Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI: Euronext statement regarding recent press speculations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Euronext statement regarding recent press speculations

    Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, Milan, Oslo and Paris – 1 July 2025 – Euronext notes recent speculations. Euronext confirms that it has entered into discussions with the board of directors of HELLENIC EXCHANGES-ATHENS STOCK EXCHANGE S.A. (“ATHEX”), the Greek capital markets operator, about a possible offer to acquire up to 100% of the shares of ATHEX. This potential offer would be structured as a share exchange valuing ATHEX at €6.90 per share, leading to a fixed conversion rate of 21.029 ATHEX ordinary shares for each new Euronext share. Based on Euronext’s share price of €145.10 as of 30 June 2025, the potential offer would value the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital1 of ATHEX at €399 million on a fully diluted basis. The submission of an offer would be subject notably to due diligence.

    As the leading European market infrastructure, Euronext is positioned as the backbone of the European Savings and Investments Union, in the context of a growing need to enhance the European Union’s global competitiveness. A potential combination with ATHEX would deliver on Euronext’s ambition to consolidate European capital markets with growth and synergy opportunities. The combined Group would foster the harmonization of European capital markets, running on a unified trading and post-trade technology and operating on a cross-border clearing framework.

    Euronext is the largest liquidity pool in Europe, managing approximately 25% of cash equity trading activity in Europe and operating markets in major financial hubs such as Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, Milan, Oslo and Paris. A potential combination would allow Greek financial markets participants to join a network of over 1,800 listed companies with a combined market capitalisation exceeding €6 trillion. Euronext’s unique track record of integrating market infrastructures positions it ideally to boost the development and attractivity of Greek markets internationally and to generate efficiencies and competitiveness across the Group.

    The interest of Euronext for ATHEX reflects the strong confidence of Euronext in the development of the Greek economy and the growth potential coming from further integration of Greek capital markets into the Eurozone and the European Union. There can be no certainty, at this stage, that this would result in any agreement or transaction nor any offer being made. Euronext confirms that it will stick to its financial discipline and investment criteria policy as defined in its strategic plan. Euronext will communicate material information, if any, in due course.

    CONTACTS – EURONEXT

    ANALYSTS & INVESTORS ir@euronext.com

    Investor Relations        Aurélie Cohen         +33 6 85 99 86 76         

            Judith Stein             +33 6 15 23 91 97          

    MEDIA – mediateam@euronext.com 

    Europe        Aurélie Cohen         +33 1 70 48 24 45   

            Andrea Monzani         +39 02 72 42 62 13 

    Belgium        Marianne Aalders         +32 26 20 15 01                 

    France, Corporate        Flavio Bornancin-Tomasella        +33 1 70 48 24 45                 

    Ireland        Andrea Monzani         +39 02 72 42 62 13                 

    Italy         Ester Russom         +39 02 72 42 67 56                 

    The Netherlands        Marianne Aalders         +31 20 721 41 33                 

    Norway         Cathrine Lorvik Segerlund        +47 41 69 59 10                 

    Portugal         Sandra Machado        +351 91 777 68 97                

    GREECE – V+O Communication

    ao@vando.gr        Argyro Oikonomou        +30 6936026335

    ia@vando.gr        Ioanna Alexopoulou        +30 6977403050           

    About Euronext  

    Euronext is the leading European capital market infrastructure, covering the entire capital markets value chain, from listing, trading, clearing, settlement and custody, to solutions for issuers and investors. Euronext runs MTS, one of Europe’s leading electronic fixed income trading markets, and Nord Pool, the European power market. Euronext also provides clearing and settlement services through Euronext Clearing and its Euronext Securities CSDs in Denmark, Italy, Norway and Portugal.

    As of March 2025, Euronext’s regulated exchanges in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal host nearly 1,800 listed issuers with €6.3 trillion in market capitalisation, a strong blue-chip franchise and the largest global centre for debt and fund listings. With a diverse domestic and international client base, Euronext handles 25% of European lit equity trading. Its products include equities, FX, ETFs, bonds, derivatives, commodities and indices. For the latest news, go to euronext.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.

    Disclaimer

    This press release is for information purposes only: it is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities and is provided “as is”, without representation or warranty of any kind. While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content, Euronext does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Euronext will not be held liable for any loss or damages of any nature ensuing from using, trusting or acting on information provided. No information set out or referred to in this publication may be regarded as creating any right or obligation. The creation of rights and obligations in respect of financial products that are traded on the exchanges operated by Euronext’s subsidiaries shall depend solely on the applicable rules of the market operator. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Euronext. This press release speaks only as of this date. Euronext refers to Euronext N.V. and its affiliates. Information regarding trademarks and intellectual property rights of Euronext is available at www.euronext.com/terms-use.

    © 2025, Euronext N.V. – All rights reserved. 

    The Euronext Group processes your personal data in order to provide you with information about Euronext (the “Purpose”). With regard to the processing of this personal data, Euronext will comply with its obligations under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and Council of 27 April 2016 (General Data Protection Regulation, “GDPR”), and any applicable national laws, rules and regulations implementing the GDPR, as provided in its privacy statement available at: www.euronext.com/privacy-policy. In accordance with the applicable legislation you have rights with regard to the processing of your personal data: for more information on your rights, please refer to: www.euronext.com/data_subjects_rights_request_information. To make a request regarding the processing of your data or to unsubscribe from this press release service, please use our data subject request form at connect2.euronext.com/form/data-subjects-rights-request or email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@euronext.com.


    1 Based on a total number of shares as at 30 June 2025 of 57,850,000, which exclude the number of treasury shares of 2,498,000

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: FirstBank’s Cube Hunt Campaign Surprises Communities and Supports Small Businesses

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAKEWOOD, Colo., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on “banking for good,” is bringing a wave of excitement to Colorado this summer with its “our cube means business” campaign.

    From July 11 through September 5, Coloradans will be provided hints and urged to keep their eyes peeled for the bank’s signature orange cube at select businesses and storefronts across the foothills every Friday. Each surprise event will feature exclusive giveaways, major discounts, and other fun items, all first come, first served.

    The initiative aims to not only spotlight and support local businesses but also create uplifting community moments that reflect FirstBank’s core values. Bank representatives will be on-site each week to hand out giveaways and connect with attendees.

    “Our goal is to celebrate and strengthen small businesses while fostering a sense of community in a fun and memorable way,” said Kevin Classen, CEO of FirstBank. “Whether someone leaves with a generous gift card or discovers a new neighborhood favorite, everyone benefits—and that’s something to feel good about.”

    To keep things exciting, the featured business locations will remain a mystery until the day before each event, with clues revealed on FirstBank’s Instagram, Facebook, and efirstbank.com/cube every Thursday.

    The campaign encourages the community to follow along, join the fun, and discover hidden gems right in their backyard.

    Event Details:

    • What: “Our cube means business” pop-up events.
    • When: Every Friday from July 11 to September 5, 2025.
    • Where: Locations announced on Thursdays on FirstBank social media and efirstbank.com/cube
    • Why: To support small businesses and surprise attendees with exclusive giveaways.
    • Note: Events are first come, first served while supplies last. No purchase necessary.

    To learn more about the event, visit efirstbank.com/cube

    About FirstBank
    FirstBank began providing banking services in 1963. Today, it’s known as an industry leader in digital banking. It has grown to be one of the top-performing and largest privately held banks in the United States. FirstBank offers a variety of consumer deposit accounts, home equity loans, mortgages, rental property loans, and a full range of commercial banking services, including business financing, commercial real estate loans, treasury management, and more. Since 2000, FirstBank has been recognized as a top corporate philanthropist, contributing more than $90 million and thousands of volunteer hours to charitable organizations. The company is also unique in that a large portion of its stock is owned by management and employees, giving employees a financial stake in the bank’s success through its Employee Stock Ownership Program. For more information, visit www.efirstbank.com. Member FDIC.

    Media Contact
    Cody Wheeler
    (303) 228-6986 x 148

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: FirstBank’s Cube Hunt Campaign Surprises Communities and Supports Small Businesses

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAKEWOOD, Colo., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on “banking for good,” is bringing a wave of excitement to Colorado this summer with its “our cube means business” campaign.

    From July 11 through September 5, Coloradans will be provided hints and urged to keep their eyes peeled for the bank’s signature orange cube at select businesses and storefronts across the foothills every Friday. Each surprise event will feature exclusive giveaways, major discounts, and other fun items, all first come, first served.

    The initiative aims to not only spotlight and support local businesses but also create uplifting community moments that reflect FirstBank’s core values. Bank representatives will be on-site each week to hand out giveaways and connect with attendees.

    “Our goal is to celebrate and strengthen small businesses while fostering a sense of community in a fun and memorable way,” said Kevin Classen, CEO of FirstBank. “Whether someone leaves with a generous gift card or discovers a new neighborhood favorite, everyone benefits—and that’s something to feel good about.”

    To keep things exciting, the featured business locations will remain a mystery until the day before each event, with clues revealed on FirstBank’s Instagram, Facebook, and efirstbank.com/cube every Thursday.

    The campaign encourages the community to follow along, join the fun, and discover hidden gems right in their backyard.

    Event Details:

    • What: “Our cube means business” pop-up events.
    • When: Every Friday from July 11 to September 5, 2025.
    • Where: Locations announced on Thursdays on FirstBank social media and efirstbank.com/cube
    • Why: To support small businesses and surprise attendees with exclusive giveaways.
    • Note: Events are first come, first served while supplies last. No purchase necessary.

    To learn more about the event, visit efirstbank.com/cube

    About FirstBank
    FirstBank began providing banking services in 1963. Today, it’s known as an industry leader in digital banking. It has grown to be one of the top-performing and largest privately held banks in the United States. FirstBank offers a variety of consumer deposit accounts, home equity loans, mortgages, rental property loans, and a full range of commercial banking services, including business financing, commercial real estate loans, treasury management, and more. Since 2000, FirstBank has been recognized as a top corporate philanthropist, contributing more than $90 million and thousands of volunteer hours to charitable organizations. The company is also unique in that a large portion of its stock is owned by management and employees, giving employees a financial stake in the bank’s success through its Employee Stock Ownership Program. For more information, visit www.efirstbank.com. Member FDIC.

    Media Contact
    Cody Wheeler
    (303) 228-6986 x 148

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 5 ways AI is supercharging research in financial services

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: 5 ways AI is supercharging research in financial services

    As the capital markets industry has expanded both in scope and complexity, research has only become more essential. Since the late twentieth century, globalization, specialization, and increasingly complex regulatory frameworks have all elevated research from an interesting competitive differentiator to a competitive imperative. Now, with the application of increasingly powerful AI solutions, research is poised to become the defining factor in determining winners and losers in a rapidly shifting landscape.  

    At Microsoft, we develop highly tailored, long-term technology partnerships with financial services firms around the world. Increasingly, this includes co-innovating with AI to help unlock new business value and deepen customer relationships. At present, enhancing research and analytics with AI is one of the primary transformation levers for investment banks, asset management firms, and financial data and analytics providers. In many cases, it is helping to solve longstanding challenges around deriving greater value from data and rapidly converting insights into competitive advantage. 

    Explore AI solutions with Microsoft for financial services

    Realizing the promise of data-driven research through AI 

    AI is rapidly changing the nature and value of advanced analytics in research. Traditional analytics have long helped firms understand what happened and why—but AI is helping them predict what will happen next and prescribe optimal courses of action in real time.

    This shift from retrospective analysis to proactive intelligence can help firms unlock new sources of value and ultimately develop groundbreaking new products that redefine the competitive landscape. 

    As innovative firms recognize the potential of AI, they also see the opportunity to address longstanding challenges that hinder effective research. Among these:  

    • Data overload and complexity
      Financial markets are inundated with massive volumes of data from diverse, often siloed sources that can be difficult to integrate and synthesize. This makes it hard to access the right data at the right time, which can slow decision-making and heighten risk. As data requirements become more complex, solutions are needed that can unify, structure, and analyze data at scale to deliver timely, actionable insights.
    • Fragmented workflows across user journeys
      Research analysts frequently struggle to navigate large volumes of disparate data housed in disconnected systems, tools, and formats, leading to time-consuming manual data compilation and synthesis. The increase in non-integrated tools, applications, and data structures disrupts business workflows and can lead to inefficiencies, duplication of effort, errors of omission, and delays in decision-making.
    • Dependency on traditional data sources
      Many firms and analysts rely heavily on conventional market reference data, company fundamentals, industry reports, and databases, which often lack real-time insights and limit the speed and accuracy of market predictions. As new opportunities arise, firms need solutions that can extract more value out of existing sources while also making it easy to incorporate alternative and real-time sources—enhancing both predictive accuracy and responsiveness to market shifts.
    • Information overload and time constraints
      Research and analyst professionals are always challenged to keep up with reports, emails, meetings, and chats. The overload tends to slow decision-making and increases the risk of missed opportunities. Stringent regulatory compliance requirements add additional demands.  

    Five ways AI redefines the value of research in financial services 

    AI gives financial services firms new solutions to these longstanding barriers and opportunities to use data in new ways that can differentiate their offerings. Here are five important areas where AI can change the game: 

    1. Advance analysis with AI-powered analytics 

    AI-powered analytics empower research analysts to cut through the noise of information overload and extract valuable insights with unprecedented speed and precision. The combination of AI with predictive analytics empowers researchers to analyze historical patterns more deeply, identify emerging trends, and make more informed investment decisions. This can ultimately help to improve engagement and win rates. 

    A prime example of this is our partnership with Moody’s where we co-developed innovative solutions for research and risk assessment. Moody’s Research Assistant significantly increases productivity and effectiveness, with users reporting up to 80% time savings on data collection and 50% on analysis during the pilot phase.1  

    2. Accelerate operational efficiency through intelligent automation 

    Traditional research processes—such as manual data compilation, synthesis, and report generation—are time-consuming and error-prone. AI-powered automation transforms them by integrating data sources, automating repetitive tasks, and promoting seamless collaboration across teams, which results in faster turnaround times, reduced operational costs, and improved operational efficiency.  

    With tools like Microsoft Copilot, Researcher agent, and Analyst agent, firms can significantly boost productivity and operational efficiency. These AI-powered assistants can handle such tasks as summarizing investor reports and earnings calls, creating presentation-ready visualizations from raw data, and drafting research documents and client-ready insights quickly. This frees up valuable time for analysts to focus on higher-value activities, such as strategic analysis and client engagement. 

    3. Deliver real-time insights 

    To help meet the accelerating pace of business, AI-powered applications empower financial services firms to surface real-time insights from a variety of sources including market news, earnings reports, and social media.  

    Bridging knowledge across platforms helps analysts identify emerging trends faster and develop better investment strategies. For example, AI can continuously monitor global news sources and sentiment signals to identify early indicators of market shifts and potential disruptions. Firms can then use this information to react swiftly and make proactive investment decisions ahead of competitors. 

    Firms can build new AI-powered solutions that incorporate real-time data into advanced searches, personalization, and recommendations, using innovations like the powerful vector database built by KX—essentially, a specialized system that understands the meaning and context of a huge set of data types such as text, images, or PDFs. It aims to help financial institutions seize opportunities faster by turning real-time data into real-time action. 

    4. Empower employees with high-value experiences 

    AI-powered tools can transform how financial services professionals work with tools and solutions that support the most critical research functions, such as financial modeling and pitchbook preparation. Processes can be significantly streamlined while remaining interoperable, secure, and compliant.  

    A good example of this is the innovation resulting from our long-term strategic partnership with LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) to transform data with next-generation productivity and analytics solutions. One recent advancement is the launch of the LSEG Workspace Add-in, which integrates AI-powered insights into Excel and PowerPoint. With features like contextual data discovery and interactive charting, the add-in can help financial professionals work faster and more insightfully. 

    Reducing the burden of manual tasks can also help boost job satisfaction. The integration of AI into daily workflows helps people focus on more intellectually stimulating activities, freeing up time for higher-value analysis and strategic thinking, and helping to attract and retain top talent. 

