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Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government reduces credit card fees by 27 per cent for small business owners

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Canada’s small- and medium-sized businesses create good-paying jobs, keep main streets flourishing across the country, and deliver the dream of entrepreneurship.

    October 17, 2024 – Hamilton, Ontario           

    Canada’s small- and medium-sized businesses create good-paying jobs, keep main streets flourishing across the country, and deliver the dream of entrepreneurship. It is essential that these businesses thrive so they can continue being the bedrock of our communities and our economy.

    Small businesses pay fees to process credit card transactions, with the largest component being the interchange fee paid to credit card-issuing financial institutions, such as banks. That is why the federal government negotiated and finalized new agreements with Visa and Mastercard, which also protect reward points offered to Canadians.

    Today in Hamilton, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced that new credit card fee reductions for small business owners will come into effect this Saturday, October 19, 2024. For qualifying small businesses, Visa and Mastercard have agreed to:

    • reduce domestic consumer credit interchange fees for in-store transactions to an annual weighted average interchange rate of 0.95 per cent;
    • reduce domestic consumer credit interchange fees for online transactions by 10 basis points, resulting in reductions of up to 7 per cent; and,
    • provide free access to online fraud and cyber security resources to help small businesses grow their online sales while preventing fraud and chargebacks.

    More than 90 per cent of businesses that accept credit cards will receive lower rates and see interchange fees reduced by up to 27 per cent. These fee reductions will save eligible small businesses about $1 billion over five years.

    Reduced credit card transaction fees will save small businesses thousands of dollars every year. For example, if a store processes $300,000 in credit card payments, they currently pay nearly $4,000 in annual interchange fees. With these new agreements, the store could save $1,080 in fees every year. The federal government expects all members of the credit card industry, including payment processors, to pass these savings on directly to small businesses.

    Second, the federal government announced a revised Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry in Canada to protect over 1 million businesses that accept credit card and debit card payments from customers. Starting on October 30, 2024, the revised Code will help businesses compare prices and offers from different payment processors, and shorten the complaint handling response time by nearly 80 per cent to just 20 business days. All major payment card network operators in Canada have agreed to the terms of the revised Code. Certain obligations requiring complex or technical system changes will come into effect by April 30, 2025.

    In addition, the federal government announced the payment amounts for the new Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses, which will deliver over $2.5 billion to about 600,000 Canadian businesses before the end of this year. The Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses will deliver up to $4,010 to a business with 10 employees in Ontario, $59,100 to a business with 50 employees in Alberta, and $576,844 to a business with 499 employees in Saskatchewan. Small businesses in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador will also receive payments.

    The government is taking action to help small businesses start up, grow, and thrive by reducing the costs of running a business. These reduced credit card fees for small business owners build on the government’s lowering of the small business tax rate to 9 per cent—which is already saving small businesses $6.6 billion every single year. 

    Katherine Cuplinskas
    Deputy Director of Communications
    Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
    Katherine.Cuplinskas@fin.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tech bosses think nuclear fusion is the solution to AI’s energy demands – here’s what they’re missing

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sophie Cogan, PhD Candidate in Politics and Environment, University of York

    Illustration of nuclear fusion in a tokamak. John D London / Shutterstock

    The artificial intelligence boom has already changed how we understand technology and the world. But developing and updating AI programs requires a lot of computing power. This relies heavily on servers in data centres, at a great cost in terms of carbon emissions and resource use.

    One particularly energy intensive task is “training”, where generative AI systems are exposed to vast amounts of data so that they improve at what they do.

    The development of AI-based systems has been blamed for a 48% increase in Google’s greenhouse gas emissions over five years. This will make it harder for the tech giant to achieve its goal of reaching net zero by 2030.

    Some in the industry justify the extra energy expenditure from AI by pointing to benefits the technology could have for environmental sustainability and climate action. Improving the efficiency of solar and wind power through predicting weather patterns, “smart” agriculture and more efficient, electric autonomous vehicles are among the purported benefits of AI for the Earth.

    It’s against this background that tech companies have been looking to renewables and nuclear fission to supply electricity to their data centres.

    Nuclear fission is the type of nuclear power that’s been in use around the world for decades. It releases energy by splitting a heavy chemical element to form lighter ones. Fission is one thing, but some in Silicon Valley feel a different technology will be needed to plug the gap: nuclear fusion.

    Unlike fission, nuclear fusion produces energy by combining two light elements to make a heavier one. But fusion energy is an unproven solution to the sustainability challenge of AI. And the enthusiasm of tech CEOs for this technology as an AI energy supply risks sidelining the potential benefits for the planet.

    Beyond the conventional

    Google recently announced that it had signed a deal to buy energy from small nuclear reactors. This is a technology, based on nuclear fission, that allows useful amounts of power to be produced from much smaller devices than the huge reactors in big nuclear power plants. Google plans to use these small reactors to generate the power needed for the rise in use of AI.

    This year, Microsoft announced an agreement with the company Constellation Energy, which could pave the way to restart a reactor at Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear power station, the site of the worst nuclear accident in US history.

    However, nuclear power produces long-lived radioactive waste, which needs to be stored securely. Nuclear fuels, such as the element uranium (which needs to be mined), are finite, so the technology is not considered renewable. Renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power suffer from “intermittency”, meaning they do not consistently produce energy at all hours of the day.

    These limitations have driven some to look to look to nuclear fusion as a solution. Most notably, Sam Altman of OpenAI has shown particular interest in Helion Energy, a fusion startup working on a relatively novel technological design.

    In theory, nuclear fusion offers a “holy grail” energy source by generating a large output of energy from small quantities of fuel, with no greenhouse gas emissions from the process and comparatively little radioactive waste. Some forms of fusion rely on a fuel called deuterium, a form of hydrogen, which can be extracted from an abundant source: seawater.

    In the eyes of its advocates, like Altman, these qualities make nuclear fusion well suited to meet the challenges of growing energy demand in the face of the climate crisis –- and to meet the vast demands of AI development.

    However, dig beneath the surface and the picture isn’t so rosy. Despite the hopes of its proponents, fusion technologies have yet to produce sustained net energy output (more energy than is put in to run the reactor), let alone produce energy at the scale required to meet the growing demands of AI. Fusion will require many more technological developments before it can fulfil its promise of delivering power to the grid.

    Wealthy and powerful people, such as the CEOs of giant technology companies, can strongly influence how new technology is developed. For example, there are many different technological ways to perform nuclear fusion. But the particular route to fusion that is useful for meeting the energy demands of AI might not be the one that’s ideal for meeting people’s general energy needs.

    AI is reliant on data centres which consume lots of energy.
    Dil_Ranathunga / Shutterstock

    The overvaluation of innovation

    Innovators often take for granted that their work will produce ideal social outcomes. If fusion can be made to work at scale, it could make a valuable contribution to decarbonising our energy supplies as the world seeks to tackle the climate crisis.

    However, the humanitarian promises of both fusion and AI often seem to be sidelined in favour of scientific innovation and progress. Indeed, when looking at those invested in these technologies, it is worth asking who actually benefits from them.

    Will investment in fusion for AI purposes enable its wider take-up as a clean technology to replace polluting fossil fuels? Or will a vision for the technology propagated by powerful tech companies restrict its use for other purposes?

    It can sometimes feel as if innovation is itself the goal, with much less consideration of the wider impact. This vision has echoes of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s motto of “move fast and break things”, where short-term losses are accepted in pursuit of a future vision that will later justify the means.

    Sophie Cogan receives funding from the EPSRC Fusion Centre for Doctoral Training.

    – ref. Tech bosses think nuclear fusion is the solution to AI’s energy demands – here’s what they’re missing – https://theconversation.com/tech-bosses-think-nuclear-fusion-is-the-solution-to-ais-energy-demands-heres-what-theyre-missing-240580

