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Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Exclusive: US protectionism damages economic stability and leads to the destruction of global trade mechanisms – VTB CEO A. Kostin

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Moscow, June 19 (Xinhua) — U.S. protectionism is damaging economic stability and creating uncertainty in international trade, said Andrey Kostin, president and chairman of the board of Russia’s VTB Bank, in a written interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which is being held in St. Petersburg from June 18 to 21.

    “The US protectionist measures affect almost all countries in the world. Such policies cause obvious damage to the stability of economic cooperation and lead to the destruction of the mechanisms and principles of world trade. They create uncertainty in international trade, which negatively affects the prospects for global growth,” said the head of VTB.

    According to A. Kostin, the most alarming fact is that in the last few years the US and other Western countries have begun to actively use the instruments of the international economic system to achieve their geopolitical goals. “The degree of this ‘weaponization’ /use as a weapon/ of economic levers continues to increase,” he stated.

    As the banker noted, the current situation is pushing the countries of the Global South and East to search for alternative mechanisms of financial and trade-economic interaction, to create a new model of relationships. “This process is largely objective. The strengthening of geoeconomic competition in the world in recent years only gives it a significant acceleration,” he explained.

    A. Kostin noted the active work of new international development institutions, such as the New Development Bank of BRICS, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the Eurasian Development Bank. “Their role in solving regional and global problems is constantly growing,” the banker is confident. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Invites Multinational Companies, Entrepreneurs to Invest in Country — Vice Premier of State Council of China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    QINGDAO, June 19 (Xinhua) — China welcomes international multinational companies and entrepreneurs to invest and do business in China as the country steadily advances high-level opening up, Vice Premier He Lifeng said Thursday.

    He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks while delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the 6th Multinational Enterprise CEOs Summit in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province.

    The Vice Premier stressed that China will unswervingly promote high-level opening-up, create a world-class business environment, and firmly safeguard the multilateral trading system.

    With a huge domestic market and the most complete industrial system in the world, China has strong economic resilience and growth potential and is an ideal, safe and promising investment destination for multinational companies, He Lifeng added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: TUV: Civil Service Must Address Concerns of Staff Opposed to Pride Participation

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by TUV Equality spokesperson Ann McClure:

    “Following confirmation that the Civil Service is taking part in this year’s Belfast Pride parade, Timothy Gaston tabled a number of questions to Finance Minister John O’Dowd raising serious concerns about the ramifications of this approach for the impartiality of public servants.

    “On inquiring whether consideration was given to the views of civil servants (Protestant or Roman Catholic) who hold conscientious or faith-based objections to participation in Belfast Pride, the Minister responded in very general terms, outlining the NICS commitment to inclusivity, equality, and impartiality — but significantly did not address the actual question of whether there was any consultation, engagement, or accommodation for people who object to Pride.

    “In another question, Mr Gaston asked the Minister if, in light of Civil Service participation in Pride, employees would be able to participate in pro-life marches. Mr O’Dowd merely referred Mr Gaston back to his previous non-answer.

    “In light of the events of the weekend — when grossly offensive behaviour at and around Omagh Pride not only took place but was promoted on the official Facebook page of Omagh Pride — there is a need for the Civil Service and the Minister responsible to directly address the matters raised with him and not hide behind newspeak answers.

    “Participation in Pride events was never compatible with a truly inclusive workplace. That is all the more true this year when the Pride movement is openly campaigning against the Executive’s policy to protect children and young people from puberty blockers.”

    Note to editors

    Mr Gaston’s questions and the answers received are as follows:

    AQW 28291/22-27

    Mr Timothy Gaston
    Question:
    To ask the Minister of Finance to detail any consideration given to the views of civil servants, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, who hold conscientious or faith-based objections to Belfast Pride when the Northern Ireland Civil Service made the decision to participate in this year’s event.

    Answer:
    As one of the largest employers here and a public service provider, the Civil Service recognises and respects the diversity of people’s identities, experiences and backgrounds.

    As an equal opportunities employer, the Civil Service participates in Belfast Pride as part of its ongoing commitment to being an inclusive employer and programme of outreach with under-represented groups.

    In accordance with the Civil Service Code of Ethics, civil servants are required to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service’s core values of: Integrity, Honesty, Objectivity and Impartiality.

    In living out the core value of ‘impartiality’, civil servants must carry out their responsibilities in a way that is fair, just and equitable and reflects the Civil Service’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, including the obligations under Section 75.

    AQW 28289/22-27
    Mr Timothy Gaston
    Question:
    To ask the Minister of Finance, in light of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) decision to participate corporately in Belfast Pride, whether NICS staff will be permitted, as NICS staff, to take part in other events such as pro-life marches.

    Answer:
    I refer the member to the response provided for AQW 28291/22-27.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Brand Scotland takes centre stage at Royal Highland Show

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Brand Scotland takes centre stage at Royal Highland Show

    Scottish Secretary to bang the drum for Scotland’s iconic food, drink, agriculture and farming sectors at the Edinburgh event

    Fresh from new Spending Review financial backing, the UK Government’s Brand Scotland campaign to boost exports of Scottish products and promotion of inward investment takes centre stage at the Royal Highland Show from today (Thursday June 19).

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray will be in attendance and later host a reception with the Scotch Whisky Association to promote our iconic national tipple, enjoyed by tens of millions around the world.

    Exhibitors and showgoers will hear how the UK Government is working with Scottish businesses to maximise the benefits of recent trade deals with India, US and the EU to create significant opportunities at home and abroad. 

    The UK-India trade deal slashes tariffs on whisky. Meanwhile the UK-EU deal also means that British farms will be able to sell sausages and burgers to the EU for the first time in five years.

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:

    Scotland is at the heart of the UK Government’s Plan for Change to put more money in the pockets of working Scots by investing in the country’s renewal. That’s why in last week’s Spending Review the Chancellor unleashed a new era of growth for Scotland, confirming billions of pounds of investment and creating thousands of high-skilled jobs.

    Our Brand Scotland campaign is an important part of this commitment and the Royal Highland Show is a fantastic opportunity to bang the drum for our iconic produce and help turbo-charge sales of Scottish goods and services at home and abroad. Following my recent successful trips to Norway, Malaysia, Singapore, Washington and New York – and last week’s all women trade mission to Spain, led by Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill – we’re already seeing positive results from championing Brand Scotland.

    The trio of trade deals sealed by the Prime Minister is a fantastic opportunity for Scotland’s food and drink sector – from slashing tariffs on whisky and gin in India to putting Scottish burgers and sausages back on the menu for the EU. I look forward to continuing to work with Scottish businesses and other key partners as we give our country the global platform it deserves.

    The Scottish Secretary is expected to meet with NFU Scotland President Andrew Connon, Quality Meat Scotland, Lidl executives to discuss the retailers’ ambitions for growth in Scotland and support of Scottish food and drink suppliers and Graham’s Dairies to chat about export opportunities. He is also due to visit Scotland’s Larder where a huge range of Scottish food and drink producers will be in attendance.

    Other stakeholders lined up include Penicuik-based Moredun Institute which employs over 170 scientists, vets  and support staff promoting livestock health and welfare through cutting-edge research and education.

    Showgoers dropping into the UK Government marquee will be able to hear from UK Government departments and agencies about how they are delivering for people in Scotland and for our businesses across the world 

    Also present in the marquee will be exhibits from a number of exciting UK Government funded projects, including The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Scottish Football Association (grassroots football funding), Dramtubes & Project Harmless (British Business Bank funded) and Destination Tweed (National Lottery Heritage Fund).

    Other government departments and agencies in attendance will be:

    • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (promoting the UK’s extensive overseas network, which works day in day out to promote our country)
    • Department for Business & Trade (direct access to global trade expertise)
    • Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
    • Department for Work & Pensions
    • Ministry of Defence (Army, Navy, RAF)
    • Department for Transport (with Northern Lighthouse Board – responsible for the waters surrounding Scotland and the Isle of Man)
    • Shared Rural Network (SRN – designed to improve mobile coverage and boost connectivity across the UK, with the biggest uplifts in rural parts of Scotland and Wales. It is jointly funded by the Government and the UK’s four mobile network operators – EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone – with the objective of delivering 4G coverage to 95% of the UK by December 2025).

    Further information
    The Royal Highland Show is Scotland’s biggest outdoor event, attracting around 190,000 people. It runs from June 19 to 22.

    The Scotland Office’s Spending Review settlement allocates £0.75 million each year to champion our ‘Brand Scotland’ trade missions to promote Scotland’s goods and services on the world stage and to encourage further growth and investment.  

    As well as the Brand Scotland visits mentioned earlier, we have also supported a trade mission from Glasgow to Shanghai and have plans for more visits during the year.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 19 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Premium Income Corporation Announces Semi-Annual Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (TSX: PIC.A; PIC.PR.A) Premium Income Corporation (the “Fund”) announces results of operations for the six months ended April 30, 2025. Decrease in net assets attributable to holders of Class A shares amounted to $5.7 million or $0.38 per Class A share. Net assets attributable to holders of Class A shares as at April 30, 2025 were $81.2 million or $5.12 per Class A share. Cash distributions of $0.64 per Preferred share and $0.48 per Class A share were paid during the period.

    Premium Income Corporation is a mutual fund corporation, which invests in a portfolio consisting principally of common shares of Bank of Montreal, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, National Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, and the Toronto Dominion Bank. The Fund employs an active covered call writing strategy to enhance the income generated by the portfolio and to reduce volatility. In addition, the Fund may write cash covered put options in respect of securities in which it is permitted to invest.

    The investment portfolio of the Fund is managed by its investment manager, Mulvihill Capital Management Inc. The Fund’s Preferred and Class A shares are listed on Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols PIC.PR.A and PIC.A respectively.

