NewzIntel.com

Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese Tencent Cloud launches Middle East cloud region

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The Chinese Tencent Cloud Company has launched its first Middle East Cloud Region in Saudi Arabia, featuring two availability zones with full redundancy, advanced cloud services, and AI capabilities.

    In a statement on Sunday, the company revealed that the new availability zones, expected to be operational in 2025, will integrate Saudi Arabia into Tencent Cloud’s global network of over 50 availability zones across 21 regions. It will enable the delivery of an expanded suite of cutting-edge Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solutions, including advanced analytics, AI, digital media innovations, superapp technologies, and more.

    Hu Dan, vice president of Tencent Cloud International for the Middle East and North Africa, hailed the new Cloud Region as a milestone in Tencent Cloud’s Middle East growth story.

    He said the new Cloud Region will strengthn Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation efforts across key sectors, including digital media and streaming, video gaming, esports, e-commerce, tourism, financial services, telecommunications, and more.

    For his part, Mohammed Alrobayan, deputy minister for technology at Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia, said, “Tencent Cloud’s decision to launch its first cloud region in Saudi Arabia represents a significant milestone for digital transformation in the Middle East.”

    “This new cloud region will enhance the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure and accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies. It also reflects confidence in Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a global hub for digital solutions and smart technology, fostering an economy driven by innovation and knowledge,” he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Europe vows to defend interests amid new US tariff threats

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Flags of the European Union fly outside the Berlaymont Building, the European Commission headquarters, in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The European Commission on Monday rejected the rationale for new U.S. tariffs on European exports, vowing to protect businesses, workers, and consumers across the bloc.

    The statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 25-percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, reigniting fears of a transatlantic trade war.

    European Union (EU) leaders swiftly condemned the proposed tariffs, which are expected to be formally announced later on Monday. The Commission said there is “no justification” for the U.S. measures, calling them unlawful and economically harmful, particularly given the deeply integrated EU-U.S. supply and production chains.

    With European leaders signaling their readiness to retaliate, concerns are growing that the looming trade dispute could strain economic ties and disrupt global markets.

    Tariffs could backfire

    The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, strongly criticized the proposed tariffs, warning they would ultimately hurt U.S. businesses and consumers.

    “Tariffs are essentially taxes,” it said in a statement, emphasizing that the move would increase costs for American companies, drive inflation, heighten economic uncertainty, and disrupt global market integration. Given the deep interdependence between European and American industries, the EU warned that such measures would be counterproductive, effectively imposing taxes on U.S. citizens as well.

    European officials fear a repeat of 2018, when Trump’s previous steel and aluminum tariffs triggered swift EU retaliation. At the time, Brussels imposed countermeasures on U.S. goods such as whiskey, motorcycles, and orange juice.

    With the formal announcement of the new U.S. tariffs expected later on Monday, European leaders are bracing for another escalation in trade tensions.

    EU weighs retaliation

    France was among the first to respond to Trump’s tariff threat, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warning on Monday that the EU would retaliate if the proposed tariffs take effect.

    “There is no hesitation when it comes to defending our interests,” Barrot told French television TF1, recalling how the EU countered similar tariffs in 2018 and vowing to take the same approach if necessary.

    Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is also preparing for action. A spokesperson for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action stated that while the EU and Germany are working to prevent the tariffs, they stand ready to implement countermeasures if needed.

    During a televised debate on Sunday ahead of upcoming elections, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the EU could “act within an hour” if Trump proceeds with tariffs on European goods.

    Industry leaders are also pushing for a firm response. Gunnar Groebler, president of the German Steel Association, urged the EU to react in a “united, strategic, and swift manner” to counter the tariff threat. “The U.S. is the largest buyer of European steel, importing around 1 million tonnes of mostly special steels from Germany alone each year,” he noted.

    A lose-lose scenario

    French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that tariffs on EU goods would not be in the interests of the United States.

    “If Washington imposes tariffs across multiple sectors, it will drive up the cost of goods and fuel inflation in the United States,” Macron said, pointing out that European savings play a crucial role in financing the U.S. economy.

    Economic experts share Macron’s concerns. Paul Johnson, director of the London-based Institute for Fiscal Studies, warned that Trump’s planned tariffs could push up interest rates worldwide, having ripple effects on global monetary policy.

    “It is going to create additional inflation, at the very least, in the United States, and that will have knock-on effects globally, particularly on interest rates,” Johnson explained.

    Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, a German automotive expert, argued that Trump is leveraging economic power to siphon off jobs and prosperity from other countries through his tariff policies. “He knows no friends or enemies. Even U.S. car manufacturers GM and Ford would suffer considerably from tariffs on cars from Canada and Mexico,” he said.

    Dudenhoeffer noted that U.S. net vehicle imports totaled 5.6 million units in 2024. “Trump might ask how many jobs could be created if all these vehicles were produced domestically,” he said.

    Despite the growing alarm, some analysts hold that the impact of Trump’s tariffs may be limited. Christian Helmenstein, chief economist of the Federation of Austrian Industries, described Trump’s plan as an “unfriendly pinprick” but not a severe blow.

    He told the Austrian newspaper Kurier that the U.S. imports about a quarter of its steel needs, with much of it coming from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea rather than Europe.

    But Harald Oberhofer, an economist at the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, described Trump’s tariff plans as “an economically high-risk game.”

    He pointed out that the United States was Austria’s largest export growth market last year amid weak overall exports and a trade war could further weaken Austria’s already fragile economy, which is projected to grow by just 0.6 percent this year.

    As Trump moves closer to making his tariff announcement official, European leaders are making their stance clear: if the U.S. imposes new trade barriers, the EU stands ready to defend its economic interests with countermeasures.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Better competition on the way for Kiwis

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is progressing its ambitious, economy-wide review to improve competition, lift productivity, and drive down the cost of living, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.

    “Improved competition is a top priority for this Government. When competition is working well, New Zealand businesses – both big and small – can thrive. This has knock-on benefits for consumers, including greater choice and lower prices in key sectors like fuel, groceries, and banking,” says Mr Bayly.

    “That’s why I launched a review of our competition settings, set out in the Commerce Act, in December last year. Much of the Commerce Act has not been reviewed for over 20 years. I want to ensure our competition settings keep pace with market developments so both Kiwi businesses and consumers can get ahead.

    “Recent tweaks to our competition rules have mainly involved sector-specific legislation. In contrast, this review will improve our overarching competition settings and reduce the need for layers of reactive regulation in individual sectors.

    “We are moving at pace to progress this work. Public consultation has now closed on key parts of the review, including our merger control settings, potential new code-making powers, and modern tools to address anti-competitive conduct.

    “A big focus of the review is on merger settings. Over many decades, New Zealanders have felt first-hand some of the effects of mergers and unhealthy market competition: reduced innovation, a smaller range of goods and services, and increased prices.

    “Many of these could have been avoided if we had more robust merger controls in place. Improved merger settings can lead to better competition and Kiwis getting a fairer deal, and that is why I’ve ensured this is a core part of the review.

    “Thank you to those who provided feedback during this consultation period. Your views will help shape changes to our competition settings to support competitive, dynamic markets that will boost economic productivity and living standards.

    “I expect to announce decisions on next steps in due course.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Gillibrand Op-Ed in CoinDesk: Why We Need A Bipartisan Stablecoin Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand published an opinion piece in CoinDesk explaining the need for a bipartisan bill to regulate stablecoins – cryptocurrencies whose values are pegged to national currencies or high-quality financial assets. The op-ed follows the introduction of the bipartisan Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, which she introduced alongside Senators Bill Hagerty, Cynthia Lummis, and Tim Scott.
    Read the full op-ed here or below:
    Why We Need a Bipartisan Stablecoin Bill – Gillibrand
    Kirsten Gillibrand | February 10, 2025
    The new Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act lays the groundwork for a new era of American exceptionalism, says Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, of New York.
    For the past century, the U.S. has reigned as the economic superpower of the world. The key to this sustained economic might is a regulatory environment that encourages and enables technological innovation. From semiconductors to personal computers to internet 1.0 and 2.0, U.S. companies have led in developing cutting-edge technologies because our country empowers its builders and creators. Unfortunately, when it comes to Web3 – the next generation of the internet built on blockchain, digital assets, and cryptocurrencies – we are trailing and are at risk of falling further behind.
    In 2023, the European Union passed comprehensive cryptocurrency regulation [americanbar.org], and numerous meaningful provisions went into effect this past summer. China’s central bank has been promoting its digital yuan [forbes.com], which threatens the U.S. dollar’s role as the global reserve currency. The U.S. is just watching, while our opponents move pieces on the chessboard.
    It is absolutely essential to our country’s future that the U.S. enact clear and sensible cryptocurrency regulations that foster innovation and keep Web3 jobs within our borders, protect consumers, and maintain the dominance of the U.S. dollar.
    We should start with stablecoins.
    For newcomers, stablecoins are cryptocurrencies whose values are pegged to national currencies or high-quality financial assets. This gives them stability and enables them to play a crucial role in the digital economy, where they combine the transaction speed and low cost of digital assets with the price stability of traditional reserve currencies. The U.S. is already playing a major role in this space. According to one report, more than 95% of stablecoins are “linked to the U.S. dollar.”
    The many use cases of stablecoins have earned them support from policymakers across the ideological spectrum. Conservatives value their low-cost, frictionless and instantaneous payment abilities, which can lower costs on merchants and consumers and spur startups and economic activity. Progressives appreciate their use in lowering the cost of remittances and reaching the underbanked and underserved, and their ability to increase access to basic financial services.
    It must be acknowledged that, as with any new technology, stablecoins have challenges. Some stablecoins, backed by complex algorithms instead of stable reserve currency, have collapsed due to design flaws. Additionally, unlike bank deposits, stablecoins are not FDIC insured, creating risks should the issuer go bankrupt. While concerns have been raised about money laundering, stablecoins aren’t misused for this purpose any more than traditional cash. But for the public to have confidence in stablecoins, and for businesses to adopt them, we need clear regulations to provide consumer protection, to govern issuers and to guard against money laundering.
    The bipartisan Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, which I introduced Feb. 4 alongside Senators Bill Hagerty, Cynthia Lummis, and Tim Scott, will address these challenges, and create a clear regulatory environment that enables the cryptocurrency environment to thrive.
    It protects consumers by holding stablecoin issuers to strict reserve requirements, requiring them to maintain one-to-one reserves in cash and cash equivalents. The bill prohibits the issuing of unbacked, algorithmic stablecoins, the collapse of which have led to substantial losses. To address their use for illicit purposes, it requires approved stablecoin issuers to comply with U.S. anti-money laundering and sanctions rules. Finally, the bill clarifies rules around conservatorship and procedure should a stablecoin issuer experience insolvency.
    While this bill will undoubtedly be tweaked as it moves through Congress, it has already received input from a wide swath of stakeholders, including industry participants, academic experts and federal regulators. It’s a true bipartisan effort that will empower innovators and builders while simultaneously rooting out bad actors.
    Laying the groundwork for the next century of American exceptionalism is a mission that should unite us all, and positioning the United States at the leading edge of the next iteration of the internet is key to that goal. Stablecoins are already playing an important role, and it’s critical we act now to maintain our position as the leader in global economic competitiveness.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand, Teachers Warn About The Consequences For Students, Parents, And Educators If Trump Abolishes United States Department Of Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Access to Education is a Right and Stepping Stone to Success for all Americans
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand stood alongside union leaders, elected officials, students, parents, and educators to warn of the disastrous consequences of President Trump’s threat to shut down the United States Department of Education (ED). If ED closes, the resulting chaos would mean over 2.6 million K-12 students at 4,800 New York schools could lose federal funding. This includes half a million New York students with disabilities who could lose nearly $1 billion in annual support, as well as nearly a quarter million English learners at New York schools who could be deprived of an annual $66 million that supports their education.
    “President Trump’s threat to shutter the Department of Education is a reckless and unconstitutional move that would jeopardize the programs that help New York’s kids, families, schools, and communities thrive,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Trump administration is stealing from our children, our teachers, and our families to give tax breaks to the wealthy. It is jeopardizing our nation’s academic progress and our role in the global economy at the expense of our children, and we cannot stand for it. There should be no debate – defunding education defunds our future, and I will do everything in my power to protect the Department of Education.”
    The Department serves students across the country by:
    Providing funding to support the nation’s most vulnerable students through Title I grants 
    Funding special education programs for students with disabilities
    Administering Pell Grants for low-income college students
    Supporting school improvement programs to improve education outcomes
    Funding programs to promote mental health and after-school activities 
    These programs could be in jeopardy if the Department of Education were shut down. Even a temporary disruption could be devastating for students, their families, and educators. 
    If ED were shut down, the impact on New York families would be devastating:
    Over 2.6 million K-12 students at 4,800 schools throughout the state could lose federal funding 
    525,000 New York students with disabilities could miss out on $984 million in annual support 
    Schools could be deprived of $12 million in mental health supports 
    392,000 New York students could lose the $1.9 billion in Pell Grants that help them afford college
    247,000 English learners at New York schools could be deprived of an annual $66 million that support their education.
    “I stand with my colleagues across levels of government, advocates, teachers, and students, deeply disturbed by President Trump’s illegal and dangerous threat to dismantle the United States Department of Education. I am deeply concerned about the implication of this decision for federal funding sources our schools and State Department of Education rely on, including Title I and III funds, and Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act funding,” said State Senator Shelley B. Mayer. “The fundamental idea that every child, no matter where they come from, what language they speak, or what challenges they may have, is entitled to a free public education is a bedrock of our democracy. I implore my Republican Colleagues in D.C. to reject this threat and join us in the fight to protect public education. I thank Senator Gillibrand for standing up for children across the country and everyone who joined us today and every day in the fight for children’s education.”
    “Our students cannot be collateral damage. This administration may want to close buildings or move staff around, but the federal government has a legal responsibility to our children that cannot be dismantled,” said Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers. “The students who depend on federal support, whether through special education or programs that address poverty, have to be protected.”
    “If Donald Trump is truly interested in the success of the next generation, why would he divest the federal government of its role in creating educational opportunity for all kids in America? Dismantling the department—which, by the way, only Congress can do—tells working families that the president doesn’t really care about their children’s futures.  And for what? To give billionaires tax cuts so they can become even wealthier. This move, in the middle of CTE month, will only hurt opportunity and exacerbate inequality—and we will fight it tooth and nail,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers.
    “As a former educator and Chair of the City Council’s Education Committee, I know firsthand how devastating the loss of federal education funding would be for our students, families, and schools,” said New York City Council Member Rita Joseph. “President Trump’s reckless threat to shut down the U.S. Department of Education puts the future of over 2.6 million New York students at risk, including half a million students with disabilities and nearly a quarter million English learners. This is an attack on the very foundation of public education, and we will not stand by while our children’s futures are put in jeopardy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Trump’s Latest Steel & Aluminum Tariffs: “He Wants to Double Down on Raising Costs for Americans Even More”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    02.10.25

    Cantwell Statement on Trump’s Latest Steel & Aluminum Tariffs: “He Wants to Double Down on Raising Costs for Americans Even More”

    In 2024, state imported $1.2B worth of steel & aluminum for aerospace, shipbuilding, electronics & more; Last week, Cantwell delivered a speech on Senate floor calling for increasing exports & voted against advancing Trump’s trade nominee

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a senior member of the Senate Committee on Finance, issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.

    “Many of Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum have been in place since 2018. Nothing was resolved and they added costs to cars, building materials, and energy projects. Now in 2025, he wants to double down raising costs for Americans even more,” Sen. Cantwell said.

    In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. Combined, the state imported $1.21 billion worth of steel and aluminum last year – and the major industries and employers in Washington that rely on steel and aluminum include aerospace, shipbuilding, utilities, and electronics. When President Trump imposed steel tariffs in 2018, our trading partners immediately responded by imposing tariffs of their own on Washington products, especially agriculture, including cherries, apples, pears, and potatoes. Nationally, across all industries, the steel and aluminum tariffs resulted in a decrease in production worth about $3.4 billion per year, according to an ITC report.  The United States imports $58.81 billion in steel and aluminum every year.

    Last week, Sen. Cantwell also delivered a major speech on the Senate floor last week, arguing that the president’s arbitrary tariffs would threaten domestic job creation and economic growth in an Information Age. She outlined a strategy focused on building coalitions, growing exports, and establishing principles to support innovation in the Information Age.

    Sen. Cantwell also voted against advancing the nomination of Howard Lutnick, President Trump’s choice to be Secretary of the Department of Commerce, citing concerns with Lutnick’s support for Trump’s proposed tariffs. More information on how President Trump’s proposed tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China would affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE.

    Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of free trade to grow the economy in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20 percent retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after then-President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe:  apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023.  In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.

    In May 2023, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter urging the Biden Administration to help U.S. potato growers finally get approval to sell fresh potatoes in Japan. In June 2023, Sen. Cantwell hosted U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), then-chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in Washington state for a forum with 30 local agricultural leaders in Wenatchee to discuss the Farm Bill.

    In 2022, Sen. Cantwell spearheaded passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a law to crack down on skyrocketing international ocean shipping costs and ease supply chain backlogs that raise prices for consumers and make it harder for U.S. farmers and exporters to get their goods to the global market.

    In August 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to then-Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue requesting aid funds be distributed to wheat growers. In December 2018, Sen. Cantwell celebrated the passage of the Farm Bill, which included $500 million of assistance for farmers, including those who grow wheat.

    In 2019, Sen. Cantwell helped secure a provision in the $16 billion USDA relief package, ensuring sweet cherry growers could access emergency funding to offset the impacts of tariffs and other market disruptions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong appoints Levi Bachmeier, Patrick Sogard to North Dakota Board of Higher Education

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced today he has appointed Levi Bachmeier of West Fargo and Patrick Sogard of Williston to four-year terms on the State Board of Higher Education starting July 1.

    “Levi and Pat bring valuable experience in education policy, finance and operations to the State Board of Higher Education as our colleges and universities are being challenged by changing demographics and learning models. Our University System is still the best workforce recruiting tool we have, and we need our campuses to align their offerings with workforce needs, adapt to trends and thrive, not just survive,” Armstrong said. “We’re thankful for their willingness to serve and the passion for higher education shared by all the candidates.”

    Bachmeier has served as business manager of the West Fargo School District since 2019. From 2016 to 2019 he served as an education policy adviser and policy director for then-North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Bachmeier previously taught high school social studies for two years with Teach for America and spent a summer as a policy analyst fellow at the U.S. Department of Education. A native of West Fargo, Bachmeier earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. He currently serves on the North Dakota Board of Public Education and North Dakota Career and Technical Education Board, in addition to coaching track and field.

    Sogard has chaired the board of American State Bank & Trust Co. in Williston since 2003, also serving as a trust officer from 2000 to 2005. He previously worked as an attorney in private practice from 1986 to 2000. A native of Alamo, N.D., Sogard studied at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and earned his bachelor’s degree in geological engineering from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and his law degree from the UND School of Law. He is a past board member of Mercy Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Elementary School, both in Williston, and currently serves on the board of the UND Alumni Association & Foundation.

    Both appointments are subject to confirmation by the state Senate. Bachmeier will succeed board member Casey Ryan, a Grand Forks physician who is completing his second term on the board, the maximum allowed by the state Constitution. Sogard will succeed board member Jeffry Volk, a retired Fargo consulting engineer who has served on the board since 2021.

    The Board of Higher Education has eight voting members appointed by the governor, including one student member, and two non-voting members who represent the North Dakota University System’s faculty and staff. The board oversees the system’s 11 public colleges and universities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Spring Festival spending spree fuels global business growth

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    On a balmy afternoon on the first day of the Chinese Spring Festival, a queue of nearly 40 people, over half of them being Chinese tourists, snaked around the plain ice cream stall of “Uncle Chieng” on Orchard Road, Singapore.

    “Recently, more than half of the customers are Chinese tourists. Around the Spring Festival, I sell about 20 percent more ice cream each day compared to usual,” said Chieng Puay Chui, owner of the stall, which has become one of the must-visit spots for Chinese tourists.

    This scene is just a microcosm of the vibrant Spring Festival celebrations that have swept China and beyond, the first Lunar New Year festivities after the Spring Festival was added to UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list.

    The festival, which falls on Jan. 29 this year, with week-long nationwide celebrations around the date, has not only ignited a surge in domestic consumption but also created vast opportunities for international businesses, as Chinese consumers embrace global goods and cultures.

    A girl participates in activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year in London, Britain, on Feb. 2, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Global goods, local celebrations

    The Spring Festival, a time for family reunion and feasting, has seen a growing appetite for “foreign New Year goods” among Chinese consumers. From French wine to Chilean cherries, global delicacies have become essential elements of the Chinese New Year shopping list.

    France’s Occitanie region, renowned for its wine, has been actively promoting its produce in China through platforms like the China International Import Expo and the “From French Farms to Chinese Tables” initiative. For French wine producers, the Spring Festival is one of the best opportunities to promote their products.

    “Ahead of the Chinese New Year, we organized various events to support wine producers from the Occitanie region and importers in distributing their products so that they would be available during the Spring Festival,” said Catherine Machabert, food and wine international director of the economic development agency of the Occitanie Region.

    “For the Year of the Snake, distributors have prepared a variety of gift boxes featuring snake-themed designs to promote the wines,” said Machabert, adding that Occitanie has always maintained strong ties with China and recognizes the importance of the Chinese market.

    Meanwhile, French confectionery giant Andros has capitalized on the festive season by launching special gift packs and organizing in-store tastings. “Our sales during this Spring Festival are expected to double compared to previous years, setting a new record,” said Maxence Zeng, general manager of Andros China.

    Chilean cherries, with their vibrant red hue and symbolic association with prosperity in the Chinese culture, have also become a favorite among Chinese consumers.

    China is a very important market for fresh Chilean cherries, not only because it receives more than 90 percent of total exports, “but also because of the friendly relationship that has been built between our cherries and the people of China,” said Claudia Soler, executive director of the Chilean Cherry Committee.

    A poster of the animated feature “Ne Zha 2” is pictured at a cinema in Shenyang, northeast China’s Liaoning Province, Feb. 6, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Two-way cultural exchanges

    The Spring Festival is not just about shopping and feasting; it’s also a time for travel and cultural exploration. With extended holidays and visa-free policies, Chinese tourists have been flocking to international destinations, while foreign visitors have been arriving in China to experience the festivities firsthand.

    On the pristine beaches of Zanzibar, Tanzania, Chinese tourists Li Chenguang and his wife, Zhao Xue, marveled at the natural beauty surrounding them. “We can witness the Great Migration in the Serengeti, the azure waters of the Indian Ocean and even the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro,” Zhao exclaimed with excitement.

    Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur International Airport has been bustling as Chinese tourists head to Malaysia for tropical experiences and Malaysian travelers embark on winter adventures in China. “We’re planning to visit Harbin, hike up Changbai Mountain and savor traditional northeastern dishes like Guo Bao Rou (crispy sweet and sour pork),” said Zhou Jinglang, a tour guide of a Malaysian travel agency.

    According to the National Immigration Administration, China recorded 14.37 million cross-border trips during the Spring Festival holiday season, a 6.3 percent increase from a year earlier. About 1 million of these trips were made by foreign nationals, marking a 22.9 percent year-on-year rise.

    Meanwhile, the 2025 Spring Festival holiday has marked a new milestone for China’s thriving film industry, with box office revenue soaring to an unprecedented 9.51 billion yuan (approximately 1.33 billion U.S. dollars) between Jan. 28 and Feb. 4, according to the China Film Administration.

    A staggering 187 million moviegoers flocked to cinemas throughout the holiday week, setting new all-time highs in both box office earnings and audience turnout.

    Released on Jan. 29, the first day of Chinese New Year, Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” has shattered multiple box office records, becoming the first film to cross 1 billion dollars in a single market and the first non-Hollywood title to join the coveted billion-dollar club.

    Customers select newly arrived Chilean cherries at a supermarket in Tianjin, north China, Dec. 26, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Vast business opportunities

    The Spring Festival consumption boom has not only showcased the resilience and vitality of China’s economy but also highlighted the potential for international collaboration. From French dairy products to Chilean cherries, foreign businesses are eager to tap into the vast Chinese market and capitalize on emerging consumer trends.

    “Occitanie has always maintained strong ties with China and recognizes the importance of the Chinese market. With its Shanghai office, the regional agency will continue to support wine, agri-food, and cosmetics companies in entering or expanding in the Chinese market,” said Machabert, the trade official of the Occitanie Region.

    Meanwhile, Herve Lanoe, chief executive officer of French dairy company Fit Group, noted that Chinese consumers are increasingly prioritizing quality and health. “Butter with a protected designation of origin is highly appreciated by our Chinese client,” he said, adding that the company will try to take advantage of this opportunity.

    Over the years, Garces Fruit, Chile’s largest cherry exporter, has been actively expanding its presence in China. “The Chinese market is fundamental for the trade of Chilean cherries,” said Hernan Garces Gazmuri, the export manager of Garces Fruit.

    “It is a clear example of win-win,” said Garces Gazmuri, who settled in China in 2017 and opened an office in 2018. “It produces a lot of employment, from the harvests, the packaging, all this positive dynamic is generated thanks to the Chinese market. This industry does not exist without China.”

    “We want to continue to explore the market, developing e-commerce and boosting our Garces Fruit brand. I think there is a lot to do,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese business delegation visits Kazakhstan for closer cooperation

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

    BEIJING, Feb. 10 — A delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs from the financial, energy, infrastructure and smart equipment sectors embarked on a four-day trip to Kazakhstan on Monday to promote economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, according to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

    The delegation, led by Ren Hongbin, chairman of the CCPIT, includes representatives from more than 30 Chinese enterprises such as CITIC Group, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Sinopec, China National Offshore Oil Corporation, and Sinochem Holdings. During the visit, they plan to sign cooperation documents and promote mutually beneficial outcomes.

    Wu Junli, deputy chief economist with PetroChina Company Limited, a subsidiary of CNPC, said that the energy cooperation between China and Kazakhstan in the oil and gas sector is highly complementary. He noted that his company has established long-term and stable partnerships with Kazakh partners and expressed high expectations for the trip.

    “We hope to engage in in-depth exchanges with logistics enterprises in Kazakhstan and other places in Central Asia through this trip,” Zhu Guangmei, deputy general manager at Beijing Tegene Robots Co., Ltd. said, adding that the company aims to promote the integration of intelligent logistics equipment with the needs of local companies, thereby improving efficiency and achieving win-win outcomes.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union, Coalition Sue Over Elon Musk’s Unprecedented and Illegal Hack of Americans’ Private Data

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    WASHINGTON—A coalition of labor unions representing over 2 million workers filed a federal lawsuit today challenging a data heist carried out by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency inside three federal government departments.

    Six individuals personally harmed by Musk and DOGE’s theft of their private information joined the suit filed by the AFT, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM). Protect Democracy and Munger, Tolles & Olson are counsel to the plaintiffs.

    The suit alleges the Department of Education, the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Treasury improperly disclosed the sensitive records of millions of Americans to DOGE staff who lack appropriate security clearances and have not been properly vetted, and granted access to some of the government’s most sensitive and closely guarded data systems, in violation of the Privacy Act. DOGE employees include a 19-year-old who has previously leaked proprietary information.

    The Privacy Act carefully regulates how agency records about individuals can be shared and disclosures of personal information beyond what the statute authorizes are illegal.

    “Steamrolling into sensitive government record systems has led to a massive data breach that threatens to upend how these critical systems are maintained and seriously compromises the safety and security of personal identifying information for Americans all across the country,” the suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, reads. “It also violates federal law.”

    Plaintiffs include veterans who receive benefit payments, current and former federal employees whose confidential employment files reside in OPM’s system, and teachers whose pathway to the classroom was reliant on student loans to pay for college tuition.

    When Americans interact with the U.S. government, they often entrust federal agencies with sensitive personal information; the suit argues that bond of trust has been broken. The Education Department alone oversees the private information of 43 million student borrowers who hold $1.6 trillion in student debt. Treasury’s system contains records relating to every American who receives (among other things) a tax refund, Social Security benefit, veterans pay, or a federal salary. OPM holds exceedingly sensitive personal information for all 2.3 million federal employees.

    Plaintiffs are asking the court to impose immediate relief that restores the protections of the Privacy Act. They seek injunctive and declaratory relief to ensure that improper disclosures to DOGE representatives stop immediately and that any data currently in DOGE’s possession be immediately deleted and destroyed.

    Enacted in the wake of Watergate, the Privacy Act sought to restore trust in government and to address an existential threat to American democracy.

    “Elon Musk and his minions are stealing Americans’ private personal and financial data in one of the biggest data hacks in U.S. history,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “I suspect no one who voted for Donald Trump thought he would allow Musk permission to invade their privacy. This is a breach of our fundamental freedoms. Right now, inside the Department of Education, the world’s richest man is rifling through 45 million people’s private student loan accounts and feeding the data into artificial intelligence.

    “The department is effectively one of America’s biggest banks—if there was a breach of this magnitude in the private sector, it would rightly be a national scandal. Social Security numbers, financial data, home addresses, and personal demographic data about student borrowers and, in many instances, their parents, spouses or other family members are being illegally vacuumed up by Musk. This lawsuit is being filed to bring an end to his heist before he does irreversible damage to millions more American lives.”

    “The federal government holds in trust vast amounts of data about American citizens, including federal employees and retirees,” said NARFE National President William “Bill” Shackelford. “Without legal guardrails in place to prevent improper use of such data, we risk disclosure to nefarious actors, and abuse by individuals within the government itself, threatening personal liberty and property. The Privacy Act provides those legal guardrails, reflecting a balance between the government’s need to utilize such data for legal purposes and its need to protect against abuse and misuse. Violating the Privacy Act infringes upon individuals’ rights that data held in trust is not misused or abused. NARFE joins this suit to ensure the administration is protecting personal data of federal employees and retirees as required by law.”

    “Government agencies are not private entities that billionaires can simply buy and rummage through,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Congressional oversight, advocacy and voting are how we make government work for us, not reckless takeovers that put the personal data of millions of Americans into the hands of unqualified, unvetted political operatives. It is up to us—the working families of America—to stand up here and now to protect our privacy and our democracy.”

    “The richest person on the planet hacking into confidential and personal information is not only illegal, but also incredibly dangerous,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “Musk and his DOGE operatives have no right to access extremely sensitive information of the American public, particularly federal workers who have been targeted and attacked since inauguration day. It is clear that these unauthorized actors intend to use this illegally acquired data to advance their political agenda and undermine the civil service.”

    ”We’re watching in real time as Trump’s cronies break the law to get access to Americans’ most sensitive and personal data,” said Kristy Parker, Counsel to the plaintiffs at Protect Democracy. “No one should be fooled into thinking they’re doing this for our benefit—to save us money or make our lives better. Their goal is to snoop on vast amounts of Americans’ data and try to use what they find to enrich themselves, reward their allies, and punish their critics.”

    The full complaint can be read here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Senators to Trump: Telling CFPB to Stop Work & Stand Down Puts Consumers & Military Families at Heightened Risk of Being Ripped Off

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – All Americans deserve a strong consumer watchdog to look out for their financial well-being, prevent scams, and hold offenders accountable.  This is especially true for servicemembers, veterans, and their families, who are disproportionally targeted by predatory lenders and abusive mortgage, debt collection, and credit card schemes and often face greater financial risks than civilian borrowers due to the nature of their military service.

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) collects, investigates, and monitors consumer complaints about financial products and services. It provides relief to consumers who have been wronged by unscrupulous financial providers.  Since the agency’s inception, the CFPB has returned over $21 billion back to consumers who have fallen victim to abusive and illegal activity.

    Unfortunately, the Trump Administration’s ill-advised move to shutter the CFPB and idle 2,000 of the bureau’s employees makes consumers more susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive financial practices. Moreover, the Trump Administration’s decision to stop supervision, enforcement, and litigation eliminates key Military Lending Act (MLA) and Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited, according to a leading group of U.S Senators.  The financial and legal protections in these bipartisan laws—most notably a temporary reduction in interest rates on mortgages, credit cards, and auto loans—are critical to national defense and military readiness.  Troops should focus on their service obligations while on active duty, rather than worrying about making ends meet at home.

    After President Trump’s newly-installed acting CFPB Director Russell Vought instructed CFPB staff to suspend nearly all activities, stop supervising financial firms, and ordered employees to “stand down from performing any work task” for at least a week, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today joined with 9 of his Senate colleagues in sounding the alarm and urging the Trump Administration to reverse the order.  The Senators wrote a letter demanding the CFPB must perform its essential work supervising and investigating violations of consumer financial protection laws and taking forceful enforcement actions against scammers and payday lenders.

    “This morning, in your capacity as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), you issued a directive to employees to cease all work without your express written approval.  This includes investigations, supervision, enforcement, and litigation activities, as well as all stakeholder engagement and public communications.  This decision leaves all Americans susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive practices, but in particular, it eliminates protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited,” the 10 Senators wrote.

    In addition to Reed, who helped write the bipartisan MLA and the law creating the Office of Servicemember Affairs at the CFPB to serve as an independent watchdog for military personnel, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Edward Markey (D-MA).

    “Nullifying the MLA and imperiling servicemembers’ rights under the SCRA will degrade military readiness, cost taxpayers money, and tarnish servicemembers’ records.  The Department of Defense (DOD) has stated that “high-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and commanders.”  Morale suffers when servicemembers and their families are trapped in cycles of debt.  And taxpayers are on the hook when our servicemembers leave the military due to avoidable personal issues like financial insecurity.  According to DOD, each separated servicemember costs the Pentagon more than $58,000,” the Senators continued.

    “Accordingly, we request that the CFPB continue to supervise and investigate violations of the consumer financial protection laws and take forceful enforcement actions against lenders that violate the law, especially when it comes to predatory lending that harms our military readiness.  We also request that the CFPB continue to make public communications to consumers, especially to servicemembers regarding the rights that they are owed under the SCRA,” the letter concluded.

    Full text of the letter follows:

    February 10, 2025

    The Honorable Russell Vought, Director                                                                                          

    Office of Management and Budget                                        

    725 17th St. NW                                                                       

    Washington, DC 20303                                                         

    Dear Director Vought:

    This morning, in your capacity as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), you issued a directive to employees to cease all work without your express written approval.  This includes investigations, supervision, enforcement, and litigation activities, as well as all stakeholder engagement and public communications.  This decision leaves all Americans susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive practices, but in particular, it eliminates protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited. 

    This funding, supervision, enforcement, and communications freeze will hit military families especially hard.  Without a functional CFPB, military families will be stripped of their financial protections under the bipartisan Military Lending Act (MLA) that they have earned and deserve by serving our Nation.  The CFPB is the primary agency responsible for supervising and enforcing the MLA against nonbank financial companies, including payday lenders, pawnshops, and debt collectors who have charged servicemembers interest rates as high as 600% and who have threatened to derail their careers if they do not pay up. 

    The agency’s supervision and enforcement program has delivered concrete results for the military.  The CFPB has resolved 39 cases involving harm to servicemembers and veterans, returning $363 million to victims, including six enforcement actions for violations of the MLA.  Two additional MLA cases are currently pending in court, alleging that a pawn shop and an installment lender charged sky high interest rates to military families and engaged in deceptive practices to illegally harvest fees.  With these cases frozen, no supervision, staff locked out, and additional enforcement off the table, unscrupulous lenders will exploit these circumstances to engage in additional predatory lending.  The actions that you have taken since being installed as Acting Director betray our servicemembers and empower scammers who want to rip them off.

    Further, recent CFPB research identified a long-running pattern of lenders failing to decrease servicemembers’ interest rates while on active duty as required by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).  These failures cost servicemembers thousands of dollars per year.  The CFPB’s public communications have held lenders accountable and helped servicemembers exercise their rights under Federal law.

    Nullifying the MLA and imperiling servicemembers’ rights under the SCRA will degrade military readiness, cost taxpayers money, and tarnish servicemembers’ records.  The Department of Defense (DOD) has stated that “high-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and commanders.”  Morale suffers when servicemembers and their families are trapped in cycles of debt.  And taxpayers are on the hook when our servicemembers leave the military due to avoidable personal issues like financial insecurity.  According to DOD, each separated servicemember costs the Pentagon more than $58,000.

    Accordingly, we request that the CFPB continue to supervise and investigate violations of the consumer financial protection laws and take forceful enforcement actions against lenders that violate the law, especially when it comes to predatory lending that harms our military readiness.  We also request that the CFPB continue to make public communications to consumers, especially to servicemembers regarding the rights that they are owed under the SCRA. 

    We request your commitment no later than February 12, 2025.  Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Lankford Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Support Rural Hospitals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    February 10, 2025

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) introduced the bipartisan Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, which would support financially vulnerable rural hospitals facing risk of closure. The legislation would update Medicare’s “Critical Access Hospital” (CAH) designation so more rural hospitals can qualify for this financial lifeline and continue to serve their communities with quality, affordable health care services. Small and rural hospitals are the backbone of their communities, and often the largest employers, contributing nearly $5 billion in direct spending on payroll, goods, and services in Illinois. Yet more than 135 rural hospitals have closed nationwide in the past dozen years, an estimated 50 percent of rural hospitals ran operating losses last year, and more than 400 hospitals are facing closure risk.

    “Rural hospitals are the backbone of the communities in Illinois and across the country, providing essential access points to health care and anchoring the local economy. Yet, many grapple with financial vulnerabilities, and patients across rural Illinois face challenges accessing the health care they need—with too few medical providers and long distances between them. Our bipartisan bill protects rural hospitals from closing and strengthens our commitment to the communities that depend on these essential health providers,” Durbin said. 

    “It is not sustainable or safe for patients in rural Oklahoma and around the nation to be forced to drive hours to get to their nearest hospital,” said Lankford. “Our bill would ensure hospitals serving low-income or rural areas can keep their doors open and continue to serve their communities. There are many areas of health care in our nation that need our attention, but while we continue to work to address them, we cannot leave out our rural communities. Oklahomans should be able to live where they want and still be able to access quality health care.” 

    Under CAH status, hospitals are paid a higher Medicare rate, as long as they have fewer than 25 inpatient beds; are located 35 miles from other hospitals; maintain patient length of stays less than 96 hours; and offer 24/7 emergency care. This elevated federal reimbursement rate is essential for more than 1,300 rural hospitals to serve their communities. 

    The Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act would support and stabilize rural hospitals by providing flexibility around the 35-mile distance requirement and enabling states to certify a hospital as a “necessary provider” in order to obtain CAH designation. This authority ended in 2006, but today’s bill would re-open this financial lifeline for certain rural hospitals that serve a low-income community, are located in a health professional shortage area, and that have operated with negative margins for multiple years. There are currently 51 Critical Access Hospitals in Illinois, and several rural hospitals would newly qualify under this legislation for increased Medicare payments and stabilization. 

    Last Congress, the Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act was supported by the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN), Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA), and National Rural Health Association (NRHA).

      

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Supporting farmers to ‘meat’ global food demand

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay today hosted a Lamb barbecue to mark National Lamb Day (15 February 2025) for farmers, industry representatives, MPs, and media at Parliament.  

    “As we celebrate National Lamb Day, parliament honours the legacy of early sector pioneers and acknowledges the hard work and resilience of our farmers, processors, and exporters — your dedication ensures that New Zealand’s red meat sector remains world leading and ready to grow,” Mr McClay says.

    “Agriculture is the backbone of New Zealand’s economy, with sheep and beef farmers alone contributing over $10 billion in exports to the economy last year. This is equal to $3,300 in income for every Kiwi household. 

    “The sector isn’t just crucial to our goal of doubling exports by value in ten years — it also supports 76,000 jobs across New Zealand and is leading the way in sustainable farming.

    The Government’s agricultural team, of Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard, Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson and Associate Minister of Agriculture Nicola Grigg, are laser focused on getting costs down and returning more value to the farm gate.

    Farmers have done it tough over the last few years with significant weather events and challenging commodity prices, but as farmer confidence rises there are real signs of green shoots ahead including: 

    • A lift in sheepmeat prices over recent months, with December lamb prices exceeding the five-year average,
    • Record high cattle prices, and
    • Rising demand from key red meat markets.

    “Looking ahead, we are focused on new growth opportunities for lamb and red meat, particularly in the Middle East. The recent trade agreements with the United Arab of Emirates (UAE) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will eliminate 99 per cent of all tariffs over time.

    “Kiwi farmers are the best in the world, and we are committed to supporting a future where New Zealand lamb continues to be celebrated and enjoyed on tables world-wide.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: F&M Bank Welcomes Peter Schork as Regional President for Toledo, Ohio & Southeast Michigan

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ARCHBOLD, Ohio, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — F&M Bank (“F&M”), an Archbold, Ohio-based bank owned by Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO) announced that Peter Schork has joined F&M as Regional President of the Toledo, Ohio, and Southeastern Michigan regions.

    Lars Eller, President and CEO of F&M stated, “As a proven community banker, Peter brings a wealth of experience to F&M. His leadership, deep market knowledge, and commitment to building strong relationships will be an invaluable resource to F&M as we continue to grow and serve our communities. We look forward to the impact he will make in driving success for our customers, employees, and stakeholders.”

    In his new role, Peter will oversee F&M’s presence in the Toledo, Ohio, and Birmingham, Michigan markets, including offices in Waterville, Swanton, Perrysburg, Sylvania, and Downtown Toledo, as well as F&M’s Loan Production Office in Troy and its Birmingham, Michigan location.

    Peter brings over 25 years of banking and financial experience to F&M. Prior to joining the Company, he served as the Ann Arbor President for Oxford Bank and co-founded the Ann Arbor State Bank serving as its President and CEO. In addition to his community bank experience, Peter was the CFO at Catalyst Commercial Real Estate, and the President of a Michigan-based title, mortgage, and real estate company. In addition to his business experience, Peter is a proud supporter of various community organizations. Currently, he serves on the Michigan Theater Board of Trustees, is a member of the Ray and Eleanor Cross Foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor and is a Board Member and Treasurer for the Homeless/Unhoused Mission. Peter holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) with a specialization in Finance from Eastern Michigan University.

    About F&M Bank:
    F&M Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. F&M Bank provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Butler, Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and we have Loan Production Offices in Troy, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, Ohio.

    Safe harbor statement
    Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

    __________________________________________

    Company Contact: Investor and Media Contact:
    Lars B. Eller
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc.
    (419) 446-2501
    leller@fm.bank    		 Andrew M. Berger
    Managing Director
    SM Berger & Company, Inc.
    (216) 464-6400
    andrew@smberger.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e11179be-cf20-449e-9416-ca1e8ff1fd2f

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock Issues Statement on CFBP Shutting Down Following Orders from Trump Administration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock Issues Statement on CFBP Shutting Down Following Orders from Trump Administration

    Last Congress, Senator Reverend Warnock chaired the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection, which oversaw the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

    Senator Reverend Warnock successfully pushed CFPB to remove medical debt from credit scores, impact 12% of Georgians with medical debt

    In partnership with Senator Reverend Warnock, CFPB addressed 266,560 complaints from Georgians, including 20,168 from servicemembers in the state

    Senator Reverend Warnock: “Georgians I speak to every day don’t have the financial flexibility of the world’s richest man, many of them only have a few hundred dollars in their bank account. Those are the Georgians who will suffer from CFPB’s closure”

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), former chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection, issued the following statement on the closure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB):

    “The Trump Administration is trying to squeeze the voices of the people out of our democracy so those in power can create more wealth for people like themselves. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is their latest target.”

    “This reckless action will hurt millions of Georgians and Americans across the country. The CFPB has been an eager partner in our work to protect working-class Americans from fraud, scams, and predatory companies. Fighting on behalf of consumers from mortgages and student loans to medical debt and junk fees, CFPB has returned billions to the public.”

    “Georgians I speak to every day don’t have the financial flexibility of the world’s richest man, many of them only have a few hundred dollars in their bank account. Those are the Georgians who will suffer from the CFPB’s closure. I will remain laser-focused on doing everything I can to protect the financial security of Georgians and committed to making sure the protections secured by CFPB aren’t rolled back.”

    Last Congress, Senator Warnock worked extensively with CFPB Chair, Rohit Chopra, to return funds and protect Georgians from future financial hardship, including:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Push Back on DOGE’s Interference into Departments of Education, Treasury and Access to Payments Systems for Millions of Americans 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Push Back on DOGE’s Interference into Departments of Education, Treasury and Access to Payments Systems for Millions of Americans 

    In two separate efforts this week, Senator Reverend Warnock demanded answers into the “Department” of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employees’ data collection practices and access to federal agencies

    The letters are part of an ongoing effort by several lawmakers to push back against the efforts of the Trump Administration and its billionaire allies to gut the federal government

    The letters follow Senator Reverend Warnock’s nearly hour-long speech on the Senate floor opposing Russell Vought’s nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

    ICYMI from the New York Times: Senate Democrats Demand Clarity About Musk’s Efforts at Education Dept.

    Washington, D.C. — Earlier this week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined two efforts to push back against the “Department” of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to personal information and sensitive government data. 

    “If you want to know who Donald Trump is working for, look at who he’s surrounding himself with. The likes of Elon Musk, the billionaire, the richest man in the world who is now telling the rest of us that we need to tighten our belts. How quaint,” said Senator Reverend Warnock during his Wednesday floor speech.

    The first letter, authored by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), was sent to Acting Secretary of the Department of Education (ED), Denise Carter, launching a probe into recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education and that “DOGE staffers have gained access to federal student loan data, which includes personal information for millions of borrowers.”

    “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information,” wrote the senators.

    In the second letter, addressed to Senate Banking and Finance committee Chairs, Tim Scott (R-SC) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) respectively, Senator Warnock joined 16 other Senate Democrats in calling for an immediate hearing to examine the reports that officials associated with the DOGE have gained access to systems that control millions of payments to American citizens.

    “Putting this system in the hands of unaccountable political actors raises significant economic and national security risks. Information in these systems is critical to the Department’s management of the national debt. The takeover by Mr. Musk and his associates was achieved by engineering the ouster of a key official responsible for managing the extraordinary measures the Department has been taking to avoid a default. A misstep with these payment systems could lead to a technical default with a wide range of devastating consequences, from seniors missing Social Security payments to a global financial meltdown that costs trillions of dollars and millions of jobs,” wrote the Senators.

    The letter to acting DOE Secretary Denise Carter can be viewed HERE.

    The letter to Ranking Members Scott and Crapo can be viewed HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Colleagues Launch Probe Into DOGE’s Access to Sensitive Student Loan Data and Interference With Education Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Colleagues Launch Probe Into DOGE’s Access to Sensitive Student Loan Data and Interference With Education Department

    Musk’s team may have obtained access to personal information of millions of borrowers; raises concerns about violations of the law and failure to protect sensitive information

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and 13 of their Senate colleagues in launching a probe into recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education and gained access to federal student loan data, which includes millions of borrowers’ personal information.

    According to public reporting, “a handful of 19-to-24-year-old engineers linked to Musk’s companies, with unclear titles, could be bypassing regular security protocols” during DOGE’s infiltration of federal agencies. The Senators also raised concerns that the access provided to DOGE-affiliated staff by the Department may violate the Privacy Act, which generally prohibits the disclosure of such information. The University of California Student Association, which represents thousands of California students, sued the Department on Friday, voicing similar concerns regarding the sharing of private student information.

    There are over 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States, including approximately 4 million in California, the most of any state. The Department of Education’s student loan database contains millions of borrowers’ highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, marital status, and income data.

    “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information,” wrote the Senators.

    “We are especially troubled by this reporting given President Trump’s stated pledge to abolish the Department,” continued the Senators. “The millions of families who rely on [the Education Department] to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information.”

    Additional reporting suggests that DOGE has “fed sensitive data from across the Education Department into artificial intelligence software to probe the agency’s programs and spending.”

    In addition to Senators Padilla, Warren, and Schumer, the letter was also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The 16 senators requested answers from Acting Education Secretary Denise Carter about DOGE’s access to federal student loan data and any other sensitive databases by February 13, 2025.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Acting Secretary Carter:

    We write regarding recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education (ED or the Department) and that “DOGE staffers have gained access to federal student loan data, which includes personal information for millions of borrowers.”

    The federal government’s student loan database contains highly sensitive information for millions of borrowers, including Social Security Numbers, marital status, and income information. Each year, 13 million students receive federal financial aid; there are over 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States. It is not at all clear that DOGE officials meet the strict criteria that would allow them to access this sensitive information protected by federal law—or whether DOGE officials have gained access to other sensitive ED databases as part of their efforts to “reform” the agency.

    This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information. According to public reporting, “a handful of 19-to-24-year-old engineers linked to Musk’s companies, with unclear titles, could be bypassing regular security protocols” in DOGE’s takeover of federal agencies. The access provided to DOGE-affiliated staff by the Department may also violate the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, which, absent permission from the affected individuals, generally prohibits the disclosure of such information and requires agencies to follow rules of conduct and maintain systems with appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards.

    We are especially troubled by this reporting given President Trump’s stated pledge to abolish the Department. Efforts to abolish the Department have sparked fear and uncertainty for students, families, and teachers across the country who rely on the agency for critical financial aid, loans, grants, and other assistance. The millions of families who rely on ED to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information. Accordingly, we ask that you answer the following questions by February 13, 2025:

    1. Have Mr. Musk and his team been provided access to the National Student Loan Data System or other databases with sensitive federal student loan data? If so:
      • Please list all individuals who have gained access to borrowers’ personal data. What are these individuals’ job titles and responsibilities? Are they federal government employees? What is the nature of their service (e.g., Special Government Employee, Competitive Service, Senior Executive Service)?
      • What procedures were followed in giving these individuals access? Did the individuals who were granted access to these systems have appropriate authorization and clearances?
      • What data can these individuals access?
      • Do these individuals have the ability to download or copy data or to modify programs or systems for maintaining and analyzing data?
      • Who decided to give these individuals access?
      • What was the rationale for granting these individuals access?
    2. Please describe what safeguards are in place to ensure that federal student loan data is not misused.
      • What safeguards and procedures are in place to protect borrowers’ personal data?
      • Did the Department and DOGE officials follow these safeguards and procedures?
      • What safeguards and procedures are in place to protect borrower’s data privacy within the rest of the federal student aid system and ensure that DOGE staffers do not interfere with the timely disbursement of federal aid?
    3. Have Mr. Musk and his team been provided access to any other sensitive databases managed by the Education Department? If so:
      • Please list and describe all those databases.
      • Please list all individuals who have gained access to those databases. What are these individuals’ job titles and responsibilities? Are they federal government employees? What is the nature of their service (e.g., Special Government Employee, Competitive Service, Senior Executive Service)?
      • What procedures were followed in giving these individuals access? Did the individuals who were granted access to these systems have appropriate authorization and clearances?
      • What data can these individuals access?
      • Do these individuals have the ability to download or copy data or to modify programs or systems for maintaining and analyzing data?
      • Who decided to give these individuals access?
      • What was the rationale for granting these individuals access?

    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting Orkney’s farmers and food producers

    Source: Scottish Government

    Plans for new abattoir get funding boost.

    Orkney’s farmers, crofters and producers could benefit from a new local abattoir which will help them bring their produce to market, benefit the island’s economy and support high-welfare meat production.

    First Minister John Swinney visited Orkney Auction Mart, which has received a £15,000 grant as a lead partner to help build the business case for a new, fit-for-purpose processing plant.

    The funding is part of the Scottish Government’s Small Producers Pilot Fund, which this year has provided a total of £256,500 to support private kill abattoirs including in Shetland, Wishaw, Barra, Dingwall and Mull.

    By creating more localised supply chains, the Fund aims to increase the proportion of food grown and processed by small farms and small holders, and consumed within the community.

    The First Minister said:

    “The Scottish Government is committed to supporting small producers and strengthening Scotland’s food supply chain. We know that local marts and abattoirs play an important role in supporting island businesses and ensuring the best animal welfare.

     “A new facility in Orkney would bring many benefits for the people who live and work here, supporting economic growth in the area and the future sustainability of the island’s food production industry.  We will continue to work with HIE and the Orkney Islands Council as the project develops.”

    Chair of Orkney Auction Mart Alan Corrigall said:

    “We were delighted to welcome the First Minister to Orkney to explain, first hand, how vital a new abattoir is for our community. Our case has been well received and we very much welcome the Scottish Government’s support.  We’re looking forward to working in partnership with local butchers and other stakeholders, to build a strong business case for this important project.”

    Background

    Supporting Scotland’s small producers – gov.scot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 10,000 more apprentices as Government slashes red tape to boost growth  

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Shorter and flexible apprenticeships and new English and maths requirements to boost skills and support employers  

    Up to 10,000 more apprentices will be able to qualify per year as the government cuts red tape to boost economic growth by giving employers more flexibility over maths and English requirements. 

    Rules slowing down the training of workers in key industries like construction will also be changed as the government reveals plans to turbocharge growth industries with reduced bureaucracy for apprenticeships and new leadership also appointed for Skills England.  

    Leading employers have been calling for these changes. Businesses will now be able to decide whether adult learners over the age of 19 when they start their apprenticeship course will need to complete a level 2 English and maths qualification (equivalent to GCSE) in order to pass it. This means more learners can qualify in high demand sectors such as healthcare, social care and construction, helping to drive growth and meet government targets in key areas such as housebuilding.

    This could mean as many as 10,000 more apprentices per year will be able to complete their apprenticeship, unlocking opportunity in communities all over the country and breaking the link between background and success. It does not mean that apprentices won’t be assessed on core English and maths skills relevant to their occupation, but it does mean that apprentices will be able to focus more on their paid work.

    The minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months, down from the current minimum of 12 months.

    Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson said:  

    Growing the economy and opportunity for all are fundamental Missions of our Plan for Change, and we are determined to support apprentices throughout this National Apprenticeship Week and beyond.

    Businesses have been calling out for change to the apprenticeship system and these reforms show that we are listening. Our new offer of shorter apprenticeships and less red tape strikes the right balance between speed and quality, helping achieve our number one mission to grow the economy. 

    Skills England will be a major driver in addressing the skills gaps needed to support employers up and down the country and I look forward to working with the new leadership.

    Craig Beaumont, Executive Director, Federation of Small Businesses said:  

    It’s encouraging to see Government shorten the length of apprenticeships, and give employers the right to decide whether Level 2 English and Maths is needed. These flexibilities should help SME employers fill skills gaps faster.

    These announcements come as the Education Secretary kicked off National Apprenticeship Week yesterday, which celebrates the achievements of apprentices around the country and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.  

    The plans also follow the Prime Minister’s announcement in October, when he pledged to reform the new growth and skills offer to ensure young people are better supported.   

    Three trailblazer apprenticeships in key shortage occupations will look to pioneer the new shorter apprenticeship approach, with apprentices in green energy, healthcare and film/TV production set to be able to take on these new courses.   

    Changes to the minimum length of an apprenticeship will be introduced from August 2025 subject to the legislative timetable, with changes to English and maths requirements coming into effect immediately. This will be hugely beneficial to employers in sectors like construction which have an urgent need for qualified workers, helping to meet the government’s mission to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament.   

    The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has also announced that Phil Smith CBE will chair Skills England, the new nationwide body for skills, with Sir David Bell serving as Vice Chair. Tessa Griffiths and Sarah Maclean will jointly serve as CEO, while Gemma Marsh will serve as Deputy CEO. 

    Phil Smith is the former chair and CEO of international tech and telecoms giant Cisco. He brings extensive industry experience in digital, tech and innovation leadership and his appointment signals the seriousness of the government’s plan for growth, unlocked via a national vision for skills.   

    Sir David Bell has four decades of experience in the education and skills sector and is currently Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland  

    Phil Smith CBE said:

    I know from my time in industry how valuable direct engagement from employers can be in shaping government policy. 

    We need a dynamic skills system that can drive economic growth, and I’m excited to be involved in shaping Skills England as part of that.

    Sir David Bell said:   

    I look forward to working with Phil Smith, other colleagues in Skills England, and the Department for Education to help deliver economic growth and meet the nation’s skills needs. 

    I know from my experience in public policy and higher education that providing the skilled workforce which Britain requires depends on industry, government and education organisations working together. I am very confident therefore that Skills England will provide the strategic oversight to make that happen.

    Skills England will bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions of England. More than 700 stakeholders have already been engaged through roundtables, webinars and engagement events. 

    It will work with employers, national, regional and local government, providers, and unions to identify skills shortages and provide strong strategic direction for the skills system.  

    One of Skills England’s first orders of business will be to identify which apprenticeships would be best served by the shorter duration approach. Skills England will prioritise key shortage occupations as per the industrial strategy, helping to boost growth under our Plan for Change.   

    Euan Blair MBE, founder and CEO, Multiverse said: 

    This important announcement will do so much to widen and expand access to apprenticeships and should be welcomed as a move to put our skills system at the heart of the growth Mission. For years this requirement has created an artificial barrier between apprenticeships and those who could benefit from them, including young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and older workers whose roles are at risk of job displacement, while often diluting the quality and purpose of an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are about giving as many people as possible the ability to improve their career prospects and contribute meaningfully to their employers: this move helps to underline that focus.

    Sharon Blyfield, Head of Early Careers at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, said:

    At Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, we believe that the inclusion of functional skills as an exit for apprenticeships have often hindered many people from reaching their full potential. The announced changes will help make apprenticeships a more viable option to more people, not only new recruits but also for our current employees who missed out on these skills during their school years. These changes will enable them to successfully complete their apprenticeships without added barriers, which is brilliant news.

    Alex Hall-Chen Principal Policy Advisor, Sustainability, Skills, and Employment said:

    Apprenticeships are a vital tool in tackling the UK’s persistent skills shortages, and this announcement is a welcome step in removing unnecessary barriers to increasing apprenticeship numbers. 

    Research with IoD members clearly showed that giving employers flexibility when it comes to English and Maths qualifications for adult apprentices has the potential to unlock more apprenticeship opportunities. 

    Employers are well-placed to judge whether English and Maths qualifications are the most appropriate route to evidence or develop the literacy and numeracy skills needed for success in the given career path.

    Chris Bailey, Starbucks UK Early Careers Manager said:

    Starbucks UK welcomes the announcement around relaxing the requirements of functional skills for learners 19yrs+. Removing this significant barrier will support our commitment to enrolling more apprentices, particularly those who may have previously faced challenges with functional skills assessments. By embracing this change we can empower more of our Partners to gain valuable recognised qualifications, develop their skills, and progress within Starbucks and their careers.

    Lisa Pinfield, Group Director of Performance & Development, Capita said: 

    Making Functional Skills requirements more flexible for apprenticeships will open doors for more adult learners, especially those from diverse backgrounds. By removing unnecessary barriers, employers can welcome a wider pool of talented apprentices who bring valuable skills and experience. This change will help businesses grow, support social mobility, and give more people the chance to succeed through apprenticeships.

    Jo Rackham, Executive Director of People of the John Lewis Partnership, said:

    Apprenticeships help us build and retain the skills we need to deliver brilliant service to our customers and power our growth. They’ve helped 5,000 employees, or as we’re called Partners, progress in their careers since 2017.

    We welcome the relaxation in functional skills requirements. It’s an important step towards the reform needed to help more people access apprenticeships.  Gaining GCSE Maths and English qualifications can be a significant barrier to starting or completing one and we believe it will help more disadvantaged people, including those who leave the care system or those with learning disabilities, make a career for themselves.

    Matthew Percival, Future of Work and Skills Director, CBI said:

    Apprenticeships have an important role to play in building the skills for growth. Greater flexibility on minimum length and on English and Maths requirements will help businesses to offer more workers the opportunity to add to their skills.

    DfE media enquiries

    Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-backed AI companies to transform British cancer care and spark new drug breakthroughs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    New AI models to diagnose and treat cancer and other incurable diseases will be made possible thanks to joint public-private investment giving flexible funding to British AI firms and researchers.

    £82 million for 3 UK research projects Match-funding for European compute partnership.

    • £82.6 million in new flexible forms of research funding to support UK companies tackling cancer and accelerating drug discovery using AI and more
    • Collaboration between British and European experts on AI and High-Performance Computing gets match-funding boost
    • Backing for both these schemes shows the UK’s commitment to seizing the potential of new technologies like AI, to drive forward the Plan for Change

    The UK government is today (Tuesday 11 February) unveiling £82.6 million in new flexible forms of research funding, plus a new commitment to give UK researchers access to cutting-edge computing resources as part of a plan to unlock the power of AI.  

    Two of the three projects benefiting from this support, which is helping to pioneer new ways of conducting research, will harness the power of AI to develop treatments and diagnostics for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

    Coming as day two of the AI Action Summit gets underway, this is the latest evidence of the government’s commitment to seizing the potential of new technologies like AI to drive forward the Plan for Change, delivering economic growth and progress in key fields like health. 

    The government is putting £37.9 million backing behind three innovative British research projects, the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme. Together with a further £44.7 million in co-investment across the three projects, from other sources, this makes for a total £82.6 million backing. 

    The RVC programme is delivering novel ways of funding groundbreaking research, such as endowments, which are flexible and reflect the real needs of cutting-edge innovators. Too often, inflexible funding has been a barrier to some of the most innovative and creative research or has been an obstacle to new innovative businesses looking to scale-up. The RVC programme will support pioneering work training AI on the NHS’s vast pool of cancer data, drug discovery research, and more. 

    Today also sees the government expand UK involvement in the European High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC) Joint Undertaking by committing £7.8 million to fund UK researchers and businesses’ participation in EuroHPC research. This will mean British AI and high-performance computing researchers can work unobstructed with their peers across Europe. International collaboration and broad access to computational resources will be key to unlocking the benefits AI promises to deliver across society and the economy.

    These announcements come on the final day of the AI Action Summit in France, where world leaders and AI companies have been holding a series of talks focused on the opportunities the technology can deliver for communities across the globe. The opportunities of AI are an area the UK government has placed a heavy focus on to kickstart 2025 – unveiling a new blueprint with 50 proposals in January which will spark a decade of national renewal. 

    Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle said: 

    The focus of this Summit has been on how we can put AI to work in the public interest, and today’s announcements are living proof of how the UK is leading that charge through our Plan for Change.  

    We’ve already set out a bold new blueprint for AI which will help to spark a decade of national renewal, and key to that plan is supporting our expert researchers and businesses with the support they need to drive forward their game-changing innovations. 

    Today, we open new avenues for them to do exactly that – building bridges with our international partners so the entire global community can share in the boundless opportunities of AI-powered progress and backing new innovative companies applying AI to tackle real-world challenges.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    NHS innovation saved my life when I was diagnosed with cancer and treated by a world-class surgeon equipped with a robot. I want more patients to benefit from this kind of groundbreaking treatment, and AI will be central to our efforts.

    This new funding is another step to unlock the enormous potential of AI for cancer research and drug discovery – ensuring more patients like me experience the highest quality care.

    AI will help us speed up diagnoses, cut waiting times for patients and free up staff, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift the NHS from analogue to digital.

    EuroHPC is a high-powered compute partnership which pools EU resources with those of participating states. Businesses and researchers will now be supported to participate in EuroHPC research grants in the development of supercomputers and in their deployment to tackle the most pressing scientific challenges, working in tandem with like-minded partners on the continent. UKRI will work with businesses and researchers to support them to apply for grants where match-funding is available.   

    The three projects being supported by the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme. 

    PharosAI

    £18.9 million government funding plus £24.7 million co-investment. PharosAI, whose King’s College London site is being visited by AI Minister Clark today, will bring together decades of NHS and Biobank data and host it on a unified, powerful, secure, AI platform. This will revolutionise cancer care by accelerating the development of the next generation of AI models which will deliver new breakthroughs for diagnosing and treating the disease – transforming outcomes for patients and saving lives. 

    Professor Anita Grigoriadis, Professor of Molecular and Digital Pathology at King’s College London, CEO of PharosAI said:  

    AI has the potential to revolutionise cancer care. The UK has a real opportunity to be a major innovator, leading to faster diagnosis, novel and more targeted cancer treatments, and better-informed healthcare for patients. PharosAI will democratise cancer AI and create an ecosystem to navigate the path to AI-powered precision medicine. Thanks to the RVC programme, we will build an unique operational approach between King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Barts Health Trust and industry partners. Our innovative collaboration will accelerate scientific breakthroughs and bring vastly improved cancer care to tomorrow’s patients.

    Bind Research

    £12.9 million government funding plus £12.9 million co-investment. The team at Bind Research meanwhile will tap into AI to learn the rules of drugging currently undruggable proteins, offering hope to cure diseases that were once thought to be untreatable. It will do this by targeting disordered proteins associated with various diseases which could unlock scores of new avenues for treatment – potentially giving thousands of patients across the country a new lifeline. 

    Dr Gabi Heller, Dr Thomas Löhr, and Dr Gogulan Karunanithy, scientific co-founders, Bind Research said:

    The Research Ventures Catalyst Programme has been a game changer for Bind Research. It allowed us to reimagine our approach by adopting a not-for-profit Focused Research Organisation model – a strategy that, until now, was largely uncharted territory in the UK. This innovative structure enables us to harness collective expertise to deliver AI-enhanced tools and datasets as public goods to advance our mission of making disordered proteins druggable for everyone.

    MEMetic

    £6.1 million government funding plus £7.1 million co-investment. MEMetic will receive funding for work to revolutionise water management by combining nature’s highly evolved solutions with state-of-the-art polymer chemistry. This will support them to develop new solutions in a range of fields from lithium recovery in battery recycling, to facilitating clean water access – helping the world tackle the climate crisis. 

    Professor Alan Goddard and Dr Matthew Derry, Aston University said: 

    MEMetic represents the culmination of years of planning a significant, challenging, interdisciplinary research program which promises massive real-world benefits. This RVC award will allow us to leverage our fundamental science to create bespoke bioinspired filtration membranes for a range of industries. Such research really requires long term funding which is set up to take research to an applied setting and the Research Venture we envisage perfectly matches our philanthropic aims for water treatment for all.

    Notes to editors

    PharosAI is a joint venture between King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and Barts Health NHS Trust. 

    MEMetic is led by researchers at the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence at Aston University.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: MIL Analysis – Five best articles in Russian for 10.02.2025

    MIL Analysis: Here are the top five Russian language articles published today. The analysis consists of five articles that are prioritized at the moment.

    Today’s analysis provides us with economic performance and engagement with different communities. There is also a trend towards respect for human rights. The economy in China is growing and prospering.

    Education is increasing computerization skills and introducing artificial intelligence.

    “Samaraneftegaz” shows the innovative activities of Rosneft. Oil reserves have grown. In addition, science is developing day by day, so NSU scientists have developed a technique for measuring ultra-low concentrations of radioactive substances.

    Below you can read one of the articles.

    1. Financial news: Rules for managing conflicts of interest for NPFs.

    Non-state pension funds (NPFs) will be required to identify and manage conflicts of interest. Funds will be able to allow conflicts to arise only if they have notified their clients and their rights are not violated. The Ministry of Justice of Russia has registered the corresponding decree of the Bank of Russia.

    2. Cultural Code of the Celestial Empire: How to Do Business in China.

    Higher School of Economics

    By 2035, China will overtake the US in terms of GDP and become the world’s largest economy. Today, there are over 108 million entrepreneurs and 50 million industrial enterprises in this country. Last year, the economy grew by 4.8%. This opens up unique opportunities for Russian companies. Vysshka experts tell us how to enter one of the most promising markets.

    3. Vyshka launches advanced training course on AI in education.

    The Computer Science Department of the National Research University Higher School of Economics is launching an advanced training course on artificial intelligence in education. The program is designed for educators, teachers, methodologists planning to integrate AI technologies into the educational process, as well as for management teams of educational institutions interested in improving educational processes through the introduction of AI.

    4. “Samaraneftegaz replenished oil reserves by 180%.

    “Samaraneftegaz (part of Rosneft’s oil production complex) added 19 million tons of commercial oil reserves by the end of 2024, which made it possible to replenish oil production 1.8 times.

    5. NSU scientists have developed a methodology for determining ultra-low concentrations of radioactive substances.

    Scientists of the Physics Department of Novosibirsk State University have developed a technique for measuring ultra-small concentrations of radioactive substances whose decay is accompanied by gamma radiation. Data collection is carried out using a detector made of ultrapure germanium, which is part of the equipment of the NSU Interdepartmental Laboratory of Atomic Physics and Spectrometry; a special hardware and software system has been created for data processing. The first project implemented with the use of this technique is research work to determine the level of radioactive substances (radon) in the soil of mines and coal mines in the Kemerovo region.

    Learn more about MIL’s content and data services by visiting milnz.co.nz.

    Regards MIL!

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Securing regional banking services

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    The Albanese Government has secured commitments from the banks to ensure banking services remain available in the regions.

    Banks have a responsibility to regional communities and we’re holding them to it.

    We are making sure bank branches stay open in the bush.

    Since 2017, 36 per cent of bank branches in regional Australia have closed and we are taking action to arrest this decline in regional banking services.

    The Albanese Government governs for the whole country and we take our responsibilities to the regions seriously.

    We are standing up for regional Australians, helping to secure the banking services they need and deserve.

    More than banking, this is about keeping regional communities, that contribute so much to our national economy, connected and thriving.

    People are increasingly using digital banking and payment methods, but face-to-face services remain essential, particularly for people and small businesses in regional areas, where digital alternatives may not always be accessible or meet their needs.

    The package of commitments from the banks includes:

    • A moratorium on branch closures for two and half years: NAB has committed to a new moratorium on regional branch closures, with CBA and Westpac extending their existing moratoriums. These commitments build on the conditions imposed by the Government on ANZ and Suncorp and ensure no regional branch closures by these banks before 31 July 2027; and
    • New Bank@Post agreements: The Government has asked the banking sector to increase its commitment to and investment in regional banking.

    Following discussions with the Government and Australia Post, CBA, NAB and Westpac have all reached new in-principle Bank@Post agreements, and ANZ has agreed key terms on which it will join the service.  

    These new agreements will shore up the financial outlook for Bank@Post and provide greater certainty and choice to banking customers, particularly in rural and regional areas.

    The Government also welcomes the decision by Macquarie and HSBC to start negotiations with Australia Post on Bank@Post services.

    The Government’s work and consultation on longer-term options including other steps flagged at the end of last year will continue in the meantime.  

    The Government will continue to work with regulators, industry and communities to ensure our regions have access to fit-for purpose and sustainable banking services over the long term. 

    This includes a focus on sustainable cash distribution and ensuring Australians can use cash to pay for essentials if they want or need to.

    The Albanese Government will continue to stand up for the regions as part of building Australia’s future. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: First National Bank Alaska named top ten bank in America by Forbes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Forbes selected Alaska’s largest community bank, First National Bank Alaska, as one of the top ten banks in the country for their annual list America’s Best Banks. First National ranked sixth in the nation and was the only bank in Alaska to make the list.

    The global media company evaluates 11 metrics, including growth, credit quality, profitability and stock performance.

    “We are honored to receive this recognition,” said First National Board Chair and CEO/President Betsy Lawer. “I want to extend my gratitude to our customers and congratulate the more than 600 local employees who provide excellent customer service every day. Being ranked as one of the top ten banks in America by Forbes is a reflection of employee dedication to helping fellow Alaskans succeed.”

    Alaska’s community bank since 1922, First National Bank Alaska proudly meets the financial needs of Alaskans with ATMs and 28 locations in 19 communities throughout the state, and by providing banking services to meet their needs across the nation and around the world.

    In 2024, Alaska Business readers voted First National “Best of Alaska Business” in the Best Place to Work category for the ninth year in a row, Best Bank/Credit Union for the fourth time running, and Best Customer Service. The bank was also voted “Best of Alaska” in 2024 in the Anchorage Daily News awards, ranking as one of the top three in the Bank/Financial category for the sixth year in a row. American Banker again recognized First National as a “Best Bank to Work For” in 2024, for the seventh consecutive year.

    For more than a century, the bank has been committed to supporting the communities it serves. In 2024, for the eighth consecutive reporting period, over a span of twenty-four years, First National received an Outstanding Community Reinvestment Act performance rating from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Our dedicated team strives to provide exceptional customer service to meet the banking needs of our fellow Alaskans to help shape a brighter tomorrow.

    First National Bank Alaska is a Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, and recognized as a Minority Depository Institution by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, as it is majority-owned by women.

    CONTACT: Marketing
    (907) 777-3409

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Trump’s unnecessary stand on plastic straws ignores American Health Crisis

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Washington, D.C. (February 10, 2025)—In response to President Trump’s plan to revoke the Biden Administration’s directive to phase out plastic straw use across the federal government, Lisa Ramsden, Greenpeace USA’s senior plastics campaigner said: “Donald Trump’s Executive Order on plastic straws is a distraction from his administration’s efforts to prevent the EPA, the FDA and the NIH from protecting Americans from microplastics and dangerous chemicals. Once again, President Trump is pretending to be a populist while siding with his Big Oil buddies over the public interest. The majority of Americans – Democrats and Republicans – want action to cut plastic pollution and protect our health.

    “Plastics contain more than 16,000 chemicals, with over 3,200 known to cause cancer, disrupt hormones, contribute to obesity, or trigger early puberty in children. These chemicals have also been linked to reproductive health problems and declining fertility. So while the administration feigns concerns for Americans’ health and the declining birth rate, policies like this are exacerbating a public health crisis that drains over $250 billion from our economy annually.”

    Contact: Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA, [email protected]  

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Geopolitical, Environmental, Socioeconomic Crises Threatening Development Gains, Under-Secretary-General Tells Commission for Social Development

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Global solidarity is more essential than ever to address poverty, hunger, inequality and other pressing challenges facing humanity, speakers emphasized today at the opening of the 2025 annual session of the Commission for Social Development, calling for increased investment in social protection to meet these urgent needs.

    “We must step up our efforts and confront these challenges and development gaps, with determination and a collective resolve,” said Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.  He noted that geopolitical, environmental and socioeconomic crises — compounded by megatrends like digital transformation and aging populations — threaten hard-won development gains, jeopardizing solidarity, social inclusion and social cohesion.

    “We must reverse these trends,” urged Philémon Yang (Cameroon), President of the General Assembly, adding:  “When every $1 invested in social protection yields $3 of return, measured in improved health and productivity — we literally have everything to gain.  It offers our best shot to ensure we leave no one behind”.

    The Commission — established in 1946 by the Economic and Social Council as one of its functional organs — advises the United Nations on social development issues.  Its sixty-third session will run through 14 February under the priority theme:  “Strengthening solidarity, social inclusion and social cohesion to accelerate the delivery of the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development as well as the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

    In his introductory remarks, Bob Rae (Canada), President of the Economic and Social Council, stressed the importance of leaving no one behind and expressed deep concern about a high level of unemployment among young people:  “If young people can’t get their foot on the ladder, it creates a huge range of social problems.”  Developing an international legal instrument on the rights of older people could strengthen efforts to shift perceptions about old people and ageism and help understand what more can be done to allow them to become and remain active participants in their societies.  Moreover, he stressed the need to address the challenges faced by people with disabilities, which “we have not made anywhere near the progress that we need to make”.

    Liana Almony, Chair of the NGO (non-governmental organization) Committee for Social Development, demanded modifying certain sociocultural patterns and norms to eliminate stigma, prejudices and stereotypes.  “Vulnerable and marginalized individuals face social injustice, discrimination and exclusion in many, if not all, aspects of their everyday lives,” she said, adding:  “Legal recognition and identity play a critical role to ensure the global community upholds its promise of leaving no one behind.”

    Judy Kipkenda, Co-Chair of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, speaking on behalf of global youth constituents, put forward several recommendations to the Commission, including empowering youth-led organizations and providing funding, technical support, and platforms for youth-led initiatives that address social and economic challenges.  “By investing in youth, promoting equity and fostering social harmony, we can create a more just, equitable and sustainable future for all,” she said.

    “The year 2025 is a crucial year,” said Guy Rider, Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, noting that the second World Summit for Social Development [to be held in Doha in November 2025] must lay the foundation in fulfilling the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration and accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.  “With only five years remaining until our SDG [Sustainable Development Goal] deadline, we simply must secure progress in the social dimension of sustainable development,” he said, adding:  “We must listen more attentively to people’s voices and ensure that they can shape their own futures.”

    Commission Chair Krzysztof Maria Szczerski (Poland) emphasized that the expected outcome of this session is actionable policy recommendations to support Member States and the Economic and Social Council in implementing the outcomes of the 2023 SDG Summit and the 2024 Summit of the Future, thereby accelerating the implementation of 2030 Agenda and preparing for the second World Summit for Social Development.

    The Commission also held a high-level panel discussion to take stock of the first World Summit in 1995 and the upcoming second conference.

    In his keynote speech, Danilo Türk, President of Club de Madrid, recalled that as a former President of Slovenia, he was personally involved in the preparation for the first Copenhagen Summit 30 years ago.  He pointed out that in the current global political climate, social development and social issues are often neglected or seen as not among the main priorities.  “That’s a big problem, a problem that affects the United Nations as an organization, as a community of nations,” he said.  So, the second Summit in Doha should, most importantly, reaffirm the existence of the UN social development mandate.

    He also highlighted the need to recognize that social challenges are increasingly multidimensional, requiring integrated, synergetic approaches to policymaking.  It is also essential to develop a practical methodology to systemically assess both policy proposals and the obstacles to their implementation, ensuring that ambitious goals are not set without clear mechanisms for action. He also called for creating a dedicated institutional space for UN agencies with strong social mandates to collaborate strategically, enhancing the Economic and Social Council’s role in fostering integrated solutions.  “The 1995 Copenhagen Summit was known as the ‘People’s Summit’, and we must reignite that spirit today,” he concluded.

    Valérie Berset Bircher, Deputy Head of the International Labour Affairs Division of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, said that advances have been made since Copenhagen.  “Extreme poverty has declined, life expectancy has increased, more children are in school and the world has witnessed economic growth,” she said.  The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has slowed progress.  “We need to have policies, measures and action that ensure that we are truly leaving no one behind,” she added.  Wealth inequality in the last several years has widened, leaving many unable to benefit from economic growth.  Women, young people and informal workers often lack access to stable jobs, fair wages and social protection.  As it prepares for the upcoming Summit in Doha, Switzerland will focus on policies that strengthen labour institutions and individual capacity to take advantage of the opportunities offered by today’s changing world, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable groups.

    Mario Nava, Director-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission, outlined efforts undertaken by the bloc.  Social rights are “at the centre of our action” with three headline targets that deal with employment, skill development and poverty eradication.  On the latter, the bloc will propose its first anti-poverty strategy in 2026 addressing the root causes of the scourge.  It will strengthen its child guarantee supported by the European Social Fund.  A new pact for European social dialogue has been agreed and will be signed at the beginning of March, he noted.  Looking forward, the views of social partners and civil society must be duly considered at the second Summit, where world leaders must renew the social contract, rebuild trust and embrace a comprehensive vision of human rights. International labour standards remain the basis for social development, he added.

    Anousheh Karvar, French Government representative to the International Labor Organization (ILO) and to the G-7 and G-20 for labour, employment and social protection, said that it is time to bring about social justice to as many people as possible.  There are many challenges that remain unresolved.  “As we speak, more than half of the world population does not have access to any social protections,” she stressed.  For 30 years, there has been a “certain fatigue”, she went on to say, urging the need to “breathe new life into the social agenda”.  The November 2025 Summit in Doha must not limit itself to “stock taking or goal setting”.  It must also call upon the world to come to an agreement on how to achieve development goals.  “We must fully implement the standards and norms set by the International Labour Organization (ILO) for more than 100 years,” she urged.

    Eleni Nikolaidou, Expert Minister Counsellor and Deputy Director General of Hellenic Aid at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, said that the second Summit must advocate for sustained, long-term investment in social protection and employment programmes, strengthening social protection systems.  The Summit must also ensure equitable access to quality education and universal access to healthcare.  It must promote policies that support active aging by ensuring the inclusion of older persons in social, economic and cultural life, and leverage technology and digital transformation.  The Summit must also strengthen the rights of persons with disabilities by implementing comprehensive policies that promote accessibility, social inclusion and equal opportunities.  “Finally, we need a clear road map for action beyond 2025 — the Summit should not only review past commitments but set out specific, time-bound goals for implementation, with monitoring mechanisms to track progress and accountability,” she said.

    Fabio Veras, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Applied Economic Research, and Head of the International Policy Center for Inclusive Development, said that the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few continues to hinder social mobility.  Climate change, armed conflicts and economic crises amplify existing vulnerabilities, undermining progress and hindering the achievements of the SDGs.  “The lack of adequate social coverage, particularly in low-income countries, further compromises progress on the SDGs,” he said.  “Billions of people remain unprotected against life’s inherent risks perpetuating cycles of poverty and vulnerability,” he went on to say.  Further, he urged the need for a fundamental review of the international financial system to ensure that developing countries have access to affordable, long-term financing.  “Expanding universal social protection is necessary for reducing poverty, eradicating hunger and reducing inequality,” he added.

    Charles Katoanga, Director of the Division for Inclusive Social Development at the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, introduced the following four reports of the Secretary-General:  “Strengthening social cohesion through social inclusion” (document E/CN.5/2025/3); Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (document E/CN.5/2025/2); Policies and programmes involving youth (document E/CN.5/2025/4); and Modalities for the fifth review and appraisal of the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002 (document E/CN.5/2025/5).  He also introduced a note of the Secretary-General on “Social resilience and social development” (document E/CN.5/2025/7).

    In other business, the Commission elected, by acclamation, Joslyne Kwishaka (Burundi), AlMaha Mubarak Al-Thani (Qatar) and Oliver Gruenbacher (Austria) as Vice-Chairs, and designated Vice-Chair Paola Andrea Morris Garrido (Guatemala) to serve as Rapporteur.  The Commission also adopted the provisional agenda (document E/CN.5/2025/1).

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bostock Capitals Announces Enhanced Crypto Management Services with Proven High-Return Strategies

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Los Angeles, California, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bostock Capitals, a leader in innovative financial solutions, today announces the expansion of its crypto management services, led by veteran Crypto Manager Scarlett Bostock. With over a decade of specialized experience in Forex and crypto trading, Bostock Capitals offers unmatched expertise in wealth generation through cryptocurrency investments.

    Scarlett Bostock, Crypto Manager at Bostock Capitals, Introduces Advanced High-Return Crypto Trading Strategies

    Since its inception in 2013, Scarlett Crypto Management has been at the forefront of developing proprietary trading algorithms and strategies. These have been rigorously tested in real-market conditions to ensure consistent success and high returns for investors. As of 2019, the firm has successfully managed high-value funds exceeding $500 million, showcasing a proven track record through its advanced Live Command Centre and custom Crypto Trading Algorithm.