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Bowman, 30+ Lawmakers Urge Biden to Continue Bold Executive Action to Lower Housing Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    October 17, 2024
    “We strongly encourage you to cement your legacy by addressing one of the most pressing economic issues of our time.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) led a letter with over 30  lawmakers to President Joe Biden praising him for his actions to confront the housing crisis and proposing additional executive actions to lower the cost of housing.
    “Under your leadership, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken important steps to protect renters from predatory corporate landlords and to make home purchases and refinancing more affordable,” wrote the lawmakers. “But there is even more that can be done using executive agencies’ existing statutory authority.”
    The lawmakers recommend the Administration and federal agencies take the following actions:
    Price Gouging Protections: In order to safeguard tenants from rising rents at the hands of corporate landlord who have been caught price gouging their tenants, FHFA can condition all Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily loans on a set of price gouging protections, source of income protections, anti-eviction regulations, and habitability and accessibility improvements.
    Tackling Junk Fees: To address the hidden junk fees that can create thousands of dollars in additional costs for renters and homeowners, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should finalize its proposed rule to ban junk fees and continue to investigate unfair and deceptive practices by corporate landlords. Additionally, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) should address anticompetitive closing costs and junk fees, lowering closing costs for home mortgages and making homeownership more accessible.
    Lowering Credit Report Costs: As the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) enjoys a near monopoly in the credit scoring market, the Department of Justice (DOJ) should investigate whether the company is violating antitrust law, and the CFPB should explore potential remedies to exploding credit reporting costs, including a cap on fees that credit reporting agencies can charge and interoperability requirements that would allow consumers to move their credit scores without new fees.
    Promoting Housing Development on Federal Property: Federal agencies can work to reform Title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance program, so that federal property can more easily be leased by affordable housing providers who are serving people experiencing homelessness.
    Right now, the United States is facing a severe affordable housing crisis, with an estimated gap of 7.3 million housing units affordable and available to the lowest-income households.
    Already, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken bold steps to protect tenants from predatory corporate landlords, including the Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights, rent-hike protections in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties, and support for anti-price-gouging measures in properties owned by corporate landlords. The Administration has also worked to increase housing supply, including through grants to incentivize the production of affordable housing and more.
    “We strongly encourage you to cement your legacy by addressing one of the most pressing economic issues of our time and take swift action to create more housing and lower housing costs for Americans everywhere,” concluded the lawmakers.
    The letter is also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-Texas), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.).
    This letter was endorsed by the Tenant Union Federation, National Housing Law Project, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Homelessness Law Center, and Americans for Financial Reform.
    Senator Warren has long led the fight to make housing more affordable for families and has held companies accountable for their role in exacerbating housing costs:
    In September 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and other lawmakers demanded answers from corporate landlords in Massachusetts allegedly using rent-hiking algorithms.
    In August 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), sent letters to each of the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) urging them to contribute at least 20% of their net income to affordable housing and other critical community grant programs.
    In July 2024, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, the landmark legislation to tackle the housing crisis, bring down costs for renters and buyers, and help working families everywhere find a decent place to live at a decent price. 
    In July 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Sara Jacobs led Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Jon Ossoff, Representative Ro Khanna, and Representative James Moylan in calling out the Department of Defense (DoD) for failing to protect military families living in military housing operated by private companies under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI).
    In June 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) urging the agency to address our country’s affordable housing crisis by reforming the broken Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) System.
    In May 2024, Senator Warren reintroduced the Public Housing Emergency Response Act to address the estimated $70 billion backlog of maintenance and repairs in our nation’s public housing, which would allow tenants to live in safe conditions and ensure that, as we fight to end the housing crisis by expanding the supply of affordable housing, we are not losing existing units to disrepair.
    In April 2024, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, U.S. Senator Warren called out the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) for failing to deliver on their mission to provide affordable housing as the country faces a housing crisis.
    In January 2024, Senator Warren, John Hickenlooper, Jacky Rosen, and Sheldon Whitehouse sent a letter to Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell, calling on the Fed to reverse its troubling interest rate hikes that have driven mortgage rates to 20-year highs and have put affordable housing out of reach for too many Americans.
    In March 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Tina Smith, and Bernie Sanders sent a letter to Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ) calling for the DOJ to investigate YieldStar following new findings from their investigation of RealPage’s YieldStar product.
    In January 2023, Senator Warren, and Representative Jamaal Bowman led a letter with 48 lawmakers, urging President Biden to use every tool he has to address rent inflation, end corporate price gouging in the rental market, and ensure that renters and people experiencing homelessness across this country are stably housed this winter.
    In November 2022,  Senators Warren, Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to RealPage CEO Dana Jones, expressing concern about RealPage’s algorithmic pricing software, YieldStar, and its role in driving rising rents and exacerbating inflation.
    In August 2022, at a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (BHUA) Committee  hearing, Senator Warren called out corporate landlords’ growing role in the rental market and emphasized the need for a Tenant Protection Bureau to hold corporate landlords accountable and protect renters from extreme rent hikes, illegal eviction, and other predatory practices.
    In May 2022, Senators Warren and Reed sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Marcia Fudge, calling on HUD to preserve homeownership affordability for American families as Wall Street firms expand their activity in the housing market.
    In March 2022, at a BHUA Committee hearing, Senator Warren called out Wall Street’s role in worsening the housing affordability crisis for seniors by buying up manufactured home communities
    In February 2022, Senator Warren called out private equity firms and other big investors for exacerbating inflation and locking families out of affordable housing opportunities. 
    In January 2022, Senator Warren sent letters to the CEOs of three private equity-backed firms—Progress Residential, American Homes 4 Rent, and Invitation Homes —calling out their growing activity in the housing market that has resulted in rent hikes and unaffordable homes for first-time buyers.
    In August 2021, during a hearing exchange with Senator Warren, a Department of Housing and Urban Development nominee committed to consider changes that facilitate sales of distressed homes to homeowners, not private equity firms.
    In July 2021, Senator Warren called on large corporate landlords to avoid needless evictions as the CDC eviction moratorium neared expiration. 
    In May 2021, at a hearing, Senator Warren made the case for her American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, which would create a new housing innovation grant program to reduce exclusionary local zoning laws.
    On April 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act to bring down the costs for renters and buyers, level the playing field so working families can find a decent place to live at a decent price, reduce exclusionary zoning laws, and take a step towards addressing the effects of decades of housing discrimination on communities of color.
    In May 2019, Senator Warren and then-Representative Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) wrote to the private equity firms behind some of the country’s largest manufactured housing communities to request information about their use of predatory practices to boost profits in the communities they own.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Secures Over $33 Million in Federal Funding for the Paducah and Louisville Railway

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will provide $33,780,304 in federal funding to Paducah and Louisville (P&L) Transportation to support several infrastructure projects along its 280-mile main line between Louisville and Paducah, Kentucky; including upgrades to signals and track infrastructure, installation of a wheel truing machine, and rehabilitation of five rail bridges in Hardin and Muhlenberg Counties.
    DOT awarded this grant as part of the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program, which awards competitive grants for freight and highway projects. Senator McConnell helped secure $3.2 billion for the INFRA program in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed Congress with the Senator’s support and was signed into law by the President. Senator McConnell also wrote to the Secretary of Transportation in support of P&L Transportation’s grant application.
    The P&L main rail line connects with four major railroads in North America, transporting equipment for Kentucky’s military installations, materials used for manufacturing, and other freight vital to interstate commerce.
    “As a transportation and logistics hub, Kentucky keeps millions of American goods and people on the move. From strengthening our regional economy to facilitating interstate commerce nationwide, our rail infrastructure – and investments to sustain it – has benefits that ripple across the entire country. Projects like this one are precisely the reason I supported the bipartisan infrastructure law, which has delivered billions for Kentucky’s roads, ports, railroads, and waterways. I look forward to watching this much-needed investment spur development along the entire P&L corridor,” said Senator McConnell.
    “P&L is excited to continue our work to rebuild critical freight railroad infrastructure. This project will benefit all Kentuckians by keeping employers in the Commonwealth connected to markets around the world. I want to especially thank Senator McConnell for all of his hard work to ensure that Kentucky infrastructure projects receive their fair share of funding. These projects and the funding announced today would not be possible without his support,” said Chairman, President, and CEO of P&L Transportation Tom Greene.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wild, Casey, Fetterman, Secure Major Federal Investment in Lehigh Valley Semiconductor Manufacturer

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Susan Wild (PA-07)

    Today, U.S. Congresswoman Susan Wild (D-PA-07) and U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced a critical first step in a major federal investment to help the semiconductor manufacturer Infinera build a new plant in Bethlehem, PA. This investment, made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act, would support the expansion and modernization of a new Advanced Test and Packaging (ATP) facility creating good-paying jobs in the Lehigh Valley and increasing Infinera’s capacity to manufacture semiconductors, which are vital to national security and American supply chain resilience.

    “By supporting the construction of a new Advanced Test and Packaging Facility right here in Bethlehem, this grant will not only create hundreds of new jobs in our community, but it will revitalize our local semiconductor industry and address key national security concerns,” said Congresswomen Wild. “I was proud to help secure this funding for Infinera, to support our national security and intelligence communities and bolster our local economy and manufacturing ecosystem. I will continue to advocate for our community to receive federal resources, promote Made in America policies, and protect our nation from foreign adversaries.” 

    “I fought to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to ensure that Pennsylvania workers can continue leading the world in building the technology of tomorrow. This agreement is another critical step to deliver jobs and dollars to our Commonwealth, while protecting our Nation’s national and economic security,” said Senator Casey. “Infinera is emblematic of the future of the Lehigh Valley and I will keep fighting to bring manufacturing jobs to Pennsylvania.”

    “This is exactly what ‘Making Stuff Here’ in America and Pennsylvania looks like. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s implementation of the CHIPS Act, we’ll be seeing hundreds of good-paying jobs brought to Bethlehem. The Lehigh Valley has a rich history of innovation––it’s where the first facility to mass-produce transistors was built. By investing in companies like Infinera, we’re standing up to global competitors and building on American legacies,” said Senator Fetterman.

    The preliminary agreement between the U.S. Department of Commerce and Infinera Corporation would provide major investments to Infinera plants in Pennsylvania and California. Infinera is a semiconductor and telecommunications equipment manufacturer that has operated for over 20 years. The proposed CHIPS funding would support the construction of a new Advanced Test and Packaging (ATP) facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and would be expected, with the California facility, to increase Infinera’s existing domestic manufacturing capacity by an estimated factor of 10.

    Senator Casey and Congresswoman Wild have long advocated for semiconductor manufacturing investments in Pennsylvania. Earlier this year both Casey and Wild urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to support the construction of a new Infinera manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania., Additionally, Casey and Wild visited Infinera to see the high-tech manufacturing already happening in the Commonwealth.

    Congresswoman Wild and Senator Casey are fighting to bring jobs and economic investment back to Pennsylvania. The Members worked to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to produce semiconductors in the United States, reducing the U.S. reliance on foreign adversaries, including China, for critical technology manufacturing. In addition to the CHIPS Act, Casey and Wild worked to pass Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act—two pieces of landmark legislation that have brought thousands of jobs and billions of dollars to Pennsylvania. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Riverside Company Cell-ebrates with Sale of Red Nucleus

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CLEVELAND, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Riverside Company (Riverside), a global investment firm focused on the smaller end of the middle market, has sold its investment in Red Nucleus, a leading global strategic partner to the life sciences industry, to Thomas H. Lee Partners, a Boston-based private investment firm.

    Riverside Capital Appreciation strategy (RCAF) originally invested in Red Nucleus, headquartered in Yardley, Pennsylvania, in December 2019. Red Nucleus is an industry-leading integrated provider of learning and development, medical communications, market access and R&D and clinical solutions to the life sciences industry globally. The company’s comprehensive commercial, medical and clinical service and software solutions span all stages of the product cycle to help provide lasting value for key stakeholders, including pharmaceutical organizations, HCPs and patients.

    The breadth and depth of the company’s services and products have enabled Red Nucleus to become a valuable one-stop shop and trusted partner to its customers across the entirety of the drug development lifecycle. The company serves more than 200 organizations, including innovative biotech start-ups and the majority of the top 25 global pharmaceutical companies by market capitalization, helping advance life sciences solutions and improve patient health outcomes globally.

    “It was such a pleasure working with the talented Red Nucleus team through this period of transformational growth,” said RCAF’s Co-Chief Investment Officer Peter Tsang. “We delivered a successful organic growth strategy. In addition, we integrated eleven add-on acquisitions which meaningfully enhanced Red Nucleus’ value proposition to its customers with a more diversified set of service offerings and broader geographic reach with 11 offices across four continents.”

    Red Nucleus is another example of Riverside’s expertise in investing in and growing businesses in the Business Services and Education & Training sectors. Since its inception in 1988, Riverside has invested in more than 380 companies in the Business Services sector and more than 120 in the Education & Training sector.

    “Riverside was a great partner that worked alongside us to significantly expand the platform while investing in our team and infrastructure to position us for long-term growth. Together, we developed a bold vision and strategy to build an outstanding pharma services organization that I am extremely proud of,” said Red Nucleus CEO Ian Kelly.

    Working with Tsang on the deal for Riverside were Vice President Mark Fishman, Senior Associate Ben Wilson, Associate Ryan Stead and Senior Operating Partner J.P. Fingado. Senior Partner Anne Hayes led the capital market initiatives throughout the investment period. Peter Tsang also sourced the original deal for Riverside.

    Houlihan Lokey, Piper Sandler and Jones Day advised Riverside on the sale of Red Nucleus.

    About Red Nucleus
    Red Nucleus is a global strategic partner with decades of experience across the entire life sciences product life cycle. The company excels in providing clients with unique insights and efficiencies to support their journey to improve health outcomes and ultimately the quality of people’s lives. Red Nucleus’ “Red Thread” weaves together a full suite of products and services from learning & development, scientific services & advisory, medical and scientific communications, and market access, which leads the company’s life sciences customers to accelerated transformational success. With worldwide offices in seven countries, our commitment to quality and on-time delivery is unrivaled in the industry.