    5. Deepen market understanding 

    AI-powered analytics are transforming how analysts understand markets and convert insights into action. By processing vast amounts of financial data in real-time, AI can uncover complex patterns and correlations that were previously undetectable, such as market sentiment from news articles and social media or a real-time pulse on investor sentiment or market dynamics. Machine learning models can predict stock price movements with greater accuracy by integrating diverse data sources, including economic indicators and company performance metrics. 

    A richer view of market forces and dynamics translates into better decision-making and sharper investment strategies. It helps firms anticipate emerging risks and opportunities sooner, enabling them to respond faster and more confidently in an increasingly volatile market landscape. 

    Now is the time for agentic AI 

    A new class of AI tools will soon deliver the ability to plan, reason, and take actions to achieve goals. In financial services, they will be able to gather, analyze, and contextualize information autonomously from diverse sources and proactively surface relevant insights—or even suggest strategic actions based on real-time developments. 

    On the near horizon, advanced “orchestrator” agents will focus on new capabilities in distinct functional areas such as market intelligence, data aggregation, strategy simulation, reporting, and compliance. This holds the potential for powerful competitive advantages, helping analysts to stay ahead of market shifts, make more accurate predictions, and deliver higher-impact recommendations. 

    Learn more 

    Microsoft for financial services

    Unlock business value and deepen customer relationships in the era of AI


    1 Moody’s Investor Relations, “Moody’s Launches Moody’s Research Assistant,” December 2023.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 5 ways AI is supercharging research in financial services

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: 5 ways AI is supercharging research in financial services

    As the capital markets industry has expanded both in scope and complexity, research has only become more essential. Since the late twentieth century, globalization, specialization, and increasingly complex regulatory frameworks have all elevated research from an interesting competitive differentiator to a competitive imperative. Now, with the application of increasingly powerful AI solutions, research is poised to become the defining factor in determining winners and losers in a rapidly shifting landscape.  

    At Microsoft, we develop highly tailored, long-term technology partnerships with financial services firms around the world. Increasingly, this includes co-innovating with AI to help unlock new business value and deepen customer relationships. At present, enhancing research and analytics with AI is one of the primary transformation levers for investment banks, asset management firms, and financial data and analytics providers. In many cases, it is helping to solve longstanding challenges around deriving greater value from data and rapidly converting insights into competitive advantage. 

    Explore AI solutions with Microsoft for financial services

    Realizing the promise of data-driven research through AI 

    AI is rapidly changing the nature and value of advanced analytics in research. Traditional analytics have long helped firms understand what happened and why—but AI is helping them predict what will happen next and prescribe optimal courses of action in real time.

    This shift from retrospective analysis to proactive intelligence can help firms unlock new sources of value and ultimately develop groundbreaking new products that redefine the competitive landscape. 

    As innovative firms recognize the potential of AI, they also see the opportunity to address longstanding challenges that hinder effective research. Among these:  

    • Data overload and complexity
      Financial markets are inundated with massive volumes of data from diverse, often siloed sources that can be difficult to integrate and synthesize. This makes it hard to access the right data at the right time, which can slow decision-making and heighten risk. As data requirements become more complex, solutions are needed that can unify, structure, and analyze data at scale to deliver timely, actionable insights.
    • Fragmented workflows across user journeys
      Research analysts frequently struggle to navigate large volumes of disparate data housed in disconnected systems, tools, and formats, leading to time-consuming manual data compilation and synthesis. The increase in non-integrated tools, applications, and data structures disrupts business workflows and can lead to inefficiencies, duplication of effort, errors of omission, and delays in decision-making.
    • Dependency on traditional data sources
      Many firms and analysts rely heavily on conventional market reference data, company fundamentals, industry reports, and databases, which often lack real-time insights and limit the speed and accuracy of market predictions. As new opportunities arise, firms need solutions that can extract more value out of existing sources while also making it easy to incorporate alternative and real-time sources—enhancing both predictive accuracy and responsiveness to market shifts.
    • Information overload and time constraints
      Research and analyst professionals are always challenged to keep up with reports, emails, meetings, and chats. The overload tends to slow decision-making and increases the risk of missed opportunities. Stringent regulatory compliance requirements add additional demands.  

    Five ways AI redefines the value of research in financial services 

    AI gives financial services firms new solutions to these longstanding barriers and opportunities to use data in new ways that can differentiate their offerings. Here are five important areas where AI can change the game: 

    1. Advance analysis with AI-powered analytics 

    AI-powered analytics empower research analysts to cut through the noise of information overload and extract valuable insights with unprecedented speed and precision. The combination of AI with predictive analytics empowers researchers to analyze historical patterns more deeply, identify emerging trends, and make more informed investment decisions. This can ultimately help to improve engagement and win rates. 

    A prime example of this is our partnership with Moody’s where we co-developed innovative solutions for research and risk assessment. Moody’s Research Assistant significantly increases productivity and effectiveness, with users reporting up to 80% time savings on data collection and 50% on analysis during the pilot phase.1  

    2. Accelerate operational efficiency through intelligent automation 

    Traditional research processes—such as manual data compilation, synthesis, and report generation—are time-consuming and error-prone. AI-powered automation transforms them by integrating data sources, automating repetitive tasks, and promoting seamless collaboration across teams, which results in faster turnaround times, reduced operational costs, and improved operational efficiency.  

    With tools like Microsoft Copilot, Researcher agent, and Analyst agent, firms can significantly boost productivity and operational efficiency. These AI-powered assistants can handle such tasks as summarizing investor reports and earnings calls, creating presentation-ready visualizations from raw data, and drafting research documents and client-ready insights quickly. This frees up valuable time for analysts to focus on higher-value activities, such as strategic analysis and client engagement. 

    3. Deliver real-time insights 

    To help meet the accelerating pace of business, AI-powered applications empower financial services firms to surface real-time insights from a variety of sources including market news, earnings reports, and social media.  

    Bridging knowledge across platforms helps analysts identify emerging trends faster and develop better investment strategies. For example, AI can continuously monitor global news sources and sentiment signals to identify early indicators of market shifts and potential disruptions. Firms can then use this information to react swiftly and make proactive investment decisions ahead of competitors. 

    Firms can build new AI-powered solutions that incorporate real-time data into advanced searches, personalization, and recommendations, using innovations like the powerful vector database built by KX—essentially, a specialized system that understands the meaning and context of a huge set of data types such as text, images, or PDFs. It aims to help financial institutions seize opportunities faster by turning real-time data into real-time action. 

    4. Empower employees with high-value experiences 

    AI-powered tools can transform how financial services professionals work with tools and solutions that support the most critical research functions, such as financial modeling and pitchbook preparation. Processes can be significantly streamlined while remaining interoperable, secure, and compliant.  

    A good example of this is the innovation resulting from our long-term strategic partnership with LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) to transform data with next-generation productivity and analytics solutions. One recent advancement is the launch of the LSEG Workspace Add-in, which integrates AI-powered insights into Excel and PowerPoint. With features like contextual data discovery and interactive charting, the add-in can help financial professionals work faster and more insightfully. 

    Reducing the burden of manual tasks can also help boost job satisfaction. The integration of AI into daily workflows helps people focus on more intellectually stimulating activities, freeing up time for higher-value analysis and strategic thinking, and helping to attract and retain top talent. 

    5. Deepen market understanding 

    AI-powered analytics are transforming how analysts understand markets and convert insights into action. By processing vast amounts of financial data in real-time, AI can uncover complex patterns and correlations that were previously undetectable, such as market sentiment from news articles and social media or a real-time pulse on investor sentiment or market dynamics. Machine learning models can predict stock price movements with greater accuracy by integrating diverse data sources, including economic indicators and company performance metrics. 

    A richer view of market forces and dynamics translates into better decision-making and sharper investment strategies. It helps firms anticipate emerging risks and opportunities sooner, enabling them to respond faster and more confidently in an increasingly volatile market landscape. 

    Now is the time for agentic AI 

    A new class of AI tools will soon deliver the ability to plan, reason, and take actions to achieve goals. In financial services, they will be able to gather, analyze, and contextualize information autonomously from diverse sources and proactively surface relevant insights—or even suggest strategic actions based on real-time developments. 

    On the near horizon, advanced “orchestrator” agents will focus on new capabilities in distinct functional areas such as market intelligence, data aggregation, strategy simulation, reporting, and compliance. This holds the potential for powerful competitive advantages, helping analysts to stay ahead of market shifts, make more accurate predictions, and deliver higher-impact recommendations. 

    Learn more 

    Microsoft for financial services

    Unlock business value and deepen customer relationships in the era of AI


    1 Moody’s Investor Relations, “Moody’s Launches Moody’s Research Assistant,” December 2023.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI: Will XRP reach $5? PBK Miner expands XRP mining contracts to meet surging investment demand

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Carshalton, UK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — After nearly four years of legal proceedings, Ripple has agreed to pay a $125 million fine and withdraw all ongoing appeals, officially ending its long-running dispute with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). With this legal uncertainty finally resolved, investor confidence in XRP has strongly rebounded, and the market is speculating whether XRP can reach $5?

    The recent surge in interest has led investors to PBK Miner (PBK Miner XRP mining contract), an AI-driven XRP cloud mining platform rapidly gaining popularity as the go-to option for those anticipating the next cryptocurrency bull market.

    XRP Heading Towards $5: What It Means for Investors

    PBK Miner chief analyst said that the resolution of regulatory uncertainty has made the probability of the US approving an XRP ETF 95%, which could trigger a large inflow of institutional capital. For XRP holders and new investors, PBK Miner provides a low-threshold, efficient way to take advantage of this growth opportunity. Through its AI-optimized XRP mining contracts, users can start earning stable daily returns without expensive equipment or technical knowledge.

    Why PBK Miner’s XRP Mining Model is Expected to Take the Lead in 2025

    Unlike traditional mining that relies on Proof of Work (PoW), XRP uses a consensus protocol, which makes traditional mining infeasible. PBK Miner solves this problem by providing a next-generation cloud mining solution that combines the flexibility of smart contracts, high-yield algorithms, and a convenient entry point for all users. Its AI-driven yield engine dynamically allocates computing power to maximize performance, allowing investors to receive daily returns from XRP cloud mining in real time. Just one week after PBK Miner went online, XRP mining contract sales soared 379%, and users flocked to its low-threshold, high-liquidity solution.

    Main features of PBK Miner XRP cloud mining contract

    • No Hardware Required– Open to all users, no mining equipment or technical setup required.
    • Daily Returns– Earn daily profits based on your active contracts.
    • Secure Asset Custody– Funds are protected by PBK Miner’s enterprise-grade security infrastructure.
    • Flexible Terms – Contract amounts range from $10 to $100,000, with terms from 1 to 50 days.

    Flexible XRP mining plans are now available.

    Following the success of BTC cloud mining contracts, PBK Miner now offers over 10 different XRP mining plans. With weekly purchases growing 379%, users can choose the right plan based on their budget and financial goals. All contracts support XRP mining and guarantee a full return of principal at maturity, making them an ideal low-risk entry point for beginners and experienced investors.

    Sample plans include:

    • $100 Plan – 2 days – Earn $3.50 per day
    • $1,000 Plan – 9 days – Earn $13.50 per day
    • $5,000 Plan – 30 days – Earn $77.50 per day
    • $10,000 Plan – 45 days – Earn $165.00 per day

    These figures are not speculation – they are based on real-time data from over 8 million users worldwide, and are powered by PBK Miner’s high-performance infrastructure and AI-optimized profit model.

    Click here to explore more cloud mining plans.

    Why PBK Miner XRP Mining is Ideal for Beginners and Experts

    • No hardware required– mine XRP instantly using PBK Miner’s enterprise-grade infrastructure
    • Zero maintenance costs– no electricity, no installation fees – pure profit
    • Instant withdrawals– daily income can be withdrawn at any time
    • $10 welcome bonus – new users can get $10 in free XRP when they sign up
    • With an investment threshold as low as $100, users can participate in XRP mining and enjoy stable short-term returns without taking the risk of market fluctuations.

    How to start XRP mining in minutes?

    1. RegisterSign up and claim your $10 bonus + daily login bonus
    2. Choose a plan– Select a contract that suits your strategy, from 2 to 30 days
    3. Start mining– Let PBK Miner’s AI engine do the work while you earn daily profits

    About PBK Miner

    Founded in 2019, PBK Miner is a global leader in AI cloud mining, serving more than 8 million users in 183 countries and regions. The platform supports mining of XRP, BTC, ETH, LTC, DOGE, and SOL, providing a reliable option for low-risk, high-return cryptocurrency investment. With the price of XRP approaching the $5 mark, PBK Miner’s XRP mining ecosystem provides one of the most practical and profitable ways to participate.

    Learn more and start mining XRP today: https://pbkminer.com

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or a trading recommendation. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and may result in loss of funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Fortinet Recognized as the Overall Leader for the Third Time in a Row in the Westlands Advisory IT/OT Network Protection Platform Navigator 2025™ Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    News Summary

    Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced that Westlands Advisory, a leading OT security industry analysis and strategy firm, has once again named Fortinet as the Overall Leader in the IT/OT Network Protection Platform Navigator 2025 report, earning the top ranking in both strategic direction and capability for IT/OT.

    Since its inception and for the third time in a row, the latest report from Westlands Advisory highlights Fortinet’s extensive OT network security experience, noting that “OT cybersecurity has been a key strategic pillar” for Fortinet, “resulting in significant innovation, product expansion, growing alliances, and increasing market share.”

    “For more than 20 years, organizations have trusted Fortinet to protect operational technology environments and ensure compliance with the evolving needs of OT infrastructures. Fortinet uniquely delivers a comprehensive OT security platform, built from the ground up with the industry’s most advanced threat detection and protection capabilities to enable converged IT/OT infrastructure,” said Nirav Shah, Senior Vice President, Products and Solutions at Fortinet. “Our latest recognition from Westlands Advisory reflects the deep and growing trust our customers, partners, and the broader OT security community place in Fortinet.”

    Delivering Secure IT/OT Network Convergence

    The Fortinet OT Security Platform is unique in its ability to provide end-to-end network segmentation, OT asset and network visibility, network segmentation and microsegmentation, and advanced threat protection in a unified platform that is centrally managed and automated. With deep integration into the Fortinet Security Fabric, the OT Security Platform improves cyber resiliency and production reliability, lowers time to deployment, and simplifies operations to further support the protection of critical infrastructure and OT infrastructure from evolving cyberthreats.

    The Westlands Advisory report addresses several key benefits of the Fortinet OT Security Platform for customers, including:

    • Broad, integrated, high-performance security solutions and services across IT and OT infrastructures: Westlands Advisory highlights Fortinet’s delivery of a single platform across IT and OT to help reduce cyber risks across the entire organization. The OT Security Platform, an extension of the Fortinet Security Fabric, uniquely provides the widest and deepest breadth of networking and cybersecurity solutions in the market. These solutions provide near-real-time protection through the company’s AI-driven OT Security Service, powered by FortiGuard Labs, that enables OT-specific application- and protocol-based security, as well as virtual patching capabilities to shield unpatched OT assets from exploitation. As Westlands Advisory notes, the Fortinet OT Security Platform consists of over 20 products across three solution pillars: Secure Networking, Unified SASE, and Security Operations. The report goes on to say: “In addition, the technology integration offered through the OT Security Platform extends beyond Fortinet solutions to third-party technologies, delivering a comprehensive and centralized OT service.”
    • Cutting-edge innovation to solve urgent OT security use cases: The Fortinet OT Security Platform is also recognized by Westlands Advisory for its cutting-edge advancements and innovations that help customers solve many urgent and real OT use cases, such as asset discovery and management; network protection and segmentation; endpoint protection; secure remote access; and more. According to Westlands Advisory, “Fortinet offers the broadest range of industrial-grade security hardware solutions, including FortiGate Rugged firewalls and FortiSwitch industrial switches… Fortinet’s product roadmap is highly responsive to customer requirements and industry standards and has resulted in a number of industry awards, including the 2024 Red Dot Product Design Award [FortiGate Rugged 70G with Dual 5G Modems].” Additional recognitions include the Control Engineering 2024 Silver Product of the Year Award for FortiGate Rugged 70F, and the 2025 Gold Product of the Year Award for FortiGate Rugged 70G-5G-DUAL. The Westlands report also notes that the company’s OT security innovation extends to AI and ML, “where the focus has been on detections, understanding risk, and improving security operations.”
    • High-performance, energy-efficient, cost-effective solutions compared to other OT security solutions: Fortinet’s custom-built ASIC technology, embedded in FortiGate appliances, offers unmatched network security performance and reliability, which is critical in OT environments that run 24×7 or cannot suffer downtime. These custom ASICs, which include a networking processor and security processor, are integrated with the FortiOS operating system, allowing Fortinet to provide a comprehensive, high-performance networking and security solution that addresses the demands of modern network environments.

