Category: Business

MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Expands Footprint and Embraces Partner Network at InfoComm 2025

Source: Samsung

Samsung Electronics is showcasing its latest display technologies, solutions and partner-integrated offerings at InfoComm, the largest professional audio-visual industry trade show in North America, held in Orlando, Fla., from June 11 to 13. This year, Samsung is expanding its presence across the show floor through strategic partner collaborations and a dedicated meeting space (Room W206BC).
“The future of connected experiences lies in bringing together the best in display technology, immersive sound and collaboration tools,” said David Phelps, Head of Display Division, Samsung Electronics America. “By integrating partner technologies into our display ecosystem, we’re helping businesses rethink how they engage employees, serve customers, deliver content and optimize their spaces. Whether it’s flexible meeting rooms, interactive classrooms or seamless retail environments, we’re setting new standards for experience-led innovation.”
Cisco and Samsung showcase stunning collaboration experiences
During Infocomm, Samsung and Cisco (Booth #3381) will debut a new collaboration featuring the Samsung 105-inch 5K UHD Smart Signage display, which will be the first 21:9 screen to receive certification from Cisco. To harness the capabilities of the ultra-wide screen, Cisco has optimized RoomOS for its devices to support the 21:9 aspect ratio natively, resulting in a better view of meeting participants and shared content in Microsoft Teams Rooms and Webex Meetings. The widened display area allows new ways to display both meeting participants and shared content on a single display in an engaging meeting experience.

Additionally, large supersized displays, like the new Samsung 136-inch The Wall 16:9 All-in-One LED paired with Cisco collaboration devices, and the newly announced Cisco Room Vision PTZ cameras, delivers a highly immersive large-screen meeting experience. Stunning video quality with natural, eye-level views are possible with a solution that’s simple to install. Deploy in hours, not days with Samsung’s modular all-in-one screen assembly and Cisco’s single-cable power over ethernet (PoE) cameras.

“We are delighted that the innovative partnership between Cisco and Samsung continues to deliver the most engaging and inclusive employee experiences in the industry,” said Espen Løberg VP Product Management, Cisco. “Our certification program creates a solid foundation for seamless integrations that reduce complexity and enable scalable deployment and maintenance of collaboration rooms.”
Together, Samsung and Cisco are raising the bar on the collaboration experience possible with these advanced displays. Powered by NVIDIA chipsets and Cisco RoomOS software, Cisco collaboration devices intelligently track, group and frame meeting participants, optimizing the use of screen real-estate afforded by Samsung Smart Signage displays, ensuring everyone can be seen in amazing detail.
Samsung’s 136-inch The Wall with 16:9 aspect ratio, and 105-inch 5K UHD Smart Signage 21:9 aspect ratio will be on display in Cisco’s Partner Lounge (W203A) at Infocomm. During the show, demonstrations will highlight how Samsung displays paired with Cisco’s solutions and cameras optimize the meeting experience in corporate workspaces. Demonstrations will take place on Wednesday, June 11 and Thursday, June 12 from 9:00-10:00 a.m. ET.
Logitech and Samsung redefine the modern workplace
Building on their five-year-long partnership in video conferencing and productivity, Samsung and Logitech are collaborating to showcase joint solutions for Microsoft Teams and Copilot. These integrated offerings will be on display at Logitech’s booth (#3012). Highlights include an entry-level Teams Room setup featuring the Logitech MeetUp 2 and Tap with USB Kit, paired with a Samsung 65-inch display. Attendees can also view a demonstration of multi-stream functionality in Teams Rooms on Windows, also utilizing a Samsung 65-inch display. Additionally, the booth will present a desktop productivity package that combines Logitech’s MK955 keyboard-mouse combo—with dedicated Windows and Copilot keys—with Samsung monitors, offering an optimized Microsoft 365 Copilot experience for enterprise users. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to innovation, simplicity and enhanced productivity in modern work environments.

“Our enduring partnership with Samsung has always centered on transforming workplace experiences through smarter, more seamless solutions,” said Sudeep Trivedi, Head of Alliances and Go-to-Market, Logitech. “By innovating on solutions for Microsoft Teams and Copilot, we’re making significant gains in addressing the needs of Microsoft 365 users. Together, we’re redefining productivity and enabling businesses to thrive in today’s dynamic work environments.”
Integrated partner display solutions drive customer success
Throughout the show floor, InfoComm attendees can explore how Samsung’s portfolio of commercial display products integrates seamlessly with best-in-class technologies from its ecosystem partners. These integrated solutions are designed to elevate customer and employee engagement, streamline operations and drive better business outcomes across industries.
For instance, FORTÉ (Booth #1742), the leading provider of communication and collaboration solutions designed to transform the modern workplace, will feature the Samsung 146-inch The Wall All-In-One 4K and WMB Interactive Display in its booth. Vu Technologies, another key partner of Samsung, will showcase its all-in-one studio solution, Vu One Mini, integrated with the Samsung 146-inch The Wall display. The activation will be fully powered by Vu’s proprietary production software, Vu Studio.
ADI Global Distribution (Booth #3728), the leading distributor of security, AV and low-voltage products, will showcase the WAD Interactive Display and The Wall All-In-One 4K on the show floor.
InfoComm attendees can experience how Samsung displays and solutions empower businesses to redefine visual engagement and operational efficiencies at additional partners’ booths, including:

Bluestar (Booth #980)
TD Synnex (Booth #1900)
United Communication (Booth #3817)

Elevating corporate, retail, educational and other business environments with display innovations
In its dedicated meeting room W206BC, Samsung will showcase recently launched displays, including the Color E-Paper, 105-inch 5k UHD Smart Signage and WAF Interactive Display, as well as software solutions like the Visual eXperience Transformation (VXT) platform and SmartThings Pro. Welcoming guests at the entrance of the meeting space is a larger-than-life 136-inch model of The Wall that delivers stunning picture quality with optimized brightness and contrast powered by the advanced NQM AI Processor.

Launched on June 5, Samsung Color E-Paper expands upon its portfolio of energy-efficient digital signage. Featuring digital ink technology, this latest model delivers ultra-low power consumption, high visibility and a lightweight design, offering businesses a sustainable and flexible display alternative. With a fully charged integrated battery, users have the ability to install and use Color E-Paper freely without being connected to a power source. During content updates, the display still uses significantly less energy than LCD digital signage, which helps reduce operational costs.
The Samsung 105-inch 5K UHD Smart Signage display elevates workplace collaboration and audience engagement. At just 48.1mm in depth, the display’s slim design makes it a perfect fit for sleek and modern workspaces, retail stores and high-traffic places such as airports, rail stations or sports arenas. Users can make a big impression by installing the QPD-5K display vertically, with its screen reaching eight feet tall in portrait mode. The 105-inch display’s expansive, ultra-wide screen is an ideal solution for video conferencing in modern meeting spaces. Ultra-clear 5K resolution and non-glare technology ensure crisp, vivid visuals to deliver important information from every angle.
Available in 65-, 75- and 86-inch models, the WAF Interactive Display delivers a captivating classroom experience for students. Powered by the Android 14 operating system, the WAF builds on the successes of Samsung’s first Google Enterprise Devices Licensing Agreement (EDLA)-certified classroom display, the WAD series, and introduces new features to enhance classroom instruction and engagement. The “Annotation” button empowers users to take notes anytime without interruptions, even over videos and other visuals on the screen, making collaborating and engaging during lessons more seamless and less intrusive. The Note app on the display has been updated to allow multiple students to use the whiteboard at once. Dr. Micah Shippee, Director of Education Solutions & Channel Sales, Samsung, will be in the Samsung meeting room and at the Cisco, TD SYNNEX and Bluestar booths demonstrating the WAF’s capabilities.

Samsung solutions unlock the full potential of display ecosystems
The newest iteration of VXT, a cloud-native Content Management Solution (CMS) that combines content and remote B2B screen management, adds expanded compatibility and app enhancements to streamline operations management and a new hybrid cloud deployment option. The solution is compatible with Samsung’s latest digital signage products and offers robust screen management for Android and Windows devices within an organization’s B2B display network.

Users can now remotely adjust screen settings, including backlights and screen orientation, and security controls. Scheduling allows remote control of screen operations based on business hours or holidays to help optimize energy usage. Additionally, VXT provides over 200 templates and Pre-Integrated Repeatable Solutions (PIRS) apps created by Samsung and its partners to simplify custom content development.
Samsung has launched the VXT CMS Transformer, an innovative application designed to help users transition smoothly from the legacy Samsung MagicINFO digital signage platform to VXT. To make the transition even easier, Samsung now offers a powerful on-premise compatibility analysis tool that automatically scans users’ existing MagicINFO setup to identify which devices and content are ready for VXT, flag potential compatibility issues and generate a clear, actionable migration-readiness report—all without requiring server access.
For a limited time, Samsung is offering a special migration incentive to help users get started with minimal cost and maximum value. To take advantage of this offer, simply download the VXT CMS Transformer and run the compatibility analysis report today.
Newly launched integrations between PIRS apps and the SmartThings Pro IoT platform enable dynamic automation, allowing screens to display content based on sensor triggers, such as exit directions in the event of an emergency. SmartThings Pro extends Samsung’s hyper-connected smart home technology to business environments, providing a scalable platform for intelligent device management. With its intuitive dashboard, users can monitor, control and create custom automations for connected devices across their business. It also features an AI Energy Mode, an intelligent power-saving technology that reduces energy consumption based on ambient brightness, content analysis and motion detection.

Samsung’s commitment to delivering sustainable signage has earned a Silver rating from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), an environmental rating system managed by the Green Electronics Council (GEC) in the United States. EPEAT evaluates products across a range of sustainability criteria, including hazardous substance use, energy efficiency, recycled packaging and corporate social responsibility. This recognition is especially noteworthy as every model in Samsung’s standalone signage lineup is now certified with a Silver rating.
Samsung offers special savings this summer
Samsung is running special promotions in June and July on select displays to show its support for small businesses. Throughout June, Samsung is offering up to $1,000 off its 105-inch 5K UHD Smart Signage and up to $500 off the Color E-Paper display. Additionally, Samsung is offering up to $400 off its LCD Video Walls, which create a virtually seamless large-format viewing experience to elevate any business setting, and up to $280 off the Samsung Kiosk, which meets the demands of any high-traffic self-service environment. Business owners can enjoy up to $200 off Samsung Pro TVs — which range from 43- to 85-inches — to match the screen size requirements of any location.
From now until the end of July, customers can also take advantage of the buy one WAF Interactive Display, get one Samsung Pro TV free promotion.

MIL OSI Economics –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: McCaul Returns from Middle East with Bipartisan Delegation

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

WASHINGTON – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Emeritus Michael McCaul (R-Texas) returned from a congressional delegation (CODEL) trip to the Middle East. The delegation was led by Congressman Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, and joined by Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), ranking member of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee. The congressmembers met with heads of state, defense officials, and diplomats in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Kingdom of Jordan.

Building on the momentum of President Trump’s recent visit to the region, the CODEL engaged with regional leaders to advance shared interests, address ongoing challenges, and reinforce America’s commitment to peace in the Middle East. They also explored new opportunities for economic cooperation and investment, especially in AI and emerging technologies across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.

“Amidst President Trump’s efforts to end the war in Gaza and secure normalization agreements, I was honored to visit several of our allies and partners in the Middle East,” said Chair Emeritus McCaul. “These nations will play pivotal roles in shaping the future of the region — a future defined by peace and prosperity. I am grateful to our friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Kingdom of Jordan for welcoming us, and I look forward to our continued partnership with these regional leaders as we work toward greater peace and stability across the Middle East.”

“This CODEL served as a vital opportunity to strengthen our alliances, confront shared threats, and demonstrate bipartisan American leadership in support of our partners,” said Congressman Lawler. “As Chairman of the MENA Subcommittee, I remain committed to deepening U.S. engagement in the region and working with our partners to build a more secure, prosperous, and stable Middle East.”

In Riyadh, the delegation held high-level meetings with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir and engaged with key U.S. defense and technology companies.

On Memorial Day, while in Saudi Arabia, McCaul met with and thanked airmen from the 317th Airlift Wing out of Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, who are operating in the Central Command Area of Responsibility.

In Israel, the delegation met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and received a briefing at the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem on U.S.-Israel missile defense cooperation.

In Jordan, the delegation met His Majesty King Abdullah II and senior cabinet officials to reinforce the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Jordan.

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Early Release of 2024 Annual Electric Generator Report Data
Source: US Energy Information Administration

The survey Form EIA-860 collects generator-level specific information about existing and planned generators and associated environmental equipment at electric power plants with 1 megawatt or greater of combined nameplate capacity. Summary level data can be found in the Electric Power Annual.

Starting with 2013 data, the EIA-860 began collecting construction cost data for new electric generators. Aggregated average construction cost information can be found on the Construction cost data for electric generators page.

Detailed data are compressed (zip) and contain the following files:
- LayoutYyyyy — Provides a directory of all (published) data elements collected on the Form EIA-860 together with the related description, specific file location(s), and, where appropriate, an explanation of codes.
- 1___UtilityYyyyy — Contains utility-level data for the plants and generators surveyed in the reporting year.
- 2___PlantYyyyy — Contains plant-level data for the generators surveyed in all available years.
- 3_1_GeneratorYyyyy — Contains generator-level data for the surveyed generators, split into three tabs.
- - The Operable tab includes those generators which are currently operating, out of service or on standby;
  - The Proposed tab includes those generators which are planned and not yet in operation; and
  - The Retired and Canceled tab includes those generators which were cancelled prior to completion and operation and retired generators at existing plants.
  - The retired tab only includes those retired generators which were reported in the most current data cycle. This is not a comprehensive list. Starting with March 2017 data, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory includes a comprehensive list of generators which retired since 2002. The list can be found on the Retired tab of the data file.
- 3_2_WindYyyyy — Contains additional details for surveyed generators that use wind as an energy source, split into two tabs:
- - The Operable tab includes those generators which are currently operating, out of service or on standby; and
  - The Retired and Canceled tab includes those generators which were cancelled prior to completion and operation and retired generators at existing plants.
- 3_3_SolarYyyyy — Contains additional details for surveyed generators that use solar as an energy source, split into two tabs:
- - The Operable tab includes those generators which are currently operating, out of service or on standby;
  - The Retired and Canceled tab includes those generators which were cancelled prior to completion and operation and retired generators at existing plants.
- 3_4_Energy_StorageYyyyy — Contains additional details of surveyed generators for the energy storage technology, split into two tabs:
- - The Operable tab includes those generators which are currently operating, out of service or on standby;
  - The Retired and Canceled tab includes those generators which were cancelled prior to completion and operation and retired generators at existing plants.
- 3_5_MultiFuelYyyyy — Contains data on fuel-switching and the use of multiple fuels by surveyed generators, split into three tabs:
- - The Operable tab includes those generators which are currently operating, out of service or on standby; and
  - The Proposed tab includes those generators which are planned and not yet in operation; and
  - The Retired and Canceled tab includes those generators which were cancelled prior to completion and operation and retired generators at existing plants.
- 4___OwnerYyyyy — Contains owner and/or operator data for generators with shared ownership and generators that are wholly-owned by an entity other than the operator (generators not appearing in the file are wholly-owned by their operator).
- 6_1_EnviroAssocYyyyy — Contains boiler association data for the environmental equipment data collected on the Form EIA-860.
- - The Boiler Generator identifies which boilers are associated with each generator;
  - The Boiler Cooling tab shows which cooling systems are associated with each boiler;
  - The Boiler Particulate Matter tab shows which flue gas particulate (FGP) collectors are associated with each boiler;
  - The Boiler SO2 tab shows which flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems are associated with each boiler
  - The Boiler NOx tab shows which nitrogen oxide control equipment is associated with each boiler;
  - The Boiler Mercury tab shows which mercury control equipment is associated with each boiler
  - The Boiler Stack Flue tab shows which stacks and flues are associated with each boiler; and
  - The Emissions Control Equipment tab shows the operational status, in-service date, and installation costs of all the environmental equipment.
- 6_2_EnviroEquipYyyyy — Contains environmental equipment data for the surveyed generators.
- - The Emission Standards & Strategies tab shows boiler data as collected on Schedule 6, Part B of the Form EIA-860;
  - The Boiler Info & Design Parameters tab shows boiler data as collected on Schedule 6, Part C;
  - The Cooling tab shows cooling system data as collected on Schedule 6, Part D;
  - The FGP tab shows FGP data as collected on Schedule 6, Part E;
  - The FGD tab shows FGD data as collected on Schedule 6, Part F; and
  - The StackFlue tab shows stack and flue data as collected on Schedule 6, Part G.
- Superseded Form EIA-860A (Utility) & B (Non-Utility) — Retired Annual Electric Generator Report
- Electric utility generator level data includes information for company, facility, unit type, prime mover, in-service date, energy source, heat content, nameplate capacity, summer and winter capability, etc.
- 860-A (Utility)
  Data are compressed into a zip file that expands into xls data files and a txt layout file:
- - PLANTYyy — plant-level data
  - UTILYyy — utility-level data
  - TYPE3Yyy & TYPE4Yyy — 2 generator files for 1990-1997
    or GeneratorOwnershipyyyy, ProposedGeneratorsyyyy, ExistingGeneratorsyyyy — 3 generator files for 1998-2000
  - LAYOUT — ASCII layout file
- 860-B (Non-Utility)
  Data are compressed into a zip file that expands into xls data files and a txt layout file:
- - qfdocket — qualifying data
  - xdocket — plant-level data
  - cogen — cogeneration data
  - nuppfac — non-utility power producer data
  - fuelquant — fuel quantities
  - genergy — 2 generator files
  - noxequip — nox removal data
  - LAYOUT — ASCII layout file
MIL OSI USA News –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Talkdesk shatters outdated customer experience paradigm with launch of Customer Experience Automation platform

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PALO ALTO, Calif. and LAS VEGAS, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Talkdesk®, Inc. today upended the customer experience (CX) market with the launch of Customer Experience Automation (CXA)—a new software category and platform purpose-built to automate the full complexity of modern customer journeys.