    For more information visit http://www.rednucleus.com.

    About The Riverside Company

    The Riverside Company is a global investment firm focused on being one of the leading private equity and flexible capital options for business owners and portfolio company employees at the smaller end of the middle market by seeking to fuel transformative growth and create lasting value. Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has made more than 1,000 investments. The firm’s international private equity and flexible capital portfolios include more than 140 companies.

    For more information visit http://www.riversidecompany.com.

    Holly Mueller                                                                               
    Marketing Consultant                                                            
    The Riverside Company                                                              
    216 535 2236                                                         
    hmueller@riversidecompany.com   

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Polis-Primavera Administration’s Landmark Reinsurance Effort Will Save Coloradans $493 Million on Healthcare Premiums in 2025, Putting Money Back in the Pockets of Hardworking Coloradans

    Source: US State of Colorado

    Even more savings can be found by shopping and switching to a Colorado Option plan during open enrollment.

    DENVER – Today Governor Polis, Lt. Governor Primavera, and the Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI), part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), announced that Reinsurance will save Coloradans almost $493 million on approved plans and premiums for 2025, building on the millions in savings available to Coloradans through Colorado Option plans. The figures below on the final, approved health insurance plans and premiums for 2025, highlight the impact of these efforts to save people money on health insurance.  

    “Our landmark bipartisan reinsurance plan continues to lower healthcare premiums and provide Coloradans with historic savings on their healthcare plans. These savings put money back in the pockets of hardworking Coloradans to spend on what people need and in our strong, small local businesses across the state,” said Governor Polis.

    “Access to high quality and affordable healthcare is critical for the health of all Coloradans. Increasing access to quality healthcare people can afford is something I have fought for over my decades of public service. These reinsurance savings will ensure getting the care people and their families need doesn’t feel out of reach,” said Lt. Governor Primavera.

    “These savings are incredible,” said Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway. “We have a Reinsurance Program that will save nearly $500 million for Coloradans next year. Add to that, Colorado Option plans that continue to be cheaper than non-Option plans, saving families millions a year. So my advice this year is the same as it is every year – get out there and shop to see what plans are available for you and your families.”

    Reinsurance Savings: Nearly $493 Million

    Colorado’s Reinsurance Program continues to deliver savings for people buying their insurance on the individual market (meaning insurance that is not provided through an employer). For 2025, the program is estimated to save Coloradans 23.8% on their premiums, equal to nearly $493 million ($492,847,3512). For a 40-year-old individual, that means an average savings over $1,500, and for a family of four, up to $5,800 in savings.

    In many counties in the western half of Colorado, Reinsurance is saving people more than 40% on their premiums, and in Mesa County (Rating Area 5), premiums would be 44% higher without the Reinsurance Program. For a 40-year-old individual in Mesa County, that means an average savings of $2,700, and for a family of four, almost $10,000 in savings.

    Reinsurance Savings by county

    With the $493 million in savings for 2025, the total estimated savings for the program will be over $2 billion since its inception.

    Colorado Option: Colorado Consumers Could Save an estimated $235 Million

    For 2025, Colorado Option plans will again offer significant savings for enrollees.

    In the individual market, the average increase for Colorado Option plans is again lower than non-Option plans: Colorado Option plans average premium change is 4.6%, while non-Option premiums will increase by an average of 6.1%. And Colorado Option plans will be the lowest or the second lowest plan in over 90% of Colorado counties next year for Bronze and Silver plans. For Gold plans, Colorado Option plans will be the lowest or second lowest plan in every county in the state in 2025.

    Additionally, someone currently enrolled in an average cost, non-Option plan who switches to a Colorado Option plan in the same metal tier (bronze, silver, gold), could see significant savings. A 40-year-old switching to the lowest cost Colorado Option plan could save up to $225 a month, or nearly $2,700 for the year (depending on where they live in the state). A family of four making the same change could realize savings of $800 a month, or nearly $10,000 for the year. These Colorado Option savings add up to $235 million if everyone in the individual market made this switch.

    In the small group market (for business with less than 100 employees), a 40-year-old making the change to the lowest cost Colorado Option plan would see savings of up to nearly $3,700 for the year, and a family of four would save over $14,000 on the year.

    Rate Review Savings: $15 million

    Every year, the DOI’s Rate Review Team works through all of the information the health insurance companies file to check that it meets the requirements of State and federal laws and regulations, but also to ensure that the premiums the companies request make sense. This year, the rate review process saved Coloradans over $15 million.

    In the individual market, the average premium increase for 2025 will only be 5.6%, while in the small group market, the average premium increase will be 7.1%

    Take the Time to Shop to Find More Savings

    On top of these programs saving Coloradans money on health care, many people who get their insurance from the individual market and use the state’s exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, will be eligible for additional savings.

    At least 80% of people currently enrolled in 2024 health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado will be eligible for financial assistance in 2025 that will help to make their insurance more affordable.

    And that financial assistance can also be significant, as 77% of customers getting financial assistance will be able to find a plan with a premium less than $100 a month if they shop,  and 62% will be able to find a premium under $25.

    With 219 plans available across Colorado for 2025 in the individual market, plus all of the available financial assistance, it is important that Colorado consumers take the time to shop and compare plans available as well as determine how much assistance would be available. Remember, the expanded eligibility for assistance available that was created by the Inflation Reduction Act is still in place, so if it’s been some time since you checked what assistance you might qualify for, it is time to check again at the Connect for Health Colorado’s Quick Cost and Plan Finder Tool.

    Open Enrollment Starts Nov. 1 – Don’t Wait

    Even though open enrollment doesn’t start until November 1, we encourage everyone to start looking at the health insurance plans available for 2025 and determining what financial assistance is available. At Connect for Health Colorado’s Quick Cost and Plan Finder Tool, the 2025 plans, premiums and financial assistance details will be available to view starting on October 22.

    Open enrollment for 2025 individual health insurance lasts until January 15, 2025. People enrolling November 1 – December 15, will have their coverage start on January 1, 20254. For those that wait to enroll between December 16 and January 15, coverage will start on February 1, 2025.

    More information can be found on the DOI’s website for approved plans.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chavez-DeRemer, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill Paving the Way for Affordable Homeownership in Rural Areas

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), Jim Costa (CA-21), and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) have introduced the Rural Homeownership Continuity Act (H.R. 9814), a bipartisan proposal that would help families attain federal loans at lower interest rates. The goal is to make homeownership more affordable in rural America.

    “Oregon is ranked the fifth-most unaffordable state for local homebuyers, and all of our communities – urban, suburban, and rural – have felt the effects of this affordability crisis. Too many Oregonians are forced to work multiple jobs just to afford their mortgages,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “That’s why I’ve been working to find bipartisan solutions that will make a direct, lasting impact. I’m honored to help introduce the Rural Homeownership Continuity Act, which will improve housing affordability and access in our rural communities.”

    “The Rural Homeownership Continuity Act represents a vital step forward towards strengthening communities in the San Joaquin Valley and rural America,” said Costa. “By helping families take advantage of lower interest rates, we’re not just making homeownership more attainable, but fostering stability and economic growth. Every family deserves the chance to build a future in a home they can afford.”

    “As we face a growing rural housing crisis in California and across the country, I’m happy to support this bill that removes bureaucratic barriers to low-income residents’ ability to achieve homeownership. By streamlining the process of loan transfer, this legislation makes it easier for rural families to get the financing they need to own a home,” said LaMalfa. 

    The Section 502 Single Family Housing Loan Guarantee Program is a mortgage assistance program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that helps with lending for low- and moderate-income households buying homes located in eligible rural areas. 

    In rural communities, where access to affordable housing is often limited, the Rural Homeownership Continuity Act would amend the Housing Act of 1949 to permit loan assumption under Section 502 to release departing borrowers from liability when their loans are assumed by new borrowers. 

    Right now, when someone sells a home that has a USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan, the buyer can’t transfer the seller’s low interest rate. Instead, they often must settle for higher rates from private lenders. In contrast, existing USDA loans can offer rates as low as 3-4.5 percent, and even down to 1 percent for very low-income buyers. This difference can save families a lot of money over time.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    Last month, Chavez-DeRemer introduced a bipartisan bill to ensure more people experiencing homelessness can access the resources they need to get back on their feet. She recently helped secure a $5 million federal grant to help Bend build more affordable homes. Chavez-DeRemer is also leading the bipartisan Choice in Affordable Housing Act to help more low-income families access affordable housing. Additionally, she has backed bipartisan legislation like the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act and the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act that would help build more affordable homes.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alabama Man Arrested for Role in Securities and Exchange Commission X Account Hack

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    An Alabama man was arrested by the FBI this morning in Athens, Alabama, on charges related to the January hack of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    According to court documents, on or about Jan. 9, Eric Council Jr., 25, of Athens, allegedly conspired with others to take unauthorized control of the SEC’s X account and, in the name of SEC Chair Gary Gensler, prematurely announced the approval of bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds. Immediately following the false announcement, the price of bitcoin increased by more than $1,000 per bitcoin. Shortly after this unauthorized post, the SEC regained control over its X account and confirmed that the announcement was unauthorized and the result of a security breach. Following this corrective disclosure, the value of BTC decreased by more than $2,000 per bitcoin.

    The conspirators gained control of the SEC’s X account through an unauthorized Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swap, allegedly carried out by Council. A SIM swap refers to the process of fraudulently inducing a cell phone carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber or user’s SIM card to a SIM card controlled by a criminal actor. As part of the scheme, Council and the co-conspirators allegedly created a fraudulent identification document in the victim’s name, which Council used to impersonate the victim; took over the victim’s cellular telephone account; and accessed the online social media account linked to the victim’s cellular phone number for the purpose of accessing the SEC’s X account and generating the fraudulent post in the name of SEC Chairman Gensler.

    “The indictment alleges that Eric Council Jr. unlawfully accessed the SEC’s account on X by using the stolen identity of a person who had access to the account to take over their cellphone number,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Council’s co-conspirators then allegedly used this unauthorized access to the X account to falsely announce that the SEC had approved listing bitcoin ETFs, which caused the price of bitcoin to rise by $1,000 and then fall by $2,000. Council’s indictment underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to countering cybercrime, especially when it threatens the integrity of financial markets.”

    “These SIM swapping schemes, where fraudsters trick service providers into giving them control of unsuspecting victims’ phones, can result in devastating financial losses to victims and leaks of sensitive personal and private information,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Here, the conspirators allegedly used their illegal access to a phone to manipulate financial markets. Through indictments like this, we will hold accountable those who commit these serious crimes.”

    “The FBI works to identify, disrupt, and investigate cyber-enabled frauds, including SIM swapping,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David E. Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. “SIM swapping is a method bad actors exploit to illicitly access sensitive information of an individual or company, with the intent of perpetrating a crime. In this case, the unauthorized actor allegedly utilized SIM swapping to manipulate the global financial market. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners around the country and globe to hold accountable those who break U.S. laws.”

