twin surpluses moderated further in 2024. Over the medium, as Qatar’s LNG production expands massively, both the current and fiscal accounts will likely remain in surpluses, albeit declining as a share of GDP, as hydrocarbon prices are projected to fall.

Banks are well-capitalized, liquid, and profitable, with the capital adequacy ratio of close to 20 percent and return on equity of 14½ percent, respectively, in the third quarter of 2024. Since the implementation of QCB measures to reduce banks’ net short-term foreign liabilities, banks’ non-resident deposits declined significantly, and banks have lengthened the average maturity and diversified further the sources of foreign funding. The sector-wide NPL ratio remained broadly unchanged at slightly below 4 percent and the provisioning coverage ratio is relatively high at above 80 percent.

Qatar has started to implement the ambitious Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) to build a more diversified, knowledge-based and private sector-driven economy. Guided by NDS3, reform momentum has strengthened significantly, including to attract and retain high-skilled expatriate workers, foster innovation, promote public-private partnerships, and further improve the business efficiency. Qatar is well positioned to leverage digitalization and AI for productivity gains, and the nation’s climate agenda is advancing.

Risks to the outlook are broadly balanced. Main downside risks stem from the global headwinds, including a sharper-than-expected global growth slowdown, increased volatility in global financial conditions and commodity prices, and further worsening of geopolitical tensions. The regional conflict has had limited impact on Qatar but adds further to the downside risks through lower tourism and capital inflows, and more volatile hydrocarbon prices. Domestic downside risk stems mainly from further weaknesses in the real estate sector, although strong tourism and policy measures introduced in 2023 could mitigate the risk. Over the medium and long term, supply in the global natural gas market is expected to expand significantly, potentially putting downward pressure on prices. On the upside, sustained high hydrocarbon prices and accelerated NDS3 reforms would strengthen the outlook. However, if ambitious NDS3 initiatives lead to resource misallocation, both the public finance and growth prospect would be affected.

Executive Board Assessment^{^[2]}

Executive Directors agreed with the thrust of the staff appraisal. They welcomed Qatar’s continued resilience to external shocks and its favorable medium-term outlook, driven by significant increases in LNG production and the reforms under the Third National Development Strategy. Directors agreed that maintaining prudent macroeconomic policies and accelerating reform efforts would further solidify macroeconomic stability and resilience to shocks while boosting prosperity.

Directors commended the authorities’ commitment to continued fiscal prudence and called for accelerating fiscal reforms. They recommended adopting a medium-term fiscal anchor to help ensure intergenerational equity, and reiterated the need to accelerate revenue diversification, particularly by introducing the value-added tax. Directors highlighted the importance of improving spending efficiency and composition, particularly by enhancing public investment management. They welcomed the ongoing efforts to strengthen fiscal institutions and adopt a full-fledged medium-term fiscal framework with enhanced fiscal risk management.

Directors supported the authorities’ efforts to maintain financial stability and deepen domestic financial markets, while encouraging them to consider undertaking a Financial Sector Assessment Program update. They welcomed the newly introduced risk-based supervision and recommended formalizing the financial safety net and continuing to adjust macroprudential policies to mitigate potential macro-financial risks. Directors encouraged the authorities to sustain their progress in fighting financial crimes.

Directors agreed that the exchange rate peg continues to serve Qatar well. They concurred that, as conditions allow, strengthening the operational framework would further enhance monetary policy transmission.

Directors supported the authorities’ strategy to build a more diversified, private sector-led, and knowledge-based economy. They recommended fostering innovation and business efficiency and enhancing human capital by attracting and retaining more high-skilled expatriate workers, improving Qatari nationals’ employment in the private sector, and further increasing female labor force participation. Directors agreed that aligning domestic energy prices with export prices would benefit public finances and support climate goals. They also encouraged the authorities to close remaining data gaps, with the help of IMF capacity development.

It is expected that the next Article IV consultation with Qatar will be held on the standard 12-month cycle.