    With the recognition of the Fortinet OT Security Platform, the Westlands report underscores the importance of IT/OT convergence and reaffirms that organizations don’t have to choose between performance and protection.

    Additional Resources

    About Fortinet
    Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (“CERTS”), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.

    Copyright © 2025 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAgent, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiCNP, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortiDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiDLP, FortiEdge, FortiEDR, FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPAM, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiScanner, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiSRA, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM, FortiXDR and Lacework FortiCNAPP. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Unlock 100x Leverage Crypto Futures Trading – No KYC, Double Deposit Bonus and $50 Welcome Bonus for All on BexBack

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BexBack Exchange is offering an exciting new promotion: a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency futures trading – all with no KYC required! This is your chance to maximize potential returns in a high-volatility market.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a top-tier cryptocurrency derivatives platform offering up to 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, XRP, and over 50 other futures contracts. Headquartered in Singapore, with additional offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the UK, and Argentina, BexBack is licensed as a US MSB (Money Services Business). Trusted by more than 500,000 traders globally, the platform welcomes users from the US, Canada, and Europe. BexBack offers zero deposit fees and provides comprehensive customer service available 24/7 to ensure an exceptional trading experience.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC and 1M USDT in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (Deposit greater than 0.001BTC or 100 USDT, complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d03f49f-d7b3-401a-9988-053590cfda63

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/daf8914e-2079-4717-8d36-efa1a566697a

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2eb23df0-ddbf-4ac4-a662-c5d31021ecee

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a25922c5-f7e3-44f2-8c54-7532303d83c4

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Guinea Economic Update: Domestic Resource Mobilization and Management for Inclusive and Sustainable Development


    Download logo

    The second edition of the Guinea Economic Update offers an in-depth analysis of the country’s evolving macroeconomic position and examines how Guinea can increase domestic resource mobilization and management to achieve its development goals.

    The report, “Domestic Resource Mobilization and Management for Inclusive and Sustainable Development,” presents a dual focus: an evaluation of macroeconomic developments and outlook, and an examination of Guinea’s potential to enhance and manage domestic revenues, particularly in light of the expected windfall from the Simandou iron ore project.

    The first part of the report highlights Guinea’s ongoing and anticipated economic growth, with GDP growth reaching 5.7% in 2024, projected at 6.5% in 2025, and averaging 10% in 2026–27, driven by expanding mining activity. However, the report underscores that recent growth has not significantly reduced poverty, which remains high at 52%, due to limited job creation in the non-mining sectors.

    In recent years, Guinea has achieved robust growth, primarily fueled by the mining industry and agriculture. Yet, the key challenge remains in transforming growth into employment opportunities for Guineans,” said Marilyne Youbi, World Bank Group Economist and Lead Author of the report.

    The report points to a widening fiscal deficit — 4.8% of GDP in 2024 and rising public debt, driven by infrastructure investment and still-limited revenue mobilization. Tax revenues remain low at 13.1% percent of GDP, significantly below regional targets, constraining the government’s ability to invest in essential services such as health, education, and infrastructure.

    The second part of the report presents an analysis of Guinea’s domestic resource mobilization and management landscape. It argues that increasing and better managing public revenues, especially from the mining sector, is essential for fiscal sustainability, economic diversification, and improved social outcomes. The report calls for stronger tax policy enforcement consistent with the Tax and Mining Codes, and it highlights key reform areas including enhancing tax audit capabilities, improving the integrity of the taxpayer database, ensuring timely filing and payment of taxes, and deepening digitalization of revenue administration. It also calls for reforms to strengthen management of public expenditures and public investments programs.

    This report underscores the urgency of implementing reforms to make growth more inclusive and resilient,” said Issa Diaw, World Bank Group Country Manager for Guinea. “With the Simandou iron ore project poised to transform the economy, Guinea has a narrow window to ensure that the benefits of growth are widely shared.”

    As Guinea enters a potentially transformative phase in its development, the report calls for a renewed policy focus on debt sustainability, macroeconomic stability, as well as investments in human and physical capital.

    Download the Guinea Economic Update in English.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.

    MIL OSI Africa

  • India–Ghana relations to get fresh push with PM Modi’s landmark two-day visit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Ghana from July 2, marks a landmark moment in India–Ghana relations. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in more than three decades and PM Modi’s first bilateral engagement with the West African nation. The visit is expected to deepen cooperation in trade, development partnership, capacity building and cultural exchange, strengthening a warm relationship that has endured since Ghana’s independence.

    Historical Context

    India and Ghana share historical ties rooted in anti-colonial solidarity and a shared vision for the Global South. India established its representative office in Accra in 1953, four years before Ghana gained independence in 1957. Diplomatic relations were formally established the same year, laying the foundation for a close and friendly partnership.

    Political Engagement and High-Level Visits

    High-level exchanges have played a crucial role in nurturing this bond. From the Ghanaian side, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo visited India in March 2018 for the International Solar Alliance Founding Conference and later addressed the Voice of Global South Summit hosted by Prime Minister Modi in January 2023. Before him, President John Dramani Mahama travelled to India in October 2015 to attend the third India-Africa Forum Summit. Other notable visits include President Kufuor’s trips in 2002 and 2008, President Rawlings’ visit in 1993, President Limann’s in 1981 and President Kwame Nkrumah’s historic visit in 1961.

    From the Indian side, President Pranab Mukherjee visited Ghana in June 2016. Before that, Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao’s visit in November 1995 was the last by an Indian Prime Minister, making PM Modi’s upcoming trip especially significant. Recent engagements have kept the momentum alive, with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar meeting President Akufo-Addo in September 2022 and Minister of State V. Muraleedharan attending the Ghanaian Presidential inauguration in January 2021.

    Institutional Mechanisms

    India and Ghana have built robust institutional mechanisms to sustain regular dialogue. The Joint Commission was established in 1995 and reinforced in 2016, while a protocol for Foreign Office Consultations was signed in 2002. Three rounds of consultations have been held since then, with the latest in New Delhi in 2022. The Joint Trade Committee, operational since 1981, held its fourth meeting in Accra in May 2024. Ghana’s Parliamentary Friendship Association also contributes to exchanges at the legislative level.

    Commercial Partnership

    India is among Ghana’s top trading partners and the largest destination for Ghanaian exports. Bilateral trade crossed two billion US dollars in 2022–23, with Ghana enjoying a positive trade balance due to substantial gold exports. Indian investments in Ghana are valued at over 1.2 billion dollars, spanning sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agro-processing, construction, manufacturing and ICT. Platforms like the CII-Exim Bank Conclave on India–Africa Project Partnership continue to play an important role in strengthening commercial ties. Ghana has been an active participant, with the 19th edition of the conclave in August 2024 witnessing the participation of four Ghanaian ministers and senior regulatory officials.

    Development Partnership

    India has been a committed development partner for Ghana, extending around 450 million US dollars in concessional credit and grants for infrastructure and capacity-building projects. Landmark initiatives include the India-Ghana Kofi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence established in 2003, the Rural Electrification Project, the Jubilee House Presidential Complex which was rehabilitated in 2017, and industrial ventures like the Komenda Sugar Plant and Elmina Fish Processing Plant inaugurated in 2016. Under Buyer’s Credit, India supported the construction of the Tema-Mpakadan Standard Gauge Railway Line, which was inaugurated in November 2024 and is expected to boost regional connectivity by linking Ghana’s main port city to its hinterland and neighbouring Burkina Faso. Other key projects include the Tamale-Walewale Road and an assembly plant for agricultural machinery.

    Capacity Building & Human Resource Development

    Ghana is also one of the largest beneficiaries of India’s flagship capacity-building programmes. Over 1,600 scholarships have been offered under the e-Vidya Bharati and e-Arogya Bharati digital network project. Hundreds of Ghanaians have benefited from ITEC and ICCR scholarships. In 2024 alone, 128 civilians and 109 defence personnel from Ghana trained in India under ITEC, while 35 ICCR scholarships and three AYUSH scholarships were awarded. Education fairs held in Kumasi and Accra in 2024 and 2025 have strengthened linkages between Indian institutions and Ghanaian students.

    Sectoral Cooperation

    Sectoral cooperation has grown steadily over the years. Agreements have been signed to promote cooperation in areas like LPG distribution, peaceful uses of nuclear energy and standardisation through collaborations between India’s Bureau of Indian Standards and Ghana Standards Authority. Air connectivity is facilitated through the Air Services Agreement signed in 1978 and updated through subsequent MoUs. Cultural exchange remains a vibrant aspect of the partnership, anchored by a Cultural Agreement signed in 1981 and periodic Cultural Exchange Programmes. India also extended humanitarian support to Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing 50,000 vaccine doses as a grant and over 1.6 million doses through the COVAX facility.

    Prime Minister Modi’s visit is expected to inject fresh momentum into the bilateral partnership by expanding trade, boosting investments in energy and digital infrastructure, advancing cooperation in defence and capacity building, and deepening collaboration in health, education and climate action. 

  • MIL-OSI Security: Founder and Former CEO of Artificial Intelligence Start-Up SKAEL Pleads Guilty to Securities Fraud and Wire Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    SAN FRANCISCO – Baba Nadimpalli, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of SKAEL, Inc. (SKAEL), pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud investors by misleading them about the company’s revenue, annual recurring revenue (ARR), and other financial and sales information.  

    Nadimpalli, 42, a citizen of Australia who previously resided in San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 17, 2024.  According to his plea agreement, Nadimpalli founded SKAEL in 2016 and served as its Chief Executive Officer from 2016 until July 2022.  SKAEL was a San Francisco-based, software-as-a-service company that provided corporate clients with artificial intelligence and automation software to assist with mundane, time-intensive tasks by building “Digital Employees.”  SKAEL earned revenue by charging implementation fees for the building of Digital Employees and subscription fees for their use once built.  

    From January 2020 until about February 2022, SKAEL raised over $40 million in three rounds of financing. In order to induce prospective and existing investors to invest, Nadimpalli provided false information regarding SKAEL’s customer and sales information, revenue, and ARR.  Nadimpalli knew that ARR, which reflected the company’s monthly subscription revenue times 12, was an important metric for investors in considering their investments in SKAEL.  In or around 2021, Nadimpalli provided materially false information to investors in advance of their investments in SKAEL, including representing that SKAEL was receiving ARR from certain companies that did not subscribe to its software and services; overstating ARR from certain customers who were SKAEL customers; and representing that customers who had terminated their subscriptions were current customers with ARR.

    In or around February 2022, SKAEL raised approximately $30 million in a Series A preferred stock offering that valued SKAEL at approximately $230 million after closing.  In connection with the stock offering, Nadimpalli directed the creation of an electronic data room for potential investors that contained (1) a spreadsheet that Nadimpalli maintained that contained materially false information about the company’s ARR and customers; (2) materially false financial statements; and (3) an investor presentation that contained materially false information about the company’s ARR, revenue, and customer adoption.

    Nadimpalli further admitted to providing an investor and a financial employee with false bank account information that included purported customer payments that had not actually been deposited.

    United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.

    Nadimpalli is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer on Sept. 17, 2025.  He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine for the count of securities fraud in violation of 15 U.S.C. §§ 78j(b) & 78ff and 17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5, and 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.  Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Stern and Ilham Hosseini are prosecuting this case with the assistance of Mark DiCenzo and Lynette Dixon. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI thank the San Francisco Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which also filed a civil enforcement action against Nadimpalli in the Northern District of California.
     

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Andvaris Appoints Mahmud Samad as Chief Financial Officer to Support Strategic Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Andvaris Inc., a leading provider of staffing and workforce solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mahmud Samad as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This strategic addition to the executive team reflects the company’s continued commitment to sustainable growth, operational excellence, and financial innovation.

    Mahmud brings a wealth of experience in corporate finance, strategic planning, and scaling fast-growing businesses. In his new role, he will lead Andvaris’ financial operations, optimize budgeting and forecasting, and support key strategic initiatives as the company continues to expand its national footprint.

    “We’re excited to welcome Mahmud to the leadership team,” said Zedrick Gilo, CEO of Andvaris. “His financial insight and proven leadership in building scalable financial systems make him the ideal partner to help us reach our next stage of growth.”

    Andvaris continues to grow rapidly, expanding its service offerings and client base across the U.S. With Mahmud on board, the company is poised to strengthen its financial foundation and accelerate innovation in workforce solutions.

    About Andvaris Inc.

    Founded in 2014, Andvaris is a national staffing and recruiting company offering AI-powered hiring technology, contingent workforce solutions, and employer of record services. Headquartered in Miami, FL, the company supports businesses in building agile and diverse teams across industries.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f9b6a63-0bb5-4b8e-9c1d-21900e263895

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Global Neuro-Psychiatric Disorders & Treatment Market Projected to Reach $166 Billion by 2032

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Worldwide, there is a rising demand for neuropsychiatric disorder treatments which is expected to fuel the global markets for years to come. With expanding research and development efforts and a robust pipeline of novel medications, the neuropsychiatric disorders treatment landscape is evolving rapidly. Pharmaceutical companies are focusing on innovative drug therapies to meet the growing need for effective and affordable treatments. The market is primarily driven by the high incidence of mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety, and the rising awareness of these conditions. As a result, new treatment options are being developed, and drug-related activities such as clinical trials and drug approvals are intensifying. Recently an article on the 4th European Congress of Neurology and Neuropsychiatry website said that: “The global neuropsychiatric disorders and treatment market is on an upward trajectory, with a significant increase in demand for innovative solutions that cater to the growing burden of mental health conditions. In 2024, the market was valued at USD 130.5 billion, and by 2032, it is projected to reach USD 166.3 billion, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.20% from 2023 to 2032. This growth is fueled by continuous research, advancements in treatment, and heightened awareness of neuropsychiatric disorders.”   Active Companies active today in markets include: Cybin Inc. (NYSE: CYBN) (NEO: CYBN), COMPASS Pathways plc (NASDAQ: CMPS), Sage Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SAGE), Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc. (NASDAQ: MNMD) (NEO: MMED), atai Life Sciences (NASDAQ: ATAI).

    The article continued: “The growing global burden of neuropsychiatric disorders is a critical driver for the treatment market. With over 9.1 million annual deaths attributed to neurological diseases and an additional 8 million caused by neuropsychiatric conditions, this category represents a substantial public health challenge. These disorders contribute significantly to disability globally, with an estimated 461 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost each year. Moreover, rising awareness through public education, media coverage, and advocacy organizations is encouraging more individuals to seek early diagnosis and treatment, ultimately improving outcomes for patients. Social media and celebrity-led campaigns have also played a pivotal role in removing the stigma surrounding mental health, further boosting the demand for treatments. Drug treatments continue to be the fastest-growing segment in the neuropsychiatric disorders market, driven by ongoing advancements in pharmacology. New medications are being developed with fewer side effects and increased efficacy in managing conditions like depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease.”

    Cybin Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN: CYBN) (Cboe Canada: CYBN) Announces Financing of up to US$500 Million Aggregate Principal Amount of Convertible Debentures – Funding agreement contemplates a conversion formula with a potential 30% premium upon conversion and positions the Company for growth, and accelerated advancement of its clinical pipeline programs, CYB003 and CYB004 –   Cybin Inc. (“Cybin” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage breakthrough neuropsychiatry company committed to revolutionizing mental healthcare by developing new and innovative next-generation treatment options, is pleased to announce the Company has entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with High Trail Special Situations LLC (“High Trail”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell and issue to High Trail up to US$500,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of unsecured convertible debentures (the “Convertible Debentures”). The sale and issue of US$50,000,000 principal amount of Convertible Debentures was completed on June 30, 2025 (the “Private Placement”). The sale and issue of US$450,000,000 of the principal amount of Convertible Debentures will be determined at a future date, upon mutual agreement of the parties.