    “This criminal indictment demonstrates our commitment to holding bad actors accountable for undermining the integrity of the financial markets,” said Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey of the SEC.

    A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment on Oct. 10 charging Council with one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Washington Field Office and SEC Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Ashley Pungello of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Lauren Archer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

    For more information on SIM swapping, go to http://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240411.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why calls to review Lucy Letby’s case are so different from other miscarriage of justice campaigns

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sam Poyser, Lecturer in Criminology, Aberystwyth University

    Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse, was convicted after two trials of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Sentenced to life imprisonment following a case which many believe was built on circumstantial evidence, Letby has consistently maintained her innocence.

    In a recent interview on LBC, the UK government’s health secretary, Wes Streeting, was asked for his opinion on those questioning the safety of Letby’s convictions.

    Streeting’s reply urged campaigners to place their faith in the judicial and appellate processes to identify and correct their mistakes, if any. He added that there was no purpose in campaigning as it would have no impact and that if people insisted on doing so, they should do it “quietly”.

    But my research shows that Streeting’s comments are not reflective of the broader history of miscarriages of justice.

    Wes Streeting on Lucy Letby’s conviction.

    Letby’s first trial was preceded by the publication of a report by the Royal Statistical Society in September 2022 detailing how statistical issues in the investigation of suspected murders in medical settings can contribute to causing miscarriages of justice. It drew attention to the case of Dutch nurse Lucia de Berk who was convicted in circumstances which shared striking similarities with the Letby case.

    Almost six months after Letby’s conviction in August 2023, the New Yorker magazine published an article challenging the prosecution’s account of events. And a body called Science on Trial, which calls out “problematic science”, also began raising questions. This sparked further scrutiny from journalist Peter Hitchens, who continues to express his doubts in the press.

    National publications, radio programmes and TV broadcasts featuring prominent medical experts have also raised doubts about the evidence used at trial.

    Lucy Letby.
    Cheshire Constabulary

    Politicians, like David Davis, began voicing concerns both inside and outside parliament, intensifying the debate around the safety of Letby’s conviction.

    The Letby campaign stands out as an alleged miscarriage of justice because there are very few cases in which so many people have moved so quickly, and so publicly, to raise concerns.

    Lessons from history

    Miscarriages of justice are not new and are often very difficult to put right. The history of miscarriages of justice is littered with failed appeals and unsuccessful applications submitted by prisoners to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the body now responsible for investigating and referring them back to the Court of Appeal.

    For example, Andrew Malkinson spent 17 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Even after DNA evidence excluded him as the perpetrator, his case was essentially blocked from proceeding to appeal by the very system designed to identify such errors. Had it not been for sustained public campaigning and an investigation spearheaded by the legal charity Appeal, his conviction would probably not have been quashed.

    Streeting’s argument that “there is no purpose in a campaign” overlooks the effect organised calls for justice have had. Campaigns like those for the Birmingham Six – in which six men spent 16 years in prison for a crime of which they were entirely innocent – led to significant reforms. These include the establishment of the CCRC itself. Without public scrutiny and outcry, these changes would not have been achieved.

    My research shows that an important goal of justice campaigns is to “gain a voice” – to raise questions, build support and influence outcomes. This can sometimes lead to convictions being overturned. These campaigns are typically led by the prisoner’s family, whose fight to be heard is often a long and arduous journey.

    Some families eventually manage to engage journalists who help them gain a voice in the mainstream media. This oxygen of publicity may, in turn, attract the attention of those whose intervention might further strengthen the campaign, such as specialist experts, lawyers and other professionals.

    These individuals may lend their knowledge, skills and expertise to a case and sometimes even go public with their concerns. This often pressures people in positions of authority to respond.

    The “campaigning voice” can also draw the attention of investigative journalists who specialise in re-examining alleged miscarriages of justice. When they take interest, their thorough and often obsessive work can uncover new evidence, sometimes strong enough to convince the Court of Appeal to overturn a conviction.

    The judiciary itself has acknowledged the transformative role of such journalists. But it’s important to note that families usually have to wage a long and loud campaign before reaching this point.

    Why the Letby case is different

    Although Letby’s parents have stuck by her from the start, they have rarely spoken publicly.

    In this case, the voices shouting the loudest, and refusing to be quiet, belong to eminent statisticians, epidemiologists, neonatologists, pediatricians and biochemical engineers. These are the types of people that most miscarriage campaigns spend years trying to attract. The sheer number speaking out is unprecedented.

    So too is the swift involvement of John Sweeney, a journalist who specialises in investigating what researchers call “no crime miscarriages”. These are cases where people are convicted for crimes that never happened.

    The speed with which these professionals and others have raised doubts about the Letby convictions is highly unusual, especially given the severity of the convictions. My work shows that people convicted of especially horrific crimes often struggle to establish campaigns that question whether the justice system got it wrong.

    While it’s now widely accepted that juries, judges and the CCRC can make mistakes, justice systems tend to fiercely protect their decisions and reputations in such cases. Although no one can at this time say for certain whether or not Letby’s convictions are unsafe, research shows that public campaigns – and campaigning loudly – can make a difference.

    Sam Poyser 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. Why calls to review Lucy Letby’s case are so different from other miscarriage of justice campaigns – https://theconversation.com/why-calls-to-review-lucy-letbys-case-are-so-different-from-other-miscarriage-of-justice-campaigns-239465

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Regular exercise could reduce the severity of hangovers – here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Athalie Redwood-Brown, Senior Lecturer in Performance Analysis of Sport, Nottingham Trent University

    Regular workouts may help lessen the pain of those dreadful mornings. PintoArt/ Shutterstock

    Most of us have been there: a night of fun turns into a morning of regret – complete with a pounding headache, nausea and fatigue.

    While there are plenty of supposed hangover “cures” out there – from eating a greasy breakfast to the ill-advised “hair-of-the-dog” – a recent paper suggests that regular exercise may be the key to alleviating these dreadful mornings.

    The study, published in the journal Addictive Behaviours, involved 1,676 undergraduate students who had experienced at least one hangover in the past three months. All participants did at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. They completed online questionnaires assessing their alcohol consumption patterns, physical activity levels and the frequency and severity of hangover symptoms. Activity levels were scored by calculating the intensity of the activity against the number of hours.

    The findings indicated a significant association between physical activity and hangover symptoms. Unsurprisingly, people who consumed more alcohol experienced hangovers more frequently and with greater severity. But, these associations were reduced in people who engaged in vigorous physical activity (such as running) – suggesting that higher levels of exercise may reduce the severity of hangover symptoms.

    While the study only established a correlation between exercise and reduced hangover severity, several mechanisms may help explain why physical activity could mitigate hangover symptoms.

    1. Modulates pain response

    Hangovers often cause physical pain, such as headaches and muscle aches, due to several factors. Alcohol leads to dehydration, which affects the way the blood vessels function and reduces fluid levels around the brain. This can trigger headaches.

    Alcohol also promotes inflammation in the body, leading to the release of immune system molecules called cytokines, which can cause muscle aches. Additionally, alcohol disrupts sleep, which can increase pain sensitivity the next day.

    Some studies have also noted that the concentration of alcohol you have in your blood after a night of drinking is also linked to common hangover symptoms, such as pain.

    But exercise triggers the release of endorphins – hormones produced by the brain which serve as natural painkillers. Regular exercise may even elevate your baseline endorphin levels. This could potentially lead to a lower perception of pain and discomfort during a hangover.

    2. Better quality sleep

    Hangovers tend to be accompanied by poor quality sleep. Alcohol reduces REM sleep, which is the part of the sleep cycle that helps the brain rest and recover. Drinking can also make you wake up more throughout the night because alcohol causes your body to lose fluids – making you need to use the bathroom more often.

    But regular exercise is linked to better sleep patterns by helping to regulate the circadian rhythm. Overall, physical activity can improve sleep duration, sleep quality and reduce the number of times you wake up during the night. This may in turn help you get a better night’s sleep after drinking – which could improve your overall recovery from a hangover.

    3. Improves metabolism

    Regular physical activity contributes to better metabolic health, which may facilitate the efficient processing of alcohol.

    While the liver primarily metabolises alcohol, having a good metabolic rate can help clear alcohol and its byproducts from the system more effectively.

    Exercise is good for metabolic health – which may help clear alcohol from our systems.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/ Shutterstock

    Exercise also improves circulation, which may also aid in flushing out acetaldehyde. This is a toxic chemical released by alcohol when the body metabolises it. Acetaldehyde significantly contributes to hangover symptoms.

    4. Reduces inflammation

    Alcohol triggers an inflammatory response (the body’s defence mechanism that works against harmful pathogens and substances) which can exacerbate hangover symptoms.

    It releases chemicals called cytokines that promote inflammation, which helps fight off infections or injuries. However, in the case of a hangover, this inflammation can worsen symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, fatigue and sensitivity to light and sound. The body’s heightened immune response amplifies these discomforts, making the hangover feel more intense.

    But exercise has well-documented anti-inflammatory properties as it stimulates the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. This means regular exercisers could experience less inflammation-related discomfort during hangovers.

    The hangover cure?

    It’s important to clarify that while exercise might help make hangovers more bearable, it’s not a cure. The most effective way to prevent a hangover is to drink in moderation – or avoid it altogether. But for those who choose to indulge, integrating regular physical activity into your lifestyle might just make hangovers a little less debilitating.

    However, there are a few things that aren’t quite clear from the study. For example, it isn’t clear how soon before a night of drinking you should work out to see benefits on hangover severity. This makes it difficult to say whether regular exercisers have less severe hangovers, or whether having worked out before a night out helps manage hangover symptoms.

    The study was also conducted using undergraduate students, whose drinking and physical activity levels may differ from older adults. Research in different age groups will be important to see if the benefits are similar.

    It’s also crucial to distinguish between the benefits of consistent exercise and the impulse to work out while hungover. The latter can be counterproductive, as the body is already dehydrated and under stress. This may make your hangover feel worse.

    Instead, try doing gentle, low-effort activities during a hangover – such as a walk or yoga. This may help boost your mood.

    While this recent study’s findings shouldn’t be seen as providing an excuse to overindulge, it does highlight the ways that exercise equips the body to better handle the aftermath of a night of drinking – potentially making those rough mornings a bit more manageable.

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

    – ref. Regular exercise could reduce the severity of hangovers – here’s how – https://theconversation.com/regular-exercise-could-reduce-the-severity-of-hangovers-heres-how-241147

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why many Poles are not as supportive of Ukraine’s war effort as their leaders in Warsaw

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chris Hann, Emeritus Director, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology

    Consumers of western media could be forgiven for supposing that Ukraine, the state whose sovereignty was violated so brutally with the Russian invasion of February 2022, enjoys unstinting support from its western neighbour Poland. The support of the Polish government has been unambiguous. Donations of military equipment and humanitarian support for refugees have been second to none in Europe.