Qatar: Selected Macroeconomic Indicators, 2021-25
(Quota: 735.1 million SDRs, November 2024)
(Per capita income: U.S.$69,541, 2023)
(Life expectancy at birth: 81.6 years, 2022)
(Population: 3.1 million, 2023)


				Projections


	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025


Production and prices	(percent change)
Real GDP (2018 prices)	1.6	4.2	1.2	1.7	2.4
Hydrocarbon 1/	-0.3	1.7	1.4	1.4	3.0
Nonhydrocarbon	2.8	5.7	1.1	1.9	2.1
CPI inflation (average)	2.3	5.0	3.0	1.0	1.4

Public finances	(percent of GDP)
Revenue	29.6	34.7	32.8	26.2	28.7
Expenditure	29.4	24.3	27.3	25.9	26.2
Current	18.3	15.6	17.5	17.2	17.5
Capital	11.1	8.8	9.7	8.7	8.7
Central government fiscal balance	0.2	10.4	5.6	0.3	2.5

Money	(percent change)
Broad money	1.4	17.4	1.1	4.1	5.6
Credit to private sector	9.5	7.4	4.9	5.5	6.1

External sector	(percent of GDP unless otherwise noted)
Exports	58.7	68.6	60.4	58.7	60.1
Imports	34.1	31.6	33.9	33.4	35.1
Current account balance	14.6	26.8	17.1	16.6	15.5
in billions of U.S. dollars	26.3	63.1	36.5	37.0	35.2
External debt	161.4	115.5	123.2	118.1	116.8
Central Bank’s reserves	23.5	20.1	24.2	24.5	25.4
in months of next year’s imports	6.6	7.7	8.1	8.0	7.9
Exchange rate (per U.S. dollar) 2/	3.6	3.6	3.6	3.6	3.6
Real effective exchange rate (percent change) 3/	-2.6	6.5	0.2	-0.5	…


Sources: Qatari authorities; and IMF staff estimates and projections.
1/ Includes crude oil, natural gas, propane, butane, and condensates.
2/ January 6, 2025
3/ November 2024.

[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

[2] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chair of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summing up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Angham Al Shami

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/02/11/pr25034-qatar-imf-executive-board-concludes-the-2024-article-iv-consultation

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

February 12, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investment in City Economic Development

Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

Investment designed to drive forward economic development in Dundee is set to be discussed by councillors.

Funding from external sources would be used to support ongoing initiatives like employment programmes, while it could also assist commercial companies spinning out from biomedical research.

A report to be considered on Monday (Feb 17) shows that £2.44 million of funding has been awarded to Dundee City Council from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) for 2025-26.

Councillors will hear that over the last three years, the council has used UKSPF to support the delivery of key economic development interventions.

These include Discover Work, the Dundee Partnership’s employability programme, and local business support through Business Gateway.

To ensure that these services can continue to deliver to clients without interruption, and that staff are retained, it is necessary to confirm the ongoing funding for these projects at the earliest opportunity.

Delivery models including Challenge Funds, partnership approaches, procured services and regionally focused initiatives would remain the same as previous years.

Meanwhile, a separate report recommends the use of legacy funding from the Business Loans Scotland scheme to bolster the city’s life sciences sector.

Opening of the Dundee Life Sciences Innovation Hub in 2025 creates an imperative to maximise the pipeline of spinout companies and to remove barriers to translating innovative research into commercial opportunity and job creation.

Councillors are being asked to give the go-ahead to the reinvestment of the £137,000 legacy funding into a Proof of Concept (POC) Fund Programme in partnership with University of Dundee, with the aim of catalysing life science and healthcare sector spinout companies.

They will hear that the pilot phase of the POC scheme has been funded in 2024/2025 by £100,000 from Dundee’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation matched in kind by Dundee University.

Both reports will be considered by the Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Commitee at its next meeting.

Committee convener Councillor Steven Rome said: “We are determined to improve the economy of Dundee through a range of measures with our partners and these two reports show the efforts we are making.