    “This financing represents a major inflection point for Cybin and supports our position as a leader within our sector,” said Doug Drysdale, Chief Executive Officer of Cybin. “High Trail Capital is an experienced investor, and its confidence and appreciation of our breakthrough clinical data and intellectual property portfolio recognize the potential of the Company. This financing comes at an opportune time for Cybin, as we advance our lead programs, CYB003 and CYB004, in Phase 3 and Phase 2, respectively. CYB003 demonstrated over 70% remission rates and continued durability over 12 months for patients with uncontrolled depression. We await the conclusion of our CYB004 Phase 2 proof-of-concept study, in patients with generalized anxiety disorder,” said Drysdale.

    Joseph Gunnar & Co., LLC acted as the sole placement agent in connection with this transaction.

    Pipeline Acceleration Drives Multiple Value Creation Catalysts

    The funding will accelerate Cybin’s clinical-stage programs across multiple high-value indications:

    CYB003 Program Achievements:

    • Breakthrough Clinical Results: Unprecedented 71% remission rate in major depressive disorder at 12 months after two 16 mg doses in Phase 2 study
    • Durability advantage: 12-month sustained efficacy demonstrating long-term therapeutic benefit
    • FDA Recognition: Breakthrough Therapy Designation received, expediting regulatory pathway
    • Multinational Phase 3 PARADIGM program underway

    CYB004 Program Momentum:

    • Dual Indication Strategy: Expanding addressable market opportunity
    • Phase 2 GAD study expected to complete around mid-year 2025 1

    Commercialization Infrastructure:

    • Manufacturing Scale-Up: Finalizing production capabilities for market launch
    • IP Portfolio Expansion: Strengthening competitive moat with more than 90 patents issued and over 230 applications pending
    • Strategic Partnerships: Developing market access and pre-commercialization alliances

    Value Catalysts Drive Sustained Momentum

    Near-Term Catalysts:

    • CYB004 Phase 2 GAD study expected to complete around mid-2025 1
    • Initiation of second CYB003 pivotal study, EMBRACE, around mid-2025 1
    • EXTEND study initiation imminent 1

    Medium-Term Catalysts (2025-2026):

    • Phase 3 top line readout for CYB003 2H 2026 1
    • Regulatory submission preparations
    • Commercial manufacturing readiness
    • International market expansion planning

    CONTINUED… Read the Transaction Terms and full Press Release for Cybin at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-cybn/      NOTES: 1.There is no assurance that timelines will be met. Anticipated timelines regarding the initiation, advancement and results of clinical trials are based on reasonable assumptions informed by current knowledge and information available to the Company. See “Cautionary Notes and Forward-Looking Statements in the Full Press Release”.

    In other active company biotech news in the markets:

    atai Life Sciences (NASDAQ: ATAI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company on a mission to develop highly effective mental health treatments to transform patient outcomes, and Beckley Psytech Limited (“Beckley”), a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the next generation of mental health treatments, recently announced a definitive agreement under which atai and Beckley plan to combine in an all-share transaction subject to pre-agreed BPL-003 (mebufotenin benzoate) Phase 2b success criteria.

    “The strategic combination marks a transformational moment, solidifying us as a leader in rapid-acting and accessible psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions with a pipeline of potential first-in-class and best-in-class assets,” stated Srinivas Rao, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of atai. “With a unified vision and a synergistic pipeline, we believe we are well-positioned to unlock the strategic value of our clinical development programs for both patients and shareholders. Together, we plan to move confidently towards our goal of bringing innovative interventional psychiatry therapies to patients in need of new treatments.”

    Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc. (NASDAQ: MNMD), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing novel product candidates to treat brain health disorders, recently announced the issuance of inducement grants to four newly hired non-executive employees consisting of options to purchase an aggregate of 128,750 common shares of the Company (the “Options”), with effective grant dates of June 2, 2025 and June 9, 2025, depending on the applicable employee’s respective start date. The Options have an exercise price equal to the closing price of MindMed’s common shares on the last trading day on which MindMed’s common shares traded prior to the date of the respective grant, and will vest over a four-year period with 25% vesting on the first anniversary of the date of the grant and the remaining 75% vesting in substantially equal monthly increments over the three-year period thereafter, subject to each employee’s continued employment.

    Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SUPN) and Sage Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SAGE) recently announced a definitive agreement for Supernus to acquire Sage through a tender offer for $8.50 per share in cash (or an aggregate of approximately $561 million), payable at closing, plus one non-tradable contingent value right (CVR) collectively worth up to $3.50 per share in cash (or an aggregate of approximately $234 million), for total consideration of $12.00 per share in cash (or an aggregate of up to approximately $795 million). The CVR is payable upon achieving certain net sales and commercial milestones. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025.

    The transaction will provide Supernus with an innovative marketed product: ZURZUVAE® (zuranolone) capsules CIV, the first and only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved oral medicine indicated for the treatment of adults with postpartum depression. Through a collaboration agreement with Biogen, Inc., Supernus will report collaboration revenue that is 50% of total net revenue Biogen records for ZURZUVAE in the U.S.

    Compass Pathways plc (NASDAQ: CMPS), a biotechnology company dedicated to accelerating patient access to evidence-based innovation, recently announced the successful achievement of the primary endpoint in the ongoing Phase 3 COMP005 trial, the first of two Phase 3 trials evaluating COMP360, a synthetic, proprietary formulation of psilocybin, for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The primary endpoint is the difference in change from baseline in the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores between the active treatment group and the placebo group at week 6. A single dose of COMP360 25 mg versus placebo demonstrated a highly statistically significant reduction in symptom severity with a p-value of <0.001 and a clinically meaningful difference of -3.6 in change at the primary endpoint. The Company plans to discuss these preliminary COMP005 data with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has not yet reviewed the data.

    The ongoing Phase 3 COMP005 trial is the first study of an investigational, synthetic psilocybin, and the first classic psychedelic to report Phase 3 efficacy data. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which dosed 258 participants with TRD across 32 sites in the United States, aims to assess the efficacy and safety of a single dose of COMP360 25 mg versus placebo for reducing symptom severity in TRD.

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

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    DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates Financialnewsmedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM was compensated forty two hundred dollars for news coverage of current press release issued by Cybin Inc. by the Company. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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    SOURCE FN Media Group LLC

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: E Ink Utilizes Intel® Smart Base to Launch Innovative ePaper with Touch-Enabled Application, Ushering in a New Interactive AI PC Experience

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BILLERICA, Mass., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — E Ink (8069.TWO), the originator, pioneer, and global commercial leader in ePaper technology, announced the launch of a groundbreaking ePaper touchpad solution for laptops, developed through the integration of Intel® Smart Base, Intel® Innovation Platform Framework (Intel® IPF), and Intel® AI Assistant Builder technologies. This innovative solution combines color ePaper with traditional laptop touchpads, creating a visual, AI-assisted human-machine interface (HMI) that enhances user interaction and brings a whole new dimension of functionality to Intel-based AI PCs.

    “Driven by our mission, ‘We Make Surfaces Smart and Green,’ E Ink continues to explore innovative applications across industries through ePaper technology,” stated JM Hung, the Vice President of Business Center of E Ink Holdings. “With the development tools and reference architecture provided by the Intel® Smart Base ecosystem, we’ve created ultra-slim, energy-efficient modules optimized for AI PC designs. These modules enable seamless integration of ePaper displays into laptop touchpad areas—delivering crisp visuals, low power consumption, and a novel interactive experience.”

    ePaper’s core advantages—paper-like readability, ultra-low power consumption, and excellent sunlight visibility—make it ideally suited for auxiliary displays in mobile computing devices. By integrating ePaper into the touchpad, E Ink not only preserves the intuitive functionality of touch interactions but also unlocks new second-screen capabilities. With support from Intel® Smart Base, Intel® IPF, and Intel® AI Assistant Builder, the system is empowered to perform real-time edge AI applications such as frequently used shortcuts and system notifications and GenAI contents like text/image summaries, gaming tactics, or custom AI tasks displayed on the interactive C-cover. Users can also view weather updates, take notes, display meeting transcripts, or showcase personalized cover art—even when the device is powered off.

    Additionally, because ePaper consumes power only when content is updated and remains static otherwise, it significantly reduces overall system power consumption compared to emissive displays. Its non-emissive, reflective and flicker-free nature also reduces eye strain, making this touchpad design a uniquely ergonomic and eco-friendly innovation.

    Leveraging Intel’s platform and ecosystem, E Ink enhances the laptop user experience through:

    • Visual Interaction Innovation: Employing ePaper as a next-gen touch display medium, enabling low-power visual interactivity for intuitive HMI design.
    • AI-Powered Personalization: Supporting AI-driven content generation to elevate functionality and user engagement.
    • Design-Driven Integration: Tailored for the aesthetics and performance requirements of new-generation AI PCs.
    • UX Redefined: Reinventing the user experience with the comfort, clarity, and adaptability of ePaper displays.
    • Scalable Possibilities: Establishing a solid foundation for future AI hardware applications by integrating Intel’s reference designs and solutions.

    This touch enabled application highlights the versatility and forward-looking potential of ePaper technology in next-generation computing. E Ink will continue to expand the boundaries of interactive design by exploring innovative ePaper scenarios in the AI era—delivering sustainable, personalized, and cutting-edge user experiences.

    About E Ink
    E Ink Holdings Inc. (8069.TWO), based on technology from MIT’s Media Lab, provides an ideal display medium for applications spanning eReaders and eNotes, retail, home, hospital, transportation, logistics, and more, enabling customers to put displays in locations previously impossible. E Ink’s electrophoretic display products make it the worldwide leader for ePaper. Its low power displays enable customers to reach their sustainability goals, and E Ink has pledged using 100% renewable energy in 2030 and reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040. E Ink has been recognized for their efforts by receiving validation from Science-Based Targets (SBTi) and is listed in both the DJSI World and DJSI Emerging Indexes. Listed in Taiwan’s Taipei Exchange (TPEx) and the Luxembourg market, E Ink Holdings is now the world’s largest supplier of ePaper displays. For more information, please visit www.eink.com. E Ink. We Make Surfaces Smart and Green.

    Contact:
    V2 Communications for E Ink
    eink@v2comms.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/03bb1c16-3c39-4c54-b2b6-7bb8a7b78d3a

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Premier League and Microsoft announce five-year strategic partnership to personalize the fan experience with AI for 1.8 billion people

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Premier League and Microsoft announce five-year strategic partnership to personalize the fan experience with AI for 1.8 billion people

    The Premier League is also migrating its core technology infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, unlocking scalability, security and agility across its digital ecosystem. This foundation will enable faster innovation, seamless integration of AI services, and a unified platform for the league.

    Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations will modernize the League’s internal operations, streamlining workflows, enhancing collaboration, and enabling data-driven decision-making across departments.

    This partnership sets a new global benchmark for how technology can elevate sport, entertainment and fan culture, making the Premier League more accessible, immersive and future-ready than ever before. Whether you are a lifelong fan or new to the Premier League, the Premier League Companion powered by Copilot can help you discover more. With only 47 days to go to the beginning of the new Premier League season, try it for yourself at http://www.premierleague.com.

    [embedded content]

     Premier League & Microsoft: transforming football experience with AI

    About The Premier League

    The Premier League produces some of the most competitive and compelling football in the world. The League and its clubs use the power and popularity of the competition to inspire fans, communities and partners in the UK and across the world. The Premier League brings people together from all backgrounds. It is a competition for everyone, everywhere and is available to watch in 900 million homes in 189 countries.

    About Microsoft

    Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

    For more information, press only:

    Microsoft

    Premier League

    Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit Microsoft Source at https://news.microsoft.com/source. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing issues rainstorm alert

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    The Beijing Meteorological Service issued a rainstorm alert at 4 p.m. Tuesday, warning of heavy rainfall across the city from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning.

    Torrential rain is expected in some areas, with isolated locations experiencing hourly precipitation exceeding 30 mm, the service said, adding that thunderstorms may accompany the rainfall.

    The capital has seen frequent downpours this week, with meteorologists predicting rain will remain a persistent feature over the coming days. Despite stable temperatures, high humidity levels will sustain noticeably sultry weather.

    Authorities urged the public to stay updated on forecasts, carry rain gear, and avoid sheltering near high-rise buildings or billboards. Drivers were advised to exercise caution on slippery roads and steer clear of flooded sections.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI: ZIGChain Launches Mainnet Beta for First Layer 1 Designed for Decentralized Wealth Generation Infrastructure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • ZIGChain’s Layer 1 mainnet beta launches June 25, 2025, establishing a programmable foundation for global, decentralized wealth infrastructure.
    • The chain enables developers and institutions to deploy scalable, performance-based investment protocols.

    Singapore, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — – ZIGChain, a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain for decentralized wealth generation, has officially launched its mainnet beta, marking its Genesis Day and laying the foundation for a new era of programmable financial access and infrastructure.

    ZIGChain enables high-performance, interoperable applications across DeFi, real-world assets (RWA), and automated investment protocols. The mainnet beta launch caps off a successful testnet phase that saw rapid ecosystem expansion, with an array of native applications deploying on the platform, generating substantial developer and community engagement.

    The platform is supported by a $100 million Ecosystem Fund, backed by DWF Labs, UDHC Finance, and Disrupt.com, and builds on the success of Zignaly, a licensed social investment platform connecting over 600,000 users with 150+ fund managers. 

    This launch follows a string of strategic milestones showcased at the April 29 ZIGChain Summit in Dubai, including the unveiling of Zamanat, the world’s first Shariah-compliant RWA tokenisation platform, and the announcement of the $25 million DeFAI Innovation Fund. 

    Abdul Rafay Gadit, Co-Founder of ZIGChain, stated, “Accessing reliable and transparent investment infrastructure has historically been difficult, not just for retail users, but even for experienced managers. With ZIGChain, we’re taking a meaningful step toward changing that by focusing deeply on real-world assets as the foundation for long-term, scalable wealth generation. We aim to equip developers with the tools they need to start building programmable protocols designed to align with applicable law  that bridge traditional assets with blockchain technology.”

    Bart Bordallo, Co-Founder and CEO of ZIGChain, expressed that,  “This mainnet beta launch represents a shift from vision to foundation. We’ve built a high-performance, interoperable architecture that can handle the complex requirements of DeFi, RWA tokenization, and automated investment protocols at scale. The infrastructure includes our validator network, cross-chain bridge capabilities, and native staking mechanisms – all designed for institutional-grade security and compliance. We’re excited to see developers leverage these technical foundations to build the next generation of financial applications”

    ZIGChain launches with a robust ecosystem of native applications preparing for deployment, including Oroswap, an AI-powered conversational DEX; Valdora Finance, a native liquid staking protocol; Permapod, a lending protocol designed to accept RWAs as collateral; and Nawa Finance, a Sharia-compliant DeFi aggregator. These projects represent the early wave of builders leveraging ZIGChain’s infrastructure to bring new decentralized financial tools to market.

    With this foundation in place, ZIGChain will begin rolling out critical infrastructure components, including the ZIGChain Hub for staking and validation, cross-chain bridges to support $ZIG token migration, and the activation of its validator network. These features will be deployed in phases to ensure stability, security, and long-term scalability.

    By anchoring real-world assets, ethical finance, and AI-First infrastructure within a Layer 1, ZIGChain is positioning itself to support the next evolution of decentralized capital markets. The chain’s vision is clear: build the infrastructure now for what serious builders and institutional users will demand tomorrow, while ensuring that these systems are equally accessible to everyone. By putting inclusivity at the heart of its mission, ZIGChain is paving the way for a more equitable and truly global financial future.