    The election of a new government at the end of 2023 made no discernible difference to the Polish commitment. Antipathy towards Russia in Poland has strong roots, dating back even before the days when much of the country (including Warsaw) was formally incorporated into the Romanovs’ Russian empire.

    Observers in the west take it for granted that the pro-Ukrainian policies of successive Polish governments – endorsed by the Catholic churches – reflect views shared by citizens throughout the country.

    But after more than two years of war, as I found during a recent research trip, doubts are being voiced in some segments of society.

    Farmers have been angry for years. Ukraine has rich soils and its agribusiness is free from EU regulations. In the exceptional conditions created by the invasion, with the government desperately in need of revenue, Ukraine has been allowed to export its cheap grain to the EU. This has undermined the market for Polish farmers. Some Poles event believe that, since much Ukrainian farmland is owned by foreign capital, the prolongation of the war has been orchestrated by the west for economic reasons.

    Similar arguments can be heard concerning energy. The end of cheap gas from the Russian Federation promises a bonanza for the producers of alternative supplies, notably in the United States at the expense of higher prices for Polish households. I also heard in plenty of conversations that Poland is the only ally of Ukraine to provide military hardware free of charge – whereas other Nato states insist on full payment or offer credits that will theoretically have to be repaid one day.

    The resentments run deep and they affect large sections of the population. Why do I have to wait months for my hospital appointment, people ask – is it because of increased demand for health services from the millions of Ukrainian refugees? Why should my taxes pay for generous financial grants to Ukrainians who turn up at the border, claim the cash, and promptly return home?

    A tangled history

    Most educated citizens dismiss such allegations with scorn. Those who complain and exaggerate isolated abuses are often written off as gullible victims of Russian propaganda. But Poles are unlikely dupes. Monuments to communist crimes are everywhere – above all the Katyń massacres of 1940, when the Soviet security forces murdered thousands of Polish officers. More recently, many Poles still suspect the Kremlin’s complicity in the plane crash that killed their then president, Lech Kaczyński in Smolensk in 2010.

    Yet hatred of Russia does not translate into unconditional support for Ukraine.

    The enduring reason for friction between the two states has to do with diverging interpretations of violence which took place during and after the second world war. Ukrainian ministers have the undiplomatic habit of pointing out that large areas of present-day Poland were formerly occupied by Ukrainians. According to the historical ethno-linguistic and religious criteria generally considered central in the formation of peoples, Ukraine might indeed have a stronger claim to sections of the Polish Carpathians than it has to Crimea or Donbas.

    Does this help explain why the Polish government upholds the sanctity of Ukraine’s border with Russia? They want Ukraine’s border with their country to be equally sacrosanct.

    The typical Polish response to Ukrainian nationalist goading is to point out that Poles used to form the majority in most towns of western Ukraine – and that Lviv itself was a Polish city until Stalin redrew the borders in 1944 and the Polish population was deported westwards. These eastern borderlands are known to Poles as the Kresy. They are the focus of strong emotions and mythology. The Kresy is imagined as a harmonious realm in which, for many centuries, cultivated Poles ruled benignly over all other nationalities.

    This multiculturalism came to an abrupt end in the 1940s. These days, Poles with family roots in Volhynia and Galicia, much of which is now in western Ukraine, are incensed by Kyiv’s refusal to admit that Ukrainian nationalists were responsible for the ethnic cleansing of the Polish population. Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, recently made it clear that Poland’s continued support for admitting Ukraine to the EU will depend on coming to terms with this dark past.

    Western complicity

    During my recent visit, I was sometimes asked why the BBC and other influential western media never probed behind the slick public face of Volodymyr Zelensky’s team to report on the real conditions and opinions of ordinary Ukrainians. Instead, Russians are demonised and Ukrainians hailed for their “European values” and their sacrifices on behalf of the west.

    Coverage in Polish state media conveys a similar message – but I found many citizens have become sceptical. There is pity for conscripts, sorrow for the loss of young lives on both sides and fear for where all this dehumanising violence is leading. But few of the people I spoke with believed that Russians are the only party violating the Geneva Conventions.

    Often, the conversation turned to Boris Johnson. I was asked to explain why the then prime minister advised Zelensky in April 2022 that Ukraine should continue the fighting. Did Johnson, as has often been rumoured, sabotage proposals for a negotiated peace carefully drawn up in Istanbul shortly before his visit? Was it the spontaneous whim of a western politician who knew nothing about regional history, a clown playing macho games with Zelensky for the sake of his own image? Did he not care at all about the hundreds of thousands who would suffer and die if this war continued? Was he pursuing a devious strategy agreed with EU leaders and Nato partners, above all Washington?

    I did not have answers to any of these questions.

    Chris Hann 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. Why many Poles are not as supportive of Ukraine’s war effort as their leaders in Warsaw – https://theconversation.com/why-many-poles-are-not-as-supportive-of-ukraines-war-effort-as-their-leaders-in-warsaw-240562

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Béla Bartók: pioneering Hungarian composer who fused folk melodies with classical music

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Taub, Director of Music, The Arts Institute, University of Plymouth

    Considered one of the great composers of the 20th century, the deeply expressive Béla Bartók synthesised elements of folk music of Hungarian and related cultures into classical forms, producing a style that was both individual and influential.

    Through Bartók’s music, powerful elements of local folk melodies are performed and heard in concert halls worldwide. For the 80th anniversary of the composer’s death coming up in 2025, the University of Plymouth’s Musica Viva – of which I am founder and director – is planning a series of concerts celebrating the notion of the “music of home” as brought to life by Bartók, by including one of his pivotal works in every concert. His Piano Sonata, String Quartet No. 3, String Quartet No. 5 and Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta will all be performed by leading artists.

    From the start, the young Bartók, born in 1881, displayed a fascination with music, and his widowed mother encouraged his musical gifts. When the family moved to Pozsony, a former region of Hungary that now lies mostly within Slovakia, he began a formal musical education and attended concerts for the first time.

    As an 18-year-old student of piano and composition at the Budapest Conservatory, Bartók immersed himself in the musical dramas of Wagner and the orchestral works of Liszt. But his primary focus was the piano, and he became known as a pianist of extraordinary abilities, playing the music of Chopin, Liszt and Robert Schumann.

    During his last years as a student, nationalist currents in Hungary – which had been suppressed since the uprising in 1848-1849 – became resurgent. Caught up in this movement, Bartók devoted considerable thought to issues of a national music.

    It is not surprising that under this influence and that of the music of Richard Strauss, his first major composition in 1903 was a vast symphonic poem called Kossuth, a Hungarian “Hero’s Life” – whose ten tableaux depict events of the 1948-49 war of independence. This work was followed by the Liszt-inspired Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra in 1904.

    Bartók’s interest in folk music grew to the point at which he and his friend and fellow composer Zoltán Kodály travelled throughout central Europe, Turkey, and north Africa to collect folk melodies. Bartók wrote five books and many articles on folk music.

    He considered his most interesting finds to be from isolated Hungarian communities living among the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, where he encountered and recorded authentic, untainted Magyar folk music. His fascination with the unbridled spirit of this music helped him gradually develop a compositional style in which he fused folk elements with highly developed techniques of classical music more intimately than had ever been done before.

    Between the two world wars Bartók performed as a concert pianist, touring Britain, the US and the former USSR, and was prolific as a composer. Elements of his style include melodic lines derived from eastern European folk music; powerful forward-leaning rhythms in irregular meters with off-beat accents; strong control of form; and harmonies which, although primarily focused on one key, often include elements of multiple keys thereby creating a sense of musical tension.

    Paramount among his piano works is his only Piano Sonata, written in 1926, which is also his largest composition for solo piano. It was composed during a particularly prolific year during which he also composed his First Piano Concerto, Out of Doors Suite and Nine Little Piano Pieces – all works which he included in his own public performances.

    The Sonata is in three movements and follows a classic sonata form – a lively first movement, a slower second movement and an energetic finale in which the lively main theme recurs in different guises. The full resources of the piano are used in creating a wide spectrum of expression, from incisive detached clusters of notes to smoothly flowing lyrical melodic lines.

    Throughout, the music is inspired by Bartók’s ethnomusicological (social and cultural) research. Although the themes are not folk melodies per se, they imitate their style in terms of melodic shaping, searing dynamics, driving rhythmic features and harmonic content. The piano is used in new percussive ways that often seem a vivid portrayal of folk passions. At the time this was groundbreaking.

    Bartók’s contribution to the musical repertoire is immense. He composed six String Quartets, Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, a large canon of solo piano music as well as chamber music, and an opera, Bluebeard’s Castle. The Concerto for Orchestra, three Piano Concerti, and the Violin Concerto are all masterpieces in large-scale musical forms.

    Bartók emigrated to the US in 1940 and found temporary employment at Columbia University. His health deteriorated along with his financial situation, although his friends Joseph Szigeti and Fritz Reiner arranged for the Koussevitzky Foundation to commission him to write the Concerto for Orchestra in 1943 and the Sonata for Solo Violin in 1944, which provided temporary relief from a dismal situation.

    Bartok died on September 26, 1945, with the score of his Viola Concerto unfinished, but he left behind an unparalleled canon of music that is deeply expressive and vital to our musical understanding today.

    Robert Taub 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. Béla Bartók: pioneering Hungarian composer who fused folk melodies with classical music – https://theconversation.com/bela-bartok-pioneering-hungarian-composer-who-fused-folk-melodies-with-classical-music-238820

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rubio Exposes Threats Posed by Huawei

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    ICYMI: Rubio Exposes Threats Posed by Huawei
    Oct 17, 2024 | Press Releases

    The goal of China’s telecom giant Huawei is global domination
    U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
    October 17, 2024
    Miami Herald

    …I first rang the alarm on Huawei in 2018. At that time, the company was making inroads into the United States and our allies’ territories through the sale of low-priced 5G technology… Its primary goal was, and remains, the domination of the global wireless market on Beijing’s behalf, combined with the expansion of the Chinese Communist Party’s ability to spy on and disrupt other countries’ communications….
    President Trump was the first world leader to recognize this threat…. Today, 60 countries and more than 200 telecom companies have joined the Clean Network, an alliance to stop Huawei’s monopolization efforts in their tracks…. And yet, Huawei continues to grow. The Wall Street Journal reports that it “has expanded into new businesses, boosted its profitability and…held on to its leading position in the global telecom-equipment market.” 
    This growth is not a reflection of Huawei’s ingenuity or good business sense; it is a reflection of heavy subsidization by the Chinese state. Keith Krach and Jonathan Pelson point out that “the telecom equipment behemoth abruptly lost about $30 billion annually…following the efforts by the U.S. and its allies to block high-risk equipment”…. Reading between the lines, the hidden hand of Beijing is keeping Huawei from certain contraction or even bankruptcy with tens of billions of dollars….
    “If the Chinese government decides to preserve Huawei at all costs,” write Krach and Pelson, “that is consistent with the view that Huawei is a lot more than an industrial ‘national champion’ for China.” Instead, the authors conclude: “[I]t is a tool of foreign policy and geopolitical influence. The money spent on propping up Huawei can be best compared to Defense and Intelligence budgets.” In other words, the company’s current trajectory confirms concerns about the national security threat it poses…. 
    It is key for the U.S. to encourage strong and reliable companies to help regional partners develop alternatives to Huawei and protect them from the company’s predatory policies…. Meanwhile, I urge Latin American leaders not to heed Huawei’s siren song. No 5G deal is worth allowing a totalitarian dictatorship to spy on and interfere in a free nation’s affairs.
    Read the rest here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Collaboration on disability data aims to drive AI innovation

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Collaboration on disability data aims to drive AI innovation

    Today, Microsoft announced a new collaboration with Be My Eyes to bring high-quality, disability representative data to help train AI systems. This work with Be My Eyes will help make Microsoft AI models more inclusive for the 340 million people in the world who are blind or have low vision and is the latest step in our commitment to build inclusive technology.