Customer Experience Automation goes far beyond traditional contact center as a service (CCaaS) and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. This next-generation platform replaces fragmented, manually coordinated workflows with a unified system of intelligent, autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agents. These agents collaborate in real time to orchestrate and resolve complex challenges across the entire customer experience lifecycle.

“For years, businesses have faced a false choice: deliver personalized service or operate efficiently at scale,” said Tiago Paiva, chief executive officer and founder of Talkdesk. “CXA ends that tradeoff. It’s not just automation—it’s coordinated, autonomous resolution of complex business problems with speed, scale, and impact, without sacrificing the personal touch customers expect.”

The pursuit of effective, scalable processes to solve complex customer situations isn’t new, but the specialization of tools and expertise to address them has often led to dated systems, siloed knowledge, and fragmented data—ultimately breaking the customer journey into disjointed pieces. Spotty attempts at automation have frequently resulted in a patchwork of disconnected bots and brittle integrations that deliver poor and inconsistent experiences, eroding customer trust rather than building it.

The Talkdesk CXA platform is engineered to shatter this paradigm. It introduces a new operating system for customer experience—built on multi-agent AI orchestration and fueled by the Talkdesk Data Cloud, which unifies structured and unstructured data across every customer interaction, channel, and system of record. By turning transcripts, call recordings, messages, and case notes (combined with customer data points from multiple CRMs and specialized systems) into actionable knowledge, the Data Cloud gives AI agents the context they need to solve real business problems intelligently, autonomously, and at scale.

This foundation powers a virtuous cycle of automation: discover high-impact opportunities, build intelligent workflows, orchestrate coordinated teams of AI agents, and measure outcomes to drive continuous improvement.

With multi-agent orchestration, Talkdesk CXA moves beyond one-size-fits-all automation. Instead of relying on a single system or bot to handle everything, it deploys a network of specialized AI agents—each with a clear role, shared context, and the ability to collaborate in real time. This makes it possible to automate complex, cross-functional processes that span the front and back offices with precision, speed, and adaptability.

“With the launch of CXA, Talkdesk is taking a fundamentally different approach,” said Zeus Kerravala, founder of ZK Research. “Rather than simply layering AI onto legacy infrastructure, they have created a platform focused on autonomous, multi-agent orchestration. This innovation allows enterprises to automate complex workflows with precision—an area where traditional solutions often fall short.”

Talkdesk CXA is also built for speed. With preconfigured use cases, low- and no-code tooling, and both industry-specialized and general-purpose AI agents, organizations can go live fast and start seeing value quickly. Talkdesk CXA supports everything from cross-industry workflows to vertical-specific journeys in healthcare, financial services, retail, utilities, and government. Whether automating a single high-friction workflow or scaling across business units, it accelerates time to value.

As part of the Talkdesk CXA launch, Talkdesk also introduced a new AI agent for omnichannel campaigns. This agent automates high-volume outbound voice campaigns. Businesses can easily scale appointment reminders, billing alerts, service updates, and other time-sensitive communications without taking up live agents’ time. It’s a powerful way to improve reach, reduce costs, and deliver timely engagement across outbound service and sales use cases.

“The customer experience bar is higher than ever, and getting it right is no longer a differentiator—it’s essential for survival,” stated Paiva. “Talkdesk CXA represents a monumental leap forward. We’ve gone deeper into problem-solving for specific industries, uncovering unique use cases where traditional solutions failed. Our new CXA platform is not about flimsy automations or bolted-together tools; it’s about intelligent, coordinated, autonomous, and outcome-focused resolution that transforms the entire customer lifecycle.”

Automating Customer Experience for Enterprises Worldwide

Talkdesk CXA replaces reactive, human-coordinated workflows with a dynamic network of AI agents, each designed for specific tasks and orchestrated to operate as a single, intelligent system in any industry. Whether it’s a pharmacy callback, fraud alert, or complex insurance claim, CXA executes seamlessly across systems, roles, and channels with a personal touch that customers expect and appreciate.

More than half of Talkdesk customers are already leveraging CXA capabilities, including BankUnited, Ouro Global, United Rentals, Memorial Healthcare, Michaels, and TEKA.

“As a health system, we need solutions built specifically for our needs and for the communities we serve, and Talkdesk consistently delivers. Having leveraged their advanced AI tools, we’re particularly excited about the new CXA platform. It’s a monumental leap, with its autonomous, multi-agent AI approach and industry-specific capabilities set to transform how we orchestrate seamless healthcare consumer interactions and critical operational workflows. This is a key differentiator for us,” said Jeffrey Sturman, senior vice president and chief digital information officer at Memorial Healthcare System.

“Our long-standing partnership with Talkdesk is grounded in a shared drive to innovate and elevate how businesses connect with their customers. That’s why we’re excited about—but not surprised by— their latest announcement. Talkdesk continues to demonstrate its commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in this space. Their new Customer Experience Automation platform is a bold step forward, and we believe it has the potential to fundamentally change how organizations design and deliver customer journeys,” said Amber Scott, vice president of customer experience at Serta Simmons Bedding.

“Talkdesk consistently delivers innovation built for the specific needs of our industry. We’ve leveraged their advanced AI to improve banking interactions, and the new CXA platform is truly transformational. Its autonomous, multi-agent AI approach redefines how we deliver intelligent, secure, and outcome-focused service, cementing Talkdesk as a vital partner,” said Jeiner Morales, senior vice president and director of data analytics and business systems at BankUnited.

“When CAI chose Talkdesk, we went all in. We harnessed everything we felt we needed to hit the ground running and maximize ROI as quickly as possible, including Talkdesk Workforce Management, Customer Experience Analytics, and Talkdesk Copilot—all components of Talkdesk CXA,” said Thomas Grosso, executive director of service desk at CAI.

Built for Trust and Scale

Talkdesk has been at the forefront of AI innovation since 2018, putting AI at the core of better customer experiences. Talkdesk CXA is built with inherent AI guardrails to mitigate hallucinations, ensure policy compliance, and provide human-in-the-loop oversight, making AI agents as trustworthy as highly trained human agents.

A unique differentiator of the platform is the AI Gateway that enables Talkdesk CXA to sit on top of any third-party contact center, whether on-premises or cloud-based. This allows businesses to seamlessly integrate Talkdesk AI-driven solutions, optimizing self-service, agent assistance, quality management, and security to deliver superior customer experiences, without replacing existing systems.

While powerful on its own, CXA truly shines as part of Talkdesk CX Cloud, which gives businesses every part of the contact center platform—from voice to digital and performance and workforce management—with CXA built inside. Talkdesk is globally recognized as a modern cloud-based contact center, but what sets the company apart is its commitment to AI innovation and how seamlessly it’s woven throughout both the customer and agent journey. CXA now takes this to a whole new level.

Talkdesk is showcasing Talkdesk Customer Experience Automation at Customer Contact Week (CCW) Las Vegas at Caesar’s Forum in booth 638.

About Talkdesk

Talkdesk® is leading a new era in customer experience with Customer Experience Automation (CXA)—a new category and platform designed to automate the full complexity of modern customer journeys. CXA replaces fragmented, human-coordinated workflows with autonomous, multi-agent AI orchestration that delivers intelligent, scalable, and outcome-focused service across the entire CX lifecycle.

At the core of CXA is the Talkdesk Data Cloud, which turns transcripts, call recordings, case notes, and customer records from across CRMs and systems of record into real-time, actionable knowledge. This enables AI agents to operate with full context, collaborating seamlessly to resolve complex customer problems with speed, precision, and adaptability.

Talkdesk CXA supports both cross-industry workflows and industry-specialized use cases in sectors like healthcare, financial services, retail, utilities, travel, and government. With prebuilt AI agents, a virtuous automation cycle (Discover, Build, Orchestrate, Measure), and rapid time-to-value, Talkdesk helps enterprises modernize customer experience without the need for a full rip-and-replace.

Trusted by global brands and recognized for continuous innovation, Talkdesk empowers organizations to grow revenue, reduce costs, and transform service delivery through coordinated, AI-driven automation. Companies that love their customers use Talkdesk.

Talkdesk is a registered trademark of Talkdesk, Inc. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Media Contact:

Talkdesk Public Relations

pr@talkdesk.com

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Salinas, Dexter, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Repeal Gun Industry’s Legal Liability Shield

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

June 11, 2025

Legislation would give victims of gun violence legal avenues to hold manufacturers accountable for negligence in court

Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas and Maxine Dexter, said today they have joined colleagues in introducing legislation that would ensure victims of gun violence have their day in court and that negligent gun companies and gun sellers are not shielded from liability when they disregard public safety.

The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act—co-sponsored by the Oregon lawmakers—would repeal a 2005 federal law that gives gun manufacturers a unique and unjustifiable legal liability shield that protects them from lawsuits.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that this industry is absolutely immune from any accountability,” Wyden said. “Other industries are subject to scrutiny for the safety and use of their products, and I believe Congress should enact common-sense gun safety regulations like the Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act.”

“As we continue to face a nationwide gun violence crisis, we must ensure that gun companies and gun sellers are held accountable when their negligence costs lives,” Merkley said. “For the sake of all those who have lost loved ones to this tragic epidemic, we must take our pain and grief and turn it into real action, with the Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act and other common-sense gun safety reforms.”

“Gun violence is a leading cause of death in the country, yet unscrupulous gun companies and gun sellers continue to evade accountability because of a legal shield passed two decades ago. I am grateful to join my colleagues in this long-overdue effort to overturn this misguided law and allow gun violence victims to seek justice,” Bonamici said.

“Current laws give negligent gun makers unprecedented special treatment that shields them from accountability for malpractice, leaving victims of gun violence without recourse in the courts. The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act is a way for Congress to stand up for victims of gun violence through our judicial system,” Salinas said.

“As a mother, I’ll never forget the terror of not being able to reach my daughter while she was in lockdown for over 12 hours during a mass shooting at the University of Virginia. As a physician, I’ve held the hands of patients and families devastated by gun violence. And as someone who has volunteered with Moms Demand Action and served on gun violence prevention task forces, I know this crisis demands urgent action. No other industry gets a free pass when their negligence leads to death. Repealing PLCAA is a necessary step to give survivors and families their day in court and to finally hold the gun industry accountable—just like every other industry. I’m proud to support the Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act,” said Dexter.

When Congress in 2005 passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) giving the gun industry legal liability, its supporters argued it was necessary to protect the gun industry from frivolous lawsuits, and that victims of gun violence would not be shut out of the courts. In reality, numerous cases around the nation have been dismissed based on this law, even when the gun dealers and manufacturers acted in a fashion that would qualify as negligent if it involved any other product. Victims in these cases were denied the right to even discover or introduce evidence. This Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act allows civil cases to go forward against irresponsible bad actors.

In 2005, the National Rifle Association identified PLCAA as its “number one” legislative priority, and celebrated its passage by calling it the “most significant piece of pro-gun legislation in twenty years.” Letting courts hear these cases would provide justice to victims and their families, while creating incentives for responsible business practices that would reduce injuries and deaths. Effectively, the gun industry would once again be subject to the same laws as every other industry, just as it was prior to 2005.

The legislation is endorsed by Brady, GIFFORDS Law Center, Everytown for Gun Safety, March for Our Lives, Guns Down America, Newtown Action Alliance, and Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund.

The legislation was led in the Senate by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the legislation is also co-sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Chris Coons, D-Del., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, Tim Kaine, D-Va., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Peter Welch, D-Conn., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.

The legislation was led in the House by U.S. Representatives Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., Jason Crow, D-Colo., Dwight Evans, D-Pa., and Mike Thompson, D-Calif. In addition to Bonamici, Salinas and Dexter, the legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo, D-R.I., Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., Wesley Bell, D-Mo., Don Beyer, D-Va., Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, Julia Brownley, D-Calif., Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., Sean Casten, D-Ill., Judy Chu, D-Calif., Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., Danny Davis, D-Ill., Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., John Garamendi, D-Calif., Daniel Goldman, D-N.Y., Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Hank Johnson, D-Ga., Robin Kelly, D-Ill., Timothy Kennedy, D-N.Y., Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., Betty McCollum, D-Minn., LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., Kelly Morrison, D-Minn., Seth Moulton, D-Mass., Joe Neguse, D-Colo., Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., Scott Peters, D-Calif., Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, Mike Quigley, D-Ill., Jamie Raskin, D-Md., Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., Brad Schneider, D-Ill., David Scott, D-Ga., Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., Dina Titus, D-Nev., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii.

The full text of the bill is here.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: In its first gaming partnership, Louvre launches Age of Empires exhibition

Source: Microsoft

Headline: In its first gaming partnership, Louvre launches Age of Empires exhibition

Emma Bridle June 10, 2025

Today we are thrilled to announce that Age of Empires is partnering with the world’s most-visited museum, the Louvre in Paris!

On April 30^th, the Louvre launched an exhibition on the Mamluk sultanate (1250-1517), a European first. The exhibition aims to share the story of this golden age of the Islamic Near East, showcasing its breadth and richness, all told from a transregional perspective. The Mamluks appear in three Age of Empires titles and players around the world have discovered their prowess and story through our games since 1999.

With a shared passion for history at its heart, this collaboration between Age of Empires and the Louvre serves to share the story of the Mamluks to people around the world and encourage them to learn more about this golden age of medieval history, which isn’t often told.

Throughout the month of June, we’ll be collaborating both at the museum in Paris and online. For an overview of our collaboration, check our dedicated webpage.

Age of Empires and the Louvre Partnership Page

You’ll be able to experience content from the partnership at the museum, on our websites, on social media and via the first ever livestream from the museum, on June 12^th, starting at 11:00 AM PT (2:00 PM ET / 18:00 UTC).

We are so honored to be working with the Louvre, we share a passion for sharing the stories of history with the world.

“World’s Edge is honored to collaborate with Le Louvre. The Age of Empires franchise has been bringing history to life for more than 65 million players around the world for almost 30 years. We’ve always believed in the great potential for our games to spark an interest in history and culture. We often hear of teachers using Age of Empires to teach history to their students and stories from our players about how Age of Empires has driven them to learn more, or even to pursue history academically or as a career. This opportunity to bring the amazing stories of the Mamluks to new audiences through the Louvre’s exhibition is one we’re excited to be a part of. We hope that through the excellent work of the Louvre’s team, the legacy of the Mamluks can be shared around the world, and that people enjoy their stories as they come to life through Age of Empires.”