“UKSPF has enabled us to deliver key employability programmes, and city partners are focusing on key issues such as increasing the number of our young people in positive destinations.

“This is a crucial initiative for the future of our city.

“We also want to see academic innovation translated into commercial success, and the Proof of Concept programme will help fledgling companies to find their way.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Innovative insurance model directs millions in cash assistance to people affected by hurricane Beryl

Source: World Food Programme

GRENADA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has supported Caribbean nations to ensure that climate insurance payouts triggered by category-5 Hurricane Beryl in July last year are used for social subsidies to get the most vulnerable back on their feet. The Governments of Grenada, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will use a US$ 5.5 million portion of the payout to assist people affected by the tropical storm.

In Grenada alone, 34,000 people (30 percent of the population) required emergency assistance after Hurricane Beryl. Now, it is the first country to provide subsidies to people who lost income, under the Beryl Relief Income Support Programme (BRISP).

WFP and CCRIF SPC (formerly the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility) work together to link tropical cyclone and excess rainfall insurance policies with national social protection systems. Through an innovative model, financial support allows countries to top-up their sovereign insurance coverage on the condition that a fixed percentage of the payout is allocated for social assistance if and when policies are triggered.

“Recognising the limited fiscal space of Caribbean governments, we know that it is crucial to strengthen national systems to ensure that support reaches the people who need it most, when disaster strikes,” said Brian Bogart, Representative of the WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office. “Hurricane Beryl’s impact was significant, and many people are still struggling to recover. WFP is committed to supporting strategies that assist people as they recover, without increasing the long-term debt burden of small island nations and derailing progress on national development goals.”

WFP first introduced insurance policy top-up agreements in Dominica in 2021. Since then, WFP has helped expand the model to Belize, Dominica and Saint Lucia, with support from the European Union, the Government of Canada and the Global Shield Financing Facility. The Canada-CARICOM Climate Adaptation has recently provided funding to include Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

“In the face of increasing climate-related challenges, it is imperative that we strengthen our collaborative efforts to build resilience within our Caribbean communities,” said Isaac Solomon, Acting President of the Caribbean Development Bank. ” Innovative insurance models supported by CCRIF SPC and WFP are an effective method to get relief those most affected in a timely manner.”

“Canada was keen to build on the work that started in 2021,” said Abebech Assefa, Head of Cooperation for the Eastern Caribbean at Canada’s International Trade – Global Affairs Canada. “The idea to connect a portion of CCRIF SPC payouts to social protection systems helps ensure that these funds reach the most vulnerable people. The recent experience with Hurricane Beryl has provided an opportunity to put the concept to the test.”

Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS) are on the frontline of climate change. The WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office was established in 2018 and has since supported governments in scaling-up climate solutions, including early warning systems, anticipatory action and insurance to protect food-insecure communities.

# # #

About WFP

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

Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media; @wfp_Caribbean

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Andesite Raises Additional $23 Million and Announces General Availability of the Bionic SOC
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Andesite AI (Andesite) today announced the General Availability of the bionic Security Operations Center (SOC), its human-AI collaboration product empowering cyber defense teams. Additionally, Andesite revealed that it secured an additional $23 million in capital as a second tranche of seed funding from General Catalyst and Red Cell Partners. The investment brings Andesite’s total funding to $38.25 million and is the result of the company’s ahead-of-schedule achievement of technology, customer acquisition, and revenue milestones.

Despite ballooning cybersecurity spending, security teams are overwhelmed. Analysts are drowning in alerts, struggling to interpret, prioritize, and act on neverending indicators while bouncing between fragmented tools and portals. SOC leaders face mounting pressure to prove ROI on ever-growing spending, while the rise of AI-powered threats leaves CISOs wondering if their teams will be able to meet the challenge.

Andesite’s bionic SOC is a breakthrough in human-AI collaboration for cybersecurity that elevates human insights and enables SOC teams to shift from reactively triaging alerts to proactively hunting threats in their networks. By connecting data silos, platforms, and tools across a SOC’s ecosystem, Andesite delivers analysts the context and visibility they need to make informed decisions, in an actionable output. This accelerates investigations and transforms security outcomes by empowering those who protect others to more effectively safeguard their organizations’ assets, people, and customers.