    Selected Financial Information: ($ Millions)    
    Statement of Comprehensive Income
    For the Six Months ended April 30, 2025 (Unaudited)    		    
           
    Income (including Net Loss on Investments) $ 5.9  
    Expenses   (1.9 )
         
    Operating Profit $ 4.0  
    Preferred Share Distribution $ (9.7 )
         
    Decrease in Net Assets Attributable to Holders of Class A Shares $ 5.7  
         
         

    For further information, please contact Investor Relations at 416.681.3966, toll free at 1.800.725.7172, email at info@mulvihill.com or visit www.mulvihill.com.

    John Germain, Senior Vice-President & CFO       Mulvihill Capital Management Inc.
    121 King Street West
    Suite 2600
    Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3T9
         

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment funds. Please read the prospectus before investing. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Cammack and Hern Introduce Legislation to Protect Patients in Federal Health Programs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representatives Kat Cammack (FL-03) and Kevin Hern (OK-01) introduced the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act to ensure that Americans with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and rare conditions are not devalued in federal health care decisions. This legislation prohibits the use of Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs)—a metric that assigns lower value to lives with disabilities— in federal programs like Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and ACA exchanges. 

    “The use of so-called cost-effective measures like QALYs threatens access to lifesaving care for the most vulnerable Americans,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “I am honored to lead this legislation alongside my colleague Rep. Kevin Hern to ensure that no patient is denied treatment simply because a mathematical formula decided their life is worth less. Every American—regardless of disability, chronic illness, or rare condition—deserves equal access to care.”

    “QALY measurements strip humanity away from a patient, leaving only dollar signs and data points. That has no place in our health care system. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and given the best care available,” said Congressman Hern. “I am proud to join Congresswoman Cammack on this bill to ban QALY measurements in all federal health care programs.” 

    “I am excited my colleagues Representatives Cammack and Hern have reintroduced the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act,” said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Guthrie. “We owe it to Americans – no matter the age, disability status, or measure of health – to provide high-quality care under federal health care programs. I’m thankful to both of my colleagues for reintroducing this sensible legislation that stops the immoral practice of placing arbitrary value on human life within our health care system.”

    BACKGROUND: 

    Last Congress, this legislation passed the House with strong Republican support under the leadership of House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-MO), Rep. Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), and Rep. Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M. (R-OH). 

    In the 119th Congress, the legislation will again receive a dual referral to both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Cammack and Hern Introduce Legislation to Protect Patients in Federal Health Programs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representatives Kat Cammack (FL-03) and Kevin Hern (OK-01) introduced the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act to ensure that Americans with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and rare conditions are not devalued in federal health care decisions. This legislation prohibits the use of Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs)—a metric that assigns lower value to lives with disabilities— in federal programs like Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and ACA exchanges. 

    “The use of so-called cost-effective measures like QALYs threatens access to lifesaving care for the most vulnerable Americans,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “I am honored to lead this legislation alongside my colleague Rep. Kevin Hern to ensure that no patient is denied treatment simply because a mathematical formula decided their life is worth less. Every American—regardless of disability, chronic illness, or rare condition—deserves equal access to care.”

    “QALY measurements strip humanity away from a patient, leaving only dollar signs and data points. That has no place in our health care system. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and given the best care available,” said Congressman Hern. “I am proud to join Congresswoman Cammack on this bill to ban QALY measurements in all federal health care programs.” 

    “I am excited my colleagues Representatives Cammack and Hern have reintroduced the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act,” said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Guthrie. “We owe it to Americans – no matter the age, disability status, or measure of health – to provide high-quality care under federal health care programs. I’m thankful to both of my colleagues for reintroducing this sensible legislation that stops the immoral practice of placing arbitrary value on human life within our health care system.”

    BACKGROUND: 

    Last Congress, this legislation passed the House with strong Republican support under the leadership of House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-MO), Rep. Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), and Rep. Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M. (R-OH). 

    In the 119th Congress, the legislation will again receive a dual referral to both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Public service reform strategy launched

    Source: Scottish Government

    Blueprint for enhancing lives and communities.

    A new Public Service Reform Strategy will deliver the public services that people of Scotland deserve and need in the future, Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee has said.

    Outlining the strategy to Parliament, the Minister also announced the intention to reduce spending on corporate functions across public bodies, including the Scottish Government, to deliver £1 billion of savings in five years. 

    The strategy sets out concrete steps that government will take through partnership working, particularly with trade unions, to ensure that every pound of investment is focused on frontline delivery and that there are the right staff in the right roles to deliver real change. 

    More than 80 actions are set out to drive change and make Scotland’s public services fit for the future, by addressing the challenges caused by increased demand, changing demographics and UK Government financial decisions.

    These include leadership and cultural change across the public sector; reducing the number of public bodies to deliver increased efficiency; further review and rationalisation of public sector buildings, working with local partners to remove data barriers that prevent the delivery of programmes; embracing automation and publishing a new Digital Strategy which will set out the acceleration of the digitisation of government.

    Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said: 

    “This strategy is grounded in the shared belief that Scotland’s public services are an investment — in people, places and our collective future. It builds on the work we’ve done since the Christie Commission which outlined the need for public services focused on prevention, place, partnership, people and performance.

    “Public service reform is an integral part of the government’s response to the challenges we face. The strategy sets out a bold, system-wide approach to change centred around three key priorities: prevention, joined-up services and efficiency.

    “The aim is to do things better, not do less. Public services are an asset and investment in our collective future. They reflect the society we are, and who we aspire to be.

    “We are determined to unlock the full potential of Scotland’s public services — making them more efficient, more joined-up, and more preventative in approach, so that they work better for the people of Scotland. It demonstrates that this Government is ready to go further and faster than we ever have to reform our public services.

    “We must be bold and brave to deliver real, long lasting and meaningful change.”

    Background

    Scotland’s Public Service Reform Strategy: Delivering for Scotland – gov.scot

    The Public Service Reform Strategy is supported by sectoral improvement plans including the NHS Operational Improvement Plan – to tackle immediate pressures on the health service – and the Tackling Child Poverty Plan to reduce the number of children living in relative poverty in Scotland to 10% by 2030.

    It builds on the findings of and subsequent work following the 2011 Christie Commission report, and learning from successful preventative policies such as the roll-out of the Scottish Child Payment. The strategy’s implementation will be evaluated and monitored by the Public Service Reform Board, which brings together scrutiny from public bodies, local government, and the third and private sector. The strategy has also been informed by a summit held in February involving representatives from Scotland’s 131 public bodies, local government and the third sector.

    Learning from 25 years of Preventative Interventions in Scotland – gov.scot

    Examples of previous reforms include:

    • Investment in Early Learning and Childcare: The Scottish Government has invested around £1 billion every year in funded Early Learning and Childcare since 2021. Some 95% of three and four-year-olds are registered for the 1,140 hours funded childcare offer and 74% of parents have said it helped employment prospects.
    • Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012: One of the biggest public service transformations since devolution, this created the Scottish Police Authority, the unified Police Service of Scotland (Police Scotland) and the single Scottish Fire & Rescue Service.
    • Childsmile: Between 2003 and 2020, the Childsmile programme has halved tooth decay amongst children and generated significant cost savings for NHS health boards.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Work starts next month on Royal Parade bus improvements

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Work will start next month (July) to change the layout of Royal Parade to improve bus services as part of Plymouth’s ambition to encourage people to make greener travel choices as the city grows.

    The Royal Parade bus improvement scheme aims to reduce congestion and improve the reliability of bus services to and from the city centre by increasing the number of bus stops on the shop side.

    There are over 100 buses every hour – making it the city’s busiest bus interchange – with over nine million passenger journeys from or to Royal Parade every year – either arriving to work in the city centre, to shop, stay or visit, or to head onto to destinations across the city e.g. the hospital, Plymstock or the Dockyard.

    The scheme, which will be carried out by Morgan Sindall, will get underway from Monday 7 July and will take around nine months. When finished, the scheme will reduce delays at this key point by cutting queues and double stacking of buses, making services more reliable and helping to make going by bus a more attractive option than the private car.

    Councillor John Stephens, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport said: “Plymouth needs to improve bus services to make it easier for everyone to get to work, school, shops and businesses, friends or family. Nearly 25 per cent of households in Plymouth do not have a car and with the city’s population expected to grow, improving sustainable travel choices is vital to keeping the city moving.

    “We realise there is going to be some upheaval for a time for passengers, but please bear with us as the long-term gain will be better bus journeys. We are working closely with the bus companies to make sure everyone knows where to catch their buses from.”

    From Monday 7 July all bus stops on the shop side of Royal Parade between Courtenay Street and St Andrews Cross Roundabout will be closed and temporary stops will be available in alternative locations around the city centre.

    There will be a chance to talk through the scheme at three public drop-in events in the city centre:

    • Wednesday 2 July (10am to 2pm), House of Fraser Café (top floor)
    • Friday 4 July (2pm to 5.45pm), Central Library (Scott Room)
    • Sunday 6 July (10am to 3pm), Royal Parade (gazebo outside House of Fraser entrance.

    Information showing bus users where to find their temporary stops is available on the scheme’s webpage at www.plymouth.gov.uk/royalparade and information will be available in the Plymouth Citybus shop on Royal Parade, Central Library and in bus shelters at key destinations around the city.

    The Plymotion Team and project team will also be on the ground every weekday between Monday 23 June and Friday 18 July to hand out information leaflets and make sure everyone knows where to get their bus from.

    The eastbound side (or shop side) of Royal Parade will be reduced to one lane for all vehicles, meaning there will not be a dedicated bus lane between Derry’s Cross and St Andrews Cross roundabouts. Cyclists will still be able ride on the road in the all-traffic lane.

    Pedestrian access will remain during the day, and all three crossings will be available. Some overnight restrictions may be needed and pedestrians diverted to the other side of Royal Parade via the crossings.

    The scheme includes laying high quality granite along the pavement on this side to replace concrete slabs that have become worn and slippery in places. This means that the pavement between the kerb and shop fronts will be sectioned off for this work. This will be carried out in stages to minimise the impact on businesses and shoppers. Temporary pedestrian footways to allow access to shop doorways will be in place.

    Access to shops, businesses and residential properties will remain at all times.

    The carriageway reconstruction and surfacing works will require full road closures, but these will take place overnight only and a diversion route will be in place around the city centre via Western Approach, Cobourg Street and Exeter Street.

    Main construction work will start on Monday 14 July and entails:

    • redesigning the road with a shallow sawtooth layout, increasing the number of bus stops from 12 to 15, to prevent double stacking, unnecessary idling and improve air quality. This will improve bus manoeuvrability and safety by reducing the need for buses to reverse out and ensure passengers can get on and off from the pavement.
    • clearer information about where and what bus to get in the new shelters and upgraded Real Time Passenger Information displays
    • bigger shelters to make it easier for people with pushchairs or wheelchairs to use them. They will have living roofs to support biodiversity
    • an upgraded toucan crossing at Armada Way for pedestrians and cyclists
    • average speed camera system to replace existing static cameras, supporting a safe environment for pedestrians.

    The original budget was estimate at around £5 million based on the information available at the time. With more costs finalised, £7,494,692 has now been secured from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund and Bus Grant, Historic England’s Heritage Action Zone funding and the Council’s Better Places funding.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Blackness Road housing development

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    A TENDER to build 24 new flats on a prominent corner site in the West End of Dundee, is set to be discussed by councillors next week.

    More than £8.5m has been set aside to fund the project, at Blackness Road/Glenagnes Road, which could provide six wheelchair accessible one-bedroom flats and 18 two-bedroom properties.

    Kevin Cordell, convener of the neighbourhood regeneration, housing and estate management committee said: “There has been a longstanding commitment to redevelop this site, which this tender delivers on.

    “The development goes towards meeting the need for increased investment in affordable housing developments to ensure that all residents have access to secure, energy efficient and sustainable homes suitable now and in the future.”

    Lynne Short, the committee’s deputy convener added: “Developments like this help to deliver our ongoing commitment to our communities by providing wheelchair accessible properties.

    “The resilient and empowered communities we are striving for in Dundee only come about through inclusivity and with quality of life for all our citizens being a key priority, these homes help to achieve that.”

    Following the traditional tenements of its neighbours the proposed design will be sympathetic to the surrounding area and use enhanced foundation detailing and retaining wall structures.

    The development benefits from high performing insulation and a heating system comprising a hybrid air source heat pump and aligns with Dundee City Council’s commitment to providing affordable homes and supporting the wider community.

    Dundee City Council Housing Revenue Account will meet £5,201,918.54 of the £8.527m total, with Scottish Government Affordable Housing Investment Grant provisionally agreeing to fund £2,326,000.00 and Council Tax income from second homes, meeting the rest.

    The neighbourhood regeneration, housing and estate management committee, which meets on Monday, will be asked to approve awarding the tender to Clark Contracts Limited. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens say Glasgow tourist tax will transform the city 

    Source: Scottish Greens

    19 Jun 2025 Finance

    Cities deserve to be a thriving space for tourists and residents alike – tourist tax can make that happen.

    More in Finance

    Glasgow City Council has today agreed on plans for a tourist tax which would raise £16m a year for public services – a decision welcomed by the Scottish Greens to help improve the city.

    The 5% tax is set to be charged on hotel bookings in Glasgow from January 2027. The money raised will be spent on public services, like street sweeping, investing in city landmarks, and improvements to parks, to improve the city for residents and visitors alike.

    Glasgow Green councillors attempted to amend the scheme to include stronger measures like penalties for non-compliance and capping how much was spent on marketing, however these were voted down by the SNP, Labour, & Conservative councillors.

    Passing the law to introduce a tourist tax came as a result of budget negotiations between the SNP and the Greens, and has been a long standing policy that Greens have been raising in Councils since 2011.

    Green Cllr Blair Anderson, whose motion started the process, said: 

    “The tourist tax is going to be a game-changer for Glasgow, delivering more money to tidy up our city and make it even more attractive for visitors and residents alike.

    “A small contribution from tourists will mean we can invest millions more in street sweeping, bin collections, and getting Glasgow looking good again.

    “I’m glad that Greens in Holyrood got this law passed, and I’m grateful to all councillors who have worked with me over recent months to get this tax in place as soon as possible.”

    Scottish Greens MSP for Glasgow, Patrick Harvie said:

    “Glasgow is a global city, drawing visitors from all over the world. But we have seen how over-tourism can damage communities, like in Venice and Barcelona, where the residents end up paying the price. 

    “The tourist tax is vital to delivering sustainable tourism where local residents feel the benefit of our tourism and events sectors. I’m delighted that Glasgow is continuing to benefit from Green policy in action.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China to further enhance trade ties with Central Asia: commerce ministry

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

    BEIJING, June 19 — China’s Ministry of Commerce said Thursday that the country will further deepen its trade ties with Central Asia and promote bilateral cooperation on industrial and supply chains.

    During the just-concluded second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, the ministry signed three documents with the relevant authorities of Central Asian countries to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, enhance trade facilitation, and promote green mineral cooperation, ministry spokesperson He Yadong said at a press conference.

    The ministry has also signed five bilateral cooperation documents with relevant Central Asian countries, focusing on areas such as economic and trade relations, investment, e-commerce, and economic and technological cooperation, according to He.

    Next, the ministry will take measures to implement the key outcomes and consensus reached at the summit, the spokesperson said.

    To enhance bilateral trade cooperation, China will actively expand imports of energy, minerals and high-quality agricultural products from Central Asian countries, while increasing exports of automobiles, home appliances, telecommunications equipment and light textiles to the region.

    China will also expand its cooperation with Central Asia in emerging fields such as electric vehicles, biomedicine, new energy and the digital economy, and make efforts to increase the China-Europe freight trains passing through Central Asian countries, according to He.

    In addition, China will implement the new versions of investment agreements it has signed with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, accelerate negotiations with Kyrgyzstan on service trade and investment agreement, and support Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in joining the World Trade Organization, He said.

    MIL OSI China News –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China welcomes multinationals, entrepreneurs to invest in the country: vice premier

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

    China welcomes multinationals, entrepreneurs to invest in the country: vice premier

    QINGDAO, June 19 — Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Thursday said that global multinationals and entrepreneurs are welcome to invest and develop in China as the country steadfastly advances its high-level opening-up.

    He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when addressing the opening ceremony of the sixth Qingdao Multinationals Summit in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province.

    China will steadfastly advance its high-level opening-up, create a world-class business environment, and firmly uphold the multilateral trading system, He said.

    Boasting a super-large domestic market and the world’s most complete industrial system, China has demonstrated strong economic resilience and growth potential, and is an ideal, secure and promising investment destination for multinational companies, He said.

    MIL OSI China News –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 19 June 2025 Departmental update Re-building trust and a new financing framework: H20 Summit to set the stage for G20 health priorities

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Leading G20 policy-makers, global health experts and representatives from both the private and public sectors are meeting in Geneva from 19–20 June for the annual Health20 Summit (H20) organized by the G20 Health & Development Partnership and co-hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO).

    The Summit comes at a critical moment for global health amid geopolitical shifts, economic uncertainty, and shock funding cuts to development aid. It will focus on the future of global health and finance, and explore how to build resilience, trust, and sustainability into health systems.

    This year marks the conclusion of the first cycle of G20 meetings, which began in 1999 as a forum for Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of industrialized and developing countries to discuss global economic and financial stability.

    The H20 Summit, which has been held annually since the first G20 Health Ministers Meeting in Germany in 2017, will explore strategies to secure the role of health and development in the next cycle starting in 2026, under the leadership of the United States of America.

    Outcomes from the two-day deliberations will inform both the upcoming UN General Assembly’s fourth high-level meeting on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in September and the G20 health ministers and leaders’ summit in South Africa this November.

    “WHO thanks the H20 for its advocacy at this critical time in global health. Severe disruptions to funding and changing disease burdens require new partnerships and approaches, including an increased focus on promoting health and preventing disease,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO is working with all health and development partners, and supporting the G20, to help countries pivot from aid dependency to greater self-reliance in mobilizing domestic resources to deliver the health services their people need.”

    Dr Ghebreyesus delivered the keynote address. Other high-level speakers included: H.E. Dr Jaleela bint Alsayed Jawad Hasan, Minister of Health, Kingdom of Bahrain; H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC; H.E. Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Public Health Affairs; Former Minister of Health, Qatar H.E. Prof Orazio Schillaci, Minister of Health, Italy; Dr Pakishe Aaron (PA) Motsoaledi, Minister of Health, South Africa; and Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO, GAVI.
     

    Key reports launched at the event

    The first NCDs and Mental Health Global Legislators Report, which offers a toolkit for parliamentarians to advance preventative global health goals; and a second, The health taxonomy report that provides a first framework for a health investment tool aimed at fostering a shared understanding and common language between governments, companies, and investors, to help drive future health financing. This report is pertinent in light of the landmark health financing resolution adopted at last month’s World Health Assembly.

    Under the theme ‘Reimagining partnerships & building back public trust in global health’ participants at the Summit will discuss the status of global health financing and why public-private partnerships are essential for future progress. The H20 Summit is unique in offering an inclusive and collaborative platform where the traditional global health community can intersect with decision-makers from politics and finance, with the purpose of elevating public health within the G20’s broader development agenda.

    NCDs such as cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases account for more than 43 million deaths each year and are on the rise. Mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, psychosis and self-harm, affect close to 1 billion people worldwide and represent a significant long-term risk to economic growth and security. The NCD and health taxonomy reports offer relevant and actionable recommendations for legislators and governments to close the NCD financing gap.

    H.E. Dr Jaleela bint Alsayed Jawad Hasan, Minister of Health, Kingdom of Bahrain, said: “I welcome the NCDs and Mental Health Global Legislators Report launched at the H20 Summit. It is a timely contribution that demonstrates the role of parliamentarians in translating health commitments into lasting impact. As global health systems adapt to complex and evolving challenges, the Kingdom of Bahrain is advancing a model grounded in inclusive governance, robust legislation, and strategic investment.”

    On financing specifically, Dr Agnes Soucat, Director of Health and Social Protection, Agence Française de Développement said: “We must differentiate between health funding and health financing. A health taxonomy already exists for operational costs but not for capital costs, which is what investors are most interested in.”
     

    Note to editors

    The G20 Health & Development Partnership is a not-for-profit advocacy organization representing over 27 global health organizations from across the public and private sector and academia aiming to ensure G20 countries coordinate their current and future health innovation strategies to tackle the growing global burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases and promote the delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 with a focus on SDG3 ‘health and well-being for all’ and SDG17 ‘strengthening partnerships’.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 19 June 2025 Departmental update Civil society shapes global health at WHA78

    Source: World Health Organisation

    With the theme “One World for Health,” WHA78 brought together Member States and other stakeholders to address major health priorities, including the Pandemic Agreement, antimicrobial resistance, climate-related health risks, and noncommunicable diseases.

    A key development was the growing inclusion of civil society in the policy-making process. “Civil society is not only identifying critical challenges – it is contributing actionable, community-informed solutions,” said Taina Nakari, WHO’s lead for civil society engagement. “This is central to building trust and delivering results that meet the needs of populations.”

    One of the main vehicles for strengthening civil society is the WHO Civil Society Commission, launched to support more systematic and inclusive civil society participation in global health governance. The Commission brings together over 400 organizations and individuals to co-develop policy inputs, share knowledge, and identify entry points into WHO processes.

    “We’ve built a space where civil society can speak with one voice while honouring our diversity,” said Lisa Hilmi, Co-Chair of the Commission and CORE Group, Executive Director.

    “We’re not just advising WHO,” added fellow Co-Chair and Medwise Solutions Director of Research and Evaluation, Ravi Ram. “We’re helping shape the way civil society engages in global health governance.”

    In parallel with the Commission’s work, WHO also supported over 60 non-State actors –including NGOs, foundations, and associations – in delivering more than 200 formal statements to Member States. Nearly 50 official side events provided additional platforms for dialogue and collaboration. While these organizations are not all members of the WHO Civil Society Commission, their engagement is an important avenue to ensure more inclusive and participatory decision-making across WHO processes.

    Another notable example was the high-level side event, “Securing Investments in Global Health: Time for a New Approach,” co-hosted by Save the Children, Medicus Mundi, World Vision, and the Government of Germany. Civil society representatives emphasized the need to reform global health financing by:

    • moving beyond traditional aid models;
    • strengthening domestic health financing;
    • leveraging multisectoral partnerships and innovation; and
    • reaffirming global solidarity amidst declining development assistance and weakening multilateralism.

    “We organized this event to underscore that sustainable financing for health is not only a technical necessity – it’s a matter of equity, accountability, and long-term impact,” said Tara Brace-John, Head of Policy, Advocacy and Research, Save the Children Fund. “Civil society brings grounded perspectives that can help policy-makers design solutions that prioritize health systems and deliver for the people who need them most.”
     

    Strengthening civil society’s policy influence

    WHA78 also featured the second Global Parliamentary Dialogue, convening legislators from around the world to discuss how parliaments can support health priorities through inclusive, accountable governance. During the session, the WHO Civil Society Commission introduced its flagship report: “Civil Society Engagement in the Development of World Health Assembly Resolutions.”

    The report offers practical guidance – including a checklist and real-world case studies – for systematically involving civil society throughout the resolution process.

    “This report is the result of extensive consultation and shared learning across regions,” said Kjeld Steenbjerg Hansen, a member of the WHO Civil Society Commission and Past-Chair of the European Lung Foundation (ELF). “It provides Member States with practical tools to engage civil society from the beginning and systematically throughout the resolution – from early input to final negotiations – while also emphasizing the political value of more inclusive and participatory policy-making.”

    Parliamentarians were encouraged to support the uptake of the report in their national and regional platforms, helping translate civil society perspectives into policy outcomes.
     

    Looking beyond the Assembly

    WHO’s engagement with civil society extends well beyond formal meetings. In May 2025, more than 500 civil society participants joined WHO’s Epidemic and Pandemic Intelligence – Information Network (WHO–EPI-WIN) technical briefing on the public health risks of avian influenza. Speakers at the session:

    • shared real-time updates on outbreak risks;
    • briefed civil society organizations on WHO preparedness and response;
    • explored how civil society organizations can support emergency response efforts; and
    • strengthened pathways for collaboration.

    Civil society also participated in similar sessions on the Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR), antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Interim Medical Countermeasures Platform, the WHO Investment Round, and access to safe, effective, and quality-assured health products. These engagements reflect WHO’s commitment to ensuring civil society is not only informed but also actively involved in shaping global public health.

    Their growing involvement in WHO governance helps ensure that health decisions are more inclusive, responsive, and effective, especially for those most affected.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Notice of Annual General Meeting 10 July 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Oslo, 19 June 2025

    The Annual General Meeting of Interoil Exploration and Production ASA will be held at the offices of Advokatfirmaet Schjødt AS at Tordenskiolds gate 12, Oslo on 10 July 2025 at 14:30 (CEST).

    Please find attached the notice for the meeting including the attendance form and proxy in English and Norwegian.

    The annual report for 2024 is available on the company’s web page here (https://interoil.no/investors/) and on NewsWeb here (https://newsweb.oslobors.no/message/649531).

    Shareholders may register their attendance digitally on VPS Investor Portal by following this link (
    https://investor.vps.no/gm/logOn.htm?token=f3ee64a6145e5f713d1b0c3cd7373dab4736755b&validTo=1754483400000&oppdragsId=20250616VPIEJXU0).

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    Please direct any further questions to ir@interoil.no (mailto:ir@interoil.no)

    About Interoil

    Interoil Exploration and Production ASA is a Norwegian based exploration and production company – listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with focus on Latin America. The Company is operator and license holder of several production and exploration assets in Colombia and Argentina with headquarter in Oslo.

    Attachment

    • WEB IOX – AGM notice 2025

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Atos and IGM Financial successfully complete public cloud transformation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    Atos and IGM Financial successfully complete public cloud transformation

    Paris, France – June 19, 2025 – Atos, a global leader in digital transformation, today announces the completed data center migration project of Canada’s leading diversified wealth and asset management company IGM Financial Inc., transforming assets to a modern, agile and secure solution built on Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

    The new, cloud-native model will help IGM drive efficiencies and business outcomes through enhanced control, speed and scalability. Further, Atos’ expertise in implementing a scalable, agile architecture empowers IGM to mitigate risk and provide enhanced visibility for reporting and remediation.

    Transitioning from the legacy data center to a cloud model provides IGM with the ability to seamlessly scale resources, enabling the testing and introduction of new applications and services without the need for upfront infrastructure investments. IGM can rapidly deploy new solutions and maintain an up-to-date technology stack with greater flexibility and efficiency.

    Further, adopting a cloud-based solution facilitates seamless integration with advanced technologies, such as AI, machine learning, IoT and other innovative tools, positioning IGM to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

    The migration to the new, cloud-native model was successfully completed on schedule, ensuring uninterrupted business continuity.

    “The successful delivery of the data center migration to the public cloud underscores Atos’ proven ability to execute highly complex and mission-critical migration projects with precision,” said Ed Nemes, Head of Canada, Atos Group.

    “We’re pleased to have collaborated with our partner, Atos, whose comprehensive expertise has helped to further modernize our technology infrastructure,” said Sam Burns, Chief Information Officer, IGM Financial. “This achievement marks a significant milestone in our ongoing digital transformation journey that enables us to better serve the financial needs of Canadians while also improving the employee and advisor experience.”   

    Atos has longstanding relationships and expertise with leading public cloud companies, including Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, allowing for customized digital approaches for its customers who seek various solutions. Last year, Atos announced its five-year partnership with Microsoft to drive digital transformation and empower businesses with advanced technologies, as well as shared plans to help clients across industries move to the cloud and facilitate their use of Azure OpenAI Service.

    With more than 19,500 cloud experts worldwide and four global cloud centers, Atos is a trusted advisor to provide transformation expertise at every stage of the cloud continuum, delivering on the promise of enabling business agility, continual optimization, innovation at speed and growth for its customers. Learn more at Cloud and Infrastructure – Atos.

    ***

    About Atos Group

    Atos Group is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 72,000 employees and annual revenue of c. € 10 billion, operating in 68 countries under two brands — Atos for services and Eviden for products. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, Atos Group is committed to a secure and decarbonized future and provides tailored AI-powered, end-to-end solutions for all industries. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea) and listed on Euronext Paris.

    The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

    Press contacts:

    Northern America: Maggie Wainscott | maggie.wainscott@atos.net

    Global: Isabelle Grangé | isabelle.grange@atos.net

    Attachment

    • PR_Atos and IGM Financial successfully complete public cloud transformation

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Crypto Exchange Launches No KYC, 100x Leverage, and Double Deposit Bonus for Crypto Futures Trading

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the price of Bitcoin (BTC) holding above $100,000 for a long time, many analysts are predicting that the cryptocurrency market will remain in a state of high volatility for a long time. Holding spot positions may struggle to generate short-term profits in such conditions. As a result, 100x leverage futures trading has become the preferred tool for seasoned investors looking to maximize potential gains in this volatile market. BexBack Exchange is ramping up its efforts to offer traders unmatched promotional packages. The platform now features a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, providing exceptional opportunities for investors.

    Advantages of 100x Leverage Crypto Futures

    1. Amplified Profits: Control large positions with a small amount of capital, capturing more profits from market fluctuations.
    2. Low Capital Requirement: Participate in high-value trades with minimal investment, lowering the entry barrier.
    3. Increased Market Opportunities: Profit quickly from price fluctuations, especially in volatile markets.
    4. High Capital Efficiency: Leverage enables better use of your capital, expanding your investment potential.
    5. Profit from Both Up and Down Markets: Adapt to any market conditions, with opportunities to profit whether the market goes up or down.