— Michael Mann, Studio Head at World’s Edge

The Mamluks in Age of Empires

The Mamluks have been an iconic part of the Age of Empires franchise since Age of Empires II (1999). Players today can experience these mighty warriors in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, and in Age of Empires IV (via the best-selling Sultans Ascend DLC).

There’s more information about how you can play as the Mamluks in Age games on our partnership webpage.

Play as the Mamluks in an All-New Scenario

To celebrate the partnership, we’re releasing a brand new custom scenario for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on PC, “Ayn Jalut”. Created by World’s Edge Senior Business Manager, and famed Age campaign designer, Ramsey Abdulrahim. In this scenario, you play as Baybars before the pivotal battle when the fate of the Muslim world held in the balance. Prepare your forces, set up your ambushes, and use your cunning and strategy to overcome the Mongol horde. Like the Mamluks, can you be the first to defeat the Mongols?

When finished, try again and best your friends for the highest score!

The entire world trembled before the Mongols. Rulers of China and Persia, the fearsome horsemen swept through the cities of the Islamic world, leaving ruins. Only Baybars and the Mamluks of Egypt stood in their way. Baybars had gathered an army at Ayn Jalut, the site where the Biblical David slew the giant Goliath. Baybars had been born a thousand miles away, but he knew the Mongols well: they had slaughtered his family and sold him–as a mere boy–into slavery. At Ayn Jalut, he was determined to have his revenge–and slay his own giant.

The Mamluks and the Exhibition

The Mamluks, freed slave-soldiers of primarily Turkish (and later Caucasian) origin, built their legend on their military prowess. They conquered the last bastions of the Crusaders, fought and repelled the Mongols, survived Timur’s invasions and kept threatening neighbors at bay, before succumbing to Ottoman expansion. The sultanate encompassed a vast territory, including Egypt, Bilad al-Sham (modern day Syria, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine and Jordan), parts of Eastern Anatolia and the Hejaz region of Arabia, which includes Mecca and Medina.

The exhibition takes visitors beyond the military legend of the Mamluk sultanate and shows the complex and multi-faceted society they formed. They created a world in which sultans mingled with emirs and rich civil elites, all actively engaging in artistic patronage. Women had active roles in Mamluk society, as well as Christian and Jewish minorities. At the meeting point of Europe, Africa and Asia, people and ideas circulated, as well as arts and trade.

The exhibition is an unprecedented opportunity to discover this glorious and yet little-known empire, through a collection of masterpieces from around the world. Visitors will be exposed to a new perspective on medieval Egypt and the Near East.

To make sure you can enjoy all the partnership content, make sure you’re following Age of Empires and the Louvre on social media!

MIL OSI Global Banks –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: ‘My Pet Is a Family Member’: China’s Booming Pet Economy

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

BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) — China’s first non-standard gym will soon open in the east Chinese city of Shanghai, where not people but their pets will improve their health!

In an advertising post published on the official account of the GOGOGYM fitness club on the popular Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu /Rednote/, a video is captured of several dogs exercising on special treadmills.

According to the fitness club employee, the pets will be provided with exercise machines such as a treadmill, a pool, an underwater treadmill, ground exercise machines, etc., which are not inferior to exercise machines for people.

Although such gyms for companion animals have long appeared in Russia, they remain a “novelty” in China. The industry is new, but promising.

A report by US investment bank Goldman Sachs says that in 2024, the number of pets in China will exceed the number of children under four for the first time. It also expects that by 2030, this figure will be twice as high.

For reference, there were 73.4 million infants and toddlers under the age of four in China in 2021, but that number has declined in recent years due to declining birth rates.

However, compared with the data from the China Pet Industry White Paper for 2025, Goldman Sachs’ calculations were quite conservative.

The white paper noted that the number of pets in urban areas in China alone will reach 120 million in 2024, and the consumer market size for pet dogs and cats in Chinese cities and towns will exceed 300 billion yuan (about 41.8 billion US dollars) by the end of 2024, an increase of 7.5 percent year on year.

The latest data released by China’s Ministry of Housing, Urban-Rural Development showed that China’s urban population was about 930 million in 2023, meaning that on average, one in eight urban residents, regardless of age or gender, had a pet.

Enterprising entrepreneurs will not miss such a business opportunity, so much so that a trendy term in modern Chinese social media and media has emerged: the pet economy. This sector covers a wide range of products and services, including pet food, healthcare, grooming, insurance, and even luxury goods.

In ancient China, it was believed that the most important thing for a person is food. This saying also applies to pets. Currently, “pet cafeterias” have opened in major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Wuhan, etc.

According to Chen Ruiqi, an employee at one of the “pet canteens” in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, central China, the canteen sells fresh food and light meals, including dried chicken, lollipops, pizza with cheese and sausage, and even cakes.

According to a customer surnamed Wang, her cat really liked the duck meat from this cafeteria. “My cat eats everything at every meal. Although the prices of the products here are higher than those of regular food, I don’t have to worry about the quality and safety because I can watch the cooking process,” she explained.

Each type of fresh food in the canteen is labeled with the recommended age of the pet and the calorie content. There are also “weight loss recipes” for different pets.

In addition, owners can order a cake for their pet’s birthday in the canteen. Those who wish can organize a corresponding party here.

In recent years, a new profession has emerged in China – dog sitter, which almost no one had heard of ten years ago. Simply put, these are “pet nannies” who take care of an animal while its owner is away from home. They look after the pet, walk it, feed it strictly according to the veterinarian’s recommendations, play, and also provide comfort.

Since around 2019, this profession has started to gain more and more popularity, attracting those who enjoy a flexible work schedule. For many, providing pet feeding services at home on weekends or holidays has become an ideal way to earn extra income simply by spending time with cats and dogs.

In 2023, 25-year-old Bai Xiao, working in the financial sector in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing, turned her love of animals into a side hustle. She offered pet-sitting services through online platforms and quickly built a loyal clientele.

Each session with a pet sitter lasts about 45 minutes. She feeds the pets, cleans up after them, plays with them and documents the entire work process with photos and videos in real time, sending information to the owners.

The holidays bring a surge in requests for services. During the May Day holiday this year, Bai Xiao worked from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, with almost no breaks between visits. She earns 60 to 100 yuan (US$8.30 to US$13.90) per session.

The growth of the pet industry is apparently driven by high demand. As of the end of 2024, the number of pet owners in Chinese cities and towns was nearly 77 million. More than 70 percent of these owners belong to the post-80s and post-90s generations.

This raises the question: “Why do young people in China love pets so much?” In addition, some experts point out that a pet replaces a child for many.

According to Chinese psychologist Gao Aihua, due to the fast pace and high intensity of work in modern society, many young people face the problem of emotional isolation. They often feel lonely.

“Animals help to cope with anxiety and loneliness. They can reduce the level of stress received at work and in society. A wagging tail and a funny gait at the end of a hard day is good therapy,” he said.

And as Li Junpeng, deputy director of the Institute of Sociology at Central China Normal University, noted, in modern Chinese society, instead of large families, small ones dominate, which emphasize an independent personality. Many single young people or small families consider pets as an “additional” family member.

“Therefore, pet owners take responsibility for their care and pay for various goods and services based on their warm feelings for their pets,” the sociologist explained.

He concluded that today, pet-oriented consumption is already “personified” and covers the entire life cycle of pets. “Pets are no longer just “objects for feeding,” but are becoming “family members,” he emphasized.

For example, services such as cremation, ashes storage, post-mortem care, and funeral services are now widely available. According to Chinese business information platform Tianyancha, more than 1,100 new pet funeral companies have emerged in the past six months alone.

However, experts also warned that pets would ultimately not replace family and community ties, and that the sector’s development needed to be regulated.

Xiao Beiying, an associate professor at Huaqiao University, noted that the relationship between people and pets is different from the relationship between people themselves, which is more complex.

Deputy head of the China Pet Industry Association Yan Jinsheng highlighted issues such as outdated policies and gaps in legislation, stressing the need for positive public discussion and the implementation of relevant policies and regulations to ensure the sustainable and healthy growth of China’s pet economy. -0-

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Ghana and Zambia have snubbed Africa’s leading development bank: why they should change course

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Misheck Mutize, Post Doctoral Researcher, Graduate School of Business (GSB), University of Cape Town

The governments of Ghana and Zambia recently took a decision that could have serious consequences for other African countries. The decision relates to arrangements on how the two countries will repay the debt they owe to Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).

They have both taken decisions to relegate Afreximbank to a commercial lender from a preferred creditor. This means that the terms on which Afreximbank has lent money to these two countries will change. And it will lose certain protections. For example preferred creditors are repaid first, before any other lenders.

This protects preferred creditors’ balance sheets and enables them to continue lending during crisis periods when others cannot. In contrast, commercial banks get paid later or might not get paid at all. This higher risk factor means that they charge higher rates.

Based on decades of researching Africa’s capital markets and the institutions that govern them it’s my view that the long-term consequences of this precedent are detrimental. If other African borrowers follow suit, treating loans from African multilateral development banks as ordinary commercial debt during restructuring, it will erode the viability of these institutions. Investors who fund Afreximbank through bonds and capital markets may reassess its risk profile, pushing up its cost of funding and making future lending less affordable.

The ultimate losers will be African countries themselves, especially those with limited access to international capital. Afreximbank, along with other African financial institutions, is a lifeline for trade finance, infrastructure development, and crisis response. Undermining its legal protections weakens the continent’s capacity for self-reliant development.

Afreximbank was created under the auspices of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 1993. It was set up with a public interest mandate to develop African trade and promote integration. Its legal status and structural features place it closer to international multilateral development banks than to private creditors, justifying its treatment as a preferred creditor.

The decision by Accra and Lusaka signals lack of confidence in African financial institutions. It suggests that they do not trust them to the same extent as global institutions like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. These are treated as preferred creditors, on the assumption that they will lend to countries in crisis or distress when commercial lenders retreat.

The actions of Ghana and Zambia set a dangerous precedent by sidelining African financial institutions in favour of external creditors. That risks weakening Africa’s financial institutions and undermining the very concept of African solutions to African problems. Investors will become more sceptical and pessimistic, demanding more interest.

The continent needs to develop an ability to independently design, finance and implement its economic development policies without support from external financial institutions. Afreximbank helps to achieve this through financing African-designed infrastructure and counter-cyclical lending.

Ghana and Zambia still have an opportunity to correct course. In my view they should do so for the sake of the bank, its member states and the future of African economic sovereignty.

The background

Ghana and Zambia have both defaulted on their external bonds in the last four years. Zambia in October 2020 and Ghana in December 2022. This forced them to negotiate new sustainable terms with creditors.

During their respective debt negotiations, both countries have announced that they would include African multilateral development banks such as Afreximbank and the Trade and Development Bank in the debt restructuring.

This followed private and bilateral creditors contesting unequal distribution of restructuring burdens, where they face losses while some multilateral institutions are shielded. The International Monetary Fund and World Bank, which are preferred creditors, do not fund infrastructure, they only offer balance of payments support.

The decision by Ghana and Zambia to relegate Afreximbank was made during an ongoing comprehensive debt restructuring. Ghana and Zambia have been negotiating with creditors for over a year in an attempt to resolve their sovereign debt crises.

The two countries were complying with International Monetary Fund supported restructuring terms. Bilateral creditors were also demanding fair burden sharing with African multilateral banks.

Afreximbank: not just another lender

Ghana and Zambia don’t have a legal leg to stand on.

Afreximbank’s preferred creditor status is not an informal privilege but derives from Article VX(1) of its founding agreement. The agreement has been signed and ratified by member states into national laws, including Ghana and Zambia.

This status is further reinforced by the bank’s diplomatic immunities and privileges and its ability to operate across African jurisdictions under protected legal frameworks. The role of Afreximbank, therefore, goes beyond that of a traditional commercial bank.

Preferred creditor status protects development finance institutions in a number of ways. The biggest protection is that lenders are prioritised for repayment. This protects their balance sheets, enabling them to continue lending when others cannot.

A preferred creditor status is accorded for a reason. It is to ensure that development finance institutions can lend in times of distress with confidence, on the guarantee that they will be repaid ahead of other creditors. Country actions that violate this principle disrupt the implicit covenant that enables counter-cyclical financing. This is breaking the financial lifeline that countries might need when nobody else is willing to help them. This is precisely the kind of support that Ghana and Zambia relied on during their respective debt crises in December 2022 and October 2020, respectively.

A bank that has consistently stepped up

It is worth recalling that during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019–2021) and again when global markets closed access to Eurobond issuances for African countries, investors didn’t want to lend African countries for fear of defaulting. Afreximbank was one of the few institutions that continued to lend to African sovereigns. This included US$750 million to Ghana and US$45 million to Zambia.

When Ghana, Zambia and other commodity export-dependent countries faced acute foreign currency shortages and tightening global liquidity caused by the 2015/16 commodity crisis of low prices, Afreximbank did not hesitate to deploy resources.

Zambia has also benefited significantly from Afreximbank’s trade and development finance in energy, agriculture and healthcare. These are areas that many commercial banks view as too risky or low-margin.

For Zambia and Ghana to classify Afreximbank in the same category as hedge funds, bondholders or purely commercial lenders, is ahistorical and unwarranted.

Restructuring loans from Afreximbank risks inadvertently raising the cost of capital for African countries. If Afreximbank can no longer be shielded under preferred creditor status norms, it may be forced to adopt more conservative lending practices, charge higher risk premiums or retreat from high-risk markets altogether.

The knock-on effect is reduced access to affordable, timely financing for countries that need it most.

Afreximbank has rejected the idea that its loans ought to be restructured.

Ghana and Zambia should correct course

Ghana and Zambia still have an opportunity to correct course. They can reaffirm Afreximbank’s preferred creditor status, exclude it from restructuring tables meant for commercial creditors, and honour their legal commitments.

In doing so, they would not only preserve their reputations as reliable debtors but also strengthen the broader fabric of African financial solidarity.

African countries must be cognisant that no one else will build their institutions for them. If they do not defend and respect them, they cannot expect the rest of the world to do so. The credibility, sustainability and legitimacy of Africa’s financial independence depends, in large part, on how they treat the institutions they have built.

The decision to treat Afreximbank and the Trade and Development Bank like commercial lenders is short-sighted and self-defeating. It must be reversed.

Misheck Mutize 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. Ghana and Zambia have snubbed Africa’s leading development bank: why they should change course – https://theconversation.com/ghana-and-zambia-have-snubbed-africas-leading-development-bank-why-they-should-change-course-258467

MIL OSI Analysis –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Officers start digging into hazardous waste soil crime
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Officers start digging into hazardous waste soil crime

Hauliers in Devon and Cornwall will be asked for more detail on how they deal with waste soils.
Environment Agency investigations have found cases where criminals have tried to profit by illegally dumping harmful waste

Environment Agency officers are contacting hauliers to ensure that the strict rules are complied with as waste soils can often contain hazardous chemicals that have sometimes ended up being dumped on land or hidden in landscaping or construction projects.

The vast majority of businesses operate within the regulations by having registered a U1 exemption, allowing the limited use of specific types and quantities of clean waste materials in construction.

However, detailed Environment Agency investigations, in partnership with other professional agencies, have revealed recent cases where unscrupulous criminals have attempted to profit by illegally dumping waste and causing environmental harm to their communities.

Sue Smillie of the Environment Agency said:

Whilst most hauliers and companies that handle waste soils operate within the laws designed to protect the environment, we have seen a rise in illegal dumping of hazardous soils and construction waste.

After compiling information on specific sites and networks, we are now requesting further details from hauliers and waste operators on disposal routes, the amount of waste involved, what type it is and where it has ended up.

We won’t hesitate to go after those who break laws designed to protect the environment and we welcome any information, in confidence, about associated illegal waste crime activity.

Nationally, illegal waste activities cause significant harm to the environment and communities, costing the taxpayer and legitimate businesses nearly £1 billion each year. Recent data suggests that up to 18% of waste (about 34 million tonnes annually) may be handled illegally.