    Learn more about ZIGChain by visiting zigchain.com

    About ZIGChain

    ZIGChain is a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain designed to democratize access to investment opportunities, facilitate financial inclusion regardless of income level, technical skill, or geographic location. ZIGChain enables developers and institutions to launch scalable, compliant protocols for profit-sharing, fund tokenization, and real-world asset management.

    Its ecosystem includes Zignaly, a licensed social investment platform connecting over 600,000 users with more than 150 professional portfolio managers. ZIGChain also supports Zamanat, the world’s first Shariah-compliant real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform, combining ethical finance with programmable blockchain infrastructure. 

    Disclaimer: Zamanat is a separate app built on ZIGChain. ZIGChain itself is not a Shariah compliant blockchain network. 

    For more information about ZIGChain, please visit zigchain.com

    Media Contacts:
    Jacob Galland 

    Luna PR
    jake@lunapr.io

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: ZIGChain Launches Mainnet Beta for First Layer 1 Designed for Decentralized Wealth Generation Infrastructure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • ZIGChain’s Layer 1 mainnet beta launches June 25, 2025, establishing a programmable foundation for global, decentralized wealth infrastructure.
    • The chain enables developers and institutions to deploy scalable, performance-based investment protocols.

    Singapore, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — – ZIGChain, a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain for decentralized wealth generation, has officially launched its mainnet beta, marking its Genesis Day and laying the foundation for a new era of programmable financial access and infrastructure.

    ZIGChain enables high-performance, interoperable applications across DeFi, real-world assets (RWA), and automated investment protocols. The mainnet beta launch caps off a successful testnet phase that saw rapid ecosystem expansion, with an array of native applications deploying on the platform, generating substantial developer and community engagement.

    The platform is supported by a $100 million Ecosystem Fund, backed by DWF Labs, UDHC Finance, and Disrupt.com, and builds on the success of Zignaly, a licensed social investment platform connecting over 600,000 users with 150+ fund managers. 

    This launch follows a string of strategic milestones showcased at the April 29 ZIGChain Summit in Dubai, including the unveiling of Zamanat, the world’s first Shariah-compliant RWA tokenisation platform, and the announcement of the $25 million DeFAI Innovation Fund. 

    Abdul Rafay Gadit, Co-Founder of ZIGChain, stated, “Accessing reliable and transparent investment infrastructure has historically been difficult, not just for retail users, but even for experienced managers. With ZIGChain, we’re taking a meaningful step toward changing that by focusing deeply on real-world assets as the foundation for long-term, scalable wealth generation. We aim to equip developers with the tools they need to start building programmable protocols designed to align with applicable law  that bridge traditional assets with blockchain technology.”

    Bart Bordallo, Co-Founder and CEO of ZIGChain, expressed that,  “This mainnet beta launch represents a shift from vision to foundation. We’ve built a high-performance, interoperable architecture that can handle the complex requirements of DeFi, RWA tokenization, and automated investment protocols at scale. The infrastructure includes our validator network, cross-chain bridge capabilities, and native staking mechanisms – all designed for institutional-grade security and compliance. We’re excited to see developers leverage these technical foundations to build the next generation of financial applications”

    ZIGChain launches with a robust ecosystem of native applications preparing for deployment, including Oroswap, an AI-powered conversational DEX; Valdora Finance, a native liquid staking protocol; Permapod, a lending protocol designed to accept RWAs as collateral; and Nawa Finance, a Sharia-compliant DeFi aggregator. These projects represent the early wave of builders leveraging ZIGChain’s infrastructure to bring new decentralized financial tools to market.

    With this foundation in place, ZIGChain will begin rolling out critical infrastructure components, including the ZIGChain Hub for staking and validation, cross-chain bridges to support $ZIG token migration, and the activation of its validator network. These features will be deployed in phases to ensure stability, security, and long-term scalability.

    By anchoring real-world assets, ethical finance, and AI-First infrastructure within a Layer 1, ZIGChain is positioning itself to support the next evolution of decentralized capital markets. The chain’s vision is clear: build the infrastructure now for what serious builders and institutional users will demand tomorrow, while ensuring that these systems are equally accessible to everyone. By putting inclusivity at the heart of its mission, ZIGChain is paving the way for a more equitable and truly global financial future.

    Learn more about ZIGChain by visiting zigchain.com

    About ZIGChain

    ZIGChain is a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain designed to democratize access to investment opportunities, facilitate financial inclusion regardless of income level, technical skill, or geographic location. ZIGChain enables developers and institutions to launch scalable, compliant protocols for profit-sharing, fund tokenization, and real-world asset management.

    Its ecosystem includes Zignaly, a licensed social investment platform connecting over 600,000 users with more than 150 professional portfolio managers. ZIGChain also supports Zamanat, the world’s first Shariah-compliant real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform, combining ethical finance with programmable blockchain infrastructure. 

    Disclaimer: Zamanat is a separate app built on ZIGChain. ZIGChain itself is not a Shariah compliant blockchain network. 

    For more information about ZIGChain, please visit zigchain.com

    Media Contacts:
    Jacob Galland 

    Luna PR
    jake@lunapr.io

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Blue Navy Recovery Celebrates 200 successful unclaimed property recovery cases in California and Georgia, $6 Million in Recovered Funds

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Irvine, CA, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue Navy Recovery, a leading unclaimed property recovery firm operating in California and Georgia, today announced the successful completion of 200 client claims, totaling over $6 million in recovered funds. This milestone reflects not just the company’s operational efficiency, but also the growing awareness around reclaiming dormant assets that many individuals may not realize are legally theirs.

    Service features displayed on Blue Navy Recovery’s website, highlighting unclaimed property recovery support for clients in California and Georgia.

    The firm’s approach to unclaimed property recovery is rooted in accessibility, compliance, and clarity. Blue Navy Recovery provides comprehensive support—from document preparation to direct communication with state agencies—removing the burdens typically associated with navigating bureaucratic systems. With no upfront charges and a compensation model based solely on successful recoveries, the service is designed to be risk-free and approachable for claimants at any income level. The company’s recent launch was covered by prominent publishers like Business Insider and Yahoo! Finance.

    Blue Navy Recovery has worked with hundreds of individuals who had no prior knowledge that the state was holding funds in their name. These include old bank accounts, unclaimed insurance proceeds, utility refunds, and more. Verified client reviews on platforms like Google and Yelp highlight the impact of Blue Navy’s work. Additionally, those interested in a deeper look at specific case stories can explore verified client experiences shared via publicly available reviews and testimonials.

    “Reaching 200 successful cases is a meaningful benchmark,” said David Dorfman, Managing Partner at Blue Navy Recovery. “Every claim represents not just a number, but a person reconnecting with assets that had slipped through the cracks. It’s a privilege to facilitate those outcomes.”

    The company was born from firsthand frustration with state-run recovery systems and has since built a streamlined, secure model designed around user ease and institutional trust. Claimants have access to a secure and user-friendly client process and support materials to streamline the process of recovering unclaimed funds within each state’s state-specific recovery process.

    To learn more about unclaimed property recovery in California or Georgia, visit Blue Navy Recovery. For a closer look at previous case outcomes and claimant experiences, see Blue Navy Recovery testimonials hosted on the company’s official website.

    Overview of Blue Navy Recovery’s mission and unclaimed property recovery services for clients in California and Georgia.

    About Blue Navy Recovery

    Blue Navy Recovery is a professional unclaimed property recovery firm that helps individuals and families recover lost or forgotten funds held by the state. With deep experience navigating the claims process in California and Georgia, we’ve helped return millions of dollars to rightful owners. We handle the paperwork, follow-ups, and filing — so you don’t have to. Our team only collects a percentage of the recovered amount, with no upfront cost. 

    Press inquiries

    Blue Navy Recovery
    https://www.bluenavy.org
    David Dorfman
    david@bluenavy.org
    (619) 215-1972

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Blue Navy Recovery Celebrates 200 successful unclaimed property recovery cases in California and Georgia, $6 Million in Recovered Funds

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Irvine, CA, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue Navy Recovery, a leading unclaimed property recovery firm operating in California and Georgia, today announced the successful completion of 200 client claims, totaling over $6 million in recovered funds. This milestone reflects not just the company’s operational efficiency, but also the growing awareness around reclaiming dormant assets that many individuals may not realize are legally theirs.

    Service features displayed on Blue Navy Recovery’s website, highlighting unclaimed property recovery support for clients in California and Georgia.

    The firm’s approach to unclaimed property recovery is rooted in accessibility, compliance, and clarity. Blue Navy Recovery provides comprehensive support—from document preparation to direct communication with state agencies—removing the burdens typically associated with navigating bureaucratic systems. With no upfront charges and a compensation model based solely on successful recoveries, the service is designed to be risk-free and approachable for claimants at any income level. The company’s recent launch was covered by prominent publishers like Business Insider and Yahoo! Finance.

    Blue Navy Recovery has worked with hundreds of individuals who had no prior knowledge that the state was holding funds in their name. These include old bank accounts, unclaimed insurance proceeds, utility refunds, and more. Verified client reviews on platforms like Google and Yelp highlight the impact of Blue Navy’s work. Additionally, those interested in a deeper look at specific case stories can explore verified client experiences shared via publicly available reviews and testimonials.

    “Reaching 200 successful cases is a meaningful benchmark,” said David Dorfman, Managing Partner at Blue Navy Recovery. “Every claim represents not just a number, but a person reconnecting with assets that had slipped through the cracks. It’s a privilege to facilitate those outcomes.”

    The company was born from firsthand frustration with state-run recovery systems and has since built a streamlined, secure model designed around user ease and institutional trust. Claimants have access to a secure and user-friendly client process and support materials to streamline the process of recovering unclaimed funds within each state’s state-specific recovery process.

    To learn more about unclaimed property recovery in California or Georgia, visit Blue Navy Recovery. For a closer look at previous case outcomes and claimant experiences, see Blue Navy Recovery testimonials hosted on the company’s official website.

    Overview of Blue Navy Recovery’s mission and unclaimed property recovery services for clients in California and Georgia.

    About Blue Navy Recovery

    Blue Navy Recovery is a professional unclaimed property recovery firm that helps individuals and families recover lost or forgotten funds held by the state. With deep experience navigating the claims process in California and Georgia, we’ve helped return millions of dollars to rightful owners. We handle the paperwork, follow-ups, and filing — so you don’t have to. Our team only collects a percentage of the recovered amount, with no upfront cost. 

    Press inquiries

    Blue Navy Recovery
    https://www.bluenavy.org
    David Dorfman
    david@bluenavy.org
    (619) 215-1972

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Riding the Wind and Waves: XRP and DRML Miner Usher in a New Era of Cloud Mining

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The digital finance landscape is changing rapidly, and so are the income opportunities. At the forefront of this change are XRP and DRML Miner, offering a new way to participate in cryptocurrency mining using cloud mining services. No technical skills, no expensive equipment—just a streamlined way to start generating income from day one.

    With cutting-edge infrastructure and user-first policies, DRML Miner and XRP are not just riding the wave of crypto innovation—they’re building the future of mining.

    DRML Miner: Powering Passive Income with Zero Upfront Costs

    What sets DRML Miner apart is its zero-cost entry model. Unlike traditional mining setups that require a heavy initial investment and deep technical know-how, DRML Miner allows anyone to begin mining instantly, with no financial commitment.

    Users can:

    • Register within minutes
    • Start earning without deposits
    • Withdraw daily rewards with ease
    • Earn additional income through referrals

    The platform is user-friendly, secure, and scalable enough for all people—from crypto newbies to experienced investors.

    Consistent Daily Returns, Designed for Growth

    The primary appeal of DRML Miner is stable and recurring profit potential. Free-tier users earn daily, while premium plan users can earn up to 8% daily returns, depending on the plan details. Your earnings are deposited daily into your digital wallet, with no need to check. It is a completely automatic setup designed for consistency and transparency in payments.

    The structure encourages strategic scaling. Users can start with free mining and gradually upgrade as they grow more confident in the system’s profitability.

    Maximize Revenue with a Smart Referral Program

    DRML Miner features a multi-level referral system that transforms your network into a reliable income source. Sharing your referral link lets you earn a percentage of your invitees’ profits—creating a self-sustaining cycle of passive revenue.

    Unlike platforms with rigid requirements, DRML allows any user to benefit from referrals immediately. No special status or qualifications are needed.

    Whether you refer to one person or a hundred, the system tracks and rewards your efforts efficiently.

    XRP: The Ultimate Asset for Fast, Efficient Transactions

    XRP is more than a digital currency—it’s a powerful asset that enhances cloud mining infrastructure. Known for its speed, low transaction costs, and global reach, XRP ensures that DRML users experience:

    • Rapid deposits and withdrawals
    • Minimal transaction fees
    • Cross-border access without restrictions
    • Real-time financial interactions

    Its integration into the DRML platform empowers users to access, transfer, and reinvest their profits seamlessly.

    Fortified Security and Real-Time Transparency

    Trust and security are at the core of DRML Miner’ mission. The platform implements:

    • Bank-grade encryption
    • Two-factor authentication (2FA)
    • Detailed transaction records
    • Real-time monitoring dashboards

    Users can track performance, withdrawals, and referrals without delay. The platform’s transparent model ensures you remain in control of your finances at every stage.

    Global Access with Local Convenience

    DRML Miner is built for accessibility. There are no regional restrictions, making it available to a truly global audience. Any individual with an internet connection can join and begin mining.

    The path to global access is paired with a multilingual interface and professional response support, allowing people from different parts of the world to have the experience they desire.

    Cloud mining is now available to all users, from humble beginnings on a mountaintop to every major city in the world. It’s an opportunity open to all.

    Eco-Friendly and Scalable by Design

    Beyond profitability, DRML Miner aligns with today’s sustainable tech goals. Cloud mining absolutely cuts down energy consumption, and eliminates hardware waste and wasted electricity. 

    The system scales easily as demand increases, allowing thousands of users to mine at the same time without hindering performance and retained returns.

    Get Started: Simple Steps to Financial Freedom

    Embarking on your cloud mining journey with DRML Miner takes just a few steps:

    1. Create an account on the platform.
    2. Begin mining immediately as a free user.
    3. Choose to upgrade for higher daily returns.
    4. Share your referral link to grow your income.
    5. Withdraw earnings anytime, instantly and securely.

    It’s a future-proof model, eliminating the friction that has historically discouraged people from entering the crypto mining space.

    Conclusion: Embrace a Smarter, More Inclusive Mining Economy

    DRML Miner and XRP are building the future of cloud mining. This platform offers transparency, speed, and low-risk income for everyone—whether you’re a beginner or a pro.

    It’s not just another crypto service. It’s a step forward into a more inclusive and profitable mining economy.

    Start your journey now. Visit https://drmlminer.com and unlock daily rewards without investment.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Innovator Launches Industry’s First Dual Directional Buffer ETFs™

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WHEATON, Ill., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Innovator Capital Management, LLC (Innovator), the pioneer of Defined Outcome ETFs™, builds on its track record of category-defining innovation with the launch of the industry’s first Dual Directional Buffer ETFs™. These first-of-their-kind funds are designed to offer the potential for positive returns in both up or down equity markets over a one-year outcome period.

    New ETFs:

    • Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF™ – July (DDTL)
    • Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF™ – July (DDFL)

    The Funds have characteristics unlike many other traditional investment products and may not be suitable for all investors. For more information regarding whether an investment in the Funds is right for you, please see “Investor Suitability” in the prospectus.

    Key Features:

    • Return potential in up or down markets – Provide 1:1 upside when the reference asset is positive, to a cap, and provide positive returns in negative markets, within the inverse performance threshold, before fees and expenses.
    • Defined outcome structure – Investors have known upside potential and built-in buffers prior to investing.
    • ETF benefits – Delivering options strategies within an ETF wrapper provides daily liquidity, full pricing transparency, tax efficiency1, and no credit risk2.

    How They Work

    In the case of the Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF™ – July (DDFL), the market could finish the annual period down 15%, while DDFL is designed to be up 15% gross of fees and expenses.

    Defined Outcome ETFs™ use options to mirror the performance of the underlying asset. Dual Directional Buffer ETFs™ build upon that innovation with an additional layer of options that enable the fund to deliver positive returns in negative markets, in exchange for capped upside return potential. Similar strategies have previously been locked behind high fees and illiquid investment vehicles, such as structured notes.

    “In their search for risk mitigation and diversification, investors have pinned their hopes on alts, bonds, or active management to provide positive returns in up or down markets, but few of these strategies deliver. Dual Directional Buffer ETFs™ offer a transparent alternative,” said Graham Day, Chief Investment Officer at Innovator. “These funds put consistent, knowable positive returns within reach. In fact, a 15% Dual Directional Buffer would have delivered positive returns in 75% of negative historical markets3.”

    Market Scenario: Sought-After Return Profile:
    Positive Market Tracks SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust (SPY) return 1:1, up to a predetermined cap.
    Negative Market Delivers inverse SPY return 1:1, up to an inverse cap.
    Very Negative Market A built-in buffer protects against deep market declines.
       

    Fund Overview

    Ticker Fund Name Upside Cap Inverse Cap Buffer Level Exposure Expense Ratio
    DDTL Innovator Equity Dual Directional 10 Buffer ETF™ – July 12.59% 10% 10% SPY 0.79%
    DDFL Innovator Equity Dual Directional 15 Buffer ETF™ – July 8.79% 15% 15% SPY 0.79%

    The upside cap, inverse cap, and buffer are shown gross of each Fund’s fees and expenses.

    A Proven Track Record

    Innovator made history in 2018 with the world’s first Buffer ETF™, and since then has built the largest suite of Defined Outcome ETFs™. Currently, Innovator has over 150 offerings with more than $25 billion in AUM as of May 31, 2025. Dual Directional Buffer ETFs™ are a natural evolution, delivering legacy options strategies within the transparency and accessibility of the ETF wrapper.

    “Our clients understand the value of defined outcomes,” Day added. “With Dual Directional Buffer ETFs™, we’re enabling them to aim for upside in positive and negative scenarios, while knowing their downside risk.”


    About Innovator Capital Management, LLC
    Founded by Bruce Bond and John Southard—pioneers behind the PowerShares ETF family—Innovator has revolutionized Defined Outcome investing since 2018. Innovator continues to drive innovation in risk‑managed equity exposure through proprietary, Defined Outcome ETF™ strategies.

    Contact:
    Frank Taylor / Stephanie Dressler
    (646) 808‑3647 / (949) 269‑2535
    innovator@dlpr.com


    1 ETFs use creation units, which allow for the purchase and sale of assets in the Funds collectively. Consequently, ETFs usually generate fewer capital gain distributions overall, which can make them somewhat more tax-efficient than mutual funds.

    2 ETFs are not backed by the faith and credit of an issuing institution, so they are not exposed to credit risk.

    3 Source: Bloomberg, Innovator. Data from 12/31/1957 – 3/31/2025. Rolling one year performance of the S&P 500 Price Return Index (SPX) was analyzed for all periods resulting in a loss. 75% percent represents the portion of 12-month periods during which SPX returns were between 0 – -15%. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. One cannot invest directly in an index. Index performance does not account for fees and expenses.

    The Outcomes may only be realized by investors who continuously hold shares from the commencement of the Outcome Period until its conclusion. Investors who purchase shares after the Outcome Period has begun or sell shares prior to the Outcome Period’s conclusion may experience investment returns that are very different from those that the Funds seek to provide.

    The Funds face numerous risks including buffered loss risk, capped upside return risk, inverse performance risk, Outcome Period risk, upside cap change risk, upside participation risk, liquidity risk, management risk, non-diversification risk, operation risk, trading issues risk, and valuation risk, among others. For a detailed list of Fund risks see each prospectus.

    Fund shareholders are subject to an upside return cap (the “Cap”) that represents the maximum percentage return an investor can achieve from an investment in the Fund for the Outcome Period, before fees and expenses. If the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has increased in value to a level near the Cap, an investor purchasing shares at that price has little or no ability to achieve gains but remains vulnerable to downside risks. The Cap may rise or fall from one Outcome Period to the next. The Cap, and the Fund’s position relative to it, should be considered before investing in the Fund. The Funds’ website, www.innovatoretfs.com, provides important Fund information as well information relating to the potential outcomes of an investment in a Fund on a daily basis.

    The Funds seek to provide positive returns equal to the absolute value of the reference asset’s price decreases (Inverse Performance) if the reference asset experiences negative returns that are less than or equal to the Inverse Performance Threshold. If the reference asset decreases in value beyond the Inverse Performance Threshold over the course of the Outcome Period, the Funds will not provide any positive returns. Accordingly, each Fund’s value could drop significantly as a result of its Inverse Performance Threshold being exceeded at the end of the Outcome Period whereby any gains experienced by the Fund will be lost, and the buffer will be provided to shareholders. Furthermore, if the Outcome Period has begun and the reference asset has decreased in value below its initial value at the start of the Outcome Period, an investor purchasing shares at this point may not experience Inverse Performance to the extent of the Inverse Performance Threshold and will remain vulnerable to downside risks.

    If the reference asset experiences losses over the course of the Outcome Period that exceed the Inverse Performance Threshold, the Funds seek to provide a buffer, up to each Fund’s respective buffer level, against reference asset losses during the Outcome Period.

    If an investor is considering purchasing shares during the Outcome Period, and the Fund has already decreased in value by an amount that exceeds the Inverse Performance Threshold, an investor purchasing shares at that price will have increased gains available prior to reaching the Upside Cap but may not benefit from the buffer that each Fund seeks to provide for the remainder of the Outcome Period as any subsequent losses will be experienced on a one-to-one basis. Conversely, if an investor is considering purchasing shares during the Outcome Period and the Funds have already increased in value, then a shareholder may experience losses that exceed their buffer, which is not guaranteed.

    The Funds will not terminate after the conclusion of the Outcome Period. After the conclusion of the Outcome Period, another will begin. There is no guarantee that the Outcomes for an Outcome Period will be realized.

    FLEX Options Risk. The Funds will utilize FLEX Options issued and guaranteed for settlement by the OCC (Options Clearing Corporation). In the unlikely event that the OCC becomes insolvent or is otherwise unable to meet its settlement obligations, the Funds could suffer significant losses. Additionally, FLEX Options may be less liquid than standard options. In a less liquid market for the FLEX Options, the Funds may have difficulty closing out certain FLEX Options positions at desired times and prices.

    The Funds’ investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses should be considered before investing. The prospectus and summary prospectus contains this and other important information, and it may be obtained at innovatoretfs.com. Read it carefully before investing.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Innovator ETFs® are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

    The following marks: Accelerated ETFs®, Accelerated Plus ETF®, Accelerated Return ETFs®, Barrier ETF®, Buffer ETF™, Defined Income ETF™, Defined Outcome Bond ETF®, Defined Outcome ETFs™, Defined Protection ETF®, Define Your Future®, Enhanced ETF™, Floor ETF®, Innovator ETFs®, Leading the Defined Outcome ETF Revolution™, Managed Buffer ETFs®, Managed Outcome ETFs®, Step-Up™, Step-Up ETFs®, 100% Buffer ETFs™ and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans are the trademarks of Innovator Capital Management, LLC, its affiliates or licensors. Use of these terms is strictly prohibited without proper written authorization.

    Copyright © 2025 Innovator Capital Management, LLC. All rights reserved.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Test Boost Max: This Legal Testosterone Supplement For Men Now Available in USA

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NY, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In an era where men’s health is at the forefront of the wellness conversation, Test Boost Max by Sculpt Nation has rapidly emerged as one of the most talked-about natural testosterone support supplements in the U.S. market. With consumers increasingly seeking solutions that enhance vitality, energy, and hormonal balance without synthetic ingredients, the growing momentum behind Test Boost Max marks a significant shift in how testosterone support is being approached.

    Positioned as a plant-powered formula that targets the body’s natural testosterone production, Test Boost Max has gained traction not through hype, but by aligning its formulation with scientific findings and time-tested herbal components. The supplement’s blend of botanicals, adaptogens, and minerals has drawn attention not only from fitness-minded consumers, but also from physicians, wellness professionals, and clinical nutritionists who are witnessing increased demand for natural alternatives to hormone therapy.

    Addressing a Quiet Epidemic: The Testosterone Decline in Modern Men

    According to the official product website (https:://sculptnation.com/) Testosterone levels in men have been gradually declining over the past few decades. While aging remains a natural factor, modern lifestyle stressors—ranging from chronic sleep deprivation and poor dietary habits to environmental toxins and sedentary routines—have exacerbated hormonal imbalances across age groups. According to recent data published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, men today produce significantly less testosterone than men of the same age just 30 years ago.

    In this context, Test Boost Max is not marketed as a quick fix, but as part of a larger wellness framework that prioritizes stress management, movement, and nutritional support. Sculpt Nation emphasizes that the product was never designed to mimic synthetic testosterone or replace hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Instead, the supplement supports endocrine function by addressing the upstream mechanisms that influence testosterone levels.

    Inside the Formula: A Science-Grounded Approach

    The proprietary blend behind Test Boost Max is built around a core belief: the body’s hormonal systems respond best to natural compounds that have evolved alongside human biology. The formulation includes ingredients such as Ashwagandha root extract (KSM-66), Longjack (Tongkat Ali), Tribulus Terrestris, Epimedium, American Ginseng, Cordyceps, and Hawthorn Berry.

    Each ingredient was selected based on peer-reviewed research that supports its individual ability to affect stress, energy, libido, muscle performance, or hormonal signaling. For example, Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce cortisol levels—a known antagonist of testosterone—while also increasing serum testosterone in male subjects undergoing strength training. Tongkat Ali, meanwhile, has earned recognition in both Western and Southeast Asian medical communities for its potential to increase free testosterone and enhance energy metabolism.

    “What’s unique about Test Boost Max is the synergy,” explained Dr. Brandon Carr, an integrative health specialist not affiliated with the company. “These ingredients don’t just operate in isolation. Together, they create a broader effect—lowering stress, improving sleep quality, optimizing metabolic function—that all converge on hormonal health.”

    Sculpt Nation’s research and development team worked with clinical advisors to calibrate dosages to align with those tested in human trials. The aim, they say, was to balance safety with physiological efficacy—something often overlooked in overcrowded supplement categories where ingredient stuffing is more common than scientific restraint.

    View official website for latest pricing and promotions

    Natural Doesn’t Mean Passive: Results Without the Risks

    One of the reasons Test Boost Max has attracted attention in 2025 is because it operates within a unique space in men’s health: powerful enough to support results, yet gentle enough to respect the body’s own regulatory systems. With no synthetic hormones, banned substances, or pharmaceutical additives, it avoids many of the risks associated with testosterone replacement therapy, which can include fertility disruption, acne, mood instability, and cardiovascular strain.

    Early consumer data collected by Sculpt Nation suggests a favorable profile:

    • Men using the supplement for 60 days or more reported noticeable improvements in energy, sexual performance, strength, and lean muscle development.
    • Anecdotal feedback has highlighted a sense of renewed motivation and physical resilience, particularly in individuals aged 35 and above.

    Still, the company remains cautious not to overpromise. “We’re not here to sell magic pills,” said Dimond. “Test Boost Max is most effective when combined with movement, nutrition, and lifestyle adjustments. It’s a catalyst—not a cure-all.”

    Navigating a Crowded Market

    The U.S. supplement industry surpassed $60 billion in annual revenue in 2024, with male performance and hormonal health categories among the fastest growing segments. With competition from legacy brands and newer digital-first startups, it’s difficult for any one product to cut through the noise.

    However, Test Boost Max appears to be achieving just that—not by reinventing the wheel, but by refining it. The formula doesn’t overwhelm with dozens of unproven ingredients. It doesn’t rely on influencer gimmicks. It doesn’t bombard the body with megadoses. Instead, it does something rare: it respects the intelligence of the modern consumer.

    Its rising success may also be partially due to Sculpt Nation’s larger ecosystem. As the supplement arm of V Shred, a digital fitness brand known for personalized training programs, Sculpt Nation has access to an existing audience of millions already tuned into strength, performance, and transformation. For many of these customers, Test Boost Max serves as a natural extension of the lifestyle changes they’ve already adopted.

    No Gimmicks, Just Guarantees

    Perhaps the most striking move by Sculpt Nation was its decision to back Test Boost Max with a 100% lifetime money-back guarantee. Unlike the standard 30- or 60-day windows, this policy removes the pressure for immediate results and encourages long-term use, which aligns with how natural supplements often work.

    “We’re confident in what we’ve built,” said CEO Vinnie Fisher in a previous statement. “If someone doesn’t feel a meaningful difference, even after months or years, they deserve a refund. It’s that simple.”

    The gesture has been well received across industry forums, with many seeing it as a bold but welcome pivot toward accountability in the wellness supplement space.

    How Does Test Boost Max Work?

    According to the official product website, Test Boost Max is formulated to support the body’s endogenous testosterone production by enhancing the signaling pathways and physiological conditions that naturally encourage hormone synthesis. Instead of introducing synthetic testosterone, the product seeks to optimize the environment in which the body produces its own.
    The formula primarily works through several complementary mechanisms:
    Reducing Cortisol and Stress Load: Ingredients like Ashwagandha have been clinically shown to lower cortisol levels. Since cortisol has an inverse relationship with testosterone, reducing stress hormones helps preserve and potentially elevate testosterone levels.
    Improving Sleep Quality and Recovery: Many users of Test Boost Max report better sleep. Since testosterone is primarily produced during deep sleep, improving sleep quality can have a measurable effect on hormonal output.
    Stimulating Leydig Cell Activity: Longjack and Tribulus Terrestris are thought to stimulate the Leydig cells in the testes—the very cells responsible for testosterone synthesis—thereby nudging the body to produce more testosterone naturally.
    Supporting Circulation and Nutrient Delivery: With adaptogens like Epimedium and circulation-enhancing herbs like Hawthorn Berry, the formula helps improve blood flow, ensuring key nutrients are effectively delivered to the endocrine system.
    Enhancing Free Testosterone Availability: Some ingredients work by reducing the action of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), a protein that binds to testosterone and makes it unavailable. By reducing SHBG’s effects, more testosterone remains bioavailable.
    Together, these mechanisms enable Test Boost Max to create an internal environment conducive to hormonal balance and performance, rather than forcing an artificial response.

    View official website for more information

    Consumer Caution & Professional Guidance

    Despite its natural composition, Test Boost Max isn’t designed for everyone. Men with hormone-sensitive conditions, those on medication, or individuals with a history of endocrine disorders should consult a medical professional before using any testosterone-related supplement. Sculpt Nation includes this guidance on its packaging and insists that responsible supplementation starts with awareness.

    “We always recommend people consult their doctors—not because we doubt our product, but because every person’s health landscape is different,” said Dimond.

    Healthcare professionals, including naturopaths and performance dietitians, have echoed this stance. Some practitioners are beginning to integrate products like Test Boost Max into broader protocols, particularly in cases where patients seek natural alternatives to traditional hormone therapies.

    Looking to the Future

    With a growing body of data, increasing consumer awareness, and positive early outcomes, Test Boost Max seems well positioned for longevity in an otherwise trend-heavy market. Sculpt Nation has hinted at possible clinical collaborations in 2026 to study the supplement’s long-term effects in controlled populations—a move that could further solidify its credibility and differentiate it from opportunistic copycats.

    As wellness trends evolve in the post-pandemic era, the importance of hormone health is being redefined. Where testosterone was once whispered about behind closed doors, it is now part of a larger conversation about mood, motivation, metabolic resilience, and quality of life. Products like Test Boost Max are stepping into that conversation not as magic bullets, but as tools—respectful of science, rooted in nature, and oriented around sustainable results.

    About Sculpt Nation

    Sculpt Nation is a premium supplement brand founded by the creators of V Shred, a digital fitness platform with over 10 million users globally. Focused on science-driven formulations and high-quality ingredients, Sculpt Nation develops performance supplements that support fat loss, muscle building, hormonal balance, and total wellness. All products are manufactured in the USA and third-party tested for purity and safety. With a mission to bring transparency, accountability, and real results to the supplement space, Sculpt Nation is redefining the way people approach performance nutrition.

