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  • MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on National Native American Heritage Month,  2024

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
         During National Native American Heritage Month, we honor the history, rich cultures, and vast contributions of Native peoples.  We celebrate the hundreds of Tribal Nations that are ushering in a new era in our Nation-to-Nation relationships.  And we recommit to respecting Tribal sovereignty and self-determination and working in partnership with Tribal Nations to bring new prosperity and security to Native peoples.
         Indigenous peoples’ history in the United States is defined by strength, survival, and a deep commitment to and pride in their heritage, right to self-governance, and ways of life.  Native peoples have built and sustained powerful Tribal Nations, and the knowledge they developed still benefits us today.  However, our Nation’s failed policies of the past subjected generations of Native peoples to cruelty, violence, and intimidation.  The forced removal of Native peoples from their homes and ancestral homelands; attempts to assimilate entire generations; and stripping of Indigenous peoples of their identities, cultures, and traditions are some of the darkest chapters of our Nation’s history.  The trauma and turmoil fundamentally altered their communities.  As the first President to visit Indian Country in 10 years, I delivered a national apology for the unspeakable harms caused to Native peoples at Federal Indian Boarding Schools.
         Indigenous peoples have persisted and survived — a testament to their resilience and resolve.  Today, Native communities are leading the way forward and continuing to strengthen the fabric of the United States.  They have long served in the United States military and currently serve in the highest levels of government — including the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, America’s first Native American Cabinet secretary.  In every field and sector, Native peoples are pushing for progress and contributing to our shared prosperity.  
         Since I came into office, the Federal Government has made record investments in Tribal Nations.  Federal contracts with Native American-owned companies increased by over $8 billion from 2020 to 2023.  My American Rescue Plan made the largest direct Federal investment in Tribal Nations ever, helping vaccinate Tribal communities during the COVID-19 pandemic and keeping the economy going.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made the single biggest investment in Tribal roads, bridges, water, high-speed internet, electricity, irrigation, environmental cleanup, and so much more.  My Inflation Reduction Act made the biggest investment in fighting climate change ever — including funding to help Tribal communities lead in the just transition to clean energy and ease the impact of droughts, wildfires, and rising sea levels, which threaten Native lives and precious homelands. 
         My Administration is also working to ensure that Native communities are safe and secure and have the resources they need to thrive.  I signed an Executive Order that improves the Federal response to the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples.  When we reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act in 2022, we included historic provisions to reaffirm Tribal sovereignty and expand Tribal jurisdiction in cases where outside perpetrators harm members of their Nation.  And for the first time ever, my Administration also secured advance funding for the Indian Health Service so hospitals can plan ahead, order supplies, and hire doctors.  We have provided historic funding to Tribal communities to help fight the behavioral health crisis and taken significant steps to improve maternal health for Native American women, who are twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications as white women. 
         I have always believed that we must know the good, the bad, and the truth of who we are as a Nation — we must acknowledge our history so that we can begin to remember and heal.  That is why I became the first President to issue a formal apology for the Federal Indian Boarding School era, one of the most horrific chapters in our Nation’s history.  For 150 years, the Federal Government mandated the removal of Native children from their families and Tribes — and as a result, generations of Native children had their childhoods stolen and whole Tribal cultures were erased.  I am proud to formally end the silence surrounding this shameful era and I remain proud that my Administration defended the Indian Child Welfare Act in court, ensuring that our Nation respects Tribal sovereignty and protects Native children by helping Native families stay together and grow up with their languages and cultures.  And we are working to support Native American families and communities as they heal from the Federal Indian Boarding School era through the Department of the Interior’s Road to Healing initiative and by supporting Native language preservation and public safety initiatives.  
         My Administration has also worked with Tribal Nations to preserve, protect, and steward important ancestral Tribal lands and waters.  Through more than 200 co-stewardship and co-management agreements signed under my leadership, we are working side by side with Tribes to make decisions about how to manage the lands that are most precious to them.  And to date, I have protected and conserved more than 45 million acres of our Nation’s lands and waters.  That includes the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, vast offshore waters off California’s coast and the first sanctuary to be proposed by Indigenous communities.  I have also established, expanded, and restored 11 national monuments, many containing sites considered sacred to Tribal Nations — from Bears Ears National Monument, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Avi Kwa Ame National Monument to Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, and others.  
         During National Native American Heritage Month, we honor the heritage and contributions of Native peoples, and we work tirelessly to build a future grounded in dignity, respect, and partnership.  We remain committed to working with Native communities to write a new and better chapter in American history for Tribal Nations — one that honors the solemn promise the United States made to Tribal Nations, fulfills our Federal trust and treaty obligations, and works together to rebuild Tribal economies and institutions.  
         NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2024 as National Native American Heritage Month.  I urge all Americans, as well as their elected representatives at the Federal, State, and local levels, to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.  Also, I urge all Americans to celebrate November 29, 2024, as Native American Heritage Day.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
                                   JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER: THIS IS IT! AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCACY, ALBANY NANOTECH SELECTED AS AMERICA’S FIRST NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY CENTER – CREATED BY HIS CHIPS & SCIENCE LAW

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Schumer Lands A Whopping $825 Million Initial Federal Investment And Establishes Albany NanoTech As Fed Headquarters For Semiconductor Research; A Once In A Generation Recognition Making The Capital Region A Chip R&D Center For The Entire World

    Schumer Created NSTC Program — With Albany As His North Star — And Worked Relentlessly To Secure This Prestigious Investment, Bringing Good-Paying Jobs, New Companies, And Innovation With Most Advanced Machinery In World To Upstate NY

    Schumer: A Historic Moment. Uncle Sam Just Picked Upstate NY & The Capital Region As THE Place To Develop The Future Of America’s Chip Industry

    After years of relentless advocacy, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced Albany NanoTech has been selected as America’s first location for the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) supported by an up to $825 million federal investment from Schumer’s bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law.

    The NSTC is a critical part of Schumer’s and the Biden-Harris Administration’s mission of re-establishing America’s leadership in the semiconductor industry and will bring together industry leaders, researchers from the nation’s top universities, innovators, and entrepreneurs to help give them access to the most advanced chip making machinery in the world and drive the next frontier of innovation.

    “This is the dawn of a new day for Upstate NY and a turning point in U.S. leadership in semiconductor research. I am proud to announce America’s first major National Semiconductor Technology Center facility will be right here in Albany. This will help ensure advancements in semiconductors that will shape the next century are stamped ‘Made in America’ and not developed and made in places like China,” said Senator Schumer. “Today, Uncle Sam is saying that Albany NanoTech is THE place for developing the next frontier of America’s technological future. I wrote the NSTC in my CHIPS & Science Law with Albany NanoTech as my inspiration, and now that dream is becoming a reality. Today we help usher in America’s next era of chip research and manufacturing, with Upstate NY leading the way.”

    The Department of Commerce and Natcast, the operator of the NSTC, will invest an initial up to $825 million to further build out equipment at Albany NanoTech, to conduct cutting-edge extreme ultraviolet (EUV) research and development (R&D), and to establish an NSTC presence with offices and support services in Albany. Today’s announcement not only makes Albany NanoTech the CHIPS for America R&D flagship facility but also the headquarters for national EUV research as the country’s NSTC EUV Accelerator. EUV technology is essential to the semiconductor industry and some of the most advanced machinery in the world, in which light is used to print patterns and make chips on wafers. EUV lithography is what has allowed the breakthroughs to make this technology nanoscopic and allows for the chips that power everything from smartphones, computers, and vehicles to artificial intelligence. Albany NanoTech will soon be one of the only two public facilities in the world with the most advanced EUV technology, a High NA Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography tool, and will be the only publicly-owned High NA EUV Center in North America.

    Schumer continued, “The NSTC is a historic and new effort by the federal government to fuel the quest to make breakthroughs in chips that engineers today cannot even fathom, just as Albany NanoTech had produced before, including most recently with the development of the world’s first 2 nanometer chip. This $825 million initial federal investment will further equip Albany NanoTech and fund EUV research projects that are central to the global chip industry, ensuring the U.S. leads the world in semiconductor innovation and manufacturing, with the Capital Region and Upstate NY central to that effort.”

    Schumer explained that the state-of-the-art new EUV facility at Albany NanoTech and today’s designation and federal investment will help the United States establish dominance in advanced semiconductor research and development. The NSTC EUV Accelerator will help address gaps in American knowledge about semiconductors and provide information to stakeholders including universities, small businesses and entrepreneurs, large manufacturers, and government agencies by providing NSTC members with access to EUV technology to facilitate research and commercialization.

    The NSTC EUV Accelerator at Albany NanoTech will be a place for leaders in the semiconductor industry to conduct research and collaborate, including bringing industry leaders like Micron, IBM, GlobalFoundries, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, ASML, and more to the table to partner on next-generation R&D. Being designated the EUV accelerator will also open up opportunities for Albany NanoTech and Upstate NY to attract further federal investment and help attract more companies from around the world to Albany to conduct research, all with the potential of creating more good-paying jobs and making Upstate NY a global leader in semiconductors. The U.S. Department of Commerce and Natcast intend for the NSTC EUV Center at Albany NanoTech to be operational by 2025. 

    Schumer added, “Having the federal headquarters for EUV research that is critical to the most advanced chip development in the world will benefit every corner of NY. It will supercharge the historic investments and thousands of new, good-paying jobs the chip industry has proposed across the state, spurred by my CHIPS & Science Law. The NSTC will help complete my vision of Upstate NY’s I-90 corridor becoming America’s Semiconductor Superhighway. From our Tech Hub in Western NY and Rochester to Micron’s massive $100+ billion planned investment near Syracuse and Wolfspeed’s investment in the Mohawk Valley, to now the National Semiconductor Technology Center here in Albany.”

    The NSTC, first authorized by Schumer in 2020 and then funded by the CHIPS & Science Law, which Schumer crafted and led to passage, will bridge the gap between research and industry to bolster semiconductor research and development for the U.S. and its allies. Today, practically none of the most advanced chips – which are critical to national security and growing industries like artificial intelligence – are manufactured in the United States. The research conducted through the NSTC will help ensure the U.S. remains on the cutting-edge globally in chip R&D and bring this manufacturing back to the United States, boosting local economies by creating good-paying jobs and strengthening the country’s national security.

    The EUV Center at Albany NanoTech is the first of three planned major NSTC facilities. The U.S. Department of Commerce has not yet made announcements about the NSTC’s Administrative and Design Facility and Prototyping and NAPMP Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility. Together, these three major hubs will lead the NSTC’s core functions and help fulfill the CHIPS & Science Law’s vision of developing more American-made technology and boosting America as a global semiconductor leader. The new NSTC EUV Center at Albany NanoTech will also open the doors to millions of dollars in additional awards and research opportunities with the federal government, as well as help bring in additional industry partners to leverage the state-of-the-art facilities to develop and manufacture advanced chips.

    Schumer said, “In the past two years, the federal government has made unprecedented investments in Upstate NY because of my CHIPS & Science Law. They listened when I said this community is the most qualified in the nation to bring this industry back from overseas, the most ready to build America’s future, and the NSTC is the crown jewel that will complete this vision as the centerpiece of research in the most cutting-edge chip development.”

    “From day one of my administration, I pledged that New York State would lead the charge to bring back advanced manufacturing and R&D to the U.S., creating good jobs and opportunity in the process,” Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to the winning combination of federal CHIPS funding and New York’s determination and ingenuity, the Albany NanoTech Complex will be home to the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator, an NSTC Facility, and fuel America’s advanced manufacturing renaissance. I thank the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Commerce, Natcast, and our federal delegation for their partnership as we continue to work together to advance U.S. semiconductor leadership, safeguard our national security and create a brighter future for all.”

    “Building up America’s domestic semiconductor industry is critical to create good-paying jobs, protect our supply chains, and strengthen our national security, and I’m proud to see New York leading this effort,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Upstate New York is already a hub for cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing, research, and development, and the designation of NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex as the location of the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator will help us maintain our status as a global leader in such a vital industry. I fought hard to pass the CHIPS and Science Act, and I’m proud to see this historic legislation bring scientific innovation and economic development to the Capital Region.”

    “Today is a monumental moment for our region, for job creation, for cutting-edge research, and for our 21st century precision economy,” Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) said. “In the years since Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act, I have been relentlessly advocating alongside the many stakeholders who call NY CREATES home to leverage the shovel-ready infrastructure and advanced R&D capabilities right here at the Albany NanoTech Complex. Our region has long been poised to take the reins to steer America’s semiconductor revitalization and, thanks to the pioneering work and sound investment of New York leadership, local chip manufacturers, researchers, educational institutions, and other stakeholders, that reality is upon us. I’m thrilled to celebrate this groundbreaking announcement and remain as determined as ever to secure strong federal action that delivers for American workers, consumers, and communities.”

    NY CREATES’ President Dave Anderson said, “With a legacy spanning more than 20 years of technological achievements, NY CREATES and our industry partners have been central to establishing and growing New York’s — and the nation’s — semiconductor R&D ecosystem. This is an historic moment for New York and the semiconductor industry, and we look forward to working closely with Natcast to leverage our resources, capabilities, and know-how to bring this innovative vision to fruition. We are thrilled that the NSTC at NY CREATES will become an even greater beacon of opportunity and collaboration for our partners as we transform today’s ideas into tomorrow’s technologies. Together, we can shape the future and in doing so, bolster America’s economic and national security while cementing our position as a global leader. We are grateful to Governor Hochul, whose unwavering commitment to the industry has positioned NY CREATES to host the NSTC EUV Center, and to Majority Leader Schumer, who not only helped author and lead to passage the CHIPS & Science Act but also made the case for Albany NanoTech’s leadership of the NSTC, all of which makes today’s investment possible.”

    “Nearly 20 years ago, ASML shipped one of the world’s first EUV lithography demo tools to Albany, NY. The important role that New York has played in the industrialization of this critical technology is reflected in today’s announcement that the NSTC EUV Accelerator will be based at the Albany NanoTech Complex. The first chips made using High NA, ASML’s most advanced EUV tool, will power the technology of the future: robotics, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and beyond. As we work with partners across the industry to push technology to new limits, we applaud Senator Schumer and Governor Hochul’s clear commitment to semiconductor innovation in the U.S.,” said Christophe Fouquet, President and CEO of ASML.

    “GF applauds the decision to base the NSTC EUV Accelerator in Albany, NY. Building on years of R&D, semiconductor leadership and ecosystem partnerships, this center will stimulate innovation and work to develop the talent our industry needs to continue to grow and succeed. Congratulations to NYCREATES and thank you to Senator Schumer and Governor Hochul for their enduring leadership and commitment to strengthening both the U.S. and NY semiconductor industry,” said Dr. Thomas Caulfield, president and CEO of GlobalFoundries.

    “We are thrilled that New York State has been selected as the home of our nation’s first NSTC EUV Center. For over 20 years, IBM and our public-private partners at NY CREATES’s Albany NanoTech Complex have produced many of the technical breakthroughs that have propelled the semiconductor industry forward. Thanks to Sec. Raimondo, Gov. Hochul, Sen. Schumer, and many others, the new Center in Albany will support the United States’ mission to lead global chip innovation,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM.

    “The compelling factors for Micron in choosing New York as home to our megafab are the rich ecosystem in support of research and development, synergistic university partnerships, an exceptional talent pipeline, and strong public support, which fosters an environment to grow semiconductor R&D in the U.S.  Micron is pleased to see that the U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded the NY CREATES Albany NanoTech Center the designation of being named the NSTC’s EUV Accelerator. Thanks to the leadership of Majority Leader Schumer and Governor Hochul, we will be able to scale our memory technology leadership and advance next-generation semiconductor R&D,” said Scott DeBoer, Micron’s Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Products Officer.

    “The announcement of the National Semiconductor Technology Center here in New York State is a monumental step forward, not only for Wolfspeed but for the entire U.S. semiconductor industry. This Center will become a cornerstone of innovation, helping drive the research, development, and workforce training critical to meeting the world’s surging demand for advanced semiconductor technology. Thanks to Senator Schumer’s visionary leadership, New York State is now positioned at the forefront of this vital industry, advancing our nation’s technological independence and reinforcing its global leadership,” said Gregg Lowe, CEO of Wolfspeed.

    THIS HAS BEEN A YEARS-LONG EFFORT BY SCHUMER TO LAND THE NSTC IN THE CAPITAL REGION

    Schumer has worked for years to highlight Albany NanoTech and the Capital Region’s ability to lead the country’s semiconductor research and development efforts. In December 2020, after Schumer worked with key stakeholders across the semiconductor industry, including key partners at Albany NanoTech like IBM to develop the federal CHIPS programs, including the NSTC, he successfully authorized these programs in law as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

    In addition to directly highlighting Albany NanoTech to President Biden, Schumer has brought top government officials to the Capital Region to promote Albany NanoTech as a major hub for the NSTC. In July 2021 prior to the passage of the CHIPS & Science Law, Schumer brought Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to Albany to show that Albany is a global leader in semiconductor research and development. Schumer brought Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves to tour Albany NanoTech’s facility in January 2022 and National Economic Council Director Lael Brainard toured the facility in February 2024 after Schumer’s invitation. In 2023, Schumer additionally brought Albany Nanotech head David Anderson as his personal guest to President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union to highlight the facility and leadership.

    Schumer has also promoted Albany NanoTech while meeting with both semiconductor industry and international leaders. Schumer highlighted Albany NanoTech when pitching Micron to locate their massive $100+ billion megafab project in Upstate NY, which Micron said was a critical factor in their selection of Central NY. Schumer also secured a commitment for South Korea to partner with Albany Nanotech on research, pushed for increased collaboration on semiconductor R&D between Japan and the United States, pitched Albany NanoTech to major Japanese chip suppliers for further investment, and met with the leadership of Belgium’s imec on multiple occasions to discuss ways Albany NanoTech and imec can collaborate as the two global leading semiconductor public-private research institutions. Schumer said these international partnerships underscore the ability of Albany NanoTech’s unique and world-renowned assets to help forge deeper ties with allies and partners in building more resilient chip supply chains and encouraging R&D collaboration, a key national security priority of the CHIPS programs, including the NSTC.

    Late last year, Schumer and Governor Hochul announced a new $10 billion public-private investment at Albany Nanotech which will help install a High NA EUV lithography machine, the most advanced semiconductor equipment ever made, designed, and manufactured by ASML, at its Albany NanoTech Complex. Schumer said this helps uniquely prepare them to quickly lead the NSTC as one of only two public research institutions in the world home to the new advanced EUV tool. In September 2023, Schumer announced NY CREATES, which leads Albany NanoTech, as one of the first to tap CHIPS funding with a $40 million award through the CHIPS DoD Microelectronics Commons Program to establish a new consortium, known as the Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub. In September 2024, the consortium received an additional $30 million. Schumer also recently helped secure $4.7 million from the National Science Foundation for NY CREATES to provide workforce training associated with Albany NanoTech. These funds, made possible by a program boosted in the CHIPS & Science Law, will support the establishment of the Education Alliance for Semiconductor Experiential Learning (EASEL) program to help address the growing national demand for a skilled workforce in the semiconductor industry.

    ACROSS NEW YORK THE CHIPS & SCIENCE LAW HAS DELIVERED HISTORIC INVESTMENT & IS CREATING THOUSANDS OF GOOD-PAYING JOBS

    Thanks to Schumer’s CHIPS & Science Law, Upstate New York has seen a major revival in tech manufacturing. Micron has announced plans for a historic $100+ billion investment to build a cutting-edge memory megafab in Central New York with the support of an over $6 billion preliminary CHIPS agreement. GlobalFoundries plans to invest over $12 billion to expand and construct a second, new state-of-the-art computer chip factory in the Capital Region, with support from a $1.5 billion preliminary CHIPS agreement. Wolfspeed has opened a 200mm silicon carbide fabrication facility in the Mohawk Valley, one of the largest in the world, with a $750 million preliminary CHIPS agreement accelerating their ongoing expansion in the Mohawk Valley and boosting good-paying jobs expected to be created at the Marcy facility. TTM Technologies, a printed circuit board manufacturer, plans to invest up to $130 million to expand its facilities in Onondaga County, supported by federal investment to strengthen domestic supply chains, creating up to 400 good-paying jobs. Menlo Micro will invest $150 million to build their microchip switch manufacturing facility in Tompkins County, creating over 100 new good-paying jobs. In addition, Upstate New York is home to semiconductor supply chain companies like Corning Incorporated, which manufactures glass critical to the microchip industry at its Canton and Fairport, NY plants, and following Schumer’s advocacy, Edwards Vacuum has announced a $300+ million investment to build a dry pump manufacturing facility, made possible by a $18 million preliminary CHIPS agreement, creating 600 good-paying jobs to support the growing chip industry in Western New York. Earlier this year, Schumer also secured a major $40 million in federal funding for the federally-designated “NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub”, one of only 12 awardees nationally, to further position Upstate NY as a semiconductor center for the world.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Green’ tea and economic growth on the menu at Minister’s SUKI TEA visit

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Minister Anderson discusses UK Government’s plans for investment and growth in Northern Ireland which follows the Budget’s largest real terms settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution. 

    Minister Anderson with SUKI TEA co-founder, Oscar Wooley.

    Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Fleur Anderson MP, highlighted Northern Ireland’s crucial role in delivering the Government’s missions of kickstarting economic growth and making the UK a clean energy superpower during today’s (Thursday 31 October) visit to Lisburn-based global tea exporter SUKI TEA.

    Minister Anderson met with SUKI TEA’s co-founder, Oscar Woolley and took part in a tour of the factory and a tea tasting, enjoying blends which included SUKI TEA’s own Northern Ireland-grown tea. SUKI TEA uses fair trade products and as a result, are an ethically responsible company. 

    The Minister and Mr Woolley discussed the opportunities and challenges facing the company, including the £500k investment SUKI TEA has made in its eco-friendly headquarters, and the Government’s Industrial Strategy, “Invest 2035”. 

    Reflecting on the “Invest 2035” Industrial Strategy, which will be developed in lockstep with local and regional leaders, the Minister highlighted how it will enable innovative and enterprising companies like SUKI TEA adapt and grow in key areas to support Net Zero, regional growth and economic security and resilience. The public consultation on this strategy closes on 24 November. 

    Speaking after the visit, Minister Anderson said:

    SUKI TEA is a perfect example of the crucial role Northern Ireland businesses play in delivering this Government’s missions to kickstart economic growth and make the UK a clean energy superpower.

    Yesterday’s Budget was the biggest real terms settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution. 

    Stability is the foundation for growth, and I am wholly confident that yesterday’s Budget will provide a strong foundation for growth and stability for real change in Northern Ireland.

    This is why we are working closely and collaboratively with the Northern Ireland Executive to unlock greater investment, put more money in people’s pockets and boost opportunities and outcomes for everyone across Northern Ireland.

    Following today’s visit, Co-Founder of SUKI TEA, Oscar Woolley, said:

    SUKI TEA was delighted to welcome Minister Fleur Anderson to our new Eco Factory today, discussing the essential role SMEs play as the backbone of Northern Ireland’s economy, driving growth, innovation, and resilience across the region. 

    We also had the unique opportunity to taste SUKI’s locally grown tea, the first tea cultivated on the island of Ireland.

    Notes to editors: 

    • For further details on the implications of the Chancellor’s Budget on Northern Ireland, see here.
    • To view the open consultation on Invest 2035: the UK’s modern industrial strategy, see here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: The deposit auction of the Moscow Small Business Lending Assistance Fund will take place on 10/31/2024

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    Parameters;

    The date of the deposit auction is 10/31/2024. The placement currency is RUB. The maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) is 73,000,000.00. The placement period, days is 25. The date of depositing funds is 10/31/2024. The date of return of funds is 11/25/2024. The minimum placement interest rate, % per annum is 21.00. Terms of the conclusion, urgent or special (Urgent). The minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) is 73,000,000.00. The maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form, open or closed (Open). The basis of the Agreement is the General Agreement. Schedule (Moscow time). Applications in preliminary mode from 12:00 to 12:10. Applications in competition mode from 12:10 to 12:15. Setting the cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid before 12:25.

    Additional conditions Placement of funds with the possibility of early withdrawal of the entire deposit amount and payment of interest accrued on the deposit amount at the rate established by the deposit transaction, in the event of non-compliance of the Bank with the requirements established by clause 2.1. of the Regulation “On the procedure for selecting banks for placing funds of the Moscow Small Business Lending Assistance Fund in deposits (deposits) under the GDS” (as amended on the date of the deposit transaction), early withdrawal at the “on demand” rate, payment of interest at the end of the term, without replenishment.

    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.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://www.moex.com/n74447

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Trade and service enterprises choose SBP

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    Companies began to more actively connect payment for goods and services through the Fast Payment System (FPS) in the third quarter of 2024. In just 3 months, the number of such organizations increased by 13%. This is what they say Bank of Russia data.

    By October of this year, the number of enterprises accepting payments through the SBP exceeded 2 million. Of these, 1.7 million are SMEs. This is more than a quarter of all small companies in the country.

    The popularity of this service is also growing among citizens. 4 out of 10 people prefer to pay this way. Almost 11 million transactions per day are made for purchases, which is almost 28% of all transactions that are processed daily through the SBP.

    Preview photo: Nattakorn_Maneerat / Shutterstock / Fotodom

    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.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.kbr.ru/press/event/?id=21120

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Ksenia Yudaeva leaves the Bank of Russia on October 31 due to the decision to continue working outside of it (10/31/2024)

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    Ksenia Yudaeva, Advisor to the Chairman of the Bank of Russia, and previously First Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia and member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia, has decided to continue her career outside the Bank of Russia.

    The Chairman of the Bank of Russia Elvira Nabiullina noted:

    “Ksenia Yudaeva made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Bank of Russia as a modern institution. It was she who helped implement the inflation targeting mechanism. Together with her, we went through a series of crises. And each time, her knowledge, ability to see the whole picture, and sharpness of reaction helped formulate an accurate response to these challenges. The fact that we managed to maintain financial stability during crises is largely due to her merit.

    We owe it to a professional team of researchers on macroeconomics, finance, banking, and the climate agenda that any central bank would be proud of. All of this will continue to help us move forward.

    We wish Ksenia Valentinovna success in all her endeavors!”

    When using the material, a link to the Press Service of the Bank of Russia is required.

    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.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.kbr.ru/press/PR/?file=638659756497718291ХП.хтм

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Crown Sector 2023-24 Payee Disclosure Report Released

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on October 31, 2024

    Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) tabled its 2023-24 Payee Disclosure Report with the Standing Committee on Crown and Central Agencies today. The report lists Crown sector payments from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. 

    This report emphasizes the transparency and accountability of the Crown corporations to their shareholders, the people of Saskatchewan, and provides the public with an opportunity to gain insight into the sector’s spending.

    On behalf of the Crown sector, CIC provided $152 million in dividends in 2023-24 to Saskatchewan’s General Revenue Fund to support priorities in health care, education, highways and more. The Crowns also invested $1.9 billion in infrastructure to ensure system reliability and safety and continued quality service delivery. Meanwhile, these activities helped stimulate local economies and created jobs for families and communities. High-quality infrastructure and strong local procurement are key to the Crowns’ abilities to deliver the reliable and affordable services that Saskatchewan people have come to expect. 

    The sector continues to respond to an increased demand for social and public policy programing support by investing $20.2 million through grants, contributions, donations and sponsorships to communities, not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions and others.  

    More than 11,000 Crown employees work across Saskatchewan. In 2023-24, payments to employees totaled $1.2 billion, an eight per cent increase compared to 2022-23, due to factors including a three per cent economic increase and retroactive adjustments to salaries and benefits resulting from negotiated in-scope collective agreements. Crown executive remuneration increased three per cent, reflecting a three per cent economic increase.

    Reporting Methodology

    The report is prepared in accordance with the guidelines established by the Standing Committee on Crown and Central Agencies. The report lists detailed information for CIC and its subsidiary Crown corporations under the following categories:

    • ministerial and board member payments for expenses;
    • payments to suppliers and other payees who received more than $50,000;
    • employees who received more than $50,000 in remuneration; and
    • grants, contributions, donations and sponsorships greater than $5,000.

    The report discloses amounts paid during the April 1 – March 31 fiscal year. Amounts earned by or owing to suppliers and employees but paid in a different fiscal year are not included. Caution should be exercised when making year-over-year comparisons.

    The report is available on Crown Investment Corporation’s website at www.cicorp.sk.ca.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Health Makes Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers’ List

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn Health is among Connecticut’s preferred places to work, according to this year’s “America’s Best Employers by State” report by Forbes.

    Using survey data from more than 160,000 people who work for U.S. companies with at least 500 employees, Forbes ranks UConn Health No. 5 among the 15 employers headquartered in Connecticut who make the list.

    (Forbes/Statista)

    “We have always believed deeply in supporting our incredible workforce which is the driving force behind UConn Health’s excellence in clinical care, teaching and research,” says Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, UConn Health CEO and executive vice president for health affairs. “It is therefore extraordinarily important and gratifying for us that an objective outside source has recognized UConn Health as being a top-five place to work in Connecticut.”

    The ranking puts UConn Health right behind Yale New Haven Health and in front of Hartford HealthCare.

    A market research firm asked survey participants to give a score of zero to 10 that indicates how likely they were to recommend their employer. It also asked respondents to evaluate employers they’d worked for within the past two years, and organizations they knew within their industry or through friends or family who worked there.

    “We believe that our people make us the best place to work, and this recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, including our staff, leadership and union partners,” says Lakeesha Brown, who serves as chief human resources officer for both UConn and UConn Health. “Thank you to everyone for making our workplace exceptional — together, we will continue to strive for excellence and innovation.”

    Forbes notes that companies pay no fee to participate or be selected in the rankings.

    This is the first time UConn Health has made Forbes’ “America’s Best Employers by State” list.

    UConn Health has a workforce of more than 5,600 permanent employees working at 11 sites throughout Connecticut. Based in Farmington, its off-campus locations include West Hartford, East Hartford, Canton, Simsbury, Avon, Southington, Storrs, Willimantic, Putnam, and Torrington. Prospective employees can learn more on UConn Health’s job seekers page.

    UConn, including Storrs and the campuses beside UConn Health, also placed, ranking 12th among employers headquartered in Connecticut.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Ferguson, bipartisan coalition win $49 million and counting over generic drugs price-fixing conspiracy

    Source: Washington State News

    AGs assert it was one of the most damaging price-fixing schemes in U.S. history

    OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today he and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general have won more than $49 million so far in their case against major drug manufacturers that conspired to illegally raise prices on hundreds of generic drugs. The conspiracy caused consumers to pay more than 10 times as much for some drugs, ranging from antibiotic ointment to cancer treatments.

    As a result of the multistate litigation, Apotex will pay $39.1 million and Heritage Pharmaceuticals will pay $10 million, make significant reforms and cooperate with the case against the remaining companies. Washington’s share of these and future resolutions will be determined when the litigation is resolved against all of the companies. Washingtonians who bought generic drugs during the conspiracy are eligible to get the amount they overpaid returned to them through a claims process. What individuals will receive will be determined once all the cases are complete.

    “These companies conspired to line their pockets at the expense of Washingtonians,” Ferguson said. “Their conspiracy made it harder for people to afford medications they rely on for their health, and even their life. I will hold them accountable.”

    Lawsuits in the U.S. District Court of the District of Connecticut remain active against 30 other corporations — including some of the nation’s largest generic drug manufacturers — as well as 25 company executives for violations of federal and state antitrust laws, including the Washington Consumer Protection Act. The attorneys general assert the conspiracy was one of the most egregious and damaging illegal price-fixing schemes in U.S. history.

    Company executives and their sales representatives used code words to meet privately and plan how to artificially raise the prices on generic drugs to increase their profits. Some female sales representatives, for instance, would agree to meet at a “girls’ night out,” then plan how to collectively and artificially raise prices on generic drugs. Many of the companies raised prices by well over 1,000 percent at the height of the conspiracy. Company executives later destroyed text messages and documents after hearing about subpoenas from the investigation.

    If you purchased generic prescription drugs between 2010 and 2018, you may be eligible for restitution from this resolution or future resolutions. To determine your eligibility, visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com, call 1-866-290-0182, or email info@AGGenericDrugs.com.

    Bipartisan coalition of AGs takes on the generic drug industry

    The attorneys general partnered on three lawsuits against generic drug manufacturers. One case focuses on Heritage Pharmaceuticals’ involvement with 17 other companies to fix the prices of 15 drugs. Another case focuses on 20 companies that fixed prices on more than 100 drugs. A third lawsuit involves 26 companies fixing the prices on 80 topical generic drugs used for dermatology. Each lawsuit addresses a different set of drugs and defendants.

    The companies agreed to drive up the prices of over a hundred common drugs, from everyday antibiotics such as amoxicillin and penicillin to antidepressants, contraceptives, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statins, ace inhibitors, beta blockers and more. These drugs are used to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, HIV, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, high blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol, acid reflux and more. A list of the drugs affected by the scheme is available here.

    When a branded drug manufacturer loses exclusive patent rights to a drug, generic drugs can enter the market at a lower cost. While some price increases are normal, prices of hundreds of generic drugs skyrocketed over the course of the conspiracy. Generic drug manufacturers argued publicly that the increases were due to legitimate factors such as industry consolidation, federally mandated plant closures or elimination of unprofitable generic drug product lines.

    Privately, however, the companies coordinated their prices at regular industry dinners, lunches, parties, golf outings, frequent telephone calls, emails and text messages. Throughout these communications, the conspirators used terms like “fair share,” “playing nice in the sandbox,” and “responsible competitor” to describe how they unlawfully discouraged competition, raised prices and enforced an ingrained culture of collusion within the industry. In addition to female sales representatives’ “girls’ night out,” male executives and employees often met under the guise of an “industry dinner.”

    The conspirators usually chose to communicate in person or by phone to avoid creating a written record of their illegal conduct. When communications were written, the companies often took calculated steps to destroy evidence of those communications.

    The states’ lawsuits seek restitution for consumers, damages for state agencies, maximum civil penalties and a court order to stop the illegal conduct and restore competition to the generic drug market.

    Antitrust Assistant Attorneys General Paula Pera, Holly Williams and Travis Kennedy, Litigation Support and Administrative Manager Kimberly Hitchcock, and paralegals Michelle Oliver and Tracy Jacoby are handling the case.

    The Antitrust Division investigates complaints about potential anti-competitive activity. For information about filing a complaint, visit https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/AntitrustComplaint.aspx.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rockledge Man Pleads Guilty To COVID-19 Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Robert William Burns, III (44, Rockledge) has pleaded guilty to COVID-19-related wire fraud. Burns faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, in 2021, Burns applied for three Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans to support two of his businesses – RB3 Ventures LLC and The Social Wizards. In all three applications, Burns made false statements to obtain the loans. In one instance, he inflated his company’s income to obtain a larger payout and supported the application with false or fictitious tax documents. In total, Burns fraudulently obtained $57,186 in PPP funds. Burns then spent all the funds on non-business purposes.

    As part of his plea agreement, Burns has agreed to forfeit $57,186 and make full restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

    This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: BBAChain Pre-Seed Round Closes as Demand Surges, Seed Round Now Open

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TALLINN, Estonia, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  BBAChain is celebrating important achievements. With the project’s Pre-Seed Round completed and all BSP (BBAChain Revenue Sharing Program) packages sold out, BBAChain is positioning itself for a successful bull run.

    The Pre-Seed Round saw strong support from early backers, contributing to the success of BBAChain’s roadmap and creating a solid foundation for what’s coming. The BSP program, designed to share revenue with early participants, reached full capacity, signaling high investor interest and confidence in BBAChain’s future.

    The recent BBAChain halving event marked an important milestone for the project and a strong advantage against other blockchains, reducing BBA supply and potentially increasing the value of the coin as scarcity grows. The timing of the halving aligns with the first anniversary of BBAChain’s Mainnet, following the roadmap of the project and showing the ongoing commitment of the company to delivering on its promises.

    Now that BBAChain is launching its Seed Round, the project hopes to expand further and create partnerships that will help it achieve more. According to the roadmap, the company plans to list BBA Coin on exchanges before the end of 2024, as well as develop various aspects of the BBAChain ecosystem, such as BTI Exchange and BTI Swap.

    BBAChain’s Seed Round of financing has officially started, welcoming not only VCs, angel investors, accelerators, and incubators, but also retail investors and anyone who wants to be part of the next cryptocurrency generation.

    What is BBAChain?
    BBAChain is a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain aiming to reshape different areas of society. With the ability to process more than 100,000 transactions per second for less than a few cents, BBAChain offers speed and scalability. Beyond technical efficiency, BBAChain is building a native ecosystem that includes a decentralized exchange, centralized exchange, crypto academy, NFT marketplace, euro-pegged stablecoin, pay adapter, and a multi-chain wallet. What truly sets BBAChain apart is its ambition to bring national elections onto the blockchain through its Decentralized Democracy initiative, ensuring transparent and secure voting processes. An initiative that has multiple applications not only in the public sector but also in the private one too. With a powerful referral program incentivizing growth, strategic partnerships, and the upcoming listing of the BBA Coin, BBAChain positions itself as a unique opportunity in the evolving crypto space.

    Contact
    Name: Christian Trejo, CSO
    Email: contact@bbachain.com
    Website: https://bbachain.com

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

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/217e3ce1-9442-4786-97dc-736bd3fd2743

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Here and abroad, health-care workers bear witness to the world’s worst atrocities

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Suzanne Shoush, Indigenous Health Faculty Lead, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

    As a physician, I remember the first time I saw a child dying.

    She was in the pediatric intensive care unit, flown in from a remote First Nations community with her family on the way. Intubated and sedated to cope with the blisters covering her little body, she’d had three of her four limbs amputated — the result of a horrific meningococcal infection.

    I remember standing rooted to the ground, unable to walk away from her bedside, wanting more than anything to undo her suffering. This was long before I became involved in academic medicine as Indigenous Health Faculty lead for the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, yet it profoundly shaped my understanding of suffering and the fragility of life.

    I was a medical student without a magic cure, but I needed to stay close to her simply so she wouldn’t be alone. I remember everything about those moments, from the rhythm of her breath to the stillness of her body.

    Around the world, health-care workers are trained to be observers and meticulously examine those before us, monitoring life and death with intense attention. We witness with a required objectivity, documenting and responding with specificity. We encounter incredibly difficult moments, but the ones involving children are particularly engraved in our minds.

    The horrific situation in Gaza

    I have been considering what health-care workers are experiencing in Gaza, “the world’s most dangerous place to be a child,” according to UNICEF.

    Every single day, they bear witness to a reality that the New York Times has deemed “too horrific for publication” as it declines to print images of dozens of children with gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest.

    These images came from health-care providers, documenting the time they spent in Gaza to provide desperately needed medical care in a place where nearly half the population is children.

    They’re fighting daily to stem the tsunami of death that has often been referred to as the world’s first live-streamed genocide. With unimaginable determination and exhaustion, they are treating tens of thousands of children, some who have been mortally wounded and maimed due to indiscriminate bombing and sniping. These young people have been starved and terrorized by what the United Nations has called a war on children.

    This crisis also constitutes a war on health care as hospitals in Gaza have been attacked, besieged, burned or decimated. Hundreds of Palestinian health-care workers in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank have been killed and countless more have been injured or abducted. Human Rights Watch says some have been subjected to torture.

    Burning alive

    A UN inquiry recently accused Israel of systematically destroying Gaza’s health-care system, amounting to a “crime of extermination.”

    A distressing video captured the agonizing moment as a patient, still tethered to his IV, was seen burning alive in his hospital bed, sparking global outrage.

    Hours after it went viral, Israel banned several Canadian and American medical aid organizations from entering Gaza to provide critical emergency support — crippling the ability of health-care workers to not only support their Palestinian colleagues in providing life-saving care, but also to document what is happening in Gaza.

    Because foreign journalists are barred from entering Gaza and Palestinian journalists have been targeted and killed at an unprecedented rate, much of what the public knows about Gaza is coming from health-care teams.

    Over the past year, health-care professionals have had to learn new terminology to describe what is happening in Palestine: scholasticide, sophicide, domicide and ecocide.

    Parallels in Turtle Island

    The plight in Gaza resonates with the historical experiences of the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island. As an intergenerational survivor of the Indian Residential School System, I am acutely aware of the power dynamics inherent in silence and the systemic erasure that often accompanies genocide.

    Canada recently observed the fourth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time when the nation grapples with the ongoing impact of atrocities committed against Indigenous peoples.

    My work focuses on examining and understanding health practices and structures to better understand how to create anti-racist and anti-oppressive spaces for colleagues, learners and patients within our health-care systems, including how to engage Indigenous communities to propose and shape strategies.

    Polish jurist Raphael Lemkin coined the term “genocide,” identifying the techniques employed during genocide in eight areas: political, social, cultural, economic, biological, physical, religious and moral. Such systemic and immense violence is foundational to settler colonialism, and children bear the harshest brunt of the requisite dehumanization.

    Many of the atrocities against Indigenous people in Canada were carried out against Indigenous children, legitimized and legalized under the Indian Act — the blueprint for racial oppression within a democracy — and further enabled and enforced through secrecy, segregation and silence.

    Notable among the historical witnesses to these atrocities was Dr. Peter Bryce, a physician who documented the shocking mortality rates and abuses experienced by Indigenous children within the residential school system.

    A CBC report on Peter Bryce, a whistleblower on residential schools. (CBC News)

    As chief medical officer for the Department of Interior and Indian Affairs, Bryce went public with his findings.

    He was subsequently ostracized from the government and medical community and forced to retire. Defiantly, he went on to publish his findings in a report titled “The Story of A National Crime” in 1922.

    One hundred years later, his report remains a critical document for understanding the acts of genocide inflicted upon Indigenous Peoples.



    Read more:
    Residential school system recognized as genocide in Canada’s House of Commons: A harbinger of change

    Listening to health-care workers

    Bryce’s outspokenness shows that the voices of health-care workers are vital because we possess unique insights into the humanitarian crisis that unfolds in regions of conflict.

    They have a direct impact in areas of conflict due to their ability to provide care — and bear witness. What health-care workers are experiencing in Gaza is becoming incompatible with human life.

    Meaningful change will only emerge through an end to military aid, arms transfers and diplomatic cover for Israel, especially given it faces serious allegations from two international courts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    An immediate ceasefire and the lifting of the illegal blockade of Gaza are essential to enable health-care teams to provide critical life-saving care and to bear witness to the ongoing suffering.

    For me, personally, I carry the legacy of my ancestors as they watch down on me. Their survival of the horrors of the residential school system compel me — as a health-care professional — to break the silence around those suffering in Gaza.

    Suzanne Shoush 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. Here and abroad, health-care workers bear witness to the world’s worst atrocities – https://theconversation.com/here-and-abroad-health-care-workers-bear-witness-to-the-worlds-worst-atrocities-242076

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Export Finance support for export of air defence systems to Poland

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK government supports the export of air defence systems and associated goods and services (the ‘NAREW Programme’) by UK defence and Polish companies MBDA UK Limited and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa.

    Documents

    Letter from UK Export Finance to Secretary of State for Business & Trade on NAREW air defence programme, 2024

    PDF, 123 KB, 2 pages

    Letter from Secretary of State for Business & Trade to UK Export Finance on NAREW air defence programme, 2024

    PDF, 112 KB, 1 page

    Letter from UK Export Finance to Secretary of State for Business & Trade on NAREW air defence programme, 2024

    HTML

    Letter from Secretary of State for Business & Trade to UK Export Finance on NAREW air defence programme, 2024

    HTML

    Details

    The first letter is from the UK Export Finance (UKEF) Chief Executive and Accounting Officer to the DBT Secretary of State. It requests ministerial direction on UKEF financing support associated with the NAREW air defence programme in Poland, in which MBDA UK Limited is a key supplier. The reasons for the request are set out in this letter.

    The second letter is from the DBT Secretary of State to the UKEF Chief Executive and Accounting Officer. It confirms the ministerial direction on UKEF financing support associated with the NAREW air defence programme in Poland.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leading expert appointed to turbocharge Euston housebuilding

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Regeneration expert Bek Seeley will chair the government’s Euston Housing Delivery Group.

    • Yesterday’s Budget confirmed Bek Seeley will chair government’s Euston Housing Deliver Group to deliver ambitious Euston regeneration.
    • Work begins immediately to support delivery of thousands of new homes and drive growth at the heart of the capital.
    • Appointment supports government’s plan to deliver biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation.

    A leading regeneration expert has been appointed as the Chair of a flagship government programme to drive growth and build thousands of new homes, in the heart of central London.  

    Yesterday’s Budget announced Bek Seeley, who has overseen major projects in London, Birmingham and Manchester, to chair the Euston Housing Delivery Group – which will drive forward an ambitious housing and regeneration initiative for the local area.

    The scheme will also include supporting a thriving life sciences district which will bolster the area’s existing Knowledge Quarter which works on important scientific discoveries and technological advances.  

    The Delivery Group will be made up of industry experts in urban design, landscape architecture, affordable housing delivery and financing large-scale projects. Their core focus is to unlock more investment in Euston and drive economic growth across the capital.   

    Working closely with the local community in Euston, Camden Council, the Mayor of London and ministers, the Group will help the area become one of Europe’s leading hubs for life sciences and innovation and set out wider ambitions to tackle the capital’s housing crisis with a new era of affordable homes.   

    Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook said: 

    “The appointment of Bek Seeley as the Chair of the Euston Housing Delivery Group is an important milestone on the journey toward regenerating this historic London neighbourhood and supporting economic growth across the country.

    “The Government will continue to work with the London Borough of Camden, the Mayor of London, and local partners and communities to accelerate the delivery of significant numbers of new homes and an expanded Knowledge Quarter alongside a much-improved Euston Station”.

    The announcement comes as it was also confirmed HS2 trains will run to Euston, with funding provided for tunnelling to the central London terminus, catalysing private investment into the station and local area.

    The Delivery Group’s work begins immediately in Euston. A housing site under-construction in Somers Town was recently visited by the Housing Minister to see first-hand the progress being made to transform the area and deliver a new economic hub where people want to live and work.  
      
    Chair of the Euston Housing Delivery Group, Bek Seeley said:   

    “I’m hugely excited to be asked to chair the EHDG as we set about the task of delivering thousands of new homes to benefit the existing community and to also underpin growth in one of the world’s leading knowledge and life science districts.   

    “My ambition is that Euston provides safe and welcoming homes, ensuring that every resident feels secure and valued and that Euston is also a place that the UK is proud of on the world stage, driving our broader economy forwards.” 

    Leader of Camden Council, Cllr Richard Olszewski said:   

    “This commitment to deliver new and affordable homes in Euston, together with the local community, is a much-needed step forward to get Euston on track towards a better future. 
     
    “Not only have many families in Euston felt the impacts of the housing crisis, but they have lived through years of uncertainty and upheaval. They rightly deserve hope for the future and a Euston that delivers for them with job opportunities, affordable homes, new open spaces, and community facilities.   
     
