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  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Moran, Rosen Introduce Legislation to Help Veterans Translate Military Certifications to Civilian Jobs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) introduced legislation to provide servicemembers who are transitioning out of the military with documentation outlining their military certifications and qualifications to use when applying for a job.

    The Translating Military Skills into Civilian Jobs Act would establish a military training and competency record to ensure that every servicemember has a record of the training, certifications and qualifications they achieved during their time in the military, so that when they transition, they can provide that record to employers to determine if their qualifications meet the job requirements.

    “Military service provides servicemembers and veterans with unique skills that make them valuable employees to any company,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation would make certain every servicemember leaves the military with a document outlining the training and qualifications they achieved during their service to assist in the job search and their life after service.”

    “The men and women of our military earn valuable skills and certifications during their service that should more easily qualify them for a wide array of high-demand civilian jobs when they transition into veteran status,” said Sen. Rosen. “I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to provide every transitioning servicemember with a record detailing their training, certifications, and qualifications earned through their service so that they can more easily start their civilian careers. I’ll keep working across party lines to support our veterans.”

    In May of this year, Sen. Moran introduced the Colonel Gary LaGrange AgVets Act of 2024 to codify and expand a program that provides veterans with resources and opportunities to pursue careers in the agriculture. He also introduced legislation to create a new startup tax credit for veterans who are starting small businesses to bolster local economies and support servicemembers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION FOR CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY TO DEVELOP SHOVEL-READY SITE FOR ATTRACTING MORE EMPLOYERS & GOOD-PAYING JOBS TO WESTERN NY

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Schumer Says Funding Will Create New Shovel-Ready Site In Ripley—Creating Economic Development Opportunities In Western NY By Attracting New Companies, Creating Good-Paying Jobs, And Bringing In Tax Revenue

    Funding Comes From The Appalachian Regional Commission, A Federal-State Partnership That Schumer Fought To Boost Funding For In Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law

    Schumer: We’re Building New Job-Creating Opportunities For Chautauqua County & Western NY

    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced $1,000,000 for the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA)’s Ripley Interstate Shovel Ready Site project to extend electrical service to prepare a 147-acre site for future employers. The funding is through the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership that Schumer boosted funding for in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

    “Chautauqua County is a prime location for economic investment, and this $1 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help build a new shovel-ready site in Ripley to ensure that Western NY can land new employers and good-paying jobs,” said Senator Schumer. “I fought to increase funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission because I know how important it is to create opportunities for economic development across Upstate NY. Now, this commission is delivering for New York, positioning the region to attract new investment that will bring employment opportunities and tax revenue to Chautauqua County and broader Western NY.”

    “Securing this funding marks a tremendous step forward in the development of the Ripley shovel-ready site, a project that is vital to the future growth and prosperity of not only the local community but all of Chautauqua County. I want to extend my deepest thanks to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer for his steadfast advocacy and to Mark Geise, our Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and CEO of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency, for his tireless work in bringing this vision to life. This site will provide new opportunities for businesses to invest in our region, creating jobs and fostering economic development that will benefit generations to come,” said Paul M. Wendel Jr. Chautauqua County Executive.

    The Ripley Interstate Shovel Ready Site project, led by the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA), received $1,000,000 to turn a large parcel in Ripley into a shovel-ready site. The project is expected to spur economic growth in Western NY by supporting CCIDA efforts to improve infrastructure, especially extending a 34.5 kv electric service to the site, providing necessary power to attract more employers looking to expand or move to Western NY. This improved site readiness will especially help meet an increased demand from manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries to grow in the region, partially spurred by increased investment from the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS & Science Law, and Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Schumer pushed to pass into law.

    In 2021, Schumer secured $1 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that he negotiated in the Senate for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) over 5 years, increasing the budget to $200 million per year through 2026. The investment provided additional support for economic development, infrastructure, workforce, and other community development projects and programs to improve the quality of life and create new business growth and job opportunities throughout the Appalachian region of Upstate NY.

    The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is an economic development partnership agency of the federal government and 13 state governments, focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community, capacity, and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia. New York State receives an allocation of resources from the ARC each year to fund area development in NYS’s 14-county Appalachian Region. The New York counties are represented by one of three Local Development Districts: Southern Tier West (STW) based in Salamanca, NY and comprised of Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties; Southern Tier Central (STC) based in Corning, NY and comprised of Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties; and Southern Tier 8 in Binghamton, NY and comprised of Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Tioga and Tompkins counties.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott, Rubio Take Action Against PRC-Linked Battery Companies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Blocking Bad Batteries Act, to prohibit the U.S. Department of State from procuring batteries produced by certain PRC-linked companies. This legislation is an attempt to proactively mitigate future concerns stemming from the precedent set by Huawei’s deep integration into global telecommunications networks, particularly the 5G and smartphone sectors.

    “Taking proactive steps to prevent our national security agencies from doing business with companies that are linked to the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army is in our nation’s best interest. Taxpayer dollars should never be used to further the goals of our adversaries,” said Senator Scott. “I am proud to introduce this commonsense legislation with Senator Rubio to safeguard our supply chains and prevent China from exploiting our technological dependencies for strategic advantage over the U.S.”

    “It’s crucial that our nation, and certainly our State Department, doesn’t become dependent on Communist China for our battery supplies. This legislation is a vital tool to protect Americans, our national security interests and key supply chains,” said Senator Rubio.

    Background:
    In the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress moved to prohibit the U.S. Department of Defense from procuring batteries from certain PRC-linked companies, including CATL. This legislation takes a proactive approach to bar the use of such batteries at U.S. embassies around the world by applying the same restriction to the U.S. Department of State. Last December, Senator Scott joined Senator Rubio in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin raising national security concerns about the use of CATL batteries at Camp Lejeune and other U.S. military installations.

    The text of the legislation can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sexual fantasies: should you share them with a partner?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Matt Kimberley, Assistant Lecturer in Psychology, Birmingham City University

    JLco Julia Amaral/Shutterstock

    The actor Gillian Anderson has just released a book of sexual fantasies. Titled Want, it catalogues a diverse range of fantasies submitted anonymously by women from around the world.

    It is not the first to do so. In 1973, American author Nancy Friday published My Secret Garden, a volume that provoked fierce debate at the time and is now considered to be an important milestone in the sex-positive movement. Each book gives a fascinating snapshot of women’s relationships with their own sexuality at a different moment in history.

    Though attitudes, vocabulary and specific fantasy content have undoubtedly changed in the intervening half-century, there are striking similarities between the books. This is not only true of the subject matter — workplace flings and group sex are apparently timelessly appealing — but also of how people feel about their fantasies. Shame, in particular, continues to loom large in many women’s feelings about their own erotic imaginings.

    Past research indicates that most adults (of all genders) experience sexual fantasies, suggesting many of us have grappled with the question of whether to tell a partner about ours. Over the past four years, we have been conducting research that explores this question: how do people decide whether to disclose their sexual fantasies – and what happens when they do?

    An act of closeness

    The women featured in both My Secret Garden and Want vary considerably in the degree to which they have chosen to share their fantasies with a partner. Some describe passionate relationships enhanced by the disclosure and enactment of erotic fantasies, while others intend to take their favourite fantasy to the grave.

    We were interested in understanding the psychology of such radically different approaches. In a study published earlier this year in The Journal of Sex Research, we asked 287 people to reflect on a recent or prominent sexual fantasy. We found that over 69% of participants had previously disclosed their fantasy to a partner. Of those, more than 80% found this to be a positive experience.

    Unsurprisingly, participants commonly cited sexual desire as their main reason for opening up. For example, many said they had shared their fantasy with a partner in the hope that they could act it out together. Others reported that they found talking about sexual fantasies arousing, or that discussing secret desires allowed them to learn more about their partner.

    Several participants explained that they valued honesty and openness and that the level of trust and commitment in their relationship made them feel safe to share their fantasy with their partner.

    Not all reasons for disclosing fantasies were positive, however. Some said they disclosed their fantasy in a last-ditch attempt to spice up an unsatisfying sex life.

    The power of shame

    Gillian Anderson, author of Want.
    wikipedia, CC BY-SA

    Among the group who had chosen not to share their fantasy, many cited its content as the primary reason. Consistent with accounts in both My Secret Garden and Want, several of our participants were ashamed of their fantasy, or felt it to be too extreme or taboo to share with their partner.

    Some — especially those whose partners had not responded well to similar conversations in the past — were worried they would receive a negative response that could cause problems for their relationship. We also heard from several people who explained that, put simply, their fantasies were private joys that they had no desire or intention to discuss with anyone.

    In a series of follow-up studies yet to be published, we explored some of these ideas in more depth. One important finding is that relationship traits are a key predictor of whether a person will disclose their fantasy. For example, disclosure was more likely in relationships that already involved large amounts of sexual novelty and exploration.

    We also confirmed that the content of a fantasy is critical to a person’s decision about whether to share it. Anything that is likely to be considered unacceptable by a partner or is otherwise potentially threatening to the relationship (such as a move away from monogamy), is unlikely to be disclosed. Indeed, even among participants who had previously shared a fantasy, we found over half also had at least one more that they were unwilling to divulge.

    While our findings suggest that people who choose to tell their partner about their erotic daydreams usually get a good response, we also found that the process by which people reach that decision can be complicated. Some people have very good reasons for keeping their fantasy to themselves.

    Hopefully, Want will help to reduce some of the shame associated with the very common experience of fantasising about sex. But its similarities to a book published 50 years earlier suggest we may still have a long way to go.

    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. Sexual fantasies: should you share them with a partner? – https://theconversation.com/sexual-fantasies-should-you-share-them-with-a-partner-239527

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How the cost of living crisis and games industry turmoil could hurt Sony’s PlayStation 5 Pro release

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam Jerrett, Lecturer, Faculty of Creative & Cultural Industries, University of Portsmouth

    In late November 2020, I was one of those people standing in line – or rather,
    refreshing my browser – hoping to snag a PlayStation 5 during a restock. The
    pandemic was in full swing, and with most of the world locked indoors, there weren’t many better things to do. The original PS5 promised to deliver true 4K gaming at very smooth frame rates – though a claim that it supported 8K gaming was later removed from the console’s packaging.

    However, the PS5 got off to a slow start, owing primarily to game delays as a result of the pandemic. Additionally, gamers had to effectively choose between preset modes related to fidelity – high-quality visuals – and game performance within the in-game settings menus.

    In November, gamers will no longer be faced with this dilemma, as Sony is set to release its “mid-generation refresh” console, the PlayStation 5 Pro. Its upgraded graphics processing unit (GPU) has more processing power and a faster memory than the basic PS5, allowing for up to 45% faster rendering of the graphics.

    Advanced ray tracing – a technique to simulate the way light behaves in the real world – and AI technology called PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution are expected to enable higher-resolution visuals at higher frame rates. This could fulfil the basic PS5’s promise of 4K gaming at 60 frames per second.

    However, all that power doesn’t come cheap. The £699 digital-only console scales to £798 with a £99 disc drive, which is required to play physical games. It is already selling out in some markets. There’s also a £25 vertical stand (which came bundled with the original PS5).

    PS5 Pro Technical Presentation.

    That’s a lot of money for a console that won’t have any exclusive titles. Every game you can play on the PS5 Pro will also run on the base PS5. Some even speculate that it still may not play forthcoming games at the highest possible fidelity.

    That kind of price is even more of a shock when compared with the different world of 2020’s PS5 launch. Demand for games and consoles surged during the pandemic, but the economic landscape has drastically shifted in the past four years. Inflation is at an all-time high, and the cost of living has rocketed, leaving less disposable income for non-essential purchases, of which the PS5 Pro is a prime example.

    The games industry has also seen waves of layoffs resulting from investment shortfalls, changing work patterns, and post-pandemic consumer behaviour. A further irony is that such layoffs prevent studios from having the time, budget, or labour to create the graphically intense, polished games that the PS5 Pro would take full advantage of.

    Consoles have always been loss leaders –- products sold at lower profit margins to get buyers into a product ecosystem. The basic PS5 is barely fulfilling that role (most PlayStation gamers still play on the PS4). So it makes business sense for the PS5 Pro to merely reflect the economic realities of 2024, where the rising cost of materials, supply chain disruptions and a scramble for computing power due to AI’s enhanced workloads means that consoles are significantly more expensive to produce.

    This time, instead of Sony absorbing the cost, they’ve passed it along to consumers – most of whom are deeply unhappy about it. YouTube reactions to the PS5 Pro reveal trailer have been overwhelmingly negative, sitting at a 3:1 dislike ratio on YouTube.

    A solution without a problem?

    Many are also wondering whether the PS5 Pro is solving any real problems. The current generation of consoles has been plagued by delays or underwhelming game releases, and many remakes and remasters. Sony is even porting games that were previously exclusive to consoles over to PCs in a bid to reach new audiences. This has left the PS5’s true “exclusives” library somewhat barren.

    The PS5 Pro launch was similarly absent of any blockbuster titles making use of the new hardware. Astrobot, Sony’s most recent smash-hit and likely Christmas bestseller, certainly won’t be using all that horsepower.

    Astrobot Launch Trailer.

    Regardless, there’s little doubt that the PS5 Pro will sell out at launch. Sony is probably producing fewer units of the Pro model than they did for the basic PS5, creating an artificial scarcity that will drive demand. Those who can afford it and who want the best possible gaming experience will jump at the chance to own the most powerful PlayStation console ever made.

    This all makes the PS5 Pro’s launch feel a little strange. The PS5 Pro’s technical improvements are genuinely impressive. It’s clearly aimed at the hardcore gamers who want the best possible experience, regardless of the cost –- Sony knows its audience here.