Anyone who wants to report environmental crime, particularly involving waste soils, is encouraged to contact Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111 or directly to the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.

Background

Soil and stone must be characterised in accordance with Technical Guidance WM3 details. See our waste classification technical guidance on GOV.UK. If this has not been carried out the soil and stone must be considered hazardous and cannot be used under a U1 exemption.

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Published 11 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Pappas-Backed Legislation to Ensure Equal Access to Small Business Resources

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

Last night, the House passed the ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act, bipartisan legislation co-led by Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), which would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the National Council on Disability to collaborate to help people with disabilities pursue small business ownership and employment opportunities.

“Entrepreneurs and small businesses face a range of unique challenges, and we know a one-size-fits-all approach by government agencies to provide support they need is simply ineffective,” said Congressman Pappas. “I’m glad the House passed bipartisan legislation I helped introduce to require the SBA to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to pursue small business ownership and employment opportunities. I remain committed to ensuring our Main Street economy can grow and thrive, and I urge the Senate to swiftly take up this bill to deliver to improve support for our small businesses and entrepreneurs.”

Background:

The ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act would require SBA and the National Council on Disability to collaborate to help people with disabilities pursue small business ownership and employment opportunities.

Last summer, the ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act passed the House with bipartisan support.

The ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act is supported by the Commission for Disability Employment.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Cleaver, Horsford Introduce Bill Advancing Minority and Women Ownership of Broadcast TV, Radio
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

The Legislation Would Ensure Broadcast Programming Reflects Diversity of American People
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Steven Horsford (D-NV) introduced The Broadcast VOICES (Varied Ownership Incentives for Community Expanded Service) Act, legislation to reestablish the Federal Communications Commission’s Minority Tax Certificate Program (MTCP). From 1978 to 1995, the MTCP provided a tax incentive to those who sold their majority interest in a broadcast station to diverse individuals, increasing diverse ownership in broadcast stations by more than 550 percent.

“Kansas City is proud to be home of the oldest Black-owned radio broadcast company in the United States, serving as a prime example of the quality and community connection that comes with minority-owned media outlets,” Rep. Cleaver said. “I’m honored to introduce the Broadcast VOICES Act with my friend Congressman Horsford, which will ensure opportunities are provided to more women- and minority-owned broadcasters who uplift the voices of communities that are far too often overlooked.”

“Diverse ownership in broadcasting helps amplify voices, viewpoints and perspectives that our society has historically silenced,” Rep. Horsford said. “The Minority Tax Certificate Program’s nearly twenty-year success record diversifying broadcast ownership speaks for itself – not just in effective tax incentives, but also in creating economic opportunities and empowering disadvantaged communities. I’m proud to partner with Rep. Cleaver on the Broadcast VOICES Act to make sure America’s airwaves reflect the diversity of our people.”

Data from 2021 shows that less than 6 percent full power commercial broadcast television stations in the United States are owned by women and less than 4 percent are minority-owned. Moreover, data also shows approximately 9 percent of FM broadcast radio stations are owned by women, while less than three percent are owned by minorities.

The Broadcast VOICES Act would:
- Reestablish a Minority Tax Certificate Program.
- Establish a tax credit for broadcast owners who donate their stations to train individuals new in the management and operation of broadcast stations, equal to the fair market value of the station.
- Require annual reports from the Federal Communications Commission on:
  
  Ways to increase minority and/or women-controlled broadcast stations;
  
  Whether to expand the tax certificate program to other commission-regulated entities;
  
  Whether there is a nexus between diversity of ownership and diversity of the viewpoints broadcast by stations;
  
  Annual sales for which certificates have been issued.
Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: AppFolio Unveils AI Agents to Transform Performance in Real Estate
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LAS VEGAS, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AppFolio (NASDAQ:APPF), the technology leader powering the future of the real estate industry, announced its latest innovations at NAA Apartmentalize 2025, including the next evolution of AppFolio Realm-X – its embedded generative AI – through the introduction of Realm-X Performers, designed to automate complex workflows through advanced agentic operations.

According to the 2025 AppFolio Property Management Benchmark Report, the number one concern property managers face is maintaining high occupancy rates. Traditional property management systems were built to manage tasks rather than delivering outcomes, preventing operators from unlocking sustainable growth and creating value for all the stakeholders they serve. Realm-X Performers are an important step in closing this performance gap.

Meet the New Performers
- Realm-X Leasing Performer further automates the leasing process by responding to property inquiries from potential residents, managing prospect contact information, scheduling showings, and surfacing important details to property managers before showings.
- Realm-X Maintenance Performer self-sufficiently diagnoses and prioritizes resident maintenance requests with the ability to detect issues via image, create work orders, and log summaries.
These Performers will be integrated into Realm-X Flows, AppFolio’s workflow automation engine designed to standardize processes and increase the speed, effectiveness, and consistency of operations. Agentic operations are being developed and embedded throughout all aspects of AppFolio Realm, the company’s AI-native product suite.

“The introduction of Realm-X Performers is a transformative shift,” said Kyle Triplett, SVP of Product at AppFolio. “These new AI agents are enhancing the productivity and performance gains our customers have already experienced with Realm-X. By enabling more proactive actions, we’re helping our customers move beyond traditional task-based property management and focus on delivering outcomes. This is more than just an upgrade – it’s about reshaping how property managers operate, empowering them to unlock real performance for their business.”

Realm-X Helps Customers Manage Less, Perform More
Since its launch last year, Realm-X has been delivering tangible performance outcomes* for AppFolio customers.
- Users of Realm-X report saving an average of 10 hours weekly on tasks on their to-do lists.
- Resident communications written with the help of Realm-X Messages save users an average of 26 seconds per message.
- Realm-X Flows achieves a 73% higher lead-to-showing conversion rate compared to those not using Flows.
A Transformed Resident Experience Is Underway
The launch of Realm-X Performers offers a glimpse into what lies ahead for the industry, a future where real performance is possible and value is created for everyone in the real estate ecosystem. AppFolio continues to launch innovations that redefine how property managers and renters connect throughout the entire resident journey, such as AppFolio’s recently unveiled next-generation resident interface FolioSpace™ and valuable resident services provided in partnership with Second Nature, now part of the AppFolio Stack™ partner ecosystem.

To learn more about AppFolio at NAA Apartmentalize in Las Vegas, visit its conference website or the AppFolio booth (#915) from June 11-13, 2025. This October at FUTURE: The Real Estate Conference by AppFolio, AppFolio will continue to unveil innovations that make choosing, living in, investing in, owning, and managing communities feel more magical and effortless.

*Surveys of Realm-X users in September 2024, October 2024, and February 2025.

About AppFolio
AppFolio is the technology leader powering the future of the real estate industry. Our innovative platform and trusted partnership enable our customers to connect communities, increase operational efficiency, and grow their business. For more information about AppFolio, visit appfolio.com.

For more information, please contact:
AppFolio
appfolio@missionnorth.com

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/844f7677-022e-4799-94ae-93c969e2e47a

The MIL Network –
June 12, 2025

MIL-OSI: As Bitcoin price breaks through $110,000, PBK Miner leads 8 million users into the era of automated cloud mining

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Carshalton, UK, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the price of Bitcoin (BTC) surges to over $110,000, cryptocurrency enthusiasts are increasingly interested in ways to securely and passively earn real BTC. To this end, PBK Miner has expanded its automated cloud mining platform to cover more than 183+ countries to ensure that cryptocurrency rewards are more reliable and convenient to obtain.

According to Statista, revenue from cloud infrastructure and cloud operations is expected to grow by $60 billion by 2025, highlighting the growing momentum of cloud mining and passive income models. This interest is consistent with the proof-of-work (POW) blockchain model, in which miners play a key role in validating transactions and maintaining blockchain records. In return, the ecosystem rewards miners with BTC.

“The rewards of cryptocurrency mining are not free, it’s just passive. Each user needs to invest in order to gain them. For some, this requires money and time, but with PBK Miner, you can start mining with just one click on your mobile device. Our goal is to ensure that everyone can earn Bitcoin passively and seamlessly.” said the COO of PBK Miner.

Traditional mining requires a lot of upfront investment, as users need to purchase high-performance and expensive hardware to participate. This sets a high barrier to entry for ordinary users. To solve this problem, we introduced the cloud mining model – enabling users to access computing power remotely without having to maintain physical equipment.

While many projects offer Bitcoin computing power rental, many platforms require users to have advanced knowledge of blockchain and mining difficulty settings. As a result, although users participate in mining every day, they often have difficulty maximizing their benefits. This is where PBK Miner comes in. Trusted by more than 8 million users in 183+ countries, PBK Miner sets the industry benchmark for automated and highly convenient cloud mining operations, allowing users to passively earn Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Litecoin, and Ripple. As technology continues to develop, PBK Miner continues to break through the challenges of cloud mining, such as ongoing maintenance costs, high energy consumption, and complex setup requirements.

Key Highlights: Why you should try cloud mining now?

– Cloud operating revenue is expected to reach $60 billion, including Bitcoin mining through the cloud

– As Bitcoin breaks through $120,000, the price is likely to continue to rise, bringing immediate and long-term value to miners

– Automated processes eliminate mining difficulty, thereby maximizing profits

PBK Miner Advantages:

?Sign Up: Sign up now and get a $10 welcome bonus, plus a $0.60 daily login bonus.

?High profit levels and daily payouts.

?No additional service fees or management fees.

?The platform uses more than 9 cryptocurrencies for settlement, such as BTC, ETH, SOL, USDC, USDT, XRP, DOGE, LTC, BCH, etc.

?The company’s affiliate program allows you to refer your friends and get up to $30,000 in referral bonuses.

? McAfee® security protection. Cloudflare® security protection. 100% uptime guarantee and excellent 24/7 live technical support.

How PBK Miner Can Be a Passive Income Opportunity.

Step 1: Register an Account

In this example, we chose PBK Miner as our cloud mining provider. Create a new account by going to the provider of your choice and registering. PBK Miner offers a simple registration process where you only need to enter your email address and create an account to participate. After registration, users can start mining Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies immediately.

Step 2: Purchase a Mining Contract

Currently, PBK Miner also offers a variety of mining contract options, such as $100, $500, and $1,000 contracts, each with a unique ROI and specific contract period.

For example, the following contract pays interest daily:

Contract Amount	Days	Profits	Incom	Principal + Total Return
10	1	6%	$0.6	$10+$0.6
100	2	3.5%	$3.5	$100+$7
500	5	1.27%	$6.35	$500+$31.75
1000	10	1.35%	$13.5	$1000+$135
5000	30	1.55%	$77.5	$5000+$2325

(Different contracts have different computing power, different investment amounts, different terms, and different returns. For more contracts, please visit the PBK Miner official website or click on the contract details to view)

Participate in the above contracts and you can get more passive income:

You can get income the next day after purchasing the contract. When the income reaches $100, you can choose to withdraw to your wallet or continue to purchase other contracts.

Affiliate Program

PBK Miner now also offers an affiliate program where you can earn money by recommending the site to others. You can start earning money even without investing money. After inviting a certain number of active referrals, you will receive a one-time fixed bonus of up to $30,000. With an unlimited number of referrals, your earning potential is unlimited!

In short

If you are looking for ways to increase your passive income, cloud mining is an excellent option. If used correctly, these opportunities can help you grow your cryptocurrency wealth in “autopilot” mode with minimal time investment. At the very least, they should be less time-consuming than any type of active trading. Passive income is the goal of every investor and trader, and with PBK Miner, maximizing your passive income potential will never be easier.

If you want to know more about PBK Miner, please visit its official website: https://pbkminer.com

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

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025

MIL-OSI: Cellec Technologies awarded $100,000 NSF SuperBoost Grant to advance safe, reliable, and extreme-temperature lithium-ion battery technology

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cellec Technologies has been awarded a $100,000 SuperBoost grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York, supporting the commercialization of its 0V-stable Z-safe™ technology to enhance lithium-ion battery safety and performance in extreme conditions.

The funding will accelerate the development of Cellec’s multi-functional 18650 cylindrical cell, which remains electrochemically stable at 0 volts state-of-charge (SoC) and operates in temperatures ranging from -20°C to 70°C. By integrating semi-solid electrolyte systems, this innovation aims to meet growing industry demand for safer, more reliable battery solutions in EVs, aerospace, and defense applications.

National security and defense applications are a key focus for Cellec’s work, particularly as the United States seeks to strengthen domestic supply chains and enhance operational resilience. The company’s Z-safe™ technology is positioned to play a critical role in supporting electrified platforms that require rapid charging, extended cycle life, and stable performance under extreme conditions.

“Battery safety and reliability in extreme conditions remain critical challenges across multiple industries,” said Christopher Schauerman, CEO of Cellec Technologies. “With support from the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine, we can accelerate the development and commercialization of our Z-safe™ technology, ensuring that our next-generation batteries meet the growing demands for safety, durability, and extreme-temperature performance.”

The SuperBoost program, a key initiative of the Energy Storage Engine, is designed to accelerate commercialization timelines, reducing traditional technology development cycles from five or more years to less than two years. By providing funding and connecting startups with leading testbeds, manufacturing infrastructure, and research institutions, the program strengthens upstate New York’s position as a leader in energy storage innovation.

As part of this initiative, Cellec will conduct rigorous testing and validation cycles to prepare its technology for commercialization. Fernando Gómez-Baquero, director of the Translation Pillar at the NSF Energy Storage Engine, highlighted the significance of these efforts. “Cellec Technologies is addressing one of the most urgent challenges in battery safety and performance,” he said. “By integrating its proprietary Z-safe™ technology with advanced electrolyte systems, Cellec is pioneering innovations that could redefine the energy storage industry. We are excited to support their journey through the SuperBoost program as they bring this critical technology to market.”

The Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York is committed to expanding the national energy storage ecosystem by advancing battery innovation and manufacturing. Meera Sampath, CEO of the Engine, emphasized the broader mission of the program: “The Engine plays a pivotal role in fostering a strong, interconnected network of battery innovators and manufacturers. Cellec’s advancements in extreme-temperature resilience and battery safety align perfectly with our goal of strengthening the U.S. battery supply chain, advancing national security interests, and positioning upstate New York as a leader in energy storage technology.”

With this support, Cellec Technologies will advance its electrode and electrolyte development, conduct rigorous testing, and validate its next-generation battery technology for commercial applications. These efforts will play a critical role in expanding the availability of safe, high- performance energy storage solutions for EVs, aerospace, and defense.

About Cellec Technologies

Cellec Technologies is a leading battery technology company focused on improving safety, reliability, and sustainability in lithium-ion energy storage. Its patented 0V-stable Z-safe™ technology and semi-solid electrolyte systems enable lithium-ion batteries to function safely and effectively in extreme-temperature environments. Cellec’s innovations support electric vehicles, aerospace, defense, and grid storage applications.

For more information, visit www.cellectech.com.

Contact:
Christopher Schauerman
CEO, Cellec Technologies
Email: chris@cellectech.com

About the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York

The NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York, led by Binghamton University, is a National Science Foundation-funded, place-based innovation program. The coalition of 40+ academic, industry, nonprofit, state, and community organizations includes Cornell University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, Launch-NY and NY-BEST as core partners. The Engine advances next-gen battery technology development and manufacturing to drive economic growth and bolster national security. Its vision is to transform upstate New York into America’s Battery Capital.

For more information on the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York, visit https://upstatenyengine.org/.

Contact:
Fernando Gómez-Baquero, Ph.D.
Translation Pillar Director
NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York
fernando@cornell.edu

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b7eea4b-fc3c-4345-a9a9-3bc91d4147f8

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: CBAK Energy Engages FAW, one of China’s largest EV makers, in Strategic Talks on New EV Battery Model 46950

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

DALIAN, China, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBAT) (“CBAK Energy” or the “Company”), a leading manufacturer of lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries and a provider of comprehensive electric energy solutions in China, today announced that members of its Research & Development and Sales teams recently visited China First Automotive Works (FAW) Group Co., Ltd. at the company’s headquarters in Changchun, Jilin Province.

The delegation was led by Mr. Suijun Shang, Principal of the Academy of Research & Development at CBAK Energy, and included senior managers from the Sales Department. They were received by the Principal of FAW’s own Academy of Research & Development. During the meeting, both parties exchanged insights on potential collaboration opportunities, including the prospective supply of CBAK Energy’s upcoming Model 46950 cell, which shares key design characteristics with the widely recognized Model 46800.