    For more information, educational content, and direct purchasing, visit the official Test Boost Max website.

    Contact:

    https:://sculptnation.com/
    V Shred
    4530 S Decatur Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89103
    support@vshred.com

    Disclaimer The information provided in this review is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered a substitute for, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your physician or another qualified healthcare provider before beginning any new supplement, dietary change, or health program—especially if you are pregnant, nursing, have existing health conditions, or are taking medications. Results may vary among individuals.
    The statements made regarding Test Boost Max have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Test Boost Max is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Any claims made within this article about symptom relief, hearing improvement, or related health benefits are based on the product’s formulation and individual testimonials and not on conclusive clinical evidence. 
    This content does not constitute professional health or medical advice and should not be interpreted as such. Readers should always perform their own due diligence and consult medical professionals before making decisions related to health products.

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    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: JA Mining Launches Advanced Cloud Mining Platform to Democratize Profitability

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, UK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  JA Mining, officially JA Financial Services Ltd, a reputable UK company with FCA certification, was established in 2004. It has now confirmed that it is offering extra services. The site will provide a secure and easy means for individuals to invest in cryptocurrency mining and earn money passively. This will be a new standard for equitable profit-sharing in the global cloud mining market.

    JA Mining is looking to provide a new mining experience with the latest ASIC and GPU mining hardware and a very simple interface. The platform is designed to remove the ‘pain points’ of cryptocurrency mining, which are buying of equipment, regular maintenance, and high energy costs, which lead to unnecessary energy expenses. Consequently, users can easily increase their digital portfolios.

    “Our mission at JA Mining has always been to make the immense potential of cryptocurrency mining accessible to everyone, regardless of their technical expertise or investment size,” stated a spokesperson for JA Mining. ” We believe our progressive approach, modern facilities, and transparency mean we have a unique opportunity to support everyone in finding another way to increase their wealth and participate in a fairer digital economy.”

    Key Perks of Choosing JA Mining:

    • AI-Powered Optimization: Based on present time market variations and computing conditions, a modern autonomous system is enhanced by JAMining to strongly choose the most profitable coins and tactics. No matter the changing market conditions, our expert system aims to increase profits while staying efficient.
    • Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Operations: JA Mining has more than 100 data centers in Europe, North America, and Asia, which use clean energy from sources like solar and wind. This eco-friendly method helps the environment and improves efficiency over time.
    • Stable User Experience: Getting started is as simple as a few clicks, thanks to the user-friendly design. Users can choose from a variety of mining contracts, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin, and begin earning daily rewards directly to their accounts. No hardware or technical setup is necessary.
    • Robust Security Measures: It emphasizes the security of user funds and data as the platform implements multi-layer security protocols, including cold wallet storage for most funds, and it is also protected by industry-leading solutions like McAfee® and Cloudflare®.
    • Bonus and Referral Rewards for New Users: For referring your friends to the platform, users can earn upto bonuses of 5% to 7% as a part of this referral scheme. JA Mining is also giving a $100 bonus to every new user when they sign up.
    • FCA-Certified and Transparent: JAMining strictly follows all regulatory guidelines as an FCA-approved provider, which fosters an open, compliant operating environment for our international users.

    JA Mining’s continuous innovation and dedication to a user-first approach underscore its position as a leader in the cloud mining industry, enabling more individuals to participate in and benefit from the growth of digital assets.

    About JA Mining: Headquartered in the United Kingdom, and FCA-certified cloud mining provider JA Mining (JA Financial Services Ltd.), the company has provided safe and profitable ways to invest in cryptocurrency mining since 2004. They focus on being naturally friendly and making it easy for users. It operates energy-saving data centers around the world and offers a platform where users can easily earn money from algorithmic resources.

    To get started or learn more, visit jamining.com

    Media Contact:
    Full Name: Anna W Hitchens
    Position: Manager
    Phone: +44 7751696528
    Email: info@jamining.com
    Website: https://jamining.com

    Company Address:
    JA Financial Services Limited, 11 The Elms, Leek Wootton, Warwick, England, CV35 7RR, London, UK

    Disclaimer: This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, legal advice, or investment recommendations. Stock Trading involves risk and market volatility. Please research or consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions. Jamining.com and associated parties are not liable for any financial loss incurred.

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    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Global: Toxic fungus from King Tutankhamun’s tomb yields cancer-fighting compounds – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Justin Stebbing, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University

    Miro Varcek / Shutterstock.com

    In November 1922, archaeologist Howard Carter peered through a small hole into the sealed tomb of King Tutankhamun. When asked if he could see anything, he replied: “Yes, wonderful things.” Within months, however, Carter’s financial backer Lord Carnarvon was dead from a mysterious illness. Over the following years, several other members of the excavation team would meet similar fates, fuelling legends of the “pharaoh’s curse” that have captivated the public imagination for just over a century.

    For decades, these mysterious deaths were attributed to supernatural forces. But modern science has revealed a more likely culprit: a toxic fungus known as Aspergillus flavus. Now, in an unexpected twist, this same deadly organism is being transformed into a powerful new weapon in the fight against cancer.

    Aspergillus flavus is a common mould found in soil, decaying vegetation and stored grains. It is infamous for its ability to survive in harsh environments, including the sealed chambers of ancient tombs, where it can lie dormant for thousands of years.

    When disturbed, the fungus releases spores that can cause severe respiratory infections, particularly in people with weakened immune systems. This may explain the so-called “curse” of King Tutankhamun and similar incidents, such as the deaths of several scientists who entered the tomb of Casimir IV in Poland in the 1970s. In both cases, investigations later found that A flavus was present, and its toxins were probably responsible for the illnesses and deaths.

    Despite its deadly reputation, Aspergillus flavus is now at the centre of a remarkable scientific finding. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that this fungus produces a unique class of molecules with the potential to fight cancer.

    These molecules belong to a group called ribosomally synthesised and post-translationally modified peptides, or RiPPs. RiPPs are made by the ribosome – the cell’s protein factory – and are later chemically altered to enhance their function.

    While thousands of RiPPs have been identified in bacteria, only a handful have been found in fungi – until now.

    The process of finding these fungal RiPPs was far from simple. The research team screened a dozen different strains or types of aspergillus, searching for chemical clues that might indicate the presence of these promising molecules. Aspergillus flavus quickly stood out as a prime candidate.

    The researchers compared the chemicals from different fungal strains to known RiPP compounds and found promising matches. To confirm their discovery, they switched off the relevant genes and, sure enough, the target chemicals vanished, proving they had found the source.

    Purifying these chemicals proved to be a significant challenge. However, this complexity is also what gives fungal RiPPs their remarkable biological activity.

    The team eventually succeeded in isolating four different RiPPs from Aspergillus flavus. These molecules shared a unique structure of interlocking rings, a feature that had never been described before. The researchers named these new compounds “asperigimycins”, after the fungus in which they were found.

    The next step was to test these asperigimycins against human cancer cells. In some cases, they stopped the growth of cancer cells, suggesting that asperigimycins could one day become a new treatment for certain types of cancer.

    The team also worked out how these chemicals get inside cancer cells. This discovery is significant because many chemicals, like asperigimycins, have medicinal properties but struggle to enter cells in large enough quantities to be useful. Knowing that particular fats (lipids) can enhance this process gives scientists a new tool for drug development.

    Further experiments revealed that asperigimycins probably disrupt the process of cell division in cancer cells. Cancer cells divide uncontrollably, and these compounds appear to block the formation of microtubules, the scaffolding inside cells that are essential for cell division.

    Tremendous untapped potential

    This disruption is specific to certain types of cells, so this may in turn reduce the risk of side-effects. But the discovery of asperigimycins is just the beginning. The researchers also identified similar clusters of genes in other fungi, suggesting that many more fungal RiPPs remain to be discovered.

    Almost all the fungal RiPPs found so far have strong biological activity, making this an area with tremendous untapped potential. The next step is to test asperigimycins in other systems and models, with the hope of eventually moving to human clinical trials. If successful, these molecules could join the ranks of other fungal-derived medicines, such as penicillin, which revolutionised modern medicine.

    The story of Aspergillus flavus is a powerful example of how nature can be both a source of danger and a wellspring of healing. For centuries, this fungus was feared as a silent killer lurking in ancient tombs, responsible for mysterious deaths and the legend of the pharaoh’s curse. Today, scientists are turning that fear into hope, harnessing the same deadly spores to create life-saving medicines.

    This transformation, from curse to cure, highlights the importance of continued exploration and innovation in the natural world. Nature has in fact provided us with an incredible pharmacy, filled with compounds that can heal as well as harm. It is up to scientists and engineers to uncover these secrets, using the latest technologies to identify, modify and test new molecules for their potential to treat disease.

    The discovery of asperigimycins is a reminder that even the most unlikely sources – such as a toxic tomb fungus – can hold the key to revolutionary new treatments. As researchers continue to explore the hidden world of fungi, who knows what other medical breakthroughs may lie just beneath the surface?

    Justin Stebbing 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. Toxic fungus from King Tutankhamun’s tomb yields cancer-fighting compounds – new study – https://theconversation.com/toxic-fungus-from-king-tutankhamuns-tomb-yields-cancer-fighting-compounds-new-study-259706

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: From Roman drains to ancient filters, these artefacts show how solutions to water contamination have evolved

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rosa Busquets, Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University

    Thirst: In Search of Freshwater, an exhibition at Wellcome Collection. Benjamin Gilbert., CC BY-NC-ND

    A new exhibition in London (open until February 2026) called Thirst: In search of freshwater highlights how civilisations have treasured – and been intrinsically linked to – safe, clean water.

    As a chemist, I research how freshwater is polluted by modern civilisation. Common contaminants in rivers include pharmaceuticals,
    microplastics
    (which degrade further when exposed to sunlight and wave power), and forever chemicals or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (some of which are carcinogenic).

    Synthetic toxic chemicals are introduced into the environment from the products we make, use and dispose of. This wasn’t a problem centuries ago, where we had a totally different manufacturing industry and technologies.

    Some, such as PFAS from stain-resistant textiles or nonstick materials such as cookware, can be particularly difficult to remove from wastewater. PFAS don’t degrade easily, they resist conventional heat treatments and can easily pass through wastewater treatments, so they contaminate rivers or lakes that are sources of our drinking water.


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    Testing for pollutants is even more critical in developing nations that lack sanitation and face drought or flooding.
    Having to protect and conserve drinking water and its sources is as relevant today as it always has been.

    For this exhibition, curator at the Wellcome Collection in London, Janice Li, has selected 125 historical objects, photographs and feats of engineering that link to drought, rain, glaciers, rivers and lakes. These three artefacts from Thirst illustrate how our relationship with water contamination has evolved:

    1. Ancient water filters

    Made from natural materials such as clay, water jug filters have been used for hundreds of years in every continent by ancient civilisations. They show that purifying water for drinking was commonplace. The sand and soil particles that naturally get suspended in water and removed by these filters would have carried microbes.

    Water jug filters with Arabic inscription, found in Egypt, dating back to 900-1,200.
    Victoria and Albert Museum London/Wellcome Collection, CC BY-NC-ND

    But in ancient times, pharmaceuticals and other drugs, pesticides, forever chemicals and microplastics would not have been a problem. Those filters could work relatively well despite being made of simple materials with wide pores.

    Today, those ancient filters would no longer be effective. Modern water filters are made using more advanced materials which typically have small pores (called micropores and mesopores). For example, filters often include activated carbon (a highly porous type of carbon that can be manufactured to capture contaminants) or membranes that filter water. Only then is it safe for people to drink.




    Read more:
    Forever chemicals are in our drinking water – here’s how to reduce them


    2. Roman water pipes

    Lead water pipes (known as fistulae) were useful parts of a relatively advanced plumbing system that distributed drinking water throughout Roman cities. They are still common in water systems in our cities today. In the US, there are about 9.2 million lead service lines in use. Exposure to lead causes severe human health problems. Lead exposure, not necessarily from drinking water only, was attributed to more than 1.5 million deaths in 2021.

    A Roman lead water pipe that dates back to 1-300CE.
    Courtesy of Wellcome Collection/Science Museum Group., CC BY-NC-ND

    It’s now understood that lead is neurotoxic and it can diffuse or spread from the pipes to drinking water. Lead from paints and batteries, including car batteries, can also contaminate drinking water.

    To protect us from lead leaching or flaking off from pipes, some government agencies are calling for the replacement of lead pipes with copper or plastic pipes. Water companies routinely add phosphates (mined powder that contains phosphorus) to drinking water to help capture potential lead contamination and make it safe to drink.

    3. The horror of unhealthy water

    One caricature titled The Monster Soup by artist William Heath (1828) is part of the Wellcome Trust’s permanent collection. The graphics read “microcosms dedicated to the London Water companies” and “Monster soup, commonly called Thames Water being a correct representation of the precious stuff doled out to us”. The cartoon shows a lady so terrified at the sight of microbes in river water from the Thames that she drops her cup of tea.

    Monster Soup by William Heath.
    Courtesy of the Wellcome Collection., CC BY-NC-ND

    Even today, many people remain shocked at the toxic contamination in rivers and sewage pollution prevents people from swimming.

    By 2030, 2 billion people will still not have safely managed drinking water and 1.2 billion will lack basic hygiene services. Drinking water will still be contaminated by bacteria such as E. coli and other dangerous pathogens that cause waterborne diseases. So advancing technologies to filter out contamination will be just as crucial in the future as it has been in the past.


    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

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    Rosa Busquets receives funding from UKRI/ EU Horizons MSCA Staff exchanges Clean Water project 101131182, DASA, project ACC6093561. She is affiliated with Kingston University, UCL, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, UNEP EEAP.

    ref. From Roman drains to ancient filters, these artefacts show how solutions to water contamination have evolved – https://theconversation.com/from-roman-drains-to-ancient-filters-these-artefacts-show-how-solutions-to-water-contamination-have-evolved-253876

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Trump plays with new media says a lot about him – as it did with FDR, Kennedy and Obama

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sara Polak, University Lecturer in American Studies, Leiden University

    There is a strange and worrying parallel between the breakneck speed at which Donald Trump has operated in the first few months of his presidency and the ever-accelerating pace at which information moves on social media platforms. Where in his first term he used Twitter, now, the 47th US president is using his own platform, TruthSocial, to announce changes of direction that are sometimes so fundamental that they change decades of US policy.

    Social media has become a key tool of governing for Trump’s administration. He uses it both to make announcements and to drum up support for those announcements. His social media posts can move the markets and make or break careers. They can even, it seems, stop wars.

    So when he used TruthSocial to announce a ceasefire between Israel and Iran on June 23, giving the two countries a deadline to stop firing missiles, it appears that neither of the antagonists were fully aware of the situation, given they carried on attacking each other. So an all-caps message followed: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS,” he posted. “BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!” – adding, just in case anyone had any doubt he was serious: “DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”

    Trump’s use of his TruthSocial platform began as he sought to re-establish himself from the political wilderness after the insurrection of January 6 2021. It has now become a tool of his extreme power and his willingness to use (and abuse) it – globally as well as domestically.


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    He’s the latest in a string of US presidents known for their adroit use of whichever is the medium most guaranteed to connect with the greatest number of people. From Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt’s adept cultivation of print journalists in the early 20th century through Franklin D. Roosevelt’s comforting use of radio as it gained popularity and John F. Kennedy’s mastery of the rising medium of television, presidents have expanded their reach and influence through adept use of media.

    FDR’s “fireside chats”, broadcast on the radio throughout the US in the 1930s, reached an estimated 80% of the population, showing he understood the key media principle of reach. Roosevelt would address his listeners as “my friends” and Americans came to understand them as seemingly intimate conversations with their president.

    FDR dominated the airwaves at a time when many Americans hardly understood the important role that the federal government played in their own lives – and millions of households were only just getting mains electricity (thanks to the Rural Electrification Act of 1936). But radios were becoming a common mass medium and FDR perfectly understood how to use it. If you listen to the fireside chats, FDR may sound patrician – and at times formal – but his tone is also friendly, thoughtful and reassuring.

    In Germany at around the same time, Adolf Hitler’s massive stadium speeches were very effective for people who were in the stadium and being lifted by the intensity of the crowd and all the carefully thought out visual cues. But when broadcast on radio, Hitler had nothing like Roosevelt’s ability to connect with people on a personal level.

    Roosevelt was hardly the first leader – or even the first US president – to speak on the radio. But he was the first to master the medium. He figured out how to use its potential to deliver a key implicit message: that his government should and did take on a central role in people’s lives.

    Equally, John F. Kennedy can be said to have “discovered” political television. Not just as a medium for political campaigns, debates and speeches – but also for putting across to a mass audience his role as the embodiment of American decency, beauty and masculinity: JFK’s White House as Camelot.

    JFK was considered a master of the fast-growing medium of television.

    Both Roosevelt and Kennedy were in several ways physically disabled and lived with chronic illness, yet through the “new medium” of their time were able to project an image of quintessentially American strength and trustworthiness. In part this was their own doing – but it’s also a testament to the power of the media they used for their time.

    Mastering the medium

    These possibilities of a medium used to its best advantage – for example, to be heard around the US, but still to project a sense of intimacy – have become known as the “affordances” of a medium. The medium afforded Roosevelt space to be authentic without showing his disability. Kennedy appeared young, fit and handsome – even when dependent on painkillers.

    When a new medium is introduced, people start to play around with its affordances – and this applies to politicians too. Political leaders who develop a special aptitude for using the new medium to emphasise their unique style can become particularly successful, as has Donald Trump with his use of social media.

    The US president rose to power helped by his adept use of many of Twitter’s attributes – the imposed brevity of his messages, the ease of retweeting, the tendency for other users to “pile on” (and the user anonymity, which tends to encourage pile-ons) to polarise American public debate.

    Trump was forced off Twitter after the Capitol Hill insurrection of January 6 2021. So he came back with his own platform, TruthSocial, where he can also make the rules. And now he uses the platform to make foreign policy, trumpeting his positions (which can change with bewildering speed) on TruthSocial well before they can be announced by the White House press team, which often has to scramble to catch up.

    When Canadian communication theorist Marshall McLuhan penned his famous phrase: “The medium is the message” in his groundbreaking 1964 study, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, he meant to say that media form and content are not as distinct from one another as one might think and that the form of a medium of communication can shape society as much as its content. In Donald Trump’s use of social media, we are seeing this idea at work.

    Sara Polak 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 Trump plays with new media says a lot about him – as it did with FDR, Kennedy and Obama – https://theconversation.com/how-trump-plays-with-new-media-says-a-lot-about-him-as-it-did-with-fdr-kennedy-and-obama-248923

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Asos should be wary of banning customers returning unwanted goods

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nic Sanders, Senior Lecturer in Management and Marketing, University of Westminster

    ‘Now where’s that returns label?’ Cast of Thousands.Shutterstock

    Shopping for clothes online is a risky business. How do you know if that top will be a good fit, or those shoes will definitely be the right colour? One popular solution to this predicament is to order lots of tops and lots of shoes, try them on at home, and send back all the ones you don’t want – often at no cost.

    But that tactic can be expensive for the fashion retailer, which needs to pay for all those deliveries and returns. And now Asos, which sends millions of shipments every month, has started banning some customers for over-returning items – prompting something of a backlash.

    The response by the retail giant, which says it wants to maintain a “commitment to offering free returns to all customers across all core markets”, also raises questions about the sustainability of the online fashion business model which Asos helped to create.

    Many online retailers rely on the emotional highs of shopping. The excitement of placing an order, the anticipation of delivery, and the dopamine hit of unpacking a purchase is central to its popular customer experience.


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    Online shopping generally has thrived on impulsive buying, with the option of returning items treated as a normal part of the process. Of course, even in the days before online shopping there would be customers who routinely returned items.

    But by digitising and simplifying the process, the likes of Asos have helped this to happen on a massive scale. Shoppers have become completely used to ordering multiple sizes or styles with the express intention of returning most of the items they receive. Their homes effectively become fitting rooms.

    And those customers could reasonably argue that online retailers often use digital strategies which encourage multi-item purchases.

    Some sites remind shoppers of recently viewed products and provide suggestions of similar items, for example. There may be are prompts and nudges towards clothes which are frequently bought together.

    Items are then sometimes temporarily reserved in a shopper’s basket for 60 minutes, creating a sense of urgency. Targeted emails and limited time offers drive bulging shopping baskets, encouraging more risk purchases and returns.

    Yet returned items carry a significant cost. They may be unfit for resale and ultimately disposed of, which beyond the financial burden, has an environmental price.

    In addition to creating landfill, each delivery and return has a carbon footprint. And although many younger consumers express support for sustainable practices, their buying behaviour continues to prioritise price and convenience.

    But free returns have become part of the online fashion industry landscape. Research suggests that customers are simply more likely to buy something if returns are free.

    And today’s tricky financial climate, marked by inflation and rising living costs will surely have made consumers even more cautious. Many will be reluctant to buy items that incur delivery and return costs.

    Shopping around

    Frustrations can then arise from unclear return policies, often buried in lengthy terms and conditions documents. Some of those banned by Asos say they were confused about the rules.

    Automated customer service systems offering generic responses may then leave shoppers with no clear way to challenge these decisions.

    Perhaps the wider issue here is that online shopping cannot fully replicate the benefits of shopping in store. In physical shops, customers can try on items before deciding.

    But online, this can’t happen, so returns become fundamental to the decision-making process. For cost-conscious shoppers, avoiding unnecessary spending is essential. But if returns policies become harder to access, they may turn to other retailers which offer more certainty.

    Return to sender?
    A08/Shutterstock

    For example, retailers such as Zara and H&M, with a business model which mixes online convenience with a high street (or shopping mall) presence, offer the option to order online and then return in person.

    This hybrid (or “omni-channel”) model appears to be driving consumers to physical shops for a blended experience which provides convenience and helps reduce return costs.

    For Asos, doing something similar would require major investment (in bricks and mortar) and increased operational costs – so is perhaps an unlikely solution for the company.

    But to balance sustainability, cost and customer satisfaction, Asos could explore other options. These might include clearer, more visible communication regarding “fair use” policies and their consequences. It could aim for more human interactions and better dialogue with customers it plans to ban.

    Offering physical retail locations or return collection points to simplify the process and reduce the environmental impact and costs will provide customer flexibility. Overall, these areas will help create a better customer service experience.

    Ultimately, Asos and other similar online clothing retailers must evolve. With changing consumer expectations, a challenging economic climate and rising operational costs, the model that defined these retailers’ early success cannot remain unchanged.

    If they make adjustments, they may emerge stronger. If they do not, they risk sparking a customer exodus that would be hard to reverse.

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

    ref. Why Asos should be wary of banning customers returning unwanted goods – https://theconversation.com/why-asos-should-be-wary-of-banning-customers-returning-unwanted-goods-259952

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Humans and animals can both think logically − but testing what kind of logic they’re using is tricky

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Olga Lazareva, Professor of Psychology, Drake University

    For some mental processes, humans and animals likely follow similar lines of thinking. Catherine Falls Commercial/Moment via Getty Images

    Can a monkey, a pigeon or a fish reason like a person? It’s a question scientists have been testing in increasingly creative ways – and what we’ve found so far paints a more complicated picture than you’d think.

    Imagine you’re filling out a March Madness bracket. You hear that Team A beat Team B, and Team B beat Team C – so you assume Team A is probably better than Team C. That’s a kind of logical reasoning known as transitive inference. It’s so automatic that you barely notice you’re doing it.

    It turns out humans are not the only ones who can make these kinds of mental leaps. In labs around the world, researchers have tested many animals, from primates to birds to insects, on tasks designed to probe transitive inference, and most pass with flying colors.

    As a scientist focused on animal learning and behavior, I work with pigeons to understand how they make sense of relationships, patterns and rules. In other words, I study the minds of animals that will never fill out a March Madness bracket – but might still be able to guess the winner.

    Logic test without words

    The basic idea is simple: If an animal learns that A is better than B, and B is better than C, can it figure out that A is better than C – even though it’s never seen A and C together?

    In the lab, researchers test this by giving animals randomly paired images, one pair at a time, and rewarding them with food for picking the correct one. For example, animals learn that a photo of hands (A) is correct when paired with a classroom (B), a classroom (B) is correct when paired with bushes (C), bushes (C) are correct when paired with a highway (D), and a highway (D) is correct when paired with a sunset (E). We don’t know whether they “understand” what’s in the picture, and it is not particularly important for the experiment that they do.

    In a transitive inference task, subjects learn a series of rewarded pairs – such as A+ vs. B–, B+ vs. C– – and are later tested on novel pairings, like B vs. D, to see whether they infer an overall ranking.
    Olga Lazareva, CC BY-ND

    One possible explanation is that the animals that learn all the tasks create a mental ranking of these images: A > B > C > D > E. We test this idea by giving them new pairs they’ve never seen before, such as classroom (B) vs. highway (D). If they consistently pick the higher-ranked item, they’ve inferred the underlying order.

    What’s fascinating is how many species succeed at this task. Monkeys, rats, pigeons – even fish and wasps – have all demonstrated transitive inference in one form or another.

    The twist: Not all tasks are easy

    But not all types of reasoning come so easily. There’s another kind of rule called transitivity that is different from transitive inference, despite the similar name. Instead of asking which picture is better, transitivity is about equivalence.

    In this task, animals are shown a set of three pictures and asked which one goes with the center image. For example, if white triangle (A1) is shown, choosing red square (B1) earns a reward, while choosing blue square (B2) does not. Later, when red square (B1) is shown, choosing white cross (C1) earns a reward while choosing white circle (C2) does not. Now comes the test: white triangle (A1) is shown with white cross (C1) and white circle (C2) as choices. If they pick white cross (C1), then they’ve demonstrated transitivity.

    In a transitivity task, subjects learn matching rules across overlapping sets – such as A1 matches B1, B1 matches C1 – and are tested on new combinations, such as A1 with C1 or C2, to assess whether they infer the relationship between A1 and C1.
    Olga Lazareva, CC BY-ND

    The change may seem small, but species that succeed in those first transitive inference tasks often stumble in this task. In fact, they tend to treat the white triangle and the white cross as completely separate things, despite their common relationship with the red square. In my recently published review of research using the two tasks, I concluded that more evidence is needed to determine whether these tests tap into the same cognitive ability.

    Small differences, big consequences

    Why does the difference between transitive inference and transitivity matter? At first glance, they may seem like two versions of the same ability – logical reasoning. But when animals succeed at one and struggle with the other, it raises an important question: Are these tasks measuring the same kind of thinking?

    The apparent difference between the two tasks isn’t just a quirk of animal behavior. Psychology researchers apply these tasks to humans in order to draw conclusions about how people reason.

    For example, say you’re trying to pick a new almond milk. You know that Brand A is creamier than Brand B, and your friend told you that Brand C is even waterier than Brand B. Based on that, because you like a thicker milk, you might assume Brand A is better than Brand C, an example of transitive inference.

    But now imagine the store labels both Brand A and Brand C as “barista blends.” Even without tasting them, you might treat them as functionally equivalent, because they belong to the same category. That’s more like transitivity, where items are grouped based on shared relationships. In this case, “barista blend” signals the brands share similar quality.

    How researchers define logical reasoning determines how they interpret results.
    Svetlana Mishchenko/iStock via Getty Images

    Researchers often treat these types of reasoning as measuring the same ability. But if they rely on different mental processes, they might not be interchangeable. In other words, the way scientists ask their questions may shape the answer – and that has big implications for how they interpret success in animals and in people.

    This difference could affect how researchers interpret decision-making not only in the lab, but also in everyday choices and in clinical settings. Tasks like these are sometimes used in research on autism, brain injury or age-related cognitive decline.

    If two tasks look similar on the surface, then choosing the wrong one might lead to inaccurate conclusions about someone’s cognitive abilities. That’s why ongoing work in my lab is exploring whether the same distinction between these logical processes holds true for people.

    Just like a March Madness bracket doesn’t always predict the winner, a reasoning task doesn’t always show how someone got to the right answer. That’s the puzzle researchers are still working on – figuring out whether different tasks really tap into the same kind of thinking or just look like they do. It’s what keeps scientists like me in the lab, asking questions, running experiments and trying to understand what it really means to reason – no matter who’s doing the thinking.

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

    ref. Humans and animals can both think logically − but testing what kind of logic they’re using is tricky – https://theconversation.com/humans-and-animals-can-both-think-logically-but-testing-what-kind-of-logic-theyre-using-is-tricky-253001

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI USA: GOP Votes Down Warnock Amendment to Save Georgia Jobs, Protect Rural Manufacturing Boom

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    GOP Votes Down Warnock Amendment to Save Georgia Jobs, Protect Rural Manufacturing Boom

    Senator Reverend Warnock took to the Senate floor to offer a bipartisan amendment to protect hundreds of thousands of clean energy jobs across the country
    Senator Warnock was instrumental in passing these clean energy tax credits, which are responsible for 42,000 good-paying jobs in Georgia
    In his effort to save these Georgia jobs, Senator Warnock penned an op-ed in the AJC, held a press conference in Savannah, and published a report on the risks posed to Georgia should the tax credits be repealed
     Senator Reverend Warnock: “Those 42,000 Georgia jobs and hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide are at risk if Republicans have their way and roll back these tax credits”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) took to the floor of the United States Senate to urge his GOP colleagues to pass a bipartisan amendment to protect hundreds of thousands of jobs in communities across the country. Senate Republicans voted down his motion by a vote of 48-51.
    As currently written, the GOP spending bill would eliminate many of the clean energy tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that have brought a manufacturing boom to communities across the U.S.
    “Mr. President, I rise to protect pro-business tax credits that are creating hundreds of thousands of American jobs, many of which don’t require a college degree…” said Senator Warnock. “42,000 Georgia jobs and hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide are at risk if Republicans have their way and roll back these tax credits.”
    Senator Warnock has warned his colleagues repeatedly of the risks that repealing clean energy tax credits will have on Americans across the country. In May, Senator Warnock published a report highlighting the impact that the cuts would have on Georgia and its economy. The Senator followed his report with a press conference in Savannah at the Georgia Ports Authority warning of the impact on rural communities and an op-ed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Georgia is the single largest recipient of IRA tax credits in the U.S., with over $28 billion in investment, 42,000 jobs, and 51 projects announced in the state.
    The Warnock Amendment would force the Senate to reconsider its current path toward repealing the clean energy tax credits in the GOP spending bill by returning the bill to the Senate Finance Committee for additional consideration.
    In recent days, a bipartisan push urging GOP senators to reverse their proposed cuts has swept the country. Last week, Georgia lawmakers sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) asking him to reconsider his support for the rollback of solar energy tax credits, writing: “We urge you not to weaken the tax credits, as doing so would only harm the manufacturing renaissance in Georgia while creating opportunities for Chinese companies to take over the solar industry.”
    Nationwide analyses show that the “vast majority” of projects announced following the passage of the clean energy tax credits have been investments in Congressional districts currently held by Republicans. This is particularly true in Georgia where 83 percent of the projects, 94 percent of the total investment, and 75 percent of the jobs are in Republican districts. More than 95 percent of the new jobs and investments are in counties where the percentage of people with a bachelor’s degree is below the national average. 
    Full remarks available below:
    Mr. President. I rise to protect pro-business, pro-worker tax credits that are creating hundreds of thousands of American clean energy manufacturing jobs, many of which don’t require a college degree.
    Put simply, these tax credits are working: I know firsthand because they’re working right now in Georgia.
    Businesses which we’ve invested $1 [federally], we’ve seen [private] investments as much as $4.50.
    They’ve helped create 42,000 new manufacturing and construction jobs, many in rural parts of our state that are too often left behind by Washington politicians. Those 42,000 Georgia jobs and hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide are at risk if Republicans have their way and roll back these tax credits.
    That’s why North America’s Building Trades Unions called this bill the “biggest job-killing bill in the history of this country.”
    I urge my colleagues to vote with America’s workers and vote YES on my Motion to Commit.

    MIL OSI USA News