    However, the PS5 Pro is not the console that will drive mass adoption nor convince PS4 players to finally upgrade. Instead, like all things “Pro” in the tech world, it’s simply another niche, high-end option.

    And as much as I’m tempted by the promise of true 4K 60FPS console gaming, I can’t
    help but feel that this mid-generation upgrade is arriving at a time when the games
    industry has myriad more important things to address than a shiny new toy.

    Adam Jerrett 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. How the cost of living crisis and games industry turmoil could hurt Sony’s PlayStation 5 Pro release – https://theconversation.com/how-the-cost-of-living-crisis-and-games-industry-turmoil-could-hurt-sonys-playstation-5-pro-release-239064

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: The famous Wall Street bell

    Source: European Commission (video statements)

    The famous Wall Street bell: symbol of an institution that powers US economic growth since 1792. Europe is working on its own powerful model to offer its businesses the financing opportunities they need. We call it the Savings and Investment Union. It chimes with growth!

    #EuropenCommission

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuMB9NtMx3c

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ketamine: what you need to know about the UK’s growing drug problem

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ian Hamilton, Honorary Fellow, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

    There is growing awareness of the problems caused by the use of a fast-acting drug called ketamine. Often referred to as K or ket, it was made a class B drug in the UK in 2014 and is illegal to buy or sell. Possessing the drug can lead to a maximum five-year prison sentence and supplying the drug up to 14 years in prison.

    Ketamine is an effective anaesthetic and plays an important part in battlefield and emergency medicine. It is used to treat pain in end-of-life care and could treat some forms of depression. However, it is its non-medical use that is causing concern among some doctors and specialist drug-treatment providers.

    On the illicit market, ketamine is cheaper than cocaine and MDMA (ecstasy), costing about £20 a gram. Police forces report large seizures of the drug, but global rates of production are high, and the wholesale price of a kilogram of ketamine is believed to have fallen from £8,000 to £5,000. This makes it an attractive drug for young people and those with a limited income.

    Ketamine typically takes about 15 minutes to work and induces euphoria, relaxation and a slight sense of detachment. However, with higher doses it can also cause dissociation. This can be confusing and can cause panic attacks and memory loss. It can increase blood pressure and affect breathing and heart function.

    Effects can also be fatal. The Friends actor Matthew Perry died in 2023 as a result of using the drug.

    Some urologists have also expressed concern about an increase in bladder problems (so-called “ketamine bladder”) as a result of prolonged and heavy use of the drug. Although national data about the number of people with ketamine bladder is not available, there are other sources about the use of ketamine.

    Ketamine first became popular as a recreational drug in the early 1990s. Use among people aged 16-24 in England and Wales rose from 0.9% in 2006-07 to 3.8% in 2022-23 – which is about 220,000 people.

    There has been an increase in young people attending specialist treatment services with problems related to ketamine use: 512 during 2021-22 rising to 719 in 2022-23.

    The increase is concerning as few services and interventions are available that specifically address ketamine use. An increase in people seeking treatment has not been helped by historic cuts to drug-treatment funding, which is only beginning to be addressed, and a lack of meaningful drug education and early intervention responses.

    This increase in young people seeking treatment is also seen in adults. Rising from 1,551 in 2021-22 to 2,211 during 2022-23. There has been a fivefold increase in adult treatment since 2014.

    Self-medicating

    There is a suggestion from experts that part of the increase in the use of ketamine is due to some people who have mental health problems that are unable to access treatment because of long waiting lists.

    Rather than wait for specialist treatment some people turn to drugs like ketamine that offer some reprieve from their symptoms. Ketamine can create a sense of detachment in users, this will be a desirable state for those who are seeking to escape invasive mental health symptoms of troubling thoughts and feelings.

    In effect, they are finding their own solutions by self-medicating with the drug. Given that ketamine is easily available, relatively cheap and fast-acting it is easy to see why this drug is appealing, particularly as there are no long waiting lists or invasive assessments to undergo.

    Ketamine doesn’t induce the same type of hangover that alcohol and other drugs do. This makes it appealing to those who need to be at work the day after using it. Likewise, it is appealing to those on zero-hour contracts who are asked to work at short notice.

    However, many people will use other substances alongside ketamine – typically alcohol. Mixing alcohol and ketamine can cause significant harm, ranging from slowed breathing to coma and even fatal overdose.

    Paradoxically ketamine is being investigated as a treatment for those who are dependent on alcohol, including those who haven’t responded to more traditional forms of therapy.

    As with the promise that other drugs, such as psychedelics, might help treat mental health problems, current evidence suggests that these drugs are only effective when given alongside therapy.

    It’s not clear whether the UK has reached peak ketamine use. Most drugs fall in and out of fashion. It is clear that originally banning the drug in 2005, and increasing punishments in 2014 has failed to halt its rising popularity. What could have helped was investment into prevention, education and harm reduction services, but this didn’t happen and we are seeing some of the consequences now.

    Preventing the use of ketamine is the only way to be sure that it won’t cause harm. But if we accept that young people and adults will continue to use it then we should be aiming to reduce the potential for harm. There are useful resources already available, but reducing drug-related harm requires a more active response – one that doesn’t rely on people visiting websites or reading a leaflet.

    We should put effort and resources into providing public health messaging that reaches those who are at the most risk from harm due to ketamine. At the same time, investing in and providing timely mental health support would reduce the need for those who are self-medicating with the drug.

    With a new government in the UK, commanding a sizeable majority in parliament, could this Labour government adopt a policy shift that could reduce suffering and save lives?

    Harry Sumnall receives funding from public grant awarding bodies for alcohol and other drugs research, and fees from (international) not-for-profit organisations and government departments for consultation work. He is an unpaid steering group member of the Anti-Stigma Network, an unpaid member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP), an unpaid member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Mind Foundation, an unpaid advisor to the UK Drug Education Forum, and an unpaid co-opted member of UK Government Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) Working Groups on cocaine, and prevention.

    Ian Hamilton 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. Ketamine: what you need to know about the UK’s growing drug problem – https://theconversation.com/ketamine-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-uks-growing-drug-problem-239412

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The seven greatest cover songs of all time – according to music experts

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Glenn Fosbraey, Associate Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Winchester

    We recently asked subscribers to our arts and culture newsletter, Something Good, to name their favourite cover song. We received a range of replies, from Beyoncé’s reimagining of the Dolly Parton classic, Jolene, to Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged recording of The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie. Here’s how seven of our academic experts responded when we asked them the same question.

    1. Heaven, by DJ Sammy (2001)

    The late 1990s and early 2000s saw a glut of Euro-dance songs troubling the higher reaches of the UK charts, as artists like Alice Deejay, Fragma and Sash (all aliases for male DJs fronted by female guest vocalists) married heavy trance beats with catchy melodies. But above all others stood 2001’s Heaven, by DJ Sammy. A shining example of the energetic but straightforward approach to music that characterised the era, it had a generation of club-goers running for the dancefloor.

    Heaven saw Spanish producer Sammy turn a mawkish 1983 Bryan Adams track into the ultimate dance track for all seasons, complete with a relentless beat, hypnotic synth riff, and earworm-of-all-earworm choruses delivered by Dutch singer Dominique Rijpma van Hulst (stage name Do). It’s fun, unapologetically simple, yet somehow seems to encompass every emotion going. An era-defining track that needs to be played loud and proud.

    Glenn Fosbraey

    2. Me and the Devil Blues, by Gil Scott-Heron (2014)

    A great cover is more than a different version of a song – it re-articulates the track and injects it with new meaning. Some do this by radically changing the genre, others by making the song so intensely personal that it is difficult to imagine anyone else singing it. But Gil Scott-Heron’s cover of Robert Johnson’s Me and the Devil Blues (1938), on Scott-Heron’s final album, accomplishes an even rarer feat.

    It layers the pain and anguish of a modern black life lived in the heavy bootprint of the fight for civil rights, de-industrialisation and the “war on drugs”, over the legend of original singer Robert Johnson’s daring and tragic story in the Jim Crow south.

    Scott-Heron’s cover is an opaque homage that ruminates on living in the echoes of an American music legend’s ruins. It’s a reminder of the continuing horrors of racism, and the enduring artistry of resistance and resilience.

    Justin Patch

    3. Helter Skelter, by Siouxsie and the Banshees (1978)

    As a young artist from Liverpool who was newly signed to Deltasonic Records in the early 2000s, I was keen to find inspiration from artists other than our beloved Beatles. Little did I expect that much of this inspiration would circle back to Paul, John, George and Ringo when I discovered Siouxsie and the Banshees’ album The Scream (1978).

    Their cover of Helter Skelter from The Beatles’ White Album (1968) blew me away. Personally, I think this is the best cover of a Beatles song ever, performed by a woman who wasn’t afraid to take control of it.

    Eva Petersen

    4. Wild is the Wind, by David Bowie

    David Bowie frequently supplemented his original material with thematically connected cover songs. There are covers on Hunky Dory (1971), The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (1972) and Aladdin Sane (1973). These moments are often the weakest spots on Bowie’s records – with one major exception.

    Bowie’s 1976 album Station To Station closes with his take on Wild Is The Wind, reworking Johnny Mathis’s two-minute original from 1957 into a soaring and theatrical six-minute showstopper. Bowie’s band dutifully rises to the occasion, decorating the track with elegant lead guitar work and one of the most exquisite drum performances ever committed to tape.

    Never one to underplay, Bowie gives the vocal performance of a lifetime, culminating in a soaring climax guaranteed to leave goosebumps on any listener with a pulse.

    Daniel Ash

    5. Against All Odds, by The Postal Service (2004)

    A good cover version needs to find ways to reinvent the texture and structure of the original. Beyond The Postal Service’s iconic 2003 album Give Up, the indie-tronica outfit have a tiny repertoire. For my money, their cover of Phil Collins’s Against All Odds (1984) was the only bright spot in the horrendous Josh Hartnett movie, Wicker Park (2004).

    The familiar texture and soundscape of Give Up is heard in the distant and crackly vocal, reverse delays and keyboard of the opening verse and chorus. This gives way to a middle section which is cleaner and more purposeful than the first, with a brighter tempo. A final outro section repeats the lyrical hook – “take a look at me now” – with gentle guitar bringing the song to a close.

    With this cover, The Postal Service manage to remake an emotional love ballad into a more angsty and complex work with their own musical stamp.

    Conor Caldwell

    6. Shipbuilding, by Suede

    I always tell students to look at their hero’s heroes and find the covers they chose to do. It is often the case that we discover a classic song from a cover.

    The 1995 charity album HELP featured 20 songs (many of them cover versions) by 20 artists in support of children displaced by the Bosnian War.

    Suede’s cover of Shipbuilding (written by Elvis Costello and Clive Langer in 1982) was the first version of the song I heard. Such is the power of the piece, I suspect it was not difficult to convey the message. Written during the Falklands war, it concerned the resurgence of the shipyards caused by the necessity to replace ships lost in the conflict.

    This led me to discover the definitive 1982 version sung by Robert Wyatt and featuring Costello, which has superb brushed drums and double bass. A masterpiece.

    Howard Monk

    7. Such Great Heights, by Iron and Wine

    In this cover, Sam Beam of Iron and Wine strips what could be potentially considered the calling card of The Postal Service’s small but perfectly formed oeuvre to its bare bones. Featuring nothing more than a hushed voice, gently plucked acoustic guitar and subtle flourish of mandolin, the yearning romanticism of the lyrics is endearingly exposed.

    Curiously, The Postal Service chose to include this wonderfully considered cover version as a b-side to their own single release of the song in 2003. This may have prompted its use in the divisive indie movie Garden State (2004), elevating Iron and Wine to deservedly greater heights in the process.

    Steve Ryan


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    Eva Petersen has previously received Arts Council funding for her research in 2019. She currently works for Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

    Conor Caldwell, Daniel Ash, Glenn Fosbraey, Howard Monk, Justin Patch, and Stephen Ryan 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. The seven greatest cover songs of all time – according to music experts – https://theconversation.com/the-seven-greatest-cover-songs-of-all-time-according-to-music-experts-235145

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Workplace wellbeing programmes often don’t work – but here’s how to make them better

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jolanta Burke, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Positive Health Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

    Research shows wellbeing programmes often have little impact. Lucky Business/ Shutterstock

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has just published alarming statistics showing that employee mental health issues result in a US$1 trillion (£747 billion) loss in productivity each year. The WHO has called on employers to take urgent action by introducing comprehensive wellbeing programmes to tackle the escalating mental health crisis in the workplace.

    But the problem is that many workplace wellbeing programmes don’t work. A UK study which looked at 46,336 employees from 233 organisations found there was no evidence that a range of common workplace wellbeing initiatives – including mindfulness and stress management classes, one-to-one mental health coaching, wellbeing apps or volunteering work – improved employee wellbeing.

    So despite companies investing over US$60 billion annually worldwide in wellbeing programmes, they appear to make little impact.

    There are a number of reasons why these programmes don’t work – and understanding them is the only way companies will be able to make these programmes effective.

    Motivation

    Organisations often opt for easy-to-implement initiatives, such as hosting wellbeing talks or offering mindfulness or yoga classes. They then complain that employees don’t attend or don’t appreciate them.

    Many employees say they don’t attend these activities because they find them irrelevant, unhelpful or they don’t value them enough to attend – meaning their workplace has failed in identifying their needs.

    Understanding what motivates people to participate in wellbeing programmes is crucial in improving its effectiveness. For example, one survey found employees were more interested in learning about healthy lifestyles than having a discussion about stress management. Although not directly related to mental wellbeing, prioritising these kinds of talks would have a greater effect on improving wellbeing in the end.