    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 leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform offering up to 100x leverage on futures contracts for BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, XRP, and over 50 other digital assets. Headquartered in Singapore, the platform also operates offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. Like many top-tier exchanges, BexBack holds a U.S. MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. The platform accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe, with zero deposit fees and 24/7 multilingual customer support, delivering a secure, efficient, and user-friendly 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 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 (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign Up Now on BexBack — Break the 100x Leverage and KYC Barriers, Get Double Deposit Bonus and $50 Welcome Bonus Instantly

    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/7dfb4b28-6c1c-4807-b56a-9f0077e16f8a

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1715add7-36d6-4509-991e-e8f9c63d7013

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5cf81239-b590-4b4f-9a04-5e124230c593

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1a763e64-1502-4c9b-9021-2bf71803e5cf

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Successful Overnight Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canadian Life Companies Split Corp. (“the Company”) is pleased to announce it has completed the overnight marketing of Preferred Shares (TSX: LFE.PR.B) and Class A Shares (TSX: LFE) of the Company. Total gross proceeds of the offering are expected to be approximately $40.0 million.

    The offering is being led by National Bank Financial Inc.

    The sales period of the overnight offering has now ended.

    The offering is expected to close on or about June 26, 2025 and is subject to certain closing conditions including approval by the TSX.

    The Preferred Shares were offered at a price of $10.55 per Preferred Share to yield 6.64% and the Class A Shares were offered at a price of $6.35 per Class A Share to yield 18.90%.

    The closing price on the TSX of each of the Preferred Shares and Class A Shares on June 18, 2025 was $10.70 and $6.50, respectively.

    The net proceeds of the offering will be used by the Company to invest in an actively managed portfolio primarily consisting of four publicly traded Canadian life insurance companies as follows: Great‐West Lifeco Inc., Industrial Alliance Insurance & Financial Services Inc., Manulife Financial Corporation and Sun Life Financial Inc.

    The Company’s investment objectives are:

    Preferred Shares:

    1. to provide holders of the Preferred Shares with fixed, cumulative preferential monthly cash dividends at a rate equal to the greater of: 7.00% OR Prime Rate plus 2% (max of 9%) annually based on the $10.00 original issue price, and;
    2. on or about December 1, 2030 (subject to further 6 year extensions), to pay the holders of the Preferred Shares the original $10 issue price of those shares.

    Class A Shares:

    1. to provide holders of the Class A Shares with regular monthly cash dividends as the directors of the Company may from time to time determine; and
    2. on or about December 1, 2030 (subject to further 6 year extensions), to pay the holders of Class A Shares such amounts as remain after paying the holders of the Preferred shares the amounts owing to them.

    A prospectus supplement to the Company’s short form base shelf prospectus dated May 1, 2024, containing important detailed information about the Preferred Shares and the Class A Shares being offered will be filed with securities commissions or similar authorities in all provinces of Canada. Copies of the prospectus supplement and the short form base shelf prospectus may be obtained from your registered financial advisor using the contact information for such advisor, or from representatives of the agents listed above. There will not be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy the securities being offered until the prospectus supplement has been filed with the Securities Commissions or similar authorities in each of the provinces of Canada.

    Investor Relations: 1-877-478-2372 Local: 416-304-4443 www.lifesplit.com info@quadravest.com 

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: GPTBots Shines at Super AI: Empowering Enterprises to Meet the Next Wave of AI-Driven Transformation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HONG KONG, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — At Super AI, Asia’s largest AI event held in Singapore, GPTBots.ai emerged as a highlight among enterprise AI platforms. The event brought together global industry leaders, innovators, and decision-makers, all seeking practical, scalable AI solutions to accelerate digital transformation and maintain a competitive edge.

    Spotlighting Real Enterprise Needs
    Throughout the exhibition, GPTBots engaged with top-tier clients whose needs reflected the region’s most urgent business trends:

    • Banking: The bank’s corporate division sought AI assistants for their sales teams, aiming to automatically monitor client news, uncover hidden business opportunities, and intelligently match these with relevant internal products. This approach enables more timely, data-driven, and personalized client engagement—helping banks stay ahead in a dynamic market.
    • Consulting: A leading global consulting firm explored GPTBots to automate customer service, reduce operational costs, and maintain high-quality client support. Their goal was to leverage AI to handle routine inquiries, freeing up human experts for more complex, value-added tasks.
    • Hospitality: A major hotel systems integrator was interested in deploying AI agents to manage guest inquiries—from bookings to room service—and to automatically generate daily operational reports for hotel management, streamlining both customer experience and internal operations.

    How GPTBots Delivers
    GPTBots’ enterprise-grade platform is designed for rapid, flexible deployment across industries:

    • Real-time Data Integration & Intelligent Matching: For banking, GPTBots enables AI agents to continuously scan news, financial data, and social media, surfacing actionable insights and matching them with the bank’s product suite.
    • Automated, 24/7 Customer Support: Consulting firms benefit from AI agents that resolve up to 90% of routine queries, ensuring consistent, high-quality service while reducing manual workload and costs.
    • Conversational AI & Automated Reporting: In hospitality, GPTBots powers seamless guest interactions and automates the creation and distribution of daily management reports, providing real-time operational insights.

    Driving the Future of Enterprise AI in Asia
    Super AI Singapore underscored the region’s growing demand for secure, adaptable, and industry-specific AI solutions. GPTBots is committed to bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI technology and real business value—helping enterprises unlock new opportunities, boost efficiency, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

    About GPTBots.ai
    GPTBots.ai is an enterprise AI agent platform that empowers businesses to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth. Offering end-to-end AI solutions across customer service, knowledge search, data analysis, and lead generation, GPTBots enables enterprises to harness the full potential of AI with ease. With seamless integration into various systems, and support for scalable, secure deployments, GPTBots is dedicated to reducing costs, accelerating growth, and helping businesses thrive in the AI era.

    To learn how GPTBots can accelerate your AI transformation, visit gptbots.ai.

    Media Contact:
    Tanya
    Marketing Director
    marketing@gptbots.ai

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b67ba9d7-360b-4607-a8b5-fd37bff23e82

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: GPTBots Shines at Super AI: Empowering Enterprises to Meet the Next Wave of AI-Driven Transformation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HONG KONG, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — At Super AI, Asia’s largest AI event held in Singapore, GPTBots.ai emerged as a highlight among enterprise AI platforms. The event brought together global industry leaders, innovators, and decision-makers, all seeking practical, scalable AI solutions to accelerate digital transformation and maintain a competitive edge.

    Spotlighting Real Enterprise Needs
    Throughout the exhibition, GPTBots engaged with top-tier clients whose needs reflected the region’s most urgent business trends:

    • Banking: The bank’s corporate division sought AI assistants for their sales teams, aiming to automatically monitor client news, uncover hidden business opportunities, and intelligently match these with relevant internal products. This approach enables more timely, data-driven, and personalized client engagement—helping banks stay ahead in a dynamic market.
    • Consulting: A leading global consulting firm explored GPTBots to automate customer service, reduce operational costs, and maintain high-quality client support. Their goal was to leverage AI to handle routine inquiries, freeing up human experts for more complex, value-added tasks.
    • Hospitality: A major hotel systems integrator was interested in deploying AI agents to manage guest inquiries—from bookings to room service—and to automatically generate daily operational reports for hotel management, streamlining both customer experience and internal operations.

    How GPTBots Delivers
    GPTBots’ enterprise-grade platform is designed for rapid, flexible deployment across industries:

    • Real-time Data Integration & Intelligent Matching: For banking, GPTBots enables AI agents to continuously scan news, financial data, and social media, surfacing actionable insights and matching them with the bank’s product suite.
    • Automated, 24/7 Customer Support: Consulting firms benefit from AI agents that resolve up to 90% of routine queries, ensuring consistent, high-quality service while reducing manual workload and costs.
    • Conversational AI & Automated Reporting: In hospitality, GPTBots powers seamless guest interactions and automates the creation and distribution of daily management reports, providing real-time operational insights.

    Driving the Future of Enterprise AI in Asia
    Super AI Singapore underscored the region’s growing demand for secure, adaptable, and industry-specific AI solutions. GPTBots is committed to bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI technology and real business value—helping enterprises unlock new opportunities, boost efficiency, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

    About GPTBots.ai
    GPTBots.ai is an enterprise AI agent platform that empowers businesses to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth. Offering end-to-end AI solutions across customer service, knowledge search, data analysis, and lead generation, GPTBots enables enterprises to harness the full potential of AI with ease. With seamless integration into various systems, and support for scalable, secure deployments, GPTBots is dedicated to reducing costs, accelerating growth, and helping businesses thrive in the AI era.

    To learn how GPTBots can accelerate your AI transformation, visit gptbots.ai.

    Media Contact:
    Tanya
    Marketing Director
    marketing@gptbots.ai

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b67ba9d7-360b-4607-a8b5-fd37bff23e82

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: From Strategy to Action: African Development Bank and Google Explore Africa’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Future at the 2025 Annual Meetings

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

    One side event at the African Development Bank Group’s (www.AfDB.org) 2025 Annual Meetings unpacked the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a powerful tool to advance inclusive and sustainable development across the African continent.

    Held under the theme: “The AI Revolution: How Will AI Support the Delivery of the African Development Bank’s 2024–2033 Ten-Year Strategy and the Transformation of African Economies?”, the 90-minute session convened leading voices from across sectors. The event was co-hosted with Google AI Research.

    At the heart of the discussion was the question: What will it take for Africa to become AI-ready? which was the central theme of the high-level panel discussion as part of the event.

    In his opening remarks, Solomon Quaynor, Vice-President for Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialization of the African Development Bank underscored the critical role of digital transformation in shaping Africa’s future: “AI is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for Africa’s competitiveness, resilience, and long-term prosperity,” he said.

    Caroline Kende-Robb, Senior Director of Strategy and Operational Policies at the Bank, framed the conversation within the context of the Bank’s 2024–2033 Ten-Year Strategy (https://apo-opa.co/3ZFWakh).

    She stressed that “Investing in youth and data infrastructure is no longer optional—these are the foundations upon which Africa must build its AI future.”  Her remarks echoed the strategy’s call to leapfrog development through innovation, anchored in African realities and driven by African talent.

    Following her intervention, Abdoulaye Diack, Program Manager at Google AI Research Africa, highlighted the transformative potential of AI to address structural challenges and unlock progress in agriculture, education, climate adaptation, and public health.

    Diack emphasized the importance of contextualizing AI for African environments, warning that “without local data and inclusive models, Africa risks becoming a passive consumer rather than an active creator of AI solutions.”

    Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Digital Transition and Digitalization, advocated for regional coordination and harmonized policy frameworks to enable responsible, cross-border implementation of AI technologies.

    Robert Skjodt, Group CEO of Raxio Group, focused on the critical need for robust digital infrastructure—especially local data centers—to support the scale and speed required for Africa’s AI ambitions.

    Ousmane Fall, Director of Private Sector Transaction Support at the Bank, called for the development of bankable, scalable digital infrastructure projects that can attract long-term investment.

    Moustapha Cissé, CEO of Kera Health Platforms, and a respected pioneer in African AI research, stressed the need for ethical frameworks and AI systems that reflect African social, cultural, and healthcare contexts.

    Muthoni Karubiu, Chief Operations Officer at Amini, concluded the panel with a call to enhance data sovereignty, especially in the context of agriculture and climate action, by ensuring access to localized and context-specific environmental data.

    Harnessing the power of AI for Africa’s success

    A strong consensus emerged across the panel – for Africa to harness AI effectively, it must focus on three foundational pillars:

    – Human Capital: Equip the next generation with AI literacy and professional expertise.

    – Data Infrastructure: Build the digital backbone for connectivity, storage, and secure data exchange.

    – Localized Data: Train AI systems on African realities, including languages, culture, and societal needs.

    With Africa holding just 1.3% of global data storage capacity and lagging in digital readiness, speakers agreed that the continent is at a crossroads and must urgently make the choice to invest now, or risk falling further behind.

    As Africa moves forward in artificial intelligence, the African Development Bank reaffirms its commitment to shaping a digital future that is inclusive, sovereign, and anchored in shared prosperity.

    For more information or to revisit this session, click here (https://apo-opa.co/4eu3i9P)

    – on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    Contact:
    Chara Tsitoura
    Communication and External Relations
    media@afdb.org

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: G Wellness Company Limited Partners with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to Launch the First Internationally Branded Hotel in Banjul, The Gambia

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

    G Wellness Company Limited, a subsidiary of MP Trading Group, is proud to announce its strategic partnership with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (www.WyndhamHotels.com), the world’s largest hotel franchising company, to debut the first internationally branded resort in Banjul, The Gambia, under the globally recognized Ramada by Wyndham brand.

    This landmark development marks a significant milestone for The Gambia’s growing tourism and hospitality sector, reinforcing its status as a rising destination in West Africa. Located on the Atlantic coast, The Gambia is known for its vibrant culture, rich history, and natural beauty. As the smallest country on mainland Africa, it has made impressive strides in recent years to position tourism as a key pillar of national development. In 2019 alone, the country welcomed over 620,000 visitors, with the government continuing to invest in infrastructure and travel-related services to boost its global appeal.

    The new Ramada Resort by Wyndham Banjul will be situated in the popular coastal town of Kotu, a well-established tourist hub known for its scenic beaches and lively local markets. Conveniently located approximately 22 kilometers from Banjul International Airport and about 15 kilometers from Banjul city center, the resort will feature 65 elegantly appointed guest rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, lounge bar, ocean-view swimming pool, wellness spa, and meeting facilities — offering both leisure and business travelers an elevated stay experience.

    “Partnering with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts for this landmark project in Banjul marks an important milestone for us,” said Mr. Manish Tilokani, Chairman of MP Trading Group. “Bringing the first internationally branded resort in The Gambia is a meaningful step in our growth, and with Ramada by Wyndham, we are committed to delivering high-quality hospitality standards. We look forward to welcoming guests to the resort by mid-2026.”

    “This collaboration with G Wellness Company Limited represents a significant addition to our portfolio in West Africa,” said Govind Mundra, Head of Development – Middle East & Africa at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “It reflects our ongoing focus on expanding into high-potential, underserved markets and supporting our partners in delivering trusted, branded hospitality. We value our relationship with Mr. Manish and his team and see strong potential for further development across the region.”

    – on behalf of Wyndham.

    Contact:
    Mr. Manish Tilokani
    G Wellness Company Limited
    Phone: +220 336 5900
    E-mail: emailmanishtilokani@gmail.com

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Blue Square X Expands to NYC with a New Hub for Immersive Innovation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue Square X, a leader in immersive visual storytelling and experiential technology, proudly announces the grand opening of its second Experience Center and Showroom, at 1 Penn Plaza in the heart of New York City. Following the success of its Miami debut, the new location offers a bold destination where digital display innovation meets architecture, content, and motion.

    Purpose-built to inspire collaboration and showcase what’s next in experiential design, the NYC Experience Center immerses visitors in large-format LED environments, interactive displays, and bespoke 3D content demonstrating how digital technology can transform physical spaces into unforgettable experiences.

    “The New York Experience Center is where big ideas come to life,” said Yitzy Shapiro, Chief Operating Officer of Blue Square X. “It’s more than a showroom it’s a space where visionaries across industries can experience how immersive storytelling and smart tech elevate engagement, spark emotion, and create connection.”

    To mark the launch, Blue Square X will host a grand opening event on Monday, June 30, 2025, from 1 PM to 5 PM. Attendees will enjoy live demonstrations, showroom tours, curated sips and bites, and a series of thought-provoking panel discussions led by experts from across the AV and creative industries:

    • AV Consultants: Scope Shift—Redefining the Role of the AV Consultant Today
    • Art & Galleries: From Collector to Gallery—Navigating the Evolving World of NFTs and Digital Art
    • AV Integrators: Tariffs, Pricing & the Hybrid Workforce—What’s Now, What’s Next
    • Content Creation: How It’s Made—Behind the Scenes of Anamorphic and 3D Digital Content

    “We created this space to connect the dots between technology, content, and physical design,” said Chanan Averbuch, Director of Innovation at Blue Square X. “By bringing industry leaders together for hands-on experiences and real conversations, we’re helping push the boundaries of what’s possible in physical spaces powered by digital innovation.”

    The NYC Experience Center serves as a playground for developers, designers, integrators, and creative professionals looking to explore and implement forward-thinking display solutions across real estate, retail, entertainment, hospitality, and beyond.

    Space is limited. Register here to attend and receive a VIP swag bag for early registrants.

    About Blue Square X
    Blue Square X is a digital experience innovation company that transforms imagination into reality by fusing powerful storytelling, art, cutting-edge technology, and architecture. With operations in New York and Miami, they specialize in crafting captivating and immersive visual experiences across a wide range of industries. Blue Square X’s focus on cutting-edge technology and innovation drives business growth and enhances customer experiences.

    Stay up to date with Blue Square X on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

    Media Contacts:
    Shari Sentlowitz
    Director of Communications and Marketing
    Blue Square X
    201-951-2734
    Shari@bluesqx.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/56571de4-c873-4c6b-865c-228223172524

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: CIRA’s Internet Performance Test turns 10 with new features and insights on Canada’s digital divide

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OTTAWA, Ontario, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CIRA is proud to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its Internet Performance Test (IPT), marking a significant milestone in the journey towards building a more equitable and accessible internet across Canada. Since the first test was captured in the spring of 2015, Canadians have run over 1.7 million tests, leveraging the tool and its crowd-sourced approach to better understand their connection. The platform allows local governments, advocates and researchers to track national progress toward closing the digital divide.

    Over the years, the data collected through IPT has provided insight into how the internet is evolving across Canada. In its inaugural year, the national median download speed was just over 11 Mbps, with an upload speed of 2.4 Mbps. Fast forward to last year, the national median speeds soared to 92 Mbps download and 27 Mbps upload, showcasing incredible progress.

    This milestone coincides with the launch of new CRTC hearings that will investigate how to improve the shopping experience for consumers to ensure they get the speed and quality they pay for.

    Key insights

    • A noticeable inflection point after 2019 suggests that increased government and private investments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic—and its consequences on the online lives of Canadians—have significantly impacted connectivity.
    • While rural speeds have improved substantially, the gap between rural and urban connectivity remains largely unchanged.
    • Regional disparities persist, with New Brunswick enjoying relatively fast speeds, while the Prairies continue to lag behind.
    • The far North, particularly the territories, shows the lowest connectivity levels, with median speeds well below half the national average.
    • Latency—a critical quality metric that can lead to noticeable delays in online activities such as video calls, streaming and other real-time applications—highlights the challenges faced by networks covering vast territories. Areas such as Nunavut, Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan exhibit the highest latency levels, indicating the need for continued investment in underserved regions.

    Executive quote

    “Ten years of the IPT marks a major milestone in Canada’s connectivity journey. Thanks to community partnerships, we’ve built a powerful tool for change, but the digital divide persists. More than ever, we must keep investing, collaborating and pushing forward to ensure fast, reliable internet is a reality for everyone, no matter where they live.” — Charles Noir, Vice-president, Community Investment, Policy & Advocacy, CIRA

    New features
    To mark this anniversary, CIRA is rolling out a series of powerful new features designed to enhance user experience and deliver even deeper insights:

    1. Autotesting capability: the IPT can now run automated tests at regular intervals over hours or days. Logged-in users can track how their connection performs throughout the day.
    2. New speed categories: newly added categories highlight areas with exceptional service and ultra-fast connections.
    3. Basemap selection: in addition to the default street map, users can now switch to satellite imagery for added geographic context.
    4. Upload speed visualization: the Internet Performance Map now displays both download and upload speeds, offering a more complete view of internet performance.
    5. Expanded dashboard insights: IPT account holders now have access to more detailed metrics and visualizations via updated dashboards.

    Resources  


    About CIRA     
    CIRA is the national not-for-profit best known for managing the .CA domain on behalf of all Canadians. As a leader in Canada’s internet ecosystem, CIRA offers a wide range of products, programs and services designed to make the internet a secure and accessible space for all. CIRA advocates for Canada on both national and international stages to support its goal of building a trusted internet for Canadians by helping shape the future of the internet. 

    About Net Good by CIRA and the Internet Performance Test  
    Net Good by CIRA supports communities, projects and policies that make the internet better for all Canadians including CIRA’s Internet Performance Test (IPT). The IPT platform offers advanced and detailed diagnostic data enabling communities, researchers, and decision-makers to better understand and improve internet access in Canada. Each year, CIRA proudly funds its Net Good program from the revenue generated through .CA domains. 

    Media contact 
    Delphine Avomo Evouna 
    613.315.1458 
    delphine.avomoevouna@cira.ca 

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers Opening Remarks at the Pre-Event Dinner of AMMSTI-21, in Jakarta

    Source: ASEAN

    Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, this evening delivered Opening Remarks at the Pre-Event Dinner of the 21st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation (AMMSTI-21), where he reaffirmed the critical role of AMMSTI in guiding ASEAN’s STI progress over nearly five decades. SG Dr. Kao also highlighted the ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, calling for inclusive innovation, digital transformation, and global partnership, all of which are core to AMMSTI’s agenda moving forward.
     
    Download the full opening remarks here.
     

     
    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers Opening Remarks at the Pre-Event Dinner of AMMSTI-21, in Jakarta appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Virtru CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly Named 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year®

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WASHINGTON, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virtru, the leader in data-centric security, today announced CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly has been named a 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner for the Mid-Atlantic region. The prestigious award recognizes Ackerly’s leadership in revolutionizing cybersecurity through innovative, data-centric solutions that enable secure, compliant data sharing across commercial and government markets.

    With Ackerly’s direction over the past 12 years, Virtru has grown to serve millions of individuals, over 6,000 customers, including Fortune 500 organizations, the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and other critical federal and state agencies.

    “I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition from EY,” said Ackerly. “This award reflects the incredible dedication of the entire Virtru team who embody our mission: To unlock the power of data by creating a world where it is always under your control, everywhere. While most vendors focus defensively on protecting data within the perimeter, Virtru has pioneered data-centric security that empowers people, enables strategic information-sharing and activates the value of data. It’s our goal to enable organizations — of every size, in every industry — to respect the data they are entrusted with.”

    The Entrepreneur Of The Year program, which is in its 40th year of operation, celebrates individuals who boldly disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and making a profound impact on communities. The Mid-Atlantic program specifically honors leaders from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.

    Redefining Cybersecurity with Data-Centric Innovation
    Powered by the open Trusted Data Format (TDF) standard, Virtru’s Data Security Platform makes it easy for both commercial and government entities to securely share sensitive information. As highlighted earlier this year at RSAC 2025 and at the Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit, data-centric security is much more than locking data down and preventing it from being lost or stolen — it’s about giving people agency over information so they can share it freely with others, without sacrificing security, control, or privacy. Unlike traditional cybersecurity vendors that focus solely on preventing data from leaving organizations, Virtru enables data to flow freely outside the organization while maintaining complete control and security.

    Success Across Multiple Markets
    Under Ackerly’s leadership, Virtru has continued to innovate and expand from simple integrations like Gmail to develop a true platform enabling a myriad of workflows across diverse environments — from commercial business applications to custom implementations for national defense. Users can exercise the power of Virtru’s Data Security Platform seamlessly with applications like Google Drive, Outlook, SharePoint, and Zendesk, protecting their data without changing workflows and maintaining compliance with ITAR, CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, and GLBA regulations.

    For government environments, Virtru has developed specialized workflows that meet the unique security requirements of public sector agencies. The FedRAMP– and StateRAMP-authorized platform enables secure cross-domain collaboration and mission-critical communications that strengthen security operations.

    The Future is Data-Centric
    As organizations increasingly recognize that traditional perimeter-based security models are insufficient for today’s collaborative business environment, data-centric security is experiencing unprecedented momentum. Ackerly’s recognition as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year reflects not only his individual leadership but also the broader industry shift toward solutions that enable secure data sharing while maintaining control. This rising tide of data-centric security represents the future of how organizations will simultaneously share and protect their most valuable asset—their data.

    For more information about Virtru and its Data Security Platform, please visit www.virtru.com

    About Virtru
    Virtru empowers organizations to unlock the power of data while maintaining control wherever it’s stored and shared. Trusted by over 6,000 global customers, Virtru provides simple, powerful solutions for Zero Trust data-centric security, underpinned by the Trusted Data Format (TDF). Learn more at Virtru.com.

    Press Contact
    Nick Michael
    nick.michael@virtru.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Virtru CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly Named 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year®

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WASHINGTON, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virtru, the leader in data-centric security, today announced CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly has been named a 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner for the Mid-Atlantic region. The prestigious award recognizes Ackerly’s leadership in revolutionizing cybersecurity through innovative, data-centric solutions that enable secure, compliant data sharing across commercial and government markets.

    With Ackerly’s direction over the past 12 years, Virtru has grown to serve millions of individuals, over 6,000 customers, including Fortune 500 organizations, the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and other critical federal and state agencies.

    “I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition from EY,” said Ackerly. “This award reflects the incredible dedication of the entire Virtru team who embody our mission: To unlock the power of data by creating a world where it is always under your control, everywhere. While most vendors focus defensively on protecting data within the perimeter, Virtru has pioneered data-centric security that empowers people, enables strategic information-sharing and activates the value of data. It’s our goal to enable organizations — of every size, in every industry — to respect the data they are entrusted with.”

    The Entrepreneur Of The Year program, which is in its 40th year of operation, celebrates individuals who boldly disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and making a profound impact on communities. The Mid-Atlantic program specifically honors leaders from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.

    Redefining Cybersecurity with Data-Centric Innovation
    Powered by the open Trusted Data Format (TDF) standard, Virtru’s Data Security Platform makes it easy for both commercial and government entities to securely share sensitive information. As highlighted earlier this year at RSAC 2025 and at the Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit, data-centric security is much more than locking data down and preventing it from being lost or stolen — it’s about giving people agency over information so they can share it freely with others, without sacrificing security, control, or privacy. Unlike traditional cybersecurity vendors that focus solely on preventing data from leaving organizations, Virtru enables data to flow freely outside the organization while maintaining complete control and security.

    Success Across Multiple Markets
    Under Ackerly’s leadership, Virtru has continued to innovate and expand from simple integrations like Gmail to develop a true platform enabling a myriad of workflows across diverse environments — from commercial business applications to custom implementations for national defense. Users can exercise the power of Virtru’s Data Security Platform seamlessly with applications like Google Drive, Outlook, SharePoint, and Zendesk, protecting their data without changing workflows and maintaining compliance with ITAR, CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, and GLBA regulations.

    For government environments, Virtru has developed specialized workflows that meet the unique security requirements of public sector agencies. The FedRAMP– and StateRAMP-authorized platform enables secure cross-domain collaboration and mission-critical communications that strengthen security operations.

    The Future is Data-Centric
    As organizations increasingly recognize that traditional perimeter-based security models are insufficient for today’s collaborative business environment, data-centric security is experiencing unprecedented momentum. Ackerly’s recognition as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year reflects not only his individual leadership but also the broader industry shift toward solutions that enable secure data sharing while maintaining control. This rising tide of data-centric security represents the future of how organizations will simultaneously share and protect their most valuable asset—their data.

    For more information about Virtru and its Data Security Platform, please visit www.virtru.com

    About Virtru
    Virtru empowers organizations to unlock the power of data while maintaining control wherever it’s stored and shared. Trusted by over 6,000 global customers, Virtru provides simple, powerful solutions for Zero Trust data-centric security, underpinned by the Trusted Data Format (TDF). Learn more at Virtru.com.

    Press Contact
    Nick Michael
    nick.michael@virtru.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Extreme weather’s true damage cost is a mystery – that’s a problem for understanding storm risk

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By John Nielsen-Gammon, Regents Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University

    Hail can be destructive, yet the cost of the damage often isn’t publicly tracked. NOAA/NSSL

    On Jan. 5, 2025, at about 2:35 in the afternoon, the first severe hailstorm of the season dropped quarter-size hail in Chatham, Mississippi. According to the federal storm events database, there were no injuries, but it caused $10,000 in property damage.

    How do we know the storm caused $10,000 in damage? We don’t.

    That estimate is probably a best guess from someone whose primary job is weather forecasting. Yet these guesses, and thousands like them, form the foundation for publicly available tallies of the costs of severe weather.

    If the damage estimates from hailstorms are consistently lower in one county than the next, potential property buyers might think it’s because there’s less risk of hailstorms. Instead, it might just be because different people are making the estimates.

    Hail damage in Dallas in June 2012.
    Rondo Estrello/Flickr, CC BY-SA

    We are atmospheric scientists at Texas A&M University who lead the Office of the Texas State Climatologist. Through our involvement in state-level planning for weather-related disasters, we have seen county-scale patterns of storm damage over the past 20 years that just didn’t make sense. So, we decided to dig deeper.

    We looked at storm event reports for a mix of seven urban and rural counties in southeast Texas, with populations ranging from 50,000 to 5 million. We included all reported types of extreme weather. We also talked with people from the two National Weather Service offices that cover the area.

    Storm damage investigations vary widely

    Typically, two specific types of extreme weather receive special attention.

    After a tornado, the National Weather Service conducts an on-site damage survey, examining its track and destruction. That survey forms the basis for the official estimate of a tornado’s strength on the enhanced Fujita scale. Weather Service staff are able to make decent damage cost estimates from knowledge of home values in the area.

    They also investigate flash flood damage in detail, and loss information is available from the National Flood Insurance Program, the main source of flood insurance for U.S. homes.

    Tornadoes in May 2025 destroyed homes in communities in several states, including London, Ky.
    AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley

    Most other losses from extreme weather are privately insured, if they’re insured at all.

    Insured loss information is collected by reinsurance companies – the companies that insure the insurance companies – and gets tabulated for major events. Insurance companies use their own detailed information to try to make better decisions on rates than their competitors do, so event-based loss data by county from insurance companies isn’t readily available.

    Losing billion-dollar disaster data

    There’s one big window into how disaster damage has changed over the years in the U.S.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, compiled information for major disasters, including insured losses by state. Bulk data won’t tell communities or counties about their specific risk, but it enabled NOAA to calculate overall damage estimates, which it released as its billion-dollar disasters list.

    From that program, we know that the number and cost of billion-dollar disasters in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years. News articles and even scientific papers often point to climate change as the primary culprit, but a much larger driver has been the increasing number and value of buildings and other types of infrastructure, particularly along hurricane-prone coasts.

    Critics in the past year called for more transparency and vetting of the procedures used to estimate billion-dollar disasters. But that’s not going to happen, because NOAA in May 2025 stopped making billion-dollar disaster estimates and retired its user interface.

    Previous estimates can still be retrieved from NOAA’s online data archive, but by shutting down that program, the window into current and future disaster losses and insurance claims is now closed.

    Emergency managers at the county level also make local damage estimates, but the resources they have available vary widely. They may estimate damages only when the total might be large enough to trigger a disaster declaration that makes relief funds available from the federal government.

    Patching together very rough estimates

    Without insurance data or county estimates, the local offices of the National Weather Service are on their own to estimate losses.

    There is no standard operating procedure that every office must follow. One office might choose to simply not provide damage estimates for any hailstorms because the staff doesn’t see how it could come up with accurate values. Others may make estimates, but with varying methods.

    The result is a patchwork of damage estimates. Accurate values are more likely for rare events that cause extensive damage. Loss estimates from more frequent events that don’t reach a high damage threshold are generally far less reliable.

    The number of severe hail reports in southeast Texas listed in the National Centers for Environmental Information’s storm events database is strongly correlated with population. The county with the most reports and greatest detail in those reports is home to Houston. Hailstorms in the three easternmost counties are rarely associated with damage estimates.
    John Nielsen-Gammon and B.J. Baule

    Do you want to look at local damage trends? Forget about it. For most extreme weather events, estimation methods vary over time and are not documented.

    Do you want to direct funding to help communities improve resilience to natural disasters where the need is greatest? Forget about it. The places experiencing the largest per capita damages depend not just on actual damages but on the different practices of local National Weather Service offices.

    Are you moving to a location that might be vulnerable to extreme weather? Companies are starting to provide localized risk estimates through real estate websites, but the algorithms tend to be proprietary, and there’s no independent validation.

    4 steps to improve disaster data

    We believe a few fixes could make NOAA’s storm events database and the corresponding values in the larger SHELDUS database, managed by Arizona State University, more reliable. Both databases include county-level disasters and loss estimates for some of those disasters.

    First, the National Weather Service could develop standard procedures for local offices for estimating disaster damages.

    Second, additional state support could encourage local emergency managers to make concrete damage estimates from individual events and share them with the National Weather Service. The local emergency manager generally knows the extent of damage much better than a forecaster sitting in an office a few counties away.

    Third, state or federal governments and insurance companies can agree to make public the aggregate loss information at the county level or other scale that doesn’t jeopardize the privacy of their policyholders. If all companies provide this data, there is no competitive disadvantage for doing so.

    Fourth, NOAA could create a small “tiger team” of damage specialists to make well-informed, consistent damage estimates of larger events and train local offices on how to handle the smaller stuff.

    With these processes in place, the U.S. wouldn’t need a billion-dollar disasters program anymore. We’d have reliable information on all the disasters.

    John Nielsen-Gammon receives funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of Texas.

    William Baule receives funding from NOAA, the State of Texas, & the Austin Community Foundation.

    – ref. Extreme weather’s true damage cost is a mystery – that’s a problem for understanding storm risk – https://theconversation.com/extreme-weathers-true-damage-cost-is-a-mystery-thats-a-problem-for-understanding-storm-risk-257105

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Iran air strikes: Republicans split over support for Trump and another ‘foreign war’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Hargy, Visiting Research Fellow in International Studies, Queen’s University Belfast

    After returning early from the G7 summit in Canada, Donald Trump met with his national security team to be briefed on the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. It became clear that Trump was considering direct US military support for the Israelis.

    This has the potential to cause a split among the president’s supporters between the Republican hawks (traditional interventionists) on one side and the Maga isolationists on the other.

    During his three presidential campaigns, Trump condemned former presidents for leading America into “ridiculous endless wars”. This isolationist tilt won him plaudits with his base of those who supported him for his populist promises to “make America great again” (Maga).

    In their work on US attitudes to foreign policy and US overseas involvement, Elaine Kamarck and Jordan Muchnick of the Brookings Institution – a non-profit research organisation in Washington – looked at a range of evidence in 2023.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    They found Republicans supporting less global involvement from the US had increased from 40% to 54% from 2004 to 2017. At that time only 16% of voters supported increasing US troop presence abroad, and 40% wanted a decrease, they found. They related this change in attitudes to Trump’s foreign policy position.

    Fast forward to his second term, and many in the Maga camp are fiercely opposed to Trump’s current posturing about leading the US into another conflict in the Middle East. Over the past few days the White House has doubled down on the line that Trump keeps repeating: “Iran can not have a nuclear weapon”.

    As Trump edges closer to committing the US to joining Israel in air strikes on Iran, Steve Bannon, a staunch Trump ally, argued that allowing the “deep state” to drive the US into conflict with Iran would “blow up” the coalition of Trump support.

    Meanwhile, Conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson denounced those Republicans supporting action against Iran as “warmongers” and said they were encouraging the president to drag the US into a war.

    Congresswoman Majorie Taylor Greene, in an unusual break with Trump, openly criticised the president’s stance on the Israel-Iran conflict, writing on X: “Foreign wars/intervention/regime change put America last, kill innocent people, are making us broke, and will ultimately lead to our destruction.”

    Other prominent Republican senators, including Josh Hawley and Rand Paul, have urged the president to avoid US involvement in an offensive against Iran.

    Another Republican congressman, Thomas Massie, has gone even further. He has joined with a coalition of Democrats in filing a House resolution under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which would seek to prevent Trump from engaging in “unauthorized hostilities” with Iran without Congressional consent.

    These Republicans may believe their views are popular with their electoral base. In an Economist/YouGov poll in June 2025, 53% of Republicans stated that they did not think the US military should get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

    But Donald Trump does seem to enjoy widespread support in the US for his position that the US cannot allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. According to CNN data analysis, 83% of Republicans, 79% independents, and 79% of Democrats, agree with the president’s position on this issue. This slightly confusing split suggests there could be US voter support for air strikes, but it’s clear there would not be that same support for troops on the ground.

    Iran
    Infogram

    Resistance from ultra-Trump die-hards, however, might put them on the wrong side of the president in the long-term. Greg Sargent, a writer at The New Republic magazine, believes that, “people become enemies of Trump not when they substantively work against some principle he supposedly holds dear, but rather when they publicly criticize him … or become an inconvenience in any way”.

    So why is Trump, to the dismay of many from within the Maga faithful, seemingly abandoning the anti-war tenet of his “America first” doctrine? Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of The National Interest magazine, thinks that “now that Israel’s assault on Iran appears to be successful, Trump wants in on the action”.

    The president has several prominent Republican hawks urging him to do exactly that, and order the US Air Force to deploy their “bunker-buster bombs”“ to destroy Iran’s underground arsenals. One of these is Senator Lindsey Graham.

    Earlier this week on Fox News, he told Trump to be “all in … in helping Israel eliminate the nuclear threat. If we need to provide bombs to Israel, provide bombs. If we need to fly planes with Israel, do joint operations.”

    Former Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell is also advocating US military action. He told CNN: “What’s happening here is some of the isolationist movement led by Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon are distressed we may be helping the Israelis defeat the Iranians,” adding that its “been kind of a bad week for the isolationists” in the party.

    Donald Trump talks about potential involvement in air strikes.

    The same Economist/YouGov poll mentioned earlier showed that the stance taken by these Republicans – that Iran poses a threat to the US – is a position shared by a majority of GOP voters, with 69% viewing Iran as either an immediate and serious threat to the US, or at least somewhat of a serious threat.

    Always an interventionist?

    Some believe that Trump’s evolving attitude towards American military involvement in the worsening crisis in the Middle East, however, is not a volte-face on isolationism, or an ideological pivot to the virtues of attacking Iran. Ross Douthat of the New York Times has observed that Trump “has never been a principled noninterventionist” and that “his deal-making style has always involved the threat of force as a crucial bargaining chip”.

    It is always difficult to fully determine what Trump’s foreign policy doctrine actually is. It is useful, however, to reflect on some of the president’s overseas actions from his first term.

    In April 2018, following a suspected chemical weapons attack by the forces of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in a Damascus suburb, Trump ordered US air strikes in retaliation for what he called an “evil and despicable attack” that left “mothers and fathers, infants and children thrashing in pain and gasping for air”.

    This led the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, Jeffrey Goldberg, to describe Trump as “something wholly unique in the history of the presidency: an isolationist interventionist”.

    Richard Hargy 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. Iran air strikes: Republicans split over support for Trump and another ‘foreign war’ – https://theconversation.com/iran-air-strikes-republicans-split-over-support-for-trump-and-another-foreign-war-259314

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 20, 2025
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