NewzIntel.com

Category: Canada

  • MIL-OSI Global: France’s military withdrawal presents opportunities and risks to West African states

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Yolaine Frossard de Saugy, PhD Candidate, International Relations, McGill University

    In early January, Côte d’Ivoire announced that French troops would be withdrawing from the country and the military base of Port-Bouët would be handed over to Côte d’Ivoire’s army. The announcement is part of a seismic shift in France’s decades-long presence across francophone Africa.

    It is the latest echo of a larger trend that’s seen French troops withdraw or be expelled from its former sphere of influence, losing diplomatic and military weight in countries France had formerly colonized. Since 2022, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and now Côte d’Ivoire, have terminated defence agreements with France.

    This may present an opportunity for a long overdue assertion of sovereignty by the region’s countries. However, an ongoing threat from terror groups and the eagerness of other entities to step in could instead lead to more instability and a reinforcement of authoritarianism or regime fragmentation.

    France’s withdrawal

    Following the wave of independence in the 1960s, France entered in an array of agreements with its former colonies. These helped ensure France’s continued influence in Western Africa and its international standing.

    In addition to close political and economic ties, which included currency control by France and support to friendly leaders, this also involved the largest permanent military presence by a former colonial power, with troops stationed at various times in Cameroon, Gabon, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Chad, Niger, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as military assistance to others.

    This large military presence has long been controversial. Historically, France was involved in a number of covert or overt military operations with dubious ends, including deadly interventions in Cameroon in the 1960s and support for the Rwandan government during the 1994 genocide.

    More recently, it was criticized for backing of authoritarian regimes and leaders and an inadequate approach to anti-terrorism, including through the Serval and Barkhane missions in Mali and the broader Sahel region — the vast semi-arid region of Africa separating the Sahara Desert to the north and tropical savannahs to the south — between 2012 and 2022.

    Criticism has also been leveraged at the neocolonial intent of France’s policy, especially in the wake of comments such as President Emmanuel Macron’s remark that African countries were not sufficiently grateful for France’s interventions, which many decried as insensitive to the historical context and implications of France’s role.

    Change was therefore long overdue, and over the past three years, a number of developments have seemed to show that France’s star was waning.

    A surge of anti-French sentiment spread across the Sahel and beyond. A series of coups in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso put in power military leaders who were eager to shake off French presence, leading to the departure of French forces from bases there.

    Leaving Côte d’Ivoire’s Port-Bouët was done in a more orderly fashion, and France presented it as part of a voluntary reorganization of its presence.

    Still, it is hard not to read this withdrawal as part of a wider reckoning with the failure of past policies and a rising desire of African leaders to reclaim sovereignty. This was indeed voiced out loud in the cases of Burkina Faso, Chad and Senegal, where a symbolic repudiation of French heritage is also taking place through the changing of street names.

    Risks of foreign influence

    This moment could provide an opportunity for West African states to shake off the remnants of the power imbalance that characterized France’s presence, and reshuffle the cards of military and diplomatic co-operation. This could lead to an era of more equal partnerships and responsiveness to popular aspirations.

    There are signs that such moves are taking place in the economic area, with Mali, for instance, asserting its sovereignty on resource extraction.

    However, the security situation in the Sahel has continued to deteriorate since the French withdrawal. New partners of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger — such as the new iterations of the Wagner group, a Russian mercenary corps used as a proxy by the Russian government to widen its influence — have failed to protect civilians or undermine insurgencies.

    In some cases, they have even been accused of taking part in the violence. The military juntas in power have delayed promised democratic transitions, and sometimes turned to the scapegoating of minorities as a litmus test of their anti-western credentials instead.

    This situation is therefore more likely to lead to further instability, especially as Russia is consolidating its involvement in the Sahel, China seeks to make further inroads in the region to strengthen its stance as the alternative to western support, and new nations such as Turkey and even Ukraine are seeking to widen their influence and reach.



    Read more:
    Ukrainian special operations abroad are part of its broader war effort against Russia

    Governments in countries like Chad seem to be turning to multiple new partners for support in maintaining security. This could help them conclude fairer agreements, but it also heightens the risk of regime fragmentation and internal violence if competing forces vie for influence.

    Sudan’s civil war, fuelled by the support of external countries =like Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, offers a cautionary tale of what is at risk when multiple new entities seek access or export their rivalries to the continent.

    Asserting sovereignity

    The political landscape across West Africa is rapidly changing. France seeks new partners outside of its traditional area but sees its influence diminishing across the board. The potential for a more isolationist United States under President Donald Trump is likely to leave a power vacuum in many parts of the world, further opening the door to new forces drawn to Africa’s natural resources and geostrategic importance.

    These trends provide African countries with an opportunity to change longstanding patterns. However, they also come with heightened risks, especially in an emerging multipolar world order where mid-level powers, rising major powers and reconstituting great powers seek opportunities to assert their influence.

    The only potential counterbalance to these dangers is strong regional co-ordination between West African states.

    Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have left the historical regional grouping ECOWAS, whose effectiveness had been hampered by its historical dependence on western funding. They have, however, formed their own alliance and there are now talks of expanding co-operation with neighbours, including Togo and Ghana.

    Whether this can at last provide truly African solutions to the continent’s challenges and offset the centrifugal forces already at play remains to be seen.

    Yolaine Frossard de Saugy 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. France’s military withdrawal presents opportunities and risks to West African states – https://theconversation.com/frances-military-withdrawal-presents-opportunities-and-risks-to-west-african-states-248098

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harbour Grace — Harbour Grace RCMP investigates damage to parked vehicle at Trinity Conception Square, seeks public’s assistance

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Harbour Grace RCMP is investigating damages to a vehicle that was parked close to Columbus Drive, in front of Wal-Mart on the parking lot of the Trinity Conception Square. The damage occurred sometime between 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on January 24, 2025.

    Suspect(s) smashed the rear driver-side window of a 2016 Black Chevrolet Trax. Nothing was stolen from inside the vehicle. Given the area is heavily populated and the time of day when the crime occurred, police are looking for any possible witnesses to the incident.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone having information about this crime, including any available dash cam surveillance footage is asked to contact Harbour Grace RCMP at 709-596-5014. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Battleford — Battlefords RCMP seek public’s help locating male wanted for aggravated assault

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On January 24, 2025 at approximately 9 p.m., Battlefords RCMP received a report of a serious assault at a residence on 18th Avenue in North Battleford.

    Officers immediately responded. Investigation determined an altercation occurred between two adult males. One stabbed the other, who was taken to hospital with injuries described as serious in nature.

    The suspect then fled the scene of the assault. It was determined he was on court-ordered conditions, including a curfew that was electronically monitored, and orders not to possess a knife.

    As a result of continued investigation, 25-year-old Keaton Nicotine from North Battleford is charged with:

    – one count, aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code;

    – one count, uttering threats, Section 264.1(1)(a), Criminal Code; and

    – one count, fail to comply with release order condition, Section 145(5)(a), Criminal Code.

    A warrant has been issued for his arrest and Battlefords RCMP are actively working to locate him.

    Officers ask members of the public to report all sightings of Keaton Nicotine and information on his whereabouts.

    Keaton Nicotine is described as approximately 6′ tall and 180 lbs. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

    If you see him, do not approach him. Call Battlefords RCMP by dialling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Premier’s statement on Lunar New Year

    Premier David Eby has issued the following statement marking Lunar New Year:

    “This year, Lunar New Year begins tomorrow and heralds the start of the Year of the Snake.

    “As we join people in B.C. and millions of celebrants around the world, we say goodbye to the Year of the Dragon and celebrate the beginning of a new year.

    “The Year of the Snake represents wisdom, transformation, calmness and creativity – all things that will help us meet the opportunities and challenges that we will see this coming year.

    “Beginning with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ending with the first full moon, Lunar New Year marks a time for people to gather with family and friends, enjoy traditional foods and hand out lucky red envelopes or ‘lucky money.’

    “Throughout the province, people will be celebrating Lunar New Year with banquets, festivals and other cultural events. Every year my family looks forward to the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration, which features a colourful procession with lion and dragon dancers and other cultural performers.

    “This is also a time for all the people in British Columbia to reflect and appreciate the cultural diversity that has strengthened our province for generations, and is a reminder of the incredible contributions that Asian Canadians make to B.C.

    “From my family to yours, I wish you a prosperous Year of the Snake!

    “Kung Hei Fat Choi! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! Saehae bok mani badeuseyo!”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump 2.0: the rise of an ‘anti-elite’ elite in US politics

    Source: The Conversation – France – By William Genieys, Directeur de recherche CNRS au CEE, Sciences Po

    US president Donald Trump is surrounded by a new cohort of politicians and officials. While one of his campaign promises was to overthrow the “corrupt elites” he accuses of flooding the American political arena, his second term in office has elevated elites chosen, above all, for their political loyalty to him.

    The media’s focus on Trump’s comments on making Canada the 51st US state and annexing Greenland and billionaire Elon Musk’s support for some far-right parties in Europe has obscured the ambitious programme to transform the federal government that the new political elite intends to implement.

    In the wake of Trump’s inauguration on January 20, the Republican elites most loyal to the MAGA (“Make America Great Again”) leader, who staunchly oppose Democratic elites and their policies, are operating amid their party’s control over the executive and legislative branches (at least until the midterm elections in 2026), a conservative-dominated Supreme Court that includes three Trump-appointed justices, and a federal judiciary that shifted right during his first term.

    However, the political project of the Trumpist camp consists less of challenging elitism in general than attacking a specific elite: one particular to liberal democracies.

    Castigating democratic elitism

    Typical anti-elite political propaganda, along the lines of “I speak for you, the people, against the elites who betray and deceive you,” claims that a populist leader would be able to exercise power for and on behalf of the people without the mediation of an elite disconnected from their needs.

    Political theorist John Higley sees behind this form of anti-elite discourse an association between so-called “forceful leaders” and “leonine elites” (who take advantage of the former and their political success): a phenomenon that threatens the future of Western democracies.

    Since the Second World War, there has been a consensus in US politics on the idea of democratic elitism. According to this principle, elitist mediation is inevitable in mass democracies and must be based on two criteria: respect for the results of elections (which must be free and competitive); and the relative autonomy of political institutions.

    The challenge to this consensus has been growing since the 1990s with the increased polarization of American politics. It gained new momentum during and after the 2016 presidential campaign, which was marked by anti-elite rhetoric from both Republicans and Democrats (such as senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren). At the heart of some of their diatribes was an aversion to “the Establishment” on the east and west coasts of the United States, where many prestigious financial, political and academic institutions are based, and the conspiracy notion of the “deep state”.

    The re-election of Trump, who has never admitted defeat in the 2020 presidential vote, growing political hostility and the direct involvement of tech tycoons in political communication –especially on the Republican side– further reinforce the denial of democratic elitism.

    Trump’s populism from above: a revolt of the elites

    The idea that democracy could be betrayed by “the revolt of the elites”, put forward by the US historian Christopher Lasch (1932-1994), is not new. For the anthropologist Arjun Appadurai, it is a particular feature of contemporary populism, which comes “from above.” Indeed, if the 20th century was the era of the “revolt of the masses”, the 21st century, according to Appadurai, “is characterized by the ‘revolt of the elites’.” This would explain the rise of populist autocracies (such as those currently led by Viktor Orban in Hungary, Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey and Narendra Modi in India, and formerly led by Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil), but also the election successes of populist leaders in consolidated democracies (including those of Trump in the US, Giorgia Meloni in Italy, and Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, for example).

    As Appadurai explains, the success of Trumpian populism, which represents a revolt by ordinary Americans against the elites, casts a veil over the fact that, following Trump’s victory in November, “it is a new elite that has ousted from power the despised Democratic elite that had occupied the White House for nearly four years.”

    The aim of this “alter elite” is to replace the “regular” Democrat elites, but also the moderate Republicans, by deeply discrediting their values (such as liberalism and so-called “wokeism”) and their supposedly corrupt political practices. As a result, this populism “from above” carried out by the President’s supporters constitutes an alternative elite configuration, the effects of which on American democratic life could be more significant than those observed during Trump’s first term.

    Beyond the idea of a ‘Muskoligarchy’

    The idea that we are witnessing the formation of a “Muskoligarchy” –in other words, an economic elite (including tech barons such as Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Marc Andreessen) rallying around the figurehead of Elon Musk, whom Trump asked to lead what the president has called a “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) –is seductive. It perfectly combines the vision of an alliance between a “conspiratorial, coherent, conscious” ruling class and an oligarchy made up of the “ultra-rich”. For the Financial Times columnist Martin Wolf, it is even a sign of the development of “pluto-populism”. (It is also worth noting that former president Joe Biden, in his farewell speech, referred to “an oligarchy… of extreme wealth” and “the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex.”)

    However, some observers are cautious about the advent of a “Muskoligarchy.” They point to the sociological eclecticism of the new Trumpian elite, whose facade of unity is held together above all by a political loyalty, for the time being unfailing, to the MAGA leader. The fact remains, however, that the various factions of this new “anti-elite” elite are converging around a common agenda: to rid the federal government of the supposed stranglehold of Democratic “insiders.”

    An ‘anti-elite’ elite against the ‘deep state’

    In his presidential inauguration speech in 1981, Ronald Reagan said: “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” The anti-elitism of the Trump elite is inspired by this diagnosis, and defends a simple political programme: rid democracy of the “deep state.”


    Although the idea that the US is “beleaguered” by an “unelected and unaccountable elite” and “insiders” who subvert the general interest has been shown to be unfounded, it is nonetheless predominant in the new Trump Administration.

    This conspiracy theory has been taken to the extreme by Kash Patel, the candidate being considered to head the FBI. In his book, Government Gangsters, a veritable manifesto against the federal administration, the former lawyer writes about the need to resort to “purges” in order to bring elite Democrats to justice. He lists around 60 people, including Biden, ex-secretary of state Hillary Clinton and ex-vice president Kamala Harris.

    Government Gangsters, Kash Patel’s controversial book.
    Google Books

    The appointment of Russell Vought as head of the Office of Management and Budget at the White House, a person who is known for having sought to obstruct the transition to the Biden Administration in 2021, also highlights the hard turn that the Trump administration is likely to take.

    Reshaping the state around political loyalty

    To “deconstruct the administrative state”, the “anti-elite” elites are relying on Project 2025, a 900-plus page programme report that the conservative think-tank The Heritage Foundation, which published it, says was produced by “more than 400 scholars and policy experts.” According to former Project 2025 director Paul Dans, “never before has the entire movement… banded together to construct a comprehensive plan” for this purpose. On this basis, the “anti-elite” elite want to impose loyalty to Project 2025 on federal civil servants.

    But this idea is not new. At the end of his first term, Trump issued an executive order facilitating the dismissal of statutory federal civil servants occupying “policy-related positions” and considered to be “disloyal”. The decree was rescinded by president Biden, but Trump on his first day back in office signed an executive order that seeks to void Biden’s rescindment. As President, Trump is also able to allocate senior positions within the federal administration to his supporters.

    The “anti-elite” elite not only want to reduce the size of the state, as was the case under Reagan’s “neoliberalism”, but to deconstruct and rebuild it in their own image. Their real aim is a more lasting victory: the transformation of democratic elitism into populist elitism.

    Les auteurs ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur organisme de recherche.

    – ref. Trump 2.0: the rise of an ‘anti-elite’ elite in US politics – https://theconversation.com/trump-2-0-the-rise-of-an-anti-elite-elite-in-us-politics-248180

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hinton — Alberta RCMP Traffic – Roving Traffic Unit makes significant drug seizure

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Oct. 23, 2024, at approximately 9:30 p.m., an officer with the Alberta RCMP Traffic – Roving Traffic Unit, conducted a traffic stop with a pickup truck on Highway 16 near Hinton, Alberta. During the course of the traffic stop, the investigator made several observations that led him to be suspicious that the lone male occupant was in possession of illegal drugs. The driver was detained for a drug investigation, and a Police Service Dog was deployed around the exterior of the vehicle. The canine provided a positive indication around the vehicle for the odour of a controlled substance, leading to the driver’s arrest, and subsequent search of his vehicle.

    A total of 68 kilograms of cocaine, and a loaded handgun were seized from the vehicle.

    A 36-year-old individual, a resident of Edmonton, has been charged with the following:

    • Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking

    • Unsafe storage of a firearm

    • Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose

    • Possess a firearm when knowing it possession is unauthorized

    • Possess a prohibited weapon

    • Possess a firearm in a motor vehicle

    • Possess a restricted weapon without registration/licence

    After a judicial interim release hearing, a subsequent court appearance, the individual has been remanded into custody until Nov. 21, 2024.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wabamun — Alberta RCMP Community Response Team recover stolen vehicles in Wabamun

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Nov. 22, 2024, police were notified of a GMC Sierra that was stolen near Entwistle, Alta. and was being GPS tracked by its owner. Officers from the Alberta RCMP Community Response Team, Parkland and Central Alberta District Crime Reduction Units were able to locate the vehicle. When a safe opportunity presented itself, officer moved in and arrested all three occupants two of which attempted to flee on foot. Continued investigation led officers to a stolen Subaru Outback at a nearby residence associated to the three individuals.

    A 34-year-old individual, a resident of Spruce Grove, Alta., was charged with the following:

    • Possession of property obtained by Crime (x2);
    • Failure to comply with release order (x5);
    • Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose;
    • Operate motor vehicle while prohibited.

    A 40-year-old individual, a resident of Spruce Grove was charged with the following:

    • Possession of property obtained by crime;
    • Failure to comply with release order;
    • Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

    An 18-year-old individual, a resident of Spruce Grove, was charged with the following:

    • Possession of property obtained by Crime;
    • Failure to comply with release order;
    • Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

    All three individuals also had outstanding warrants on property related offenses in the Parkland County and Camrose areas at the time of the arrest.

    All individuals were taken before a justice of the peace. The 34-year-old and 18-year-old individuals were remanded into custody and the 40-year-old individual was released on bail with their next court date set for Nov. 27, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Stony Plain, Alta.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Airdrie — Airdrie RCMP search warrant leads to drug seizure

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Nov. 28, 2024, the Airdrie RCMP Crime Reduction Unit paired up with the RCMP Special Investigation Sections, RCMP Emergency Response Team and Calgary Police Tactical Team, and executed a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrant. The search warrant was for two residences located in the Temple and Huntington Hills neighbourhoods of Calgary.

    As a result of the investigation, police seized the following:

    • Canadian currency as proceeds of crime
    • Unstamped tobacco cigarettes
    • Suspected controlled substances including:
      • fentanyl, fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, powder and crack cocaine

    In addition, police located an illegal cannabis grow operation where 265 cannabis plants in various stages of growth were seized.

    A 52-year-old individual, a resident of Calgary, has been charged with the following offences:

    • Possession for the purpose of trafficking (x3)
    • Cultivate more than four cannabis plants
    • Selling tobacco products
    • Fraud under $5000 (defrauding the Government of Alberta for tobacco tax)
    • Possession of proceeds of crime over $5000
    • Theft of electricity

    The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was released on a release order with conditions. The individual is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 8, 2025, at the Calgary Courts Centre in Calgary, Alberta.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Data Storage Corporation’s CloudFirst Subsidiary Partners with Pulsant to Drive Platform Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MELVILLE, N.Y., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Data Storage Corporation (Nasdaq: DTST) (“DSC” and the “Company”), a leading provider of multi-cloud hosting, managed cloud services, disaster recovery, cybersecurity, and IT automation, that integrates with AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, today announced that its subsidiary, CloudFirst Europe, has entered into a strategic partnership with Pulsant, the most geographically diverse UK provider of edge infrastructure and data centres.

    This partnership aligns with CloudFirst’s ongoing growth strategy to strengthen its global footprint. The CloudFirst platform currently operates in six data centers, across three countries, serving more than 400 clients. The partnership will extend the platform across Pulsant facilities in the UK.

    The partnership is driven by a shared vision to address the unique cloud-based hosting and disaster recovery needs of IBM customers. Many businesses encounter challenges with IBM environments, and this collaboration allows CloudFirst to deliver its specialized expertise to Pulsant’s extensive customer base. By leveraging Pulsant’s local infrastructure and trusted relationships, CloudFirst can extend its reach to new markets while providing tailored solutions to customers across Europe and the UK, including American enterprises with operations in the region.

    “The UK and Ireland remain strategically important markets for IBM, and demand from businesses looking to modernise legacy systems continues to grow,” said Wendy Shearer, Director of Partnerships and Ecosystems at Pulsant. “Many organisations still haven’t found the right way forward. Our partnership with CloudFirst gives these companies the deep IBM expertise and a close, reliable network infrastructure. This combination makes it easier, simpler and faster for them to evolve their IBM environments, eliminating complexities and extending the return on their IBM investment.”

    The expertise of the teams within both CloudFirst and Pulsant is a key strength of this collaboration. Pulsant’s skilled data center professionals and CloudFirst’s IBM specialists are working closely to ensure the partnership delivers seamless service and exceptional value to customers. This alignment of expertise and commitment illustrates the quality of the relationship and its potential to drive long-term success.

    “At the core of this partnership is our ability to meet the demands of IBM platform users who need specialized expertise,” added, Hal Schwartz, President of CloudFirst. “By combining Pulsant’s extensive local infrastructure and trusted client relationships with CloudFirst’s focus on IBM platform solutions, we’re creating a robust and dynamic offering that allows us to address the critical needs of mid-market and enterprise customers.”

    About Pulsant
    Pulsant is the UK’s leading regional edge infrastructure. Our platformEDGE infrastructure connects 12 strategically located data centres through a low-latency network fabric, providing access to cloud, connectivity, and compute services across the UK and beyond.

    Pulsant enables regional businesses and service providers to leverage the power of edge computing to improve application performance and user experience, reach new markets, and build innovative use cases. platformEDGE allows businesses to scale IT workloads in line with their ambitions, both locally and nationally, while ensuring continuous availability of data and applications through diverse connectivity options.

    By choosing Pulsant, clients can optimise costs with local, secure infrastructure and access to an ecosystem of suppliers and partners, delivering exceptional time to value and supporting their digital ambitions. With almost three decades of experience and more than 1,200 clients who put their trust in our sustainable network infrastructure, we are committed to our ESG goals, holding multiple accreditations, including ISO27001 and PCI DSS, to deliver the highest standards of security and compliance.

    About Data Storage Corporation
    Data Storage Corporation (Nasdaq: DTST) through its subsidiaries is a leading provider of multi-cloud hosting, fully managed cloud services, disaster recovery, cybersecurity, IT automation, and voice & data solutions. Recognizing that data migration is a critical step in transitioning from on-premises systems to the cloud, DTST provides comprehensive migration services to ensure seamless, secure, and efficient data transfer, minimizing downtime and optimizing performance.

    Through its CloudFirst platform, built on IBM Power Cloud infrastructure, DTST delivers high-performance, scalable, and secure cloud solutions with interoperability across its infrastructure partners, AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.

    With data centers supporting cloud platform deployments across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, DTST provides mission-critical cloud services to a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations.

    As a leader in the multi-billion-dollar cloud hosting and business continuity market, DTST is recognized for its expertise in cloud infrastructure, IT modernization, and data migration, enabling clients to transition to the cloud with confidence and operational continuity.

    For more information, please visit www.dtst.com or follow us on X @DataStorageCorp.

    Safe Harbor Provision

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “projects,” “estimates,” “plans” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may” and “could” are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts, although not all forward-looking statements include the foregoing. The forward looking statements in this press release include statements such as the expected contribution of Mr. Freeman, the Company’s expansion of its innovative cloud business into the European market and solving the challenges the Company’s customers face today while delivering services that keep their businesses fully operational at all times by specializing in the migration of mission-critical workloads into the Company’s secure, enterprise managed cloud infrastructure providing complete recovery to guarantee service performance. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include the Company’s ability to grow its presence in Europe. These risks should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read together with the other cautionary statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was initially made. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

    Contact:
    Crescendo Communications, LLC
    212-671-1020
    DTST@crescendo-ir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. Announces Systemic Trust’s Registration as a Digital Asset Trust Company

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. (TSX-V: DMGI) (OTCQB US: DMGGF) (FRANKFURT: 6AX) (“DMG”), a leading independent data center technology and blockchain solutions provider, has received registration for its wholly owned subsidiary, Alberta-based, Systemic Trust Company (“Systemic Trust” or “STC”), to operate as a special purpose trust company under the Loan and Trust Corporations Act (Alberta) with Alberta’s Treasury Board and Finance (“ATBF”).

    Lawrence Truong, CEO of Systemic Trust, remarked, “We are grateful to our parent company, DMG, for its unwavering support throughout this process and for providing the capital needed to operate as a Qualified Custodian. We extend our thanks to our regulators for their efforts and guidance, which made the licensing process so efficient. Receiving our certificate of registration marks a significant milestone that will enable us to increase the adoption of blockchain technology and build trust in the Canadian cryptocurrency ecosystem by offering a highly secure, independent custody solution. Alberta’s pragmatic, open-for-business attitude attracts talent, innovation and fintech companies like Systemic Trust to establish its headquarters in the province. We are proud to be part of Alberta’s vibrant and growing technology sector. With crypto-friendly regulatory changes underway beyond our borders, our team is preparing for what we believe will be greater adoption of our services in Canada.”

    Nate Horner, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance, remarked, “The registration of Systemic Trust Company marks another exciting milestone for Alberta’s growing financial services sector, giving investors more options to secure cryptocurrency. Alberta continues to lead the way in driving innovation and creating the ideal environment for forward-thinking companies to thrive. With the support of our financial services concierge, innovative businesses can efficiently navigate regulations and establish themselves in the province. By fostering growth in this dynamic sector, we are attracting investments, creating new opportunities for Albertans and building a stronger, more innovative economy.”

    Sheldon Bennett, DMG’s CEO, added, “This milestone is an important achievement towards realizing the full potential of DMG’s Core+ software and services strategy. We are proud of the team at Systemic Trust for successfully navigating the complexities of delivering the licensing for this prudentially regulated business and grateful for our shareholders’ support. Systemic Trust is proud to be the only Canadian Qualified Custodian to leverage Fireblocks’ industry-leading wallet infrastructure. Recognized globally as the foremost institutional-grade wallet platform, Fireblocks has managed over 250 million wallets and secured the transfer of more than $6 trillion in digital assets. This collaboration positions Systemic Trust as the trusted choice for Canadian institutions seeking a secure, compliant and scalable digital asset custody solution.”

    About Alberta’s Treasury Board and Finance

    Alberta’s Treasury Board and Finance (“ATBF”) is a key ministry within the Government of Alberta, Canada, responsible for overseeing the province’s financial and economic affairs. In addition to its roles in budget planning, financial management and economic analysis, ATBF regulates various financial sectors, including loan and trust corporations operating within Alberta. ATBF’s regulatory framework for loan and trust corporations is established under the Loan and Trust Corporations Act. This legislation sets out the requirements for registration, operation and supervision of these entities to ensure their soundness and the protection of consumers. ATBF’s regulatory activities authorize the registration of special purpose trusts under the Loan and Trust Corporations Act, enabling them to serve as a Qualified Custodian for digital assets. Through such regulatory oversight, ATBF aims to maintain the integrity and stability of Alberta’s financial system, fostering a secure environment for both financial institutions and consumers.

    About DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc.

    DMG is a publicly traded and vertically integrated blockchain and data center technology company that manages, operates and develops end-to-end digital solutions to monetize the digital asset and artificial intelligence compute ecosystems. Systemic Trust Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of DMG, is an integral component of DMG’s carbon neutral Bitcoin ecosystem, which enables financial institutions to move bitcoin in a sustainable and regulatory compliant manner.

    For additional information about DMG Blockchain Solutions and its initiatives, please visit www.dmgblockchain.com. Follow @dmgblockchain on X, LinkedIn and Facebook, and subscribe to the DMG YouTube channel to stay updated with the latest developments and insights.

    For further information, please contact:

    On behalf of the Board of Directors,

    Sheldon Bennett, CEO & Director
    Tel: +1 (778) 300-5406
    Email: investors@dmgblockchain.com
    Web: www.dmgblockchain.com

    For Investor Relations:
    investors@dmgblockchain.com

    For Media Inquiries:
    Chantelle Borrelli
    Head of Communications
    chantelle@dmgblockchain.com

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

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains forward-looking information or statements based on current expectations. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release include statements regarding DMG’s strategies and plans, the development of Systemic Trust and the expected outcomes and benefits, delivering products that enable the monetization of bitcoin transactions, developing and executing on the Company’s products and services, increasing self-mining, the launch of products and services, events, courses of action, and the potential of the Company’s technology and operations, among others, are all forward-looking information.

    Future changes in the Bitcoin network-wide mining difficulty rate or Bitcoin hash rate may materially affect the future performance of DMG’s production of bitcoin, and future operating results could also be materially affected by the price of bitcoin and an increase in hash rate mining difficulty.

    Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as “may”, “expect”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “believe” and “continue” or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, market and other conditions, volatility in the trading price of the common shares of the Company, business, economic and capital market conditions; the ability to manage operating expenses, which may adversely affect the Company’s financial condition; the ability to remain competitive as other better financed competitors develop and release competitive products; regulatory uncertainties; access to equipment; market conditions and the demand and pricing for products; the demand and pricing of bitcoins; security threats, including a loss/theft of DMG’s bitcoins; DMG’s relationships with its customers, distributors and business partners; the inability to add more power to DMG’s facilities; DMG’s ability to successfully define, design and release new products in a timely manner that meet customers’ needs; the ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel; competition in the industry; the impact of technology changes on the products and industry; failure to develop new and innovative products; the ability to successfully maintain and enforce our intellectual property rights and defend third-party claims of infringement of their intellectual property rights; the impact of intellectual property litigation that could materially and adversely affect the business; the ability to manage working capital; and the dependence on key personnel. DMG may not actually achieve its plans, projections, or expectations. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the demand for its products, the ability to successfully develop software, that there will be no regulation or law that will prevent the Company from operating its business, anticipated costs, the ability to secure sufficient capital to complete its business plans, the ability to achieve goals and the price of bitcoin. Given these risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The securities of DMG are considered highly speculative due to the nature of DMG’s business. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to the Company’s filings on www.sedarplus.ca. In addition, DMG’s past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance.

    Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, failure to obtain regulatory approval, the continued availability of capital and financing, equipment failures, lack of supply of equipment, power and infrastructure, failure to obtain any permits required to operate the business, the impact of technology changes on the industry, the impact of viruses and diseases on the Company’s ability to operate, secure equipment, and hire personnel, competition, security threats including stolen bitcoins from DMG or its customers, consumer sentiment towards DMG’s products, services and blockchain technology generally, failure to develop new and innovative products, litigation, adverse weather or climate events, increase in operating costs, increase in equipment and labor costs, equipment failures, decrease in the price of bitcoin, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, government regulations, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of or statements made by third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: François Villeroy de Galhau: For a high speed and safe journey into the financial future

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Ladies and gentlemen,
    It is a great pleasure to welcome you to this high-level conference organised by the Banque de France on speed and innovation, and how they could be disruptive for financial markets and market infrastructures. Let me thank Emmanuelle Assouan and her teams for setting up this event. I would also like to extend my warm thanks to all participants from industry, public authorities and central banks who will give their views during three roundtables today, including my colleagues and friends Andrea Maechler, Piero Cipollone and Naoto Shimoda.

    It is a première for a Banque de France conference to be held here at the Cinémathèque française, which is definitely an excellent venue for our theme of today: we are here in the place where speed is made art. As you know, cinema was invented in France by the Lumière brothers in the late 19th century. During the projection in 1896 of one of their very first movies, The arrival of a train at La Ciotat station, the audience was so overwhelmed by the moving image of a train coming directly at them that people ran away. But we do not fear speed anymore, on the contrary: it has become a key success factor in financial markets and market infrastructures, yielding high benefits. Transactions and their settlement have already become dramatically swifter over the last decades – notably in France, which was at the forefront in dematerialising securities – and will continue gathering speed. I will first elaborate on the reasons why, in a fast-moving environment, resilience must be preserved in order to ensure financial stability (I). Our public-private partnership has to evolve, with a view to enhancing cross-border payments and the holistic project of creating a shared ledger (II). 

    I. A fast-moving financial system whose resilience must be preserved in order to ensure financial stability

    Markets are undergoing structural changes, all driven by increased speed aimed at achieving higher efficiency. Automation and high-frequency trading are driving a rise in daily trading volumes; new participants have emerged, and incumbents have evolved. Nowadays, robots and algorithms are unlocking new possibilities, while artificial intelligence offers the promise of value added in trading, customer relationships and investment decisions. From photography to digital movies, from local theatres to global web platforms, cinematography has gone through technological revolutions over the years. However, whether it’s in cinema or finance, speed is not a goal per se. The social utility of certain accelerations such as high-frequency trading remains to be seen, and they carry risks. We must reflect on new guardrails to protect against possible increased market volatility – and even potential flash crashes caused by poorly coordinated algorithms that can amplify massive sell-offs.
     
    Post-market processes are keeping pace with this acceleration in trading: settlement is getting ever faster. A few years ago, implementing T+2 (i.e. ensuring settlement within two days of transaction execution) was a major step forward for all players, as enshrined in the European CSDR regulation.i Nowadays we are once again aiming for more ambitious targets, with an objective of T+1 in Europe in 2027 – as has already been the case in the United States, Canada and Mexico since end-May last year. Interestingly, across the Atlantic, this evolution was driven by market players, who saw in the shortening of the settlement cycle an opportunity to further reduce liquidity, counterparty and operational risks. The American experience also shows that T+1 yields direct financial benefits, in particular a significant lowering of CCP margins. T+1 therefore received overall support in ESMA’s and the Commission’s public consultations. I trust that we are all well aware of the operational requirements and challenges to be met:ii  preparatory work must start now, with the adaptation of IT systems and further automation of processes. It is also important to coordinate with the United Kingdom and Switzerland, and to pay due attention to the consequences in terms of shorter cut-offs – notably for FX transactions.
     
    The tokenisation of assets is obviously another groundswell movement, which could further enhance the straight-through processing of trade and post-trade activities, and paves the way for yet another acceleration with a widespread implementation of T+0. It has the potential to generate even greater savings both for the financial industry and end-users. To date, the nascent DLTiii  finance has used new forms of commercial bank money as settlement assets, such as tokenised deposits or so-called stablecoins. As experience has shown in the last few years, they are far from immune, and Europe has made the right step by adopting the MiCA regulation. Failing to regulate crypto-assets and non-banks today would merely sow the seeds for tomorrow’s financial crisis.
     
    Beyond these regulatory issues, it has become more and more apparent that we currently lack the anchor provided by central bank money, which drastically reduces counterparty and liquidity risks, and crucially ensures the finality of payments. A wholesale central bank digital currency would ensure convertibility between tokenised assets, exactly as central banks currently ensure convertibility between commercial bank monies, allowing for delivery-versus-payment and payment-versus-payment. In short, tokenised central bank money would provide a “safety pivot”, and serve as a reliable basis of trust on which these new technologies could realise their full potential.

    II. A step further with the interlinking of fast-payment systems and a European shared ledger to meet the challenges of transition and growth

     
    Central banks must therefore keep up with these developments,iv  in order to explore the potential of DLT and foster innovation while preserving the anchoring role of central bank money. Building among others on the Banque de France’s pioneering experiments between 2020 and 2023,v  the Eurosystem conducted a series of new experiments on wholesale CBDC between April and November 2024,vi  with the active involvement of the Banque de France, Banca d’Italia and Bundesbank as solution providers. We witnessed active industry participation in the Eurosystem experiments, and I would like to take the opportunity to pay tribute to your strong commitment – which, I believe, also reflects the growing awareness of the need for a safe settlement asset.
     
    Together, we successfully tested numerous and very diverse use cases, ranging from primary issues to cross-currency payments, repos, margin calls and asset management, to give a few examples. Actual settlement was even tested for the lifecycle management of securities and secondary market transactions. With this ambitious programme, we have further delivered on our learning-by-doing approach, which is of the essence. As announced, the Eurosystem will draw lessons from the exploratory work, including on how to facilitate the provision of central bank money settlement for wholesale asset transactions on DLT platforms. Clearly, it is in the interest of both European commercial banks and the public sector to work together towards a tokenised European framework: money is and will remain a public-private partnership, which has to evolve.
     
    As regards cross-border payments, the Eurosystem has launched initiatives to help improve them, including exploratory work on linking TIPS with other fast-payment systems such as UPI in India. We thereby support the G20 roadmap for creating a faster, cheaper, more transparent and accessible global payments ecosystem, while ensuring secure and reliable instant payments. The G20 roadmap also foresees, in the longer term, the use of tokenisation to further enhance cross-border payments.
     
    We now need to bring all these advances together to create a global motion picture, in a holistic manner. Here, the idea of a “unified ledger” put forward by the BISvii  looks like more than a promising technology: a rallying concept, or even a utopia. This next-generation market infrastructure would take one day in the future the shape of a shared, seamless and programmable platform that integrates central bank money, commercial bank money and tokenised financial assets – which would call for redefined and improved public-private partnerships. Accordingly, in April 2024 the BIS launched Project Agorá,viii  to explore the tokenisation of cross-border payments to improve the existing correspondent banking model. This major project brings together seven central banks worldwide, including the Banque de France which represents the Eurosystem, and a large group of private financial firms. But a first and necessary step towards such a global infrastructure should be to build regional shared ledgers – one of which would be European.
     
    A European shared ledger could prove an efficient means to overcome European market fragmentation and current inefficiencies, by facilitating the provision of seamlessly connected services across Europe. It would therefore act as a catalyst for a Savings and Investments Union, and provide tools such as green bonds and securities to finance the green transition, at a time where we have to mobilise Europe’s private savings surplus of more than EUR 300 billion a year. In short, it would be an important lever for achieving our climate but also digital transformations, which are among our main challenges; it would also help Europe to gain in both size – by unifying its single market – and speed. Achieving this ambitious vision requires moving forward step by step, in a phased approach. Rather than replacing existing infrastructures which have already helped to reduce fragmentation in Europe – like the harmonised settlement system T2S –, this new shared infrastructure would tackle markets which still rely on manual processes and lack standardisation, such as OTC markets and unlisted stocks. A crucial first step will be to make central bank money available on this infrastructure: this makes it all the more important to offer a wholesale CBDC solution in the short term to prepare this long term target.

    Let me conclude with Billy Wilder, the director of Some like it hot. He once gave this sound piece of advice: “If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.” This leads me to a twofold conclusion: first, that it is the right time to engage in the design and experimentation of market infrastructures of the future; second, that fast-paced transformations should not be at the expense of past achievements in financial stability, and increase risks. Central bank money must remain the settlement asset at the core of the financial system, whether tokenised or not. Under this condition, our common technological breakthroughs could contribute to meeting our major challenges. Thank you for your attention. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 4 steps to building a healthier relationship with your phone

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jamie Gruman, Professor of Organizational Behaviour, University of Guelph

    Being constantly connected to your electronic devices, and the social media they enable, may be bad for your health and well-being and working remotely only compounds these challenges.

    Until very recently, I didn’t have a smartphone. In 2018, I wrote an article outlining the benefits of not being connected to the world through a phone. I was perfectly content living a largely disconnected life.

    However, since that time, things have changed.

    It is increasingly difficult to manage life without a smartphone. I recently took my family to a baseball game and would have been unable to access the ballpark without a smartphone because the phone serves as your tickets. Without a phone, I might not be able to enter a concert I bought tickets for, and it is increasingly difficult to order takeout. Reluctantly, I now own a smartphone.

    Ready to make a change? The Quarter Life Glow-up is a new, six-week newsletter course from The Conversation’s UK and Canada editions.

    Every week, we’ll bring you research-backed advice and tools to help improve your relationships, your career, your free time and your mental health – no supplements or skincare required. Sign up here to start your glow-up at any time.

    Working from home, or remotely, has only magnified these challenges. Being constantly electronically connected can make it difficult to separate work from home, leading you to being constantly “on call.” This can further keep you in a perpetual state of activation.

    In general, excessive smartphone use is associated with anxiety and depression and compromised sleep. Further evidence suggests that being in contact with work when physically outside of the workplace can lead to higher levels of distress as opposed to those who leave the workplace behind them when they depart.

    So how can you manage if your home is your remote workplace? These four tactics can help you establish a clear boundary between work and home.

    1. Create physical boundaries

    Use physical space or objects to create a separation between work and home. For example, closing or locking the door to a home office creates a physical and psychological barrier that keeps you away from your laptop and helps you split your work life from your home life.

    If you do not have a home office, you may have a dedicated work area. Erecting a divider, such as a folding screen or even an unused bed sheet, can serve the same purpose.

    To maintain a strict separation of work and home, consider getting a work phone to separate work from personal communications. Outside of work, consider leaving your phone at home when going out for leisure activities in the evening or on weekends to help you escape electronics completely — though be sure to let trusted individuals know where you will be if you plan on disconnecting for an extended period of time.

    Simply put, keep your work space separate and view your phone as nothing more than a highly advanced landline of old, plugged into a specific area of your home and unable to be taken further.

    2. Create temporal boundaries

    Set boundaries around when you will address things, and how much time you will devote to work. It is more and more common to see messages in email signatures noting the days and hours during which people will respond to messages. This is a positive development.

    You can also block out time in your schedule to address work and non-work issues. If you have a phone that you use exclusively for work, turn it off and charge it during the times you don’t intend to be working. Protecting your time with such tactics is an effective way to promote work-life balance and maintain a healthy relationship with technology.

    3. Create behavioural boundaries

    Establish behaviours which help you separate work from home. Turning off the ringer and buzzer on your phone prevents you from being distracted and disturbed when enjoying leisure time.

    If your work involves social media, then try using different social media platforms for work and non-work to help you avoid being inadvertently drawn into work-related matters when you are trying to enjoy personal time. Or, consider switching to one of the many new “dumbphones” entering the market.



    Read more:
    Does being away from your smartphone cause you anxiety? The fact that it makes you available 24/7 could be the reason

    You can also team up with others. In the same way that doctors in a clinic will schedule one partner to be on call at a time so that the other partners can fully escape from work after hours, you can join forces with others who do similar work and redirect calls on a rotating basis so you do not have to worry about always being contacted.

    4. Create communication boundaries

    Once these tactics have been established, you should communicate them. Establish expectations about when you will and won’t be available. Note that this may require some negotiation.

    If people contact you out of ignorance of your personal policy, simply advise them of it. If they intentionally violate your boundary, consider your relationship with the violator before addressing them. You don’t want to rebuke your boss, but you should be firm in protecting your boundaries.

    Stay in control

    In the end, you need to ensure that you own your phone and not the other way around.

    When used excessively, electronic devices can become a chain that shackles us, as opposed to a tool that enables us. Our phones can become an addiction. Like any other form of addiction, we lose control of our phones when they make demands of us that we feel compelled to answer.

    There are times when work or urgent situations require us to be electronically available. However, outside of the times you must be available, any time you feel your phone making a demand of you, turn it off.



    Read more:
    What millennials and gen Z professionals need to know about developing a meaningful career

    Now that I have a smartphone, some things in life are easier and more pleasant. I can avoid traffic jams when driving. My wife and I can discuss purchases before buying, and I can play games on my phone while waiting for a friend to arrive at a restaurant. But I don’t allow the phone to dictate how I live.

    Acquaintances of mine will sometimes get upset when they text me. Because I don’t keep my phone on my hip, I usually don’t respond right away. If they voice their displeasure, I’m secretly pleased; it reminds me that I have a healthy relationship with my phone. I’m in command of it. It’s not in command of me.

    Jamie Gruman 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. 4 steps to building a healthier relationship with your phone – https://theconversation.com/4-steps-to-building-a-healthier-relationship-with-your-phone-235920

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: $Trump and $Melania crypto tokens illustrate the risks posed by trendy meme coins

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Anwar Sheluchin, PhD Candidate, Political Science, McMaster University

    An image on a Trump meme coin website. (GetTrumpMemes.com)

    Meme coins like the ones recently launched by United States President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, are a hot trend in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. The rise of these digital tokens reflects the influence of internet culture and community-driven hype on the market, distinguishing them from more traditional cryptocurrencies with well-defined uses or technical foundations.

    The value of a meme coin is often driven by social media hype, community engagement and celebrity endorsements. But political meme coins seem to offer a new use: the potential to turn civic engagement into speculative assets.

    As someone who researches financial governance and digital currencies, I want to delve into various cryptocurrency initiatives. This is not intended as financial advice.

    Politics meets crypto

    In recent years, the cryptocurrency landscape has witnessed the emergence of political meme coins, digital tokens centred around political figures or movements.

    During the 2024 U.S. presidential election, a number of political meme coins emerged, inspired by political figures like Trump, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. These coins, often unaffiliated with the politicians they reference, typically have misspelled names (for example, Jeo Boden instead of Joe Biden).

    Political meme coins merge finance, technology and politics in an unprecedented way, potentially serving as a gauge of public sentiment and political trends.

    Trump’s official $Trump token is a prime example of how cryptocurrencies can transform political support into a financial product. However, the value of a meme coin is highly speculative, as it often relies on public perception and market demand, among other things, rather than any intrinsic worth.

    According to the terms and conditions on the site where the coins are sold, “Trump Memes are intended to function as an expression of support” and come with “absolutely no promise or guarantee that the Trump Memes will increase in value or maintain the same value as the amount you paid.”

    This disclaimer highlights the speculative nature of such tokens while also raising ethical concerns about the potential to exploit political supporters for financial gain.

    MAGA credit card

    Trump’s meme coin isn’t his first venture into crypto. Previously, he released a series of digital trading cards (NFTs) that enabled cardholders to have dinner with the president.
    Third parties are building on the hype around Trump and his brand, releasing products like the limited-edition MAGA Card.

    Described as “a collector’s item and the ultimate way to spend your $TRUMP tokens,” the credit card claims to integrate Trump’s meme coin with everyday financial transactions in a bid to appeal to supporters of the president’s MAGA movement.

    However, The American Patriot’s Card — the company behind the credit card — does not appear to have any affiliation with Trump. Unlike the $Trump token, which clearly discloses its connection to Trump, the MAGA Card lacks such transparency, illustrating how the door has been opened to misrepresentation and opportunistic marketing schemes that exploit political supporters.

    Regulatory environment

    The cryptocurrency industry spent millions during the 2024 U.S. election backing crypto-friendly candidates and selling the story that crypto voters are an important voting bloc.

    This investment aimed to shape political discourse, leading presidential candidates to make promises and propose policies that aligned with the interests of the cryptocurrency industry.

    While Trump has signalled his intention to provide clear regulatory guidelines for the cryptocurrency industry, the launch of his meme coin — coupled with low public understanding of cryptoassets — could lead to financial losses from risky and speculative investments.

    Take for example, what are known as pump-and-dump schemes that have become relatively common in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. These schemes involve artificially inflating the price of an asset to sell it at a profit. After the asset is “dumped,” the price crashes, leaving investors with significant losses.

    Without appropriate guardrails in place, the need to protect investors becomes increasingly urgent.

    Relevance to Canada

    The Canadian government has expressed some concern over the role of cryptocurrency in politics. Compared to the U.S., Canada has strict campaign financing rules aimed at preventing the undue influence of money in politics and ensuring a fair and transparent democratic process.

    This means that the cryptocurrency industry likely won’t be able to influence Canadian elections in the same way they might have south of the border. Canada’s existing regulatory framework has already led to several cryptocurrency exchanges leaving the country.

    Currently, political entities in Canada can only accept cryptocurrency contributions if Elections Canada can verify the public wallet addresses and transaction amounts involved.

    However, Bill C-65 — the Electoral Participation Act — proposes regulatory requirements related to contributions that are “difficult to trace.” Specifically, political parties and candidates would be prohibited from accepting contributions in the form of “a cryptoasset, money order or prepaid payment method.” The recent prorogation of Parliament has shelved the amendments proposed in C-65, but these concerns remain relevant for future legislation.

    Risky convergence

    Discussions in the House of Commons on Bill C-65, particularly regarding cryptoasset donations, emphasize the need for a ban to prevent foreign entities from influencing Canadian elections.

    This was likely a response to concerns about foreign entities financially supporting the so-called Freedom Convoy through cryptocurrency donations, despite CSIS stating that the money did not appear to be coming from foreign states, organizations or citizens.

    The rise of political meme coins demonstrates how politics, finance and technology are merging in new and sometimes risky ways. While these coins may seem like a joke or a new way to engage with politics, the absence of proper regulations could leave political supporters vulnerable to exploitation for financial gain.

    Anwar Sheluchin receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. $Trump and $Melania crypto tokens illustrate the risks posed by trendy meme coins – https://theconversation.com/trump-and-melania-crypto-tokens-illustrate-the-risks-posed-by-trendy-meme-coins-247781

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada and Greenland aren’t likely to join the US anytime soon – but ‘GrAmeriCa’ is a revealing thought experiment

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Peter A. Coclanis, Professor of History and Director of the Global Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

    For some time now, pundits have been debating whether to take Donald Trump “seriously” or “literally,” as the clever binary coined by journalist Salena Zito in 2016 has it.

    This choice comes to mind when I think about the 47th president’s frequent comments recently about incorporating Greenland and Canada into the United States. A few cases in point: Before delivering an inaugural address in which he vaguely but forcefully expressed a desire for the U.S. to expand its territory, Trump raised the issue on a confrontational phone call with the prime minister of Denmark, which handles Greenland’s international affairs. More recently, he spoke of Canada becoming a U.S. state to reporters on Air Force One.

    It’s hard to imagine a plausible scenario in which either, let alone both, joins the United States. The governments of Canada and Greenland alike have made it clear that they’re not for sale.

    But as an economic historian, I believe that thought experiments can be a useful way of understanding truths about the world. And one such truth is that Greenland and Canada play a key role in the global economy. If the U.S. were to absorb either or both, it would be a strategic, economic and political game changer.

    So, for a moment, let’s take Trump both seriously and literally. Below, I’ve laid out some very rough measures of how a reconstituted megastate including the U.S., Canada or Greenland would look in comparison to other leading countries and blocs.

    Bigger, but not more crowded

    At first glance, the most obvious thing to note about the new country would be its physical size. Today the U.S. is the third-largest nation-state in terms of area – about 57.5% of the size of Russia, by far the world’s largest country.

    By incorporating Canada, the second-largest country in the world in terms of area, the U.S., so reconstituted, would be 14% larger than Russia. If both Canada and Greenland became part of the reconstituted U.S., the country would be 22% larger than Russia.

    How about China? Today, China is slightly smaller than the U.S. in area, but China would be less than half the size of a combined U.S. and Canada, and only about 44% of the size of the U.S.-Canada-Greenland. And the European Union? It would be less than 20% of the size of a U.S.-Canada-Greenland combo.

    Incorporating Canada and Greenland into the U.S would have less of an impact in demographic terms, adding just under 40 million people to the current U.S. total of 342 million.

    Similarly, if the U.S. absorbed Canada and Greenland — two countries that are wealthy, but not nearly as wealthy as the U.S. — it wouldn’t have much of an impact on gross domestic product per capita. Why not? Because the U.S. would comprise about 90% of the total population of the new megastate. Given the figures for GDP per capita (PPP, international dollars) in Canada and Greenland and weighting for population, GDP per capita in the megastate would be about $79,000.

    A strategic shift

    The biggest effects of absorbing either country into the U.S. would come in the geopolitical, strategic and resource realms. Here, the changes would be seismic. First, by incorporating both countries into the U.S., the new entity would not only consolidate its already considerable power in the Western Hemisphere, but it would also establish a much more formidable position in the Arctic region. This is increasingly important as sea lanes are opening up with climate change.

    By adding territory, the U.S. could potentially enhance its strategic and defense posture, forcing its principal adversaries, Russia and China, to pursue more cautious tacks. These geopolitical and strategic effects would be magnified by the bounty of natural resources in the new megastate.

    Consider that the U.S. is already the largest oil-producing country in the world – producing over 13.3 million barrels a day in 2023 – and Canada is No. 4, with 5 million. Together, the two countries produced over 18 million barrels per day in 2023, while Russia produced about 10.3 million, Saudi Arabia about 9 million, and China 4.2 million. In other words, the U.S. and Canada together produce 8 million barrels of oil more than Russia does each day – a staggering differential.

    The U.S. is also by far the largest producer of natural gas in the world, with Russia a distant second. Incorporating Canada, currently the fifth-largest producer, would add considerably to the U.S. lead.

    Nor does the resource bounty begin and end with oil and natural gas. Greenland is rich in minerals of all types, particularly the rare earth elements in such demand for batteries, electronics and the like.

    And perhaps most important of all is the impact of integration regarding freshwater resources. Integrating the U.S. and Canada would bring that new entity into a virtual tie with Brazil as the leading repository of freshwater resources in the world. Canada and the U.S. are currently Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, in the world in freshwater resources; together, their freshwater stock far surpasses Russia, which is currently No. 2.

    And this doesn’t factor in Greenland, with its massive – if declining – freshwater ice shield. In any case, given the increasing demand for water around the world, control over freshwater resources will prove more and more important for the overall security posture of the U.S. going forward.

    So what do we make of this little exercise? One thing seems clear: “GrAmeriCa” would be amazingly rich in resources, as the president likely knows well. But should we take Trump literally or seriously – or both – on this issue? It may be a case of “Too soon to tell,” to invoke Zhou Enlai’s famous line about one or another revolutionary upheaval in France. But the world will know soon enough.

    Peter A. Coclanis 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. Canada and Greenland aren’t likely to join the US anytime soon – but ‘GrAmeriCa’ is a revealing thought experiment – https://theconversation.com/canada-and-greenland-arent-likely-to-join-the-us-anytime-soon-but-gramerica-is-a-revealing-thought-experiment-248214

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The global wildlife trade is an enormous market – the US imports billions of animals from nearly 30,000 species

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michael Tlusty, Professor of Sustainability and Food Solutions, UMass Boston

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents inspect a shipment of reptiles at the Port of Miami. U.S. GAO

    When people think of wildlife trade, they often picture smugglers sneaking in rare and endangered species from far-off countries. Yet most wildlife trade is actually legal, and the United States is one of the world’s biggest wildlife importers.

    New research that we and a team of colleagues published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that, over the last 22 years, people in the U.S. legally imported nearly 2.85 billion individual animals representing almost 30,000 species.

    Some of these wild animals become pets, such as reptiles, spiders, clownfish, chimpanzees and even tigers. Thousands end up in zoos and aquariums, where many species on display come directly from the wild.

    Medical research uses macaque monkeys and imports up to 39,000 of them every year. The fashion trade imports around 1 million to 2 million crocodile skins every year. Hunting trophies are also included in wildlife.

    How many species are legally traded worldwide?
    Benjamin Marshall, et al., 2024, PNAS, CC BY-SA

    The largest number of imported species are birds – 4,985 different species are imported each year, led by Muscovy ducks, with over 6 million imported. Reptiles are next, with 3,048 species, led by iguanas and royal pythons. These largely become pets.

    Not all wildlife are wild

    We found that just over half of the animals imported into the U.S. come from the wild.

    Capturing wildlife to sell to exporters can be an important income source for rural communities around the world, especially in Africa. However, wild imported species can also spread diseases or parasites or become invasive. In fact, these risks are so worrying that many imported animals are classed as “injurious wildlife” due to their potential role in transmitting diseases to native species.

    Captive breeding has played an increasingly dominant role in recent years as a way to limit the impact on wild populations and to try to reduce disease spread.

    However over half the individual animals from most groups of species, such as amphibians or mammals, still come from the wild, and there is no data on the impact of the wildlife trade on most wild populations.

    Trade may pose a particular risk when species are already rare or have small ranges. Where studies have been done, the wild populations of traded species decreased by an average of 62% across the periods monitored.

    Sustainable wildlife trade is possible, but it relies on careful monitoring to balance wild harvest and captive breeding.

    Data is thin in many ways

    For most species in the wildlife trade, there is still a lot that remains unknown, including even the number of species traded.

    With so many species and shipments, wildlife inspectors are overwhelmed. Trade data may not include the full species name for groups like butterflies or fish. The values in many customs databases are reported by companies but never verified.

    Macaques, used in medical research, are the most-traded primates globally, according to an analysis of U.S. Fish and Wildlife data.
    Davidvraju, CC BY-SA

    In our study, we relied on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Law Enforcement Management Information System, a wildlife import-export data collection system. However, few countries collate and release data in such a standardized way; meaning that for the majority of species legally traded around the world there is no available data.

    For example, millions of Tokay geckos are imported as pets and for medicine, and are often reported to be bred in captivity. However, investigators cannot confirm that they weren’t actually caught in the wild.

    Why tracking the wildlife trade is important

    Biodiversity has a great number of economic and ecological benefits. There are also risks to importing wildlife. Understanding the many species and number of animals entering the country, and whether they were once wild or farmed, is important, because imported wildlife can cause health and ecological problems.

    Wildlife can spread diseases to humans and to other animals. Wild-caught monkeys imported for medical research may carry diseases, including ones of particular risk to humans. Those with diseases are more likely to be wild than captive-bred.

    The most-traded mammals worldwide are minks, which are valued for their fur but can spread viruses to humans and other species. About 48 million minks are legally traded annually, about 2.8% wild-caught and the majority raised, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife data.
    Colin Canterbury/USFWS

    Species that aren’t native to the U.S. may also escape or be released into the wild. Invasive species can cause billions of dollars in damage by consuming and outcompeting native wildlife and spreading diseases.

    We believe better data on the wildlife trade could be used to set management goals, such as harvest quotas or no-take policies for those species in their country of origin.

    What’s next

    The researchers involved in this study come from institutes around the world and are all interested in improving data systems for wildlife trade.

    Some of us focus on how e-commerce platforms such as Etsy and Instagram have become hotspots of wildlife trade and can be challenging to monitor without automation. Esty announced in 2024 that it would remove listings of endangered or threatened species. Others build tools to help wildlife inspectors process the large number of shipments in real time. Many of us examine the problems imported species cause when they become invasive.

    In the age of machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data, it’s possible to better understand the wildlife trade. Consumers can help by buying less, and making informed decisions.

    Michael Tlusty is a founding member of the Wildlife Detection Partnership and co-developed the Nature Intelligence System, which assists governments in collecting more accurate wildlife data..

    Andrew Rhyne is currently on sabbatical funded by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), focused on the wildlife trade data. He is a founding member of the Wildlife Detection Partnership and co-developed the Nature Intelligence System, which assists governments in collecting more accurate wildlife data.

    Alice Catherine Hughes 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. The global wildlife trade is an enormous market – the US imports billions of animals from nearly 30,000 species – https://theconversation.com/the-global-wildlife-trade-is-an-enormous-market-the-us-imports-billions-of-animals-from-nearly-30-000-species-247197

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Applied Rating Index Year-End and Q4 2024 Released

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Toronto, ON., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Applied Systems® today announced the year-end and fourth quarter of 2024 results of the Applied Rating Index™, the Canadian insurance industry’s premium rate index. In Q4 2024, average premiums for both Personal Auto lines and Personal Property lines increased year over year. Quarter over quarter, premium rate change increased for Personal Auto and increased for Personal Property compared to Q3 2024. 

    For Personal Auto, all provinces experienced an increase year over year, with Alberta seeing the highest at 12.7% and the Atlantic Provinces the lowest at 9.0%. For Personal Property lines, all provinces experienced an increase in premium rate change year over year. Ontario saw the highest premium rate change at 9.0% and the Atlantic Provinces experienced the lowest at 4.4%. 

    Key findings for Q4 2024 include:

    • Personal Auto: In Q4 2024, Personal Auto premium rate change increased 11.3% versus Q4 2023. Personal Auto premium rate change increased 3.9% versus Q3 2024.
    • Personal Property: In Q4 2024, Personal Property premium rate change increased 7.3% versus Q4 2023. Personal Property premium rate change increased 2.1% versus Q3 2024.
    • Provinces: Across Personal Auto, all provinces experienced increased premium rate change year over year with Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces seeing 12.7%, 11.1%, 9.3% and 9.0% respectively. Relative to Q3 2024, all provinces experienced an uptrend in premium rate change. Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces saw significant increases in premium rate change quarter over quarter with 1.4%, 4.2%, and 5.5% and 3.3% respectively.

      Personal Property lines experienced increased year-over-year premium rate change year across all provinces. Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces, and Saskatchewan & Manitoba saw increases in premium rate change year over year with 7.1%, 4.7%, 9.0%, 8.6%, 4.4% and 7.9% respectively. Relative to Q3 2024, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces and Saskatchewan & Manitoba all saw increases quarter over quarter of 2.0%, 1.3%, 1.9%, 6.5%, 1.7% and 2.4% respectively.

    “Coming out of the most destructive season in Canadian history for insured losses, the Q4 2024 results show that the premium rate index continues to climb for both Personal Auto and Personal Property, demonstrating sustained market conditions,” said Steve Whitelaw, senior vice president and general manager, Applied Systems. “As we begin 2025, the Applied Rating Index will continue tracking premium rate changes and serving as a guide for renewal and pricing decisions.”

    The Applied Rating Index is a data-driven report of current conditions and trends for Personal Auto and Personal Property (Homeowners) insurance premium rates. Analyzing quotes completed, the Applied Rating Index measures the increase or decrease in average premium rate trends across Canada. The Applied Rating Index is the most complete depiction of the premium rate trends being experienced by consumers, brokerages, and their insurers across the Canadian market.

    Access the complete quarterly report here.

    # # #

    Applied Rating Index is a trademark of Applied Systems, Inc. All data is fully anonymized when aggregating and analyzing the Applied Rating Index.

    About Applied Systems
    Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the world’s largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied’s people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear Energy Expands Intellectual Property Portfolio with Acquisition of Key Worldwide Patents for Composite Moderator for Nuclear Reactor Systems

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, N.Y., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today highlighted additional important patents recently acquired from Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. (USNC), which augment protections for NANO Nuclear’s modular microreactor technologies under development.

    Patent No. US 11,264,141 B2, titled “Composite Moderator for Nuclear Reactor Systems,” relates to the design and construction of composite moderators with a view towards improving safety and waste management by addressing graphite oxidation found in conventional, individual moderator systems. Additionally, the patented advanced design reduces waste and structural deterioration, enabling the moderator to serve throughout the fuel’s lifecycle without requiring replacement in the reactor core. This intellectual property is expected to enhance the protections for NANO Nuclear’s own proprietary advanced portable ZEUS and ODIN microreactors, as well the KRONOS MMR™ and LOKI MMR™ reactors, all of which are currently in development.

    The U.S. patent is accompanied by related patents issued in Canada, the Russian Federation, Japan, The People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and by the European Patent Office. An application with the World Intellectual Property Organization is currently in progress. Today’s announcement follows last week’s announcement of NANO Nuclear’s acquisition of patents from USNC supporting modular transportable reactors with variable operations and multiple core configurations and applications, including the generation of electric power and process heat.

    Figure 1 – NANO Nuclear expands intellectual property portfolio to protect proprietary advanced portable ZEUS and ODIN microreactors, as well the KRONOS MMR™ and LOKI MMR™ reactors, all of which are currently in development.

    “As our technical teams continue their deeper exploration of the various nuclear technology patents we acquired from USNC, the benefits that these pivotal patents will provide to our development plans becomes more apparent,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Reactor Development of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Regarding the composite moderator patent highlighted today, this innovative design is expected to reduce the maintenance requirements of our modular, portable nuclear reactors while improving overall performance. We believe it will also play a key role in eliminating excess waste byproducts, enabling NANO Nuclear to build cleaner, more robust and cost-effective energy systems.”

    “The addition of this world-class intellectual property to our portfolio is key in the development and eventual deployment of our innovative, portable and secure nuclear energy systems,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Improving the functionality of these critical parts enables us to cut down the waste produced during operation and create a safer and more efficient product. These important patents not only create the potential to improve performance but also underscores our commitment to sustainability and thoughtful design.”

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

    Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors. NANO Nuclear is also developing patented stationary KRONOS MMR™ Energy System and space focused, portable LOKI MMR™.

    Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

    HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

    NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

    For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:
    Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
    Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

    PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE:

    NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN
    NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE
    NANO Nuclear Energy X PLATFORM

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the recently acquired intellectual property described herein. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Top Renewable Energy Projects Powering African Mining

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

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, January 28, 2025/APO Group/ —

    As Africa’s mining industry faces increasing pressure to decarbonize, companies are turning to renewable energy solutions to meet environmental targets while ensuring reliable and affordable energy supplies. This shift is driven by the need to reduce operational costs, achieve sustainability goals and comply with evolving global regulations. From solar and wind to hydropower, renewables are becoming integral to mining operations across the continent. Initiatives across Angola, Zambia, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are setting a precedent for how renewables can transform the mining sector and contribute to Africa’s broader energy transition.

    Trafigura’s 2,000 MW Green Energy Initiative

    Global commodities trader Trafigura, engineering firm ProMarks and the Angolan government agreed to develop a 2,000 MW high-voltage electricity interconnector in July 2024. The project will transport renewable energy, primarily from hydropower projects in northern Angola, to meet growing demand from mining companies in Zambia and the DRC. The project will also supply the Southern Africa Power Pool regional grid.

    First Quantum’s 430 MW Renewables Project in Zambia

    Canadian mining firm First Quantum Minerals is investing $500 million in a 430 MW renewable energy project to power its Kansanshi and Sentinel mines in Zambia. Developed in partnership with Total Eren and Chariot, the project includes a 230 MW solar PV plant and a 200 MW wind farm. The facilities, set for completion in 2026 and 2027, respectively, aim to reduce First Quantum’s carbon footprint by 30% by 2025.

    Tronox Holdings’ 400 MW Portfolio in South Africa

    Mining and chemicals firm Tronox Holdings has signed agreements with clean energy firms NOA Group and Sola Group to secure over 400 MW of renewable energy for its mining and smelting operations in South Africa. Once commissioned from 2027, the projects will provide 70% of Tronox Holdings’ energy needs, reducing the firm’s carbon footprint by 25% compared to 2019 levels. The combined capacity includes a 200 MW solar power plant from Sola Group and additional capacity from NOA Group, delivering 497 GWh of electricity annually.

    CMOC’s 200 MW Project in the DRC

    Chinese mining firm CMOC closed a deal with green energy firm Lualaba Power in July 2024 to accelerate development of the 200 MW Nzilo II hydropower and floating solar project in the DRC. The project will provide CMOC with base load and peak power, supporting the firm’s target to produce 800,000 to 1 million tons of copper annually by 2028.

    Northam’s 180 MW Solar Farm in South Africa

    In August 2024, mining firm Northam Platinum Group Metals signed a power purchase agreement for a 180 MW solar farm to power its Zondereinde mine in South Africa. The solar plant will generate 220 GWh annually, meeting 15% of the mine’s energy needs while reducing carbon emissions.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Law Library’s Newly Published Legal Report Titled, “Access to Information for Persons with Disabilities in Selected Jurisdictions”

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The Law Library of Congress recently published a multinational report, Access to Information for Persons with Disabilities in Selected Jurisdictions, which provides individual surveys of selected jurisdictions and gives an overview of their legislation on access to information for persons with disabilities. Providing access constitutes one of the human rights protections specifically guaranteed under article 21 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

    Our research surveyed 27 jurisdictions, namely, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Congo (Democratic Republic), Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, England, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and Taiwan.

    This report surveys how the rights of persons with disabilities are protected, notably, if a jurisdiction’s constitution expressly protects persons with disabilities. It further describes the rights to information, in particular legal information, access to justice, and culture, and includes current legislative proposals as they concern persons with disabilities. The report also surveys which jurisdictions offer publicly funded libraries that specifically serve the blind and visually impaired.

    A majority of the jurisdictions surveyed are parties to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled and the jurisdictions have adopted legislation and procedures to make convenience copies of copyrighted material available to persons with disabilities. Several jurisdictions are also part of networks facilitating such access, such as the Accessible Books Consortium, or provide access to Bookshare.

    The report is accompanied by maps and a table of primary resources. The maps reflect our findings on surveyed jurisdictions with the first map describing whether jurisdictions expressly protect persons with disabilities in their constitutions. The second map illustrates whether the jurisdiction has specific legislation that addresses access to information for persons with disabilities. Additional maps show which countries have ratified the Marrakesh Treaty and what countries have designated “NLS-style” libraries, specifically mandated to provide access and services to persons with disabilities.

    The report supported the Law Library’s Human Rights Day Webinar on Laws Governing Accessibility from Around the World.

    We invite you to review our report, here.

    The report is an addition to the Law Library’s Legal Reports (Publications of the Law Library of Congress) collection, which includes over 4,000 historical and contemporary legal reports covering a variety of jurisdictions, researched and written by foreign law specialists with expertise in each area. To receive alerts when new reports are published, you can subscribe to email updates for Law Library Reports (click the “subscribe” button on the Law Library’s website). The Law Library also regularly publishes articles related to human rights and civil liberties in the Global Legal Monitor.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: QXO Comments on Beacon Roofing Supply’s Adoption of Shareholder-Unfriendly Poison Pill

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Reaffirms Commitment to Acquiring Beacon for $124.25 per Share in Cash

    All-Cash Offer Provides Significant and Immediate Value to Beacon Shareholders

    GREENWICH, Conn., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — QXO, Inc. (NYSE: QXO) today commented on Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: BECN) adoption of a shareholder rights plan, which takes immediate effect and is aimed at blocking QXO’s all-cash tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Beacon for $124.25 per share.

    “We launched our all-cash tender offer to ensure that Beacon’s shareholders can take advantage of our compelling offer and get paid quickly. We have committed financing, have no due diligence condition and anticipate a smooth regulatory approval process to close,” said Brad Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of QXO. “The only thing stopping shareholders from acting to get cash expeditiously is the decision by Beacon’s Board to adopt a poison pill. We are prepared to take all necessary steps to complete this transaction promptly and deliver significant and immediate value to Beacon shareholders.”

    QXO’s $124.25 per share offer represents a 37% premium to Beacon’s 90-day unaffected volume-weighted average price of $91.02 per share as of November 15, 2024, and a 26% premium to the $98.75 price before its proposal became public.

    QXO’s tender offer will be outstanding until 12:00 midnight, New York City time, at the end of February 24, 2025, and it is prepared to complete the acquisition shortly after the tender expires, in approximately one month. The transaction is not subject to any financing conditions or due diligence conditions, and QXO expects that the waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act and the Canadian Competition Act will have expired or been waived by the time the tender offer expires.

    Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as financial advisor to QXO, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is acting as legal counsel.

    About QXO

    QXO provides technology solutions, primarily to clients in the manufacturing, distribution and service sectors. The company provides consulting and professional services, including specialized programming, training and technical support, and develops proprietary software. As a value-added reseller of business application software, QXO offers solutions for accounting, financial reporting, enterprise resource planning, warehouse management systems, customer relationship management, business intelligence and other applications. QXO plans to become a tech-forward leader in the $800 billion building products distribution industry. The company is targeting tens of billions of dollars of annual revenue in the next decade through accretive acquisitions and organic growth. Visit QXO.com for more information.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The communication contains forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about beliefs, expectations, targets, goals, regulatory approval timing and nominating directors are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on plans, estimates, expectations and/or goals at the time the statements are made, and readers should not place undue reliance on them. In some cases, readers can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “opportunity,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “target,” “goal,” or “continue,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to: the ultimate outcome of any possible transaction between QXO and Beacon including the possibility that the parties will not agree to pursue a business combination transaction or that the terms of any definitive agreement will be materially different from those proposed; uncertainties as to whether Beacon will cooperate with QXO regarding the proposed transaction; the ultimate result should QXO’s commence a proxy contest for election of directors to Beacon’s board of directors; QXO’s ability to consummate the proposed transaction with Beacon; the conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction, including the receipt of any required shareholder approvals and any required regulatory approvals; QXO’s ability to finance the proposed transaction; QXO’s indebtedness, including the substantial indebtedness QXO expects to incur in connection with the proposed transaction with Beacon and the need to generate sufficient cash flows to service and repay such debt; that operating costs, customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers or suppliers) may be greater than expected following the proposed transaction or the public announcement of the proposed transaction; the retention of certain key employees may be difficult; and general economic conditions that are less favorable than expected. QXO cautions that forward-looking statements should not be relied on as predictions of future events, and these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. Forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date each statement is made. QXO does not assume any obligation to update any of these statements in light of new information or future events, except to the extent required by applicable law.

    Important Additional Information and Where to Find It

    This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation, an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell Beacon securities. QXO and Queen MergerCo, Inc. (the “Purchaser”) filed a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO with the SEC on [DATE], 2025, and Beacon will file a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the tender offer with the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to read the Tender Offer Statement (including the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and certain other tender offer documents, as each may be amended or supplemented from time to time) and the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, when available, carefully since they contain important information that investors and security holders should consider before making any decision regarding tendering their common stock, including the terms and conditions of the tender offer. The Tender Offer Statement, Offer to Purchase, Solicitation/Recommendation Statement and related materials are filed with the SEC, and investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of these materials and other documents filed by QXO and Beacon with the SEC at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, the Tender Offer Statement and other documents that QXO and the Purchaser file with the SEC will be made available to all investors and security holders of Beacon free of charge from the information agent for the tender offer. The information agent for the tender offer is Innisfree M&A Incorporated, 501 Madison Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10022, Toll-free telephone: +1 (888) 750-5834.

    QXO and the other participants intend to file a preliminary proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card with the SEC to be used to solicit proxies for, among other matters, the election of its slate of director nominees at the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders of Beacon. QXO strongly advises all stockholders of Beacon to read the preliminary proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to such proxy statement, and other proxy materials filed by QXO with the SEC as they become available because they will contain important information. Such proxy materials will be available at no charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and at QXO’s website at investors.qxo.com. In addition, the participants in this proxy solicitation will provide copies of the proxy statement, and other relevant documents, without charge, when available, upon request. Requests for copies should be directed to the participants’ proxy solicitor.

    Certain Information Concerning the Participants

    The participants in the proxy solicitation are anticipated to be QXO, Brad Jacobs, Ihsan Essaid, Matt Fassler, Mark Manduca and the individuals nominated by QXO (the “QXO Nominees”). QXO expects to determine and announce the QXO Nominees prior to the nomination deadline for the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders of Beacon.  As of the issuance of this communication, other than QXO, which beneficially owns 100 shares of Beacon common stock, none of the participants that have been identified beneficially own any shares of Beacon common stock.

    Media Contacts
    Joe Checkler
    joe.checkler@qxo.com
    203-609-9650

    Steve Lipin / Lauren Odell
    Gladstone Place Partners
    212-230-5930

    Investor Contacts ‍

    Mark Manduca
    mark.manduca@qxo.com
    203-321-3889

    Scott Winter / Jonathan Salzberger
    Innisfree M&A Incorporated
    212-750-5833

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fengate and eMAX Health announce partnership to drive innovation in healthcare technology 

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fengate Private Equity, a division of Fengate Asset Management (“Fengate”), is pleased to announce a new platform investment through its partnership with eMAX Health (“eMAX” or “the Company”). Fengate is managing this investment on behalf of the LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada (LPFCEC).

    The existing management team, led by Founder and President, Julian Casciano, will continue to lead eMAX and remain significant investors in the Company alongside Fengate. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

    Founded in 2004 by Julian Casciano, eMAX has grown into a recognized leader in the fields of real-world evidence development research, market access, and patient services. The Company features an experienced team of research scientists, healthcare experts, and key opinion leaders, supported by advanced data management and technology-enabled solutions. The Company’s proprietary platforms— MAVA, EMRClaims+, and HealthPACER— are at the forefront of tech-enabled pharmaceutical commercialization.

    “We are delighted to support Julian, a dynamic founder with an ambitious vision for eMAX, and help fuel the Company’s continued growth,” said Maxim Tcherner, Principal at Fengate Private Equity. “eMAX has rapidly scaled, establishing a leading position in a fragmented industry, all while staying true to its client-centric culture. The investment is strongly aligned with our strategy of partnering with exceptional management teams and providing differentiated services in high-growth sectors. eMAX will be a valuable addition to Fengate’s healthcare portfolio.”

    “eMAX is excited to partner with Fengate as the Company enters its next phase of growth. We will be able to accelerate new product development across high-demand tech-enabled services, enhance our portfolio of innovative capabilities, and significantly expand customer account management,” said Julian Casciano, Founder and President of eMAX Health. “With our aligned values and ambition, I believe the Fengate partnership will help our customers improve the lives of patients around the world.”

    North Point Mergers and Acquisitions served as financial advisors and Coviello Weber & Dahill LLP served as legal advisors to eMAX. Torys LLP served as legal advisor to Fengate.

    MEDIA CONTACT:

    Gea Koleva
    Marketing and Communications Manager
    Fengate Asset Management
    Gea.Koleva@fengate.com
    289-834-3728

    About eMAX Health 

    eMAX Health, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, is a leader in market access innovation, real-world evidence development research, and digitally connected patient access and outcomes monitoring solutions. eMAX Health serves as a partner of choice to the largest global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Learn more at www.emaxhealth.net/.

    About Fengate Asset Management 

    Fengate is a leading alternative investment manager, with more than $10 billion of capital commitments under management, focused on private equity, infrastructure, and real estate strategies. With offices and team members across Canada and the United States, Fengate leverages 50 years of entrepreneurial experience to deliver excellent investment results on behalf of its clients. Fengate Private Equity, a division of Fengate Asset Management, is a differentiated investment platform supporting the growth ambitions of entrepreneurs through transformative capital. Learn more at www.fengate.com.

    About the LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada
    Established in 1972, the LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada (LPFCEC) is one of the fastest growing multi-employer pension funds across Canada, voted top 10 pension funds by Benefits Canada. With a diverse investment portfolio and over $12 billion in assets, LPFCEC has yielded positive returns for the plan, great work opportunities for LiUNA members, and has created many needed institutions across North America through a broad range of investments. Learn more at www.lpfcec.org. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bannix and VisionWave Announce filing of a registration statement on Form S-4

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bannix Acquisition Corp. (“Bannix”) (NASDAQ: BNIX), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, and VisionWave Technologies, Inc. (“VisionWave”), a company specializes in the development, testing, and commercialization of advanced technologies for defense, surveillance, and homeland security applications., today announced that VisionWave Holdings, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Bannix (“VisionWave Holdings”), filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) of a registration statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”). 

    The Registration Statement contains a preliminary proxy statement/prospectus in connection with the proposed business combination between VisionWave and Bannix. While the Registration Statement has not yet become effective and the information contained therein is subject to change, it provides important information about VisionWave, VisionWave Holdings, Bannix, and the proposed business combination. 

    CEO and Chairman of Bannix Douglas Davis, commented, “We are thrilled to reach this milestone with VisionWave as we continue the partnership. The potential of in the defense sector is immense, and this partnership positions the combined company for success. We are confident VisionWave is poised to be a leading player and are eager to continue on the path ahead.” 

    Transaction Overview 

    Under the terms of the merger agreement entered into by Bannix and VisionWave, among others, with respect to the proposed business combination, Bannix and VisionWave will merge with subsidiaries of VisionWave Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bannix that was formed for the proposed transaction (the “Merger”), with Bannix and VisionWave becoming direct wholly owned subsidiaries of VisionWave Holdings. At the effective time of the Merger, stockholders of Bannix and VisionWave immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger will receive shares of VisionWave Holdings common stock. 

    About Bannix Acquisition Corp. 

    Bannix Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company, also commonly referred to as a Special Purpose Acquisition Company, or SPAC, formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.

    About VisionWave Technologies Inc.

     VisionWave Technologies Inc. is at the forefront of revolutionizing defense capabilities by integrating advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous solutions across air, ground, and sea domains. Its state-of-the-art innovations— ranging from high-resolution radars and advanced vision systems to radio frequency (RF) sensing technologies are seeking to redefine operational efficiency and precision for military and homeland security applications worldwide. From tactical ground vehicles to precision weapon control systems, VisionWave leads the development of reliable, high-performance technologies that transform defense strategies and deliver superior results, even in the most challenging environments. With headquarters in the U.S. and strategic partnerships in Canada and the United Arab Emigrants, VisionWave is uniquely positioned to serve global markets, offering cutting-edge defense solutions that address the evolving needs of security forces across the world.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements 

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) that are based on beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to Bannix and VisionWave, including statements regarding VisionWave’s business plans and growth strategies, market opportunities, and financial prospects. In some cases, you can identify forward looking statements by the following words: “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” “target,” “seek” or the negative or plural of these words, or other similar expressions that are predictions or indicate future events or prospects, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this document, including but not limited to:

    (i) the risk that the previously disclosed proposed business combination (the “proposed transaction”) may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of Bannix’s securities; (ii) the risk that the proposed transaction may not be completed by Bannix’s business combination deadline and the potential failure to obtain an extension of the business combination deadline if sought by Bannix; (iii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the proposed transaction, including the approval of the proposed transaction by Bannix’s stockholders and the receipt of certain governmental and regulatory approvals; (iv) the failure to obtain adequate financing to support the future working capital needs of VisionWave and the combined company; (v) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Bannix or VisionWave related to the merger agreement and the proposed transaction; (vi) changes to the proposed structure of the proposed transaction that may be required or appropriate as a result of applicable laws or regulations or as a condition to obtaining regulatory approval of the proposed transaction; (vii) the ability to maintain the listing of Bannix’s securities on Nasdaq; (viii) the price of Bannix’s securities, including volatility resulting from changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which VisionWave operates, variations in performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting VisionWave’s business and changes in the combined capital structure; and (viii) other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in Bannix’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K that are available on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) at www.sec.gov and other documents filed, or to be filed with the SEC by Bannix and that may be found in the Registration Statement. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. There may be additional risks that neither Bannix nor VisionWave presently know or that Bannix or VisionWave currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that will be described in the definitive proxy statement to be filed by VisionWave Holdigns with the SEC, including those under “Risk Factors” therein, and other documents filed by Bannix and VisionWave Holdings from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward looking statements, and Bannix, VisionWave and VisionWave Holdings assume no obligation and, except as required by law, do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither Bannix, VisionWave Holdings nor VisionWave gives any assurance that either Bannix or VisionWave will achieve its expectations. 

    Additional Information and Where to Find It 

    In connection with the proposed transaction, VisionWave Holdings filed with the SEC the Registration Statement on Form S-4, and after the Registration Statement is declared effective, VisionWave Holdings will mail a definitive proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed transaction to its stockholders. This press release does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed transaction and is not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the proposed transaction. VisionWave Holdings and Bannix may file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC, and Bannix’s stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and the amendments thereto, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and the other documents filed in connection with the proposed transaction, as these materials will contain important information about VisionWave, VisionWave Holdings, Bannix and the proposed transaction. When available, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials for the proposed transaction will be mailed to stockholders of Bannix as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed transaction and the other matters to be voted upon at a meeting of Bannix’s stockholders to be held to approve the proposed transaction and such other matters. Such stockholders will also be able to obtain copies of the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC, without charge, once available, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to Bannix Acquisition Corp., 300 Delaware Avenue, Suite 210#301, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 or via email at doug.davis@bannixacquisition.com. 

    Participants in Solicitation 

    Bannix, VisionWave Holdings and VisionWave, and their respective directors, executive officers, other members of management, and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Bannix’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of Bannix’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction, including the names of such persons and a description of their respective interests, is set forth in Bannix’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Additional information regarding the interests of those persons and other persons who may be deemed participants in the proposed transaction may be obtained by reading the Registration Statement regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available. Stockholders will be able to obtain copies of the documents described in this paragraph that are filed with the SEC, once available, without charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to Bannix Acquisition Corp., 300 Delaware Avenue, Suite 210#301, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 or via email at doug.davis@bannixacquisition.com. 

    No Offer or Solicitation 

    This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed transaction and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of Bannix, VisionWave Holdings or VisionWave, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act. 

    Contacts 

    Bannix Acquisition Corp.
    Douglas Davis, CEO
    (302) 305-479

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Angus Gold Extends New High-Gold Zone at Dorset West, Intersects 3.2 g/t Au over 13.7 metres including 16.2 g/t Au over 2.0 metres, Golden Sky Project, Wawa

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Angus Gold Inc. (TSX-V: GUS | OTC: ANGVF) (“Angus” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce assay results from eleven (11) exploration holes that were completed on the Dorset Zone as part of its 2024 Fall drilling program at the Golden Sky Project in Wawa, Ontario. The new high-grade gold zone on Dorset’s west end, where Angus previously intersected 7.0 g/t Au over 12.4 metres in Hole GS-24-136, approximately 500 metres to the west of the historical Dorset resource (see News Release of May 7, 2024), is now defined over 100 metres of strike length. In addition, with these drilling results, the Dorset Gold Zone has now been intersected along 2 kilometres of strike length.

    Highlights:

    • High-Grade Dorset West gold mineralization is now defined over 100m of strike length:
      • 13.7 metres of mineralization grading 3.2 g/t Au, including 2.0 metres of 16.2 g/t Au in Hole GS24-171;
      • 8.0 metres of mineralization grading 1.6 g/t Au, including 2.9 metres of 3.9 g/t Au in Hole GS24-172;
      • 2.1 metres of mineralization grading 5.3 g/t Au, in Hole GS24-173;
      • 9.1 metres of mineralization grading 4.3 g/t Au, including 3.7 metres of 7.2 g/t Au in Hole GS24-179
    • Dorset Gold Trend now defined for 2 kilometres of strike length of continuous mineralization.
    • 15,000 metres of drilling planned for the Golden Sky Project in 2025.
    • Fully funded 2025 exploration budget.

    Breanne Beh, Chief Executive Officer of Angus, states: “We are extremely pleased with the continued delivery of step-out results from our new high-grade Dorset West Zone. We have now defined this new zone over 100m of strike-length and are excited to be returning to the area to begin our 2025 drilling campaign, announced on January 14, 2025. The Dorset Gold Trend has grown from 750 metres of strike length to 2 kilometres since Angus acquired the project in 2020. We continue to be encouraged with the consistency of the mineralization and look forward to expanding the zone as we continue to explore the entirety of the 7.0 kilometres of potential strike length of the shear zone that hosts the Dorset Deposit.”

    The goal of the Dorset West fall drill program was to complete step-out holes to the east and west of the high-grade intercept of 7.0 g/t Au over 12.4 metres in Hole GS-24-136. Eleven (11) holes were completed, eight (8) of which returned gold intersections and three (3) of which hosted visible gold. The most notable intercepts were in GS-24-171 and GS-24-179. GS-24-171, a 50-metre step-out to the west of GS-24-136, returned 13.7 metres grading 3.2 g/t Au including 2.0 metres of 16.2 g/t Au. GS-24-179, a 75m step-out west of GS-24-136, returned 9.1 metres grading 4.3 g/t Au including 3.7 metres grading 7.2 g/t Au.   The gold mineralization in both of these holes was hosted in quartz veins within a metasedimentary rock package, the same geologic setting as the mineralization in GS-24-136. These results begin to show consistency in this new high-grade zone that is completely open to the west with minimal historic drilling completed along the structural corridor for 2 kilometres.

    Selected drill results from the 11 holes at the Golden Sky drilling program are, as follows:  

    Hole Number From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Area
    GS-24-171 121.9 122.7 0.8 2.2 Dorset West
    GS-24-171 209.2 222.9 13.7 3.2
    including 220.9 222.9 2.0 16.2
    GS-24-171 252.7 255.0 2.3 1.7
    GS-24-172 86.1 90.1 4.0 1.1 Dorset West
    including 87.10 87.60 0.5 2.3
    GS-24-172 244.0 252.0 8.0 1.6
    including 247.7 250.6 2.9 3.9
    GS-24-173 221.9 224.0 2.1 5.3 Dorset West
    GS-24-176 187.7 188.6 0.9 5.3 Dorset West
    GS-24-176 200.5 201.5 1.0 8.2
    GS-24-179 105.9 106.4 0.5 2.2 Dorset West
    GS-24-179 204.0 213.1 9.1 4.3
    including 208.0 211.7 3.7 7.2

    (1) Assay results presented over core length. Additional drilling will be necessary to constrain the true width of the mineralized envelope of the gold system.

    The 2025 drilling campaign at the Golden Sky project is planned to be 15,000 metres and will test targets along the Dorset Zone mineralized structural corridor in addition to the BIF Gold Zone and the Eagle River Splay exploration area.

    Figure 1: Dorset West Fall 2024 Drill Results Map

    Figure 2: Dorset Structural Corridor Map

    The Golden Sky Project
    The 100%-owned Golden Sky Project is located within the Mishibishu Lake Greenstone Belt of Northern Ontario, which is host to Wesdome’s high-grade Eagle River and the Mishi open-pit gold mines. The Company’s 290-square-kilometres land package is located approximately 50 kilometres west of the town of Wawa and is situated immediately between the two Wesdome mines.

    The ongoing drill program on the Golden Sky Project is focused on the Dorset Gold Zone, which hosts a historic gold resource; the BIF Zone, a new gold zone discovery in a large banded iron formation; as well as the Eagle River Splay deformation zone, which shows potential for another extensive gold system. Angus’ drill programs on the near-surface Dorset Gold Zone have been successful at extending the strike length of the previously modelled zone from 750 metres to 1.7 kilometres. The Dorset Gold Zone historic estimated resource (using a 0.50 g/t Au cut-off) consists of an indicated resource of 40,000 ounces of gold (780,000 tonnes grading 1.4 g/t Au), and an inferred resource of 180,000 ounces of gold (4,760,000 tonnes grading 1.2 g/t Au). For greater details on the Golden Sky Project, please refer to the NI 43-101 technical report for the Golden Sky Project entitled, ’NI 43-101 Technical Report Wawa Property Ontario, Canada’ dated February 18, 2020, and available on the Company’s SEDAR profile.

    Qualified Person
    The scientific and technical content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Breanne Beh, P.Geo, who is a “Qualified Person” as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) and Chief Geologist for the Company.

    Quality Control
    During the last drilling program, assay samples were taken from the NQ core by sawing the drill core in half, with one-half sent to a certified commercial laboratory and the other half retained for future reference. A strict QA/QC program was applied to all samples; which includes insertion of mineralized standards and blank samples for each batch of 20 samples. The gold analyses were completed by fire-assay with an atomic absorption finish on 50 grams of materials. Repeats were carried out by fire-assay followed by gravimetric testing on each sample containing 3.0 g/t gold or more.

    About Angus Gold:
    Angus Gold Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of highly prospective gold properties. The Company’s flagship project is the Golden Sky Project in Wawa, Ontario. The Project is immediately adjacent to the Eagle River Mine of Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. 

    On behalf of Angus Gold Inc.,

    Breanne Beh
    President and Chief Executive Officer

    INQUIRIES:
    Lindsay Dunlop, Vice President Investor Relations
    Email: info@angusgold.com
    Phone: 647-259-1790
    Company Website: www.angusgold.com

    TSXV: GUS | USOTC: ANGVF

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

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This News Release includes certain “forward-looking statements” which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company’s future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as “believes”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “estimates”, “may”, “could”, “would”, “will”, or “plan”. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management’s expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company’s objectives, goals or future plans, statements, exploration results, potential mineralization, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: the ability to anticipate and counteract the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the business of the Company, including without limitation the effects of COVID-19 on the capital markets, commodity prices supply chain disruptions, restrictions on labour and workplace attendance and local and international travel, failure to receive requisite approvals in respect of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement, failure to identify mineral resources, failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves, the inability to complete a feasibility study which recommends a production decision, the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political risks, inability to fulfill the duty to accommodate First Nations and other indigenous peoples, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, and those risks set out in the Company’s public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

    Figures accompanying this announcement are available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5f6f7570-eb7e-4755-9872-9285c63d2fac
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/db616132-c341-48ef-b341-7bc6280b6078

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Purpose Investments Inc. Announces Final January 2025 Distribution Rate for Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, Purpose US Cash Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, and Purpose USD Cash Management Fund

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. announced today the final January 2025 distribution rates for Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, Purpose US Cash Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, and Purpose USD Cash Management Fund.

    The following table reflects the final distribution amounts for the month of December. Ex-distribution date is January 29, 2025.

    Open-End Fund Ticker Symbol Final distribution per unit Record Date Payable Date Distribution Frequency
    Purpose USD Cash Management Fund – ETF Units MNU.U US $ 0.3689 01/29/2025 02/04/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Cash Management Fund – ETF Units MNY $0.3003 01/29/2025 02/04/2025 Monthly
    Purpose High Interest Savings Fund – ETF Units PSA $0.1286 01/29/2025 02/04/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Cash Fund – ETF Units PSU.U US $ 0.3464 01/29/2025 02/04/2025 Monthly

    About Purpose Investments Inc.

    Purpose Investments Inc. is an asset management company with more than $23 billion in assets under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company.

    For further information, please contact:
    Keera Hart
    Keera.Hart@kaiserpartners.com
    905-580-1257

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees, and expenses may all be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Investment funds are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in a fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed; their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with President of Poland Andrzej Duda

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, on the margins of a commemorative event to mark 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp in Oświęcim, Poland.

    The Prime Minister and the President paid tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to remembering the Holocaust, educating against Holocaust denialism and distortion, and combatting antisemitism and all forms of hate across the globe.

    As the full-scale invasion of Ukraine nears its three-year mark, the two leaders condemned Russia’s unjustifiable war of aggression and reiterated their unwavering support for Ukraine. Prime Minister Trudeau and President Duda recognized the strong and continued co-operation between their countries in support of Ukraine.

    Prime Minister Trudeau and President Duda also reaffirmed their shared commitment to regional security, particularly on NATO’s Eastern Flank.

    The two leaders underscored the strong bilateral relations between Canada and Poland and discussed additional areas for further co-operation, including in the nuclear sector.

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: RecycLiCo Battery Materials Engages Carmot Strategic Group and Penney Capital for Grants and Cooperative Funding Consultation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SURREY, British Columbia, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RecycLiCo Battery Materials Inc. (“RecycLiCo” or the “Company”), (TSX.V: AMY | OTCQB: AMYZF| FSE: ID4), a pioneer in the field of lithium-ion battery recycling technology, is pleased to announce that it has engaged Penney Capital and Carmot Strategic Group, Inc. to assist in the company’s efforts to identify, and qualify for, government funding opportunities that could be used to further RecycLiCo’s critical mineral recovery activities in the U.S. and Canada, including research to enhance and find new applications for its current intellectual property and know-how and the continued exploitation of its upcycling technology.

    Carmot Strategic and Penney Capital advisory companies have won multiple federal grants to develop domestic sources of Critical Minerals, from mining and processing to advanced materials manufacturing, as well as developing innovative financial instruments to integrate these materials into U.S. supply chains.

    “We are very pleased to have Carmot Strategic and Penney Capital working with us,” said Richard Sadowsky, RecycLiCo’s Interim Chief Executive Officer. “Critical mineral recovery and reuse are becoming increasingly important, especially in terms of national security. The RecycLiCo Board has mandated that we explore new ways to exploit our recovery expertise and, at the same time, continue to offer high-quality upcycling of battery materials. We hope, with Carmot and Penney’s assistance, to establish relationships with government agencies that will support increases in the pace of both R&D and deployment.”

    About RecycLiCo

    RecycLiCo Battery Materials Inc. is a battery materials company specializing in sustainable lithium-ion battery upcycling and materials production. RecycLiCo has developed advanced technologies that efficiently recover battery-grade materials from lithium-ion batteries, addressing the global demand for environmentally friendly solutions in energy storage. With minimal processing steps and up to 99% extraction of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese. RecycLiCo’s hydrometallurgical process turns lithium-ion battery waste into battery-grade cathode precursor, lithium hydroxide, and lithium carbonate for direct integration into the re- manufacturing of new lithium-ion batteries.

    About Penney Capital

    Founded in 2017 by President & CEO Clark Penney, Penney Capital excels at navigating, connecting, and expanding new development opportunities and large-investment infrastructure projects.

    Prior to founding Penney Capital, Clark Penney began his career working on energy and defense committees with the U.S. Senate in Washington D.C. and with the president pro tempore. Later, he branched into the finance industry for over 10 years: co-founding Cypress Wealth Management, a private wealth management firm now with over $1 billion in assets under management and offices in Alaska and California, where he remains a partner.

    Today, Penney Capital’s resume includes leading economic development with The State of Alaska, new development projects worth over $2 billion, and other areas of expertise including resource development, financial technology firms, cryptocurrency, campaigns, wireless technology, and manufacturing.

    About Carmot Strategic Group

    Established in 2008 by Daniel McGroarty, Carmot Strategic Group, Inc. is an issues management firm focused on Critical Mineral development, based in the Washington, D.C. area.

    A recognized subject matter expert on Critical Minerals, Daniel McGroarty serves on the advisory boards of several companies developing U.S.-based Critical Mineral projects. He has testified on Critical Mineral issues before both U.S. Senate and House committees on energy and natural resources and served a term as Independent Advisory Board Member of the Critical Materials Institute, the Department of Energy’s Energy Innovation Hub. Prior to establishing his consulting practice, he served in senior positions in the U.S. Government, as special assistant at the White House and Presidential appointee at the Department of Defense.

    For more information, please contact:
    Teresa Piorun
    Senior Corporate Secretary
    Telephone: 778-574-4444
    Email: InvestorServices@RecycLiCo.com

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain “forward-looking statements”, which are statements about the future based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward–looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate or true. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: 21Shares Adds to its “Core” Suite of Affordable Crypto Exchange-Traded Products with the Launch of the Solana Core Staking ETP (CSOL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, 28 January 2025 – 21Shares AG (“21Shares”), one of the world’s largest issuers of crypto exchange traded products (ETPs), today announced the launch of the 21Shares Solana Core Staking ETP (CSOL) on SIX Swiss Exchange. CSOL joins the 21Shares Bitcoin Core ETP (CBTC), the 21Shares Ethereum Core Staking ETP (ETHC) and the 21Shares Crypto Basket 10 Core ETP (HOLDX) as the fourth addition to the 21Shares’ “core” suite, which offers investors exposure to cutting-edge crypto technologies at exceptionally low fees.

    Exchange Product Name Ticker ISIN Fee
    SIX Swiss Exchange 21Shares Solana Core Staking ETP CSOL CH1385084384 0.35%

    Solana is one of the top blockchain networks powering innovation, and – due to its high-speed and low fees – Solana is expected to reach an all-time high in Total Locked Value (TLV) in 2025, with net inflows of $1.2billion in 2024. With transaction costs less than $0.01 and an average of 2,400 transactions per second, Solana’s performance has led to a noticeable market shift that puts the network front and center in 2025. In addition, Solana has proven itself in the traditional finance ecosystem, evidenced by PayPal’s PYUSD stablecoin processing $13 billion as well as partnerships with Visa and Shopify to enable crypto payments. Further, institutional players like Franklin Templeton and Citibank are adopting Solana, underlining its potential to bridge crypto and traditional finance.1  

    “Launched in 2020, Solana emerged as a clear solution to the outdated technology in the blockchain space. The Solana ecosystem evolved quickly, boasting unparalleled speeds and cost efficiency, making transacting on the network essential,” said Mandy Chiu, Head of Financial Product Development at 21Shares. “21Shares launched the world’s first Solana ETP in 2021. With the launch of CSOL, the firm is continuing to leverage its expertise and track record in crypto, product development savvy and operational excellence in order to provide investors with access to Solana, one of the top growing blockchain networks, at an incredibly affordable cost.”

    With a management fee of 0.35%, CSOL offers innovative and cost-efficient exposure to a leading blockchain shaping the future. 100% physically backed, CSOL also benefits from staking rewards, which are seamlessly generated by adding the yield to the investor’s coin entitlement. By integrating staking rewards into 21Shares ETPs, investors enjoy a potential additional income stream without having to keep their assets locked, enhancing overall returns while maintaining exposure to the respective underlying assets. As of 23 January 2025, the average staking yield for Solana was 6.60%.2

    For more details about the 21Shares Solana Core Staking ETP, including the factsheet, please click here.

    Press Contact

    Audrey Belloff, Head of Global Communications, audrey.belloff@21.co

    About 21Shares

    21Shares is one of the world’s first and largest issuers of crypto exchange traded products. We were founded to make cryptocurrency more accessible to investors, and to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance. In 2018, 21Shares listed the world’s first physically-backed crypto ETP, and we have a six-year track-record of creating crypto exchange-traded funds that are listed on some of the biggest, most-liquid securities exchanges globally. In addition to our six-year track record, 21Shares offers investors best-in-class research and unparalleled client service.

    21Shares is a member of 21.co, a global leader in decentralized finance. For more information, please visit www.21Shares.com.

    DISCLAIMER

    This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of 21Shares AG in any jurisdiction. Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever or for any other purpose in any jurisdiction. Nothing in this document should be considered investment advice.

    This document and the information contained herein are not for distribution in or into (directly or indirectly) the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the distribution or release would be unlawful.

    This document does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. The securities of 21Shares AG to which these materials relate have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will not be a public offering of securities in the United States. Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States has approved or disapproved of an investment in the securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of the contents of this presentation. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

    Within the United Kingdom, this document is only being distributed to and is only directed at: (i) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”); or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”); or (iii) persons who fall within Article 43(2) of the Order, including existing members and creditors of the Company or (iv) any other persons to whom this document can be lawfully distributed in circumstances where section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

    Exclusively for potential investors in any EEA Member State that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) is made available on the Issuer’s website under www.21Shares.com.

    The approval of the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) should not be understood as an endorsement by the SFSA of the securities offered or admitted to trading on a regulated market. Eligible potential investors should read the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) and the relevant Final Terms before making an investment decision in order to understand the potential risks associated with the decision to invest in the securities. You are about to purchase a product that is not simple and may be difficult to understand.

    This document constitutes advertisement within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and the Swiss Financial Services Act (the “FinSA”) and not a prospectus. The 2024 Base Prospectus of 21Shares AG has been deposited pursuant to article 54(2) FinSA with BX Swiss AG in its function as Swiss prospectus review body within the meaning of article 52 FinSA. The 2024 Base Prospectus and the key information document for any products may be obtained at 21Shares AG’s website (https://21shares.com/ir/prospectus or https://21shares.com/ir/kids).

    ###

    1 Source: 21Shares State of Crypto #13: Market Outlook 2025
    2 Source: Coinbase, as of 23 January 2025

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitfarms Enters into a Binding LOI with HIVE Digital Technologies for the Sale of its Yguazu, Paraguay Site

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    -Bitfarms to reinvest capital in US growth opportunities-

    -Accretive transaction values the completed site at ~$85 million and significantly reduces anticipated 2025 capital requirements-

    -Rebalances YE 2025 proforma energy portfolio to ~80% North American & 20% international-

    -Reduces expected average power costs by ~10%-

    This news release constitutes a “designated news release” for the purposes of Bitfarms’ second amended and restated prospectus supplement dated December 17, 2024, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated November 10, 2023.

    TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitfarms Ltd. (NASDAQ/TSX: BITF), a global vertically integrated Bitcoin data center company, today announced that it has entered into a binding Letter of Intent (“LOI”) to sell its 200 MW site in Yguazu, Paraguay to HIVE Digital Technologies, Ltd (“HIVE”). The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.

    Bitfarms CEO Ben Gagnon stated, “We are pleased to announce the sale of our Yguazu site to HIVE as we continue to streamline our operations and rebalance towards North America. Bitfarms will be reinvesting the capital from this sale towards its 1 GW growth pipeline in the U.S. for BTC and HPC/AI infrastructure which marks a significant milestone in our transition from an international Bitcoin miner to a North American energy and compute infrastructure company.”

    “We remain fully committed to our current operations in Latin America, with three sites totaling 144 MW that all benefit from long-term power contracts, competitive pricing and geographical diversification. This shift towards U.S.-based assets is in-line with our strategy to diversify beyond Bitcoin mining and capitalize on the significant growth opportunities in HPC/AI.”

    Terms
    Under the terms of the binding LOI, HIVE will purchase from Bitfarms its 100% ownership stake of its Yguazu, Paraguay Bitcoin mining site. The proposed transaction values the completed site at approximately $85 million, inclusive of approximately $19 million of power deposits with ANDE and the assumption of remaining capital obligations.

    Bitfarms to receive:

    • $25 million upon closing of this transaction
    • $31 million over 6 months following closing
    • $19 million as reimbursement for power deposits made to ANDE by Bitfarms
    • Approximately $10 million in remaining capital obligations

    Transaction Benefits

    • Significantly reduces Bitfarms’ anticipated 2025 capital requirements.
    • Rebalances portfolio to ~80% North American and 20% International by YE 2025, when coupled with our acquisition of Stronghold Digital Mining, which is expected to close in the next couple of months.
    • Reduces estimated average power costs by ~10%.
    • Does not impact miner deployment schedule. Reduces YE 2025 MW capacity from 955 MW to 755 MW.

    About Bitfarms Ltd.

    Founded in 2017, Bitfarms is a global vertically integrated Bitcoin data center company that contributes its computational power to one or more mining pools from which it receives payment in Bitcoin. Bitfarms develops, owns, and operates vertically integrated mining facilities with in-house management and company-owned electrical engineering, installation service, and multiple onsite technical repair centers. The Company’s proprietary data analytics system delivers best-in-class operational performance and uptime.

    Bitfarms currently has 12 operating Bitcoin data centers and two under development, as well as hosting agreements with two data centers, in four countries: Canada, the United States, Paraguay, and Argentina. Powered predominantly by environmentally friendly hydro-electric and long-term power contracts, Bitfarms is committed to using sustainable and often underutilized energy infrastructure.

    To learn more about Bitfarms’ events, developments, and online communities:

    www.bitfarms.com
    https://www.facebook.com/bitfarms/
    https://twitter.com/Bitfarms_io
    https://www.instagram.com/bitfarms/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/bitfarms/

    Glossary of Terms

    • Y/Y or M/M= year over year or month over month
    • EH or EH/s = Exahash or exahash per second
    • MW or MWh = Megawatts or megawatt hour
    • HPC/AI = High Performance Computing / Artificial Intelligence

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release and are covered by safe harbors under Canadian and United States securities laws. The statements and information in this release regarding the sale of the Yguazu, Paraguay Site, the merits of the rebalancing operations to North America, the reinvestment of the proceeds of the sale for growth, the North American energy and compute infrastructure strategy, and other statements regarding future growth, plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking information. Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “prospects”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information.

    This forward-looking information is based on assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time they were made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to: an inability to complete the sale of the Yguazu, Paraguay Site on the terms as announced or at all; the reinvestment of the proceeds of the sale may not occur on an economic basis; the anticipated benefits of the rebalancing of operations to North America and the North American energy and compute infrastructure strategy may not be realized; expansion may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; the digital currency market; the ability to successfully mine Bitcoin; revenue may not increase as currently anticipated, or at all; it may not be possible to profitably liquidate the current Bitcoin inventory, or at all; a decline in Bitcoin prices may have a significant negative impact on operations; an increase in network difficulty may have a significant negative impact on operations; the volatility of Bitcoin prices; the anticipated growth and sustainability of hydroelectricity for the purposes of Bitcoin mining in the applicable jurisdictions; the inability to maintain reliable and economical sources of power for the Company to operate Bitcoin mining assets; the risks of an increase in the Company’s electricity costs, cost of natural gas, changes in currency exchange rates, energy curtailment or regulatory changes in the energy regimes in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates and the adverse impact on the Company’s profitability; the ability to complete current and future financings; the risk that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting could result in a misstatement of the Company’s financial position that may lead to a material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements if not prevented or detected on a timely basis; any regulations or laws that will prevent Bitfarms from operating its business; historical prices of Bitcoin and the ability to mine Bitcoin that will be consistent with historical prices; and the adoption or expansion of any regulation or law that will prevent Bitfarms from operating its business, or make it more costly to do so. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to the Company’s filings on www.sedarplus.ca (which are also available on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov), including the restated MD&A for the year-ended December 31, 2023, filed on December 9, 2024. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including factors that are currently unknown to or deemed immaterial by the Company. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law . Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, or any other securities exchange or regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Investor Relations Contacts:

    Tracy Krumme
    SVP, Head of IR & Corp. Comms.
    +1 786-671-5638
    tkrumme@bitfarms.com

    Media Contacts:

    Caroline Brady Baker
    Director, Communications
    cbaker@bitfarms.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Denmark boosts Arctic defence following US interest in Greenland

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Denmark has unveiled plans to bolster its military presence in the Arctic amid rising concerns over the U.S. interest in acquiring Greenland, a Danish-owned territory.

    Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced late Monday that the government will allocate 14.6 billion Danish krona (approximately $2 billion) to boost the defence of Greenland, Arctic Sea and Northern Atlantic. The decision follows an agreement among Danish political parties.

    The plans will include three new arctic naval vessels and two long-range drones, increased surveillance and crisis training for the local residents. Poulsen said in a press conference that these preparations are just the initial phase, with further plans expected to be finalized by summer.

    According to Danish Broadcasting Corporation, the new vessels would enter service within five or six years, expected to replace existing vessels.

    When questioned about whether these measures would “calm down” U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland, Poulsen refrained from a direct response, underlining the importance of co-operation with NATO allies, including Canada, the United States and Norway.

    President Trump has recently reiterated the U.S. interest in Greenland, which remains an autonomous area under Danish sovereignty.

    Referring to an upcoming meeting on Tuesday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Europe is in a serious situation. “With war on the continent and changes in the geopolitical reality. In such a time, unity is crucial.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Madison Pacific Properties Inc. announces Federal Court of Appeal judgement on tax reassessments appeal

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Madison Pacific Properties Inc. (the Parent Company) (TSX: MPC and MPC.C), a Vancouver-based real estate company announces judgement issued by the Federal Court of Appeal (“FCA”) on its tax reassessments appeal.

    As previously reported in the Parent Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and MD&A, the Parent Company and certain subsidiaries had received from the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) and Alberta Tax and Revenue Administration (“ATRA”) tax notices of reassessment for various taxation years. The reassessments denied the application and usage of certain non-capital losses, capital losses, deductions and investment tax credits arising from prior years. The Parent Company and its subsidiaries had filed notices of objection and notices of appeal to the reassessments with the CRA and ATRA.

    The appeal with the Tax Court of Canada (“TCC”) for the Parent Company was heard in 2020, 2022 and in 2023 (the “Appeal”). The TCC released its judgement on the Appeal in December 2023 in favour of the CRA’s position, confirming the CRA’s reassessments. The decision denied the Parent Company’s ability to use certain carryforward losses for certain taxation years within its 2009 to 2017 taxation years. Additional taxes payable for the reassessed years plus estimated interest and awarded legal costs totals approximately $6.6 million and as at August 31, 2024, the Parent Company had paid $6.1 million to the CRA for the taxes and estimated interest on the reassessments.

    In January 2024, the Parent Company filed a notice of appeal to the FCA to appeal the decision issued by the TCC on the Appeal (the “TCC Appeal”). On January 22, 2025, the TCC Appeal was heard by the FCA and on January 23, 2025 the FCA released its judgement dismissing the TCC Appeal. The Parent Company and its counsel are currently assessing whether to appeal the decision issued by the FCA. The Parent Company has also filed interest relief applications with the CRA to apply to waive arrears interest paid on the reassessments.

    For a review of the risks and uncertainties to which the Parent Company is subject, see its most recently filed annual and interim MD&A.

    For more information please contact:
           
    Contact: Mr. John DeLucchi   Ms. Bernice Yip
      President & CEO   Chief Financial Officer
    Telephone: (604) 732-6540   (604) 732-6540
           
    Address: 389 West 6th Avenue    
      Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1L1    

    The MIL Network –