CBAK Energy’s Series 46 production line includes two variants of the Model 46950, utilizing either NCM (Nickel Cobalt Manganese) chemistry or a hybrid of LMFP (Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate) and NCM. Specifically engineered for electric vehicle (EV) applications, these advanced cells deliver an energy density approximately 65.64% and 22.70% higher, respectively, than the Company’s current flagship cell, the Model 32140. Moreover, both versions of the Model 46950 support 4C fast charging, doubling the 2C charging capability of the Model 32140.

These innovative products are currently undergoing laboratory testing and are expected to be officially launched next year. With the introduction of the Model 46950, CBAK Energy is positioning itself to re-enter the EV battery market.

Zhiguang Hu, Chief Executive Officer of CBAK Energy, stated: “We are pleased to have engaged in meaningful discussions with FAW, one of China’s leading EV manufacturers. Reestablishing connections with former partners, especially with the forthcoming Model 46950, signals our strategic intention to return to the EV market. We anticipate that this type of industry dialogue will become increasingly frequent as we move closer to announcing the mass production of the Model 46950.”

About CBAK Energy
CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBAT) is a leading high-tech enterprise in China engaged in the development, manufacturing, and sales of new energy high power lithium batteries and raw materials for use in manufacturing high power lithium batteries. The applications of the Company’s products and solutions include electric vehicles, light electric vehicles, electric tools, energy storage, uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and other high-power applications. In January 2006, CBAK Energy became the first lithium battery manufacturer in China listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. CBAK Energy has multiple operating subsidiaries in Dalian, Nanjing and Shaoxing, as well as a large-scale R&D and production base in Dalian.

For more information, please visit ir.cbak.com.cn.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, strategy and plans, and our expectations for future operations, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “should,” or “will” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Our actual results may differ materially or perhaps significantly from those discussed herein, or implied by, these forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

For further inquiries, please contact:
In China:
CBAK Energy Technology, Inc.
Investor Relations Department
Email: ir@cbak.com.cn

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Lucidworks Launches AI App Studio to Transform Digital Customer Experiences With No-Code AI Agent Development
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN FRANCISCO, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lucidworks, the leader in AI-powered search and discovery solutions, today announced the launch of AI App Studio™, a breakthrough capability within the Lucidworks SaaS Platform that enables businesses to create sophisticated AI-powered customer experiences without writing any code.

As consumer expectations shift toward intelligent, conversational digital interactions, AI App Studio empowers marketing teams, digital experience managers, and business users to build the advanced AI applications their customers now expect, without waiting for technical resources or navigating complex development processes.

“Today’s customers expect LLM-level intelligence in every digital interaction,” said Keri Rich, VP of Product at Lucidworks. “AI App Studio puts that power directly into the hands of the people who understand customer needs best. Whether it’s creating search experiences that truly understand intent or building conversational agents that feel natural and helpful, businesses can now deliver the modern, AI-driven experiences that keep customers engaged.”

AI App Studio pre-built AI agents are designed to enhance every aspect of the customer journey, with new agents being added regularly, including:
- Interactive Q&A: Generate dynamic question-and-answer pairings for specific products that customers can explore directly on your site.
- Q&A Chatbox: Deploy conversational interfaces where customers can ask questions and receive instant, relevant answers.
- Generative Answers: Create AI-powered response systems that provide comprehensive overviews grounded in your data.
- Product Review Summary: Automatically analyze customer feedback to generate concise, insightful product summaries.
- Recommendations: Deliver personalized product suggestions based on user content preferences and behavior patterns.
- Spec Summary: Transform complex technical specifications into clear, digestible information for customers.
AI App Studio delivers immediate competitive advantages through its comprehensive toolkit:
- Visual Designer: Build sophisticated AI applications with easy-to-use, intuitive tools.
- Ready-Made Templates: Launch quickly with pre-built solutions designed for common customer experience challenges.
- Live Testing: Preview and perfect your AI applications in real-time before deployment.
- Performance Analytics: Understand how customers interact with your AI experiences and optimize continuously.
- Advanced AI Orchestration: Built on the Lucidworks AI Orchestration engine and Data Ingestion Platform for enterprise-grade performance and scalability.
- Multi-Modal Intelligence: Our agents feature advanced vision-understanding capabilities, processing not only text but also charts, images, and other visuals to provide comprehensive expertise and accurate user engagement.
As part of the Lucidworks Platform, AI App Studio integrates seamlessly with Commerce Studio™ and Analytics Studio™, creating a complete ecosystem for building and optimizing next-generation digital experiences that keep pace with evolving customer expectations, with new AI agents being released regularly to expand capabilities.

For more information, visit www.lucidworks.com.

About Lucidworks
Lucidworks transforms complex data into actionable insights through AI-powered search solutions. Clients achieve 391% ROI and are 2.5x more likely to successfully deploy AI initiatives. Global leaders like Lenovo, Morgan Stanley, and American Express rely on Lucidworks to power digital experiences that drive business results. Learn more at Lucidworks.com.

Contact:
pr@lucidworks.com

The MIL Network –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Premia Relocation Mortgage Tops 2025 Trippel Relocation Managers’ Survey, Achieving #1 Rankings in Four Key Categories

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TROY, Mich., June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Premia Relocation Mortgage is excited to announce that it has secured the top spot in four categories of the 2025 Trippel Relocation Managers’ Survey.

In this year’s survey of 172 corporate respondents comparing more than ten mortgage lenders, Premia held the #1 spot for the second year running in both Overall Satisfaction and Willingness to Recommend. Premia also earned the highest scores for Mortgage Knowledge and Education & Support, topping four of the survey’s seven categories overall.

These achievements underscore Premia’s leadership and dedication to delivering an exceptional experience to clients at every stage of the mortgage process. In each of the above categories, Premia achieved the highest Net Satisfaction Score, surpassing the industry average by a significant margin and distinguishing itself as the top-rated lender among all participants.

“I’m thrilled that Premia has earned top honors for the second year in a row—and in even more categories than last year!” said Nina Arnaiz, President of Premia Relocation Mortgage. “This recognition is a true testament to our team’s hard work, passion, and dedication. Their commitment continues to raise the bar and deliver best-in-class service, and I could not be prouder of what we’ve accomplished together. I want to sincerely thank our valued corporate clients for their trust and for recognizing our team with these prestigious accolades. We deeply appreciate the amazing relationships we’ve built over the years and look forward to continuing to serve our clients and their transferees for many years to come.”

Premia not only secured the No. 1 spot in four key categories, but it also landed in the top tier for Customer Experience, earned “excellent” marks for its Product Offerings, and posted strong satisfaction scores for Technology. Together, these results highlight Premia’s ability to surpass expectations through uncompromising quality, seamless end-to-end execution, and an unwavering commitment to delivering a superior experience for both customers and clients.

About Premia Relocation Mortgage

Founded in 1987, Premia Relocation Mortgage, a wholly owned subsidiary of Guaranteed Rate d/b/a Rate (operating as Guaranteed Rate, Inc. in New York), is a leader in the mortgage industry specializing in customized financial solutions for relocating individuals and families. Emphasizing customer care and advocacy, Premia provides highly personalized guidance and a wide range of competitive mortgage products to meet its customers’ unique needs. The company’s reputation as a trusted, reliable resource is built on its dedication to delivering high-quality, consistent, and repeatable customer experiences. To learn more, visit www.premiarelocationmortgage.com.

Contact

press@rate.com

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Litecoin Rose Against the Trend. PFMcrypto Launches LTC Cloud Mining, Daily Subscription Volume Surges 300%
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LOS ANGELES, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On May 31, the SEC announced the postponement of the approval of other altcoin ETFs such as Solana and XRP, but left the Litecoin ETF ruling window alone, which was interpreted by the market as a potential positive signal. For the first time, the regulator described LTC as “highly similar to Bitcoin” in an internal document, strengthening its position as a compliant asset.

Against this background, PFM CRYPTO (winner of the “Best Cloud Mining Platform” in 2025) launched an innovative cloud mining service to help investors capture LTC growth dividends with a compliant, environmentally friendly and high-yield model. On-chain monitoring shows that in the past 48 hours, more than US$580 million of LTC block transactions have concentrated, mainly flowing to compliant platforms such as PFM CRYPTO, and retail subscription volume has surged by 300%.

What is PFMCrypto Litecoin Mining
PFMCrypto LTC Mining is a remote LTC mining solution that supports multiple digital assets, including BTC, LTC, XRP and DOGE. Users can earn income by using PFMCrypto’s computing power without investing in hardware or technical maintenance. By accessing high-performance mining farms, PFMCrypto can solve complex blockchain problems in real time, allowing users to obtain continuous cryptocurrency mining rewards.

PFM CRYPTO cloud mining becomes the first choice for retail investors to hedge against regulatory uncertainty
Facing the soaring cost of traditional mining machines (mainstream LTC mining machines reach $3,000-$5,000) and the global electricity price increase of 20%-30%10, PFM Crypto’s compliant cloud mining solution highlights three advantages:

1. Regulatory compliance and fund security
- Holding the UK FCA and MSB licenses, user funds are managed by HSBC, using military-grade encryption and cold wallet storage, and maintaining a zero security vulnerability record for six consecutive years.
- The scale of assets under management is US$1.9 billion, covering more than 190 countries around the world, supporting 10 languages and 11 mainstream cryptocurrencies (including LTC, BTC, ETH, DOGE).
2. Green mining and efficient technology
- 100% renewable energy driven: relying on a global data center network powered by hydropower, wind power, and solar power, significantly reducing carbon footprint.
- Intelligent multi-currency mining system: real-time switching of the highest-yielding cryptocurrencies (such as LTC, SOL), optimizing computing power through ASIC/GPU clusters, and maximizing user daily income.
3. Zero threshold daily income
- New user incentives: Register now to receive a $10 welcome bonus and start experiencing cloud mining for free.
- No hardware investment required: users only need to select a mining contract, the system automatically runs and settles income every 24 hours, and supports withdrawal or reinvestment at any time.
May Litecoin Mining Signal Performance:

5-day contract strategy: +6.15% return

15-day contract strategy: +20.7% return

30-day contract strategy: +55.6% return

PFMCrypto analyst’s latest judgment:
“If the Litecoin ETF is approved in June, it will usher in the first year of financialization of altcoins. Cloud mining has become the only safe channel for retail investors to participate in structural market conditions by stripping away hardware and regulatory risks.”

Three steps to start PFM Crypto Litecoin mining:

1. Registration and rewards: Visit the official website to complete the registration and automatically receive a $10 bonus (takes less than 1 minute)

2. Choose a contract: flexibly match the plan according to the investment goal (such as quick return type, high-yield compound interest type).

3. Enjoy daily income: the system automatically calculates and distributes income, and the dashboard tracks profits in real time

About PFM CRYPTO:
Founded in 2018 and headquartered in the UK, PFM CRYPTO is a technology platform that focuses on providing cloud mining and crypto asset management services. The platform currently serves more than 9.2 million users and continues to expand its global mining network, committed to building a “safe, transparent, and environmentally friendly” next-generation cloud mining infrastructure.
Visit [ https://pfmcrypto.net ] and claim your $10 welcome bonus.

Media Contact:

Amelia Elspeth
PFMcrypto
info@pfmcrypto.net

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/07bda2d3-1421-4761-9fc2-a62a164278d8

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/17367d29-435b-4a9c-bdee-b11c46411091

The MIL Network –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Majority of Diagnostic Laboratory Leaders Bet Big on Digital Pathology and AI

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PHILADELPHIA, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diagnostic laboratory leaders view digital pathology and artificial intelligence (AI) as pivotal to advancing precision medicine. This perspective comes as organizations across the sector prioritize modernization and seek trusted partners to support their transformation, according to research released today.

The 2025 Laboratory Leadership Report, based on a survey conducted by The Dark Intelligence Group on behalf of Proscia®, captures insights from 360 senior professionals representing independent, hospital, and academic laboratories.

Nathan Buchbinder, Chief Strategy Officer at Proscia, said: “We’re seeing a clear signal from the market. Laboratory leaders believe that AI-driven pathology is not only ready, but essential to meeting the demands of modern healthcare. They’re now focused on getting adoption right— especially as strain from persistent industry challenges continues to intensify.”

Staffing Shortages and Financial Pressures Fuel Modernization
According to The 2025 Laboratory Leadership Report, 38% of laboratory leaders cite staffing shortages as their most significant challenge, and 31% highlight declining reimbursements as their top concern. These issues outweigh other pain points, including regulatory compliance and keeping pace with emerging tests and technologies.

To address these challenges, laboratory leaders are increasingly turning to technology. Their top-ranked opportunities are automation to drive efficiency (30%), molecular and genetic testing (29%), and AI to enable precise, accurate diagnoses (25%). These findings reflect a shift away from short-term fixes and toward longer-term transformation powered by solutions including digital pathology and AI.

AI-Driven Pathology Advances Precision Medicine
As laboratories modernize to overcome mounting pressures, many are simultaneously laying the foundation for precision medicine. According to the report, 86% of senior professionals believe that precision medicine has moved beyond the hype.

Leaders most often associate it with measurable benefits: more effective therapies (80%), more accurate diagnoses (75%), and improved patient outcomes (61%). Some also point to increased collaboration with pharmaceutical companies (23%), reflecting growing recognition of new revenue opportunities in the precision medicine era.

A majority (59%) say that digital pathology and AI will be highly or extremely impactful in realizing precision medicine, reinforcing their central role in the laboratory’s long-term transformation.

Trusted Partnerships Are Key to Digital Pathology and AI Adoption
The strategic importance of AI-driven pathology is also reflected in what laboratory leaders value most when selecting a technology vendor. According to the report, 64% cite reputation, 54% name customer references, and 46% identify future vision as one of their top vendor criteria, underscoring the need for trusted, long-term relationships to support lasting change.

This mindset extends to technology selection as well. Laboratory leaders express a clear preference for solutions that are both comprehensive and intuitive, with 47% prioritizing breadth of functionality and 45% valuing user experience as key product attributes.

Explore the Full Report
Access The 2025 Laboratory Leadership Report to explore the complete survey findings.

Today’s Clinical Lab will also host a webinar featuring Proscia’s Nathan Buchbinder and Dr. Bilal R. Ahmad, Hematopathologist at Spectrum Healthcare Partners. Register to attend “Survey Insights on Pathology’s Transformation to AI and Precision Medicine from Laboratory Leadership” on July 16.

About Proscia
Proscia is a software company accelerating pathology’s transition to a digital, data-driven discipline and enabling AI to advance precision medicine. Its Concentriq enterprise pathology platform, precision medicine AI portfolio, and real-world data fuel the development and use of novel therapies and diagnostics to drive the fight against humanity’s most challenging diseases, like cancer. 16 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies and a global network of diagnostic laboratories rely on Proscia’s solutions each day. The company has FDA 510(k) clearance and CE-IVDR certification for its diagnostic software. For more information, visit proscia.com, and follow Proscia on LinkedIn and X.

Contact:
Sydney Fenkell
VP, Marketing Communications
sydney@proscia.com
215.816.3436

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: CleanChoice Energy Expands Footprint with its First Two Solar Projects in New York State

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WASHINGTON, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CleanChoice Energy (“CleanChoice”), the first 100% green company in the U.S. to provide ‘farm-to-table’ renewable energy by owning solar generation assets and supplying only clean energy to consumers, announced the acquisition of two solar projects in New York State, located in Washington and Rensselaer Counties. When completed, the solar projects will generate a combined 54.2 MW of clean electricity — effectively doubling CleanChoice’s generation capacity in the Mid-Atlantic region. This news comes six months after CleanChoice unveiled its first solar project, located in Franklin County, Penn.; the company is also continuing construction on a second solar project, located in Kylertown, Penn.

The Dolan project in Washington County and Hawthorn project in Rensselaer County were selected by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) as part of its latest round of large-scale renewable energy contract awards. Dolan and Hawthorn are two of only 26 projects selected statewide, highlighting their strategic importance to achieving New York’s 70% clean electricity by 2030 goal.

The new projects significantly expand CleanChoice’s generation portfolio and represent a major step in the company’s long-term strategy to own and operate solar farms that give communities a direct connection to locally-generated solar. Construction of both solar projects is expected to begin during Fall 2025, with a planned interconnection date of Q4 2026. The 133-acre Dolan project and 117-acre Hawthorn project will each have a capacity of 27.1 MW. When completed, both solar farms will interconnect to National Grid.

“CleanChoice Energy is committed to making renewable energy more accessible, and our two solar projects in New York will soon double the amount of clean energy that we deliver to the Mid-Atlantic region,” said Zoë Gamble, President of CleanChoice. “With electric grids struggling to keep up with ever-increasing demand, along with growing consumer demand for more sustainable energy options, investing in solar generation is a win-win solution for everyone.”

Reinforcing CleanChoice’s commitment to sustainability, both solar projects will include features that support the local ecosystem. The company’s investment extends beyond the environment as well. CleanChoice recently donated $70,000 to the Hoosick Fire District in Rensselaer County and will launch annual scholarships for graduating seniors in the local counties pursuing sustainability-related fields.

Gamble continued, “Bringing a solar project to completion is more than just putting clean energy on the grid. It’s important that we are good stewards of the land by incorporating practices that support the local ecosystem and benefit the surrounding community.”

CleanChoice is acquiring the projects from CS Energy, who originated these projects and led the development of them for the past five years.

“We’re proud to contribute to New York’s clean energy future through the development of these two utility-scale solar projects,” said Eric Millard, Chief Commercial Officer of CS Energy. “They represent our continued commitment to developing and building high-quality, energy projects while cultivating the strong partnerships needed to help achieve the state’s ambitious climate and clean energy goals.”

For more information, visit www.cleanchoiceenergy.com.

ABOUT CLEANCHOICE ENERGY
CleanChoice Energy is one of the leading 100% renewable energy suppliers in the U.S. providing ‘farm-to-table’ clean energy by building solar farms and providing consumers with alternative ways to access clean energy. CleanChoice has redefined cleantech, making it easy for people to live cleaner lives with pollution-free, renewable energy for their homes and businesses. With CleanChoice, every kilowatt of electricity used is replenished onto the grid with 100% clean energy from regional wind and solar projects. Founded in 2012, CleanChoice has become one of the fastest-growing businesses in America, as ranked on the Inc 5000 and Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™. CleanChoice Energy is majority-owned by Funds managed by True Green Capital Management LLC. For more information or to become a clean energy customer, visit CleanChoiceEnergy.com.

ABOUT CS ENERGY
CS Energy is an industry-leading engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) renewable energy company that develops, designs and builds optimized solar, energy storage, and emerging energy projects. CS Energy has successfully designed and installed over 2 GW of solar and 650 MWh of energy storage projects across the United States. Owned by American Securities, a leading US private equity firm, CS Energy leverages strong relationships with solar developers, IPPs, utilities, off-takers, suppliers, and landowners to help our customers streamline the project development process, lower project costs, and create value for all stakeholders as a trusted and long-term partner.

Media Contact:

Debbie Ehrman
FINN Partners
CleanChoiceEnergy@finnpartners.com

Kate Colarulli
Chief Strategy Officer
Mobile: +1 202 380 8936
kate.colarulli@cleanchoice.com

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Ataccama establishes Partner Advisory Board to shape the future of data trust and enterprise AI

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BOSTON, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ataccama, the data trust company, today announced its inaugural Partner Advisory Board, a global cohort of data management leaders convening this week in Boston. The board deepens alignment across Ataccama’s technology and services ecosystem and gives market-leading partners a formal seat at the table to shape product direction and platform strategy. It marks a new phase in the company’s evolution, where the ecosystem amplifies how Ataccama builds, sells, and scales.

The board marks the next phase in Ataccama’s partner ecosystem evolution. Over the past year, the company has helped solution partners grow their Ataccama-related services revenue by 10x, co-developed accelerators to shorten time-to-value, and expanded integrations with technology partners, including Snowflake and Atlan. Its partner-sourced pipeline has climbed 67% year-over-year, culminating in one of the largest deals in company history. These partnerships have helped customers accelerate cloud migrations, improve data quality at scale, and deploy AI-ready data architectures faster than ever.

“This board connects us with the people delivering outcomes in the field,” said Jessica Goulart, Global Vice President of Partnerships at Ataccama. “Each leader was selected for their strategic perspective across industries like financial services, manufacturing, and insurance. They bring insight into what customers need, where the gaps are, and how the market is shifting. That input directly shapes how we evolve our platform to meet the real demands of modern enterprises.”

“Ataccama isn’t just building tools. The focus on cloud and AI shows real foresight in how they are advancing the platform to drive value for businesses,” said Bill Romenesko, Principal, MDM/Data Governance at Capgemini. “Being part of the Partner Advisory Board gives us a meaningful opportunity to help shape where the platform is headed to ensure the technology continues to align with how our customers evolve their business strategies.”

The group includes leaders who have built and delivered enterprise-grade data programs across highly regulated industries, such as finance and insurance. Each has directly influenced Ataccama’s partner-led success, advising clients, expanding adoption, and opening new market opportunities. This board operates as a working body that creates a direct feedback loop between Ataccama’s leadership and the experts driving outcomes in the field.

“It’s a real engine for growth, collaboration, and leadership,” explained Goulart. “Our partners now have a seat at the table to influence go-to-market strategy, drive scale, and help shape how data trust is delivered across the ecosystem. This board turns momentum into long-term advantage, powered by the people building real outcomes every day.”

The Partner Advisory Board complements Ataccama’s Customer Advisory Board and Strategic Advisory Board, which include leaders from Truist, MetLife, M&T Bank, Stanley Black & Decker, Allianz, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. These boards provide Ataccama with a 360-degree view of the market, shaping product direction, customer experience, and long-term strategy across the ecosystem.

Learn more about Ataccama’s Partner Program: https://www.ataccama.com/partners

About Ataccama
Ataccama is the data trust company. Organizations worldwide rely on Ataccama ONE, the unified data trust platform, to ensure data is accurate, accessible, and actionable. By integrating data quality, lineage, observability, governance, and master data management into a single solution, Ataccama enables businesses to unlock value from their data for AI, analytics, and operations. Trusted by hundreds of global enterprises, Ataccama helps organizations drive innovation, reduce costs, and mitigate risk. Recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Augmented Data Quality and the 2025 Magic Quadrant for Data and Analytics Governance, Ataccama continues to set the standard for trusted data at scale. Learn more at www.ataccama.com.

Media contact
press@ataccama.com

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: BlackLine’s Signature Finance Transformation Event Returns to London and Debuts in Paris
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LONDON, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlackLine is expanding the reach of its flagship finance transformation event, BeyondTheBlack, with two key events in Europe this June. BeyondTheBlack will return to London on June 17, followed by its debut in Paris on June 19, marking the first time the event has been held in France.

Each event brings together finance and accounting leaders across industries to explore how world-class companies are achieving smarter, faster, and more scalable financial operations through BlackLine’s AI-powered automation and platform innovation.

Event Details:

BEYONDTHEBLACK LONDON
Date: June 17, 2025
Location: De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London
Details & Registration: beyondtheblack.com/london

The London event will feature executive keynotes, live demos, and customer transformation stories from:
- AstraZeneca
- Hitachi
- Kier Group
- The LEGO Group
BEYONDTHEBLACK PARIS
Date: June 19, 2025
Location: Cloud Business Center, Paris
Details & Registration: beyondtheblack.com/paris

Marking its debut in France, the Paris conference will be conducted in French and feature customer sessions from:
- Hilti
- Renault
- Savencia
Why Attend:
- Explore BlackLine’s latest innovations, including the Studio360 platform
- Hear directly from customers achieving meaningful business outcomes
- Participate in deep-dive sessions led by BlackLine experts and partners
- Connect with a community of finance leaders shaping the future of the Office of the CFO
About BlackLine

Companies come to BlackLine (Nasdaq: BL) because their traditional manual accounting processes are not sustainable. BlackLine’s cloud-based financial operations management platform and market-leading customer experience help companies move to modern accounting by unifying data, automating repetitive work, and driving accountability through visibility. BlackLine provides solutions to manage and automate financial close, intercompany accounting, invoice-to-cash, and consolidation processes—trusted by more than 4,400 customers worldwide, including 50% of the Fortune 500.

For more information, visit www.blackline.com.

Media Contact:

Samantha Darilek
VP, Corporate Communications
samantha.darilek@blackline.com

The MIL Network –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: BTCC Exchange Releases May 2025 Proof of Reserves Report: User Assets Secured at 152% Total Reserve Ratio
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VILNIUS, Lithuania, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BTCC, the world’s longest-serving cryptocurrency exchange, has published its monthly Proof of Reserves (PoR) report for May 2025, demonstrating a robust 152% total reserve ratio and reinforcing its commitment to transparency and user asset security across all major asset holdings.

The comprehensive audit, conducted on May 15, 2025, reveals that BTCC maintains substantial over-collateralization across all major crypto assets:
- Bitcoin (BTC): 140%
- Ethereum (ETH): 146%
- Ripple (XRP): 165%
- Tether (USDT): 150%
- USD Coin (USDC): 164%
- Cardano (ADA): 152%
“Proof of Reserves is essential for building trust with our users and the broader market,” said Alex, Head of Operations at BTCC. “Our monthly report demonstrates that we maintain sufficient assets to fully cover all user deposits, reinforcing our commitment to fund security.”

The May audit, conducted using Merkle Tree cryptography, enables users to independently verify their funds anytime on BTCC’s website using the latest Merkle root hash, with detailed verification instructions available.

With reserve ratios exceeding 100% across all major cryptocurrencies, user assets are fully backed and over-collateralized, providing an additional security buffer that demonstrates BTCC’s commitment to fund protection.

Since 2011, BTCC has maintained an impeccable security record throughout 14 years of operation. The regular monthly Proof of Reserves reporting demonstrates BTCC’s continued commitment to user fund security and transparency, setting a benchmark for responsible exchange operation in today’s rapidly changing crypto landscape.

About BTCC Exchange

Founded in 2011, BTCC is one of the world’s longest-serving cryptocurrency exchanges, offering secure and user-friendly trading services to millions of users globally. With a commitment to security, innovation, and community building, BTCC continues to be a trusted platform in the evolving cryptocurrency landscape.

Website: https://www.btcc.com/en-US

X: https://x.com/BTCCexchange

Contact: press@btcc.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/88449014-8876-4578-acad-3252d6b91386

The MIL Network –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: CERo Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. Announces Reverse Stock Split

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SOUTH SAN FRANSCISCO, Calif., June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CERo Therapeutics Holdings, Inc., (Nasdaq: CERO) (“CERo” or the “Company”) an innovative immunotherapy company seeking to advance the next generation of engineered T cell therapeutics that employ phagocytic mechanisms, today announced that its board of directors has determined to effect a one-for-twenty reverse stock split of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”).

The reverse stock split will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on June 13, 2025, and the Company’s Common Stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) as of the opening of trading on June 13, 2025. The CUSIP number of 71902K402 will be assigned to the Company’s Common Stock when the reverse stock split becomes effective.

When the reverse stock split becomes effective, every twenty (20) of the Company’s issued shares of Common Stock will be combined into one issued share of Common Stock, without any change to the par value per share. This will reduce the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock from approximately 10,321,839 shares to approximately 516,092 shares.

Proportional adjustments will also be made to the number of shares of Common Stock awarded and available for issuance under the Company’s equity incentive plans, as well as the exercise price and the number of shares issuable upon the exercise or conversion of the Company’s outstanding stock options and other equity securities under the Company’s equity incentive plans. Additionally, all outstanding shares of preferred stock will be adjusted in accordance with their terms, which will, among other changes to the preferred stock terms, result in proportionate adjustments being made to the number of shares issuable upon conversion of such preferred stock and to the conversion prices of such preferred stock. All outstanding warrants will also be adjusted in accordance with their terms, which will, among other changes to the warrant terms, result in proportionate adjustments being made to the number of shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants and to the exercise and redemption prices of such warrants.

No fractional shares will be issued in connection with the reverse stock split. Stockholders who would otherwise hold a fraction of a share of Common Stock of the Company will automatically be entitled to receive an additional fraction of a share of Common Stock to round up to the next whole share.

Stockholders with shares held in book-entry form or through a bank, broker, or other nominee are not required to take any action and will see the consequence of the reverse stock split reflected in their accounts on or after June 13, 2025. Such beneficial holders may contact their bank, broker, or nominee for more information.

The reverse stock split ratio approved by the board of directors is within the previously disclosed range of ratios for a reverse stock split authorized by the stockholders of the Company at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company held on May 29, 2025.

About CERo Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

CERo is an innovative immunotherapy company advancing the development of next generation engineered T cell therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Its proprietary approach to T cell engineering, which enables it to integrate certain desirable characteristics of both innate and adaptive immunity into a single therapeutic construct, is designed to engage the body’s full immune repertoire to achieve optimized cancer therapy. This novel cellular immunotherapy platform is expected to redirect patient-derived T cells to eliminate tumors by building in engulfment pathways that employ phagocytic mechanisms to destroy cancer cells, creating what CERo refers to as Chimeric Engulfment Receptor T cells (“CER-T”). CERo believes the differentiated activity of CER-T cells will afford them greater therapeutic application than currently approved chimeric antigen receptor (“CAR-T”) cell therapy, as the use of CER-T may potentially span both hematological malignancies and solid tumors. CERo anticipates initiating clinical trials for its lead product candidate, CER-1236, in 2025 for hematological malignancies.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains statements that are forward-looking and as such are not historical facts. This includes, without limitation, statements regarding the financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations of CERo the timing and completion of the reverse stock split, and the acceptance and implementation of its proposed plan of compliance with Nasdaq continued listing standards. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this communication, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “strive,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. When CERo discusses its strategies or plans, it is making projections, forecasts or forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on the beliefs of, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to, CERo’s management.

Actual results could differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements in this communication. Certain risks that could cause actual results to differ are set forth in CERo’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on April 15, 2025 and its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and the documents incorporated by reference therein. The risks described in CERo’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are not exhaustive. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible to predict all such risk factors, nor can CERo assess the impact of all such risk factors on its business, or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. You should not put undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements made by CERo or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. CERo undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contact:
Chris Ehrlich
Chief Executive Officer
cehrlich@cero.bio

Investors:
CORE IR
investors@cero.bio

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Channel Five won the competition to organize and broadcast the Scarlet Sails 2025 graduation celebration.

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Channel Five will once again act as the organizer of the Scarlet Sails holiday, and will also conduct a live broadcast of the legendary graduation on June 28, 2025. The customer is the Committee for Printing and Interaction with the Mass Media. The results of the competitive selection are published on the official website of the Government of St. Petersburg.

Channel Five was at the origins of the revival of the Scarlet Sails. The Leningrad graduation ball was first held in 1968, but eleven years later the beautiful annual tradition was interrupted. 20 years ago, on the initiative of Joint-Stock Bank “ROSSIYA”, the Government of St. Petersburg and Channel Five, the ship with scarlet sails reappeared in the waters of the Neva. Channel Five has been the organizer of the water-pyrotechnic show for several years in a row. Also, since 2005, it has been providing a live television broadcast of the legendary graduation.

Mikhail Kolpakhchiev, chief director of the water-pyrotechnic show “Scarlet Sails-2025”:

– Every time we come up with new solutions, not only ideological and semantic, but also visual. We try ideas that perhaps no one has ever implemented. We work in a complex genre, where there is an eclecticism of stage art, cinema, choreographic types of creativity. There are definitely many implemented ideas in this direction, so we always have a super task – to implement something new, fresh, mix or cross something with something and get an original effect. I hope we will manage to surprise the audience.

Now the legendary graduation is a calling card not only for St. Petersburg, but for all of Russia, a multiple winner of prestigious world competitions and awards in the event industry. In April of this year, the holiday received a prestigious award at the XIII annual national award “Event of the Year” in the nomination “Best Direction and Production of the Event” in the category “Innovative Solution of the Year”.

Roman Butovsky, director of the television broadcast of the Scarlet Sails 2025 festival:

– “Scarlet Sails” is a landmark event for all television people, in which a huge number of people are involved. A large territory that needs to be covered by cameras. And for us, the broadcast is a kind of creative report.

In 2024, Scarlet Sails was seen by a record number of viewers – almost 37 million. The television audience of the festival in Russia and the CIS countries was 25.5 million people. The number of views of the online broadcast on the Internet was 11.3 million.

The share of the entire celebration on Channel Five in the key audience for the channel “All 25-59” reached 7.7%. This is a record figure for the entire history of the graduation.

The broadcast of the water-pyrotechnic show on Channel Five took first place in the federal broadcast in the same audience “All 25-59” with a share of 11.4%.

Since 2020, the water-pyrotechnic show has been broadcast by other federal channels. A year ago, the combined share of the colorful extravaganza on the air of four broadcasters was 26.6% among viewers over 18 years old.

The material was prepared by the press service of Channel Five

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks to the Opening of the Eighteenth Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [as delivered]

Source: United Nations secretary general

Welcome to the 18th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

On behalf of the Secretary-General, I extend my deepest gratitude to all of you for all you do to advance the rights of persons with disabilities around the world.

A special welcome to civil society, and in particular, to the organizations led by persons with disabilities.

Your presence fills this Hall with purpose.

Advancing equality and expanding opportunities for people with disabilities is not only close to my heart – it is central to the vision of the Secretary-General and the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy.

It is a test of our common values. Inclusion of persons with disabilities is also a testament to common sense.

When persons with disabilities can fully participate in society, communities and economies are stronger.

We know this. And so do all those who realize the Convention.

In an often-divided world, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stands as a powerful declaration:

Disability inclusion is fundamental to human rights — and essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Yet today, we face a sobering truth.

Progress is not just slow – in some cases, it is reversing.

The UN Disability and Development Report found that nearly all SDG indicators for persons with disabilities are off track.

The message is stark:

Persons with disabilities face higher poverty, greater unemployment, deeper food and health insecurity, and more limited access to education, jobs and digital technologies.

And as this session reminds us, indigenous persons with disabilities face even greater exclusion.

This must change.

The Pact for the Future, adopted last year, reinforces the call for a more peaceful, inclusive, accessible and equitable world – one in which persons with disabilities play a full and equal role in advancing sustainable development, climate action and digital transformation.

We meet today on the threshold of two vital gatherings: the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, and the Second World Summit for Social Development.

Your deliberations will help shape those events.

This session focuses on three critical themes.

How we finance change.

How we harness technology.

And how we honour those most often left behind: Indigenous persons with disabilities.

Let me offer a few reflections.

First, on funding change.

Progress requires investment.

Yet today, global support for disability inclusion has been cut in half – falling from $500 million to $250 million in just two years.

Behind these figures are real lives.

Children with disabilities shut out of classrooms.

Adults with disabilities who cannot get to work, if they have work at all.

Families of persons with disabilities denied essential services.

Women and girls with disabilities are denied sexual and reproductive health and rights.

We need targeted investments and tailored solutions – such as microfinance, social impact bonds and public-private alliances – that address gaps in realizing the rights of persons with disabilities.

And we must unlock capital to fund inclusion today, and build sustainable, inclusive systems for tomorrow.

This requires advancing the Pact for the Future’s calls to recapitalize Multilateral Development Banks, provide debt relief, and reform the international financial architecture – so that developing countries can invest in systems that are inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.

Second, we must continue to harness the transformative power of technologies.

Artificial intelligence is the latest frontier – and it holds immense potential to advance inclusion.

AI can be the difference between isolation and participation.

And help individuals navigate the world through tools such as speech recognition, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning, screen readers, accessible navigation assistance and personalized support for daily tasks.

But this promise comes with a warning.

Biases are being hardwired into algorithms.

And regulations on accessibility of emerging technologies are sorely lacking.

Developed countries, in particular, have a responsibility to step up support.

Today about 70% of AI-powered assistive technologies are concentrated in developed economies.

Without global cooperation and fair technology transfer agreements, people in the poorest countries risk being excluded – again.

We must ensure that AI becomes a tool for humanity, not a mirror of entrenched inequalities.

Through the Global Digital Compact, countries have made their expectations clear:

AI technologies must empower all people, including persons with disabilities, and ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age.

Third, we must do more to uphold the rights of Indigenous persons with disabilities.

Persistent barriers in intersecting forms of discrimination are limiting their rights, and the disparities are stark.

In Latin America, for example, indigenous persons with disabilities attend fewer years of school, earn half as much income, and hold fewer leadership roles.

Indigenous women and girls with disabilities face greater rates of violence, isolation and lack of support services.

Legal services are not accessible or are not culturally adequate for equal access to justice.

This is not just neglect – it is erasure.

Realizing the rights of Indigenous Persons with Disabilities requires culturally appropriate approaches – and meaningful inclusion in decision-making.

The rallying cry has never been more fitting: Nothing about us without us.

Dear friends,

We’ve come a long way in 19 years.

Laws have changed.

Attitudes have shifted.

And political realities have shifted, too.

Armed conflict in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere is leaving countless civilians with sustained permanent injuries and deep psychological trauma.

Children with disabilities are especially vulnerable – Gaza alone has the highest number of child amputees in modern history.

Families are bearing the brunt of conflicts, and communities will require inclusive and accessible rebuilding.

Wars are draining budgets. And the foundations of multilateralism are being chiseled away by division and mistrust.

Yet this session is proof that the world can still come together – with purpose and resolve.

It is a reminder that we must make sure promises made are promises kept.

Let’s make the most of this conference – and the historic opportunities ahead – to drive action for persons with disabilities.

To build a world that is inclusive, accessible, and sustainable.

And to say in one voice:

Rights are not optional.

They are universal.

They are non-negotiable.

And they belong to all.

Thank you.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Zoom completes rollout of Zoom Phone in six telecom circles, with plans for further expansion in India

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zoom Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) today announced the further expansion of its industry-leading Zoom Phone service to four major metro telecom circles in India — Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Karnataka (Bengaluru), and Andhra Pradesh & Telangana (Hyderabad). The Delhi NCR Telecom Circle includes the Union Territory of Delhi, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, NOIDA, and Gurgaon. Licensed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) India, Zoom Phone is now available in six telecom circles in India, including Maharashtra (October 2024) and Tamil Nadu (Chennai) Telecom Circles (February 2025), thereby covering key business and technology hubs in the country. Zoom also plans to bring Zoom Phone to additional telecom circles across India, accelerating its commitment to make AI-first modern telephony available to more organizations across key states in India.

“Zoom Phone addresses the growing demand for cloud telephony by offering simplicity and modern functionality for distributed workforces. India is an important market for us, and our expansion plans beyond the six key telecom circles demonstrate our commitment to providing customers with a unified work platform. This expansion also reflects the growing traction Zoom Phone is receiving, especially from multinational companies, as businesses in India move away from legacy PBX systems toward more flexible, AI-first collaboration solutions that enhance employee productivity,” said Velchamy Sankarlingam, president of Product and Engineering, Zoom.

Zoom Phone offers businesses simplicity and modern functionality, empowering dynamic workstyles and hybrid teams. Available as an add-on for existing paid Zoom customers, it supports inbound and outbound calling through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), enabling enterprises to replace legacy private branch exchange (PBX) systems and consolidate communication needs onto a single AI-first platform in Zoom Workplace.

Zoom Phone also integrates seamlessly with Zoom Contact Center to offer a unified experience with features like call transfer, call forwarding, and call recording accessible within the Zoom Contact Center environment. Zoom Contact Center can access Zoom Phone user details like extensions, Direct Inward Dialing (DID) numbers, and usernames, enabling caller identification and routing.

In addition to services in the six active telecom circles, Zoom Phone enables businesses to maintain seamless collaboration across India, even in regions where Zoom Phone service is not yet available. Through Zoom’s self-service web portal, customers can acquire native phone numbers based on specific telecom circles, such as Karnataka, Delhi NCR, and Mumbai, enabling them to establish a local presence in those regions. These native numbers operate over the PSTN, allowing customers to place outbound calls and receive inbound calls nationwide, regardless of their physical location. This allows organizations to maintain continuity and flexibility in their collaboration strategy, even in telecom circles where Zoom Phone is not directly available.

Enhanced by Zoom AI Companion, which is included at no additional cost with eligible Zoom paid accounts, Zoom Phone offers powerful AI features to boost productivity. These include post-call summaries so users can focus on conversations instead of taking notes, voicemail task extraction to easily identify next steps, and voicemail prioritization to better manage time and attention. Zoom Phone also integrates seamlessly with Zoom Workplace, leading business applications, and hardware providers, offering robust security, scalability, and an intuitive user interface.

“We are thrilled that Zoom Phone is now available in six of India’s most prominent business and technology hubs. Each of these cities is home to thriving ecosystems of local enterprises and multinational corporations that will benefit from Zoom Phone’s flexibility and seamless integration into their existing workflows. Bringing Zoom Phone to additional telecom circles is a natural next step in our commitment to empower more organizations with access to reliable, modern AI-first telephony,” said Sameer Raje, general manager and head of India & SAARC region at Zoom. “Zoom Phone and Zoom Contact Center are purpose-built to work seamlessly together to empower organizations to deliver unified communications and superior customer and employee engagement. With this launch, we are excited to help businesses streamline collaboration, support flexible workforces, and enhance employee and customer experiences.”

To learn more about Zoom Phone, please visit the Zoom Phone page.

About Zoom
Zoom’s mission is to provide an AI-first work platform for human connection. Reimagine teamwork with Zoom Workplace — Zoom’s open collaboration platform with AI Companion that empowers teams to be more productive. Together with Zoom Workplace, Zoom’s Business Services for sales, marketing, and customer experience teams, including Zoom Contact Center, strengthen customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Get more information at zoom.com.

Zoom Press Contact
Hayley Yap
APAC Communications Lead
press@zoom.us

The MIL Network –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Family homesteads with tangled titles are contributing to rural America’s housing crisis

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jennifer Pindyck, Assistant Professor of Architecture, Auburn University

Rural Studio helps families build new housing on land with tangled titles, meaning there’s no clear owner. Auburn University Rural Studio. Photo by Timothy Hursley, CC BY-SA

Imagine your parents leave you and your siblings a share of land that’s been in your family for generations. Several of your relatives already live on the land, and you’d like to do the same; but you can’t get a loan to build or renovate a home without permission from all the relatives who also share ownership. And at any moment, another heir could sell their share, triggering a court-ordered sale that could force you off the land – and lose everything you’ve invested in.

This is the reality of what’s known as heirs’ property: land passed down informally, without clear wills or deeds, which results in a “tangled” or “clouded” title.

It’s more common than you might think in the U.S., especially in rural areas, and it presents significant challenges to long-term housing stability.

Research shows that within 44 states and the District of Columbia, there are an estimated 508,371
heirs’ properties, with an assessed value of US$32 billion. (There wasn’t reliable enough data in six states.)

It’s more of an issue in some states, such as Alabama. But it’s also a problem in cities such as New York City and Philadelphia.

Because it’s so difficult to finance home construction on this land, sell it or leverage it, heirs’ property can leave families vulnerable to exploitation and perpetuate cycles of poverty. Despite these challenges, many families have nonetheless lived together and supported one another on shared land for generations.

As faculty and collaborators with Auburn University’s Rural Studio, we study heirs’ property and its role in shaping housing access. Based in Hale County, Alabama, Rural Studio has completed over 200 projects – many of them homes built on heirs’ property – providing critical housing for families facing complex land ownership challenges.

Land with no clear owner

The lack of a clear will or deed often happens due to inadequate access to – and distrust of – the legal system.

Once the land is passed down to the next generation, the heirs are known as “tenants in common,” meaning they own an undivided interest in the entire property. As the property continues to pass down from generation to generation, the number of tenants in common increases exponentially.

When a couple passes down land to their children – and then those kids pass it down to their kids – the number of heirs dramatically increases.
Auburn University Rural Studio, CC BY-SA

Without clear title, no single person or group can make decisions about the property. Every heir must legally sign off on any action, which makes it nearly impossible to secure traditional forms of financing, obtain insurance, access disaster relief, or use the land as collateral.

Those living on the land often pay their share of property taxes, but distant or unaware heirs might not, which puts the entire property at risk of being lost through a tax lien sale. This leaves families with property in “tangled” status exposed to predatory land acquisition practices that often lead to land loss.

Any tenant in common can sell their share to an outside party. These outside parties – either individuals or companies – can then request a court to order what’s called a partition by sale, which can push every other owner off the land.

Imagine three siblings inherit a piece of land from their parents and are now tenants in common. One sibling sells their share to a real estate investor. That investor then goes to court and requests a partition by sale. The court then orders the entire property sold and the proceeds split among the owners, effectively forcing the other two siblings off the land, even if they wanted to keep it.

Such tactics are especially common in the Black Belt region of the U.S., which covers Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina; as such, they disproportionately affect Black Americans.

Why family-owned land matters

Our research in Hale County, Alabama, finds that Black families in particular have supported one another for generations while living on heirs’ property.

These multigenerational kinship networks rely on one another for child care, elder care, food, transportation and shared utility costs. But the value of this sort of living situation goes beyond social and economic benefits. The land can be woven into family lore or be steeped in the history of the surrounding area.

So, despite the legal and financial challenges, many extended families will do whatever they can to continue living together on their land. Even a small stake in heirs’ property offers connection to the past and a place to return home in the future.

Family members often live in different homes spread across heirs’ property, which often exists in a legal gray area.
Auburn University Rural Studio, CC BY-SA

These informal kinship networks can provide support and resilience in ways that traditional forms of land and homeownership do not. Putting all of the people who own the land on the title – what’s known as “clearing title” – is not only costly and time-consuming, but it also often requires dividing up the property into smaller parcels, which can prevent some family members from living on the land altogether.

Meanwhile, traditional legal and financial products – think mortgages and land-use agreements with farmers – tend to be structured with sole ownership in mind. Most banks and institutions simply won’t lend to heirs’ property with tangled titles.

There have been recent efforts to protect these informal arrangements. The Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, which has been enacted in 25 states, ensures due process and sets up safeguards against immediate partition by sale actions.

For example, if a suit is brought by a co-owner, a fair market value appraisal – or an agreed-upon value by all parties – must be conducted. The other shareholders of the land also have the option to buy out the shareholder bringing the suit. Under the statute, additional partition methods may be considered. And if a sale is required, it’s done on the open market.

Many organizations are working to address issues related to heirs’ property and tangled titles. Most of the work centers on clearing title, establishing shared land agreements and teaching landowners how to avoid having their property fall into a tangled title situation. For example, the Florida Housing Coalition, Housing Assistance Council and the Alabama Heirs Property Alliance are actively engaged in community education, legal support, data mapping and policy advocacy.

Build first, ask permission later

Many rural families on heirs’ property have limited pathways to homeownership. Financial constraints, limited access to quality housing options and lot restrictions have often forced residents to settle for older, substandard, manufactured homes. Small utility sheds have even begun to replace broken-down trailer homes in many rural areas.

Utility sheds are increasingly being used as homes across the U.S. South.
Auburn University Rural Studio, CC BY-SA

There’s clearly a need for safe, durable housing that enables these families to build generational wealth. And that’s where Rural Studio comes in.

Building new housing or renovating existing structures means dealing with a web of zoning laws, building codes and land development ordinances, which are all tied to financing and lending systems. While many efforts to address heirs’ property aim to change legal policies, we approach this issue through housing.

We use what we call a “build first” strategy. Using funds from research grants and donations, we simply start building on heirs’ properties with the permission of families. In the process, we show that if tangled titles were no longer an obstacle, much more housing could be built.

One of our recent Rural Studio projects is the 18×18 House, a compact, multistory home built for a young man living on heirs’ property in Alabama.

The 18X18 House is a multistory home that was on heirs’ property in Alabama.
Auburn University Rural Studio. Photo by Timothy Hursley, CC BY-SA

The home is nestled between several other family members’ homes. We had to work around existing electrical lines, a septic field, roads and steep topography. Despite these site constraints, the house is an ideal starter home: big enough for the young man and a future partner to live comfortably on the family plot. If he ever decides to leave, other family members can move in.