    AI requires large amounts of data for training and utility but too often disability is underrepresented or incorrectly categorized in datasets. In Microsoft Research’s most recent paper on AI performance for describing images from blind or low vision individuals, disability objects, like a braille device, were included less frequently in popular large-scale image-text datasets, leading to recognizing those objects ~30 percent less accurately. This disability data desert can limit the utility of a technology, strengthen existing stereotypes and magnify bias. As we continue to discover the opportunities for AI and accessibility, inclusive data through these types of partnerships and community collaborations are paramount to building inclusive AI.

    How we do this matters. Transparency and user control are the guiding principles for data privacy in this agreement. Be My Eyes will provide video data sets, including unique objects, lighting and framing that realistically represents the lived experience of the blind and low vision community. Personal information will be removed from metadata by Be My Eyes prior to sharing and the company continues to work transparently with its members to provide a clear process and options to opt out of data sharing. Microsoft will then use the data to improve the accuracy and precision of scene understanding and descriptions with the goal of increasing the utility of AI applications for the blind and low vision community.

    Today’s news is the next chapter in our collaboration with Be My Eyes, which began in 2017 when their app was integrated into the Disability Answer Desk support experience to give customers more efficient technical support. Last year, Microsoft was the first to pilot their new ‘Be My AI’, with AI helping to solve technical support issues. Be My Eyes also recently developed a Windows app, available in the Microsoft Store. Collaborations like these allow us to improve representation and diversity of AI data and drive more authentic inclusion of disability in our technology.

    Responsible AI is inclusive AI

    In the last 18 months, we have been focused on understanding how generative AI can directly impact disabled people, but our history here goes back even further. We are principled in our approach to make sure we extend those benefits and mitigate potential harms of AI. Microsoft’s Responsible AI framework is how we do this. It includes fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness including accessibility.

    AI innovations can reduce cognitive load through summarization, automate meeting notes, and provide detailed image descriptions. These innovations have so many positive implications for neurodiverse, deaf, and blind communities and more, and with 1+ billion people on the planet who experience some type of disability, the disability data desert is a crucial issue to address.

    Speech is one example of where we have been investing, and since 2022, we are proud to work with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) along with Apple, Google, Meta, and Amazon on the Speech Accessibility Project. The UIUC works with nonprofit organizations to collect data to improve speech recognition for individuals with diverse speech patterns such as those with ALS. This data helps AI models learn a broader understanding of the diversity of speech and expands scenarios where this technology can bring benefits – including accelerating non-standard speech data accuracy in mainstream speech platforms, like Azure Speech. The project is enhancing AI systems for people with disabilities by integrating diverse data and perspectives into the development process.

    Our commitment to inclusive AI

    At Microsoft, we are committed to building inclusive AI that is representative of all who use it, while also protecting marginalized members of society from proliferated bias that could impact education, employment, and civic engagement. We believe accessible technology is a fundamental right that can unlock opportunities in every part of society, and generative AI is one of the most powerful tools we have today to deliver on that potential when designed inclusively and responsibly. We are also committed to transparency and providing robust data protection for every individual. Today’s news with Be My Eyes builds on these commitments, and we will continue to seek out partnerships across the industry and community to create a more inclusive future.

    If you have questions or feedback on Accessibility at Microsoft, let us know at the Disability Answer Desk or try out the Bing AI-powered Ask Microsoft Accessibility tool.

    To learn more about Accessibility at Microsoft: Our Accessibility Approach | Microsoft Accessibility

    Read more on Be My Eyes privacy commitments.

    Tags: Accessibility, AI, AI for Accessibility, disabilities, disability, generative ai, inclusion, inclusiveness, neurodiversity, Responsible AI, Speech Accessibility Project, speech recognition

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rubio: How Mass Migration Undermined Men

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    ICYMI: Rubio: How Mass Migration Undermined Men
    Oct 17, 2024 | Press Releases

    How Mass Migration Undermined Men
    U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
    October 17, 2024
    Compact

    …When the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union collapsed, a generation of elites embraced the international flow of goods, assets, and labor as an unalloyed benefit to the nation. They established one-sided “free trade” with Communist China, rewarded offshoring, and spread an open-borders philosophy that captured both major parties, as well as much of Big Labor. Millions of American blue-collar jobs disappeared, and the foreign-born share of the population ballooned out of proportion…. 
    A White House news release in July claimed that the administration has revitalized domestic production and boosted the male labor-force participation rate. But the reality is that manufacturing employment is decreasing, manufacturing job quality is down, and U.S.-born men were less likely to participate in the labor force at the end of 2023 than they were before the pandemic…. The Biden-Harris administration is factoring in the employment of illegal immigrants to skew the topline economic numbers in its favor.
    A more accurate picture of our national trajectory can be seen in Charleroi, PA…. [U]nder the Biden-Harris administration, Charleroi is fraught by an influx of thousands of illegally admitted migrants, whose expansion of the labor supply is almost certainly affecting the local blue-collar job market. Over the last 12 months alone, more than 800,000 native-born Americans have lost employment, but more than 1 million foreign-born workers have gained employment. What are the chances this trend isn’t reflected in Charleroi?
    To be clear, this isn’t the migrants’ fault…. [T]his is the fault of the Biden-Harris administration’s unauthorized expansion of humanitarian parole, under which existing parolees—not American citizens—can “sponsor” more migrants for illegal admission into the country. The government then partners with nonprofits to settle these migrants across America, and the nonprofits partner with “staffing agencies” that connect migrants with local employers hungry for cheap labor.
    At no point in this process is there a checkpoint that requires nonprofits, government officials, or employers to consider the welfare of American workers…. [A] basic understanding of supply and demand predicts the upshot of this dynamic: fewer and lower-quality blue-collar jobs for U.S.-born men. And yet elites loyal to the post-Cold War consensus, including labor organizations like the AFL-CIO, refuse to consider constraining mass migration in response. Some are even dusting off the old line that migrants are necessary to fill “jobs Americans won’t do”….
    Charleroi native Andy Armbruster exposed the flaw in that logic in an interview: “…There’s people who would work if you paid them the going wage for the work. But they want to pay less, and so, they ended up getting involved with these agencies that bring in these workers.” It’s a case study in how free markets don’t always align with the national interest. When companies gain access to an endless supply of cheap foreign labor, they lose the incentive to invest in technology and processes that make American blue-collar jobs more efficient and valuable….
    The relentless exportation of blue-collar jobs and importation of cheap labor have left countless U.S.-born men without dignified work, sapping their opportunity and their strength—and no society can long thrive without strong men. Time is running out to chart a new course. We must abandon the post-Cold War consensus, break multinational corporations’ tariff taboo, reinvest in domestic production, and—crucially—regain control of our borders….
    Read the rest here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Monmouth County Resident Admits Fraudulently Obtaining over $3.7 Million in Cares Act Loans

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A former resident of Monmouth County admitted his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

    Kevin Aguilar, 54, previously of Farmingdale, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court on Oct. 15, 2024, to a superseding indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; seven counts of bank fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; three counts of wire fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; one count of money laundering; and one count of aggravated identity theft.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From April 2020 to April 2021, Aguilar conspired with others to submit seven fraudulent PPP loan applications and three fraudulent EIDL applications on behalf of four businesses. Based on the fraudulent applications, Aguilar received approximately $3.3 million in PPP loan funds and approximately $450,000 in EIDL funds. After receiving the PPP and EIDL funds, Aguilar caused those funds to be transferred to other businesses that he created to give the false appearance that the PPP and EIDL funds were being used for legitimate purposes. Aguilar then used the PPP and EIDL funds to purchase residential properties in Sherman, Texas, a new truck for approximately $100,000, and to pay for other personal expenses.

    The bank fraud conspiracy count and each count of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The wire fraud conspiracy count and each count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The money laundering conspiracy count and money laundering count each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The aggravated identity theft counts carry an additional consecutive mandatory minimum term of two years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Aguilar’s sentencing is scheduled for March 25, 2025.

    Charges remain pending against Aguilar’s co-defendant, Jean E. Rabbitt, formerly of Farmingdale, New Jersey. The charges and allegations against Rabbitt are merely accusations and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Corwin Rattler; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge is Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Kozar, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Economic Crimes United in Newark.

    The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of the five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Raising independent and resilient children: Lessons from TVO’s ‘Old Enough!’ and the science of love

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nikki Martyn, Chair of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph-Humber

    The show demonstrates that young children are capable, curious and competent. (Blue Ant Media)

    There is an evolutionary need for parents to protect their children from harm. One of the most difficult and important aspects of parenting is allowing children to take the necessary risks which enable them to grow.

    TVO’s Old Enough!, based on a hit Japanese TV series, helps parents consider the balance between protection and creating space for children to develop independence and resilience. It shows very young children being provided the responsibility of running errands seemingly on their own.

    It should be noted there are protections in place, for example as seen in Episode 1. Viewers see four-year-old Parker with supports for crossing streets, camera crews and shop keepers who are prepared for the child’s visit. It is not recommended that very young children complete errands unsupervised.

    However, the show demonstrates that young children are capable, curious and competent. It encourages us to consider how we can support children in developing their confidence, self-worth and trust, and help them become independent and resilient while ensuring they feel supported and loved.

    Independence begins with love

    Old Enough! exemplifies many insights for parents about nurturing relationships with their children to support their emerging independence.

    Secure attachment develops when a child consistently experiences a loving, attuned and responsive emotional connection, fostering a sense of trust and safety, and learning that their emotional needs will be met.

    This is at the heart of raising independent and resilient children. Every experience shapes a child’s brain and influences gene expression. The emotional bond that develops from secure attachment provides children reassurance to take risks and try new things on their own. This emotional security enables them to confidently explore the world, knowing they have a secure base to return to.

    In Old Enough!, viewers see glimpses of this trusting and loving relationship with five-year-old Simon and his dad David in Episode 3. Simon’s dads, David and Stephane, have different views around how much freedom Simon should have, with David feeling more protective. The episode shows Simon shopping on his own at Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market, with David outside.

    Trailer for ‘Old Enough!’ Episode 3.