    “At Euston, we also have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to achieve this alongside a rapid expansion of London’s Knowledge Quarter, transforming it into a tech and science powerhouse that generates investment and opportunity for the entire country. We look forward to working in partnership with the Housing Delivery Group, Government, and our residents to turn this opportunity into a reality.”  

    The government and the Mayor will be working hand-in-hand to ensure that London plays its part to deliver record levels of housebuilding and support ambitions for 1.5 million homes over this Parliament.   

    This includes working together on all possible steps to deliver the homes that London needs – and to meet the updated housing target for the capital that is more than double the delivery of recent years.   

    Deputy Mayor of London for Planning and Regeneration, Jules Pipe said:

    “I am looking forward to working with Bek and the Euston Housing Delivery Group to ensure that we maximise Euston’s contribution to housing alongside delivering a world-class transport hub and supporting the development and growth of the Knowledge Quarter.

    “The Mayor is committed to doing all he can to accelerate the pace of housing delivery in London. The unlocking of major sites such as Euston, which has been on hold for far too long has a vital part to play in delivering the growth we need. Leveraging the link between transport investment and housing, here and in other locations such as Thamesmead, will enable the delivery of new homes and jobs as part of building a fairer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone.”

    Alongside the Delivery Group, the New Homes Accelerator will see work across government and with the Mayor and boroughs to fast-track large sites in London to unlock more homes and offer direct support to speed up delivery.   

    A new housing package was also announced yesterday including £500 million in new funding for the Affordable Homes Programme – the biggest annual budget for affordable housing in over a decade which will support government efforts to deliver thousands of new homes in London and across the country.

    Further information

    In Spring, the previous government and London Borough of Camden announced the establishment of the Euston Housing Delivery Group, tasked with assessing the scale of housing opportunities in the Euston area.   

    Bek Seeley was previously the European Managing Director for Development at Lendlease, which is a multinational construction and real estate company. She also holds several senior advisory roles in regeneration and affordable housing delivery. Bek is responsible for leading major housing projects across London, Manchester and Birmingham.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: IMF Annual Meeting 2024

    Source: Central Bank of Iceland

    Ásgeir Jónsson, Governor of the Central Bank of Iceland, and Tómas Brynjólfsson, Deputy Governor for Financial Stability, participated along with other representatives from the Central Bank of Iceland in the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund held in Washington DC on October 21-26, 2024.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Peter Dutton’s reshuffle: David Coleman the surprise choice as shadow foreign minister

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

    Peter Dutton has chosen a dark horse in naming David Coleman for the key shadow foreign affairs portfolio, in a reshuffle that also seeks to boost the opposition’s credentials with women.

    Coleman has been communications spokesman. He led the opposition’s campaign for an age limit on young people’s access to social media – a policy that was later adopted by the government and now has been legislated by the parliament.

    He is one of the opposition’s small band of moderates although not seen as a factional player.

    Coleman, who holds the Sydney marginal seat of Banks, has done extensive work with Middle East communities and the Chinese community. He is a former minister for immigration, citizenship, migrant services and multicultural affairs.

    The foreign affairs job, previously held by Simon Birmingham, who is departing parliament, was keenly sought by a number of frontbenchers. One of the aspirants was deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley, whose position entitles her to choose her portfolio, at least in theory.

    Dutton has also brought Julian Leeser back onto the frontbench, as shadow assistant minister for foreign affairs. Leeser quit the shadow ministry to fight for the yes case in the 2023 Voice referendum.

    While his return will be welcomed by many on merit grounds, it also reflects the high profile that Leeser, who is Jewish, has taken in demanding more action against the wave of antiseminism in Australia. Announcing his reshuffle on Saturday, Dutton described Leeser as “a powerhouse of support for Australia’s Jewish community”.

    The new shadow cabinet has 11 women, the same number as in the Albanese cabinet.

    Melissa McIntosh, from NSW, has been promoted to the shadow cabinet and takes Coleman’s previous job of communications. She stays shadow minister for Western Sydney.

    Claire Chandler, from Tasmania and the right, is promoted to shadow cabinet as shadow minister for government services and the digital economy and shadow minister science and the arts. Chandler was in the headlines before the last election for her campaigning against trans women’s access to female sports.

    The high profile Jacinta Price receives a promotion. In shades of Elon Musk’s role in the United States, in addition to her current responsibility as shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, she has been given a new role as shadow minister for government efficiency.

    Tony Pasin, from South Australia and the right faction, joins the shadow ministry as spokesman on roads and road safety. The government is emphasising its roads program in its campaigning, this month announcing $7.2 billion to upgrade the Bruce Highway.

    Matt O’Sullivan, a senator from Western Australia, joins the outer shadow ministry as shadow assistant minister for education.

    Ted O’Brien adds energy affordability and reliability to his key role as the opposition’s energy spokesman, in which he is prosecuting the nuclear debate. It has been speculated that the government is likely to do more to give people relief on their power bills.

    Kerrynne Liddle adds Indigenous health services to her responsibilities as shadow minister for child protection and the prevention of family violence.

    Victorian senator James Paterson, who as home affairs spokesman has been regarded as one of the opposition’s best performers, joins the Coalition leadership group.

    Michael Sukkar becomes manager of opposition business in the House of Representatives, the position that has been held by Paul Fletcher, who is retiring at the election.

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

    – ref. Peter Dutton’s reshuffle: David Coleman the surprise choice as shadow foreign minister – https://theconversation.com/peter-duttons-reshuffle-david-coleman-the-surprise-choice-as-shadow-foreign-minister-248303

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the UNRWA legislation

    Source: Council of the European Union

    The European Union expresses its deep concern over Israeli-adopted legislation affecting UNRWA’s operations in the West Bank, emphasizing the agency’s critical role in providing humanitarian services and reaffirming its commitment to support UNRWA’s mandate as essential until a sustainable solution to the conflict is achieved.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: International Petroleum Corporation Announces Results of Normal Course Issuer Bid and Updated Share Capital

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    International Petroleum Corporation (IPC or the Corporation) (TSX, Nasdaq Stockholm: IPCO) is pleased to announce that IPC repurchased a total of 66,800 IPC common shares (ISIN: CA46016U1084) during the period of October 28 to 31, 2024 under IPC’s normal course issuer bid / share repurchase program (NCIB).

    IPC’s NCIB, announced on December 1, 2023, is being implemented in accordance with the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (MAR) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2016/1052 (Safe Harbour Regulation) and the applicable rules and policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and Nasdaq Stockholm and applicable Canadian and Swedish securities laws.

    During the period of October 28 to 31, 2024, IPC repurchased a total of 52,500 IPC common shares on Nasdaq Stockholm. All of these share repurchases were carried out by Pareto Securities AB on behalf of IPC.

    For more information regarding transactions under the NCIB in Sweden, including aggregated volume, weighted average price per share and total transaction value for each trading day during the period of October 28 to 31, 2024, see the following link to Nasdaq Stockholm’s website:

    www.nasdaqomx.com/transactions/markets/nordic/corporate-actions/stockholm/repurchases-of-own-shares

    A detailed breakdown of the transactions conducted on Nasdaq Stockholm during the period of October 28 to 31, 2024 according to article 5.3 of MAR and article 2.3 of the Safe Harbour Regulation is available with this press release on IPC’s website: www.international-petroleum.com/news-and-media/press-releases.

    During the same period, IPC purchased a total of 14,300 IPC common shares on the TSX. All of these share repurchases were carried out by ATB Capital Markets Inc. on behalf of IPC.

    All common shares repurchased by IPC under the NCIB will be cancelled. During October 2024, IPC cancelled 506,400 common shares repurchased under the NCIB. As at October 31, 2024, the total number of issued and outstanding IPC common shares is 120,244,638 with voting rights and IPC holds 44,400 common shares in treasury.

    Since December 5, 2023 up to and including October 31, 2024, a total of 8,024,582 IPC common shares have been repurchased under the NCIB through the facilities of the TSX and Nasdaq Stockholm. A maximum of 8,342,119 IPC common shares may be repurchased over the period of twelve months commencing December 5, 2023 and ending December 4, 2024, or until such earlier date as the NCIB is completed or terminated by IPC.

    International Petroleum Corp. (IPC) is an international oil and gas exploration and production company with a high quality portfolio of assets located in Canada, Malaysia and France, providing a solid foundation for organic and inorganic growth. IPC is a member of the Lundin Group of Companies. IPC is incorporated in Canada and IPC’s shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange under the symbol “IPCO”.

    For further information, please contact:

    Rebecca Gordon
    SVP Corporate Planning and Investor Relations
    rebecca.gordon@international-petroleum.com
    Tel: +41 22 595 10 50    		   Robert Eriksson
    Media Manager
    reriksson@rive6.ch
    Tel: +46 701 11 26 15

    This information is information that International Petroleum Corporation is required to make public pursuant to the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information
    was submitted for publication, through the contact persons set out above, at 17:30 CET on October 31, 2024.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains statements and information which constitute “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of applicable securities legislation). Such statements and information (together, “forward-looking statements”) relate to future events, including the Corporation’s future performance, business prospects or opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, unless otherwise indicated. IPC does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.

    All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, forecasts, guidance, budgets, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as “seek”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “continue”, “estimate”, “expect”, “may”, “will”, “project”, “forecast”, “predict”, “potential”, “targeting”, “intend”, “could”, “might”, “should”, “believe”, “budget” and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the ability and willingness of IPC to continue the NCIB, including the number of common shares to be acquired and cancelled and the timing of such purchases and cancellations; and the return of value to IPC’s shareholders as a result of any common share repurchases.

    The forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by IPC, including expectations and assumptions concerning: prevailing commodity prices and currency exchange rates; applicable royalty rates and tax laws; interest rates; future well production rates and reserve and contingent resource volumes; operating costs; our ability to maintain our existing credit ratings; our ability to achieve our performance targets; the timing of receipt of regulatory approvals; the performance of existing wells; the success obtained in drilling new wells; anticipated timing and results of capital expenditures; the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities; the timing, location and extent of future drilling operations; the successful completion of acquisitions and dispositions and that we will be able to implement our standards, controls, procedures and policies in respect of any acquisitions and realize the expected synergies on the anticipated timeline or at all; the benefits of acquisitions; the state of the economy and the exploration and production business in the jurisdictions in which IPC operates and globally; the availability and cost of financing, labour and services; our intention to complete share repurchases under our normal course issuer bid program, including the funding of such share repurchases, existing and future market conditions, including with respect to the price of our common shares, and compliance with respect to applicable limitations under securities laws and regulations and stock exchange policies; and the ability to market crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids successfully.

    Although IPC believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because IPC can give no assurances that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to: general global economic, market and business conditions; the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in development, exploration and production; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to reserves, resources, production, revenues, costs and expenses; health, safety and environmental risks; commodity price fluctuations; interest rate and exchange rate fluctuations; marketing and transportation; loss of markets; environmental and climate-related risks; competition; innovation and cybersecurity risks related to our systems, including our costs of addressing or mitigating such risks; the ability to attract, engage and retain skilled employees; incorrect assessment of the value of acquisitions; failure to complete or realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions or dispositions; the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; failure to obtain required regulatory and other approvals; geopolitical conflicts, including the war between Ukraine and Russia and the conflict in the Middle East, and their potential impact on, among other things, global market conditions; and changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws, royalties and environmental regulations. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

    Additional information on these and other factors that could affect IPC, or its operations or financial results, are included in IPC’s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2023 (See “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information”, “Risks Factors” and “Reserves and Resources Advisory” therein), in the management’s discussion and analysis (MD&A) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 (See “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information”, “Risks Factors” and “Reserves and Resources Advisory” therein) and other reports on file with applicable securities regulatory authorities, including previous financial reports, management’s discussion and analysis and material change reports, which may be accessed through the SEDAR+ website (www.sedarplus.ca) or IPC’s website (www.international-petroleum.com).

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: IOTA Software Inc. Announces $10.4 Million Series A2 Funding Led by Altira Group

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IOTA Software Inc., a leading developer of industrial and business data visualization software, announced today that it has secured $10.4 million in Series A2 funding led by the Altira Group with participation from Oxy Technology Ventures and existing investors, including Aramco Ventures and Second Avenue Partners. J.P. Bauman, Partner at Altira Group, will join IOTA’s Board of Directors.

    IOTA’s visualization software is an enterprise-scale, cloud-native platform that provides easy and immediate access to all sources of critical and dynamic business and process information. IOTA empowers executives, production managers, and operators with a visual and unified environment, supporting them with the insights essential for performance optimization and data-driven decision-making.

    This new investment will be used to expand IOTA’s engineering, product, and customer success teams and enhance its technology infrastructure and marketing efforts. This will enable IOTA to further develop its innovative technology, expand its global reach, and continue its rapid growth trajectory. With this latest funding, IOTA is well-positioned to solidify its status in data visualization as the premier situational awareness platform supporting digital transformation throughout the process industries.

    “We are thrilled to secure this funding, which enables us to accelerate our growth and technology development,” said Ivan Datskov, CEO of IOTA Software. “Our platform already helps businesses across a wide range of industries make more informed decisions, and we are excited about the opportunity to positively impact even more organizations.”

    “IOTA Software gives industrial enterprise customers the ability to easily bring together typically siloed critical business and operations data in control rooms and remote operating centers in a single pane of glass to improve asset performance,” commented J.P. Bauman. “On behalf of our seven industry-leading oil & gas company partners, Altira is excited to lead this effort in supporting IOTA as they continue to drive customer success.”

    “We are proud to be both partners and customers of IOTA Software,” said Trey Lowe, Chief Technology Officer at Devon Energy. “Their new software, VUE, is revolutionizing the way we view and interact with our production data. The intuitive interface and analytics capabilities will enhance decision-making across each of our operating areas.”

    About Altira Group

    Altira Group, a Denver-based venture capital firm, has funded advanced technology solutions across the energy and industrial value-chain for the past 27 years. Working with its Fund VII oil & gas industry limited partners, Altira enables the next generation of technologies, driving innovation across digital, industrial automation, and core oil & gas operations, including subsurface, development, production, and refining. Beyond capital, Altira’s unique approach offers entrepreneurs customer access, validation, and collaboration through their strategic partnerships with leading oil & gas companies, and experienced, hands-on investor partners skilled in business building. This unique Altira advantage means more direct customer interaction, compressed adoption cycles, and stronger investment outcomes. For further information, please visit www.altiragroup.com.

    About IOTA Software Inc.

    IOTA Software is a leading provider of data visualization that connects people, assets, and manufacturing processes. The company’s scalable platform offers easy access to critical process data, insights for performance optimization, and supports data-driven decision-making. Serving as a central hub to drive both daily and long-term outcomes, the IOTA platform delivers situational awareness capabilities that appeal to a wide range of users across the pharmaceutical, energy, chemical, utility, green energy, and other industries. For more information, visit iotasoft.com.

    Media Contact:
    T.J. Rulapaugh
    Vice President, Product Design
    trulapaugh@iotasoft.com
    (650) 862-5393

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ff04b14b-2c37-48dc-8f6a-8d04649584bb

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Monster League Studios Announces Upcoming $MOKA Token Sale for Mokens League Platform, Powering the Next-Gen Web3 Gaming Ecosystem

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BARCELONA, Spain, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monster League Studios, the visionary company behind the Mokens League gaming platform, is thrilled to announce the upcoming public sale of its highly anticipated utility token, $MOKA. Designed to fuel an ecosystem of interconnected games and experiences, $MOKA will serve as the backbone for in-game transactions, rewards, and player engagement across the Mokens League universe.

    Scheduled to go live on [31.10.2024], the $MOKA token sale represents a key milestone in Monster League Studios’ mission to redefine gaming through blockchain technology. With Mokens League, the company is creating a universe of games where players can seamlessly interact and carry their assets across different game experiences. Beginning with its flagship soccer game, the platform will soon expand to titles such as Padel, Tennis, Racing, and more, broadening the reach and utility of $MOKA.

    Mokens League Soccer is the first game that allows players to compete in team-based or individual matches. It features multiple gameplay modes, with match length and rules varying by mode. Players need 1–6 NFTs to participate, which act as in-game characters. The game has already reached over 50,000 active users. Mokens League Soccer is available on PC, App Store, and Google Play.

    “At Mokens League, we believe in building more than just individual games—we’re creating a full gaming universe,” said Martin Repetto, CEO of Monster League Studios. “The launch of $MOKA will empower our players and community by giving them real value and utility across all our games, allowing them to participate in our Win-to-Earn model, earn exclusive rewards, and explore a connected universe of Web3 gaming experiences.”

    Key Highlights of the $MOKA Token Sale:

    • Utility-Driven Token: $MOKA is designed to be more than just a currency. As a utility token, it will support in-game purchases, facilitate player rewards, and unlock exclusive features across all Mokens League games.
    • Two NFT Tiers: FAN and VIP Packs: Recently, Mokens League announced two NFT tiers—FAN and VIP packs—as essential components of its promotional series, aimed at unlocking exclusive features and rewards within the Mokens Hub. These packs drive engagement by providing early access to various platform functionalities. The initial launch of FAN packs was met with great success, as NFTs were claimed in record time, underscoring high demand and the platform’s effectiveness in expanding the user base and creating a vibrant gaming community.
    • Cross-Game Compatibility: Players can use $MOKA across the entire Mokens League ecosystem, allowing their assets, achievements, and rewards to transcend individual games, from sports-based titles like soccer and padel to exciting genres like racing and brawling.
    • User-Friendly Web3 Integration: Mokens League has partnered with ImmutableX (IMX) to ensure seamless onboarding for Web2 users unfamiliar with crypto. Players can create a secure Web3 wallet effortlessly using just their email, Apple ID, or Google Play account.
    • Accessible to All: The $MOKA token sale will be conducted in stages, with the first phase launching as a community sale. This will be followed by public sales on leading launchpads, including Bit2Me, Kanga, and Gamestarter, ensuring broad accessibility to both seasoned crypto investors and gaming enthusiasts new to Web3.

    The tokenomics of the $MOKA token are carefully designed. 10% of the total supply is allocated for the community sale, 1% for the public sale, and 17% for the team. A substantial 42% is dedicated to the community, ecosystem, and rewards. This tokenomics structure is community-centered, prioritizing user needs to drive high engagement and reward active participation in Mokens League.

    The $MOKA token sale provides a unique opportunity for investors to join a pioneering project in the rapidly expanding blockchain gaming space. Mokens League’s commitment to innovation, combined with its seasoned team of game developers with over 25 years of experience, positions it as a formidable player in the Web3 gaming industry.

    Contact:
    Martin Repetto CEO
    Email: hello@mokensleague.com

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

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/376d9a5a-bebd-4af6-879e-2793bd3e7f89

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung’s Buy & Get More This Summer Promotion

    Source: Samsung

    This summer, Samsung Electronics South Africa is giving you the ultimate reason to elevate your home and lifestyle with the return of its ever-popular Buy & Get promotion under the theme ‘Get More This Summer’. Celebrating its 10th year, this annual event is more exciting than ever, offering customers the chance to transform their homes with premium Samsung home appliances while reaping rewards designed to enhance their summer experience.
     
    Running from 20 October 2024 to 12 January 2025, this year’s promotion invites customers to dream bigger, live better, and experience more. With rewards valued at up to R10,000, you can indulge in travel and/or lifestyle experiences that make your summer unforgettable. When you purchase participating Samsung home appliance products such as refrigerators or washing machines from top retailers like Hirsch’s, Game, Makro, Tafelberg, Expert, and Takealot, Samsung Store, Samsung Online, you open the door to a world of rewards that cater to your lifestyle needs.
     
    Elevate Your Home with Samsung’s Latest Innovations
    Samsung’s cutting-edge appliances, designed to fit seamlessly into your life, are at the heart of this promotion. From the beautifully crafted Bespoke AI Four Door Fridge, with its See-thru Door and Beverage Centre, to the powerful yet efficient Bespoke AI 16kg Front Loader with Eco Bubble technology, Samsung’s range of products allows you to bring both innovation and style into your home. These premium appliances aren’t just functional; they’re designed to enhance the way you live, turning your home into a sanctuary of comfort and convenience.
     
    Why you should choose Samsung
    Samsung appliances are engineered to make your life easier, allowing you to focus on what truly matters. This summer, investing in Samsung’s top-tier appliances means more than just upgrading your home—it’s an opportunity to enrich your lifestyle. With a focus on modern living and sustainability, Samsung ensures you can do more, save more, and live more. Whether it’s enjoying refreshingly cold and flavoured water from your Beverage Centre or experiencing energy-efficient laundry days, Samsung makes everyday life simpler, smarter, and more enjoyable.
     
    Rewards Tailored to Your Lifestyle
    This year, the Buy & Get More promotion offers a personalised rewards system with three exciting tiers: Gold, Silver, and Blue. The flexibility of these tiers allows you to choose rewards that perfectly match your lifestyle, whether you’re planning a holiday getaway, indulging in a shopping spree, or treating yourself to self-care experiences.
     
    Gold Tier: For those who want it all (rewards worth up to R10,000):
    A Flight Centre travel voucher valued at R5,500, plus a R4,500 voucher for a stay in luxury at Marriott/Protea, or
    A R4,500 Retail voucher, and a R5,500 Sorbet voucher to pamper yourself.
     
    Silver Tier: A taste of the finer things (rewards worth up to R6,000):
    A R3,000 Flight Centre travel voucher plus a R3,000 voucher for a stay at Marriott/Protea’s premium locations, or
    A R3,000 Retail voucher, and a R3,000 Sorbet voucher for your day of indulgence.
     
    Blue Tier: Small luxuries that make a big difference (rewards worth up to R4,000):
    A combination of both travel and lifestyle with a R1,000 Flight Centre travel voucher paired with a R2,000 a stay at Marriott/Protea voucher, and a R1,000 Sorbet voucher to relax and unwind.
     
    Imagine using your travel voucher to explore South Africa’s stunning landscapes or enjoying a quick urban escape, all while knowing your home is equipped with the best technology on the market. Samsung’s reward tiers allow you to tailor your summer experience to suit your personal tastes and desires.
     

     
    Seamless Reward Redemption
    Redeeming your reward is as effortless as your new Samsung appliance experience. We’ve simplified the process to ensure you can access your rewards with ease:
     
    BUY
    Simply purchase any participating product. Purchase on or before 12 January 2025.
     
    SCAN
    Use your phone to scan the QR Code or WhatsApp “Hi” to +27 60 042 6197 to start your redemption process. Redeem before 28 February 2025.
     
    REDEEM / REGISTER
    Start your registration process on WhatsApp before the 28 February 2025, simply follow the prompts and share your information (ID, proof of purchase and product serial number found on the product).
     
    REWARD
    Once validated, you will receive a Reward Registration Pin Code, call our concierge on service to select your reward package.
     
    Bringing More Joy to Summer Living
    “We’re delighted to bring back our Buy & Get More promotion, now in its 10th year, as a way of thanking our loyal customers,” said Mark Mackay, Head of Product: Home Appliances at Samsung Electronics South Africa. “Our focus is on helping our customers enjoy more than just the best technology—this summer, we want to enrich their lifestyle. Whether it’s planning a much-needed getaway, indulging in retail therapy, or pampering themselves, we believe these rewards resonate with our customers’ desires to create lasting memories during this season.”
     
    With Samsung’s premium appliances, you can enjoy the convenience of next-gen technology while creating a home that’s a haven of relaxation, joy, and connection. This summer, let Samsung help you do more, live better, and enjoy every moment.
     
    For more information on the Buy & Get promotion, visit https://www.samsung.com/za/offer/buy-and-get/
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Warns of Potential Dangers for Messaging App Users

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Office of Customer Education and Outreach today released a customer advisory alerting messaging app users to beware of schemes to defraud them of assets, specifically crypto assets.

    Fraudsters are exploiting the default settings of commonly used messaging apps, telephone networks, and mobile devices to lure users into crypto pump-and-dump schemes and other scams.

    The customer advisory, Use Caution Responding to Messaging Apps, informs users of the default settings of WhatsApp, Telegram, and other popular messaging apps that allow scammers to add random or targeted phone numbers to group chats that are used for fraudulent activity. Similarly, default SMS text settings on smart phones allow for a greater number of spam texts that can result in fraud.

    “People who use these apps may not be familiar with the risks and frauds commonly associated with crypto assets,” said Melanie Devoe, director of the CFTC’s Office of Customer Education and Outreach. “Receiving a group message promising 300% or 1,000% returns with zero risk or getting in on a supposed crypto opportunity, can be enticing, but it is best to not engage.”

    The customer advisory, provides easy actions app users should take if they receive a message from an unfamiliar person or number saying “you’ve been added to a messaging app’s group chat”:

    • Do not reply.
    • Delete the messages or group discussions, block the senders and send text messages to junk or forward it to 7726 (SPAM).
    • Change your privacy settings to protect your information and reduce future spam.
    • Most apps, mobile carriers and devices provide ways to restrict who may contact you or block specific numbers. Check each messaging apps’ settings. Next, check your carrier’s account app settings, and your device settings. Many major carriers also offer free SMS spam-blocking or call filtering apps that can be added to your phone.

    About the Office of Customer Education and Outreach

    OCEO is dedicated to helping customers protect themselves from fraud or violations of the Commodity Exchange Act through the research and development of effective financial education materials and initiatives. OCEO engages in outreach and education to retail investors. The office also frequently partners with federal and state regulators as well as consumer protection groups. The CFTC’s full repository of customer education materials can be found at: cftc.gov/LearnAndProtect.

    Customer Advisory: Use Caution Responding to Messaging Apps is available in full below and HERE

    ###

    Customer Advisory: Use Caution Responding to Messaging Apps

    Fraudsters are contacting potential victims on their phones to try to lure them into cryptocurrency scams with promises of guaranteed returns. Spot the fraud by remembering all trades involve a risk of loss. Be suspicious of any messages you receive via WhatsApp, Telegram, SnapChat, WeChat, SMS texts, or other apps that promise guaranteed oversized returns. If you receive a suspicious message:

    • Do not reply.
    • Delete the messages or group discussions and block the senders. Send text messages to junk.
    • Review your privacy settings to protect your information and reduce future spam.

    Deception in the Palm of Your Hand

    By default, messaging apps allow anyone with your phone number to call or add you to a discussion group. Scammers use this vulnerability to add random or targeted phone numbers to WhatsApp groups or Telegram chats. You might see a message that you’ve been added to a group, then other messages follow. They might talk about trading crypto futures with leverage, “cooperative trading projects” (also called pump-and-dump schemes), 100, 500, 1,000 percent profits, advanced artificial intelligence, can’t-miss investment programs, or other supposed opportunities. You might also see testimonials from other group members. It’s all fake, lies designed to steal your money.

    Don’t Talk to Strangers

    Stranger danger applies to your mobile device too. Responding or complaining confirms to scammers that your number is active and will only lead to more fraud attempts. The same is true for answering unknown callers. Scammers sometimes use robocalls to identify working numbers.

    Caller ID can be easily faked. If you don’t recognize the phone number, or message sender, do not respond. If you receive an urgent message about a financial account, or from law enforcement, the CFTC, or other government agencies, visit the entity’s official website and confirm the message with customer service staff. Do not use phone numbers or links provided in the message.

    You should only trade futures with regulated individuals and firms that follow strict qualification, supervision, and customer protection requirements. Learn more about registration at cftc.gov/check. Taking financial advice from unregistered, random people online or trading with unregistered companies that don’t have a physical presence in the United States substantially increase your fraud risk.

    Tighten your Security

    Most apps let you adjust your privacy settings to only allow your contacts or specific numbers to message you or see your personal information, including your picture, location, and activity status. Check and adjust your settings in each app you use. Delete unwanted groups, block the admins, and report the groups and admins to the platform.

    For SMS and phone messages, check your carrier’s apps and account settings. Most major carriers offer free SMS spam and call blockers. Next, adjust phone and message settings on your device, including blocking unwanted callers or silencing spam calls. Activate options to filter unknown senders and junk. If you have the option to “delete and report junk,” use it. If not, forward unwanted messages to 7726 (SPAM). Both options help filter and block bad actors systemwide.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Five Steps to Keep Your Disaster Recovery on Track

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Five Steps to Keep Your Disaster Recovery on Track

    Five Steps to Keep Your Disaster Recovery on Track

    Recovering from a disaster is a continuous process with many options and it is important for disaster survivors to know the resources available to support their recovery efforts. Depending on your particular needs and the steps you’ve already taken, there are several additional steps you can take to recover from your losses and mitigate your property against future damage.Here is a checklist to ensure you’ve taken all the steps in your federal assistance process:Visit a temporary Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) near you. A DRC is a place where you can receive in-person support, speak with FEMA and other federal representatives, upload documents, review the status of your application and submit appeals. Get answers to your questions while the DRC is open. Survivors of the August 18-19, 2024 Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides in Connecticut can visit the following DRC: Until 6 p.m. November 4 – at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 910 Main Street, South, Southbury, CT 06488, operating Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday Closed. Note: This DRC will CLOSE permanently at 6 p.m. on Monday, November 4. NOTE: There will be no DRC service on Tuesday, November 5 and Wednesday, November 6.Beginning 8 a.m. November 7 – at Southbury Town Hall, 501 Main Street, South, Southbury, CT 06488, operating Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday Closed. Note: This DRC will be OPEN on Monday, November 11.  Apply for a low-interest U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan. SBA disaster loans are not just for businesses. Homeowners, renters and nonprofit organizations may also apply. Next to insurance, an SBA low-interest disaster loan is the primary source of funds for property repairs and for replacing contents destroyed in a disaster event. Know that you are never obligated to accept a loan.To apply with the SBA: visit www.SBA.gov/disaster, call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services), or send an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Survivors of the August 18-19, 2024 Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides in Connecticut can visit the following SBA Business Recovery Centers (BRCs): Oxford Town Hall, 486 Oxford Road, Oxford, CT 06478, operating Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday Closed.Monroe Police Department, 7 Fam Hill, Monroe, CT 06468, operating Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday Closed.NOTE: On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the SBA Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new SBA Disaster loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, SBA remains committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available. Request continued temporary rental assistance forms. If you received initial rental assistance and remain unable to return to your pre-disaster primary residence due to a disaster declared event, make sure to apply for FEMA’s Continued Rental Assistance. If you did not receive a form by mail, you may request one by calling the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362. Stay in touch with FEMA. Disaster survivors who applied for assistance from FEMA are asked to please stay in touch with the agency to review their application status, update their contact information and provide required documentation as needed. It is critical to keep in touch with FEMA. Missing or out of date information could slow much needed disaster assistance. Let FEMA know if your address or phone number has changed. Download and use the FEMA Mobile App, visit DisasterAssistance.gov or call FEMA’s helpline at 1-800-621-3362.  Know your appeal options. If you disagree with FEMA decisions, you have the option to submit additional documentation such as your insurance settlement or prove home ownership or documentation to prove your identity to have your case reconsidered. The appeal should be submitted within 60 days of the initial FEMA decision and include supporting documentation, such as a copy of a verifiable contractor’s estimate for repairs.For questions about federal disaster assistance, call the FEMA helpline: 1-800-621-3362. If you use video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. Phone lines operate from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week.
    adrien.urbani
    Thu, 10/31/2024 – 16:41

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: US employers prioritize wellbeing but miss the mark with employees

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — While employers are taking steps to support employees’ physical and mental wellbeing, there is a disparity between the focus of employer wellbeing programs and what employees need the most. This is according to the latest Wellbeing Diagnostic Survey by WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company.

    The survey found U.S. employers are prioritizing support for mental (73%) and physical (50%) wellbeing. Yet, employees say that financial wellbeing support is their top area of concern (66%), despite being the lowest priority for employers (23%).

    Almost half of U.S. employees (48%) are struggling with moderate or major issues in at least two areas of their wellbeing, according to WTW’s 2024 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey (GBAS). Employees with wellbeing issues show lower productivity (higher absence and presenteeism) and report higher rates of burnout and lower levels of engagement. Over half of employees (56%) have above-average levels of stress, while 37% have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression.

    “The mental health crisis has brought employee wellbeing to the forefront of employers’ minds in recent years,” said Regina Ihrke, Health, Equity and Wellbeing leader, North America, WTW. “Companies have been leaning heavily into physical and mental wellbeing to make it a core part of their human capital strategy. We know that these investments have improved employees’ perceptions of the growing initiatives.”

    “Organizations that are highly effective at employee wellbeing often report better business outcomes, such as enhanced financial performance and reduced employee turnover. However, there is a disconnect between the wellbeing areas that employers are investing in and what employees are saying they need help with,” said Ihrke.

    Indeed, employers are showing to be least effective in the areas where employees need the most help, identifying financial wellbeing initiatives at the very bottom (19%). Only two in five employees (41%), however, feel financially secure and identify that their financial situation is the area of their wellbeing where they face the biggest challenges, according to GBAS.

    Employees report mixed feelings about employer initiatives with a net promoter score (a measure of customer loyalty and satisfaction with a company) of –20; however, employers have made significant progress since 2019 when the net promoter score was –45. Companies are committed to seeking additional improvement over the next three years, with 46% striving to embed wellbeing programs and practices into their company culture and effectively communicating its value to employees throughout the year, compared with 33% today.

    Moreover, more than four in five (91%) are prioritizing the employee experience as an outcome of their wellbeing strategy, and 37% are looking to make wellbeing a foundational element of their human capital strategy in the next three years, compared with only 11% today. Specifically, many employers (71%) are planning to boost communication about their wellbeing programs and connect wellbeing to company culture (49%) to raise the bar on employee health and wellbeing.

    “The delivery of wellbeing initiatives is just as important as the content of the programs. Communication, accessibility and creating a connected culture that links back to company and employee values is key to building a stronger employee experience when it comes to wellbeing. It’s important that employers focus on getting the right priorities in place to support the varied needs of their workforce as well as creating an enabling environment that promotes the services they make available,” said Jill Havely, managing director, Employee Experience, WTW.

    About the study

    The 2024 Wellbeing Diagnostic Survey was conducted from March to April 2024. Respondents include 535 U.S. employees working at medium and large private sector employers, representing a broad range of industries.

    The 2024 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey was conducted from January to March 2024. Respondents include 10,000 U.S. employees working at medium and large private sector employers, representing a broad range of industries.

    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:

    Stacy Bronstein
    stacy.bronstein@wtwco.com

    Ileana Feoli
    ileana.feoli@wtwco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Q3 & 9 MONTHS 2024 RESULTS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paris (France), October 31st, 2024, 17h45 CET

    Q3 & 9 MONTHS 2024 RESULTS

    DELIVERING ON CASH GENERATION AND FINANCIAL ROADMAP

    ON TRACK TO HIT OUR FULL YEAR TARGET

      Q3 9M1
    Revenue2 $246m $778m (-3%)
    Adjusted EBITDA2 $98m $298m (+7%)
    Net Cash-Flow $10m $34m (vs -$15m in 9M 2023)

    Sophie Zurquiyah, Chief Executive Officer of Viridien, said:

    “Our results since the start of the year demonstrate the strength of our strategic vision, with technology leadership, new business growth, and cash flow all showing significant progress.

    Geoscience was particularly strong this quarter, leveraging its clear differentiation, best-in class imaging technology and HPC computing power to achieve a record high order book. In Earth Data, the Laconia project, using our most advanced technology, saw increased prefunding and is continuing to progress well.

    Sensing & Monitoring is actively implementing its adaption plan and is on track to achieve in 2025 the expected outcomes in cost reduction and operational flexibility to improve performance across the industry cycles.

    Lastly, we continue to address our financial roadmap with the implementation of the bond buyback program and looking forward, reaffirm our full-year targets”.

    Third Quarter Highlights2

    • Group2
      • IFRS Revenue, EBITDA and Net Income of respectively $219 million, $71 million, $(10) million.
      • Overall group revenue decline in absence of mega crew in Sensing & Monitoring (SMO, revenue down 50%) compared to Q3 2023. Stable DDE revenue, with very strong momentum at Geoscience (revenue + 32% and order intake +91%).
      • Group adjusted EBITDA of $98M, including -$12M penalty fees from vessel commitment. DDE Adjusted EBITDA of $108 million, up 5% thanks to strong Geoscience performance. SMO adjusted EBITDA of $1M (vs $12M).  
    • Net Cash flow of $10 million, including -$18 million contractual fees from vessel commitment.
    • Implementation of the bond buy back program. $25M already bought on the $30M 2024 program as of October 31 (o.w. $12M bought and cancelled as of September 30).
    • Liquidity at $442 million (including $100 million undrawn RCF).
    • Digital, Data and Energy Transition (DDE)
      • Revenue $187 million, up 1%: strong revenue growth at Geoscience offset by lower level of aftersale at Earth Data.
      • Adjusted EBITDA $108 million, up 5%: profitability impacted by -$12 million in penalty fees from vessel commitments (vs -$20 million during Q3 2003).
      • Geoscience
        • Revenue at $103 million (+32%).
        • Geoscience performance continues to be driven by technology leadership. Order intake (up 91%) benefits from best in class imaging technology, new UK HPC hub and increased activity in the Middle East.
        • The new businesses confirm positive momentum, both in CCUS with the release of the latest phase of Gulf of Mexico Carbon Storage Study to support upcoming lease rounds and in Minerals & Mining with the award of a sensing program in Oman, to identify, map and rank mineralization prospectivity potential.
      • Earth Data
        • Revenue: $83 million (-22%).
        • Prefunding revenue at $58 million (+4%). First contribution of the Laconia project in the Gulf of Mexico. Weaker after-sales in Q3 (down 50% at $26 million) with unfavorable cut offs.
        • New businesses: revenue from the Norwegian survey for Carbon storage leading to the reprocessing of legacy data in the area.
    • Sensing and Monitoring (SMO)
      • Revenue at $59 million, down 51% across land and marine products, following delivery of the “mega crew” systems in 2023.
      • Adjusted EBITDA at $1 million (vs $12M).
      • Transformation plan on track to achieve the expected cost reduction and operational flexibility.
      • New businesses representing 17% of revenue. Delivery of land seismic nodes for large-scale seismic surveys planned in urban areas to target energy resources, including geothermal.
    • 2024 Financial objectives
      • The Group reiterates its 2024 financial objectives and confirms its 2024-2025 financial roadmap.
        • Revenue expected to be in line with 2023
        • EBITDA to be positively impacted by business mix
        • Earth Data cash Capex expected at $230-250M
        • Net Cash Flow to reach similar level as 2023
    • Q3 2024 Conference call
      • The press release and the presentation are available on our website www.viridiengroup.com at 5:45 pm (CET)
      • An English language analysts conference call is scheduled today at 6.00 pm (CET)

    Participants should register for the call here to receive a dial-in number and code or participate in the live webcast from here.

    A replay of the conference call will be made available the day after for a period of 12 months in audio format on the Company’s website.

    The Board of Directors met on October 31, 2024 and approved the consolidated financial statements ending September 30, 2024.

    About Viridien:

    Viridien (www.viridiengroup.com) is an advanced technology, digital and Earth data company that pushes the boundaries of science for a more prosperous and sustainable future. With our ingenuity, drive and deep curiosity we discover new insights, innovations, and solutions that efficiently and responsibly resolve complex natural resource, digital, energy transition and infrastructure challenges. Viridien employs around 3,500 people worldwide and is listed as VIRI on the Euronext Paris SA (ISIN until July 30: FR0013181864 and ISIN as from July 31: FR001400PVN6).

    Contact:

     VP Corporate Finance

    Jean-Baptiste Roussille
    jean-baptiste.roussille@viridiengroup.com

    Q3 2024 – Financial Results

     CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – September 30th, 2024

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statement of operations – Year-To-Date

        Nine months ended September 30,
    (In millions of US$, except per share data) Notes 2024 2023
    Operating revenues   784.8 810.4
    Other income from ordinary activities   0.1 0.2
    Total income from ordinary activities   784.9 810.6
    Cost of operations   (587.1) (578.0)
    Gross profit   197.8 232.6
    Research and development expenses – net   (15.2) (20.5)
    Marketing and selling expenses   (28.6) (26.6)
    General and administrative expenses   (55.9) (54.2)
    Other revenues (expenses) – net 8 (3.6) (0.9)
    Operating income (loss)   94.6 130.4
    Cost of financial debt – gross   (82.3) (79.5)
    Income provided by cash and cash equivalents   8.7 4.0
    Cost of financial debt, net   (73.6) (75.5)
    Other financial income (loss) 9 (0.9) (1.6)
    Income (loss) before incomes taxes and share of income (loss) from companies accounted for under the equity method   20.1 53.3
    Income taxes   (14.2) (24.6)
    Net income (loss) before share of income (loss) from companies accounted for under the equity method   6.0 28.7
    Net income (loss) from companies accounted for under the equity method   0.9 0.5
    Net income (loss) from continuing operations   6.9 29.2
    Net income (loss) from discontinued operations 3 14.7 2.3
    Consolidated net income (loss)   21.6 31.5
    Attributable to :      
    Owners of Viridien S.A $ 21.2 28.0
    Non-controlling interests $ 0.4 3.5
    Net income (loss) per share      
    Basic $ 2.97 0.04
    Diluted $ 2.95 0.04
    Net income (loss) from continuing operations per share      
    Basic $ 0.91 0.04
    Diluted $ 0.91 0.04
    Net income (loss) from discontinued operations per share (a)      
    Basic $ 2.06 –
    Diluted $ 2.05 –

    (a)   Earning per share is presented as nil being less than US$0.01 at September 30,2023.

    See the notes to the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statement of comprehensive income (loss) – Year-To-Date

        Nine months ended September 30,
    (In millions of US$) Notes 2024 (a) 2023 (a)
    Net income (loss) from statements of operations   21.6 31.5
    Net gain (loss) on cash flow hedges   0.2 0.2
    Variation in translation adjustments   3.3 10.5
    Net other comprehensive income (loss) to be reclassified in profit (loss) in subsequent period (1)   3.5 10.7
    Net gain (loss) on actuarial changes on pension plan   0.4 (0.7)
    Net other comprehensive income (loss) not to be reclassified in profit (loss) in subsequent period (2)   0.4 (0.7)
    Total other comprehensive income (loss) for the period. net of taxes (1) + (2)   3.9 10.0
    Total comprehensive income (loss) for the period   25.5 41.5
    Attributable to:   –  
    Owners of Viridien S.A.   24.7 39.2
    Non-controlling interests   0.8 2.3

    (a)  Including other comprehensive income related to the discontinued operations.

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statement of financial position

    (In millions of US$) Notes September 30,
    2023    		 December 31, 2023
    ASSETS      
    Cash and cash equivalents   341.7 327.0
    Trade accounts and notes receivable, net   287.3 310.9
    Inventories and work-in-progress, net   207.1 212.9
    Income tax assets   37.0 30.8
    Other current assets, net   67.4 92.1
    Total current assets   940.5 973.7
    Deferred tax assets   35.5 29.9
    Other non-current assets, net   7.8 6.8
    Investments and other financial assets, net   25.3 22.7
    Investments in companies under the equity method   2.6 2.2
    Property, plant and equipment, net 4 230.7 206.1
    Intangible assets, net   611.5 579.7
    Goodwill, net   1 098.1 1 095.5
    Total non-current assets   2 011.4 1 942.9
    TOTAL ASSETS   2 951.9 2 916.6
    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY      
    Financial debt – current portion 5 79.8 58.0
    Trade accounts and notes payables   94.1 86.4
    Accrued payroll costs   87.9 89.1
    Income taxes payable   21.2 12.5
    Advance billings to customers   19.1 24.0
    Provisions — current portion   8.1 8.7
    Other current financial liabilities   5.9 21.3
    Other current liabilities   233.6 250.3
    Total current liabilities   549.8 550.3
    Deferred tax liabilities   22.1 24.3
    Provisions — non-current portion   32.8 30.1
    Financial debt – non-current portion 5 1 265.1 1 242.8
    Other non-current financial liabilities   – 0.5
    Other non-current liabilities   1.7 4.3
    Total non-current liabilities   1 321.7 1 302.0
    Common stock: 11,212,215 shares authorized and 7,161,465 shares with a €1.00 nominal value outstanding at September 30, 2024   8.7 8.7
    Additional paid-in capital   118.7 118.7
    Retained earnings   1 004.0 980.4
    Other Reserves   19.8 27.3
    Treasury shares   (20.1) (20.1)
    Cumulative income and expense recognized directly in equity   (1.2) (1.4)
    Cumulative translation adjustment   (87.9) (90.8)
    Equity attributable to owners of Viridien S.A.   1 042.0 1 022.8
    Non-controlling interests   38.5 41.5
    Total equity   1 080.5 1 064.3
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY   2 951.9 2 916.6

    See the notes to the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statement of cash flows

        Nine months ended September 30,
    (In millions of US$) Notes 2024 2023
    OPERATING ACTIVITIES      
    Consolidated net income (loss)   21.6 31.5
    Less: Net income (loss) from discontinued operations 3 (14.7) (2.3)
    Net income (loss) from continuing operations   6.9 29.2
    Depreciation, amortization and impairment   71.8 63.3
    Earth Data surveys impairment and amortization   144.0 99.8
    Depreciation and amortization capitalized in Earth Data surveys   (11.6) (11.8)
    Variance on provisions   0.2 0.5
    Share-based compensation expenses   2.2 1.7
    Net (gain) loss on disposal of fixed and financial assets   0.1 0.1
    Share of (income) loss in companies recognized under equity method   (0.9) (0.5)
    Other non-cash items   (2.5) 1.8
    Net cash-flow including net cost of financial debt and income tax   210.2 184.1
    Less : Cost of financial debt   73.6 75.5
    Less : Income tax expense (gain)   14.2 24.6
    Net cash-flow excluding net cost of financial debt and income tax   297.9 284.2
    Income tax paid   (10.0) (3.8)
    Net cash-flow before changes in working capital   287.9 280.4
    Changes in working capital   10.0 (23.5)
    – change in trade accounts and notes receivable   (2.3) (29.4)
    – change in inventories and work-in-progress   7.0 17.4
    – change in other current assets   14.9 6.6
    – change in trade accounts and notes payable   10.6 (0.4)
    – change in other current liabilities   (20.2) (17.7)
    Net cash-flow from operating activities   297.8 256.9
    INVESTING ACTIVITIES      
    Total capital expenditures (tangible and intangible assets) net of variation of fixed assets suppliers, excluding Earth Data surveys) 4 (24.3) (48.3)
    Investment in Earth Data surveys   (180.1) (141.7)
    Proceeds from disposals of tangible and intangible assets   1.1 –
    Dividends received from investments in companies under the equity method   0.5 –
    Total net proceeds from financial assets   – (1.9)
    Variation in other non-current financial assets   (2.1) (2.9)
    Net cash-flow used in investing activities   (205.0) (194.8)
        Nine months ended September 30
    (In millions of US$) Notes 2024 2023
    FINANCING ACTIVITIES      
    Repayment of long-term debt 5 (12.2) (1.5)
    Total issuance of long-term debt 5 0.1 23.0
    Lease repayments 5 (43.4) (37.9)
    Financial expenses paid 5 (42.2) (46.5)
    Dividends paid and share capital reimbursements:   –  
    — to owners of Viridien   0.0 –
    — to non-controlling interests of integrated companies   (3.8) (0.8)
    Net cash-flow provided by (used in) financing activities   (101.6) (63.7)
    Effects of exchange rates on cash   1.1 (4.3)
    Net cash flows incurred by discontinued operations 3 22.4 (17.0)
    Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   14.7 (22.9)
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year   327.0 298.0
    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   341.7 275.1