    Content matters

    Wellbeing programmes tend to be more effective for people whose wellbeing is average or below average. So when people with high levels of wellbeing participate in such programmes, they often see little benefit. This can make it appear the programme isn’t effective – when in reality, it still is for those who need it most.

    This is why it’s so important to determine what type of help employees need most when designing wellbeing programmes.

    For employees who aren’t experiencing poor mental health, a programme that primarily addresses depression or anxiety may be less effective as they’re probably already practising many of the strategies such programmes would discuss. But if the wellbeing programme goes beyond reducing symptoms and focuses on promoting flourishing, meaning and purpose in life, it could provide value to a broader audience.

    This is where a programme designed by an expert in positive psychology would be beneficial in workplaces. Positive psychology is the science of wellbeing. It focuses on building on the positive aspects of life that make life worth living – rather than solely addressing symptoms of mental ill health which only affect 10-20% of the population.But positive psychology measures still have a positive impact on those who experience mental health issues at the same time. They include such activities as identifying and using your character strengths at work, re-thinking your past events positively, learning optimism or practising gratitude.

    The content of workplace wellbeing programmes is crucial. Avoiding generic self-help approaches will enhance their overall impact.

    Everyone is different

    Factors such as whether or not an employee enjoys a specific wellbeing activity or programme, whether they believe that wellbeing can be changed or their level of distress when starting a programme can all affect whether or not workplace wellbeing initiatives work.

    Even a person’s genetics can significantly affect whether such programmes have any impact. Research shows that people who have a higher genetic predisposition towards change are more likely to benefit disproportionately from these programmes – and their positive effect tends to last longer.

    All of these factors should be carefully considered when designing a workplace wellbeing programme. And given how difficult this will make it to design one that’s effective, it’s important employee wellbeing programmes are actually developed by experts in the field – not consultants who lack in-depth knowledge of psychology.

    Implementation

    The way a wellbeing programme is implemented is just as important as its content – though this aspect is often overlooked by wellbeing consultants.

    For instance, overusing gratitude exercises can lead to disengagement from a programme. Similarly, offering too many wellbeing activity options can overwhelm participants and result in them discontinuing the programme.

    To maximise the impact a wellbeing programme has in the workplace requires careful attention not only to the content but also how it’s implemented.

    There are many nuances involved in designing a workplace wellbeing programme. Employers must ensure the programmes they offer not only promote wellbeing but also avoid causing unintended harm to others in the process. Consulting experts who know the nuances of psychology and of wellbeing programmes is key, as they will ensure programmes will be effective and helpful. Programmes that combine positive psychology and lifestyle medicine (which focus on helping people improve their health and fitness) may be particularly beneficial in workplaces.

    Jolanta Burke 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. Workplace wellbeing programmes often don’t work – but here’s how to make them better – https://theconversation.com/workplace-wellbeing-programmes-often-dont-work-but-heres-how-to-make-them-better-239040

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The boomer generation hit the economic jackpot. Young people will inherit their massive debts

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Renaud Foucart, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University

    GoodIdeas/Shutterstock

    Young people in Britain could be forgiven for despairing at the financial pressures they face – and feeling that previous generations enjoyed a much fairer economic environment. Then just to add to their worries about home ownership and a precarious jobs market, along comes the gloomy announcement that the UK’s public debt is now 100% of GDP.

    That debt burden will have to be carried by tax-payers for decades to come. Paying the interest – just the interest – of the country’s debt currently accounts for around 7.3% of public spending. That’s more than what is spent on defence (4.8%) or transport (3.8%).

    And while some of what’s left will go to towards essential future public services, it will also go towards fixing problems caused by a historic lack of public investment (less money being spent by previous generations) in water, railways and other crucial infrastructure.

    In fact, in the 1980s much of that infrastructure was used by the UK government to help finance itself, with assets including British Gas sold off at a bargain price. Those baby boomers and older generations who could afford to buy shares often made a decent profit.

    There are other kinds of costs that today’s younger generations have had to bear too. During COVID lockdowns, universities and schools were closed as the young were forced to stay at home, predominantly to protect the elderly. They have lost the freedom to live and work in the EU after 60% of retired people voted for Brexit, while most young people voted against. Leaving Europe has also made the UK less well-off.

    But not everyone is poorer. In the last 20 years, the average income of pensioners has increased on average by more than 50%, while that of working-age adults has risen by less than 10%. The median income of pensioner households is now higher after housing costs than that of households with children.

    Most of the country’s wealth is now in the hands of older people. In 2018, one in four people aged over 65 was living in a household with a total wealth of over a £1 million pounds. Poverty rates of pensioners are now lower than for the rest of the population.

    Yet pensioners receive all sorts of unconditional discounts and benefits, such as free or discounted public transport. Their income is exempt from national insurance contributions, and there is a triple-lock on state pensions, which is guaranteed to grow faster than work income.

    Until recently, the winter fuel allowance meant that anyone born in 1944 or before received £300 (reduced to £200 for younger pensioners).

    Boomer and bust?

    While there is mild popular support for limiting the fuel allowance to poorer pensioners, the question of recouping money from older people remains highly sensitive. (Back in 2017, the then prime minister Theresa May had to quickly U-turn when she suggested using pensioners’ wealth to finance the rising cost of care.)

    One reason for this reluctance to prise money from older people may be that while most pensioners are doing better (compared to the working population) this is not true of the poorest ones. Also, some pensioners do not claim the benefits they are entitled to, and the last thing a civilised society wants is to let its older people freeze.

    ‘Loser has to pay off the national debt.’
    fizkes/Shutterstock

    But the apparent economic divide raises a broader question about inter-generational justice. What does one generation owe the generations that follow?

    And it’s not just about money. Global warming is another thing older people have not spent most of their lives having to pay for, with the burden for repairing environmental damage again falling mostly on the young.

    Perhaps a fair philosophical approach would be that it’s OK to leave certain costs to be paid in the future if the next generation can generally expect to live longer and in better health, with more consumer choice and comfort, and an improved quality of life.

    But this does not seem to be the expectation right now. Incomes have stalled, and so has life expectancy, while housing prices have not been so expensive relative to earnings since the 19th century.

    In that sense, many people, however old they are, would probably sympathise with young people today. And they may even argue that it’s time for the government to focus on policies that explicitly benefit the young – like house building, different forms of taxation or subjecting pension income to national insurance.

    There could also be a change in fiscal rules to allow for more investment in national infrastructure, higher taxes on fossil fuels to pay for the energy transition, or sharing the cost of funding higher education more evenly among all graduates, regardless of when they got their degree.

    Such changes would provide a dramatic shift towards an economic system which seeks to redistribute wealth not just among citizens – but between the generations.

    Renaud Foucart 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. The boomer generation hit the economic jackpot. Young people will inherit their massive debts – https://theconversation.com/the-boomer-generation-hit-the-economic-jackpot-young-people-will-inherit-their-massive-debts-238908

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa has a good childhood vaccination system – what’s stopping it from being great

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Susan Goldstein, Associate Professor in the SAMRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science – PRICELESS SA (Priority Cost Effective Lessons in Systems Strengthening South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand

    The two public health interventions that have had the greatest impact on the world’s health are clean water and vaccines. Professors Susan Goldstein and Haroon Saloojee assess South Africa’s child vaccination programme.

    Why are childhood vaccinations so important? What are some essential ones?

    A recent study published in The Lancet estimated that since 1974, 154 million lives have been saved by immunisation, most of them children.

    A 2016 study of low- and middle-income countries found that for every dollar invested in vaccines, the return on investment was estimated to be US$44, considering broader social and economic benefits.

    Childhood vaccines are most effective when they are administered to children at the right age, and with the recommended dosage, as children are susceptible to certain diseases at certain ages.

    As an example, polio occurs most frequently in children below the age of five. Five doses of polio vaccinations are recommended, starting at birth.

    As the most contagious and fast-moving of the vaccine-preventable diseases, measles is often described as the “canary in the coalmine”: a warning of other disease outbreaks that might spring up where there are gaps in vaccination coverage.

    How does South Africa fare?

    A case study done in 2011/2012 found South Africa spent US$131 million on basic child vaccine procurement, less than 1%-1.5% of public health expenditure and comparable to Latin American countries known for early vaccine adoption. In 2023 new vaccines were included in the routine Expanded Programme on Immunisation to the value of US$194 million.

    We do spend appropriately on vaccines.

    South Africa has an excellent immunisation schedule with protection offered against 11 diseases.

    According to the District Health Barometer, national coverage for children under one year was 82.2% in 2022/3.

    In 2019, a national household immunisation survey, the first such survey done in two decades, provided the most detailed picture of South Africa’s vaccination programme that we have. The survey screened almost 2 million households and found 84% of babies had received all their shots by the time they turned one.

    Although these rates may seem good, they fall short of the 90% target set by the United Nations. They are also lower than in several other sub-Saharan countries, as this graph shows.

    A greater concern, however, is the disparity at the district level. For instance, Sekhukhune in Limpopo province had a coverage rate of just 53%, meaning almost one in two children were not fully immunised. Ten other districts had coverage rates below 75%, meaning that at least a quarter of the children were not fully protected.

    What is preventing the country from achieving the 90% target?

    In the national survey the main reasons for children not being fully immunised were related to the health service:

    • the vaccine was out of stock (29%)

    • the child was ill and not offered a vaccine (12%)

    • caregivers did not know that the child was due for immunisation (19%)

    • the caregiver forgot that the child had a scheduled immunisation visit (6%)

    • there was no-one to take the child to the clinic (9%).

    Other factors include:

    • negative interactions with healthcare workers – these can deter caregivers from taking children for their vaccines

    • waiting times

    • the dynamics within families – for example, adolescent mothers and elderly caregivers might have difficulty getting children to clinics.

    Vaccine refusal by parents for religious or other reasons existed, but this was infrequent (3%).

    What needs to be done?

    To protect children better, Unicef’s Immunization Agenda 2030 recommends a “people-centred” approach:

    • ensuring all healthcare workers are skilled at administering inoculations, and not missing opportunities to vaccinate a child whenever they visit a health service

    • avoiding vaccine shortages by electronically linking central pharmacies to facilities

    • listening to communities to understand their attitudes towards vaccines and their experiences with health workers at clinics, both good and bad.

    In South Africa districts with low coverage warrant special attention, such as increasing access to immunisation services. This could mean opening clinics on weekends or evenings so that working parents could bring their children to be vaccinated.

    Vaccinations are the safest method to protect children from life-threatening diseases. We need to ensure that every child gets them.

    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. South Africa has a good childhood vaccination system – what’s stopping it from being great – https://theconversation.com/south-africa-has-a-good-childhood-vaccination-system-whats-stopping-it-from-being-great-237336

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alford, Hinson, Miller, Kiggans Lead Republican Conference in Letter Urging House Leadership to Prioritize Farm Bill This Year

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Alford (Missouri 4th District)

    WASHINGTON – Today, as first reported by Punchbowl News, U.S. Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04), Ashley Hinson (IA-02), Mary Miller (IL-15), and Jen Kiggans (VA-02) led a majority of the House Republican Conference in a letter to House GOP Leadership reaffirming their commitment to advancing a farm bill that meets the needs of production agriculture and rural America.

    The letter, which was signed by 140 Members, emphasized the importance of the Farm Bill and noted that farmers, ranchers, and producers are still living under outdated policies from the 2018 Farm Bill.

    “Farmes and ranchers do not have the luxury of waiting until next Congress for the enactment of an effective farm bill,” said the Members. “Inflation has driven production costs to the highest on record. Meanwhile, commodity prices across the board have fallen precipitously, creating a severe margin squeeze on farm and ranch families … Farm debt, $540 billion, is the highest ever, both nominally and wen adjusted for inflation. These factors show no signs of abating for all major commodities.”

    “The 118th Congress has an opportunity to do right by producers, other agriculture stakeholders, rural communities, and taxpayers by putting more ‘farm’ back in the farm bill and by making responsible reforms and investments across all 12 titles, and the bipartisan H.R. 8467—The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, which was advanced by the House Committee on Agriculture on May 24th of this year, does just that,” the Members continued.

    The Members highlighted the negative impacts of failing to act, noting that the consequences will extend beyond the farm gate — hitting Main Street businesses, rural communities, and the national economy. 

    “We respectfully urge that the enactment of H.R. 8467, or similar legislation that makes meaningful investments in farmers, ranchers, and rural communities, is among the top priorities of the Republican Conference and that this be considered a ‘must-pass’ item in the lame duck session of the 118th Congress,” the Members concluded.

    “We are honored to stand alongside 139 of my colleagues to lead a letter that shows House leadership that Republicans are committed to passing a Farm Bill that supports our nation’s constituents, farmers, ranchers, and rural communities,” said Congressman Alford. “We passed H.R. 8467 out of committee, and now it is time to give it to America. The stakes are high; production costs are up, and farm income is declining. We don’t need an extension, and we don’t need this next year–we need this Farm Bill now. Our producers are worthy of certainty and support for their tireless work in feeding, fueling, and clothing the world.”

    “I led 139 of my colleagues – the majority of the House Republican Conference – in calling for Republican House leadership to bring the Farm Bill up for a vote as soon as possible. This bill passed out of committee with bipartisan support, and I believe would receive bipartisan support on the House Floor from Members who understand that food security is national security. Our farmers don’t have time for games, they need Congress to do the work and come through for them, just like they come through for us each day. I will continue advocating for passage of a strong Farm Bill to ensure Iowa farmers can continue feeding and fueling the world,” said Congresswoman Hinson.

    Click here to read text of the letter.