    When the bags are too heavy, Simon drags them outside to give to David, sharing he was “dropping off a load because it was too heavy.” Simon’s dad empathically sighs in agreement.

    Simon knows his dad will be waiting for him. There is no concern of where to find his dad, or apprehension his dad would be upset Simon hadn’t finished, or had taken too long. Simon flops on the sidewalk and shares his solo adventure.

    His father, clearly anxious, finds a way through his own feelings to ask Simon if he will go back in to finish. Simon proudly beams yes! Upon return, he is greeted with pride and a big hug. Simon is proud of himself, stating “now I know how to shop by myself,” shining with confidence and resilience.

    That Simon knows the world is safe and trustworthy was evident in his secure internal working model. This is seen in his willingness to confidently ask others for help, knowing it will be OK if he fails. His reflection “I was not even scared,” emphasizes the confidence in his relationships and secure base from which he explores the world.

    Love supports courage to take on tasks

    Old Enough! also shows everyday moments of independence parents can foster by allowing children to complete simple, age-appropriate tasks.

    For example, viewers see Parker making her lunch, or Luther empty the dishwasher. These tasks offer them the chance to build self-reliance and problem-solving skills in manageable ways.

    Love and autonomy go hand in hand. This emotional foundation provides children the courage to take on tasks, solve problems and struggle through challenges. Love is not just a form of emotional support; it is also a tool for growth.

    When children are provided with opportunities to face small challenges, make decisions and manage frustration, we help them build the resilience to handle bigger challenges later in life. This approach reinforces that their loving caregiver trusts and believes in them.

    Children who know they are loved unconditionally feel secure in their worth and are more likely to navigate the complexities of life with a sense of inner stability. This emotional foundation prevents them from relying heavily on external validation because they have internalized their worth and value.

    As children grow, having a balanced view of themselves, their relationships and the world prepares them to manage peer pressure, bullying and setbacks, reinforcing the understanding of their worth isn’t determined by others’ opinions.

    Parents’ own attachment experiences

    Parents can support their children’s journey toward independence and resilience by encouraging small acts of autonomy.

    Letting children make their own choices, take on responsibilities and engage in problem-solving helps build their confidence. At the same time, parents should be emotionally available, offering comfort and support without taking over. This balance of trust and love gives children the necessary tools to become both independent and resilient, knowing they can face challenges and are always supported.

    Parents who want to do more to support their children’s autonomy while maintaining a close connection often find that making changes can be difficult. This is especially the case if they have not experienced secure attachment, unconditional love or have a history of relational trauma.

    Managing the real fear and anxiety of stepping back, perhaps fearing your child will feel unloved, can feel incredibly challenging. In Old Enough! such feelings are expressed by Ohelya’s mom, Arfina, in Episode 8, who shares she had to grow up faster than most of her friends and she wants to protect her daughter from this experience, allowing her to enjoy childhood.

    Trailer for ‘Old Enough!’ Episode 8.

    For parents, it’s important to separate your fears and anxieties from what is real for your child, and ensure your history and experiences do not negatively impact your child’s opportunities for growth and development. Be kind and patient with yourself and your child during this process.

    Watch, wait and wonder

    Parents can consider using a strategy such as “watch, wait and wonder”:

    • Watch: observe your child without intervening.
    • Wait: allow them the time and space to explore and play independently.
    • Wonder: reflect on their needs and your responses.

    By acknowledging and managing your own fears and anxieties, you create space to see your child truly sparkle.

    Learn and know who your child is, what their strengths are and what they need support with. It’s never to late to let children show you what they are capable of and reveal their amazing self. With consistency, you will build a deep meaningful connection built on trust and love, which will last a lifetime.

    Nikki Martyn 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. Raising independent and resilient children: Lessons from TVO’s ‘Old Enough!’ and the science of love – https://theconversation.com/raising-independent-and-resilient-children-lessons-from-tvos-old-enough-and-the-science-of-love-239178

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Government of Canada Announces Funding for Emissions Reduction Alberta Through the Green Industrial Facilities and Manufacturing Program

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    October 17, 2024                    Calgary, Alberta                   Natural Resources Canada

    The Government of Canada is committed to maximizing energy performance and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while helping industry gain a competitive edge.  

    Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson announced a federal investment of $40 million from the Green Industrial Facilities and Manufacturing Program (GIFMP) to Emissions Reduction Alberta. This funding will help to develop and manage a province-wide program for industry to become more cost- and energy-efficient.

    Funding will support Emissions Reduction Alberta’s $50-Million Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI) program, which will provide industrial and manufacturing facilities with expertise and training in energy management.  Industrial participants will be given the opportunity to increase profitability by reducing energy costs and to take advantage of funding to help cover the cost of capital retrofits for industrial process equipment. An additional $10 million was invested by the Government of Alberta for Emissions Reduction Alberta’s Strategic Energy Management for Industry program.   

    As Canada advances toward a net-zero future, investments like these are key to minimizing emissions while maximizing industry competitiveness. Today’s investment supports workers and industry in Alberta on the road toward a prosperous and clean future.

    Quotes

    “Energy efficiency means cost savings for Canadian business. Supporting Canadian industrial facilities with their efficiency targets is a necessary step toward improving competitiveness in the global economy. We are pleased to play a part in launching Emissions Reduction Alberta’s innovative Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI) program, which helps strengthen the knowledge and expertise that Alberta industries need to keep energy-efficient and competitive. Through investments like the $40 million we are providing for SEMI, the federal government is helping provinces, territories and industry in their goal to seize the financial opportunities of a clean economy.”

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

    “Improving the efficiency of industrial and manufacturing processes and facilities is the quickest, most cost-effective way to lower energy bills and stay competitive. But it takes knowledge, expertise, training and capital. With SEMI, Alberta companies now have even more opportunity to invest in energy- and cost-saving technologies, right here in the province.” 

    Justin Riemer

    CEO, Emissions Reduction Alberta

    “ERA’s SEMI program represents a pivotal opportunity for industry to further our collective mission of enhancing environmental performance and operational efficiency. By providing the necessary financial support, this program will enable companies to invest in advanced technologies and practices that significantly reduce emissions and improve efficiency and energy management solutions to contribute to a more sustainable future.” 

    Grant Wilde

    Board Chair, Spartan Controls and BlueMarvelValidator 

    “Reducing greenhouse emissions through energy efficiency is a powerful way industries can make a mark on reducing their carbon footprint while reducing energy costs. The SEMI program is an ideal opportunity for industries seeking to decarbonize through energy management and retrofits. At Lafarge, we have benefited from long standing support from ERA, and we are excited to see new opportunities put forward in energy management and conservation.”

     

    Stephanie Voysey

    Head of Sustainability and Environment, Lafarge, Western Canada

    Quick facts

    • Canada’s industrial sectors represented about 3,650 petajoules (PJ), or more than 40 percent, of Canada’s total energy use in 2021. 

    Related products

    Contacts

    Natural Resources Canada
    Media Relations
    343-292-6100
    media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Cindy Caturao
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
    613-795-5638
    cindy.caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Follow us on LinkedIn

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investment to Address Lead Hazards Across the State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $5.7 million investment to the state of Ohio to address lead and other health hazards in Ohio homes to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investment as a part of their Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investments to Address Lead Hazards in Montgomery County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $5.5 million investment to help address lead-based paint hazards in Dayton and Montgomery County. This investment will address lead and other health hazards in homes throughout Montgomery County to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure, and support partnerships and coalitions in the Dayton area to assess and address lead-based paint hazards threaten families’ health.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investments as a part of their lead-based paint and lead hazard reduction demonstration grant programs.

    Investments from HUD include:

    • $3 million to Montgomery County to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.
    • $2.5 million to the City of Dayton to build local capacity to address lead hazards safely and effectively in homes throughout the city.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investment to Address Lead Hazards in Hamilton County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $3.5 million investment to Hamilton County to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investment as a part of their Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investment to Address Lead Hazards in Columbus

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $7.6 million investment to the City of Columbus to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investment as a part of their Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investment to Address Lead Hazards in Summit County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $13.8 million investment to Summit County to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investment as a part of their Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.

    Investments from HUD include:

    • $6.1 million to Summit County from HUD’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction (LHRD) grant program.
    • $7.7 million to the City of Akron from HUD’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction (LHRD) grant program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Quick Custom Intelligence Celebrates Milestone Success at the 2024 Global Gaming Expo

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) capped off a remarkable appearance at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E), held from October 7 to 10, 2024, with a series of exciting announcements that solidified their position as a leader in AI-driven casino intelligence software.

    The highly anticipated event saw QCI unveil the latest version of the QCI Enterprise Platform, which delivers unprecedented features designed to optimize casino operations and revenue. Attendees also witnessed the reveal of QCI’s latest AI technology, which continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in gaming analytics and intelligence.

    Adding to the excitement, QCI’s Chief Technology Officer Andrew Cardno was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from Gaming & Leisure for his contributions to the gaming industry over the past three decades. This award reflects Cardno’s lasting impact on data-driven decision-making in casinos, setting industry standards for innovation.

    In addition to this accolade, Andrew Cardno and QCI CEO Dr. Ralph Thomas proudly announced the release of their eleventh book, The Math That Gaming Made – Compendium, an in-depth exploration of the mathematical principles that shape the gaming industry today. The book promises to serve as a valuable resource for professionals seeking to enhance their understanding of data science in gaming.

    “We couldn’t have asked for a better platform to showcase our latest innovations,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, CEO of QCI. “The Global Gaming Expo has always been a key event for us, and this year exceeded our expectations. The response to our new QCI Enterprise Platform has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are excited to continue shaping the future of the gaming industry.”

    Andrew Cardno shared his thoughts on the event and his recent recognition: “Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from Gaming & Leisure is an incredible honor. But what excites me the most is the energy and enthusiasm we saw from our customers and industry peers at the expo. The latest advancements in AI technology we introduced will redefine how casinos harness data, and I’m proud to be at the forefront of that transformation.”

    Victor Rocha, a prominent figure in the gaming industry, commented on the electric atmosphere at QCI’s booth: “The excitement surrounding QCI’s new offerings was palpable. From the advanced AI capabilities to the enhanced functionality of the QCI Enterprise Platform, it’s clear that QCI is leading the charge in innovation. Visiting their booth was a highlight of the show.”

    The 2024 Global Gaming Expo was an undeniable success for QCI, further solidifying the company’s role as a pioneer in the gaming technology space. With their latest developments and the release of The Math That Gaming Made – Compendium, QCI is well-positioned to drive the gaming industry forward.

    ABOUT QCI
    Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has pioneered the revolutionary QCI Enterprise Platform, an artificial intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with powerful, real-time tools designed specifically for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 250 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and The Bahamas. The QCI AGI Platform, which manages more than $35 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, stands as a best-in-class solution, whether on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based, enabling fully coordinated activities across all aspects of gaming or hospitality operations. QCI’s data-driven, AI-powered software propels swift, informed decision-making vital in the ever-changing casino industry, assisting casinos in optimizing resources and profits, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. QCI was co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno and is based in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas, and Tulsa. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715. Visit us at http://www.quickcustomintelligence.com.