    See the notes to the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statements of changes in equity

    Amounts in millions of
    US$. except share data    		 Number of Shares issued Share capital Additional paid-in capital Retained earnings Other reserves Treasury shares Income and expense recognized directly in equity Cumulative translation adjustment Equity attributable to owners of Viridien S.A. Non-controlling interests Total equity
    Balance at January 1, 2023 7 123 573 8.7 118.6 967.9 50.0 (20.1) (3.4) (102.4) 1 019.3 39.5 1 058.8
    Net gain (loss) on actuarial changes on pension plan (1)       (0.7)         (0.7)   (0.7)
    Net gain (loss) on cash flow hedges (2)             0.2   0.2   0.2
    Net gain (loss) on translation adjustments (3)               11.7 11.7 (1.2) 10.5
    Other comprehensive income (1)+(2)+(3) – – – (0.7) – – 0.2 11.7 11.2 (1.2) 10.0
    Net income (loss) (4)       28.0         28.0 3.5 31.5
    Comprehensive income (1)+(2)+(3)+(4) – – – 27.3 – – 0.2 11.7 39.2 2.3 41.5
    Exercise of warrants 238   0.1           0.1   0.1
    Dividends                 – (0.9) (0.9)
    Cost of share-based payment 12 951     1.7         1.7   1.7
    Variation in translation adjustments generated by the parent company         (10.7)       (10.7)   (10.7)
    Balance at September 30, 2023 7 136 763(a) 8.7 118.7 996.9 39.3 (20.1) (3.2) (90.7) 1 049.6 40.9 1 090.5
    Amounts in millions of
    US$. except share data    		 Number of Shares issued Share capital Additional paid-in capital Retained earnings Other reserves Treasury shares Income and expense recognized directly in equity Cumulative translation adjustment Equity attributable to owners of Viridien S.A. Non-controlling interests Total equity
    Balance at January 1, 2024 7 136 763 8.7 118.7 980.4 27.3 (20.1) (1.4) (90.8) 1 022.8 41.5 1 064.3
    Net gain (loss) on actuarial changes on pension plan (1)       0.4         0.4   0.4
    Net gain (loss) on cash flow hedges (2)             0.2   0.2   0.2
    Net gain (loss) on translation adjustments (3)               2.9 2.9 0.4 3.3
    Other comprehensive income (1)+(2)+(3) – – – 0.4 – – 0.2 2.9 3.5 0.4 3.9
    Net income (loss) (4)       21.2         21.2 0.4 21.6
    Comprehensive income (1)+(2)+(3)+(4) – – – 21.6 – – 0.2 2.9 24.7 0,8 25.5
    Dividends                 – (3.8) (3.8)
    Cost of share-based payment 24 703     2.0         2.0   2.0
    Variation in translation adjustments generated by the parent company         (7.5)       (7.5)   (7.5)
    Balance at September 30, 2024 7 161 465(b) 8.7 118.7 1 004.0 19.8 (20.1) (1.2) (87.9) 1 042.0 38.5 1 080.5

    (a)   Pro forma following Reverse Share Split

    (b)   Reverse Share Split: Pursuant to a delegation from the Combined General Meeting of shareholders of May 15, 2024, and a sub-delegation from the Board of Directors held on the same day, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer has decided to implement a reverse share split on the basis of 1 new share of €1.00 nominal value for 100 old shares of €0.01 nominal value.

    1All variations refer to the same period last year
    2Unless otherwise stated, all figures and comments are referring to “Segment” (i.e. pre-IFRS 15), as defined in the 2023 Universal Registration Document’s glossary, under section 8.7

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Viridien: Viridien announces the departure of Helen LEE BOUYGUES from the Board of Directors and the co-optation of Amélie OYARZABAL

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paris (France), October 31, 2024

    Viridien announces the departure of Helen LEE BOUYGUES from the Board of Directors and the co-optation of Amélie OYARZABAL

    Helen LEE BOUYGUES resigned from her position as Director, effective as of September 11, 2024, to fully dedicate herself to new responsibilities.

    On October 31, 2024, upon recommendation of the Appointment, Remuneration and Governance Committee, the Board of Directors co-opted Amélie OYARZABAL as new independent Director for the remainder of Helen LEE BOUYGUES’ term of office, i.e. until the Annual General Meeting called to approve the financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2027. The co-optation of Amélie OYARZABAL as Director will then be submitted for ratification at the 2025 General Meeting.

    The Board also appointed Amélie OYARZABAL as member of the Audit & Risk Management Committee and of the New Businesses and M&A Committee. Sophie ZURQUIYAH, CEO and Director will serve as interim Chairman of the New Businesses and M&A Committee, until a successor is appointed.

    Philippe SALLE, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viridien said: “ We are delighted to welcome Amélie OYARZABAL to the Board of Directors of Viridien. Her extensive experience and accomplishments in finance will be highly valuable to our Company. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Helen LEE BOUYGUES for her commitment as a Director of the Company since 2018. Her insightful guidance  has greatly contributed to the Group’s transformation strategy.”

    Biography of Amélie Oyarzabal:
    Amélie Oyarzabal graduated from Sciences Po, Paris and from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
    Amélie Oyarzabal has more than 25 years of financial advisory experience. Partner at Lazard Frères for 16 years, Amélie Oyarzabal also played leadership roles in launching Lazard’s Beijing office and later in Chicago. In 2019, Amélie Oyarzabal joined Greenhill & Co., Inc. as a Managing Director to open the French office of Greenhill for which she is responsible.

    About Viridien:

    Viridien (www.viridiengroup.com) is an advanced technology, digital and Earth data company that pushes the boundaries of science for a more prosperous and sustainable future. With our ingenuity, drive and deep curiosity we discover new insights, innovations, and solutions that efficiently and responsibly resolve complex natural resource, digital, energy transition and infrastructure challenges. Viridien employs around 3,500 people worldwide and is listed as VIRI on the Euronext Paris SA (ISIN: FR001400PVN6).

    Contact: Legal Department, 27 avenue Carnot, 91300 Massy

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft names Jay Parikh as a member of the senior leadership team

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft names Jay Parikh as a member of the senior leadership team

    Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, shared the below communication with Microsoft employees this morning.

    When I look to the next phase of Microsoft, both in terms of our scale and our massive opportunity ahead, it’s clear that we need to continue adding exceptional talent at every level of the organization to increase our depth and capability across our business priorities – spanning security, quality, and AI innovation.

    Jay Parikh

    With that context, I’m excited to share that Jay Parikh is joining Microsoft as a member of the senior leadership team (SLT), reporting to me. Jay was the global head of engineering at Facebook (now Meta) and most recently was CEO of Lacework. He has an impressive track record, with a unique combination of experiences building and scaling technical teams that serve both commercial customers and consumers. His deep connections across the start-up and VC ecosystems, coupled with his leadership roles at Akamai and Ning, will bring valuable perspective to Microsoft.

    Over the years I’ve known Jay, I’ve admired him as a technology leader and respected engineer with a deep commitment to driving innovation and striving for operational excellence. His focus extends beyond technology, with his passion for and dedication to developing people, fostering a strong culture, and building world-class talent, all in service of delivering faster value to customers and driving business growth. In fact, there are very few leaders in our industry with Jay’s experience in leading teams through the rapid growth and scale required to support today’s largest internet businesses.

    As he onboards, Jay will immerse himself in learning about our company priorities and our culture and will spend time connecting with our senior leaders and meeting with customers, partners, and employees around the world. We will share more on his role and focus in the next few months.

    Please join me in welcoming Jay to Microsoft.

    Satya

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: How to prepare for Windows 10 end of support by moving to Windows 11 today

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: How to prepare for Windows 10 end of support by moving to Windows 11 today

    As we approach the end of support for Windows 10 on Oct. 14, 20251, we want to ensure you are well-prepared for the transition to Windows 11. This milestone marks an important step in our mission to provide the most modern and secure computing experience possible for everyone whether at work, school, or home, and our commitment to continually improving Windows security as part of Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative (SFI). We are incredibly grateful for your loyalty and passion for Windows 10, and we are working hard to make it easy to move to Windows 11.

    This blog post is intended to help you prepare for Windows 10 end of support by outlining considerations for moving to Windows 11 today. Including:

    • Benefits of upgrading to Windows 11
    • Checking if your current Windows 10 PC can upgrade to Windows 11
    • Resources for purchasing a new Windows 11 PC
    • Information on the purchase of Extended Security Updates (ESU) for organizations of all sizes as previously announced in April of this year and, for the first time, an ESU option for consumers, available for a one-year option for $30.

    Benefits of upgrading to Windows 11

    Windows 11 builds upon the strengths and familiarity of Windows, offering you a modern, secure and highly efficient computing experience that meets the current demands for heightened security by default and by design. With integrated and enhanced security features, high customer satisfaction and notable productivity improvements — be it for work, school or play — new Windows 11 PCs are more secure, more productive and higher performing than Windows 10 PCs.

    And Copilot+ PCs, our fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever, take this capability a step further, embodying the ultimate Windows 11 experience with cutting-edge security measures, optimized performance and innovative AI-powered features that redefine what’s possible on a PC.

    Windows 11 features include: 

    • Even more secure by default: Modernizing to Windows 11 provides a secure environment with advanced security features like TPM 2.0, virtualization-based security and the vulnerable driver block list enabled by default, as well as Smart App Control which is available on new installations of Windows 11 on any PC. New Windows 11 PCs are more secure, with a reported 62% drop in security incidents and 3x reported reduction in firmware attacks.4 At a premium price, Copilot+ PCs deliver even more protection, including memory-based integrity, Secured-core PC capabilities, Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security and the built-in Microsoft Pluton Security processor.
    • Trusted Windows experience: Windows 11 maintains a familiar user experience from Windows 10, with a consistent layout and functionality, while introducing a more modern and streamlined UI design. Key elements like the Start menu and taskbar have been updated for a cleaner look, but the overall navigation and usability remain intuitive and user-friendly, like Windows 10.
    • Optimized for speed and efficiency: Enhanced response time when in sleep mode, faster web browsing, intuitive navigation and improved, updated fundamentals all contribute to better performance on Windows 11. Leveraging the performance of Windows 11, Copilot+ PCs offer even more power and efficiency, and lightning speed when performing AI-powered productivity and creativity tasks. In fact, Copilot+ PCs are up to 5x faster than the most popular five-year old Windows PCs.3
    • Better multitasking: Features like Snap Layouts and Multiple desktops help you stay organized and productive. With Snap Layouts, you can organize your open windows and optimize your screen space, making multitasking easier and more efficient. Multiple desktops are great for keeping unrelated, ongoing projects organized — or for quickly switching desktops before a meeting.
    • Built-in accessibility features: Windows 11 is the most inclusively designed and most accessible version of Windows yet. Windows 11 includes a host of accessibility improvements designed for and with people with disabilities: calmer, more appealing sound schemes; beautiful new contrast themes and closed caption customizations; and, a more responsive and flexible experience for working with assistive technologies.
    • Designed with energy efficiency in mind: Featuring energy saver capabilities and carbon-aware Windows Updates.
    • Copilot, your AI companion: With Copilot, you can get straightforward answers, learn, grow and gain confidence. Copilot breaks down complex concepts and helps you make sense of it all. Easily accessible right from the Windows taskbar or the Copilot key on new Windows 11 PCs.
    Snap Layouts in Windows 11

    Modern security starts with hardware

    Starting Oct. 14, 2025, Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates. As security threats evolve and adapt, so must our operating systems and hardware. Because of this, we designed Windows 11 to be the most secure version of Windows ever — by default and design — to help you stay ahead of those risks. Advanced security features include hardware-based protection through TPM 2.0, enhanced authentication methods and virtualization-based security fully enabled by default. Windows 11 also includes phishing protection, offering robust defense mechanisms, and provides an extra layer of security against common and persistent cyberattacks, like attempts to compromise login credentials or install malware.

    Smart App Control in Windows 11

    Notable Windows 11 security benefits include: 

    • Microsoft Pluton security processor: Designed by Microsoft and our silicon partners, Pluton is embedded in the PC’s processor, enhancing many Windows 11 and all Copilot+ PCs with protection for user identity, data and apps accompanied by reliable updates from Microsoft distributed with safe deployment best practices.
    • Hardware and software integration: Features like secure boot, virtualization-based security, memory integrity, Secured-core PC, the vulnerable driver block list, Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security and the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) defaults contribute to the additional security as compared with Windows 10 devices.
    • A safer app experience: Smart App Control in Windows 11 enhances security by automatically blocking untrusted or potentially harmful applications, ensuring a safer and more reliable computing experience. This proactive feature helps protect you from malware and other threats without compromising performance.
    • Windows Hello extended to protect passkeys: Passkeys are another secure step towards eliminating passwords entirely, making it much harder for hackers to exploit stolen passwords through phishing attacks.
    Passkeys in Windows 11

    Moving to Windows 11 is simple, here’s how

    We’ve created a straightforward and secure migration process to Windows 11, beginning with checking whether your current Windows 10 PC can upgrade to Windows 11 or if a new, more secure PC is necessary.

    Check if your PC can be upgraded to Windows 11 

    • Check if your Windows 10 PC is eligible to upgrade for free to Windows 11 by selecting the Start button, then going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
    • To take advantage of the enhanced security Windows 11 provides, some customers may need a new PC. You can learn more about Windows 11 system requirements.
    • Windows 10 PCs will receive new in-product notifications to educate you about Windows 10 End of Support coming in October 2025. You will be able to learn more about options available and actions you can take to prepare for the move to Windows 11.

    If you determine you need a new Windows 11 PC, there are tools available to help you prepare for your next device:

    • Reduce downtime and ensure that your personal files, settings and applications are securely moved from Windows 10 to Windows 11 exactly as you had them saved with Windows Backup. Learn more.
    • OneDrive enables offline file access and the ability to work with synced files in File Explorer, automatically updating once you’re online again. For Microsoft 365 customers, File Explorer also has significant improvements like Tabs, along with new improved views like an home page powered by the Microsoft graph for quick file access (e.g. recommendations (AAD only)), favorites and enriched Microsoft 365 file activity. You can also use the new and modern Gallery view to access your pictures, camera roll and other images like screenshots. Learn more.

    Purchasing a new Windows 11 PC 

    If you find your current Windows 10 PC is ineligible to upgrade to Windows 11, we have a broad array of choices in new PCs you can purchase.

    With new Copilot+ PCs and continued innovation on Windows 11 at every price, we invite you to see what’s new from top brands like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Surface and more.

    Finding the right Windows 11 PC for you is easy with Help me Choose, a simple tool to help you find the right new PC for you.

    When you are ready to purchase a new Windows 11 PC, we encourage you to leverage trade-in5 and recycling6 programs available at many of our Windows ecosystem partners including, OEMs such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and global retailers like Best Buy, Boulanger, Costco, Currys, Elkjøp, Fnac, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, MediaMarkt & SATURN, officeworks, Sharaf DG and Walmart. Our business customers have access to programs available through resellers such as Bechtle, CDW, ComputaCenter, Connection, SHI and more. In addition, you can find your nearest Microsoft recycling program here.