Rather than focusing on one-off products, our goal with the 18×18 House is to develop replicable housing prototypes that respond to the realities of intergenerational living on family land. We also hope that tangible housing will help policymakers understand the value of reform.

The question isn’t whether design can respond to these challenges, but how it can lead by pushing antiquated regulatory and legal frameworks to evolve.

Jennifer Pindyck receives funding from Fannie Mae, Wells Fargo and the Center for Architecture, in partnership with AIA New York. She is affiliated with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and is a registered architect in the state of Georgia.

Christian Ayala Lopez work is funded through a diverse range of organizations such as Fannie Mae, USDA, and Center for Architecture NY. He is affiliated to Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, and member of Florida Housing Coalition.

Rusty Smith receives funding from Fannie Mae, USDA, Wells Fargo and Regions Bank. He is affiliated with the Housing Assistance Council, the American Institute of Architects, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation Incubator, the EPA Collegiate/Underserved Community Partnership and the Bipartisan Policy Center.

– ref. Family homesteads with tangled titles are contributing to rural America’s housing crisis – https://theconversation.com/family-homesteads-with-tangled-titles-are-contributing-to-rural-americas-housing-crisis-254679

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How your air conditioner can help the power grid, rather than overloading it

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Johanna Mathieu, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, University of Michigan

Could this common home machinery help usher in more renewable energy? Holden Henry/iStock / Getty Images Plus

As summer arrives, people are turning on air conditioners in most of the U.S. But if you’re like me, you always feel a little guilty about that. Past generations managed without air conditioning – do I really need it? And how bad is it to use all this electricity for cooling in a warming world?

If I leave my air conditioner off, I get too hot. But if everyone turns on their air conditioner at the same time, electricity demand spikes, which can force power grid operators to activate some of the most expensive, and dirtiest, power plants. Sometimes those spikes can ask too much of the grid and lead to brownouts or blackouts.

Research I recently published with a team of scholars makes me feel a little better, though. We have found that it is possible to coordinate the operation of large numbers of home air-conditioning units, balancing supply and demand on the power grid – and without making people endure high temperatures inside their homes.

Studies along these lines, using remote control of air conditioners to support the grid, have for many years explored theoretical possibilities like this. However, few approaches have been demonstrated in practice and never for such a high-value application and at this scale. The system we developed not only demonstrated the ability to balance the grid on timescales of seconds, but also proved it was possible to do so without affecting residents’ comfort.

The benefits include increasing the reliability of the power grid, which makes it easier for the grid to accept more renewable energy. Our goal is to turn air conditioners from a challenge for the power grid into an asset, supporting a shift away from fossil fuels toward cleaner energy.

Adjustable equipment

My research focuses on batteries, solar panels and electric equipment – such as electric vehicles, water heaters, air conditioners and heat pumps – that can adjust itself to consume different amounts of energy at different times.

Originally, the U.S. electric grid was built to transport electricity from large power plants to customers’ homes and businesses. And originally, power plants were large, centralized operations that burned coal or natural gas, or harvested energy from nuclear reactions. These plants were typically always available and could adjust how much power they generated in response to customer demand, so the grid would be balanced between power coming in from producers and being used by consumers.

But the grid has changed. There are more renewable energy sources, from which power isn’t always available – like solar panels at night or wind turbines on calm days. And there are the devices and equipment I study. These newer options, called “distributed energy resources,” generate or store energy near where consumers need it – or adjust how much energy they’re using in real time.

One aspect of the grid hasn’t changed, though: There’s not much storage built into the system. So every time you turn on a light, for a moment there’s not enough electricity to supply everything that wants it right then: The grid needs a power producer to generate a little more power. And when you turn off a light, there’s a little too much: A power producer needs to ramp down.

The way power plants know what real-time power adjustments are needed is by closely monitoring the grid frequency. The goal is to provide electricity at a constant frequency – 60 hertz – at all times. If more power is needed than is being produced, the frequency drops and a power plant boosts output. If there’s too much power being produced, the frequency rises and a power plant slows production a little. These actions, a process called “frequency regulation,” happen in a matter of seconds to keep the grid balanced.

This output flexibility, primarily from power plants, is key to keeping the lights on for everyone.

Power plants, like this one in Utah, adjust their output to match demand from electricity customers.
Jason Finn/iStock / Getty Images Plus

Finding new options

I’m interested in how distributed energy resources can improve flexibility in the grid. They can release more energy, or consume less, to respond to the changing supply or demand, and help balance the grid, ensuring the frequency remains near 60 hertz.

Some people fear that doing so might be invasive, giving someone outside your home the ability to control your battery or air conditioner. Therefore, we wanted to see if we could help balance the grid with frequency regulation using home air-conditioning units rather than power plants – without affecting how residents use their appliances or how comfortable they are in their homes.

From 2019 to 2023, my group at the University of Michigan tried this approach, in collaboration with researchers at Pecan Street Inc., Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

We recruited 100 homeowners in Austin, Texas, to do a real-world test of our system. All the homes had whole-house forced-air cooling systems, which we connected to custom control boards and sensors the owners allowed us to install in their homes. This equipment let us send instructions to the air-conditioning units based on the frequency of the grid.

Before I explain how the system worked, I first need to explain how thermostats work. When people set thermostats, they pick a temperature, and the thermostat switches the air-conditioning compressor on and off to maintain the air temperature within a small range around that set point. If the temperature is set at 68 degrees, the thermostat turns the AC on when the temperature is, say, 70, and turns it off when it’s cooled down to, say, 66.

Every few seconds, our system slightly changed the timing of air-conditioning compressor switching for some of the 100 air conditioners, causing the units’ aggregate power consumption to change. In this way, our small group of home air conditioners reacted to grid changes the way a power plant would – using more or less energy to balance the grid and keep the frequency near 60 hertz.

Moreover, our system was designed to kept home temperatures within the same small temperature range around the set point.

Smart thermostats could have frequency regulation capabilities available to interested consumers, to help balance the electricity grid.
Danielle Mead/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Testing the approach

We ran our system in four tests, each lasting one hour. We found two encouraging results.

First, the air conditioners were able to provide frequency regulation at least as accurately as a traditional power plant. Therefore, we showed that air conditioners could play a significant role in increasing grid flexibility. But perhaps more importantly – at least in terms of encouraging people to participate in these types of systems – we found that we were able to do so without affecting people’s comfort in their homes.

We found that home temperatures did not deviate more than 1.6 Fahrenheit from their set point. Homeowners were allowed to override the controls if they got uncomfortable, but most didn’t. For most tests, we received zero override requests. In the worst case, we received override requests from two of the 100 homes in our test.

In practice, this sort of technology could be added to commercially available internet-connected thermostats. In exchange for credits on their energy bills, users could choose to join a service run by the thermostat company, their utility provider or some other third party.

Then people could turn on the air conditioning in the summer heat without that pang of guilt, knowing they were helping to make the grid more reliable and more capable of accommodating renewable energy sources – without sacrificing their own comfort in the process.

Johanna Mathieu works for the University of Michigan. She has received funding from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, ARPA-E, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. She is affiliated with the IEEE.

– ref. How your air conditioner can help the power grid, rather than overloading it – https://theconversation.com/how-your-air-conditioner-can-help-the-power-grid-rather-than-overloading-it-256858

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: A field guide to ‘accelerationism’: White supremacist groups using violence to spur race war and create social chaos

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Art Jipson, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Dayton

Demonstrators clash with counterdemonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 12, 2017. AP Photo/Steve Helber

A man named Regan Prater was charged with arson for the burning of Highlander Center in New Market, Tennessee, on May 7, 2025. The nonprofit has a long history of involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. The FBI stated in a court document that Prater participated in neo-Nazi Telegram group chats online.

Earlier this year, Brandon Clint Russell, founder of Atomwaffen Divison, also known as the National Socialist Resistance Front, a onetime neo-Nazi terrorist organization, according to the Department of Justice, was convicted of conspiracy to damage an energy facility in Baltimore.

In the fall of 2024, a 24-year-old man, Skyler Philippi, targeted the Nashville power grid with an explosive drone. Federal authorities allege that Philippi was motivated by white supremacist ideologies and affiliated with the extremist group the National Alliance.

In my research on right-wing extremism over 30 years, a disturbing pattern has emerged: White supremacists and white nationalists are increasingly willing to use violence targeting critical infrastructure in an effort to destabilize society.

Since the Ku Klux Klan’s resurgence in 1915, white supremacists have pushed for white control of society. In particular, white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups have long advocated violence to establish a white ethnostate, a proposed political entity or nation-state where residency and citizenship are exclusively limited to whites.

In the past several years, extremists have started using the term “accelerationism” to describe their desire to create social chaos and societal collapse that leads to a race war and the destruction of liberal democratic systems, paving the way for a white ethnostate.

What is accelerationism?

The motivating idea behind accelerationism is that social chaos creates an opportunity for extremists to create a racially or ideologically “pure” future.

Scholars who study extremism have used the term “accelerationism” since the 1980s, but it wasn’t widely associated with right-wing extremist violence until the late 2010s. People calling themselves “eco-fascists,” for example, often endorse mass violence as a means to reduce population and spark societal collapse.

Accelerationism is often connected to the white replacement theory, a white nationalist conspiracy theory that falsely asserts that there is a deliberate plot to diminish the influence and power of white people by replacing them with nonwhite populations.

While not all extremists who advocate violent confrontation use the label, the calls for violent disruption strive for the same results. Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the Australian white supremacist who perpetrated the Christchurch mosque shootings on March 15, 2019, in New Zealand, labeled an entire section of his online manifesto Destabilization and Accelerationism: Tactics for Victory.

Members of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement salute and shout ‘sieg heil’ during a rally in front of the State House in Trenton, N.J., on April 16, 2011.
AP Photo/Mel Evans

This primer provides an overview of some of the key groups that have embraced accelerationist thinking, posing significant threats to public safety, democratic institutions and social cohesion.

The Order

One of the first American groups to embody this ideology was The Order – also known as Brüder Schweigen, or the Silent Brotherhood – which continues to influence newer generations of extremist organizations, both directly and indirectly.

Robert Jay Mathews, who founded The Order in 1983, was inspired by the apocalyptic vision laid out in the novel “The Turner Diaries.” The 1978 book by William Luther Pierce – under the pseudonym Andrew Macdonald – calls for a violent, apocalyptic race war to overthrow the U.S. government and exterminate Jews, nonwhite people and political enemies. Pierce founded the National Alliance – a neo-Nazi, white supremacist organization advocating for a white ethnostate and violent revolution – in 1974.

The call for violent insurrection and radical societal overhaul has since served as a blueprint for white supremacists and right-wing extremists.

The Order believed the U.S. federal government was under the control of Jews and other minority groups, and it aimed to overthrow it to create a white ethnostate. The Order funded its activities through robberies, including US$3.6 million taken from an armored car near Ukiah, California, on July 19, 1984.

Its criminal and violent actions escalated to murder, most notably the 1984 assassination of Jewish radio host Alan Berg in Denver by Order member Bruce Pierce.

Atomwaffen Division (AWD)

The Atomwaffen Division, one of the most violent neo-Nazi accelerationist groups in the U.S., was officially founded in October 2015 by Brandon Clint Russell, a former Florida National Guardsman.

Russell had been active on a neo-Nazi web forum IronMarch.org since 2014 and announced the group’s formation on the site. He used the handle “Odin” to connect with other far-right extremists.

AWD quickly gained notoriety for its violent, neo-Nazi ideology, advocating for a race war and the collapse of the U.S. government through terrorism. The group drew inspiration from the writings of white supremacist James Mason, particularly his collection of essays titled “Siege.”

AWD’s activities included recruiting members on university campuses and among military personnel, engaging in paramilitary training, and promoting accelerationist violence. The group has been linked to multiple murders and plots in the United States and has inspired offshoots in Europe and other regions.

By 2020, AWD unraveled due to law enforcement pressure, prosecutions and internal splits. Though not fully gone, it effectively stopped operating under its name. Members helped form the National Socialist Order, which continues to promote Mason’s “Siege” and violent accelerationism.

Active Club Network

Active clubs are loosely organized, often regional groups of white supremacists and neofascists who combine fitness, combat training and ideology to promote violence and white nationalist goals. Members protest Pride and multicultual events and recruit members through fighting and combat sports. Active clubs and similar extremist networks use a multipronged recruitment strategy, combining online reach via Telegram and other social media with in-person, fighting-based community-building to attract new members.

Neo-Nazi counterdemonstrators shout angrily at the marchers from behind police barricades during the Lesbian and Gay Pride March on Fifth Avenue in New York, on June 25, 1995.
AP Photo/Kathy Willens

Emerging in 2017 from the street-fighting “Rise Above Movement” in Southern California and gaining prominence in the 2020s through the rise of The Active Club Network, or ACN, this movement demonstrated a shift from online-only, far-right groups to groups willing to fight.

Beginning in December 2020, The Active Club Network formed as a loosely affiliated, decentralized web of white supremacist, fascist and accelerationist groups that operate under a shared banner promoting physical training, brotherhood and militant white nationalism.

The Base

Founded around 2018, The Base represents one of the most explicit modern expressions of white nationalist accelerationism: as it is known by members, its “Siege Culture.”

Founded by Rinaldo Nazzaro, an American living in Russia who used the name Roman Wolf, the group recruited ex-military and survivalists preparing for collapse through self-sufficiency, aiming to spark a race war. The Base was directly influenced by James Mason’s book “Siege.”

The Base operates as a decentralized network of cells trained in paramilitary tactics, sabotage and guerrilla warfare. Their online propaganda explicitly calls for violent action to destabilize society.

Its members have been involved in plots to murder anti-fascist activists, poison water supplies, derail trains and attack critical infrastructure. In 2020, multiple members were arrested before they could carry out an armed assault at a pro-gun rally in Richmond, Virginia, where they planned to attack police officers and civilians.

Although several members have been arrested and convicted on a variety of crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder, civil disorder, firearm charges, vandalism and other violent crimes, The Base illustrates a fundamental feature of accelerationism: “leaderless resistance,” or a lack of a centralized leadership, which helps it survive and thrive. Its ideology and tactics are spread through online forums dedicated to white supremacist propaganda.

Patriot Front

Founded in 2017 by Thomas Rousseau, Patriot Front is a white supremacist group that emerged from a split with Vanguard America following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Vanguard America was a white supremacist group that opposed multiculturalism and whose members believed America should be an exclusively white nation.

The goals of the organizers of the Unite the Right rally included unifying the American white nationalist movement and opposing the proposed removal of the statue of Robert E. Lee, the general who led the Confederate troops of slave states during the Civil War, from Charlottesville’s former Lee Park. The rally sparked a national debate over Confederate iconography, racial violence and white supremacy.

The Patriot Front defines itself as an organization of “American nationalists.” According to the Anti-Defamation League, since 2019 the Patriot Front has been responsible for a majority of white supremacist propaganda distributed in the United States, using flyers, posters, stickers, banners and the internet to spread its ideology.

The group frequently participates in localized “flash demonstrations” where it marches near city halls. Such demonstrations have also increasingly made it one of the United States’ most visible white supremacist groups. In 2024, Patriot Front held demonstrations on patriotic holidays such as Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day.

Although the group claims loyalty to America, the Patriot Front’s ultimate goal is to form a new state that advocates for the “descendants of its creators” – namely, white men.

Understanding the motivations and tactics of accelerationist groups and individuals, I believe, is critical to recognizing and countering the dangers they represent.

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

– ref. A field guide to ‘accelerationism’: White supremacist groups using violence to spur race war and create social chaos – https://theconversation.com/a-field-guide-to-accelerationism-white-supremacist-groups-using-violence-to-spur-race-war-and-create-social-chaos-255699

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 12, 2025

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Background

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The Legislation Would Ensure Broadcast Programming Reflects Diversity of American People

Land with no clear owner

Why family-owned land matters

Build first, ask permission later

Adjustable equipment

Finding new options

Testing the approach

What is accelerationism?

The Order

Atomwaffen Division (AWD)

Active Club Network

The Base

Patriot Front