“At Andesite, we recognize that an organization’s competitive advantage lies in unleashing the full potential of its people,” said Andesite Co-Founder and CEO Brian Carbaugh, former Director of the CIA’s Special Activities Center. “Security analysts are irreplaceable: their intuitive pattern recognition, creative thinking, and ability to turn insights into action are crucial. Our promise to them is clear: Your expertise will be amplified. You will be focused on what matters. Your potential will be unleashed.”

Key product features include:
- Context-aware AI unifies scattered data across organizational silos, delivering actionable insights to analysts
- Evidentiary AI ensures complete visibility and auditability of machine-assisted decisions – no black boxes
- Adaptive automation streamlines workflows from threat intelligence to automated response, optimizing security operations
- Safe AI architecture gives teams confidence that sensitive data stays within predefined boundaries and isn’t used to train external AI models
- Built-in enterprise-ready compliance, aligned with SOC 2 Type 1, NIST 800-53 (High), and NIST CSF requirements, enables smooth deployment in regulated environments
“Andesite’s technology frees up analysts from toggling between tools and learning countless query languages, so they can focus on hunting down threat actors,” said Chief Product Officer William MacMillan, former CIA CISO and former Senior Vice President of Infosec at Salesforce. “Our vision for the SOC is a symbiotic relationship between human and AI that elevates analysts of every skill level. For CISOs, this means not just better outcomes faster, but the ability to buy down more risk with the team they already have.”

“The convergence of human expertise and AI in cybersecurity operations represents a critical evolution in how enterprises approach threat defense,” said Andrew Braunberg, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “Solutions that decrease the time, complexity, and cost of integrating with existing security infrastructure, and avoid lengthy implementation projects, are key to realizing better ROI and transformative security outcomes, ultimately achieving the promise of AI.”

Andesite’s innovative approach has gained traction with partners across the national security, financial services, and healthcare sectors. Andesite will use the new funding to accelerate product development and scale its go-to-market initiatives.

“Analysts have expressed frustration that existing SOC tools don’t actually make their job easier,” added Alex Thaman, Chief Technology Officer. “We bring insights, scattered across data islands and buried in unstructured PDFs and wikis, to the edge of action. Andesite keeps the human in control, but upgraded – delivering the right data they need, when they need it, in a human-actionable format.”

To learn more about Andesite and schedule a demo, visit andesite.ai.

About Andesite: Andesite is delivering sustained advantage to cyber defense teams through technology and community. We spent decades defending our nation against sophisticated adversaries and founded Andesite to build products that empower those who protect others. Visit us at andesite.ai and follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact:
press@andesite.ai

The MIL Network –
February 12, 2025

MIL-OSI Economics: IMF Executive Board Concludes the 2024 Article IV Consultation with Qatar

Source: International Monetary Fund

February 11, 2025

Washington, DC: On January 27, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation^{^[1]} with Qatar.

Executive Board Assessment^{^[2]}

It is expected that the next Article IV consultation with Qatar will be held on the standard 12-month cycle.

Qatar: Selected Macroeconomic Indicators, 2021-25
(Quota: 735.1 million SDRs, November 2024)
(Per capita income: U.S.$69,541, 2023)
(Life expectancy at birth: 81.6 years, 2022)
(Population: 3.1 million, 2023)


				Projections


	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025


Production and prices	(percent change)
Real GDP (2018 prices)	1.6	4.2	1.2	1.7	2.4
Hydrocarbon 1/	-0.3	1.7	1.4	1.4	3.0
Nonhydrocarbon	2.8	5.7	1.1	1.9	2.1
CPI inflation (average)	2.3	5.0	3.0	1.0	1.4

Public finances	(percent of GDP)
Revenue	29.6	34.7	32.8	26.2	28.7
Expenditure	29.4	24.3	27.3	25.9	26.2
Current	18.3	15.6	17.5	17.2	17.5
Capital	11.1	8.8	9.7	8.7	8.7
Central government fiscal balance	0.2	10.4	5.6	0.3	2.5

Money	(percent change)
Broad money	1.4	17.4	1.1	4.1	5.6
Credit to private sector	9.5	7.4	4.9	5.5	6.1

External sector	(percent of GDP unless otherwise noted)
Exports	58.7	68.6	60.4	58.7	60.1
Imports	34.1	31.6	33.9	33.4	35.1
Current account balance	14.6	26.8	17.1	16.6	15.5
in billions of U.S. dollars	26.3	63.1	36.5	37.0	35.2
External debt	161.4	115.5	123.2	118.1	116.8
Central Bank’s reserves	23.5	20.1	24.2	24.5	25.4
in months of next year’s imports	6.6	7.7	8.1	8.0	7.9
Exchange rate (per U.S. dollar) 2/	3.6	3.6	3.6	3.6	3.6
Real effective exchange rate (percent change) 3/	-2.6	6.5	0.2	-0.5	…


Sources: Qatari authorities; and IMF staff estimates and projections.
1/ Includes crude oil, natural gas, propane, butane, and condensates.
2/ January 6, 2025
3/ November 2024.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Angham Al Shami

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

MIL OSI Economics –

February 12, 2025

MIL-OSI Video: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a press conference at U.S. Africa Command, Feb. 11, 2025

Source: United States Department of Defense (video statements)

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a press conference at U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany Feb. 11, 2025
—————
Your military is an all-volunteer force that serves to protect our security and way of life, but Service members are more than a fighting force. They are leaders, humanitarians and your fellow Americans. Get to know more about the men and women who serve, who they are, what they do, and why they do it.

For more on the Department of Defense, visit: http://www.defense.gov
—————
Keep up with the Department of Defense on social media!

Like the DoD on Facebook: http://facebook.com/DeptofDefense
Follow the DoD on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeptofDefense
Follow the DoD on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DeptofDefense
Follow the DoD on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/DeptofDefense

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yki712VP5QI

MIL OSI Video –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, BHFO

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: BHFO of Linn County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
“BHFO is tailored for success and always in style,” said Chair Ernst. “For over 20 years, BHFO has brought passion and fashion together to deliver high-quality, designer apparel at affordable prices across Iowa and the world.”
In 2003, Jon and Stacie Sefton founded BHFO in the basement of their Cedar Rapids home. BHFO began on a single online marketplace with two suppliers but has now expanded across 18 different marketplaces with hundreds of brand partnerships. Their 240,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility in Cedar Rapids serves as the hub for their operations, allowing them to efficiently source, process, and distribute an extensive selection of clothing, shoes, and accessories to their customers worldwide. In March, BHFO will celebrate its 22nd 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 –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement from the 11th Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
English

Cymraeg

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens chaired the eleventh Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board in February 2025.
The Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 6 February 2025.

The Secretary of State for Wales and Chair of the Transition Board, Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, sought endorsement from the Board to announce £8.2 million for the South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub (SWITCH). This project will support more than 100 jobs and generate more than £87 million for the South Wales economy, supporting the Government’s Plan for Change and economic growth mission.

This is the first project to receive funding as part of the growth and regeneration projects in Port Talbot. A collaboration between Swansea University, Cardiff University and the University of South Wales, with industry and public sector partners. The Transition Board funding is in addition to the £20 million from the Swansea Bay City Deal. SWITCH will deliver research to support and join up the decarbonisation transition. The announcement of further growth and regeneration projects are due to follow.

Today’s release of money is the fourth announcement from the UK Government’s £80m Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund which, since last July, has announced £51 million to support individual steelworkers and businesses in Tata Steel’s supply chain to protect jobs and grow the local economy.

The Board also discussed mental health support, and further information on the interventions being developed to support mental health in the community will be announced at the next Transition Board meeting on 27th of March, following a mental health pilot at the Neath Port Talbot Council Support Hub in Aberafan Shopping Centre.

The Board also received updates on:

Tata Steel UK’s decarbonisation programme;

The Department of Business and Trade’s plans for a steel strategy;

The Community Union Support Hub for affected workers; and

The Transition Board funds that have already been announced, including applications received for the Supply Chain fund, and support being provided from the Employment and Skills fund.

Those in attendance included: Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales; Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning in the Welsh Government; Sarah Jones MP, Minister of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department; Cllr Steve K Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council; Frances O’Brien, CEO of Neath Port Talbot Council; Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK; Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg; David Rees, MS for Aberavon; Tom Giffard, MS for the region of South Wales West; Luke Fletcher MS for the region of South Wales West; Sarah Williams-Gardener; Anne Jessopp CBE; Katherine Bennett CBE independent members of the Board; Alun Davies, National Officer for Steel & Metals, Community Union and Jason Bartlett, Regional Officer for Unite the Union.

ENDS

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Published 11 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Fullstory Becomes First In Behavioral Data Analytics To Achieve ISO/IEC 42001 Certification

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ATLANTA, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fullstory, a leading behavioral data company, today announced that it has received ISO/IEC 42001 certification for the artificial intelligence (AI) tools built into the company’s behavioral data analytics platform. Fullstory is the first behavioral data analytics company to receive this certification, underscoring its commitment to rigorous security and privacy standards. This news comes as Fullstory is making significant strides in AI, recently launching solutions that include AI Trim, Suggested Elements, and Session Summary Notes.

“We are honored to be not only the first in our industry but also amongst some of the largest and most trusted companies in the world to receive ISO/IEC 42001 certification,” said Mark Stanislav, vice president of security engineering & governance, risk, and compliance at Fullstory. “The combination of our security program and product organization’s innovation ensures that customers will remain confident in our offerings that comply with the latest industry standards. The power of AI must be matched with responsible, early security diligence to allow exciting new solutions to meet the expectations that customers should place on their vendors.”

ISO/IEC 42001 is the world’s first international standard that specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, and maintaining an Artificial Intelligence Management System within an organization. It is designed to provide a structured framework for businesses to manage AI technologies responsibly, focusing on ethical considerations, transparency, and risk management. To achieve certification, organizations must conduct rigorous auditing and monitoring to ensure their AI systems function as intended and proactively address potential issues.

Fullstory’s certification was issued by A-LIGN, a leading provider of high-quality, efficient cybersecurity compliance programs. In addition to its newly awarded ISO 42001 certification, the company has received annual ISO 27001, ISO 27701, ISO 27017, and ISO 27018 certifications and SOC 2 attestation.

To learn more about ISO 42001, visit the blog. To view or download Fullstory’s SOC 2 report or ISO certifications, please visit the Trust Center.

About Fullstory

Fullstory is on a mission to help technology leaders make better, more informed decisions by injecting behavioral data into their analytics stack. The company’s patented technology unlocks the power of quality behavioral data at scale by transforming every digital visit into actionable data and insights. With Fullstory, enterprises can get closer to their customers’ true sentiments and intentions to predict what they want, create personalized experiences, and drive conversion, loyalty, and revenue. Fullstory is headquartered in Atlanta, USA, with regional teams across North America, EMEA, and APAC. For more information, visit www.fullstory.com.

Fullstory Media Relations
Alexandra King
Director of Communications
pr@fullstory.com

The MIL Network –

February 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Briarwood Chase Management increases holding in French AI firm Sidetrade as it accelerates in the US
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Sidetrade, the global leader in AI-powered Order-to-Cash applications, announces that Briarwood Chase Management has increased its stake in the listed company, now holding over 5% of capital since year end 2024.

Briarwood Chase Management, a prominent US-based investment firm, has surpassed the 5% ownership threshold in Sidetrade (Euronext Growth: ALBFR.PA). The decision to build its shareholding follows a comprehensive analysis of the SaaS leader’s economic model and a meeting at Sidetrade’s headquarters, solidifying the firm’s confidence in the CEO’s visionary leadership, its AI roadmap and market potential.

Robert Blatt, Managing Director of Briarwood Chase Management, said: “Our position in Sidetrade underscores our commitment to investing in exceptional businesses and management teams. Sidetrade’s strategic focus on and growth in North America, and exceptional margin potential align with our investment philosophy. In today’s economic environment, Sidetrade distinguishes itself as a robust and high-quality SaaS player, offering built-in growth, strong revenue predictability and recurring income. Furthermore, its status as a sought-after contender in a consolidating market highlights its significant medium-term potential. We are looking forward to being long-term partners to the business and management team.”

Sidetrade, recognized as a leader by top US technology research and consulting firms, is transforming the Order-to-Cash industry by simplifying the daily operations of financial leaders in large organizations to deliver immediate productivity improvements while securing and accelerating cash flow generation. This innovative approach sets new standards and redefines what’s possible in accounts receivable.

“We are very excited to have the trust of Briarwood Chase Management in our growth journey”, Olivier Novasque, CEO of Sidetrade, commented. “After two years of rapid expansion to build a critical foothold in the US, 2024 was a year of strategic consolidation, focusing on strengthening our foundations and fine-tuning our teams. With the US market showing exceptional momentum, we are reigniting investments in 2025 to seize this unparalleled opportunity and drive Sidetrade’s growth to the next level.”

The rapid rise of generative AI and the growing demand for efficiency are leading businesses to adopt cutting-edge technologies like Sidetrade’s. At the heart of Sidetrade’s innovation is Aimie, the most unique AI which – powered by the Sidetrade Data Lake – drives smart customer insights and delivers value for businesses worldwide.

Media relations @Sidetrade
Becca Parlby 00 44 7824 5055 84 bparlby@sidetrade.com

About Sidetrade (www.sidetrade.com)
Sidetrade (Euronext Growth: ALBFR.PA) provides a SaaS platform designed to revolutionize how cash flow is secured and accelerated. Leveraging its next-generation AI, nicknamed Aimie, Sidetrade analyzes $6.1 trillion worth of B2B payment transactions daily in its Cloud, thereby anticipating customer payment behavior and the attrition risk of more than 38 million buyers worldwide. Aimie recommends the best operational strategies, dematerializes and intelligently automates Order-to-Cash processes to enhance productivity, results and working capital across organizations.
Sidetrade has a global reach, with 400+ talented employees based in Europe, the United States and Canada, serving global businesses in more than 85 countries. Amongst them: Bidcorp, Biffa, Bunzl, Engie, Expedia, Inmarsat, KPMG, Lafarge, Manpower, Opentext, Page, Randstad, Saint-Gobain, Securitas, Sodexo, Tech Data, UGI, and Veolia.
Sidetrade is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact, adhering to its principles-based approach to responsible business.

For further information, visit us at www.sidetrade.com and follow @Aimie on LinkedIn.
In the event of any discrepancy between the French and English versions of this press release, only the English version is to be taken into account.

Attachment
- Briarwood Chase increases holding in French AI firm Sidetrade as it accelerates in the US
The MIL Network –
February 12, 2025

Category: Business

Identifying gaps

Heart diseases dominate

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City of London Policy Chairman visits to strengthen business links

Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of long-term plans for the integrated socio-economic development of the Khabarovsk urban agglomeration and the urban district “City of Komsomolsk-on-Amur” for the period up to 2030

Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the implementation of long-term plans for the integrated socio-economic development of the Khabarovsk urban agglomeration and the urban district “City of Komsomolsk-on-Amur” for the period up to 2030

Yuri Trutnev inspected the new modular multifunctional sports hall at School No. 9 in Khabarovsk and attended a training session for children’s sports groups in Kyokushin karate and other martial arts

Yuri Trutnev inspected the new modular multifunctional sports hall at School No. 9 in Khabarovsk and attended a training session for children’s sports groups in Kyokushin karate and other martial arts

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