    Accelerate business success with Windows 11

    For organizations of every size, Windows 11 is built for game-changing AI, faster performance and layers of security enabled by default – with a 250% return on investment2. Designed to support any work environment and every employee, offering features that enhance multitasking and facilitate 50% faster workflows than Windows 104. It also introduces a multitude of new management controls, making it easier for organizations to move away from older systems, like Group Policy as well as new tools and policies to enable more secure corporate environments reducing the number of IT helpdesk tickets7. Features like Windows Autopilot for device setup, Intune for device management with Config Refresh, and Windows Hello for Business and other MFA authentication methods supported by Entra ID are available to our commercial customers.

    We invite our commercial customers to join us in-person in Chicago or remotely on Nov. 19 at Ignite to learn even more about how Windows is empowering organization of all sizes.

    Moving to Windows 11 is simple for organizations too

    As we approach the end of support for Windows 10, we want to ensure organizations experience an easy and seamless transition to Windows 11. With 99.7% compatibility with Windows 10 apps8 the move is familiar to IT using the same tools and processes you use today which means organizations have been deploying Windows 11 25% faster2. A range of tools are available and designed to support this upgrade, ensuring minimal disruption to their operations and maximizing the benefits of Windows 11.

    • Microsoft offers App Assure, a service to help with any Windows 11 software or browser application compatibility issue that you may discover. We’ll assist in remediating custom apps, ISV applications or Microsoft products; learn more at https://aka.ms/appassure.
    • The Windows Pro PC Help me Choose tool can guide organizations to find the best Windows 11 computers.
    • The new Forrester EOS calculator can help build a business case and prepare for the transition by estimating the potential costs and savings associated with upgrading your organization to Windows 11, allowing ITBDMs to make informed decisions about their upgrade timelines.
    • The Windows 11 Security Book is an essential resource that provides a detailed exploration of the security enhancements that make Windows 11 our most secure OS, and offers insights into how businesses can protect their organizations effectively.
    • To help our SMB customers migrate to Windows 11, we have created an assessment tool to communicate the steps they need to take to mitigate the risks of Windows 10 End of Support as well as resources to help.
    • Education customers can use the tools summarized above, and we are excited to support our students and teachers on Windows 11 with easy-to-use, secure and accessible tools in Windows 11, enabling educators to personalize learning for all students. Learn more about the options available.

    Extended security updates for individuals and organizations of all sizes

    We understand that some of you may require additional time while moving to a new Windows 11 PC or Copilot+ PC. During this period, you may wish to take steps to help secure your existing PC.  As previously announced, we will offer our Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. Enrolled PCs will continue to receive Critical and Important security updates for Windows 10; however, new features, bug fixes and technical support will no longer be available from Microsoft.

    Moving to a modern computing experience with confidence 

    We are committed to protecting you and your PC with the most advanced security possible. With Windows 11 we took a significant step forward across silicon, hardware and software to significantly raise the security, performance and productivity of Windows PCs.  With the Windows 10 End of Support moment, now is the time to move to Windows 11 with confidence. We understand change is never easy, but we are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible. Thank you for your passion and loyalty for Windows.

    Learn more about Windows 10 End of Support.

    1 Long Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) and Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) releases are subject to different lifecycle support policies. Check out the Microsoft lifecycle website for more information.

    2 Microsoft-commissioned study delivered by Forrester Consulting: “The Total Economic Impact of Windows 11 Pro Devices”, December 2022. Note, quantified benefits reflect results over three years combined into a single composite organization that generates $1 billion in annual revenue, has 2,000 employees, refreshes hardware on a four-year cycle and migrates the entirety of its workforce to Windows 11 devices.

    3 Windows Copilot+ PC Performance Claims – May 2024 – Copilot+ PC performance details | Microsoft Learn.

    4  Windows 11 Survey Report. Techaisle LLC, September 2024. Commissioned by Microsoft. Windows 11 results are in comparison with Windows 10 devices.

    5 Trade-in available only through the Microsoft Store in the U.S. See site for details.

    6 Available in select countries only. See site for details.

    7 Microsoft-commissioned study: “Improve your day-to-day experience with Windows 11 Pro laptops,” Principled Technologies, February 2023.

    8 Microsoft App Assure program data from October 2018 to February 2022.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: With Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk and Donald Trump, Republicans’ ‘strict father’ has become the creepy uncle

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Karrin Vasby Anderson, Professor of Communication Studies, Colorado State University

    Tucker Carlson at the Trump campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 27, 2024. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

    When Tucker Carlson, the reactionary pundit fired in 2023 from Fox News, preceded Donald Trump at the Turning Point rally in Duluth, Georgia, on Oct. 23, 2024, he roused attendees by tacitly likening Trump to a stern father and Democrats to a rebellious, “hormone-addled, 15-year-old daughter.” Carlson insisted, “there has to be a point at which Dad comes home.”

    After the crowd erupted with cheers and applause, Carlson continued:

    “Dad comes home and he’s pissed. Dad is pissed. He’s not vengeful. He loves his children. Disobedient as they may be, he loves them. Because they’re his children. They live in his house. But he’s very disappointed in their behavior. And he’s going to have to let them know.”

    Initially, to a political communication scholar like me who studies gender and political leadership, the riff sounded like it was shaped by a political philosophy identified by linguist George Lakoff in the 1990s. That philosophy embraced the “strict father” model of governance, in which the government is akin to a stern patriarch who enforces obedience through punishment and cultivates the self-reliance necessary for people to live without a social safety net.

    Lakoff attributed this philosophy to Republican presidents like Ronald Reagan and, later, George W. Bush, as well as to the GOP’s rank and file.

    But Carlson’s strict father departed from Lakoff’s version in an important way. According to Lakoff, the strict father’s moral authority is rooted in a personal ethic of self-discipline, temperance and restraint – characteristics he seeks to impart to those he is charged with protecting.

    Carlson’s strict father morphed into an unrestrained leader who takes pleasure in the pain of those he subordinates. As the crowd egged him on, Carlson role played:

    “And when Dad gets home, you know what he says? You’ve been a bad girl. You’ve been a bad little girl and you’re getting a vigorous spanking, right now. And, no, it’s not going to hurt me more than it hurts you. No, it’s not. I’m not going to lie. It’s going to hurt you a lot more than it hurts me. And you earned this. You’re getting a vigorous spanking because you’ve been a bad girl.”

    In Carlson’s re-telling, the MAGA Republican patriarch becomes a sadist who achieves pleasure by inflicting pain on an infantilized, feminized and vulnerable Democratic opponent. It was a perversion of an already sexist theory of governance.

    Tucker Carlson at a Turning Point rally on Oct. 23, 2024, in Duluth, Ga., said that when ‘dad gets home,’ he’ll tell his daughter ‘You’ve been a bad little girl, and you’re getting a vigorous spanking right now.’

    ‘Sexism, sadism and sexualization’

    In my research, I’ve examined how sexism, sadism and sexualization often coalesce in mainstream political discourse aimed at women candidates and women voters.

    As the 2024 presidential campaign heads into the home stretch, Trump and the acolytes who surround him have offered racist and sexist grievances propelled by vulgarity as their closing argument.

    On October 25, Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC posted an ad to the @America X account that Musk commandeered, with the warning: “America really can’t afford a ‘C-Word’ in the White House right now.”

    The ad opens with a content advisory: “WARNING: THIS AD CONTAINS MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THE ‘C WORD.’ VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.”

    The narrator announces, “Kamala Harris is a C word,” as an off-screen audience gasps. The voice continues: “You heard that right. A big ole C word.”

    The ad accuses Harris of being a “tax-hiking, regulation-loving, gun-grabbing” – then the narration pauses to reveal a cat in a Soviet military uniform against a bright red background. The cat swiftly transforms into a picture of Harris in a Soviet-style fur hat while the ad reveals that the “C word” is “Communist” for “Comrade Kamala.” So she’s a tax-hiking, regulation-loving, gun-grabbing … Communist.

    The New York Times reported that, despite the final reveal, “the setup is an obvious play on a far more vulgar term that begins with the same letter – an insult against women that is one of the most obscene words in American English.” The ad’s depiction of Harris as a cat – a pussycat – is a decidedly unsubtle echo of the implied insult.

    A history of insulting women

    It’s not the first time that a Trump ally has invoked “the C word” to insult a woman running for president.

    In 2008, Trump’s friend, associate and future campaign strategist Roger Stone launched a PAC called “Citizens United Not Timid: a 527 Organization To Educate the American Public About What Hillary Clinton Really Is.” The important letters were bolded on the image Stone emblazoned on T-shirts: “C-U-N-T.”

    Fixating on women politicians’ private parts is, sadly, nothing new. I’ve written about it in books, scholarly articles, and for the popular press. But in a recent stump speech in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Trump told a story about the size of professional golfer Arnold Palmer’s penis, ostensibly as a way to connect with audience members in Palmer’s birthplace of Latrobe.

    The anecdote was more than a casual aside. It was a performance of patriarchal authority.

    Trump said, “Arnold Palmer was all man, and I say that in all due respect to women.” His voice then turned guttural as he insisted, “And I love women, but this guy, this guy, this is a guy that was all man. This man was strong and tough.” Trump then explained, “when he took showers with the other pros they came outta there they said ‘oh my god, that’s unbelievable.’”

    Trump’s choice to inject “locker room talk” into his campaign discourse is a reminder of the Access Hollywood recording that surfaced in 2016 and featured Trump bragging about “try[ing] to f—” a married woman, “mov[ing] on her like a bitch,” and grabbing women “by the pussy,” without consent.

    ‘You will be protected’

    Trump flouts consent whether he is the aggressor or the ostensible protector. In an attempt to appeal to women voters, Trump recently added a promise to his stump speech: “You will no longer be abandoned, lonely or scared. You will no longer be in danger … You will be protected, and I will be your protector.”

    Predictably, that paternalistic refrain earned so much scorn, even his own advisers asked him to stop saying it.

    Trump’s response was telling. On Oct. 30, he told a rally audience that he refused his staff’s suggestion, saying, “I said, well, I’m gonna do it whether the women like it or not.”

    Doing it whether women like it or not is MAGA Republicans’ closing argument in the 2024 campaign. They’ve abandoned the “strict father” and become the creepy uncle.

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

    – ref. With Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk and Donald Trump, Republicans’ ‘strict father’ has become the creepy uncle – https://theconversation.com/with-tucker-carlson-elon-musk-and-donald-trump-republicans-strict-father-has-become-the-creepy-uncle-242622

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by Vice President Harris in Press Gaggle | Madison,  WI

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    The Edgewater HotelMadison, Wisconsin
    10:08 A.M. CDT
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  Good morning, everyone.  Happy Halloween.
         Q    Good morning. 
         Q    Good morning.
         Q    Happy Halloween.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And for those of you who are without your children today, thank you for just being on the road.
    So, today, we will be leaving Wisconsin, heading west.  And I’ll be, obviously, in three states again today talking with the American people about the stakes of this election and the opportunity that we, the American people, have to chart a new way forward.
    I will comment on the former President Donald Trump’s remark about women and — and whether they “like it or not.”  And, listen, it’s just — it actually is, I think, very offensive to women in terms of not understanding their agency, their authority, their right, and their ability to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies.
    And this is just the latest on a series of reveals by the former president of how he thinks about women and their agency, whether he has said, as he has, that women should be punished for their choices; whether he has talked about his pride in taking away a fundamental right from women; whether it be how he has actually created a situation in America where now one in three women lives in a Trump abortion ban state and has legal restrictions on the right she rightly should have to make decisions about her own body.
    The other point I will refer to about — in the last many hours is the speaker’s comments about the Affordable Care Act.  Look, I’ve been saying throughout this campaign: Be very clear that among the stakes in this election are whether we continue with the Affordable Care Act or not.
    It has been a part of Donald Trump’s agenda for a very long time.  He has made dozens of attempts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act.  And now we have further validation of that agenda from his supporter, the speaker of the House.
    And what that would mean for the American people is that pharma- — that — that insurance companies could go back to a time when they would deny you coverage for health insurance based on preexisting conditions — preexisting conditions, such as you being a survivor of breast cancer, asthma, diabetes.
    And what I know is that the American people, regardless of who they’re voting for, know the importance of the Affordable Care Act — of, as it is also called, “Obamacare,” in terms of expanding people’s coverage to health care based on a fundamental principle that I hold deeply: Access to health care should be a right and not just a privilege to those who can afford it.
    So, there’s still a lot of work to do.  But each day, I think that there are also indications that we are receiving from my opponent that verify, validate, and reinforce the fact that, one, he is not going to be fighting for women’s reproductive rights.  He does not prioritize the freedom of women and the intelligence of women to make decisions about their own lives and bodies.  And health care for all Americans is on the line in this election as well.
    I’ll take your questions. 
         AIDE:  Tam. 
    Q    Oh, yeah.  You know, since the beginning stages of your campaign, you’ve described yourself as an underdog.  That language is gone from your speech now.  Has something changed in how you’re feeling?
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  No, listen, I am putting it all on the field, and it’s going to be a very tight race.  And I — I am running like the underdog, because we are.  Donald Trump has been running for the — the last decade.  I’ve been in this race about three and a half months, and the stakes are so high.
    But I’ve been saying for quite some time, regardless of what the polls say, we are going to win.  I do believe that, because I do believe that this is a choice about two very different directions for our country. 
    And the choice being offered by Donald Trump is about going backward, about a constant emphasis on degrading the American people in our capacity, versus a track that is about bringing the country together, knowing we have more in common than what separates us. 
    And we should have a plan, which I do, to actually get things done, including bringing down the cost of living for people, investing in our small businesses, expanding access to health care, investing in American industries, including the future of American industries and American workers. 
    So, there you go. 
    AIDE:  Will. 
    Q    So, you talked about the — what the former president said being offensive to women.  Wh- — 
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Oh, I think it’s offensive to everybody, by the way. 
    Q    Well, that — that was my question.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.
    Q    The sort of hypermasculinity that he is talking about, do you — what do you think about it possibly resonating with men and male voters specifically?
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  You will — you — you’ve been following me, and you will see that in the tens of thousands of people who attend our rallies — which is an opportunity to talk about the issues, talk about the future of our country — right? — there are men, women, young people, people of every race, every background. 
    One of the points, I think, that is a point of pride for everyone who attends — and including myself — is that our campaign really is about bringing people together, people of very different and diverse backgrounds, around a common theme that is about love of country, defending the Constitution of the United States, and investing in our future as — and rejecting the notion that we are divided or that that should be acceptable that we would be divided as a nation. 
    So, I’m very proud to have the support of — of men, women, young people, people of every background.
    AIDE:  Ebony. 
    Q    So, we know we have five days until the election.  How are you going to continue to draw the contest with former President Donald Trump, specifically with the undecided voters, as the pool is really shrinking now?
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I will continue — as we will do today, as we did yesterday, and so on — to talk with people where they live — so, again, here in Wisconsin, heading to Arizona, heading to Nevada — to talk with people about issues, like how we’re going to deal with price gouging — corporate price gouging as a way to deal with grocery costs; how we’re going to invest in small businesses and expand access to capital; how I will give first-time homeowners a $25,000 down payment assistance if they are a first-time homebuyer to help them get their foot in the door. 
    These are the issues that the American people want to talk about, because these are the issues that affect them.  These are the issues they think about when they’re sitting at their kitchen table or when they’re trying to go to sleep at night. 
    And what I know is that they want a president of the United States who, as I say, will walk into the Oval Office with a to-do list and not an enemies list. 
    And so, that’s what I will continue to do over the course of these next few days to let folks know that I see them, I hear them, and I’m prepared to address their challenges with a plan that is about getting things done.
    AIDE:  Thank you. 
         THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  Thank you. 
                                 END       10:15 A.M. CDT

    MIL OSI USA News –