    ABOUT Victor Rocha
    Victor Rocha holds the distinguished position of Conference Chairman for the Indian Gaming Association, while also leading Victor-Strategies as its president. As the owner and publisher of Pechanga.net, he has been deeply engaged in the political landscape of U.S. tribal gaming since 1998. Rocha’s outstanding contributions to the industry have been recognized through numerous accolades, such as AGEM’s 2023 Peter Mead Memorial Award Honoring Excellence in Gaming Media & Communication, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s 2015 Tribal Gaming Visionary Award, the American Gaming Association’s 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award for Gaming Communications, Raving’s 2012 Casino Marketing Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Indian Gaming Association’s 2002 Outstanding Contribution to Indian Country, VCAT’s 2001 Catalyst Award, and Global Gaming Business Magazine’s 2000 “40 Under 40” list.

    ABOUT Dr. Ralph Thomas
    Dr. Ralph Thomas is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Quick Custom Intelligence. Ralph is a product visionary in applied analytics and the founder of two companies that deliver solutions in casino gaming, education, and adult learning. As a gaming industry veteran, Dr. Thomas has substantial experience implementing analytics into single and multi-property gaming companies to drive tangible and measurable gains to the bottom line and has built business intelligence tools for multibillion-dollar casinos. Dr. Thomas is co-author of seven books and over 80 articles on applied analytics and data science in gaming, an inventor on dozens of patents, and understands gaming from raw data up through casino operations, giving him a unique, 360-degree view of the industry.

    About Andrew Cardno
    Andrew Cardno is a distinguished figure in the realm of artificial intelligence and data plumbing. With over two decades spearheading private Ph.D. and master’s level research teams, his expertise has made significant waves in data tooling. Andrew’s innate ability to innovate has led him to devise numerous pioneering visualization methods. Of these, the most notable is the deep zoom image format, a groundbreaking innovation that has since become a cornerstone in the majority of today’s mapping tools. His leadership acumen has earned him two coveted Smithsonian Laureates, and teams under his mentorship have clinched 40 industry awards, including three pivotal gaming industry transformation awards. Together with Dr. Ralph Thomas, the duo co-founded Quick Custom Intelligence, amplifying their collaborative innovative capacities. A testament to his inventive prowess, Andrew boasts over 150 patent applications. Across various industries—be it telecommunications with Telstra Australia, retail with giants like Walmart and Best Buy, or the medical sector with esteemed institutions like City Of Hope and UCSD—Andrew’s impact is deeply felt. He has enriched the literature with insights, co-authoring eight influential books with Dr. Thomas and contributing to over 100 industry publications. An advocate for community and diversity, Andrew’s work has touched over 100 Native American Tribal Resorts, underscoring his expansive and inclusive professional endeavors.

    Contact:
    Laurel Kay, Quick Custom Intelligence
    Phone: 858-349-8354

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: CAF is the first multilateral financial institution to join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty

    Source: CAF Development Bank of Latin America

    On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, CAF formally joined the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, an initiative proposed by Brazil during its G20 Presidency, aimed at establishing an international union to combat hunger and poverty worldwide. The announcement was made today by the Executive President of the Institution, Sergio Díaz-Granados, who participated virtually in the event “Reimagining Solutions for Poverty,” held in New York in collaboration with UNDP (United Nations Development Programme). The Minister of Development and Social Assistance, Family, and Fight Against Hunger, Wellington Dias, was also present.

    CAF is the first multilateral financial institution to join the Alliance and, in doing so, commits to making its best efforts to improve the allocation, assignment, and alignment of its resources, including through the coordination and cooperation facilitated by the Global Alliance, to support member countries in the implementation, improvement, or expansion of the execution of selected programs or policy instruments in the Alliance’s reference framework, with the aim of boosting the fight against hunger and poverty in accordance with sustainable financing and implementation strategies led by the countries.

    “CAF is ready to act as a regional voice for the Global Alliance, advocating for Latin American and Caribbean solutions to the global challenges of hunger and poverty. We are committed to working closely with the governments of our member countries, including Brazil, to ensure that these initiatives are impactful and aligned with the strategic priorities of each government,” stated Díaz-Granados.

    In recent years, CAF has allocated approximately USD 1.6 billion to initiatives that directly contribute to the fight against hunger and poverty. Our actions have focused on critical areas such as reducing malnutrition, social protection systems, and sustainable rural development. We have also increased investments in sustainable infrastructure and climate-resilient agriculture, essential for promoting food security and economic opportunities for vulnerable communities.

    In the adhesion document, the institution acknowledges that hunger and poverty remain persistent challenges for humanity, which must be addressed through comprehensive and integrated approaches. Therefore, our bank remains committed to aligning its efforts with these specific needs in our region, offering our member countries customized solutions to address their development needs and challenges, including financial services, knowledge, and technical assistance.

    Global Alliance

    The mission of the Global Alliance will be, from its launch until 2030, to support and accelerate efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty, SDGs 1 and 2. Additionally, it will seek to reduce inequalities and contribute to revitalizing global partnerships for sustainable development and achieving other interconnected SDGs, advocating for sustainable, inclusive, and just transition pathways. The Alliance is open to governments, international organizations, knowledge institutions, funds and development banks, and philanthropic foundations.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: SmartThings Partners with Sapphire Connected Communities to Revolutionize Smart Apartment Living

    Source: Samsung

    SmartThings, Samsung’s global connected living platform, announces today a partnership with Sapphire Connected Communities, an enterprise software company which has built the first multifamily smart apartment solution on the SmartThings Pro B2B development platform. By leveraging the power of SmartThings Pro, Sapphire is able to offer apartment residents a familiar and feature-rich experience through the SmartThings app, while delivering an integrated management solution for property managers that improves operating efficiency across an entire portfolio of properties.
    “Together, SmartThings and Sapphire will redefine the apartment living experience,” said Mark Benson, Head of SmartThings US. “We’re not just offering a product; we’re delivering a lifestyle upgrade that enhances convenience, efficiency, and peace of mind for both residents and property managers.”

    With SmartThings Pro, SmartThings introduces a new platform for enterprises that builds on the strengths of the SmartThings ecosystem, offering new tools and capabilities for developing integrated, business-critical applications. The platform accelerates the development of applications in B2B sectors like multifamily housing, vacation rentals, hospitality, and healthcare, while also catering to consumer demand for a seamless, efficient, and scalable smart home experience.
    Sapphire is the first Multifamily Residential solution to leverage this platform, enabling them to offer their multifamily customers a standards-based, integrated solution that leverages the reliability, security, and global brand power of Samsung, with the innovative new capabilities available with SmartThings Pro, like smart appliance diagnostics and asset management.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Canadian General Investments, Limited Declares Dividend on Common Shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Canada, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canadian General Investments, Limited (“CGI” or “the Company”) (TSX:CGI) (LSE: CGI) has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share payable on December 15, 2024 to common shareholders of record at the close of business on November 29, 2024 (“the Dividend”). This dividend is designated as an “eligible dividend” for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

    CGI is a closed-end equity fund, focused on medium to long-term investments in primarily Canadian corporations. Its objective is to provide better than average returns to investors through prudent security selection, timely recognition of capital gains/losses and appropriate income generating instruments.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
    Jonathan A. Morgan
    President & CEO
    Phone: (416) 366-2931
    Fax: (416) 366-2729
    e-mail: cgifund@mmainvestments.com
    website: http://www.canadiangeneralinvestments.ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Digitalist Group Plc decreases its earlier guidance regarding future prospects

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Digitalist Group Plc Inside information 17 October 2024 20:15

    Digitalist Group Plc decreases its earlier guidance regarding future prospects

    Digitalist Group Plc (”Company”) decreases its earlier guidance regarding future prospects. The new guidance is:
    In 2024, turnover and EBITDA are expected to decrease in comparison with 2023.

    The previous guidance of the company was:
    In 2024, it is expected that turnover will maintain its current level and EBITDA will improve in comparison with 2023.

    Although the third quarter shows an improvement compared to the first quarters of the year, and we are cautiously optimistic regarding the fourth quarter, we do not expect to reach last year’s reported EBITDA, which included other operating income of EUR 1.0 million. Operationally, not including the impact of other operating income, we expect that the current financial year will still be stronger than the previous year.

    DIGITALIST GROUP PLC Board of Directors

    For more information, please contact:

    Digitalist Group Plc Magnus Leijonborg, CEO, tel. +46 76 315 8422 magnus.leijonborg@digitalistgroup.com
    Chairman of the Board Esa Matikainen, tel. +358 40 506 0080, esa.matikainen@digitalistgroup.com
    Distribution:  Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd Main media https://digitalist.global
     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Joint African Development Bank- Government of Japan Visit to Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (FAPA)-Funded Projects in Ghana

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ACCRA, Ghana, October 17, 2024/APO Group/ —

    The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and the Government of Japan recently concluded a joint visit to two projects funded by the Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (https://apo-opa.co/4dOF0oP) (FAPA) in Ghana to assess their impact on stimulating the growth of small businesses and boosting private sector development.

    The Japanese delegation led by Japan’s Deputy Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, Mr. Daiho Fujii, together with the African Development Bank’s Executive Director for Japan, Mr. Takaaki Nomoto, were received by the African Development Bank Country Manager for Ghana, Ms. Eyerusalem Fasika. The Delegation engaged with implementing agencies and beneficiaries of two FAPA funded projects – the Ghana SME Business Linkage Program, and Fashionomics Africa Online Platform and Mobile App.

    FAPA, a joint initiative between the Bank and the Japanese government, provides untied grants to support the implementation of the Bank’s Private Sector Development Strategy. Through capacity building and technical assistance, the Fund enhances the business environment, strengthens financial systems, promotes the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and facilitates trade across African countries.

    Focusing on the projects’ contribution to Ghana’s broader economic and social development goals, Deputy Vice Minister Fujii reaffirmed Japan’s support to FAPA and the Bank. “My thrill turned into confidence that the Japanese taxpayers’ money via FAPA contributes to motivating the beneficiaries by developing their businesses as micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and improving their livelihood and well-being. I was also glad that FAPA projects in Ghana played the catalytic role in applying such models to other African countries and in attracting other donors.”

    Referencing the positive impact of the projects, Fasika emphasized FAPA’s pivotal role in driving inclusive private sector development and economic growth, creating job opportunities, and reducing poverty. She also expressed gratitude for Japan’s continued support and highlighted the importance of the partnership between the Bank and the Government of Japan. “The projects funded by FAPA are clear examples of how strategic partnerships can have a tangible impact on the ground. We are pleased with the progress made and the transformative effects these projects have on local communities (in Ghana),” she stated.

    The visit underscores the continued commitment of the African Development Bank and the Government of Japan to fostering economic growth and strengthening private sector development in Africa through sustainable and impactful investments.

    MIL OSI Africa –