    In addition to Representatives Alford, Hinson, Miller, and Kiggans, the letter was signed by U.S. Representatives Robert Aderholt, Rick Allen, Mark Amodei, Kelly Armstrong, Jodey Arrington, Brian Babin, Don Bacon, James Baird, Troy Balderson, Jim Banks, Andy Barr, Cliff Bentz, Jack Bergman, Stephanie Bice, Gus Bilirakis, Dan Bishop, Lauren Boebert, Mike Bost, Larry Bucshon, Ken Calvert, Kat Cammack, Mike Carey, Jerry Carl, Earl Carter, John Carter, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Juan Ciscomani, Ben Cline, Tom Cole, Mike Collins, James Comer, Eric Crawford, Dan Crenshaw, Monica De la Cruz, Scott DesJarlais, John Duarte, Neal Dunn, Chuck Edwards, Jake Ellzey, Ron Estes, Mike Ezell, Pat Fallon, Randy Feenstra, A. Ferguson, Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach, Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Fleischmann, Mike Flood, Vince Fong, Scott Franklin, Carlos Gimenez, Tony Gonzales, Lance Gooden, Kay Granger, Garret Graves, Sam Graves, Michael Guest, Clay Higgins, J. Hill, Erin Houchin, Bill Huizenga, Ronny Jackson, Dusty Johnson, David Joyce, John Joyce, Mike Kelly, Trent Kelly, Young Kim, David Kustoff, Darin LaHood, Nick LaLota, Doug LaMalfa, Doug Lamborn, Nicholas Langworthy, Robert Latta, Jake LaTurner, Michael Lawler, Julia Letlow, Greg Lopez, Barry Loudermilk, Frank Lucas, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Morgan Luttrell, Nicole Malliotakis, Tracey Mann, Michael McCaul, Richard McCormick, Daniel Meuser, Carol Miller, Max Miller, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Marcus Molinaro, John Moolenaar, Barry Moore, Nathaniel Moran, James Moylan, Gregory Murphy, Dan Newhouse, Zachary Nunn, Greg Pence, August Pfluger, Harold Rogers, Mike Rogers, John Rose, David Rouzer, Michael Rulli, John Rutherford, Maria Salazar, Austin Scott, Keith Self, Pete Sessions, Michael Simpson, Adrian Smith, Lloyd Smucker, Pete Stauber, Bryan Steil, Dale Strong, Claudia Tenney, Glenn Thompson, Michael Turner, David Valadao, Jefferson Van Drew, Derrick Van Orden, Ann Wagner, Tim Walberg, Michael Waltz, Randy Weber, Brad Wenstrup, Bruce Westerman, Brandon Williams, Joe Wilson, Robert Wittman, Steve Womack, Rudy Yakym, and Ryan Zinke.

    Background:

    The Farm Bill is omnibus legislation that establishes policies affecting all sectors of the agriculture industry for a five-year period. The most recent legislation, which was passed in 2018 and extended in 2023, expires this year.

    On May 24, 2024, the House Agriculture Committee passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 to reauthorize the Farm Bill. The legislation supports producers and puts more “farm” back in the farm bill and makes responsible reforms and investments across all 12 titles.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Proactis SA – announcement January 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

        Proactis SA announces results for
    the 18 months period ended 31 January 2024

    Paris – 26thSeptember 2024 – Proactis SA (Euronext: PROAC), a leading provider of comprehensive spend management and business process collaboration solutions, today announced financial information for the year ended 31 January 2024, in accordance with the “European Transparency Obligations Directive” financial disclosure requirements.

    It should be noted at the outset that publication of the results for the year ended January 31, 2024, was originally scheduled for May 31, 2024. Unfortunately, Proactis SA was unable to keep to this timetable, as its statutory auditors were unwilling to issue their reports on the accounts for the period just ended before the completion of the audit of the accounts of Proactis SA’s parent company by the group’s UK auditors.

    Period ended 31 January 2024 – Key Results:

    The Proactis SA Board of Directors approved the accounts for the 18 months period ended 31 January 2024 on 10th September 2024, which have been formally certified by the auditors.  

    € Million   Period ended 31 January 2024 -18 Months   Year ended 31 July 2022 – 12 Months
       
    Revenue   17.9   14.4
       
    EBITDA (*)   2.0   2.8
       
    EBITDA as a % of revenue   11%   19%
    Net Earnings   (16.6)   0.3
       
    Operating Cashflow   3.2   2.3
       
    Cash   0.6   0.9
       
     
    (*) EBITDA: Operating result before depreciation and non-recurring items.    

    Presentation is done on 18 months due to the year-end date change to align with the Proactis Topco Limited Group year-end date change.

    Revenues

    Although the turnover of the Group looks greater due to the change in year-end; it is below the level of the prior period. This is mainly due to the non-renewal of 3rd party solution contracts at the end of contract, or non-renewal of contract in specific non-core product areas. Revenue as presented includes revenue from the Group management fees and split is as follow:

    € Million   Period ended
    31 January 2024    		   Year ended
    31 July 2022
       
             
    Revenue   17.9   14.4
             
    Operating revenue   11.3   9.8
    Management fees   6.6   4.6

    Goodwill Impairment

    Based on the value in use calculations established for the Proactis SA Group, it has been necessary to recognise an impairment. The value in use calculation reflects pipeline conversion delay and the slowdown in volume-related activities during the period under review. The recoverable amount was estimated based on their value in use of €3.3M. An impairment of €3.5M has therefore been recorded.

    Other operating expenses

    Proactis SA Group has recorded a depreciation of 10.9 million euros on the receivables it owns against the current accounts with sister entities. This write-down was recorded at the request of Proactis SA’s statutory auditors. These current accounts result from intra-group transfer pricing billing and are not likely to be repaid in the short term.

    Profitability

    The Company recorded an EBITDA for the period ended 31 January 2024 of €2.0M (€2.8M for the year ended 2022).

    Net Earnings were € (16.6)M versus year ended 31 July 2022: € 0.3M.

    Cashflow

    In the period ended 31 January 2024, the Group‘s operating cash-flow was €3.2M. Capital investment remained strong, at €3.0M, and was focused on the Company’s strategic solution suite; The Business Network. The Group had positive cash balances of €0.6M on 31 January 2024 (31 July 2022: €0.9M).

    * * * *

    About Proactis SA (https://www.proactis.com/proactis-sa), a Proactis Company

    Proactis SA connects companies by providing business spend management and collaborative business process automation solutions for both goods and services, through The Business Network. Our solutions integrate with any ERP or procurement system, providing our customers with an easy-to-use solution which drives adoption, compliance and savings.

    Proactis SA has operations in France, Germany, USA and Manila.

    Listed in Compartment C on the Euronext Paris Eurolist.

    ISIN: FR0004052561, Euronext: PROAC, Reuters: HBWO.LN, Bloomberg: HBW.FP

    Contacts
    Tel: +33 (0)1 53 25 55 00
    E-mail: investorContact@proactis.com

    * * * *

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: First Bank Announces Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAMILTON, N.J., Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Bank (Nasdaq Global Market: FRBA) invites participation in a conference call to discuss the Company’s financial and operating performance during its third quarter ending on September 30, 2024.

    Event: Earnings Conference Call – Third Quarter 2024
         
    When: Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time
         
    Access: Conference Call Dial-In: (800) 715-9871 (toll free) 
         
      Conference Call Access Code: 1578641
         

    Patrick L. Ryan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew L. Hibshman, Chief Financial Officer, Peter J. Cahill, Chief Lending Officer, and Darleen Gillespie, Chief Retail Banking Officer will provide an overview of third quarter 2024 results. The management presentation typically lasts approximately fifteen to thirty minutes, followed by investor questions and discussion. The Company’s third quarter results will be released after the market closes on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 and will also be available in the “Investor Relations” section of the Company’s website. Conference replay information is also available on the Company’s website, http://www.firstbanknj.com.

    About First Bank
    First Bank is a New Jersey state-chartered bank with 26 full-service branches in Cinnaminson, Delanco, Denville, Ewing, Fairfield, Flemington (2), Hamilton, Lawrence, Monroe, Pennington, Randolph, Somerset, Williamstown, and Morristown, New Jersey, Doylestown, Trevose, Warminster, West Chester, Paoli, Malvern, Coventry, Devon, Lionville, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, and Palm Beach, Florida. With $3.62 billion in assets as of June 30, 2024, First Bank offers a traditional range of deposit and loan products to individuals and businesses mainly throughout the New York City to Philadelphia corridor. First Bank’s common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market exchange under the symbol “FRBA”.

    Contact
    Andrew L. Hibshman, Executive Vice President and CFO
    (609) 643-0058, andrew.hibshman@firstbanknj.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Softline’s IPO on Moscow Exchange turns one year old

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    September 26, 2024 marks exactly one year since the start of trading in shares of PJSC Softline (SOFL) on the Moscow Exchange.

    Softline is one of the leading IT companies in Russia, a provider of solutions and services in the field of digital transformation and information security.

    The IPO successfully completed the company’s reorganization after its division into foreign and Russian parts of the business in 2022. With the start of trading, new investors were able to purchase shares of the now entirely domestic PJSC Softline.

    At the start of trading, the share of shares in free circulation (free-float) was about 15.7%, today this figure exceeds 20%. Softline shares are included in Innovation and Investment Market Sector Moscow Exchange, are included in the calculation base Moscow Exchange Innovation Index, Moscow Exchange Broad Market Index And Moscow Exchange IPO Index.

    In September 2024, about 100 thousand private investors were registered among the company’s shareholders, and their number continues to grow.

    In February 2024, the company held Investor’s Day on the Moscow Exchange platform and shared its results, achievements and development plans. Softline also participates in Moscow Exchange Annual Reports Competition, demonstrating best practices in information disclosure and corporate governance.

    Congratulations to the company on the first anniversary of listing on the Moscow Exchange!

    PJSC Softline is one of the leaders in the IT market with over 30 years of experience, a wide regional presence in more than 25 representative offices throughout Russia and access to qualified personnel, with over 9,100 employees, more than half of whom are engineers and developers. Currently, PJSC Softline is one of the fastest growing companies in the industry. In 2023, its turnover exceeded 91 billion rubles. The group ensures and accelerates the digital transformation of its customers’ businesses, connecting about 100,000 end customers from various industries with more than 5,000 best-in-class IT manufacturers.

    Moscow Exchange is the largest Russian exchange, the only multifunctional platform in Russia for trading shares, bonds, derivatives, currencies, money market instruments and commodities. The Moscow Exchange Group includes the central depository (Non-bank credit institution joint-stock company National Settlement Depository) and the clearing center (Non-bank credit institution – central counterparty National Clearing Center (Joint-stock company)), which performs the functions of the central counterparty in the markets, which allows Moscow Exchange to provide clients with a full cycle of trading and post-trading services.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232PR@moex.com

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

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

    https://www.moex.com/n73465

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Politico: Senators want to see major changes at Boeing. The FAA says that could take years.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for California – Laphonza Butler

    Whitaker outlined the steps his agency has taken — a detailed action plan, more inspectors, production caps and more involvement from the FAA in virtually every facet of Boeing’s business. But perhaps his biggest message was patience.

    “It would be — not possible to have company-wide culture change in a matter of months. I think it’s going to take years,” Whitaker said in response to the chair of the subcommittee Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who questioned whether changes should be implemented with more “urgency.”

    Speaking with reporters after the hearing, Whitaker said: “Everyone wants it fixed immediately.”

    But he said that while Boeing has improved on short-term challenges in its manufacturing lines, “[we] would be kidding ourselves to think you can change 170,000 people, culture in 18 months — so it’s going to be a long haul.”

    Whitaker said the FAA has deployed more inspectors to factory floors across the country — 46 total so far.

    But senators repeatedly questioned whether that’s enough and also whether the inspectors on the ground are simply pushing paper, instead of getting their hands dirty.

    Blumenthal questioned whether 13 FAA inspectors at Boeing’s Renton facility — which he pointed out was one million square feet with roughly 12,000 employees — was enough.

    Just “13 inspectors who will be there by the end of the year are inadequate to the task of really ensuring the public that there is quality control by an objective and independent entity — that’s just a fact of life,” Blumenthal told Whitaker in his second appearance on Capitol Hill this week to discuss how Boeing is improving and FAA’s actions since the door plug incident.

    The FAA’s goal is to increase its inspector workforce to 55 by year’s end, Whitaker said, with 13 inspectors each at Boeing’s Renton and Everett plants in Washington; another 13 in Charleston, South Carolina; and 16 in various supplier facilities.

    Blumenthal and Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) also asked what an FAA inspector’s role is, and the extent to which they are actually inspecting work, rather than inspecting paperwork.

    “How do you take what … you’re learning through those investigators, and then turn that into something that ensures greater confidence for the public?” Butler said.

    Whitaker responded that those inspectors continue to hold meetings with Boeing managers, receive feedback, and use their findings to look into where the company can still make improvements.

    Read the full article HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK organisations selected in first AUKUS Innovation Challenge

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Projects from 4 UK organisations will share £2m in the inaugural AUKUS Pillar 2 Electronic Warfare (EW) Innovation Challenge.

    Through AUKUS Pillar 2, Australia, the UK and the US are pooling the talents of their defence sectors to develop at pace the delivery of advanced capabilities. Four UK companies have been selected by the UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) to receive a share of the funding to develop solutions in electromagnetic targeting and protection. 

    The competition was run to find low cost, disposable, high volume and highly autonomous electromagnetic technology that can detect enemy actions or protect against them.

    The four successful UK organisations to receive research funding are:

    • Amiosec Ltd
    • Autonomous Devices Ltd
    • Roke Manor Research Ltd
    • University of Liverpool

    The trilateral AUKUS EW Challenge was run as 3 individual competitions by DASA in the UK; the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), in Australia; and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in the US. The EW competition was the first in what will be a series of AUKUS Innovation Challenges, setting the template for future advanced defence technology competitions run by the 3 partners.

    National winners of the 3 EW Challenge competitions were announced at the AUKUS Defence Ministers’ Meeting on 26 September in London by UK Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable John Healey MP; Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Honourable Richard Marles MP; and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. The three Defence Ministers together emphasised the value of the collaboration to a free and open Indo-Pacific, with the potential to enhance joint defence capabilities, ensuring national, regional and global stability.

    The 3 innovation competitions called for proposals to identify electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) technology solutions to help give the AUKUS nations a strategic edge in targeting and to provide protection against adversarial electromagnetic-targeting capabilities. EMS is a heavily congested, contested, complex and competitive environment and there is an increasing need for low cost, disposable, high volume and highly autonomous capabilities to achieve advantage.

    In total, across all 3 national innovation challenges, 173 qualified suppliers applied, in a show of strength of the AUKUS nations’ defence innovation capabilities.

    The winning UK supplier organisations:

    • Amiosec Ltd: This project is seeking to create fake radio activity, masking the true location of friendly military forces to support missions. The research will focus on extending previous work on AI-generated traffic to boost realism to defeat adversary EW systems. It will be delivered by Amiosec in conjunction with its Australian defence technology partner, Penten.
    • Autonomous Devices Ltd: Is developing and flight-demonstrating the novel combination of a radar Electronic Counter Measure and a small Uncrewed Air System platform.
    • Roke Manor Research Ltd: The ability to transmit and receive on identical frequencies simultaneously has been an operational and technical challenge for decades. The Smart STAR Jammer project sets out to combine a Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (STAR) Transceiver jointly developed by Roke and the University of Bristol.
    • University of Liverpool: This project aims to improve the ability to detect multiple individual faint signals in close geometric proximity to one another. This will be achieved using a combination of machine learning and statistics.

    AUKUS is a landmark security and defence partnership to support a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening regional global security. A major part of the partnership, named Pillar 1, is helping Australia to acquire its first conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

    Through AUKUS Pillar 2 which includes advanced capabilities such as Artificial Intelligence, autonomy, quantum technologies and electronic warfare – the 3 national partners seek to strengthen trilateral capabilities in cutting-edge military technologies, increase interoperability, and drive knowledge-sharing and innovation. One of the aims of Pillar 2 is to “foster deeper integration of security and defence-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains”.

    Find out more about the first ever UK-hosted meeting of AUKUS Defence Ministers held on 26 September 2024.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Successful operation against fraudsters targeting cities and municipalities

    Source: Eurojust

    German and Italian authorities worked together with Eurojust and Europol to stop a fraudulent scheme. The suspects targeted public institutions, cities, and municipalities, and were able to cause damages of several million euros. On 24 September, an operation took place where technology and assets were seized and search warrants against five suspects were executed.

    For over a year, suspects ran a fraudulent scheme in Germany that made them millions. Several public institutions, companies, cities, and municipalities were affected by the scheme. By using phishing techniques, the suspects gained access to real invoices that were addressed to public institutions and companies. The fraudsters manipulated them with their own financial information. The manipulated invoices were then sent to victims, who paid them to the fraudsters instead of their business partners.

    Investigations into the scheme identified five suspects with Italian and German citizenship. As authorities needed to search properties in Germany and Italy, a cross-border case was opened at Eurojust. Coordination through Eurojust defined the strategy of the investigation between the German and Italian authorities. Authorities decided to execute simultaneous searches in the two countries to gather evidence of the fraud and seize assets that were gained through the fraudulent scheme. Europol provided continuous intelligence development to map out the different targets and their criminal activity.

    On 24 September, search warrants against five suspects were executed in Germany and Italy and ten propereties were searched. During the operation, Europol activated a Virtual Command Post to provide support from its headquarters to the investigators on the field as they carried out their enforcement actions. Assets were provisionally secured, and cell phones, computers, and data storage devices were seized. Special Forces will now investigate the seized technology as the investigation continues.

    The following authorities were involved in the actions:

    • Germany: Public Prosecution Office Leipzig – Central Cybercrime Office, Leipzig Criminal Investigation Department – Commissariat 33 (Cybercrime)
    • Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office Naples; Economic and Financial Police Units of the Guardia di Finanza Naples, Verona, Treviso and Bolzano

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Are you a Destiel stan? There’s so much more to ‘shipping’ than wanting characters to kiss

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Effie Sapuridis, PhD Candidate in Media Studies, Western University

    Castiel, played by Misha Collins, and Dean Winchester, played by Jensen Ackles, in an episode of ‘Supernatural.’ Destiel is the slash ship between the two characters. (Apple TV)

    In 1993, X-Files fans began using the term “relationshippers” to describe fans who were invested in a romantic relationship between the two leads, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.

    Although the practice of pairing two characters together had existed in fandom for a while, this is recognized as the first use of the term. By the late 1990s, “relationshipper” had been shortened to “shipper” and was being used in other major media fandoms as well.

    A ship refers to a romantic pairing between two or more characters, and is often a pairing that doesn’t actively exist in the original story. To “ship” a pairing is to support and enjoy the idea of that specific relationship.

    Top 11 Smulder moments from the X-Files YouTube channel.

    In the early 2000s, ships were often assigned nautical names, but now they are commonly portmanteaus of the two characters being paired — like Drarry, for Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, or Spuffy for Buffy Summers and Spike.

    Many people can relate to seeing two characters interact and thinking, “they’d make a great couple!” But why do we become so invested in these relationships? And what makes some characters more shippable than others?

    No one’s 20s and 30s look the same. You might be saving for a mortgage or just struggling to pay rent. You could be swiping dating apps, or trying to understand childcare. No matter your current challenges, our Quarter Life series has articles to share in the group chat, or just to remind you that you’re not alone.

    Read more from Quarter Life:

    Why we become invested

    Shipping has become a massive part of fan culture. Even when writers and media producers don’t explicitly pair up characters, fans will fill the gaps, creating their own versions and interpretations.

    Fans often become deeply invested in fictional couples because they empathize with and feel connected to the characters.

    Well-developed characters evoke emotional responses in audiences, similar to the connections we forge with others in real life, especially when we’ve spent a lot of time engaging with the media. The characters become like friends on the screen or page — we become invested in their relationships and growth.

    This connection grows even more when characters are placed in relatable situations, such as navigating a breakup or unrequited love. When we can put ourselves in the shoes of the character, we become more invested in their story. Fans connect with characters, and then yearn for their happiness because it feels connected to their own happiness.

    It becomes more than just a story; instead, shipping the characters becomes a way for fans to explore their own emotions.

    The slow burn effect

    In recent decades, media producers and writers have leaned heavily into “will they or won’t they” relationships. These situations, much like a cliffhanger, keep audiences emotionally invested and engaged with the relationship.

    The anticipation keeps viewers coming back for more, waiting for the romantic payoff, even in cases when they know it will never happen. The tension built between characters and the feeling of an unresolved romantic narrative — whether intentional or not — heightens fan interest and engagement in shipping.

    Shipping also allows fans to project their own desires and fantasies onto a character. We all have our ideal meet-cutes and daydreams about meeting “our person” and what that connection would be like.

    Aziraphale, played by Michael Sheen, and Crowley, played by David Tennant, in an episode of ‘Good Omens.’ Ineffable Husbands is the ship name of these two characters.
    (Amazon Prime)

    So, when we encounter a character who feels relatable, or who feels like “our person,” shipping allows us to explore those daydreams without any of the actual risks of complications involved in real life relationships. In many ways, the act of shipping is an exercise in emotional fulfillment for the fan.

    In 2019, the podcast Fansplaining found that fans had strong feelings about the emotional intensity they felt when shipping. Fan studies scholars have also turned to this question often; Brit Kelley’s recent monograph Loving Fanfiction comes to mind as a prime example of a deep dive into affect and emotion in fanfiction and, of course, shipping.

    What makes characters shippable?

    Some characters naturally have a spark that draw fans to them — whether it’s through witty banter, emotional vulnerability, opposites-attract tension or the fact that there’s only one bed. When characters have great chemistry, fans can’t help but see the potential for something deeper.

    This is especially true when a character’s arc involves personal or emotional growth, as we are eager to imagine a happy ending for characters who are evolving. Combine this growth with the tension of a “will they or won’t they” relationship — a classic of the 90s and 2000s sitcom, think Rachel and Ross from Friends, or Ted and Robin from How I Met Your Mother — and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a beloved ship.

    In fact, a common shipping trope is the slow burn where the romance builds excruciatingly slowly. These types of relationships keep fans hooked because the development is gradual, and subtle. On-screen couples like Jess and Nick from New Girl and Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago from Brooklyn Nine-Nine are prime examples of this.

    Jake Proposes to Amy on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

    Fans experience the full gamut of the emotional journey with these characters and, should then tension break and romance bloom, the pay-off is incredibly satisfying.

    If the relationships don’t come to pass, fans often turn to fanfiction — stories written by and for fans — to explore the potential of that ship more fully, with platforms like Archive of Our Own providing a space for these creative explorations.

    Pushing for diversity in media

    Fans are often drawn to relationships and characters that challenge the dominant ideologies and norms seen in media. Some of the most popular ships involve queer pairings — a trend that dates back, at least, to early days of media fandom with Spirk (Spock/Kirk) fanfiction.

    Some of today’s most popular queer ships include Aziraphale/Crowley from Good Omens, Dean Winchester/Castiel from Supernatural, Villanelle/Eve from Killing Eve and Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham from Hannibal.

    Such relationships can provide a sense of representation that’s often lacking in mainstream media, allowing fans to see themselves in the stories they love. In this way, shipping can serve as a form of advocacy, pushing for greater diversity and inclusivity in media.

    Shipping is about more than wanting characters to kiss — it’s an emotionally charged experience that culminates from empathy, narrative tension, personal fantasies and desires. For fans, these fictional relationships can feel as real as any in our own lives, and that’s why we keep coming back for more.

    Effie Sapuridis 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. Are you a Destiel stan? There’s so much more to ‘shipping’ than wanting characters to kiss – https://theconversation.com/are-you-a-destiel-stan-theres-so-much-more-to-shipping-than-wanting-characters-to-kiss-238394

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How the ‘New Right’ in Latin America differs from other emerging far-right movements

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Juan Manuel Morales, PhD Candidate, Political Science, Université de Montréal

    Following the end of the progressive wave of the 2000s and 2010s in Latin America, the right has reinvented itself and regained political space.

    There is the self-styled libertarianism of Javier Milei in Argentina, the protests against leftist president Gustavo Petro in Colombia and the increasingly authoritarian government of Nayib Bukele in El Salvador.

    There’s also a plethora of influencers and media personalities that vociferously defend conservative positions in the region.

    “New Right” candidates are running in municipal elections in Chile and general elections in Uruguay in October.

    What is the New Right?

    Research defines the New Right as “a diverse set of individuals and organizations aiming to maintain societal hierarchies that are perceived as traditional or natural.”

    Whereas the traditional right often showed no interest in democracy and was more concerned with economic issues and fighting communism, the new right uses the tools of democracy to obtain power and govern, and focuses more on cultural issues.

    Chief among these issues is the control of sexuality and gender, which differentiates the new Latin American right from its western counterparts, which are prioritizing the issue of migration.



    Read more:
    Why the ideology of the ‘New Right’ is so dangerous

    The issues

    Researchers have observed the focus on sexuality in the new Latin American right. While conducting field work last year in Colombia with right-wing activists, it became clear to me that groups as diverse as economic libertarians, evangelical anti-abortionists and security hardliners with military backgrounds shared a desire to control the sexuality of others.

    Earlier this year, El Salvador’s Bukele ordered gender-related content removed from the public education system. Argentina’s Milei routinely attacks women’s reproductive rights, and the Peruvian government defined transgender identities as a “mental health problem.”

    These varied efforts seek to maintain heterosexual and binary gender models at the top of the social hierarchy, while people with diverse identities are marginalized. These authoritarian tendencies are aligned with another of the new right’s favourite issues: a tough-on-crime approach to security.

    Bukele has become an inspiration on this matter.



    Read more:
    ‘Bukelism,’ El Salvador’s flawed approach to gang violence, is no silver bullet for Ecuador

    The Argentine and Ecuadorian governments have expressed an interest in building Bukele-style mega-prisons to curb crime.

    Likewise, politicians in different countries market themselves as the local Bukele to win votes.

    Sexuality, crime

    Except for a few countries, migration is not a particularly relevant issue for adherents of the New Right in Latin America.

    This is not due to a lack of migration. More than six million Venezuelans have migrated to other countries in the region as of 2023; several Latin American countries are transit points for migrants trying to reach the United States; internal migration and forced displacement are an ongoing issue for some countries.

    Nevertheless, anti-migrant and nativist views are not commonplace. There is, however, an effort by the New Right to preserve white and white/mixed-race populations as well as western Christian values at the top of the social hierarchy — to the detriment of Latin America’s Indigenous and Black communities.

    The strategies

    The traditional right in Latin America resorted to coups d’état and military dictatorships as part of its repertoire of action. This happened in particular before the 1990s, but it’s also occurred in the last three decades.

    Conversely, the New Right prefers to leverage the tools of democracy to erode the democratic system from within and prolong its grip on power.

    New Right figures now become leaders by winning elections. But once in office, they often try to concentrate power in the executive branch by undermining the separation of powers.

    Bukele, for example, controls the legislative and judicial branches in El Salvador. Jair Bolsonaro took a similar path in Brazil but was ultimately thwarted by the victory of leftist Lula da Silva in 2022.

    The New Right has also become adept at using judicial activism to advance its agenda and curtail the rights of marginalized citizens.

    Grassroots organizing and social activism — tactics traditionally associated with the left — are now part of the New Right’s playbook in Latin America. Social movements were instrumental in the fall of Brazil’s Dilma Roussef and the subsequent 2018 victory of Bolsonaro.

    Right-wing social movement entities have systematically taken to the streets in Colombia to protest the leftist government.

    Evangelical churches have also taken on a more visible role within the New Right, disputing the traditional leadership of the Catholic Church among conservatives. While evangelicals have long been an important electoral force in places like Brazil, they have had more mixed results in other countries.

    Future implications

    The New Right continues to influence the public debate and society at large in Latin America through street and social media activism, as well as institutional politics.

    In 2025, the New Right could make further electoral gains in countries like Chile and Ecuador.

    Because many existing New Right governments regularly undermine democracy and the rights of marginalized communities, it’s important to better understand their strategies and priorities — particularly in a region marred by exclusion and inequality.

    Juan Manuel Morales 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. How the ‘New Right’ in Latin America differs from other emerging far-right movements – https://theconversation.com/how-the-new-right-in-latin-america-differs-from-other-emerging-far-right-movements-239267

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defence and Security Advocate reappointed

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Lord Lancaster’s appointment as the HMG Defence and Security Advocate extended by the Business and Trade Secretary.

    • Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds extends Lord Lancaster’s contract as Defence and Security Advocate for a further three months.
    • Lord Lancaster will continue to engage with industry leaders, ministers and other key players both in the UK and overseas to build export relationships with the UK’s partners.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has reappointed Lord Mark Lancaster as the Government’s Defence and Security Advocate, to drive the UK’s defence and security export success for a further three months until 20 December 2024.

    Lord Lancaster will report directly to the Business and Trade Secretary and will continue his programme of visits both overseas and at home to promote UK defence and security exports.

    Lord Lancaster was initially appointed in January 2023 and has brought a wealth of specialist defence experience to the role.  Major-General, Lord Lancaster, is Director of the Army Reserves and was a Defence Minister between 2015-2019.  He was also previously a Major in the Territorial Army, having served as part of NATO peacekeeping forces in Kosovo and Bosnia.

    Background

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: DIAGNOS Announces Voting Results of Meeting of Shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BROSSARD, Quebec, Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DIAGNOS Inc. (“DIAGNOS” or the “Corporation”) (TSX Venture: ADK) (OTCQB: DGNOF), a pioneer in early detection of critical health issues through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, announces the voting results of its annual general and special meeting of shareholders held on September 25, 2024.

    Election of directors
    The following directors were elected to hold office until the closing of the next annual meeting of the shareholders; Mr. André Larente, Mr. Francis Bellido, Mr. Robert Dunn, Mr. Michael Braeuel and Mr. Philippe Couillard.

    Appointment of auditor
    Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton LLP was re-appointed as auditor of the Corporation for the ensuing year.

    Amendment to the stock option plan
    The shareholders of the Corporation approved a special resolution pursuant to which the maximum number of common shares of the Corporation that may be issued under the stock option plan (the “Plan”) be set at 12,200,000, representing an increase of 2,000,000 common shares.

    Some of the provisions of the Plan were amended to comply with the current version of Policy 4.4 of the TSX Venture exchange. Please refer to the 2024 Management Information Circular of the Corporation available on Sedar+ for the updated version of the Plan.

    The amendments to the Plan remain subject to the TSX Venture acceptance.

    About DIAGNOS
    DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation dedicated to early detection of critical health problems based on its FLAIRE Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform. FLAIRE allows for quick modifying and developing of applications such as CARA (Computer Assisted Retina Analysis). CARA’s image enhancement algorithms provide sharper, clearer and easier-to-analyze retinal images. CARA is a cost-effective tool for real-time screening of large volumes of patients.

    Additional information is available at http://www.diagnos.ca and http://www.sedarplus.com.

    This news release contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements. DIAGNOS disclaims any intention or obligation to publically update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: PROACTIS SA – Press release 26.09.2024 ( publication date AFR)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Publication date of the results and the Annual Financial Report fiscal period ended 31 January 2024

    SURESNES, France – (26 September 2024) — PROACTIS (ISIN code : FR0004052561) announces that, the publication of its results and Annual Financial Report for the year ended January 31, 2024, originally scheduled for May 31, 2024, will take place on September 26, 2024.

    PROACTIS SA’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will be held on October 17, 2024, at 1:30 pm.

    PROACTIS SA had obtained authorization from the President of the Nanterre Commercial Court to postpone this meeting until October 31, 2024.

    * * * *

    About Proactis SA (https://www.proactis.com/proactis-sa), a Proactis Company

    Proactis SA connects companies by providing business spend management and collaborative business process automation solutions for both goods and services, through The Business Network. Our solutions integrate with any ERP or procurement system, providing our customers with an easy-to-use solution which drives adoption, compliance and savings.

    Proactis SA has operations in France, Germany, USA and Manila.

    Listed in Compartment C on the Euronext Paris Eurolist.

    ISIN: FR0004052561, Euronext: PROAC, Reuters: HBWO.LN, Bloomberg: HBW.FP

    Contacts
    Tel: +33 (0)1 53 25 55 00
    E-mail: investorContact@proactis.com

    * * * *

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ThoughtSpot Appoints Ketan Karkhanis as new Chief Executive Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ThoughtSpot, the AI-Powered Analytics Company, today announced that the Company has appointed Ketan Karkhanis as Chief Executive Officer.

    Ketan is joining ThoughtSpot from Salesforce, where he has spent over a decade of his career. He most recently served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Salesforce Sales Cloud business, leading one of the company’s largest cloud businesses that generated more than $7 billion last fiscal year. He returned to Salesforce in March 2022 after his time as the COO of Turvo, a supply-chain collaboration platform that was acquired by Lineage Logistics in 2022. Before that, Ketan was the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Salesforce Einstein Analytics, incubating the business from launch to over $300 million and a 30,000 strong user community.

    “During this time of accelerated transformation driven by the advent of generative AI, there is no better person to lead ThoughtSpot than Ketan,” said Ajeet Singh, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of ThoughtSpot. “He is a customer-obsessed, employee-focused business leader with a deep experience in analytics and has built and led world-class SaaS businesses of significant scale. The ThoughtSpot Board believes that Ketan is the right leader to help ThoughtSpot capitalize on its foundational innovation and capture the massive market opportunity that lies ahead in AI-powered analytics.”

    Singh added, “Over the last six months, ThoughtSpot has made significant progress in accelerating its product roadmap, delivering genAI-driven value to customers that are migrating away from legacy visualization platforms, and centering its focus on durable growth at scale, all setting the table for our next CEO.”

    “Ketan has the passion and experience to lead ThoughtSpot in its next chapter,” said Ravi Mhatre, Founder and Managing Director of Lightspeed Venture Partners and the founding investor on ThoughtSpot’s Board of Directors. “This appointment comes at a perfect time for the market as analytics is redefined by genAI, and ensures that ThoughtSpot is best positioned to scale rapidly.”

    “ThoughtSpot has built a fundamentally different approach to analytics since its inception, squarely focused on democratizing data and empowering everyone to make data-driven decisions with its AI and search-driven analytics platform,” said Ketan Karkhanis, CEO of ThoughtSpot. “ThoughtSpot has a significant head start in innovation that is required for truly delivering on the expectations that genAI has created, with a proven solution that is delivering value to some of the largest and most complex enterprises in the world. I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to lead the company that finds itself intersecting with the genAI tailwinds at a perfect time, and is in a strong position to capitalize on this market opportunity by bringing unparalleled value to over a thousand customers across the globe.”

    Ketan has a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from PICT (Pune Institute of Computer Technology, India) and an MBA from Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business.

    About ThoughtSpot
    ThoughtSpot is the AI-Powered Analytics company. Our mission is to create a more fact-driven world with the easiest to use analytics platform. With ThoughtSpot, anyone can leverage natural language search to ask and answer data questions with confidence. ThoughtSpot enables everyone within an organization to limitlessly engage with live data in any major cloud data platform, making it easy to create and interact with granular, hyper-personalized, and actionable insights. Customers can take advantage of both ThoughtSpot’s web and mobile applications to improve decision-making for every employee, wherever and whenever decisions are made. With ThoughtSpot’s low-code developer-friendly platform, ThoughtSpot Embedded, customers can also embed AI-Powered Analytics to their products and services, monetizing their data and engaging users to keep them coming back for more. Organizations like Capital One, Daimler, Comcast, Cigna, Royal Bank of Canada, Nasdaq, and Unilever rely on ThoughtSpot to transform how their employees and customers take advantage of data. Try ThoughtSpot today and see for yourself.

    PR Contact:

    Lindsay Noonan
    Director of Communications, ThoughtSpot
    press@thoughtspot.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/88088950-4082-42c9-b99f-a944c31c28c8

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Laurie Stewart Named One of American Banker’s “Most Powerful Women to Watch”

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SEATTLE, Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Banker names Laurie Stewart, President and CEO of Sound Community Bank, as one of The Most Powerful Women to Watch in 2024.

    Now celebrating its 22nd anniversary, American Banker’s The Most Powerful Women in Banking™ program recognizes individuals and teams for demonstrating exceptional leadership skills, strong business performance, and a commitment to driving real outcomes for diversity, equity, and inclusion in financial services. As part of this program, the Most Powerful Women to Watch rankings highlight influential leaders from top banks and financial institutions.  

    “Keep your eyes on these women in the years ahead,” said Chana Schoenberger, Editor-in-Chief of American Banker. ”They exemplify modern leadership, with significant contributions to both their businesses and the industry at large. It hasn’t been an easy year for bank and financial institutions, but progress continues – not by chance, but through the determined efforts of these women.”

    The honorees will be recognized at THE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN BANKING Gala, scheduled for October 24, 2024, at The Glasshouse in New York City.

    Stewart recently celebrated 34 years with Sound Community Bank. In this span, Stewart led the organization’s conversion from a $38 million dollar credit union to a $1 billion publicly traded commercial bank. Active in the industry, Stewart was one of 14 bankers selected to serve on the inaugural FDIC Community Bank Advisory Board. She is active in trade associations, having served two terms as Chair of the WBA and as Chair of the ABA’s flagship Governmental Affairs Committee. Stewart ascended to Chairperson of the American Bankers Association Board of Directors, becoming only the third woman to hold this role in nearly 150 years. She served two consecutive terms on the Board of Directors for the Seattle Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and is currently serving on the 12th District Head Office Board. She also served as Chair of the National Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors and is a former Chair of the Woodland Park Zoo. Ms. Stewart is the current Secretary/Treasurer of the Jamestown/S’Klallam CDFI. She is the only non-tribal member of the CDFI Board.

    About Sound Community Bank
    Established in 1953, Sound Community Bank is a full-service bank providing personal and business banking services in communities across the greater Puget Sound region. The Seattle-based company operates banking offices in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Jefferson, and Clallam Counties and on the web at http://www.soundcb.com. Sound Community Bank is a subsidiary of Sound Financial Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFBC). On June 30, 2024, Sound Financial Bancorp, Inc. reported total assets of $1.1 billion.  

    For Media inquiries, please contact:
    Deena Rataezyk
    Vice President, Director of Marketing & Communications
    deena.rataezyk@soundcb.com
    (206) 204-8169

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Cegedim: Revenue and EBITDA both increased in the first half of 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

         
     

    PRESS RELEASE

    First-half financial information at June 30, 2024
    IFRS – Regulated information – Audited

    Cegedim: Revenue and EBITDA both increased in the first half of 2024

    • Revenue grew 6.0% as reported and 4.6% LFL to €319.0 million
    • EBITDA rose 6.9% to €52.2 million
    • Recurring operating income(1) (REBIT) fell 3.4% to €10.3 million

    Boulogne-Billancourt, France, September 26, 2024, after the market close

    Cegedim generated consolidated H1 2024 revenues of €319.0 million, a 6.0% year-on-year increase as reported, and EBITDA of €52.2 million, a €3.4 million or 6.9% increase. Recurring operating income fell €0.4 million, or 3.4%, to €10.3 million.

      H1 2024 H1 2023 Change
      in €m (in %) (in €m) (in %) (in €m) in %
    Revenues 319.0 100.0% 301.0 100.00% 18.0 6.0%
    EBITDA(1) 52.2 16.4% 48.8 +16.2% 3.4 6.9%
    Depreciation & amortization -41.9   -38.1   -3.8 -9.8%
    Recurring operating income(1) 10.3 3.2% 10.7 3.6% -0.4 -3.4%
    Other non-recurring operating income and expenses(1) -2.6   -1.4   -1.2 -88.8%
    Operating income 7.7 2.4% 9.3 3.1% -1.6 -17.1%
    Financial result -5.0   -5.6   0.6 10.8%
    Total tax -2.9   -12.4   9.5 76.8%
    Share of net profit (loss) of equity method companies 0.1   -0.5   0.6 110.3%
    Consolidated net profit -0.1 0.0% -9.2 -3.1% 9.1 99.0%
    Non-controlling interests -0.7   -0.4   -0.3 -69.3%
    Group share 0.6 0.2% -8.8 -2.9% 9.4 107.2%
    Recurring earnings per share(2) (in euros) 0.0 – -0.6 –    
    Earnings per share (in euros) 0.0 – -0.6 –    

    Consolidated revenues rose €18.0 million, or 6.0%, to €319.0 million in H1 2024 compared with €301.0 million in 2023. The positive scope effect of €3.7 million, or 1.2%, was attributable to the first-time consolidation in Cegedim’s accounts of Visiodent starting March 1, 2024. The positive currency impact was €0.5 million, or 0.2%, chiefly owing to appreciation of the pound sterling against the euro. In like-for-like terms(2), revenues rose 4.6% in the first half, in line with the Group’s announced outlook. The performance was attributable to seasonality and the non-recurrence of Ségur public health investments in 2024.

    EBITDA(1) rose €3.4 million between the first half of 2023 and 2024, or 6.9%. The improvement is the result of good management of personnel costs and external costs, in moderate growth as a percentage of revenues even though the amount of R&D capitalization fell and the Group had an additional quarter of start-up costs for its biggest BPO contract.

    ————-
    (1)    Alternative performance indicator See pages 112-113 of the 2023 Universal Registration Document.
    (2)   At constant scope and exchange rates.

    Depreciation and amortization expenses rose €3.7 million, chiefly due to a €3.1 million increase in R&D amortization (€22.7 million at June 30, 2024 compared with €19.7 million a year earlier) driven by development efforts in recent years.

    Recurring operating income(1) fell €0.4 million to €10.3 million in H1 2024 compared with €10.7 million in 2023.  It amounted to 3.2% of 2024 revenue compared with 3.6% in 2023. The fine EBITDA performance did not drop through to recurring operating income solely because of higher depreciation and amortization. Excluding the impact of Ségur subsidies and at comparable levels of amortization of capitalized R&D, Recurring operating income would have more than doubled.

    Other non-current operating costs(1) amounted to €2.6 million in H1 2024 compared with €1.4 million in the same period in 2023.  The principal items in 2024 were restructuring costs related to the Group’s decision to refocus software for doctors in the UK on Scotland and fees related to the Visiodent acquisition.

    Taking these elements into account, operating income came to €7.7 million at June 30, 2024, compared with €9.3 million a year earlier.

    Financial result was a loss of €5.0 million compared with a €5.6 million loss in H1 2023. Dividend income over the period more than offset the increase in the cost of financial debt.

    Tax was back to normal levels at €2.6 million in H1 2024 compared with €12.4 million in H1 2023. As a reminder, in 2023 the Group made a non-cash adjustment that caused it to record a deferred tax charge corresponding to the downward revision of its estimated remaining deferred tax assets.

    Analysis of business trends by division

    in millions of euros Total Software & Services Flow Data & Marketing BPO Cloud & Support
    Revenue            
    2023 reported

    2023 reclassified (*)

    		 301.0

    301.0

    		 161.5

    150.6

    		 48.2

    46.8

    		 54.9

    54.9

    		 32.8

    32.8

    		 3.5

    15.8
    2024 319.0 152.1 49.5 59.3 39.9 18.1
    Change 6.0% 1.0% 5.8% 8.0% 21.6% 14.5%
                 
    Recurring operating income            
    2023 reported

    2023 reclassified (*)

    		 10.7

    10.7

    		 -2.0

    -2.5

    		 5.6

    5.2

    		 6.6

    6.6

    		 1.4

    1.4

    		 -0.9

    0.0
    2024 10.3 -1.4 5.9 5.3 1.9 -1.3
    Change -3.4% 42.4% 12.8% -19.8% 36.0% na
                 
    Recurring operating margin (as a % of revenues)

    2023 reported

    		  

    3.6%

    		  

    -1.2%

    		  

    11.7%

    		  

    11.9%

    		  

    4.3%

    		  

    -24.7%
    2023 reclassified (*) 3.6% -1.7% 11.1% 11.9% 4.3% 0.3%
    2024 3.2% -1.0% +11.8% 8.9% 4.8% -7.0%
                 

    (*) As of January 1, 2024, our Cegedim Outsourcing and Audiprint subsidiaries—which were previously housed in the Software & Services division—as well as BSV—formerly of the Flow division—have been moved to the Cloud & Support division in order to capitalize on operating synergies between cloud activities and IT solutions integration.

    • Software & Services: H1 2024 revenues posted a €1.5 million increase, and recurring operating income (REBIT)(1) improved by €1.1 million to a loss of €1.4 million, compared with a €2.5 million loss a year earlier.

    ————-
    (1)    Alternative performance indicator See pages 112-113 of the 2023 Universal Registration Document.

    Software & Services First half Change

    2024 / 2023
    in millions of euros 2024 2023
    Revenues 152.1 150.6 1.5 1.0%
    Cegedim Santé 38.9 39.8 -1.0 -2.4%
    Insurance, HR, Pharmacies, and other services 86.7 84.5 2.3 2.7%
    International businesses 26.5 26.3 0.2 0.6%
    Recurring operating income(1) -1.4 -2.5 1.1 42.4%
    Cegedim Santé -1.6 -1.4 -0.2 -11.8%
    Insurance, HR, Pharmacies, and other services 3.4 3.3 0.1 3.5%
    International businesses -3.3 -4.4 1.1 25.6%

    As expected, Cegedim Santé felt the impact of increased R&D amortization (nearly €1 million) and a demanding comparison owing to the non-recurrence of Ségur public health investments (€4.4 million in H1 2023 revenues). The consolidation of Visiodent starting March 1, 2024, only partly offset those two items. Recurring operating income was nearly stable over the first half, but EBITDA increased as expected.

    The other businesses in the division posted REBIT(1) of €1.2 million. A solid performance by HR solutions, which managed to keep costs under control during a phase of strong growth, compensated for slower pharmacy equipment sales post-Ségur. The international businesses got a boost from dynamic sales for doctors in Spain and for insurers in the UK. As we shift our operations, narrowing the focus of our UK doctor’s software business to Scotland continued to generate costs in the first half.

    • Flow: Revenues rose 5.8%, driven by Cegedim e-business (process digitalization and electronic data flows), both of whose businesses made positive contributions; by Invoicing & Procurement, which rebounded in France and is benefiting from the upcoming reform in Germany; and by Healthcare Flow Management, which has dynamic new offerings for hospitals to make their drug purchasing secure. Over the same period, Third-party payer systems posted 3.6% growth. As a result, REBIT(1) rose 12.8%, with Third-party payer systems making the biggest contribution, as Cegedim e-business recorded a large R&D amortization charge.
    • Data & Marketing: Trends differed at this division—Marketing is still going strong, with 20% growth, whereas Data revenues fell 2.8%, particularly abroad. REBIT(1) of €6.6 million was down €1.3 million over the first half owing to high fixed costs in Data and increased depreciation and amortization costs at C-Media (+€1 million) due to heavy investments in updating its digital signage equipment.
    • BPO: Revenue jumped more than 21% over the first half, buoyed notably by a full six months of the contract with Allianz, which started on April 1, 2023, and is expected to generate losses in the early years. But the division reined in those losses so well that REBIT(1) rose €0.5 million in the first half of 2024 to reach €1.9 million, also getting a boost from the HR BPO and digitalization businesses.
    • Cloud & Support: H1 2024 REBIT(1) was a loss of €1.3 million, compared with breakeven a year earlier. The drop was due to surcharges related to the launch of a new cloud offering and recruitment of new offshore teams.

    ———

    (1) Alternative performance indicator See pages 112-113 of the 2023 Universal Registration Document.

    Highlights

    Apart from the items cited below, to the best of the company’s knowledge, there were no events or changes during H1 2024 that would materially alter the Group’s financial situation.

    • Acquisition of Visiodent

    On February 15, 2024, Cegedim Santé acquired Visiodent, a leading French publisher of management software for dental practices and health clinics. Visiodent launched the market’s first 100% SaaS solution, Veasy, at a time when it was significantly expanding its organization. Its users now include the country’s largest nation-wide networks of health clinics, both cooperative and privately owned, as well as several thousand dental surgeons in private practice. Visiodent generated revenue of c.€10 million in 2023 and began contributing to Cegedim Group’s consolidation scope on March 1, 2024.

    Cegedim S.A. has been subject to two tax audits since 2018, which have resulted in reassessments relating to the use of tax-loss carryforwards contested by the tax authorities. Cegedim, in consultation with its lawyers, believes that the reassessments are unfounded in light of the applicable tax law and jurisprudence. The Company has therefore taken, and continues to take, all possible avenues of contestation.

    As these appeals are not suspensive, Cegedim has paid the amounts reassessed over time (a total of 23 million euros already paid, including 10.9 million euros disbursed in February 2024). The remaining risk of future disbursements in respect of this dispute thus amounts to only 5 million euros at June 30, 2024.

    However, these disbursements have never given rise to the recognition of a tax charge in the P&L, since the Company considers that these sums will be recoverable at the end of the proceedings (they are recognized as advances paid on the assets side of the balance sheet). Should the outcome be unfavorable, a charge of 28 million euros (of which 23 million has already been paid) would have to be recorded in the consolidated income statement.

    In addition, the consolidated balance sheet must show the future tax savings still realizable in respect of tax loss carryforwards. This “deferred tax asset” amounted to 6.9 million euros at June 30, 2024.
    Should the outcome be unfavorable, the probability of realizing these future savings would become nil, and an adjustment of 6.9 million euros would have to be recorded in the consolidated income statement (with no cash impact, since these gains have never yet been realized).

    Consequently, the risk associated with this dispute is not (or very little) in terms of cash, but rather in terms of a possible adjustment to the consolidated income. The maximum P&L adjustment risk is known: it amounts to 34.9 million euros and will remain unchanged. Only its breakdown varies at each closing: the amount of disputed tax savings (28 million to date) will continue to increase, and that of remaining future savings (6.9 million to date) will decrease accordingly until exhausted.

    In the last quarter of 2023, the Company referred this dispute to the administrative court, which is likely to continue for several years.

    Significant transactions and events post June 30, 2024

    Apart from the items cited below, to the best of the company’s knowledge, there were no post-closing events or changes after June 30, 2024, that would materially alter the Group’s financial situation.

    • New financing arrangement

    On July 31, 2024, Cegedim announced that it had secured a new financing arrangement consisting of a €230 million syndicated loan. The arrangement is split into €180 million of lines drawn upon closing to refinance the Group’s existing debt (RCF and Euro PP, which were to mature in October 2024 and October 2025 respectively) and an additional, undrawn revolving credit facility (RCF) of €50 million. This new financing arrangement will bolster the Group’s liquidity and extend the maturity of its debt to, respectively, 5 years (€30 million, payments every six months); 6 years (€60 million, repayable upon maturity); and 7 years (€90 million, repayable upon maturity).

    Outlook

    Based on the currently available information, the Group expects 2024 like-for-like(2) revenue growth to be in the range of 5-8% relative to 2023. Recurring operating income should continue to improve, following a similar trajectory as in 2023.  

    Recurring operating income(1) is expected to grow, notably thanks to the initial returns on investments made in Cegedim Santé and refocusing international activities.

    These targets may need to be revised in the event of unexpected developments (pandemic, etc.) and/or a significant worsening of geopolitical and macroeconomic risks. The Group reiterates that it has no activities or exposed assets in Russia or Ukraine.

    —————

    The Audit Committee met on September 25, 2024. The Board of Directors, chaired by Jean-Claude Labrune, met on September 26, 2024, and approved the consolidated financial statements at June 30, 2024, of which the statutory auditors have conducted a limited review. The Interim Financial Report will be available in a few days’ time, in French and in English, on our website.

    2024 financial calendar

    2024 October 24 after the close Q3 2024 revenues

    Financial calendar: https://www.cegedim.fr/finance/agenda/Pages/default.aspx

    Disclaimer
    This press release is available in French and in English. In the event of any difference between the two versions, the original French version takes precedence. This press release may contain inside information. It was sent to Cegedim’s authorized distributor on September 26, 2024, no earlier than 5:45 pm Paris time.
    The figures cited in this press release include guidance on Cegedim’s future financial performance targets. This forward-looking information is based on the opinions and assumptions of the Group’s senior management at the time this press release is issued and naturally entails risks and uncertainty. For more information on the risks facing Cegedim, please refer to Chapter 7, “Risk management”, section 7.2, “Risk factors and insurance”, and Chapter 3, “Overview of the financial year”, section 3.6, “Outlook”, of the 2023 Universal Registration Document filled with the AMF on April 3, 2024, under number D.24-0233.

    About Cegedim:
    Founded in 1969, Cegedim is an innovative technology and services group in the field of digital data flow management for healthcare ecosystems and B2B, and a business software publisher for healthcare and insurance professionals. Cegedim employs more than 6,500 people in more than 10 countries and generated revenue of €616 million in 2023.

    Cegedim SA is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: CGM).
    To learn more please visit: http://www.cegedim.fr
    And follow Cegedim on X: @CegedimGroup, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

    Aude Balleydier
    Cegedim
    Media Relations
    and Communications Manager

    Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 09 68 81
    aude.balleydier@cegedim.fr

    		 Damien Buffet
    Cegedim
    Head of Financial Communication

    Tel.: +33 (0)7 64 63 55 73
    damien.buffet@cegedim.com

    		 Céline Pardo
    Becoming RP Agency
    Media Relations Consultant

    Tel.:        +33 (0)6 52 08 13 66
    cegedim@becoming-group.com

    		  

    ———

    (1) Alternative performance indicator See pages 112-113 of the 2023 Universal Registration Document.
    (2) At constant scope and exchange rates.

    Annexes

    Consolidated financial statements at June 30, 2024

    • Assets au 30 juin 2024
    In thousands of euros 6/30/2024 12/31/2023
    Goodwill 234,955 199,787
    Development costs 29,706 1,562
    Other intangible fixed assets 177,834 192,616
    Intangible non-current assets 207,541 194,178
    Land 594 544
    Buildings 1,556 1,660
    Other property, plant, and equipment 53,006 45,829
    Advances and non-current assets in progress 901 831
    Rights of use 86,092 89,718
    Tangible fixed assets 142,149 138,582
    Equity investments 0 0
    Loans 16,332 15,332
    Other long-term investments 7,120 5,230
    Long-term investments – excluding equity shares in equity method companies 23,452 20,563
    Equity shares in equity method companies 19,086 22,065
    Deferred tax assets 18,209 19,747
    Prepaid expenses: long-term portion 0 0
    Non-current assets 645,390 594,922
    Goods 6,072 5,498
    Advances and deposits received on orders 1,396 3,703
    Accounts receivables: short-term portion 182,907 175,199
    Other receivables: short-term portion 59,070 59,563
    Current tax credits 27,262 16,495
    Cash equivalents 0 0
    Cash 35,414 46,606
    Prepaid expenses: short-term portion 26,138 22,082
    Current assets 338,260 329,146
    Total assets 983,651 924,068
    • Liabilities et shareholders’ equity at June 30, 2024
    In thousands of euros 6/30/2024 12/31/2023
    Share capital 13,432 13,337
    Consolidated retained earnings 276,449 282,521
    Group exchange gains/losses -11,848 -12,275
    Group earnings 630 -7,407
    Shareholders’ equity, Group share 278,663 276,175
    Minority interest 17,550 18,381
    Shareholders’ equity 296,213 294,556
    Non-current financial liabilities 187,714 188,546
    Non-current lease liabilities 76,267 78,761
    Deferred tax liabilities 5,949 5,600
    Post-employment benefit obligations 30,632 31,007
    Non-current provisions 2,147 2,521
    Non-current liabilities 302,710 306,435
    Current financial liabilities 61,570 3,006
    Current lease liabilities 14,661 14,789
    Trade payables and related accounts 57,225 61,734
    Current tax liabilities 192 235
    Tax and social security liabilities 113,884 121,371
    Non-current provisions 1,660 1,730
    Other current liabilities 135,538 120,212
    Current liabilities 384,728 323,077
    Total liabilities 983,651 924,068
    • Income statement at June 30, 2024
    In thousands of euros 6/30/2024 6/30/2023
    Revenues 318,995 301,011
    Purchases used -14,045 -14,739
    External expenses -72,687 -66,371
    Taxes -3,961 -4,291
    Payroll costs -173,240 -163,623
    Impairment of trade receivables and other receivables and on contract assets -872 -2,041
    Allowances to and reversals of provisions -2,440 -1,830
    Other operating expenses -690 108
    Share of profit (loss) from affiliates on the income statement 1,146 603
    EBITDA (1) 52,207 48,827
    Depreciation expenses other than right-of-use assets -33,140 -29,030
    Depreciation expenses of right-of-use assets -8,733 -9,097
    Recurring operating income(1) 10,334 10,700
    Non-recurring operating income and expenses -2,616 -1,385
    Other non-recurring operating income and expenses(1) -2,616 -1,385
    Operating income 7,718 9,315
    Income from cash and cash equivalents 326 180
    Cost of gross financial debt -7,121 -5,633
    Other financial income and expenses 1,813 -136
    Net financial income (expense) -4,983 -5,589
    Income taxes -1,226 -1,841
    Deferred income taxes -1,652 -10,588
    Tax -2,878 -12,429
    Share of profit (loss) from affiliates 53 -515
    Consolidated net profit -90 -9,219
    Group share 630 -8,793
    Income from equity-accounted affiliates -721 -426
    Average number of shares excluding treasury stock 13,695,317 13,658,348
    Recurring earnings per share (in euros) 0.0 -0.6
    Earnings per share (in euros) 0.0 -0.6
    • Cash flow statement as of June 30, 2024
    In thousands of euros 6/30/2024 6/30/2023
    Consolidated net profit -90 -9,219
    Share of profit (loss) from affiliates -1,199 -88
    Depreciation and amortization expenses and provisions 40,531 37,972
    Capital gains or losses on disposals of operating assets -52 -798
    Cash flow after cost of net financial debt and taxes 39,190 27,867
    Cost of net financial debt 4,983 5,589
    Tax expenses 2,878 12,429
    Cash flow from operating activities before tax and interest 47,051 45,885
    Tax paid -11,634 -378
    Impact of change in working capital requirements -13,206 -18,032
    Cash flow generated from operating activities after tax paid and change in

    working capital requirements

    		 22,211 27,476
    Acquisitions of intangible fixed assets -29,879 -29,550
    Acquisitions of tangible fixed assets -15,935 -11,759
    Acquisitions of long-term investments 0 -36
    Disposals of property, plant, and equipment and of intangible assets 553 2,575
    Disposals of long-term investments 934 805
    Change in deposits received or paid -860 -156
    Impact of changes in consolidation scope -35,454 -2,172
    Dividends received from outside the Group 4,073 30
    Net cash from (used in) investing activities -76,568 -40,264
    Capital increase 985 –
    Dividends paid to minority shareholders of consolidated cos. 0 –
    Dividends paid to shareholders of the parent company -1 –
    Debt issuance 55,000 –
    Debt repayments -219 -193
    Employee profit sharing 145 129
    Repayment of lease liabilities -8,152 -11,353
    Interest paid on loans -972 -117
    Other financial income received 718 596
    Other financial expenses paid -3,612 -3,492
    Net cash flow used in financing activities 43,892 -14,430
    Change in net cash excluding currency impact -10,465 -27,218
    Impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates -728 -456
    Change in net cash -11,194 -27,674
    Opening cash 46,606 55,553
    Closing cash 35,412 27,879
    • Financial covenants

    The Group complied with all its covenants as of June 30, 2024.

    (1) Alternative performance indicator

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Check Point Software Recognized as a Visionary in Endpoint Security in 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a leading cyber security platform provider of AI-powered, cloud delivered solutions, today announced that it has been recognized as a Visionary in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms. Check Point Harmony Endpoint is shaping the future of workspace security with flexible deployment options and a unified security approach, offering robust endpoint protection tailored to organizations of any scale.

    Businesses today are grappling with more advanced cyber threats aimed particularly at endpoints, highlighted by Check Point Research’s report of a 30% increase in global cyber-attacks in the second quarter of 2024. Simultaneously, they must navigate the complexities of managing numerous security solutions. Check Point Harmony Endpoint mitigates these challenges by providing robust protection, with a 99.8% block rate against new malware, ransomware, and zero-day attacks. It ensures seamless security across diverse devices and networks, simplifying management and reducing operational costs.

    Gary Li, Vice President of Research Institute at Gotion High-Tech emphasized our features, stating that, “Check Point Harmony Endpoint satisfied all of our criteria and efficiently addressed our current cybersecurity risks. Its autonomous detection and response capability also enable our team to easily intercept attacks and prevent them from affecting users and endpoints.”

    “We’re thrilled that Gartner has acknowledged us for the second year in a row, as we consistently secure customer traction and provide our clients with comprehensive security solutions to safeguard them against the latest cyber-attacks,” said Ofir Israel, VP of Threat Prevention at Check Point Software Technologies. “We see endpoints being among the most vulnerable for compromise and persistently push the boundaries of innovation to ensure strong protection for businesses of all sizes.”

    Harmony Endpoint offers a robust and all-encompassing security solution for endpoints, featuring advanced EPP, EDR, and XDR functionalities, that safeguard remote workforces against the intricate threats of today’s digital environment. Harmony Endpoint is part of the Check Point Infinity Platform, a comprehensive platform that provides top-tier security across data centers, networks, cloud services, branch offices, and remote users, all managed through a unified interface.

    To download a complimentary copy of the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms visit our website and check out the blog.

    Discover how Harmony Endpoint can safeguard your workforce. Visit us for more information: https://www.checkpoint.com/solutions/endpoint-security/

    Follow Check Point via:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/check-point-software-technologies
    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/checkpointsw
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/checkpointsoftware
    Blog: https://blog.checkpoint.com
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CPGlobal

    Gartner Disclaimer
    Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

    GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner and Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

    About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 
    Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (http://www.checkpoint.com) is a leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security platform provider protecting over 100,000 organizations worldwide. Check Point leverages the power of AI everywhere to enhance cyber security efficiency and accuracy through its Infinity Platform, with industry-leading catch rates enabling proactive threat anticipation and smarter, faster response times. The comprehensive platform includes cloud-delivered technologies consisting of Check Point Harmony to secure the workspace, Check Point CloudGuard to secure the cloud, Check Point Quantum to secure the network, and Check Point Infinity Platform Services for collaborative security operations and services.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Flow Traders Q3 2024 Pre-close Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Flow Traders Q3 2024 Pre-close Call

    Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Flow Traders Ltd. (Euronext: FLOW) publishes the Q3 2024 pre-close call script to be used with analysts post the market close on 26 September 2024.

    Flow Traders will conduct a pre-close call with the analyst community post the European market close today, prior to the start of the silent period on 1 October 2024. The script to be used can be found on our website.

    https://www.flowtraders.com/investors/results-centre

    Contact Details

    Flow Traders Ltd.

    Investors
    Eric Pan
    Phone:         +31 20 7996799
    Email:        investor.relations@flowtraders.com

    Media
    Laura Peijs
    Phone:         +31 20 7996799
    Email:        press@flowtraders.com

    About Flow Traders

    Flow Traders is a leading global financial technology-enabled liquidity provider in financial products, historically specialized in Exchange Traded Products (ETPs), now expanding into other asset classes. Flow Traders ensures the provision of liquidity to support the uninterrupted functioning of financial markets. This allows investors to continue to buy or sell ETPs or other financial instruments under all market circumstances. We continuously grow our organization, ensuring that our trading desks in Europe, the Americas and Asia can provide liquidity across all major exchanges, globally, 24 hours a day. Founded in 2004, we continue to cultivate the entrepreneurial, innovative and team-oriented culture that has been with us since the beginning. Please visit http://www.flowtraders.com for more information.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Supporting Tourism in Prince Edward Island

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Media Advisory

    North Rustico, Prince Edward Island September 26, 2024 Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA, will join the Honourable Cory Deagle, PEI Minister of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture, to make an announcement regarding support for tourism in Prince Edward Island.

    Date: September 27, 2024

    Time: 10:00 a.m.

    Location: Eliayhu Wellness Center 20 Recreation Street North Rustico, PEI.

    Contact persons

    Connor BurtonPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities AgencyConnor.Burton@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

    David FlemingCommunications ManagerAtlantic Canada Opportunities Agencydavid.fleming@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

    April GallantSenior Communications OfficerDepartment of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culturealdgallant@gov.pe.ca

    Stay Connected

    Follow APECA on Facebook, X, LinkedIn And Instagram.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Biographical notice

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 2

    Mylène Paradis (BA [communications], Université Laval, 1991; MA [journalism], Université Laval, 1993) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2002.

    Mylène Paradis (BA [communications], Université Laval, 1991; MA [journalism], Université Laval, 1993) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2002. At headquarters, she held positions with the Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force and the Central America and Caribbean Bureau. She was Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister of International Development and Director of the Global Health and Nutrition Branch. Abroad, she was posted to Madrid from 2005 to 2008. Throughout her career, she has held secondments to various departments, including the Privy Council Office, Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Health Canada. Most recently, she was Director General of Canadian Partnerships for Health and Social Development at Global Affairs Canada.

    Marianick Tremblay (BBA [civil and international law], Université de Sherbrooke, 1989; LL.B. Université de Sherbrooke, 1990) was called to the Quebec Bar in 1990 and joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1993. At headquarters, she served as senior counsel in the Environmental Law Division, coordinator of the Human Security Program, and senior counsel for small arms. Ms. Tremblay also served as deputy director of the Brazil and Southern Cone Section, and then as director of Hemispheric Affairs, which included relations with the Organization of American States and coordination of the Canadian delegation’s participation in the Summit of the Americas. From 2018 to 2021, she served as director general of the Mobilization of Canadians in the Partnerships for Development Innovation Sector. She has served in various overseas postings, including Mexico (1995–1998), Morocco (2001–2005), Chile (2007–2010), and as Ambassador to El Salvador (2010–2012), Ecuador (2015–2018), and Colombia (2021–2024).

    Craig Weichel (BA Honours [History], Wilfrid Laurier University, 1994; MA [History], McMaster University, 1996) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1998. At headquarters, he worked in the U.S. General Relations, Northern Europe, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (Nuclear), and United Nations divisions. He also headed the Natural Disaster Response and Civilian Security Policy Division and the North Korea Task Force. From 2007 to 2009, he was President of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers. Abroad, he served in New York with the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations; in Vienna with the Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe; in Rome and, more recently, in Washington, where he directed the embassy’s environment and energy program.

    Brenda Wills (Hons BComm, University of Manitoba, 2003; MSc [Sustainable Development], University of Sussex, 2021) is a Métis from Red River, Manitoba who joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2004. Her first posting abroad was in Washington, D.C. as Second Secretary (Trade Policy). She subsequently served as First Secretary (Trade) in Chile, Senior Trade Commissioner and Counsellor (Trade) in Colombia, and Counsellor (Trade Policy) in Mexico City. At Headquarters, she worked in the Trade Policy and Negotiations Branch, first on negotiations with the European Union and the European Free Trade Association, and then on the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations as Deputy Director of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement. She also served as Chief of Staff to the Assistant Deputy Minister of International Business Development and Canada’s Chief Trade Commissioner. Most recently, she served as Senior Trade Commissioner and Counsellor (Commercial Affairs) in Singapore.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI