NewzIntel.com

Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI: Security Federal Corporation Announces Special Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AIKEN, S.C., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Security Federal Corporation (“Company”) (OTCBB: SFDL), the parent company of Security Federal Bank (“Bank”), today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend of $0.10 per share. The dividend will be paid on April 15, 2025 to shareholders of record as of March 31, 2025.

    Chief Executive Officer J. Chris Verenes, commented that “As a result of our continued profitability, we are very pleased to provide this additional payment to our shareholders. This is a special dividend and the payment and amount of future dividends will be predicated on the Board’s assessment of the financial condition, earnings and capital requirements of the Company.”

    Security Federal Bank has nineteen full-service branch locations in Aiken, Ballentine, Clearwater, Columbia, Graniteville, Langley, Lexington, North Augusta, Ridge Spring, Wagener and West Columbia, South Carolina and Augusta and Evans, Georgia. A full range of financial services, including trust and investments, are provided by the Bank, and insurance services are provided by the Bank’s wholly owned subsidiary, Security Federal Insurance, Inc.

    Security Federal Corporation common stock is traded on the Over-the Counter Bulletin Board under the symbol SFDL.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods, or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “seek,” “expect,” “will,” “may,” “continue,” or similar terms or variations on those terms, or the negative of those terms. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on the real estate and economic environment, particularly in the market areas in which the Bank operates; increased competitive pressures; changes in the interest rate environment; general economic conditions or conditions within the securities markets; and legislative and regulatory changes affecting financial institutions, including regulatory compliance costs and capital requirements that could adversely affect the business in which the Company and the Bank are engaged; and other factors described in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that are available on our website at www.securityfederalbank.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: PARADISE Looks To Revolutionize Gaming Through Upcoming Launch

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HONG KONG, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PARADISE is set to officially launch on April 2nd, 2025. It is the only Web3 game in the world to achieve such massive success in terms of player numbers. It will be available on Epic Games, Steam and its own launch program.

    In anticipation of the official release, a playtest will take place at the end of March, giving players an exclusive opportunity to try out the game before the Initial DEX Offering (IDO/Presale $PAR token) concludes, which runs through March 31.

    Popularity & Market Traction

    PARADISE has already captured the attention of the global gaming community, with over 700,000 players across various platforms. The game ranks as the TOP-1 free-to-play game on Steam and holds a spot in the TOP-40 on the Epic Games Store.

    It also has over 700,000 wishlists on Steam alone and 1 million views on the game’s official trailer. The game has additionally garnered over 100 million views from top influencers on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

    Web3 Integration & The $PAR Token

    PARADISE incorporates the $PAR token, which allows players to buy in-game items, real estate, fancy clothes, and more. This integration offers players the unique opportunity to experience both traditional and blockchain-based gameplay.

    Furthermore, players can switch between the standard version and the blockchain (XRPL) version whenever they wish to do so. Lastly, PARADISE has also formed key partnerships with industry leaders like xMagnetic and Epic Games, further highlighting the game’s credibility.

    IDO Countdown

    Currently, the IDO for the $PAR token is underway, with the IDO scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2025. In an effort to make the token more accessible to early supporters, PARADISE’s team has priced it at 0.0001 XRP. After the IDO, unsold tokens will be burned, and the token will be listed on Tier 2-3 exchanges initially, with plans for a listing on a Top-1 exchange in the future.

    For those interested in purchasing $PAR tokens before the IDO ends, a comprehensive guide is available. The $PAR token follows a deflationary tokenomics model, with a blackholed address ensuring no new tokens will be issued after the IDO.

    Lastly, PARADISE is carrying out an airdrop for IDO buyers, wherein additional $PAR can be earned by holding. Payments will be made in $PAR to XRP Wallets following the IDO’s conclusion. The Top 5 IDO buyers will also receive exclusive rewards.

    Massive Marketing Campaign

    PARADISE is conducting a robust marketing campaign with mentions from top international influencers and bloggers across multiple social media platforms. The idea behind these global partnerships is to ensure that PARADISE maintains its momentum, keeping players engaged while attracting even more attention as the launch date approaches.

    Moreover, in order to separate itself from its competition, PARADISE took the time to build its game first, gather a substantial audience, and prove its traction before turning to fundraising. This approach has resulted in a project that is already highly anticipated and has demonstrated real-world engagement, setting it apart from others that often launch tokens before building a product or community.

    About PARADISE

    PARADISE is an innovative, free-to-play game that blends AAA-quality gameplay with blockchain technology. The game offers players the chance to engage in exciting shootouts, car races, and complete daily missions, all while earning $PAR tokens to buy in-game assets and items.

    With a growing community of over 600,000 players and significant backing from industry leaders like Epic Games and xMagnetic, PARADISE looks to reshape the future of gaming.

    For more information and regular updates, visit PARADISE’s official website as well as its X (Twitter), YouTube, and Telegram channels.

    Contact Information:
    For media inquiries or to schedule an interview, please contact:
    Robert Lee
    CMO, PARADISE®
    Email: admin@paradisevs.com

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

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8194f7d1-7d13-4574-8b28-ddbcefb5fc51

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salinas Leads Oregon Delegation in Calling on Trump Administration to Protect American Manufacturing

    US Senate News:

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

    March 20, 2025

    Salinas Leads Oregon Delegation in Calling on Trump Administration to Protect American Manufacturing

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) led the Oregon delegation – including U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05) – in a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, expressing concern about the Trump Administration’s decision to fire dozens of workers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST provides guidance, training, and assistance to American manufacturers to help them grow and stay competitive on the global stage.

    “We write with deep concern regarding reports of significant ongoing and planned layoffs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST plays a critical role supporting Oregon businesses and workers. Widespread and indiscriminate terminations of hard-working public servants at the agency would undermine our domestic manufacturing industrial base and threaten technological innovation that drives future economic progress,” wrote the members.

    Oregon manufacturers contribute nearly $40 billion to our state’s economic output and support over 175,000 good paying jobs in a wide variety of industries, including wood products, aerospace components, and microelectronics. NIST-supported programs like the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) help drive innovation and deliver critical resources that local businesses need to succeed. In their letter, the members stress how mass layoffs will undermine NIST’s work and jeopardize manufacturing in Oregon and across America.

    “President Trump has consistently promised Americans that he will support domestic manufacturing – and the good jobs that come with it,” the lawmakers continued.

    “That is why it is so concerning to see that, instead of doubling down on what works, the President is attacking the federal programs manufacturers rely on, calling to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act, and imposing punishing tariffs that will harm American businesses while making everyday goods more expensive for consumers.”

    Read the full letter below or click here.

    The Honorable Howard Lutnick

    Secretary of Commerce

    U.S. Department of Commerce

    1401 Constitution Avenue N.W.

    Washington, D.C. 20230

    Dear Secretary Lutnick,

    We write with deep concern regarding reports of significant ongoing and planned layoffs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST plays a critical role supporting Oregon businesses and workers. Widespread and indiscriminate terminations of hard-working public servants at the agency would undermine our domestic manufacturing industrial base and threaten technological innovation that drives future economic progress.

    Oregon manufacturers contribute nearly $40 billion to our state’s economic output and support over 175,000 good paying jobs. These represent a wide variety of industries, producing everything from innovative wood products to aerospace components, to the microelectronics development and manufacturing at the heart of Oregon’s Silicon Forest. NIST is responsible for implementing some of our nation’s most effective and cost-efficient programs to help these manufacturers succeed:

    • Across the United States, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) leveraged just $175 million in federal investment to deliver more than $5 billion in new investments and over 108,000 jobs created or retained in fiscal year 2024. In Oregon, the return was even greater. Just $2.2. million in federal funding led to $165.6 million in private investments – a remarkable $75 of economic output for every dollar of taxpayer support.
    • The CHIPS Program Office is responsible for stewarding over $2 billion of public investment in Oregon companies, which is catalyzing tens of billions of dollars of corporate investment in Oregon’s high-tech economy – while ensuring America’s self-sufficiency in this critical technology.
    • ManufacturingUSA fosters collaboration between industry and researchers to develop and deploy next-generation manufacturing methods and technologies. These partnerships support and benefit from partnerships with Oregon businesses and universities.
      • Examples include Oregon State University’s contributions to the RAPID institute, semiconductor companies like Analog Devices and Microchip working with PowerAmerica to accelerate the adoption of advanced semiconductors, and businesses such as Twist Bioscience partnering with BioMADE to enable the expansion of bioindustrial manufacturing.

    All these activities build on NIST’s core measurement science and standards work that provides tools manufacturers rely on every day. Mass layoffs at the agency will undermine the work NIST has carried out over years to ensure American businesses have the tools they need to compete on the world stage.

    President Trump has consistently promised Americans that he will support domestic manufacturing – and the good jobs that come with it. During his inaugural address, he asserted that “America will be a manufacturing nation once again” and you recently echoed the President’s rhetoric, telling reporters that “We want factory production in America. We want employment to blossom in America. We’re going to bring factories back to America.”

    We agree.

    That is why it is so concerning to see that, instead of doubling down on what works, the President is attacking the federal programs manufacturers rely on, calling to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act, and imposing punishing tariffs that will harm American businesses while making everyday goods more expensive for consumers.

    We are seriously worried that any attacks on NIST will undermine its capacity to support Oregon’s manufacturers and request that you respond to the following inquiries no later that March 31, 2025:

    1. How many NIST employees accepted the “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation offer, including those who departed the agency [at that time] without having signed the paperwork required by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? Please provide a breakdown of which offices were affected and to what extent.
    2. Recent reports indicate over 70 probationary employees were terminated. Please confirm the accuracy of this reporting and provide a breakdown of which offices were affected and to what extent.
    3. CHIPS Incentives awards rely on complex contracts to ensure that industry partners successfully and responsibly invest taxpayer dollars. How will you ensure that any layoffs, deferred resignations, or future reductions in force do not impede the CHIPS Program Office’s ability to conduct robust oversight of and effective support for these awards, including in Oregon?
    4. How will you ensure that any layoffs, deferred resignations, or future reductions in force do not limit the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program’s capacity to offer services to small- and medium-sized domestic manufacturers, including in Oregon?
    5. NIST has decades of experience serving as a trusted partner to industry, providing some of the United States’ strongest tools to support and expand domestic manufacturing. How do you plan to leverage this experience to achieve your stated goal of bring manufacturing jobs back to America, including in our home state of Oregon?

    Thank you for your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Secretary of State Peter Kyle speech to Nvidia GTC 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    Secretary of State Peter Kyle speech to Nvidia GTC 2025

    Secretary of State Peter Kyle addressed the Nvidia GTC 2025 Conference in San Jose on Thursday 20 March.

    For centuries, a succession of raw materials defined which governments and economies grew – and which did not.

    First, coal and steam, then, oil and electricity.

    Each of those ages brought with it a period of profound change. Radically reshaping living standards and the labour markets of the time, with new jobs in different places. More money, and more things to spend it on.

    Today, we find ourselves in the midst of another epochal shift. Its implications for our prosperity and our security will be no less seismic than those before.

    Who swims – and who sinks – all depends on compute. Because, when it comes down to it, the AI era is no less material than any other.

    The places and people who are shaping our economies have simply changed. Instead of collieries and oil wells, it’s the mines and refineries where silicon is processed.

    It’s not the vast manufacturing plants of the past who dominate the stock exchange, it’s the companies who are designing ever more powerful chips and the businesses using them to train ever more powerful models.

    I don’t want to underplay the significance of this change. To dismiss the economic consequences of the ‘rewiring’ we are witnessing in real time. But where the dynamics of the age of compute really differ, I think, is in the role of the state.

    The state’s role in the economy has never been stable or predetermined. Each era poses the same questions of each government.

    How to grow the economy? How to protect people? How to build better lives for our citizens?

    Each time, the state must respond to those questions anew. Its legitimacy and longevity simply depend on it.

    Today, though, these questions feel almost existential. The old answers just simply won’t cut it any more.

    And the certainties we have depended on for decades are being swept away.

    In the age of compute, we cannot – must not – be afraid to contemplate a sweeping change of course. That is what the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out to do.

    In the UK and the US, there are communities that have been left behind by the pace of change. Abandoned by industry, they are left clinging to the rusting remnants of the industrial age.

    Losing faith in governments that have failed to deliver promise after promise and failed to deliver rebirth and renewal. I understand why people in these places worry that AI will not be working for them.

    That, as start-ups in Silicon Valley and London create wealth and prosperity for some, the rest of the economy will remain just as stagnant and unproductive as before. But I don’t believe there’s anything inevitable about that story.

    In empty factories and abandoned mines, in derelict sites and unused power supplies, I see the places where we can begin to build a new economic model.

    A model completely rewired around the immense power of artificial intelligence, where, faced with that power, the state is neither a blocker nor a shirker – but an agile, proactive partner.

    In Britain, we want to turn the relics of economic eras past into AI Growth Zones.

    With access to large power connections and a permissive planning system designed to cut the time it takes to start construction, these are the places where we’ll work with industry and local government to build compute infrastructure on a scale that our country has never seen before.  

    There is a real hunger for investment in Britain. People who are optimistic about the future, and hopeful for the opportunities which AI will bring them and deliver for their families and communities.

    Earlier this year, we asked local leaders across the country to come to us with proposals for Growth Zones and how it could impact their areas. Since then, we’ve had over two hundred responses.

    That is evidence of the ambition and appetite you can find in equal measure at the top of government in Britain right down to the grassroots of communities across the United Kingdom.

    Today, I can announce that the responses we’ve received include several sites that could host very powerful data centres. 

    One of those sites will get close to 2 GW. In our former industrial heartlands, hundreds of acres of flat land are sitting completely unused and ready for construction.

    Soon, though, this could be home to the largest data centre in Europe. And we have no time to waste. I want shovels in the ground this year.

    Because, if states are to secure their sovereign role in the future of this technology, they simply cannot afford to wait. And we will not.

    In the age of compute, we must offer more than just a place to invest. That’s why our AI Growth Zones will be the anchor for a more ambitious project. A project designed to unleash a new age of growth and prosperity across our nation, and build a smaller, smarter state.

    One that is ready for the century to come.

    Home to Nobel Prize winners like Sir Demis Hassabis, the U.K. has world-leading scientific capability in the development and deployment of AI. With a cradle-to-grave health service that has been running for 75 years, we also have uniquely rich data sets you cannot find anywhere else in the world.

    And we have a government with the capacity and the political will to deploy transformative technology in every part of our public sector, from courtrooms and classrooms to hospitals and job centres.

    Because we know that, if we want to deliver better services for citizens and better value for taxpayers, we have no other choice. In a country whose language and legal system are used around the world, that unique contribution – of global talent, data, and political will – can yield extraordinary results.

    Today, every single stroke centre in England is using AI to interpret acute stroke brain scans and support doctors to make decisions about treatment. Early data shows this is cutting the time it takes to get patients in and out the door from 340 to 79 minutes.

    [The incorrect figure was given in the speech as delivered. 140 minutes is the correct figure.]

    And it’s tripling the chance of independent living following a stroke. 

    It’s something of a truism that compute is only as good as the people who are using it, and the data they put in it.

    In Britain, we have both of those things in abundance. But the AI Opportunities Action Plan offers something else, too. A chance to test the models you are training in a country that is crying out for reform, and with a government ready to use AI to take on the great challenges that will define the century to come.  

    Tackling those challenges will require more than brute capacity. Building bigger or faster is not enough.

    In the age of compute, states must build smarter, too. That’s part of the reason I’m here in San Jose.

    Just around the corner at Lawrence Livermore, scientists are using El Cap – the world’s most powerful supercomputer – to advance the safety, security and reliability of your nuclear arsenal.

    At Oak Ridge, they’re using Frontier to model stellar explosions, neutrino physics experiments and global climate patterns.

    The US model of national labs shows what states can achieve by investing in world-class research infrastructure.

    The strategic advantage it provides is unparalleled.

    It won’t surprise you to know that I want to replicate that success in the UK.

    Because I believe government has not just a role to play, but a responsibility to shoulder in ensuring that AI delivers better lives for all of its citizens.

    And we cannot fulfil this responsibility without publicly accessible compute.

    In our Action Plan, we are committed to increasing our public compute capacity by twenty fold by 2030.

    And last year, Isambard, the first phase machine of our AI Research Resource, came online.

    Built using Nvidia chips, it is named after Isambard Brunel – the engineer who built the British ships and railways that changed the age of steam forever.

    Our scientists are already using it for protein mapping to deepen their understanding of heart disease – the leading cause of death globally.

    If we want to make our economies strong again, our countries healthy and our citizens safe, ambitious, rigorous research will be critical.

    States owe it to their citizens to support it. Not through diktat or directive, but through partnership.

    That’s why, last week, we opened market engagement for the private partnerships we will need to deliver our public compute ambitions.

    If you want to work together, I urge you to get in touch.

    I spoke earlier about the big questions that all states must answer in the age of compute. About how to ensure that technical progress translates into prosperity. How to protect our national security in a new global economy. The question of research, and how states should support it, can be added to that list.

    But there is another big question which we must confront. That is the question of energy.

    Because, in this respect at least, the age of compute is no different from any other. Power – and its availability – will shape it indelibly.

    I reject the doomers who claim that the energy demands of AI undermine the promise that this technology somehow possess. They were wrong before and they’re wrong now.

    The very existence of the GPU defies what were once believed to be the limits of scientific possibility.

    In the decades since, those limits have been defied again and again.

    So there is no reason why the challenge of energy efficiency should be somehow insurmountable. Together, we have already made impressive progress.

    NVIDIA’s Blackwell architecture – backed by processors designed by Arm – uses 25 times less energy than previous generations, and Isambard AI is the fourth most energy-efficient supercomputer in the world.

    The real challenge, I think, is to ensure that innovation is not left behind in the race for scale.

    To ensure that – even as we invest billions in compute infrastructure – we do not fail to challenge the tried and tested ways of delivering it. You don’t need me to tell you that.

    You are the people who are pushing against the frontiers of energy efficiency – rethinking architectures, rethinking cooling systems and energy sources.

    I mention energy, though, because I believe that states can be partners in that progress.

    And I want the UK to be a laboratory for change.

    A place where pioneers can challenge old orthodoxies.

    Where they can achieve the impossible and set a new course for the age of compute.

    Today, that project feels more urgent than ever before.

    In the last few months, we have witnessed the emergence of a new ‘scaling law’ in AI. A law that – some argue – will make compute less important than it was before. I couldn’t disagree more.

    Test-time scaling offers a complement – not a replacement – to pre- and post-training scaling methods.

    An opportunity to use the compute we do have to unlock deeper forms of intelligence.

    But it does not reduce in the slightest the critical significance of compute for states looking ahead to the century to come.  

    The age of compute isn’t going anywhere.

    Without compute, no economy can thrive. No country can protect its people. No government can retain the trust of its citizens.

    AI will bring deep disruption to almost every aspect of life as we know it. The logic of our economies and the legitimacy of the state are at stake.

    Britain stands ready not just to face that disruption, but to embrace it with you.

    Time and time again, we have worked together to shape a shared future, anchored in freedom, fairness, and the rule of law.

    Government with government, business with business, researcher with researcher. This is an alliance whose breadth and depth have no parallel.

    Today, we are the two foremost AI nations of the democratic world, and that alliance matters more than ever.

    Britain is full of talented, forward-thinking people. People who are ready to throw off the shackles of caution and conservatism and seize the once-in-a-generation opportunity that AI offers.

    With a government that is ready to get behind them. Ours is a country that is ready for investment, and ready for change. 

    I have talked a lot about collaboration already today, because, when it comes down to it, that is what I have come here to offer.

    Not just an opportunity to invest in Britain but a chance to form a new kind of partnership.

    A partnership that is tailored to the needs of our economic era.

    That partnership does not shy away from wealth creation but embraces it, because we know just how much our citizens stand to gain.

    It is rooted in a recognition of AI’s power to transform our economies – and a willingness to do what is necessary to make that transformation happen.

    And it is anchored in the values we share – because a future without them is simply unthinkable.

    This, I believe, is how the state survives in the decades to come.

    Not through retreat or withdrawal.

    Nor by rushing towards excessive rules and regulations that will stifle innovation and growth.

    But through strategic, purposeful partnership with you – the protagonists of the age of compute.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 20 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Announces Agenda, Panelists for Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the agenda and panelists for the March 27 roundtable on artificial intelligence in the financial industry.  

    “I look forward to hearing from the panelists on how emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, can both improve the cost-effectiveness of the Commission’s regulations and provide additional value to market participants,” said SEC Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda. “I encourage members of the public to provide data and other evidence on how artificial intelligence can be used to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.”

    The roundtable, announced in February, will be held at the SEC’s headquarters at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. from 9:00 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. The event will be open to the public and webcast live on the SEC’s website. Doors will open at 8:00 a.m.

    For online attendance, no registration is necessary. A link to watch the event will be available on March 27 on www.sec.gov. Please register for in-person attendance.

    More information, including how to submit feedback on artificial intelligence in the financial industry, is available on the SEC Artificial Intelligence Roundtable’s event page.

    Agenda

    8:00 am

    Doors Open

    9:00 am – 9:30 am

    Opening Remarks from Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda, Commissioner Hester Peirce, and Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw

    9:30 am – 10:45 am

    Panel: The Benefits, Costs, and Uses of AI in the Financial Industry

    Moderator:  Rob Hegarty, Division of Trading and Markets

    Panelists:

    • Mike Kelly, Head of Strategic AI Governance and Enablement, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
    • Gregg Berman, Director of Market Analytics and Regulatory Structure, Citadel Securities
    • Douglas Hamilton, Head of AI Engineering and Research, Nasdaq
    • Hillary Allen, Professor of Law, American University, Washington College of Law
    • Daniel Pateiro, Managing Director, Office of Chief Operating Officer, Strategic Initiatives/Artificial Intelligence, BlackRock

    10:45 am – 11:00 am

    Break

    11:00 am – 12:15 pm

    Panel: Fraud, Authentication, and Cybersecurity

    Moderator:  Alexis Hall, Division of Examinations

    Panelists:

    • Brad Ahrens, Senior Vice President of Advanced Analytics, FINRA
    • Michael Wellman, Professor of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Michigan
    • Kristen McCooey, Chief Information Security Officer, Edward Jones
    • Alexander Leblang, Office of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection, Department of Treasury

    12:15 pm – 1:15 pm

    Lunch

    1:15 pm – 2:30 pm

    Panel: AI Governance and Risk Management

    Moderator:  Valerie Szczepanik, Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology

    Panelists:

    • Jeff McMillan, Head of Firmwide Artificial Intelligence, Morgan Stanley
    • Johnna Powell, Managing Director and Head of Technology, Research and Innovation, The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation
    • Ryan Swann, Chief Data Analytics Officer, The Vanguard Group, Inc.
    • Scott Mullins, Managing Director, Worldwide Financial Services Industry, Amazon Web Services
    • Conan French, Director of Digital Finance, Institute of International Finance

    2:30 pm – 2:45 pm

    Break

    2:45 pm – 4:00 pm

    Panel: What’s Next/Future Trends

    Moderator: Marco Enriquez, Division of Economic and Risk Analysis

    Panelists:

    • Hardeep Walia, Managing Director, Head of AI & Personalization, Charles Schwab
    • Tyler Derr, Chief Technology and Product Officer, Broadridge
    • Peter Slattery, MIT FutureTech
    • Sarah Hammer, Executive Director, Wharton School; Adjunct Professor, University of Pennsylvania Law School; CEO of Wharton Cypher Accelerator

    4:00 pm – 4:15 pm

    Closing Remarks

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former CEO Of Kubient, Inc. Sentenced To Prison In Connection With Accounting Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PAUL ROBERTS, the founder, former Chief Executive Officer, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kubient, Inc., a publicly traded digital advertising technology company, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison. ROBERTS previously pled guilty to securities fraud for his execution of a scheme to defraud investors and auditors of Kubient, during which he caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in financial statements at the time of Kubient’s initial public offering and made material misrepresentations about the efficacy of Kubient’s proprietary fraud detection tool, Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”). ROBERTS’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Paul Roberts cooked the books. He lied to investors and auditors about his company’s revenue and about his company’s premier product: an AI-powered tool that, ironically, was supposed to detect fraud in the digital advertising industry. This Office is committed to holding corporate executives who defraud the investing public accountable for their crimes.”

    According to information in court filings:

    From October 2019 through March 2021, ROBERTS knowingly caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements, which was over 94% of Kubient’s reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its initial public offering (“IPO”) in August 2020. With his scheme, ROBERTS misled Kubient’s auditors and deceived the investing public about Kubient’s financial condition.

    At the core of ROBERTS’s accounting fraud scheme was a fraudulent $1.3 million transaction that ROBERTS arranged between Kubient and another digital advertising technology company (“Company-1”). Kubient and Company-1 agreed to provide certain services to the other for nearly identical fees. For its part, Kubient agreed to use its proprietary fraud detection tool, KAI, to scan data provided by Company-1 and an affiliate for instances of digital ad fraud and then deliver the results of KAI’s findings to Company-1 and its affiliate. Neither Kubient nor Company-1, however, provided the agreed-upon services, yet they still paid each other $1.3 million, which Kubient improperly recognized as revenue.

    To conceal his fraudulent scheme, ROBERTS directed Kubient employees to generate fake KAI reports based on made-up metrics and no underlying data at all. ROBERTS used the fake reports to mislead Kubient’s independent certified public accountants (the “Audit Firm”) into believing that Kubient had performed its contractual obligations when, in fact, Kubient had not, so that Kubient could recognize the associated revenue in its financial statements.

    ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings and in management representation letters submitted to the Audit Firm relating to Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition. ROBERTS also repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings about the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud, including in connection with Kubient’s initial and secondary public offerings when Kubient was touting KAI as one of the company’s premier products that would differentiate it from its competitors.

    Fueled by the misrepresentations about Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition and the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud that ROBERTS made in Kubient’s SEC filings and elsewhere, Kubient raised more than $12.5 million in its IPO in August 2020, resulting in its shares being publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange, and more than $20 million in its secondary public offering in December 2020. Now, Kubient is in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.

    *               *                *

    In addition to the prison term, ROBERTS, 48, of Melville, New York, was sentenced to one year of supervised release.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the SEC, which filed a civil action against ROBERTS after he pled guilty, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin V. Rodriguez is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: XploraDEX Becomes XRP’s First AI-Powered DEX! XRP Whales Are Accumulating—Join $XPL Presale Now!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, Switzerland, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The XRP ecosystem is experiencing a massive shift in decentralized trading, and the whales are taking notice! XploraDEX, the first-ever AI-powered decentralized exchange (DEX) on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), is here to change the game. By integrating cutting-edge AI technology into trading, liquidity optimization, and market analysis, XploraDEX is empowering XRP traders to maximize profits like never before!

    The $XPL Presale is now live, and XRP whales are securing their positions early—don’t miss your chance to join them!

    XploraDEX: The Smartest Way to Trade XRP!

    For too long, XRP traders have been limited by manual trading strategies, emotional decision-making, and missed opportunities. Now, with XploraDEX’s AI-powered trading system, users can tap into advanced automation, predictive analytics, and real-time market intelligence to stay ahead of the curve.

    GET YOUR $XPL TOKENS TODAY!

    What Makes XploraDEX Different?

    AI-Powered Trading Strategies – No more guesswork! AI scans XRP markets 24/7 to execute high-probability trades.

    Lightning-Fast Execution on XRPL – Trade XRP assets instantly with minimal fees and zero intermediaries.

    Predictive Market Analytics – AI-driven forecasting models help traders spot profitable opportunities before they happen.

    Arbitrage & High-Frequency Trading (HFT) – AI bots detect price inefficiencies and execute trades in real time for maximum gains.

    Liquidity Optimization – AI automatically manages liquidity pools to minimize slippage and increase trading efficiency.

    [BUY $XPL TOKENS ON PRESALE]

    Why XRP Whales Are Accumulating $XPL

    The $XPL token is the lifeblood of XploraDEX, powering its AI-driven trading engine and unlocking premium features for traders. Early adopters are accumulating $XPL now to gain first-mover advantages in AI trading!

    With XRP whales already securing their positions, the window to accumulate $XPL before prices surge is closing fast!

    Secure Your $XPL Tokens Now: https://sale.xploradex.io

    The AI Trading Revolution is Happening—Will You Be Left Behind?

    Institutional traders and hedge funds have been using AI to dominate traditional markets for years. Now, for the first time, XploraDEX is bringing that same advanced AI technology to XRP traders!

    This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of the AI revolution in DeFi. The traders who move first will have the biggest advantage, don’t wait!

    $XPL Token PreSale is your ticket to the future of XRP trading, secure your allocation before it’s too late!

    Stay connected and Join the XploraDEX AI Revolution

    Website | $XPL Token Presale | X | Telegram

    Contact:
    Oliver Muller
    oliver@xploradex.io
    contact@xploradex.io

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the XploraDEX. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

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

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/51260947-1a3e-484e-a82c-48ff7a2dc303

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Telnyx announces no-code AI Assistant Builder, enabling businesses to deploy AI voice agents in minutes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Telnyx, a global leader in communication and connectivity solutions, has announced the launch of its no-code voice AI Assistant Builder, available directly in the Telnyx Mission Control Portal. This method of building empowers businesses to create, customize, and deploy AI-powered voice agents effortlessly, eliminating the need for complex development cycles.

    As enterprises increasingly look to AI-driven automation for customer engagement, Telnyx is making it easier than ever to implement conversational AI, at scale. With just a few clicks, users can configure intelligent assistants tailored to their specific needs, leveraging advanced AI models hosted by Telnyx.

    “Businesses need scalable, intelligent automation solutions that don’t require deep technical expertise,” said Ian Reither, COO at Telnyx. “The AI Assistant Builder brings a no-code approach to AI voice applications, allowing companies to deploy sophisticated, task-oriented agents in four simple steps.”

    Create custom voice AI assistants in minutes, without the complexity

    The new AI Assistant Builder empowers users to quickly create and deploy custom AI-powered voice assistants with no-code tooling, built-in intelligence, and customizable voice options, all via the Telnyx portal.

    Intuitive AI configuration empowers users to define assistant behavior with simple instructions, greetings, and responses, while a broad range of Telnyx-hosted AI models give businesses control over how to power their assistants.

    Pre-configured tools such as Check Availability, Book Appointment, and Transfer make it easy to automate routine tasks without any added development time. Users can also select their preferred voice characteristics and speech-to-text settings for optimized performance.

    Finally, built-in testing and deployment features allow builders to test their new conversational AI assistant directly in the portal before going live, avoiding a subpar deployment experience.

    Leverage AI for FREE through Telnyx’s AI Accelerator

    To further make AI adoption available for all, Telnyx is offering access to its AI Assistant Builder through their AI Accelerator at no cost. The accelerator provides companies with up to $20k in free credits to access Telnyx-hosted AI models, automation tools, and testing capabilities, allowing them to experiment with and deploy AI-powered voice assistants without upfront investment.

    By removing financial and technical barriers, Telnyx empowers startups and enterprises alike to explore AI-driven automation with zero risk while accelerating their innovation efforts.

    Experience the future of AI voice with a full-stack provider

    With the launch of the AI Assistant Builder, Telnyx continues to expand its portfolio of AI-driven solutions, ensuring businesses have access to intuitive, scalable automation tools. This no-code builder is designed to serve a wide range of industries, including customer support, healthcare, financial services, and logistics where intelligent voice interactions can enhance both operational efficiency and the customer experience.

    “AI-powered voice automation is changing how businesses operate, and our goal is to make that technology accessible to everyone,” Ian Reither added. “By eliminating development barriers, we’re enabling teams to innovate faster and deliver more intelligent customer interactions.”

    Availability

    The AI Assistant Builder is now live in Telnyx’s Mission Control Portal to all users. Businesses can sign up and start building no-code AI-powered voice agents today.

    For more information, visit tlyx.co/build-no-code-ai-assistants.

    About Telnyx
    Telnyx is a global communications and connectivity platform that powers seamless voice, messaging, networking, and AI-driven solutions for businesses. With a private, cloud-based network and industry-leading APIs, Telnyx enables developers and enterprises to build innovative applications with reliable, scalable infrastructure.

    For media inquiries, please contact:
    Maeve Sentner
    Product Marketing Manager
    maeve@telnyx.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Establishing Canada’s first large-scale bioinnovation centre

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Significant federal contribution supports bioprocessing manufacturing, growing green supply chain

    March 20, 2025 · Dartmouth, Nova Scotia · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)  

    Strengthening the biomanufacturing sector creates opportunities, supports Canadian production and moves our country towards a more sustainable future. The Government of Canada is investing to help position Nova Scotia as a leader in life sciences, clean tech, health tech and precision fermentation.

    Building a world-class facility for biomanufacturing, clean tech

    Today, the Honourable Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth – Cole Harbour, announced a $5 million, non-repayable contribution to Neptune BioInnovation Inc. to establish a multi-user bio-innovation hub and Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO). The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

    The funding will help transform an underutilized facility in Dartmouth into a fully-equipped multi-user space for innovation and industry that will enable Canada to compete globally, strengthen domestic supply chains, and foster biotechnology advancements across critical sectors. It will provide shared industrial space, contract manufacturing, spray drying, and precision fermentation up to 100,000L, enabling companies to scale locally instead of leaving Canada.

    A one-of-a-kind facility in Canada, the Neptune BioInnovation Centre (NBC) will encourage biotechnology advancements in areas such as smart materials, bioplastics, functional foods, green chemicals, therapeutics and alternative proteins. It will attract users locally and from across Canada and globally. As NBC grows, there will be job creation, measurable progress toward sustainable development goals and a stronger domestic supply chain to address environmental and human health challenges.

    Today’s announcement further demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to support innovation, keep manufacturing and Intellectual Property at home, attract investment and strengthen the national economy.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Monolithic Power Systems Updates First Quarter 2025 Financial Guidance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KIRKLAND, Wash., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (“MPS”) (Nasdaq: MPWR), a fabless global company that provides high-performance, semiconductor-based power electronics solutions, today announced updates to its financial guidance for the three months ending March 31, 2025.

    The following table presents the updated financial guidance for the three months ending March 31, 2025:

      Previously Announced on
    February 6, 2025    		 Updated as of
    March 20, 2025
    Revenue $610.0 million to $630.0 million $630.0 million to $640.0 million
    GAAP operating expenses $180.2 million to $186.2 million $184.9 million to $190.9 million
    Non-GAAP (1) operating expenses $126.9 million to $130.9 million $131.6 million to $135.6 million

    As previously announced, on March 20, 2025, MPS will host an Analyst Day at 9:00 am Pacific Time. During the course of the event, management will discuss MPS’s corporate strategy, business and product updates, and financial metrics. The webcast of the event can be accessed, free of charge, at https://mpsic.zoom.us/j/98462171986 (meeting ID: 984-6217-1986). In addition, MPS will provide more information on the first quarter financial results and second quarter guidance in our earnings release and webinar at the end of April 2025 / beginning of May 2025.

    (1) Projected non-GAAP operating expenses exclude the effect of stock-based compensation and related expenses. These non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. A schedule reconciling non-GAAP financial measures is included at the end of this press release. MPS utilizes both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures to assess what it believes to be its core operating performance and to evaluate and manage its internal business and assist in making financial operating decisions. MPS believes that the inclusion of non-GAAP financial measures, together with GAAP measures, provides investors with an alternative presentation useful to investors’ understanding of MPS’s core operating results and trends. Additionally, MPS believes that the inclusion of non-GAAP measures, together with GAAP measures, provides investors with an additional dimension of comparability to similar companies. However, investors should be aware that non-GAAP financial measures utilized by other companies are not likely to be comparable in most cases to the non-GAAP financial measures used by MPS. See the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations in the tables set forth below.

    Safe Harbor Statement
    This press release contains, and statements that will be made during the live webcast will contain, forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among other things, (i) updated first quarter of 2025 financial guidance, (ii) our 2025 three-year financial goals, (iii) our outlook for the first quarter of 2025 and the near-term, medium-term and long-term prospects of MPS, including our ability to adapt to changing market conditions, performance against our business plan, our ability to grow despite the various challenges facing our business, our industry and the global economic environment, revenue growth in certain of our market segments, potential new business segments, our continued investment in research and development (“R&D”), expected revenue growth, customers’ acceptance of our new product offerings, the prospects of our new product development, our expectations regarding market and industry segment trends and prospects, and our projected expansion of capacity and the impact it may have on our business, (iv) market trends, market growth projections, anticipated market drivers and our ability to penetrate new and existing markets, (v) the seasonality of our business, (vi) our ability to reduce our expenses, and (vii) statements regarding the assumptions underlying or relating to any statement described in (i)-(vii) above. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts or guarantees of future performance or events, are based on current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, goals, and objectives, and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from the results expressed by these statements. Readers of this press release and listeners to the accompanying conference call are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, continued uncertainties in the global economy, including due to the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts, inflation, consumer sentiment and other factors; adverse events arising from orders or regulations of governmental entities, including such orders or regulations that impact our customers or suppliers, and adoption of new or amended accounting standards; adverse changes in laws and government regulations such as tariffs on imports of foreign goods, export regulations and export classifications, and tax laws or the interpretation of same, including in foreign countries where MPS has offices or operations; the effect of export controls, trade and economic sanctions regulations and other regulatory or contractual limitations on our ability to sell or develop our products in certain foreign markets, particularly in China; our ability to obtain governmental licenses and approvals for international trading activities or technology transfers, including export licenses; acceptance of, or demand for, our products, in particular the new products launched recently, being different than expected; our ability to increase market share in our targeted markets; difficulty in predicting or budgeting for future customer demand and channel inventories, expenses and financial contingencies (including as a result of any continuing impact from the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts); our ability to efficiently and effectively develop new products and receive a return on our R&D expense investment; our ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers; our ability to meet customer demand for our products due to constraints on our third-party suppliers’ ability to manufacture sufficient quantities of our products or otherwise; our ability to expand manufacturing capacity to support future growth; adverse changes in production and testing efficiency of our products; any political, cultural, military, regulatory, economic, foreign exchange and operational changes in China, where a significant portion of our manufacturing capacity comes from; any market disruptions or interruptions in our schedule of new product development releases; our ability to manage our inventory levels; adequate supply of our products from our third-party manufacturing partners; adverse changes or developments in the semiconductor industry generally, which is cyclical in nature, and our ability to adjust our operations to address such changes or developments; the ongoing consolidation of companies in the semiconductor industry; competition generally and the increasingly competitive nature of our industry; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of companies and products that MPS acquires, and our ability to effectively and efficiently integrate these acquired companies and products into our operations; the risks, uncertainties and costs of litigation in which MPS is involved; the outcome of any upcoming trials, hearings, motions and appeals; the adverse impact on our financial performance if its tax and litigation provisions are inadequate; our ability to effectively manage our growth and attract and retain qualified personnel; the effect of epidemics and pandemics on the global economy and on our business; the risks associated with the financial market, economy and geopolitical uncertainties, including the collapse of certain banks in the U.S. and elsewhere and the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts; and other important risk factors identified under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, including, but not limited to, our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 3, 2025. MPS assumes no obligation to update the information in this press release or in the accompanying webinar.   

    About Monolithic Power Systems
    Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (“MPS”) is a fabless global company that provides high-performance, semiconductor-based power electronics solutions. MPS’s mission is to reduce energy and material consumption to improve all aspects of quality of life. Founded in 1997 by our CEO Michael Hsing, MPS has three core strengths: deep system-level knowledge, strong semiconductor expertise, and innovative proprietary technologies in the areas of semiconductor processes, system integration, and packaging. These combined advantages enable MPS to deliver reliable, compact, and monolithic solutions that are highly energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible while providing a consistent return on investment to our stockholders. MPS can be contacted through its website at www.monolithicpower.com or its support offices around the world.

    Monolithic Power Systems, MPS, and the MPS logo are registered trademarks of Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and trademarked in certain other countries. 

    Contact:
    Bernie Blegen
    Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
    Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    408-826-0777
    MPSInvestor.Relations@monolithicpower.com

    UPDATED 2025 FIRST QUARTER OUTLOOK
    RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING EXPENSES TO NON-GAAP OPERATING EXPENSES
    (Unaudited, in thousands)
     
      Three Months Ending March 31, 2025
      Previously announced on February 6, 2025   Updated as of March 20,
    2025
      Low   High   Low   High
    Operating expenses $ 180,200     $ 186,200     $ 184,900     $ 190,900  
    Adjustments to reconcile operating expenses to non-GAAP operating expenses:              
       Stock-based compensation and other expenses   (53,300 )     (55,300 )     (53,300 )     (55,300 )
    Non-GAAP operating expenses $ 126,900     $ 130,900     $ 131,600     $ 135,600  
                   

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Idaho Copper retains Barr Engineering and Whittle Consulting for Preliminary Economic Assessment Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Boise, Idaho, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Idaho Copper Corp. (OTC Pink: COPR) is pleased to announce it has retained Barr Engineering Co. of Salt Lake City, Utah and Whittle Consulting Pty Ltd of Melbourne, Australia, to aid in its forthcoming, updated PEA (Preliminary Economic Assessment) Technical Report, which is anticipated to be released in mid-year 2025.

    Barr, which will be acting as the study manager and lead author of the updated PEA, brings to the project decades of broad capabilities in environmental and geologic services, mine engineering, process engineering, civil engineering, and facility and infrastructure design. Their engagement will be supplemented by Lycopodium, Inc., which are experts in ore-sorting technology; they will be reviewing extensive test work conducted during 2024 that demonstrated the variability of the CuMo orebody and its strong amenability to ore sorting. (see Press Release dated September 19, 2024).

    Whittle Consulting are leaders in the optimization of mining projects and operations, materially improving their cashflow, NPV and overall economic performance. Since 1999, they have conducted over 180 optimization studies around the world, for both open pit and underground mines across all commodities, with clients that include many of the world’s major mining companies as well as numerous junior ones.

    Idaho Copper has, since March 2024, been working on its PEA update, which is expected during the first half of this year. The updated PEA will be compliant with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and US SEC Regulation S-K 1300. The PEA update integrates ore-sorting as a key component of the mine design, mine plan, and production schedule; optimizing separation of higher-grade mill feed from lower-grade stockpile ore and waste. The company expects these changes to significantly reduce initial capital and operating costs, and dramatically increase project economics compared to the 2020 PEA.

    About Idaho Copper Corporation

    Idaho Copper Corporation is a mineral exploration and development company focused on exploring and developing a massive copper-molybdenum-silver deposit in Idaho (United States), (“the CuMo” project). The CuMo project currently consists of one hundred and twenty-six (126) federal unpatented lode mining claims, and six (6) patented mining claims. In total, the project comprises approximately 2,640 acres. The unpatented lode mining claims and patented claims are situated in an unorganized mining district in Boise County, Idaho.

    For more information, visit: www.idaho-copper.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains forward looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on the Company’s current expectations, estimates, and projections regarding its business, operations and other similar or related factors. Words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “believe,” “estimate,” and other similar or related expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors. Stockholders and potential investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that its plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements in this report are reasonable, the Company cannot assure stockholders and potential investors that these plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by law, the Company has no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, a change in events, conditions, circumstances or assumptions underlying such statements, or otherwise. You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and other disclosures, including the statements made under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 15, 2024, and the Company’s other periodic and quarterly filings with the SEC.

    For further information, please contact: info@idaho-copper.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia provides recast comparative quarterly financial information reflecting the transfer of Managed Services business from Cloud and Network Services to Mobile Networks

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation

    Stock Exchange Release
    20 March 2025 at 18:00 EET

    Nokia provides recast comparative quarterly financial information reflecting the transfer of Managed Services business from Cloud and Network Services to Mobile Networks

    Nokia today provided recast comparative financial information for Mobile Networks and Cloud and Network Services segments for Q1-Q4 2024 reflecting the transfer of the Managed Services business.

    Managed Services business transferred from Cloud and Network Services into Mobile Networks in 2025

    Effective 1 January 2025, Nokia moved its Managed Services business into its Mobile Networks business group. The Managed Services business provides outsourced network management of multi-vendor RAN networks for operators and, since 2021, has been part of Nokia’s Cloud and Network Services business group. As the Cloud and Network Services business group is increasingly transitioning towards cloud-native software sales, ‘as-a-service’ product offerings and helping customers to monetize networks through API’s, Nokia believes that Managed Services is more aligned and fits better with its Mobile Networks business group.

    To provide a basis for comparison, the following tables present summarized income statement information for Cloud and Network Services and Mobile Networks on an unaudited basis for all quarters and the full year of 2024, reflecting the transfer of the Managed Services business.

    Mobile Networks 

    EUR million Q1’24 Q2’24 Q3’24 Q4’24 Q1-Q4’24
    Net sales 1 682 2 078 1 854 2 545 8 159
    Gross profit 688 868 713 950 3 219
    Gross margin % 40.9%         41.8%                 38.5%                 37.3%         39.5%
    Research and development expenses (544) (538) (520) (558) (2 160)
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (180) (191) (182) (203) (756)
    Other operating income and expenses 4 43 91 12 149
    Operating profit/(loss) (32) 182 101 201 452
    Operating margin % (1.9)%         8.8%                 5.4%                 7.9%         5.5%
    Other segment items          
    Depreciation and amortization (92) (99) (92) (94) (377)

    Cloud and Network Services 

    EUR million Q1’24 Q2’24 Q3’24 Q4’24 Q1-Q4’24
    Net sales 546 507 595 940 2 589
    Gross profit 215 190 269 483 1 157
    Gross margin % 39.4%         37.5%                 45.2%                 51.4%         44.7%
    Research and development expenses (140) (139) (130) (141) (550)
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (113) (105) (105) (121) (444)
    Other operating income and expenses 1 19 23 1 43
    Operating profit/(loss) (37) (35) 56 222 206
    Operating margin % (6.8)% (6.9)%         9.4%                 23.6%         8.0%
    Other segment items          
    Depreciation and amortization (17) (16) (16) (17) (67)

    About Nokia

    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Inquiries:

    Nokia
    Communications
    Phone: +358 10 448 4900
    Email: press.services@nokia.com
    Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications

    Nokia

    Investor Relations
    Phone: +358 931 580 507
    Email: investor.relations@nokia.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 20 March 2025 Departmental update WHO announces the development of updated guidance on HIV service delivery

    Source: World Health Organisation

    WHO is convening a Guideline Development Group (GDG) for the development of updated recommendations on adherence support interventions for people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy, and integration of diabetes, hypertension and mental health services with HIV services. This guidance will focus on individual and public health benefits.

    GDG members will contribute to the review of systematic reviews, evidence summaries, and formulation of recommendations. They will participate in the GDG meeting, which will be held virtually from 8 – 10 April 2025. 

    Following WHO guidance for guideline development, the GDG will be composed of members from all WHO regions acting in their individual capacity rather than as representatives of affiliated organizations. GDG members were selected by WHO technical staff based on their technical expertise, their role as end-users (e.g., programme managers and health-care providers), and their representation of affected communities. GDG members are not commissioned and do not receive any financial compensation.

    In line with WHOs policy on conflict of interest, members of the public and interested organizations can access the biographies of the GDG members and inform WHO of any feedback. All comments should be sent by email to hiv‑aids@who.int by 3 April 2025. 

    This feedback helps WHO develop high-quality guidelines that reflect diverse perspectives and respond to the needs of communities worldwide.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Correction: Equinor presents 2024 Annual report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Correction: The below stock market announcement (SMA) is a correction of the SMA published on 20 March 2025 message ID 641734. The reason for the correction is that information related to the balance sheet of Equinor ASA was inadequately presented in the attachment “Equinor Annual Report 2024.pdf”. The presentation is now complete in the attached reporting. 

     * * *

    Equinor ASA (OSE: EQNR, NYSE: EQNR) publishes annual report for 2024, including financial and sustainability reporting.

    “2024 was marked by continued unpredictability in energy markets, with growing energy demand, political uncertainty and uneven progress in the energy transition. Our focus is on producing the energy the world needs today, and at the same time developing the energy systems needed for the future,” says Anders Opedal, President and CEO of Equinor ASA.

    Safety

    “A systematic approach to safety over time is paying off with the best safety results to date in 2024. However, the year was marked by the fatal search and rescue (SAR) helicopter accident where we lost a dear colleague. We believe close collaboration with suppliers and shared learning in the industry is important for our continued safety improvement effort”, says Opedal.

    The twelve-month average Serious Incident Frequency (SIF) for 2024 was 0.3, down from 0.4 in 2023.

    Strong operational and financial performance

    Equinor delivered adjusted operating income* of USD 29.8 billion, and adjusted net income* of USD 9.18. Net operating income was reported at USD 30.9 billion and net income at USD 8.83 billion.

    “Our operational performance was strong, built on the dedicated efforts from employees across the company. Our role as a major supplier of energy to Europe is important and I am proud of the work we have done to provide energy security”, says Opedal.

    Strong operational performance across the portfolio contributed to an equity production of liquids and gas of 2,067 mboe per day in 2024, on par with the year before. Equity production of renewable power increased by 51% to 2,935 GWh.

    Strong financial result contributed to a return on average capital employed (RoACE)* at 21% for 2024. Capital discipline remained firm with organic capital expenditures* ending at USD 12.1 billion for the year. Equinor maintained a strong balance sheet with net debt to capital employed adjusted* of 11.9% at the end of 2024.

    The strong financial results of 2024 also led to strong contributions to society through taxes. In 2024, Equinor paid USD 20.6 billion in corporate income taxes of which USD 19.7 billion was paid in Norway, where Equinor has the largest share of its operations and earnings.

    Firm strategy and progressing industrial development

    “We have a consistent growth strategy, and our strategic direction remains firm. By adapting to market situation and opportunities, we are positioned for stronger free cash flow and growth, and set to create shareholder value for decades to come”, Opedal continues.

    Through progressing projects and portfolio shaping transactions Equinor spent 2024 high-grading the portfolio and positioning for stronger growth and cash flow.

    On the Norwegian continental shelf, the development of the portfolio continued with 39 new licences and approvals of the PDOs of Eirin, Irpa, Verdande and Andvare projects. The Johan Castberg FPSO arrived at the field and started preparations for startup.

    The international upstream portfolio was focused with the exits from our long-standing positions in Nigeria and Azerbaijan and deepened in core areas with the acquisitions of US Onshore gas assets close to premium markets. In the UK an agreement was signed to establish an incorporated joint venture with Shell UK Ltd., which will become the largest independent oil and gas company on the UK continental shelf.

    Through 2024 Equinor high-graded the renewables portfolio to ensure profitable growth, in a market challenged by cost inflation and regulatory delays. In the UK the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank, continued to progress towards commercial start-up. Production was commenced at the Mendubim solar plants in Brazil.

    The long-term view on the importance of offshore wind remains firm. Through an acquisition of a 10% stake in Ørsted, Equinor got exposure to a premium portfolio of offshore wind projects and assets in operation.

    Value chains for carbon transport and storage progressed notably. In Norway, Northern Lights, the first commercial CO2 transport and storage infrastructure was completed and is expected to receive and store CO2 in 2025. In the UK, execution started for two of UK’s first carbon capture and storage infrastructure projects where Equinor is a partner.

    Progress on the Energy transition plan

    In 2024, Equinor achieved a year-on-year reduction of 5% in operated scope 1+2 greenhouse gas emissions, bringing the total down to 11.0 million tonnes CO2 equivalents. This is a 34% reduction from 2015, which is the reference year for Equinor’s ambition to reduce group-wide operated emissions by 50% on a net basis by 2030. Throughout 2024, actions were taken for further emission reductions with the partial electrification of the Sleipner field center, the Gudrun platform, as well as the Troll B and C fields.

    The average upstream CO2 intensity of Equinor’s operated portfolio was 6.2 kg of CO2 per boe in 2024 (100% basis), an improvement from 6.7kg of CO2/boe in 2023 and well below the industry average. The scope 3 GHG emissions from use of our products were 251 million tonnes in 2024, on par with the level in 2023.

    Equinor improved in the net carbon intensity of energy produced (including scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions) in 2024, which is now 2% below the 2019 baseline. The reduction was mainly driven by increased renewable energy production and lower scope 1+2 emissions.

    Equinor ambition is to to be a leading company in the energy transition. The updated Energy Transition Plan, published on March 20 2025, outlines the approach to deliver on Equinor’s strategy of creating value in the transition, while adjusting to changing external context and market realities.

    ***

    The previously announced decision of the French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), includes a requirement for Equinor to publish the following summary language:

    “Les sociétés Danske Commodities A/S et Equinor ASA ont été condamnées, par une décision n° 08-40-23 de la Commission de régulation de l’énergie (CRE) du 20 janvier 2025, au titre de la méconnaissance de l’article 5 du règlement REMIT qui prohibe les manipulations de marché, au paiement de sanctions pécuniaires, dont les montants s’élèvent à huit millions d’euros (8.000.000 €) pour la société Danske Commodities A/S et quatre millions d’euros (4.000.000 €) pour la société Equinor ASA, pour des manipulations commises sur le marché de gros en 2019 et en 2020, en ce qui concerne les capacités de transport de gaz naturel entre la France et l’Espagne.

    Danske Commodities A/S and Equinor ASA were ordered by decision no. 08-40-23 of Commission de régulation de l’énergie (CRE) of 20 January 2025 to pay – for infringement of Article 5 of REMIT Regulation prohibiting market manipulations – financial penalties in the amount of eight million euros (€8,000,000) as regards Danske Commodities A/S and four million euros (€4,000,000) as regards Equinor ASA, for manipulations committed on the wholesale market in 2019 and 2020, with regard to natural gas transmission capacity between France and Spain.”

    The full decision is included in the attached appendix “Full decision text”. Equinor does not agree with the decision from CRE and will appeal the case to the Higher Administrative Court in France.

    * * *

    Our annual report and the subsidiary reports published separately can be downloaded from equinor.com/reports.

    * * *

    In accordance with Section 203.01 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, Equinor ASA announces that on 20 March 2025 it filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission its 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F that includes audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    The Equinor 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F may be downloaded from Equinor’s website at www.equinor.com. References to this document or other documents on Equinor’s website are included as an aid to their location and are not incorporated by reference into this document. All SEC filings made available electronically by Equinor may be obtained from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    Shareholders may also request a hard copy of the annual report free of charge at www.equinor.com.

    * * *

    (*) These are non-GAAP figures. See Use and reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures in the annual report for more details.

    Further information:

    Investor relations
    Bård Glad Pedersen, senior vice president Investor Relations,
    +47 51 99 00 00

    Press
    Rikke Høistad Sjøberg, media spokesperson financial communication,
    +47 901 01 451(mobile)

    * * *

    Cautionary Note regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect current views with respect to future events, are based on the management’s current expectations and assumptions, and are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those discussed under “Risk Factors” in the 2024 Annual report and elsewhere in Equinor’s publications. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and, except as required by applicable law, Equinor undertakes no obligation to update any of these statements, whether to make them conform to actual results, changes in expectations or otherwise.

    * * *

    This information is subject to disclosure obligations pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation, ref. section 3-1 in the Norwegian Securities Trading Act, and section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: THE BANCORP SHAREHOLDER ALERT: CLAIMSFILER REMINDS INVESTORS WITH LOSSES IN EXCESS OF $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against The Bancorp, Inc. – TBBK

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW ORLEANS, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 16, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against The Bancorp, Inc. (“Bancorp” or the “Company”) (NasdaqGS: TBBK), if they purchased the Company’s securities between January 25, 2024 and March 4, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.

    Get Help

    Bancorp investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/nasdaq-tbbk-1 or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

    About the Lawsuit

    The Bancorp and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

    On March 4, 2025, the Company disclosed that it would be unable to file timely its fiscal year 2024 annual report and that its “financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 through 2024 as shown in the Annual Report should no longer be relied upon” because its auditors for those years “did not provide approval to include [the] audit opinion . . . or [the] consent to the incorporation by reference of their audit report in certain registration statements.” Further, the Company revealed it is “working expeditiously to perform and complete additional closing procedures related to accounting for consumer fintech loans in the allowance for credit losses” in order to file an amended annual report, and that it “is evaluating the impact of this non-reliance on its conclusions regarding disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting.”

    On this news, the price of Bancorp’s shares fell $2.34, or 4.38%, to close at $51.25 per share on March 5, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume.

    The case is Linden v. The Bancorp, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-326.

    About ClaimsFiler

    ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

    To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Oracle Database@Azure adds support for Base Database Service, Exadata Exascale and more

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Oracle Database@Azure adds support for Base Database Service, Exadata Exascale and more

    Oracle customers of all sizes rely on Oracle databases to run their mission-critical workloads, from financial systems to global supply chains. As they navigate digital transformation, they want to modernize their databases and applications in the cloud while enabling advanced AI, real-time analytics, and automation. That’s why Microsoft and Oracle partnered to create Oracle Database@Azure – and now we’re adding more options to serve customers of all sizes with Oracle Base Database Service coming soon and Exadata Exascale now generally available. Additionally, we’re expanding our regional availability for Oracle Database@Azure to the East US 2 region and adding important networking enhancements. 

    Oracle Base Database Service – coming soon!

    Not every database workload requires extreme performance. Some businesses need a simple, cost-effective way to run Oracle databases in Azure—without the overhead of managing infrastructure. 

    We are pleased to announce that Oracle Base Database Service will soon be available on Oracle Database@Azure. Base Database Service will run Oracle Database Enterprise Edition and Standard Edition 2 versions of 19c and 23ai on virtual machines. It offers automated database lifecycle management for reduced administration, low-code application development for faster deployment, and independently scalable compute and storage with pay-as-you-go pricing for flexible workload demands. 

    Base Database Service provides a low-friction, cost-effective entry point to Oracle Database@Azure so Oracle database customers can scale effortlessly and unlock agility in the cloud. 

    Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure is now generally available 

    Now workloads of any size can benefit from the performance, reliability, and availability benefits of high performance Exadata infrastructure with Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure running in Azure datacenters. 

    By leveraging Exascale’s intelligent data architecture, businesses can reduce infrastructure costs, making high-performance Oracle databases more accessible. Its highly elastic, cost-efficient solution enables organizations of any size to balance automation with control, and optimize AI, analytics, and transactional workloads. 

    Azure customers can purchase Oracle Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure through the Azure Marketplace via a custom private offer or pay-as-you-go model, with the option of using Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC). Existing Oracle Database customers can also bring their own license (BYOL) or use Unlimited License Agreements (ULAs).  

    With Exascale infrastructure, organizations only pay for the compute and storage resources used starting with a highly affordable minimum size—all within Azure’s trusted cloud ecosystem.

    Other announcements 

    In addition to the support for new Oracle database services, we’re proud to announce more capabilities and choice for our customers. 

    Bringing Oracle Database@Azure to East US 2 

    We’re pleased to announce the expansion of Oracle Database@Azure availability to the East US 2 region of Azure. With this addition,  

    Oracle Database@Azure is now available in 14 regions globally which is the highest amongst all hyperscalers – Australia East, Brazil South, Canada Central, East US, East US 2, Central US, France Central, Germany West Central, Italy North, Japan East, Southeast Asia, UK South, UK West and West US.  

    By the end of 2025, the service will expand to 18 additional regions, enhancing scalability and resilience worldwide. Eight multi-zone regions will include Central India, North Europe, South Central US, Spain Central, Sweden Central, UAE North, West US 2, and West US 3. 10 single-zone regions will include Australia Southeast, Brazil Southeast, Canada East, France South, Germany North, Japan West, North Central US, South India, West Europe, and UAE Central.  

    Microsoft is the only cloud provider offering a unique combination of multi- and single-zone regions to offer Oracle Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA) at Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers for the highest levels of availability, disaster recovery, failover, and operational continuity. The global expansion of Oracle Database@Azure will continue to support alignment with Microsoft’s best practices for Disaster Recovery. For more details, please refer to Microsoft’s cross-region replication guidelines. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/reliability/regions-paired 

    Supercharging Performance with Oracle Exadata X11M  

    To help customers get even more from their Oracle databases in Azure, we’re excited to announce that Oracle Exadata Database Service on Dedicated Infrastructure on Oracle Database@Azure now supports Oracle Exadata X11M. This next-generation architecture delivers significantly increased performance for your AI, analytics, and mission-critical workloads compared to the previous generation — all without increasing infrastructure or consumption costs. 

    Enhanced networking capabilities for enterprise workloads 

    We’re continuing to enhance Oracle Database@Azure for enterprise workloads with new networking capabilities. With the addition of Network Security Groups (NSG), Private Link, Global Peering, and ExpressRoute FastPath, customers now benefit from enhanced security, higher performance, and improved connectivity to effortlessly integrate their Oracle databases with Azure services and infrastructure. 

    • Network Security Groups (NSG): Enforce fine-grained security policies, allowing customers to control access to their Oracle databases with ease. 
    • Private Link: Enable private, secure connections between Azure services and Oracle Database@Azure, reducing exposure to the public internet and enhancing compliance. 
    • Global Peering: Provide quick, high-speed interconnectivity across multiple Azure regions, improving disaster recovery and cross-region data replication. 
    • ExpressRoute FastPath: 
      • Optimize networking performance with direct, ultra-low-latency connections between apps hosted on Azure VMware Solution (AVS) and databases on Oracle Database@Azure. 
      • Accelerate migrations from on-premises environments to Oracle Database@Azure, ensuring fast, easy data transfer for mission-critical workloads like real-time analytics and financial transactions. 

    With Oracle Database@Azure running on OCI in Azure datacenters, customers benefit from: 

    • Analytics and insights – Combine Oracle and non-Oracle data with Microsoft Fabric for unified analytics, including AI-driven insights via Copilot and visualization using PowerBI. 
    • Comprehensive Data Governance & Compliance – Leverage Microsoft Purview to ensure robust data governance, security, and compliance across Oracle databases and Azure services, enabling unified data discovery, classification, and policy enforcement. 
    • AI-Powered Innovation – Build scalable, intelligent applications using Azure App Service, AKS, Azure DevOps, and AI services like Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI Service, and Azure Machine Learning. 
    • Enterprise-Grade Security– Strengthen enterprise security with Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM) for proactive threat detection and response, combined with Entra ID for robust identity protection and access management 
    • Seamless Cloud Migration & Integration – Simplify and accelerate Oracle database transitions to the cloud with Oracle Zero-Downtime Migration and Azure Migrate, ensuring seamless integration with native Azure services. 
    • Flexible & Cost-Effective Deployment – Benefit from OCI pricing parity, hybrid cloud connectivity, streamlined licensing, and enterprise agreements, ensuring predictable costs and procurement flexibility. 
    • Unified Support & High Availability – Enjoy joint Microsoft-Oracle enterprise-grade support, validated Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA) at Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers, and built-in disaster recovery and failover protections. 
    • Future-Proof Cloud Architecture – Run Oracle workloads natively on Azure with a fully tested, validated, and supported cloud service from two of the most trusted names in enterprise computing. 

    Get Started Today 

    Now is the time to unlock new possibilities. Get started today and take your enterprise workloads to the next level with Oracle Database@Azure. 

    Contact your Microsoft sales team.  

    Visit https://aka.ms/oracle to learn more. 

    Learn how to migrate and manage your Oracle databases in Azure. 

     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chief Secretary announces Government finance systems overhaul

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Chief Secretary announces Government finance systems overhaul

    In a speech at the Institute for Government today, Darren Jones laid out his plans to transform and upgrade the government’s central finance system.

    • New technology will improve timeliness and accuracy of data used to inform decision-making at the centre of government.
    • Ministers to be able to access live data showing departmental delivery and finance performance data at a programme and project level.
    • Inspired by the private sector, the overhaul comes after Prime Minister last week announced radical transformation of the state, so it works for working people and delivers on the Government’s Plan for Change.

    As the Government pushes on with plans to rewire the British state to deliver for working people through its the Government’s Plan for Change, the Chief Secretary has today announced wide ranging reforms to modernise and reform the architecture of public spending across government.

    In a speech at the Institute for Government today, Darren Jones laid out his plans to transform and upgrade the government’s central finance system, to improve the timeliness and accuracy of data shared between departments and HM Treasury to boost decision-making at the heart of government.

    Currently, departments track their own spending and performance, and share data with the Treasury via manual uploads in online spreadsheets and physical letters. This means the Treasury does not have real time access to departments the finance and performance management data and cannot see in real time departmental spending and its impact. 

    To address inefficiencies, the Chief Secretary has formed plans to transform government’s approach to understanding, tracking, and evaluating spending across departments.

    Under these new plans, Ministers will have access to live and real-time performance data at both a departmental and programme level.

    This means Ministers will be able to see in real time what programmes are over or under spending, which projects are delivering and not, and how departments are performing against their budgets and objectives.

    All of this will improve the timeliness and accuracy of data insight to boost financial and strategic decision-making at the heart of government. 

    Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said:

    The Prime Minister been clear that the government will rewire the state, so that it better delivers on the people’s priorities.

    I am convinced that through investment and reform, we can deliver a more productive and agile state that delivers better outcomes for people and reduces the cost of running public services.

    That’s why as part of my wider reforms to public spending, HM Treasury will be using technology to analyse finance and performance data in real time and free up departments to focus on delivery instead of Treasury compliance reporting.

    This drive for modernisation and reforming the state comes after the Prime Minister last week announced a radical transformation of the state, to streamline efficiencies and cut wasteful spending, so that it works for working people and delivers his Plan for Change. It also comes a week before the Chancellor delivers the Spring Statement.

    Updates to this page

    Published 20 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Darren Jones speech to Institute for Government

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Darren Jones speech to Institute for Government

    In a speech at the Institute for Government today, Darren Jones laid out his plans to transform and upgrade the government’s central finance system.

    Well, good afternoon everyone. It’s great to be back at the Institute for government. And as has been alluded to, I was here not very long ago. But I’m delighted to be back because I’ve been working on a project with colleagues in the Treasury that I’m told is not particularly newsy, but for me and a select group is very, very exciting. And so we wanted to talk about it and this was a perfect venue to do so. So thank you once again for hosting us.

    When I became Chief Secretary to the Treasury and therefore responsible for public spending, I didn’t quite envisage that I would be giving a speech like this, starting with a story about the sinking of the General Belgrano during the Falklands War. Nor to be making the connection between that event and my plans to modernize how we use finance and performance management data in Whitehall. But following a conversation with Lord Sainsbury, it turns out I am. And so I’m now going to tell you the story, if you don’t mind me pinching it.

    So some of you might remember that Clive Ponting was a senior civil servant who leaked government information about the sinking of the General Belgrano, and in 1985, after a court case that resulted in the then cabinet secretary Robert Armstrong, drafting something that’s now called the Armstrong Memorandum, which, based on some earlier constitutional principles, set out essentially how ministers and civil servants are accountable for their actions.

    The memorandum, in a classically British way, has become entwined in the Constitution and become an important part of our While constitutional principles, it’s now become a doctrine. The Armstrong doctrine, I’m told by the House of Commons library. And essentially what it means is that government departments are autonomous, independent organizations that report directly to Parliament. Now, that doctrine is important and obviously will continue. But in this modern world where we are trying to use data and technology to better deliver public services, we need to move on a little. And let me explain why.

    So when I arrived at the Treasury last year, I had assumed that the Treasury acted a bit like a finance department in a kind of multinational organization or a group, organizations with different lines of business or parts of the business that reported up to the Treasury.
    But what I’ve realised over the last few months is that actually the way our finance systems are designed means the relationship is a little bit more like a bank and its customer. So the Treasury, as the bank has a load of customers, the departments in government, and it’s our job to anticipate their financing needs, to think about how we’re going to raise the money, to be able to give them the money, to request information from them about what they want to do, which we do via letterhead and Excel spreadsheets. and then use word based document advice notes to talk about what they’d like to do and how much it might cost. And in that process, we then attach conditions to the spending. So we say, fine, you can have X million billion pounds. And in return we think these things should happen. We apply ring fences to different pots of money. You can only use this bit for this particular outcome. And we put loads of compliance reporting over it, a kind of grander scale of getting a loan from a bank where it might just be for your home development or debt consolidation or a car or whatever.

    And then we check in and we see how the departments are getting on, how they’re spending that money, whether they’re spending it broadly in line with what we agreed. And we do that on the basis of a monthly submission from the departments to an IT system called Oscar, which essentially is an Excel spreadsheet that the departments fill out and then upload. And that tells us at a very high level, how much they’re spending against what we thought they were going to spend. It’s essentially cash flow. And it doesn’t really tell us a huge amount more.

    And so what that means is that the information that we get is not only high level and a bit disaggregated, but it’s also retrospective. It’s looking backwards, not looking at current performance and not really able to predict future performance.

    And so in practice, because of this Armstrong doctrine, all of the finance, accounting and performance data sits within the departments on their own IT systems, often structured in different ways. Or they. Whitehall has been doing some good work in trying to get them to report their data in a unified way, and then turned into PDF management board packs that go to the departmental boards each month, which they send us as a courtesy, and we kind of have a look at them. But it’s all essentially not very ideal.

    And the problem with that is that not only does the Treasury then, in exercising its responsibility to manage public money, attach loads of conditions and ring fences and compliance reporting and kind of meddling essentially a lot in the departments, but then the departments in turn end up applying an enormous number of performance metrics and KPIs to all of the different services that they provide.

    We then in the Treasury layer some of our own on the top, the Cabinet Office layer, some of theirs on the top, and if it’s a Prime Minister or Prime Minister or priority number ten, layer some more on the top. And essentially you’ve then got this enormous list of KPIs that people are constantly manually reporting against the long side of the ring fences and the conditions and the compliance requirements. And quite frankly, it’s a wonder that anything gets done.

    And so that has to change. And it needs to change because it’s frustrating to all of our brilliant officials, our spending teams in the Treasury, but also all of our officials in Whitehall departments who want to get on and deliver the public’s priorities. It wouldn’t be acceptable to behave in this way in a modern company, and it is not acceptable to act in this way in the modern British state.

    So the reforms that I’m going to be taking forward will help deal with this problem and as a consequence, improve productivity and performance across Whitehall. It’s in line with what you’ve heard from the Prime Minister in terms of our ambitions to rewire the state, to modernize the state and public services, to deliver better outcomes for the public in return for greater transparency between the departments and the centre of government.

    We then, in the centre of government, have to offer greater autonomy and delegation to the departments. The transparency that we want will make it easier for the Treasury to continue to manage public money robustly, but in return they will have to be fewer conditions, better levels of delegation and a reduction in the amount of reporting and compliance against too many KPIs.

    Only yesterday I met with some CEOs and chief technology officers from leading businesses who are harnessing data through their complex multinational operations to help deliver better decision making.

    There was a private equity firm with over 60 portfolio companies, for example, and despite the huge number of individual operating entities and jurisdictions around the world in which they operate, they use some what seem to be pretty normal tools that the private sector now uses to pull that data through. They have some AI that read these PDF board packs and automatically put it into their IT systems, and they focus crucially on the data that matters most. That is most important to them, and which in turn gives them the best shot of being able to predict future performance as well as track current performance. It means that they’re able to see how individual business units and their sales are performing, where costs are mounting up, where revenue is falling, where problems are so that they can grab them and deal with them, but also to be able to allocate capital more efficiently and deliver better outcomes.

    As I say, these software products are available today. They’re not complicated, but we do need to bring them into the public sector at last, because a smarter, data driven approach to understanding, tracking and evaluating spending, performance and delivery is the right ambition for any government, and it’s definitely an ambition of ours.

    We’ve made some strides already. We’ve already, as I’ve talked about when I was here last time, updated the Spending Review. We’re using technology, dashboards, AI. We’re talking about things across departments with the cabinet. This is very different to the way it used to happen with the Treasury bilaterally via Excel spreadsheets, with not everyone knowing what was happening. You get one department in, you get them out, you get another department in, you get them out. We’ve transformed that already as best we can. But this type of approach will make it much easier and allow ministers to make much more informed decisions to deliver better outcomes for the public.

    So these reforms will update our operating model, and they will transform the digital and data architecture of public spending across government. We’re building on existing work that’s taking place, which is implementing shared enterprise resource planning software, ERP software, back office functions, basically where the departments are already integrating some of those functions in the cloud through various groupings of departments. And we will develop a single digital interface that sits over the top of these IT solutions and will bring the data up into the centre of government to allow us to look at financial and performance management.

    We’ll then be able to use data analytics and AI to track trends, spot emerging challenges, and to be able to share best practice in real time. It will also allow us to spot earlier where there are points of failure that lead to excessive spending. Too often there are lots of examples. We only realise that something is going wrong and costing a lot when it’s a very large number. We need to be able to spot those and deal with it much sooner in that process, for the benefit of people who are relying on those public services, but also for the benefit of taxpayers.

    The good news is that our officials, our finance professionals, the departments, they will all welcome this. They’ve been looking for. I think politicians to prioritise this niche but exciting opportunity for quite some time. And here we are at last, with ministers who are excited by the potential of data.

    We won’t be changing the constitutional basics. Of course, departments will still be accountable to Parliament through their ministers and accounting offices, but we will be taking this new approach to a shared, transparent evidence base where data flows in the way that it should, whether the centre of government has sites where departments can collaborate when they’re part of a system together, to have a more informed view about how their decisions affect each other and how ultimately that’s affecting people across the country.

    We start from a decade where the performance of public services went backwards. The Whitehall Monitor is a great evidence base for showing that productivity is nosedived, and as a consequence, public spending had spiralled out of control. We’ve already taken steps, as you all know, to get a grip of public spending, to embed our fiscal rules, to strengthen independent oversight from the office for Budget Responsibility, and to take the tough and sometimes unpopular decisions we’ve had to take in order to make sure that we’re spending in line with our means as a country.

    But after 14 years of behaving in that way, the public rightly look at government irrespective of party and ask, why am I paying all of this tax and not seeing basic public services work? This is an important part of the answer to that challenge, and it will give us the tools, the data and the insight to really be able to drive modernisation and productivity across the public sector so that we’re operating as a modern government fit for the 21st century.

    And as part of wider sets of reforms that you’ve heard Pat McFadden and others talk about ultimately delivering a more productive and lean state that can deliver better outcomes for people at lower cost thanks to our investment and modernisation of the state and public services. Thanks very much.

    Updates to this page

    Published 20 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Press Release – IMF and the Statistical Community Release New Global Standards for Macroeconomic Statistics

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    March 20, 2025

    Washington, DC: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released the seventh edition of the Integrated Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM7, the Manual) (https://www.imf.org/-/media/Files/Data/Statistics/BPM6/draft-bpm7-wcv.ashx). This new edition provides updated global standards for compiling external sector statistics, including balance of payments and integrated international investment position. It highlights key changes in the global economy, such as the increasing economic interconnectedness, digitalization, and innovations in financial markets since the time of the last update of the manual in 2009.

    The launch of BPM7 marks the culmination of several years of work by the IMF Statistics Department in consultation with the IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics (BOPCOM), with support from the global balance of payments (BOP) community of statisticians and users. BPM7 serves as a key framework for member countries, guiding the preparation of internationally comparable statistics and the production of high-quality data that reflects economic realities.

    The release of BPM7 coincides with the release of the updated System of National Accounts, 2025 (2025 SNA) which was adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission on March 5, 2025 (https://unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/sna2025.asp). The Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014 and Monetary and Financial Statistics Manual and Compilation Guide 2016 will also be revised in the near term to maintain their harmonization with the two updated standards. This uniform set of statistical methodologies ensures policymakers can make well-informed, data-driven decisions.

    Countries are encouraged to implement both standards by 2029–2030. The IMF will support implementation of the updated BPM7 by providing additional guidance and technical assistance.

    The white cover (pre-edited) version of BPM7 is available electronically in English, with publication in other languages—Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish—expected to be completed following the release of the final version.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Rahim Kanani

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/03/20/pr25072-imf-and-statistical-community-release-new-global-standards-for-macroeconomic-stats

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney announces $187 million to help Jasper rebuild

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Jasper is Canada’s crown jewel. As the town’s residents and businesses rebuild from last summer’s devastating wildfire, the Government of Canada will be there to support the community.

    Today in Edmonton, Prime Minister Carney is announcing a $187 million investment to repair and rebuild critical infrastructure in Jasper National Park. This funding, provided to Parks Canada over two years, will support the reconstruction of roads, campgrounds, trails, and permanent staff housing, and help provide interim housing options for staff and residents during rebuilding.

    This infrastructure is essential to the town of Jasper and Jasper National Park. The funding announced today will help accelerate rebuilding during the construction season beginning in May – avoiding delays and ensuring these critical repairs are completed effectively.

    Quote

    “During last summer’s devasting Jasper wildfire, Canadians came together to protect and support this incredible town. Our new investment will help restore Canada’s crown jewel and help the people of Jasper rebuild their park, their economy, and their lives.”

    Associated Link

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Exabits joins the AI Agent Alliance to drive the future of decentralized AI

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    As the demand for AI compute increases, the Alliance represents Exabit’s mission to broaden opportunities for compute ownership, building on its prior work of providing Web2 and Web3 companies with AI-ready GPUs, including 4090s, A100s, H100s, and H200s

    SAN MATEO, Calif., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Exabits, a compute base-layer platform that transforms GPU (graphic processing unit) clusters into AI-ready compute and tokenized financial assets, has joined the AI Agent Alliance, an influential group breaking down barriers of decentralized AI. First announced by Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol at ETHDenver 2025, the AI Agent Alliance brings together industry experts focused on creating an open, user-owned AI ecosystem. Through this collaboration, Exabits will continue contributing secure, high-performance compute while democratizing access to the infrastructure needed to build AI projects.

    The artificial intelligence (AI) sector has seen significant growth with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. As AI agents gain popularity across various industries, projects face the stark reality that access to the infrastructure needed to run their AI models is facing a critical barrier. Most projects today rely on services like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud (GCP) for cloud computing. However, the escalating cost of renting such infrastructure, combined with a bottleneck in availability and a need for customization, has made this approach a growing challenge.

    By joining the AI Agent Alliance, Exabits will reinforce its goal of ensuring decentralized AI projects have consistent access to enterprise-grade compute resources. At the same time, it will empower developers with the necessary tools to train, deploy, and operate AI models freely, without the constraints of centralized systems. Beyond offering hardware, Exabits also removes participation obstacles by allowing investors to take an active part in the growth of the AI AI ecosystem.

    The Alliance includes projects such as Near AI, Coinbase, ElizaOS, MotherDAO, GAIA, Aethir, Akash, Hyperbolic, Phala, and Nevermined. The shared mission of all participating projects is to create an ecosystem where users and contributors can share in ownership and rewards, and build in an open and collaborative environment, freeing them from institutional control.

    “As an established leader in decentralized AI compute, we see the importance of teaming up with industry professionals who share our commitment to make the future of AI agents and assistants open and user-owned, “ says Dr. Hoansoo Lee, co-founder of Exabits. “The truth is that the world is not prepared for the changes that lie ahead, and professionals must join together now and prioritize AI transparency and trust. Only through collaboration can we ensure the next generation of AI is built without putting limitations on innovators and developers.”

    About Exabits:
    Established in 2021, Exabits is a revolutionary compute base-layer platform transforming high-end GPU clusters into accessible digital investment assets. With proprietary hardware and software, Exabits enables users to invest in GPU infrastructure, generating yield through tokenized compute assets. The company serves both Web2 enterprises and decentralized Web3 protocols, powering innovation through its scalable and secure infrastructure. To learn more, please visit https://exabits.ai/

    Contact:
    ReBlonde
    contact@exabits.ai

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

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/613c0dcb-51f5-4d75-8985-046c72ba304b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: MSF calls for sustained investments to fight against tuberculosis in children

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Paris – Ahead of World TB Day, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) calls on all countries and international donors to prioritise and ensure sustained investments for diagnosing, treating, and preventing tuberculosis (TB) for all – especially children, who remain the most vulnerable. 

    Every three minutes, a child dies of TB. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.25 million children and young adolescents (0-14 years) fall ill with TB each year, but that only half of these children are diagnosed and treated. In 2022, WHO revised its guidance for the management of children and adolescents with TB, which if adopted and implemented, could drastically improve care and save lives. The MSF project TACTiC – Test, Avoid, Cure TB in Children, is implementing the new WHO recommendations in our programmes in over a dozen countries in Africa and Asia, and has already documented an increase in children diagnosed with TB and put on appropriate treatment.

    However, we are gravely concerned about the recent United States funding cuts. The US is the largest financial contributor for TB programmes, accounting for half of all international and bilateral donor funding, according to WHO. 

    “For years, we have witnessed the deadly gaps that children face to access diagnosis and treatment for TB in countries where we work,” says Dr Cathy Hewison, Head of MSF’s TB working group. “Children at risk of having TB are often overlooked, either going undiagnosed or facing delays in diagnosis.”

    “Now, with the recent US funding cuts, these gaps in identifying and treating children with TB will only widen further, which threatens to roll back years of progress in TB care,” says Dr Hewison. “We urgently call on all countries and international donors to step up and ensure sustained funding for TB care for all, especially young children. No one should die or suffer from this preventable and treatable disease.”

    MSF teams in Sindh province, Pakistan, are witnessing the US funding cuts leading to the disruption of community-based services. These services play a key role in a country that has a high burden of TB, especially in active screening of people in the community – which increases the diagnosis – the screening of families at high risk, and the provision of preventive treatment for children.

    “Children are already highly vulnerable to TB, and we are worried that the US funding cuts that have impacted the community-based services will have a disproportionate effect on children, leading to more children with TB and more avoidable deaths,” says Dr Ei Hnin Hnin Phyu, Medical Coordinator with MSF in Pakistan. “We cannot afford to let funding decisions cost children’s lives.”

    Children with weakened immune systems, for instance due to HIV infection or malnutrition, are the most vulnerable, hence will be disproportionately affected by disruption of TB, HIV and nutrition services.

    Children with TB are often excluded from research and development trials being carried out on new tools for TB. The recent US funding cuts have halted numerous clinical trials, setting back TB research and innovation, with many of them being critical for children with TB. This is a major step back in the fight against TB, as it delays the development of much-needed diagnostics and treatments for children. MSF calls on the pharmaceutical industry and international donors to ensure sustained investments in the development and evaluation of medical tools that can improve TB care for children. 

    MSF is the largest non-governmental provider of TB treatment worldwide and has been involved in TB care for 30 years, often working alongside national health authorities to treat people in a wide variety of settings, including conflict zones, urban slums, prisons, refugee camps and rural areas. MSF has also been involved in efforts to find shorter and safer drug-resistant TB treatment regimens through 3 clinical trials: TB-PRACTECAL, endTB and endTB-Q. The WHO recommendations for four 6 and 9-month regimens (including BPaLM and BPaL) to treat DR-TB was prompted by evidence mainly from the TB-PRACTECAL and endTB trials.

    MSF is conducting an integrated project TACTiC – Test, Avoid, Cure TB in Children – that aims to implement the new WHO recommendations to improve the management of TB in children in MSF programmes in over a dozen countries in Africa and Asia. Additionally, this project strives to demonstrate the validity and feasibility of the recommendations in different country contexts through operational research and advocate for their widespread implementation across national health systems. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State under emergency: sending in the army isn’t the answer

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Al Chukwuma Okoli, Reader (Associate Professor) Department of Political Science, Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria, Federal University Lafia

    President Bola Tinubu recently declared a state of emergency in Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State, in the country’s south-south region.

    Prior to this decision, governance in Rivers State was practically paralysed as a result of a power struggle between the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    Rivers is at the heart of Nigeria’s once restive oil producing Niger Delta region and the emergency rule declaration was pronounced following reports of explosions rocking oil pipelines. Security scholar Al Chukwuma Okoli unpacks the implications of this development for security in the oil region previously known for militancy.

    What does declaring a state of emergency mean?

    The president has placed the governor, the deputy governor and the legislative arm of government on a six months suspension. He has appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, a retired Navy chief, as the state administrator. This means democratic institutions, except courts, have been suspended in Rivers State.

    Section 305 of Nigeria’s 1999 constitution empowers the president to declare a state of emergency when:

    • the federation is at war

    • the federation is in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in a state of war

    • there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety in any part of the country requiring extraordinary measures to avert danger

    • there is an occurrence or imminent danger of the occurrence of any disaster or natural calamity

    • there is any danger which clearly constitutes a threat to the existence of the federation

    • The Governor of a State may, with the sanction of a resolution supported by two-thirds majority of the state House of Assembly, request the President to issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency in the State

    The president can also make the decision if the governor of the affected state fails within a reasonable time to make a request.

    Is the state of emergency an effective response to the recent bombings?

    The state of emergency is a response to a dire internal security situation in which there is actual or threat of a breakdown of law and order. It applies also if security of lives and property is no longer guaranteed.

    In other words there’s been a major breach of governability in the area.

    There is an argument that the civil and security situations in Rivers State – and the civil unrest amid wanton destruction and vandalisation of oil and gas installations – calls for urgent intervention given the pivotal role of petroleum sector in sustaining the Nigerian economy.

    Oil and gas account for 40% of Nigerian government revenues and for around 92% of the value of all exports. Rivers State is a key oil producing area and hosts several major oil companies and critical oil infrastructure.

    Nevertheless, the emergency approach to the security crisis in Rivers State is, at best, problematic. Apart from amounting to unnecessary securitisation of politics and governance, it’s not capable of addressing the political undercurrents of the crisis.

    At the heart of the problem is the unresolved – or badly addressed – partisan and personality clashes between the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged predecessor and political godfather, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    The suspension of the Governor and the State Assembly may be strategically expedient. But it will fail to address the fundamental issues at stake without a concomitant suspension of Wike as the Federal Capital Territory Minister.

    This is because at the heart of the entire crisis is a power struggle between Wike and Fubara. As the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Wike influenced the emergence of Fubara as his successor during the 2023 general elections.

    They fell apart soon after the election. Wike who had become a minister and close ally of President Tinubu is believed to have influenced his loyalists in the Rivers State House of Assembly to oppose the governor. They were in the process of impeaching the governor before the state of emergency was imposed.

    Wike and Fubara’s power tussle has also led to a gradual return of Niger Delta militancy with former militants taking sides with the two political gladiators.

    Given this background, the emergency rule in Rivers state will be associated with consolidated military operations to quell the rising militancy. This, too, is likely to escalate the crisis.

    In handling the Rivers crisis, President Tinubu should have considered some historical precedents. Negotiations have fared a lot better than the military options in the region.

    The most recent armed conflict in the region arose in the early 1990s over tensions between foreign oil corporations and Niger Delta ethnic groups who feel cheated in the way their natural resources are exploited. The militant groups became notorious for their violent attacks on oil infrastructure and kidnapping of oil workers.

    Military response to this crisis did not seem to yield results until the Nigerian government introduced a disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme, known locally as the amnesty program. This was introduced in 2009 and was aimed at members of armed militant groups that were present in the Niger Delta region.

    Following this intervention, there has been relative peace in the recent past. Essentially, the emergency rule in Rivers state is likely to bring about a dramatic backlash in the sustenance of the gains of post-Amnesty peace-building in the Niger-Delta.

    What are the security implications of explosions rocking oil installations?

    Destruction of petroleum installations will bring about significant setback in the efficiency and functionality of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. It will trigger production cuts and revenue losses capable of affecting the country’s petroleum earnings.

    This will be devastating considering the place of the industry in the national economy.

    In addition, the vandalisation of oil pipelines and other installations will lead to widespread environmental degradation and disaster. In turn this will affect the livelihood and ecological security of local communities.

    As experience from government’s use of force in the region in the early 1990s have shown, the declaration of a state of emergency may result in the renewal of piracy, cultism, hostage-taking, and kidnapping. This will in turn be a setback for the gains of peace building already recorded in the area since the introduction of the Niger Delta Amnesty program in 2009.

    Lastly, one of the most likely outcomes of the emergency rule will be the return of inter-militant fighting and vendetta. Already, lines are drawn between the militants aligned with Wike and Fubara.

    Such a development may dovetail into a major inter gang war with devastating implications for peace and development of the Niger Delta region.

    What approach should the appointed administrator take?

    The aftermath of the emergency declaration in Rivers State is dicey.

    To make progress with his mandate – which is to restore order in the state – the administrator needs to adopt a completely depoliticised approach to the partisan dispute that’s led to the current crisis. He has to initiate a credible peace process that is holistic and capable of alleviating the fears and doubts of parties.

    The administrator has to adopt a strictly non-partisan, multi-stakeholder and inclusive approach to dealing with the crisis. All the aggrieved parties must be treated fairly and reasonably.

    There must be a conscious effort at buildings bridges at local levels. These should be aimed at eliciting the buy-in of critical stakeholders and interested parties such as the militant groups and supporters of Wike and Fubara.

    Lastly, the administrator has to be conscious and sensitive to the local issues and sensibilities that are at the root of the crisis.

    Local problem require local remedies. An inward looking solution that carries everyone along, addresses the underlying issues and grievances, restores trust and goodwill, and transcends partisan divides, is the only route that will bring about a lasting solution to the Rivers state.

    Al Chukwuma Okoli teaches Political Science at Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria. An Associate Professor of Security Governance, Okoli has consulted for Center for Democracy and Development, Yaradua Foundation, Partners West Africa (Nigeria), CLEEN Foundation, African Union, UN Women, United Nations Development Programme, etc..He has received funding from the Tertiary Education Fund (Nigeria). A triple Laureate of Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Okoli s a member of Conflict Research Network West Africa and Amnesty International.

    – ref. Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State under emergency: sending in the army isn’t the answer – https://theconversation.com/nigerias-oil-rich-rivers-state-under-emergency-sending-in-the-army-isnt-the-answer-252672

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa hasn’t given individuals access to the African Court – this needs to be fixed

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Frans Viljoen, Professor of International Human Rights Law, Centre for Human Rights, and acting SARChI Chair in International Constitutional Law, University of Pretoria

    US President Donald Trump’s second term has brought South Africa’s domestic human rights record into stark international prominence. Based on misinformation, Trump’s anti-South African campaign seems designed to weaken South Africa’s image as an international torch bearer for human rights.

    At the heart of the issue lies American resentment about South Africa’s submission in December 2023 to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of a case alleging that Israel has violated the 1948 Genocide Convention.

    South Africa has won accolades for its principled and courageous submission of the ICJ case. Nevertheless, its role in advancing human rights on the African continent has been more ambiguous.

    My research has focused on the African regional human rights architecture, set up under the African Union (AU) as a continental bulwark for human rights. The primary continental judicial body for human rights is the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, based in Arusha, Tanzania.

    South Africa has fallen short in one key aspect when it comes to championing human rights on the continent: it has failed to sign up to accepting direct individual access to the court. This matters because almost all cases submitted to and decided by the court have reached it in this way.

    South Africa’s role in African human rights system

    One of the first human rights treaties South Africa formally accepted after its full embrace of democracy in 1994 is the core African Union human rights treaty, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Since then, it has made significant contributions to the charter monitoring body, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

    Two prominent South African human rights experts served as members of the 11-member continental human rights watchdog. Professor Barney Pityana, who was also the first chair of the South African Human Rights Commission, served between 1997 and 2003; and Advocate Pansy Tlakula, who had been the chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission, served from 2005 to 2017.

    When the idea of establishing a continental human rights court to complement the protective mandate of the African Commission was flagged, South Africa played a pivotal role by stepping forward to host the inaugural drafting meeting for the enabling instrument, bringing together experts from around the continent to Cape Town in 1995.

    This was the first building block that culminated in the adoption of an optional protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, allowing for the creation of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

    South Africa was also one of the first states to accept the court’s jurisdiction in 2002. Today, 34 of the 55 African Union member states have formally accepted the protocol, thereby agreeing to the court’s jurisdiction. Two South Africans have been part of the 11 judges of the court.

    Since it became operational, the African Court has adjudicated several human rights cases, including those affecting marginalised groups such as persons with albinism in Tanzania.

    In these cases, the court has been instrumental in defining the scope of human rights guarantees under the charter and related treaties. It also defined appropriate measures that states should take to respect, protect and fulfil these rights.

    A missing piece

    South Africa falls short when it comes to the most crucial measure of the African Court – the acceptance of direct individual access.

    A case by an individual or group against a state party to the charter can end up before the court in one of two ways.

    First, a case can reach the court indirectly, via the commission. In this scenario, an individual initially submits a case alleging human rights violations by a state to the commission. The commission then has a discretion to refer the case to the African Court. This access route applies to all 34 states that have become party to the court protocol. However, this route has yielded a very small number of cases – three in total – being submitted to the court.

    Complex reasons account for this. One of them seems to be linked to an unfortunate institutional turf war between the commission and the court, manifesting itself in an unwillingness on the part of the commission to have its findings ‘reviewed’ by the court.

    Second, a case can reach the court directly, when an individual or nongovernmental organisation (NGO), after exhausting domestic remedies, submits a case directly. But this is only possible if a state has made a declaration to accept the competence of individuals and NGOs with observer status with the commission to directly access the court.

    So far, the majority of cases handled by the African Court reached it along this avenue. Around 260 judgements have been delivered in respect of direct access cases.

    Of the 34 states parties accepting the court’s jurisdiction, only seven currently allow their nationals direct access to the court. They are Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mali, Niger and The Gambia. While 12 states have made the optional declaration, five of them have subsequently changed their mind, and withdrawn their optional acceptance of direct access to the court. Rwanda was the first to withdraw its acceptance, in 2016. The most recent withdrawal, on 7 March 2025, was by Tunisia.

    The reasons for withdrawal differ. But a common thread is the aggravation of governments for being held accountable by the court for human rights violations, often of the most marginalised persons, or of political opponents of the ruling government.

    The most immediate consequence of these withdrawals has been a drop in the number of cases submitted to the African Court. In 2024, only 15 new cases were submitted. There were 66 in 2019.

    Why direct individual access matters

    It’s not clear why South Africa has not (yet) accepted direct access to the court. But there are compelling reasons for it to do so.

    First, allowing direct access from South African courts to the African Court would serve to complement domestic human rights protection by allowing for redress and reparations beyond the national level. This will be in line with the South African constitution. It will also be in line with the principle of subsidiarity, in terms of which recourse to the African Court will only be possible after all domestic remedies had been exhausted.

    Second, bolstering the effectiveness of the court is an investment in African institutions, and will underscore South Africa’s full embrace of its African identity. And if it accepts the court’s direct access jurisdiction, it will become the AU member state with the largest population and economy to do so.

    The right moment

    The court protocol, which South Africa has ratified, requires that a declaration accepting direct individual access be made. The relevant provision (article 34(6)) stipulates that state parties to the court protocol are required to (“shall”) make such a declaration. What is left to the discretion of states is the timing. According to the protocol, these states “shall” do so “at the time of the ratification of this protocol or any time thereafter”.

    There has never been a more opportune and important time for South Africa to make this declaration.

    The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights risks being underused and receding into irrelevance. This is happening in a landscape increasingly inimical to rights and rights institutions. South Africa should signal to other states that it accepts independent judicial scrutiny of its human rights record as the logical end result of having helped create the African Court.

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

    – ref. South Africa hasn’t given individuals access to the African Court – this needs to be fixed – https://theconversation.com/south-africa-hasnt-given-individuals-access-to-the-african-court-this-needs-to-be-fixed-252749

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Kabaddi World Cup comes to Coventry for the first time

    Source: City of Coventry

    Coventry welcomed the world’s best kabaddi players and thousands of passionate fans as the sport’s biggest tournament was held in the UK for the first time.

    Coventry Building Society Arena in partnership with Coventry City Council hosted more than 1,000 fans and 150 athletes for a full-day of exciting and fast-paced action in the Kabaddi World Cup on Wednesday, March 19.

    The tournament is taking place across the West Midlands from March 17 to 23. It’s the first time the championships have been hosted outside Asia.

    It is the latest in a line of international sporting events to be held in the city and at its premier venue for live sport, Coventry Building Society Arena.

    Five group matches were played in Coventry, including three men’s matches, highlighted by host nation England’s clash against the USA.

    England’s men ran out comfortable winners against the US to make it three wins from three in Group A while India cruised past Hong Kong to leave themselves in a healthy position in Group B.

    The day also saw two women’s games held with England edging past Hong Kong in Group E and India thrashing Poland by 104 points to 15 in a one-sided Group D affair.

    The tournament was held in the Commonwealth Convention Centre at Coventry Building Society Arena, with the halls transformed into an elite arena for kabbadi.

    Across the day, the venue hosted a range of cultural and arts activities for young people to enjoy, including a dance workshop and t-shirt design session.

    A free schools festival took place at Coventry Building Society Arena the day before action got underway in the world cup, with the event including a tournament for teams from 14 Coventry schools, cultural activities and performances from local groups.

    The activity was supported by Sky Blues in the Community and United by 2022.

    Cllr Kamran Caan, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport at Coventry City Council, said: “It’s been fantastic to see the Kabaddi World Cup at Coventry Building Society Arena – it’s such a vibrant and exciting event that’s dominated the West Midlands over recent days.

    “Coventry is known for hosting major sporting events, and this is yet another example of how we continue to attract global competitions that showcase our city on the international stage.

    “Events like this not only provide fantastic entertainment and boost the local economy, but they give us the opportunity to engage with the community through sport by hosting workshops and tournaments with our partners in the city.”

    Paul Michael, Managing Director at Coventry Building Society Arena, said it was a great opportunity to welcome new audiences to the venue and to again provide the backdrop for elite international sport.

    “We were incredibly proud to be a host venue for the Kabaddi World Cup and it truly demonstrated how as a city we are able to engage local communities in events,” he said.

    “Hosting this event was about much more than just international sport, it was about celebrating diversity and bringing communities together. The community day and match day demonstrated this, with hundreds of young people coming out across the two days to enjoy the sport of kabaddi.

    “We opened up a number of spaces to accommodate the thousands of people joining us across the two days, with our Convention Centre hosting the action itself and areas on the upper levels of the venue transforming into spaces for community activities.

    “The Kabaddi World Cup highlighted yet again why Coventry is a great destination for international sport events, not only in hosting the sport itself but ensuring that it has a lasting legacy in the community.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 20 March 2025 News release WHO calls for urgent action to address worldwide disruptions in tuberculosis services putting millions of lives at risk

    Source: World Health Organisation

    On the occasion on World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, marked on 24 March, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for an urgent investment of resources to protect and maintain tuberculosis (TB) care and support services for people in need across regions and countries. TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, responsible for over 1 million people annually bringing devastating impacts on families and communities.

    Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 79 million lives since 2000. However, the drastic and abrupt cuts in global health funding happening now are threatening to reverse these gains. Rising drug resistance especially across Europe and the ongoing conflicts across the Middle-East, Africa and Eastern Europe, are further exacerbating the situation for the most vulnerable.

     Under the theme Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver, World Tuberculosis Day 2025 campaign highlights a rallying cry for urgency, and accountability and hope. “The huge gains the world has made against TB over the past 20 years are now at risk as cuts to funding start to disrupt access to services for prevention, screening, and treatment for people with TB,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “But we cannot give up on the concrete commitments that world leaders made at the UN General Assembly just 18 months ago to accelerate work to end TB. WHO is committed to working with all donors, partners and affected countries to mitigate the impact of funding cuts and find innovative solutions.”

    Funding: threat to global TB efforts

    Early reports to WHO reveal that severe disruptions in the TB response are seen across several of the highest-burden countries following the funding cuts. Countries in the WHO African Region are experiencing the greatest impact, followed by countries in the WHO South-East Asian and Western Pacific Regions. Twenty seven countries are facing crippling breakdowns in their TB response, with devastating consequences, such as:

    • Human resource shortages undermining service delivery;
    • Diagnostic services severely disrupted, delaying detection and treatment;
    • Data and surveillance systems collapsing, compromising disease tracking and management;
    • Community engagement efforts, including active case finding, screening, and contact tracing, deteriorating, leading to delayed diagnoses and increased transmission risks.

      • Nine countries report failing TB drug procurement and supply chains, jeopardizing treatment continuity and patient outcomes.

      The 2025 funding cuts further exacerbate an already existing underfunding for global TB response. In 2023, only 26% of the US$22 billion annually needed for TB prevention and care was available, leaving a massive shortfall. TB research is in crisis, receiving just one-fifth of the US$5 billion annual target in 2022—severely delaying advancements in diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. WHO is leading efforts to accelerate TB vaccine development through the TB Vaccine Accelerator Council, but progress remains at risk without urgent financial commitments.

      Joint statement with civil society

      In response to the urgent challenges threatening TB services worldwide, WHO’s Director-General and Civil Society Task Force on Tuberculosis have issued a decisive statement. The joint statement released this week, demands immediate, coordinated efforts from governments, global health leaders, donors, and policymakers to prevent further disruptions. The statement outlines five critical priorities:

    • Addressing TB service disruptions urgently, ensuring responses match the crisis’s scale;
    • Securing sustainable domestic funding, guaranteeing uninterrupted and equitable access to TB prevention and care;
    • Safeguarding essential TB services, including access to life-saving drugs, diagnostics, treatment and social protections, alongside cross-sector collaboration;
    • Establishing or revitalizing national collaboration platforms, fostering alliances among civil society, NGOs, donors, and professional societies to tackle challenges;
    • Enhancing monitoring and early warning systems to assess real-time impact and detect disruptions early.

      • “This urgent call is timely and underscores the necessity of swift, decisive action to sustain global TB progress and prevent setbacks that could cost lives,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Programme on TB and Lung Health. “Investing in ending TB is not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity—every dollar spent on prevention and treatment yields an estimated US$43 in economic returns.”

      New guidance on TB and lung health

      As one of the solutions to combating growing resource constraints, WHO is driving the integration of TB and lung health within primary healthcare as a sustainable solution. New technical guidance released by WHO outlines critical actions across the care continuum, focusing on prevention, early detection of TB and comorbidities, optimized management at first contact and improved patient follow-up. The guidance also promotes better use of existing health systems, addressing shared risk factors such as overcrowding, tobacco, undernutrition and environmental pollutants.

      By tackling TB determinants alongside communicable and non-communicable diseases, lung conditions, and disabilities through a unified strategy, WHO aims to reinforce the global response and drive lasting improvements in health outcomes.

      On World TB Day, WHO calls on everyone: individuals, communities, societies, donors and governments, to do their part to end TB. Without concerted action from all stakeholders, the TB response will be decimated, reversing decades of progress, putting millions of lives at risk and threatening health security.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada invests $108,000 in Indigenous economic development

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    FedNor funds will support jobs, tourism and business growth in Serpent River First Nation

    March 20, 2025 – Serpent River First Nation, ON – Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario – FedNor

    Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, today announced a Government of Canada investment of $108,000 to help maximize tourism and business opportunities for Serpent River First Nation. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

    Provided through FedNor’s Tourism Growth Program, the funding will allow the Serpent River First Nation (SRFN) Limited Partnership, the economic development arm of the First Nation, to develop a five-year strategic plan. The goal of the project is to help diversify the economy, develop new tourism products and extend the tourism season for the Batchewana Bay and Cutler highway trading post facilities.

    To support Serpent River First Nation’s tourism and economic development strategies, the project will also focus on job creation, training, business development, and infrastructure expansion. It will also support marketing and social media activities, as well as e-commerce and website development to increase sales and support local businesses.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Let’s celebrate International Day of La Francophonie!

    Source: Government of Canada News

    GATINEAU, March 20, 2025

    La Francophonie is a place to share, exchange and innovate that extends beyond Canada’s borders. On this International Day of La Francophonie, we celebrate not only the French language, but also the people around the world who speak it with pride. This day allows us to highlight the contributions of Francophones and Francophiles, their vitality and creativity, and their commitment to promoting the French language in all spheres of Canadian society.

    A vibrant Francophonie depends on education. It is in this spirit that our government recently announced a major investment with the signing of the Protocol for Agreements for Minority-Language Education and Second-Language Instruction (2024–2028). This protocol, with a federal investment of $1.4 billion, strengthens collaboration with the provinces and territories to support minority-language education and second-language teaching across the whole country. It provides funding for the recruitment and retention of teachers in French-language minority schools and teachers of French as a second language, while reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality education for all.

    The federal government’s commitment to the Francophonie gives it a strong voice on the international stage. As a founding member and key partner of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Canada continues to support the influence of French on the international stage, in the fields of culture and the economy, as well as diplomacy and knowledge. This year, Nova Scotia joined the OIF as an observer member, further strengthening Canada’s presence within the larger Francophone family.

    As Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, I invite you to celebrate the richness and diversity of the Francophonie. Discover Francophone artists, explore the diversity of French-speaking cultures in Canada, take part in the many activities being organized across the country, or share your thoughts on social media using the hashtags #Francophonie and #MonthOfLaFrancophonie. Together, let’s keep our Francophonie alive, help it grow and give it the place it deserves. Happy International Day of La Francophonie!

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: KnowFully Expands Portfolio of Leading Brands in Continuing Medical Education

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RADNOR, Pa., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KnowFully Learning Group (“KnowFully”), a leading provider of continuing professional education, exam preparation, and digital learning solutions for the accounting, finance, and healthcare sectors, today announced the acquisition of EfficientCME, an innovative provider of continuing education for healthcare professionals.

    This acquisition strengthens the KnowFully Medical Education (KME) Division, which includes CME Outfitters (CMEO) and Creative Educational Concepts (CEC). With EfficientCME joining the KME family, KnowFully now brings together three of the most respected and trusted brands in continuing medical education (CME), reinforcing its commitment to delivering best-in-class education that improves clinical practice and patient outcomes.

    Expanding KME’s Reach & Impact

    Brian Moss, founder of EfficientCME, brings decades of expertise in CME leadership and innovation to KME. Prior to launching EfficientCME in 2019, Brian served as an executive at Research to Practice (RTP), a provider of oncology-focused CME, where he played a pivotal role in expanding the organization’s reach and driving significant growth in oncology education. Brian founded EfficientCME to develop cutting-edge, clinician-centered CME solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s healthcare professionals.

    EfficientCME specializes in live, digital, and enduring CME activities across neurology, psychiatry, and oncology. Through this acquisition, KME broadens its expertise, enhances its educational offerings, and accelerates innovation across all its brands. KnowFully’s advanced technology and personalized learning approach will further expand EfficientCME’s capabilities and capacity for developing impactful education for clinicians at all stages of their careers.

    Leadership Perspectives

    “EfficientCME has built a strong reputation in continuing medical education and brings a new level of innovation to KME,” said Shari Tordoff, Executive Vice President of KnowFully Medical Education. “We are thrilled to welcome Brian Moss and his team to the KME family. Their expertise and commitment to excellence in clinician education will help us expand our impact and reach across diverse therapeutic areas.”

    Brian Moss, founder of EfficientCME, added: “Our mission has always been to provide clinicians with education that they truly feel is worth their limited time. With a daunting wealth of information to learn and so many CME offerings for them to choose from, we want to make it easy for learners and we want them to know that what we provide will meet their needs. We are thrilled to join KnowFully and KME and leverage their expertise to help us continue to outperform ourselves and reach learners in more meaningful ways.”

    About KnowFully Learning Group

    KnowFully Learning Group is a leading provider of end-to-end professional education in the accounting, finance, and healthcare sectors. KnowFully’s brands enable students and professionals to prepare for licensure exams, fulfill continuing education requirements, and stay at the forefront of their fields. KnowFully is backed by NexPhase Capital, LP, a thematic and operationally focused private equity firm. For more information, visit www.knowfully.com.

    About EfficientCME

    EfficientCME is a dynamic and forward-thinking provider of continuing medical education (CME). The organization was founded on the principle that traditional CME activities often fail to align with the needs, professional demands, and lifestyles of today’s clinicians. EfficientCME leverages expertise in instructional design to create accredited live and enduring CME activities that enhance engagement and facilitate the practical application of new medical knowledge. For more information, visit https://efficientcme.com/.

    SOURCE: KnowFully Learning Group

    Related Links
    https://www.knowfully.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Aleš Michl receives the award for the world’s best governor – the first in the history of the Czech Republic

    Source: Czech National Bank

    The prestigious international award for the world’s best governor goes to the Czech Republic for the first time in its history. It was awarded to Aleš Michl, Governor of the Czech National Bank. The international jury highlighted his extraordinary determination to reduce inflation and protect the value of money in the Czech Republic, thanks to which the CNB was one of the first central banks to return inflation to the 2% target. The jury also praised his forward-thinking and innovative approach to the issues that are currently shaping the financial world. The Governor of the Year award is presented as part of the international Central Banking Awards 2025, organised under the auspices of the renowned Central Banking magazine.

    The international jury recognised the successful strategy of CNB Governor Aleš Michl and the Bank Board under his leadership in setting monetary policy during a period of high inflation, a strategy that had previously been criticised by some media outlets and experts. In 2022, the Bank Board decided not to follow the recommendation of the CNB’s analytical model, which suggested raising the key interest rate to as high as 11% before cutting it sharply. Instead, the Bank Board repeatedly stated that its strategy was to keep interest rates at a sufficiently restrictive 7% for longer, while also emphasising a strong koruna, which reached record highs against the euro. All this was accompanied by consistent and open communication with the markets and the public.

    Thanks to this approach, inflation dropped from 17.5% in July 2022 to exactly 2% – the CNB’s inflation target, which was hit in February, March and June 2024. This was achieved even sooner than the two-year time frame Aleš Michl had promised upon his appointment as Governor. Headline inflation for 2024 stood at 2.4%, the lowest level since 2018, remaining within the CNB’s tolerance band throughout the year.

    “At a time of historic inflation, the Czech National Bank came together as one, committed to the very values we asked of society: slowing excessive money growth through discipline and savings. It was my honour and responsibility to lead this effort alongside the entire Bank Board. True leadership means making decisions today that honour the trust, hard work and savings of the people tomorrow,” says Governor Aleš Michl.

    The international jury also highlighted efforts to bolster returns on the CNB’s international reserves and reduce the volatility of its profit/loss by changing the composition of the international reserve portfolio and purchasing gold. The CNB is now halfway towards the gold holdings target set by Aleš Michl. In 1993, it held 60.7 tonnes of gold. By 2019, it had 8 tonnes, the lowest in its history. The gold had been sold off. By the end of 2024, the CNB had 51.2 tonnes in its vaults. The goal is to have 100 tonnes of gold in the international reserves by 2028 – and to keep this treasure for future generations.

    The judges also praised the successful cost savings made by the central bank with Aleš Michl at the helm – the CNB underwent the first comprehensive streamlining of its operations in ten years. The number of positions was cut by 5% compared to 2022. The number of managers reporting directly to the Bank Board was reduced from 17 to 14. During 2023 and 2024, the Board completely reviewed all work areas and processes to reduce bureaucracy in the CNB’s dealings with the market and internally.

    The new Bank Board inherited a cumulative loss of CZK 487 billion from its predecessor at the end of 2022. The Bank’s assets at the time had a low expected return, while its liabilities were paying high interest. In recent years, the Bank Board has therefore focused on bolstering the expected return on assets while diversifying the international reserve portfolio. Profits made in 2023 and 2024 have reduced the cumulative loss substantially.

    The jury assessed Governor Ales Michl’s support for the instant payment system as an innovative approach. Thanks to the active role of the CNB, 90% of banks on the Czech market have joined this system. Their clients can send and receive payments in real time, in a matter of seconds. This step has greatly increased the competitiveness and efficiency of the Czech financial market and confirmed the CNB as an innovative leader in the modernisation of the country’s financial infrastructure.

    Last but not least, the jury hailed the CNB’s actions in resolving the insolvency of Sberbank CZ. Clients of the failed Sberbank got their money back thanks to the CNB’s active role and oversight of the process as a member of the creditors’ committee. The insolvency proceedings can thus be described with no exaggeration as the most successfully managed in history. Clients have so far recovered 95% of their guaranteed deposits, with the remainder to be paid once legal issues are resolved.

    The prestigious Central Banking Awards 2025 recognise excellence and innovation in central banking. Winners are decided by a jury composed of selected members of the Central Banking editorial team and an advisory board. The awards are now in their twelfth year. The Central Banking Awards 2025 winners in all categories will receive their awards at a ceremony to be held in London on 11 June 2025.

    Jakub Holas
    Director, CNB Communications Division

    MIL OSI Economics –