    “We are committed to offering only the highest quality trades and portfolio management services,” stated Scarlett Bostock. “Our approach involves meticulous technical and fundamental analysis with continuous trade monitoring, ensuring maximum performance and security for our clients’ investments.”

    Bostock Capitals excels in risk management by implementing a robust strategy that includes an optimal risk/reward ratio, innovative hedging options, and diversified trading portfolios. The firm’s financial consulting services further support clients in achieving their financial objectives with tailored advice and strategic insights.

    In addition to ongoing advancements in crypto trading, Bostock Capitals is exploring new partnership opportunities through equity, debt, or joint ventures as part of its next expansion phase. “Our business model ensures a win-win situation—we succeed when our clients succeed, aligning our goals directly with their financial success,” added Bostock.

    Investors are encouraged to join Bostock Capitals in navigating the complexities of the crypto markets, even during periods of high volatility. The firm’s proprietary quantitative models are designed to capitalize on market fluctuations, ensuring profitability through dynamically managed trading strategies overseen by skilled portfolio managers.

    Risk Declaration: Crypto trading involves significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Bostock Capitals is a registered member of FINRA and SIPC, adhering to the highest standards of regulatory compliance. All trading decisions are made with a stringent risk management framework to protect and maximize client investments.

    Bostock Capitals is dedicated to redefining the investment landscape, enabling clients to achieve their financial goals through cutting-edge crypto trading technologies and methodologies.

    About Bostock Capitals

    Bostock Capitals specializes in cryptocurrency trading and wealth management, providing high-return investment strategies and financial consulting to a global clientele. Founded in 2013 by Crypto Manager Scarlett Bostock, the company is committed to delivering superior financial outcomes for investors through continuous innovation and responsible trading practices.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Foxx Development Expands Entertainment Offerings Through FreeCast Partnership

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Irvine, CA, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Foxx Development Holdings Inc. (“Foxx Development” or “Company”) (Nasdaq: FOXX), a leading provider of consumer electronics and integrated Internet-of-Things (IoT) solutions for retail and institutional clients, today announced that it has entered into a strategic distribution agreement with FreeCast Inc. so that FreeCast’s streaming platform will be available to users of the Company’s mobile device portfolio. The new integration will give Foxx Development’s users immediate access to FreeCast’s entertainment hub, consolidating hundreds of streaming services into a single user-friendly interface.

    Under the agreement, FreeCast’s all-in-one streaming platform will be installed on hundreds of thousands of smartphones and tablets of the Company to expand its out-of-box entertainment offerings. Users will gain immediate access to FreeCast’s entertainment hub, which features over 700 free channels, extensive on-demand content, and integration with major streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Hulu. FreeCast’s intelligent universal search feature enables users to easily discover content across all platforms, while its innovative YouBundle feature simplifies subscription management by consolidating multiple streaming services into a single monthly bill.

    “Modern content consumers face increasing complexity in their streaming entertainment choices, with recent industry surveys showing that approximately 65% of Americans struggle to discover content across multiple platforms,” said Greg Foley, CEO of Foxx Development Holdings. “Our partnership with FreeCast directly addresses these challenges by providing our users with an intelligent, cost-effective solution that simplifies content discovery and streaming subscription management.”

    “Partnering with Foxx Development represents a significant milestone in FreeCast’s mission to simplify the streaming experience,” added William Mobley, Founder and CEO of FreeCast. “By integrating our platform directly into Foxx Development’s devices, we’re making it easier than ever for users to discover, access, and manage their entertainment. This collaboration demonstrates how device manufacturers and content platforms can work together to solve the fragmentation challenges facing today’s streamers.”

    About Foxx Development Holdings Inc.
    Foxx Development is a consumer electronics and integrated Internet-of-Things (IoT) solution company catering to both retail and institutional clients. With robust research and development capabilities and a strategic commitment to cultivating long-term partnerships with mobile network operators, distributors and suppliers around the world, it currently sells a diverse range of products including mobile phones, tablets and other consumer electronics devices throughout the United States, and is in the process of developing and distributing end-to-end communication terminals and IoT solutions. For more information, please visit http://foxxusa.com and http://ir.foxxusa.com.

    About FreeCast
    FreeCast Inc., founded in 2011 and headquartered in Orlando, Florida, is a leading streaming media platform that simplifies how users discover and enjoy digital entertainment. The company’s flagship solution addresses the challenges of managing multiple streaming services by consolidating hundreds of content providers into a single, intuitive interface. FreeCast’s comprehensive platform gives users access to over 700 free channels, premium on-demand content, and live TV streaming, while making it easy to search and browse content across major streaming services. Through its advanced content aggregation and universal search capabilities, FreeCast helps users find and organize their entertainment choices more efficiently and serves as a practical solution for the modern streamer. For more information, visit www.freecast.com.

    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 (“Exchange Act”). Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future financial and operating results, our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations, products and services; and other statements identified by words such as “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “estimated,” “believe,” “intend,” “plan,” “projection,” “outlook” or words of similar meaning. Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control. Actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    International Elite Capital
    Annabelle Zhang
    Telephone: +1 (646) 866-7928
    Email: foxx@iecapitalusa.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hassan, Cassidy Reintroduce Bill to Connect Individuals to The Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) reintroduced the Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act to build the U.S. workforce and help connect individuals to good jobs. The bill will strengthen the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which has a proven track record of helping disadvantaged individuals secure employment. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Lloyd Smucker (R-PA-11).

    “Ensuring that every American has access to a good-paying job is critical to the success of our country and our local communities,” said Senator Hassan. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will help connect more Granite Staters to good-paying jobs, while also lowering costs for businesses that invest in hiring veterans, people with disabilities, and others who may face barriers to employment.”

    “It’s not always easy to rejoin the workforce,” said Dr. Cassidy. “By helping employers connect with prospective employees struggling to find work, we boost the American economy and reduce the reliance on government assistance. It’s a win-win.”

    “The best anti-poverty program is a good job. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a program that supports employers and employees as they reenter the workforce. I am committed to helping disadvantaged Americans get back to work by advancing legislation to improve this proven tool. WOTC is a bipartisan solution that every Member of Congress should support,” said Representative Smucker.

    The WOTC provides a federal tax credit to employers who invest in American workers who have consistently faced barriers to employment, including eligible veterans, SNAP recipients, individuals with disabilities, and long-term unemployed individuals. Employers incur higher recruitment and training costs to reach WOTC eligible populations and support their successful transition back into employment. WOTC has not been updated since its enactment twenty-seven years ago, and its value has been eroded significantly due to inflation. The National Employment Opportunity Network reports that the WOTC has saved federal governments an estimated $202 billion over ten years.

    The Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act would:

    • Update the WOTC, which has not been changed since its enactment twenty-seven years ago and encourage longer-service employment. 
    • Increase the current credit percentage from 40% to 50% of qualified wages.
    • Add a second level of credit for employees who work 400 or more hours. 
    • Eliminate the arbitrary age cap at which SNAP recipients are eligible for WOTC. This change will provide an incentive to hire older workers and better align the credit with previously adopted work reforms.  

    The bill is supported by the Louisiana Retailers Association, Albertsons, American Health Care Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association, American Seniors Housing Association, American Staffing Association, American Trucking Associations, Argentum, Asian American Hotel Owners Association, Associated Builders and Contractors, Associated General Contractors of America, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc., Brookshire’s, Brookshire Grocery Company, Coalition of Franchisee Associations, Critical Labor Coalition, Due Process Institute, Dunkin Donuts Independent Franchisee Organization, FMI – The Food Industry Association, Franchise Business Services, Fresh By Brookshire’s, Giant Eagle and GetGo Café + Market, H-E-B. Honest Jobs, ICSC, International Franchise Association, The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, The Kroger Co., NAACP, NAPEO, National Association of Convenience Stores, National Association for Home Care and Hospice, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, National Beer Wholesalers Association, National Employment Opportunity Network (NEON), National Franchisee Association, National Grocers Association, National Restaurant Association, National Urban League, NATSO, Pete & Gerry’s Organics, LLC, Reasor’s, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Retail Grocers Association MO&KS, Retail Merchants Association, SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, Society for Human Resource Management, Spring Market, Super 1 Foods, UPS, and Wakefern Food Corp.

    “The restaurant industry has hundreds of thousands of jobs that it needs to fill every month, many of which can be filled by individuals who have traditionally faced barriers to employment. Getting these people back to work is valuable to the individual, the restaurant operator and the community. We appreciate Sens. Cassidy and Hassan’s efforts to improve on WOTC as a tool for restaurant operators to hire needed staff and increase their business viability,” said Sean Kennedy, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, National Restaurant Association.

    “The Louisiana Restaurant Association applauds Sen. Cassidy for his leadership in introducing the Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Act. Restaurants in Louisiana are not just places to enjoy great food; they are training grounds for skill development and second chances for many individuals facing employment barriers. The WOTC program is essential for fostering opportunities, strengthening our workforce, and contributing to the economic vitality of our communities,” said Stan Harris, President and CEO, Louisiana Restaurant Association. 

    “America’s workforce is facing a perfect storm. The labor shortage, exacerbated by demographic shifts, aging population, declining participation, mismatch of skills and the lingering effects of the pandemic, has left employers struggling to fill jobs in critical industries. The Critical Labor Coalition strongly supports the Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act, which will modernize WOTC to reflect today’s labor market realities and ensure that businesses—especially those hit hardest by workforce shortages—are incentivized to hire individuals from historically underemployed groups who may otherwise face barriers to entering the workforce,” said Misty Chally, Executive Director, Critical Labor Coalition.

    “FMI – The Food Industry Association applauds Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) for introducing this legislation to improve the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). WOTC is an important workforce-building tool, utilized by our grocery, wholesaler, and product supplier members, to hire individuals facing barriers to employment. FMI is excited to work with Senators Cassidy and Hassan and House companion bill sponsors Representatives Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) and Terri Sewell (D-AL) on strengthening the path for veterans, SNAP participants, justice-involved individuals, and others to obtain meaningful employment in the food industry through enactment of this measure,” said Christine Pollack, FMI Vice President, Government Relations.

    “The Work Opportunity Tax Credit has been a vital resource for franchise business owners that provide job opportunities to workers who have faced barriers to employment. IFA applauds Sens. Cassidy and Hassan for taking this important step to help franchised businesses hire workers from underserved communities and provide additional relief, especially since finding labor remains the most significant challenge for local franchises,” said Mike Layman, Chief Advocacy Officer, International Franchise Association.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Legislation passes to boost First Nations investment

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    The Albanese Labor Government has today updated the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 (ATSI Act) to support greater investment in First Nations businesses and communities.

    This reform will give Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) the ability to borrow and raise funds to pursue investment opportunities that drive First Nations economic empowerment.

    It will allow IBA to pursue co‑investment and partnership opportunities with government and private entities and will deliver benefits that make a real difference to First Nations people.

    This is about getting more money and more investment into more First Nations communities around the country.

    It delivers on the Prime Minister’s commitment at the Garma Festival in August 2024 to boost the investment, borrowing and lending power of IBA.

    Access to capital continues to be a significant barrier to First Nations economic development and empowerment, and, until now, IBA’s ability to support First Nations people has been restricted.

    By modernising the ATSI Act, IBA will have the flexibility needed to structure investments and partnerships that support and promote First Nations economic self‑determination.

    This will contribute to Closing the Gap Target 8, which focuses on strong economic participation.

    It also forms part of broader work Treasury is undertaking to establish a First Nations Economic Partnership, to help increase employment and training opportunities, and expand access to finance and capital for First Nations businesses. We invested $16.9 million in this work in the 2024–25 MYEFO.

    The amendments to the ATSI Act have been informed by extensive consultation with IBA over several years.

    They will support more First Nations people to start, grow and sustain businesses, purchase homes, and invest in commercial ventures.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Kansas Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by May Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Kansas of the March 10, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought that began May 7, 2024.

    The disaster declaration includes the counties of Finney, Grant, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Kearny, Morton, Stanton, Stevens and Wichita in Kansas, as well as Baca and Prowers in Colorado.

    Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates of 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than March 10.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –