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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Ukrainian protests: Zelensky faces biggest threat to his presidency since taking power

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jennifer Mathers, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, Aberystwyth University

    Protests have erupted in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities against a new law that threatens the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions. The legislation was hastily passed on July 22 by parliament and signed by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that same day.

    It places Ukraine’s national anti-corruption bureau and its special anti-corruption prosecutor’s office under the direct control of the prosecutor general, one of Zelensky’s appointed officials. Zelensky has argued that the measure was necessary to address Russian infiltration of anti-corruption bodies.

    Critics of the measure, however, believe the real purpose of the law is to give the president the power to quash ongoing investigations into alleged corruption by members of his inner circle. These include his close ally and former deputy prime minister, Oleksiy Chernyshov.

    Politicians from opposition parties and civil society activists also regard the new law as an example of the president attempting to take advantage of wartime conditions to silence critics and consolidate power.

    The protests have involved thousands of ordinary people. This includes veterans of the war against Russia’s invasion, some with visible war injuries such as missing limbs. Anger at the attempt to curb the independence of anticorruption bodies has broken the informal agreement between the government and Ukrainian society to show a united front to the world while the war continues.

    The protests may be the most serious domestic political challenge Zelensky has faced since he was elected president in 2019.

    Ukrainians protest after Zelensky signs law clamping down on anticorruption agencies.

    Formally, Zelensky’s political position is secure. His Servant of the People party holds the majority of seats in parliament and governs without the constraints of coalition partners. Zelensky and his party will also not face voters anytime soon. There is a ban on holding elections during martial law, which is due to continue for the duration of the war.

    Zelensky is not unpopular in Ukraine. According to a survey conducted in June by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, Zelensky’s personal popularity was running at 65%. This is down from the heady heights of 90% in the first few months after Russia’s 2022 invasion, but up significantly from 52% in December 2024.

    However, Zelensky was quick to respond to the street protests by promising to reverse the new law. He said he would submit a new bill to parliament to restore independence to the agencies. The speed of his response reveals the sensitivity of the president – and indeed most Ukrainian politicians – to criticism on the corruption issue.

    Why corruption is a big issue

    Corruption is a topic that resonates strongly with Ukrainian society. Anger at the corruption of Viktor Yanukovych’s presidency fuelled the Maidan protests of 2013 and 2014, which began in response to his decision to break off negotiations with the EU and instead pursue closer political and economic ties with Russia.

    The “revolution of dignity” that followed robustly rejected Yanukovych’s leadership and his policies, and ultimately saw him ousted from power. The revolution was a resounding demonstration of the strength of Ukraine’s civil society and its determination to hold its elected officials to account.

    Any suggestion that Ukraine is failing to address corruption is also a matter of great concern for Ukraine’s international supporters. This is especially the case for major lenders such as the International Monetary Fund. Its willingness to disperse the large loans that help keep the Ukrainian economy functioning depends on Kyiv reaching the good governance milestones it sets.

    European leaders have expressed concern at the new law and the possibility that Zelensky may be taking a backwards step when it comes to dealing with corruption.

    President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, phoned Zelensky to express her strong concerns and ask for an explanation for diluting the independence of anti-corruption bodies. French and German leaders have also indicated that they intend to hold discussions with Zelensky about the issue.

    Meanwhile, Russia has been quick to take advantage of the protests in Ukraine. According to intelligence from Ukraine’s ministry of defence, Moscow has already distributed doctored photographs of the protesters that show them holding pro-Russian signs. It has falsely claimed that Ukrainians are coming on to the streets to demand an immediate end to the war.

    So far, there are no indications that these protests will spill over from demanding the reversal of one controversial piece of legislation into calls for a change of government. Some protesters have even been explicit in their remarks to the media that they are broadly supportive of Zelensky, but are calling on him to take action on this specific issue.

    However, Zelensky cannot afford to be complacent. He needs to act quickly to keep his domestic and international supporters on side. A great deal of effort has been expended to demonstrate Ukraine’s commitment to democratic values and its suitability to join western institutions like the EU and Nato. Any hint of backsliding on anti-corruption could undermine that message.

    Ukrainians continue to be remarkably united in their support for the war effort and their approval of the armed forces. But the mobilisation process is itself tainted with corruption. Ordinary citizens are reluctant to respond to the state’s call for more soldiers when it is widely known that the family members of powerful and wealthy Ukrainians are able to avoid military service and instead lead comfortable lives abroad.

    Zelensky cannot afford to let dissatisfaction with corruption grow. Even if it does not threaten his hold on power today, society’s anger at corrupt practices and the inequalities they create is already damaging the war effort. Ukraine’s political leaders need to demonstrate that their commitment to democracy is as strong as that of the society that they lead.

    Jennifer Mathers 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. Ukrainian protests: Zelensky faces biggest threat to his presidency since taking power – https://theconversation.com/ukrainian-protests-zelensky-faces-biggest-threat-to-his-presidency-since-taking-power-261876

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Thailand and Cambodia’s escalating conflict has roots in century-old border dispute

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Petra Alderman, Manager of the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science

    There has been a dramatic escalation in a long-running border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. On July 23, five Thai soldiers from a border patrol unit in Ubon Ratchathani province were seriously injured after stepping on a land mine – a second such incident in a week.

    This prompted the Thai government to expel Cambodia’s ambassador from the country and recall its own ambassador from Cambodia. The following morning, Cambodia retaliated by expelling the Thai ambassador and recalling its embassy staff from Bangkok. Both sides have exchanged increasingly lethal fire.

    Cambodia has fired rockets and artillery across the Thai border into several provinces, killing at least 11 civilians and one soldier. Thailand launched air strikes at Cambodia in return, reportedly targeting military bases in the disputed area around the Preah Vihear Hindu temple. Verified information is currently scarce as both sides are blaming each other for starting the fight.

    The current flare-up started in late May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a exchange of fire between the two armies. But the roots of the conflict date back to the colonial era in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

    Before European powers expanded their colonial interests to south-east Asia, the concept of a bordered nation-state was alien to local rulers. Life in pre-colonial south-east Asia was organised into loosely structured polities that had no clear boundaries.

    There were several larger cities, which served as important centres of power and trade, and many smaller towns and villages that maintained relations with these cities. The further these towns and villages were from the cities, the less control and influence the cities had over them.

    The British and French introduced the concept of nations with borders to mainland south-east Asia, drawing the first official maps of Thailand (then known as Siam) and Cambodia. In the case of Thailand, the only south-east Asian nation never to be formally colonised, the mapping was also done at the request of the Siamese kings.

    Thailand’s current borders were shaped by several different maps and treaties that followed the 1893 Paknam incident, during which two French gunboats sailed up the Chao Praya River and blockaded Bangkok.

    To preserve its sovereignty as an emerging nation, Siam ceded considerable territorial claims to France after this incident. This included several provinces in present-day Cambodia, which are home to ancient temples.

    A 1907 map drawn by the French defined these territories, although with a considerable degree of vagueness. The map became a sore point in Cambodia-Thai relations following Cambodia’s independence in 1953, especially in regard to disputes over the Preah Vihear temple.

    Preah Vihear temple

    Following France’s withdrawal from south-east Asia in 1954, Thailand occupied Preah Vihear. Cambodia raised the issue of Thai occupation with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia based on the French map. Thailand reluctantly accepted the ruling, but continued to dispute the area surrounding the temple.

    The conflict flared up again in 2008 when the UN world heritage body Unesco awarded the temple world heritage status. Cambodia’s application initially received support from the then new Thai government of prime minister Samak Sundaravej, a close ally of the recently ousted Thaksin Shinawatra.

    Anti-Thaksin groups used the government’s support to drive an ultra-nationalist campaign against the Samak government. This eventually contributed to large-scale domestic political protests that saw Samak’s government and that of his successor, Somchai Wongsawat, both ousted from power in 2008 in a series of judicial coups.

    The period from 2008 to 2011 was marked by high tensions between the two countries, with sporadic armed clashes between their respective armies in the areas surrounding the temple.

    The newly appointed Thai government of Abhisit Vejjajiva was sympathetic towards the ultra-nationalist anti-Thaksin groups. So there was no de-escalation of the conflict from the Thai side. Hun Sen, who was then Cambodia’s prime minister, also benefited from the conflict as it helped buttress his nationalist credentials.

    But a particularly violent round of armed clashes followed in February 2011, resulting in at least eight civilian fatalities, 20 injured soldiers and many displaced civilians on both sides. Hun Sen then raised the issue of Cambodian sovereignty over the temple and its surrounding area with the ICJ.

    The ICJ issued a provisional ruling favouring Cambodia and ordered both sides to withdraw military personnel from the area. Despite the initial refusal of Thai troops to leave, the two countries agreed to withdraw their forces in December 2011.

    The final ICJ ruling came in late 2013, again affirming Cambodia’s sovereignty of the area. It coincided with another period of domestic political instability in Thailand. The government of Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s younger sister, was facing mass public protests from anti-Thaksin groups.

    While the ruling did not play a decisive role in the eventual downfall of her government, it added fuel to the already explosive political environment. The border conflict went largely dormant after the 2013 ICJ ruling, until the new round of clashes broke out in May 2025.

    Thai and Cambodian troops have periodically clashed in the area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple.
    Kim Za / Shutterstock

    Given the history of tensions and armed disputes over territory between Cambodia and Thailand, the recent escalation is not without precedent. What is new, though, is that this round is as much between two countries as it is between two ruling families.

    Over the past 20 years, a close personal relationship formed between Hun Sen and Thaksin. But this relationship unravelled when Hun Sen, who remains a hugely influential figure in Cambodian politics, released a private audio recording of his call with Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn. The leak put her premiership on the line.

    Paetongtarn has since been suspended from office pending a court ruling, with Cambodia-Thai relations reaching new lows. Given the intermixing of personal animosities, a quick diplomatic resolution to the escalating conflict seems unlikely.



    Read more:
    A border conflict may cost the Thai prime minister her job

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

    Petra Alderman 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. Thailand and Cambodia’s escalating conflict has roots in century-old border dispute – https://theconversation.com/thailand-and-cambodias-escalating-conflict-has-roots-in-century-old-border-dispute-261873

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Ukraine joins other Russian neighbours in quitting landmines treaty: another deadly legacy in the making

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marcel Vondermassen, Scientific Coordinator and Deputy Executive Manager of the IZEW, University of Tübingen

    Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, recently signed a decree to withdraw from the Ottawa convention banning the use of anti-personnel landmines. This move follows the example of Finland, Poland, Estonia and Lithuania, who all quit the treaty in recent months.

    The logic behind these states withdrawing from the treaty is mostly because of the threat posed by Russia. At first glance landmines seem like a cost-effective way to deter or slow an invader. Proponents see them as a necessary evil to protect national sovereignty against the threat from a much larger conventional force deployed by an aggressive neighbour.

    But this short-term thinking can be dangerous, because it doesn’t consider the long-term cost of putting explosive devices into the ground. According to the Landmine Monitor for 2024, more than 110,000 people were killed by landmines and explosive remnants of war in the past 25 years, and over 5,700 died just last year. Eight out of ten of those killed were civilians, many of whom were children.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    Although it is cheap to lay landmines, demining is expensive and creates a financial burden for future generations. The UN estimates that it can cost between five and 100 times more to clear a mine than to lay one, depending on the circumstances.

    In Angola, for example, demining efforts continue nearly 50 years after the civil war broke out and 23 years after it ended. Encouragingly, Angola has reduced the threat with help of Halo Trust, a UK-based nongovernmental organisation. In 30 years they destroyed over 123,000 landmines. But to get Angola landmine free will require about US$240 million (£177 million) in additional funding.

    While Angola aims to be landmine-free within a few years, the current scale of contamination in Ukraine will pose a deadly hazard to civilians for generations, as Sarah Njeri – a landmines expert at SOAS, University of London, wrote in 2023.

    Looking through the prism of peace

    What Europe needs today is better analysis and more public awareness of the current crisis and its long-term effects. This is a tricky task, especially for the media, because the violence is “asynchronous”. This means that mines can be laid years before anyone is harmed by them. It’s important to have open and honest conversations in public so that both politicians and the public have something clear and trustworthy to rely on when making these fateful decisions.

    This means accepting that the concerns of the Baltic nations, Poland and Finland are valid. Their actions are a response the threat posed by Russia and the uncertainty surrounding America’s future role on the world stage. But there’s also an opportunity. Nobody in these countries takes the decision to use landmines lightly. This means, that if their European allies can provide credible security guarantees, these countries might change their plans.

    Nevertheless, the Peace Report 2025, compiled by four leading German peace research institutes, highlights that this way of thinking remains rooted in a military mindset. The planned increase in military budgets among Nato countries should be complemented by greater investment in diplomacy, peace research and peace building.

    The Peace Report lists nine recommendations for a more peaceful world, which are not pacifist. They recognise the need to close the gaps in European defence capabilities – but this is not enough. To create a peaceful Europe the legitimate security interests of all sides need to be considered. This includes Russia. At the same time, the report emphasises the need to strengthen, not weaken, the rules-based order. Abandoning the Ottawa treaty will further weaken that order.

    Withdrawing from the landmine treaty is not just a military calculation, and it affects more than just eastern European countries. It’s an issue that presents a real challenge to Europe as a whole. Laying mines would litter future farmland and forests with an indiscriminate threat that recognises no ceasefire and cannot distinguish friend from enemy, combatant from civilian or adult from child.

    If we don’t learn from the past, future reports will still be counting thousands of child casualties, but from the landmines laid in the 2020s.

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

    Marcel Vondermassen 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. Ukraine joins other Russian neighbours in quitting landmines treaty: another deadly legacy in the making – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-joins-other-russian-neighbours-in-quitting-landmines-treaty-another-deadly-legacy-in-the-making-261684

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Gaza is starving – how Israel’s allies can go beyond words and take meaningful action

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Simon Mabon, Professor of International Relations, Lancaster University

    In the past two months, more than 1,000 people seeking food have been killed, according to the UN Human Rights Office. While the figure has been disputed by Israel and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation which was set up to distribute aid, 28 nations this week condemned the “horrifying” killing of Gazans trying to get food.

    As the Israel Defense Forces continues its assault in the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, including an attack on the staff residence of the World Health Organization on July 21, UN bodies are warning that the besieged strip’s last lifelines are collapsing.

    Already around 60,000 Gazans have been killed and growing numbers are now dying from hunger and malnutrition, according to the Hamas-led Gaza Health Ministry. More than 90% of the private homes in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed.

    For all the talk of a ceasefire – one that is long overdue – there is little hope. Israeli military operations continue and Gazans must risk their lives in search of food and aid.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    Malnutrition is rife. According to the IPC’s report in May – the international organisation that monitors food security – “goods indispensable for people’s survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming weeks” with nearly 500,000 people considered to be facing “catastrophe”, with a further 1.1 million in an “emergency” risk category.

    For the IPC, the catastrophe category is one of extreme food shortages, critical malnutrition leading to starvation and high death rates. The emergency category is one of severe food shortages, very high malnutrition and even death.

    Israeli officials continue to speak of moving Gazans into what has been termed a “humanitarian city” but what former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert described as a “concentration camp”. In the same interview Olmert called decision to move Gazans into the camp as “ethnic cleansing”.

    All the while, the world’s leaders look on. Most are apparently content to condemn – but little action has been taken.

    The clamour for Israel’s allies to take a harder stance on its actions in Gaza is growing louder by the day. On July 23, a group of 38 former EU ambassadors published an open letter to EU heads of states and senior officials accusing Israel of taking “calculated steps towards ethnic cleansing” and calling out the EU’s failure to “respond meaningfully to these horrific events”.

    But what do actions look like? Pressure must be applied to the Netanyahu government. In the UK, both prime minister Keir Starmer and foreign minister David Lammy have been quick to stress that the UK has urged Israel to respect international law.

    They point to the sanctions the UK has imposed on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, two rightwing ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, as a result of their repeated incitements of violence against Palestinians. While Lammy suggests that further sanctions could follow if Israel does not change its behaviour in Gaza and bring about an end to the suffering, the atrocities continue.

    Practical steps to pressure Israel

    Pressure is growing on the UK government to recognise Palestine as a state – something that I was told by a contact in the Labour government more than a year ago was on Labour’s agenda before October 7. Lammy insists the government is committed to a two-state solution, but this is not diplomatically viable given that the UK only recognises one state involved in these events.

    The state of Palestine is recognised as a sovereign entity by 147 other members of the UN. That’s 75% of all members.

    Other steps could be a full arms embargo, something that has long been called for but rejected by the UK government, which has banned some, but by no means all arms sales to Israel. A number of countries have properly banned arms sales to Israel since October 2023, including Italy, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium and Japan.

    There are other more incendiary options. One would be for the UK and others to properly adhere to their obligations under international law.

    The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November 2024. There are 125 countries that have signed up to the ICC (the US isn’t one of them). They could arrest Netanyahu if he enters their countries.

    There are a range of other things that could be tried. A look at what the international community did to make South Africa a pariah during the later years of apartheid would be worthwhile.

    EU should use its diplomatic muscle

    As Israel’s biggest trading partner, the EU has the potential to wield considerable clout, so the question must be asked: why has so little been done, beyond mere words.

    In June, the EU found Israel to be in breach of its human rights commitments under the terms of the EU-Israel association agreement. Yet to date there have been as yet no moves to suspend trade.

    Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief declared that “all options remain on the table if Israel doesn’t deliver” on its pledges. These include full or partial suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, sanctions on members of government, military or settlers, trade measures, arms embargoes, or the suspension of academic cooperation – including the prestigious Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme.

    Of course, getting all 27 member states to agree to such an approach is easier said than done. And national leaders will obviously have to consider that taking steps to put pressure with Israel could damage relations with the Trump administration in the US.

    But all the while, the situation on the ground is deteriorating, with the world watching while Gaza burns. The failure by Israel’s allies to take meaningful steps to pressure Israel to prevent the wanton killing and displacement is a stain on humanity.

    After the horrors of the second world war, Rwanda, Myanmar and Srebrenica, the world said “never again”. Without action, there’s a risk it will shrug its shoulders and say “never mind”.

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

    Simon Mabon receives funding from Carnegie Corporation of New York and The Henry Luce Foundation.

    – ref. Gaza is starving – how Israel’s allies can go beyond words and take meaningful action – https://theconversation.com/gaza-is-starving-how-israels-allies-can-go-beyond-words-and-take-meaningful-action-261783

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Fitzgerald and Senator Lummis Introduce Legislation to Reform the National Education Association Federal Charter

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) and Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the Stopping Teachers Unions from Damaging Education Needs Today (STUDENT) Act to rein in the National Education Association (NEA) through its federal charter and rededicate the organization to the pursuit of increased student learning and quality education in schools across the United States.

    The STUDENT Act makes substantial and much needed limitations and conditions to the NEA charter, bringing it in line with other federally chartered organizations. The bill establishes the following charter changes and best practices:

    • Ensures the NEA is no longer exempt from paying D.C. property tax, a wholly unnecessary benefit for the largest union in America.
    • Keeps the NEA from engaging in discrimination or employing hiring quotas.
    • Requires all members to explicitly consent to paying dues and fees.
    • Prevents the corporation and its affiliates from calling for strikes or work stoppages.
    • Requires any NEA officer to be a U.S. citizen.
    • Makes the corporation keep track and account for all records, meeting notes, and other documents.
    • Sends all assets to the Department of the Treasury if the NEA ever dissolves.
    • Prohibits the union from encouraging or requiring members to adhere to any critical race theory concept.

    “The NEA long ago transformed from an educational association into a political machine, pushing a progressive agenda that puts activists ahead of students’ needs,” said Rep. Fitzgerald. “The STUDENT Act reins in NEA’s federal charter, restores accountability, and demands a return to its original purpose: educating, not indoctrinating, American children.”

    “The NEA has exploited its federal charter to advance a radical political agenda that puts ideology before education,” said Sen. Lummis. “Wyoming parents and teachers deserve better than a union that prioritizes woke politics over student achievement. The resolution passed at the NEA Representative Assembly to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League because of its support for Israel is abhorrent and does nothing to stem the rising tide of antisemitic incidents we’ve witnessed nationwide. Federal charters should be reserved for organizations that serve patriotic, charitable, historical, or educational purposes – not for unions that push divisive and antisemitic ideologies.”

    “Rep. Fitzgerald and Sen. Lummis should be commended for their leadership in introducing the STUDENT Act, which would address some of the NEA’s most concerning conduct and make it more accountable to the public and even its own members,” said Freedom Foundation CEO Aaron Withe. “The Freedom Foundation is proud to stand with these courageous lawmakers in the fight to restore sanity to public education.”

    BACKGROUND: The NEA, a teachers’ union, was given a federal charter through an act of Congress in 1906. Congress has granted charters to organizations with a patriotic, charitable, historical, or educational purpose, which provides these organizations with prestige and, in some cases, indirect financial benefit. The NEA, the largest union in the United States, while supposedly “non-partisan,” has time and time again supported woke, liberal causes through their endorsements and other political contributions.

    A 2023 report by the Freedom Foundation found that because the NEA was incorporated in the District of Columbia prior to its grant of a federal charter, revoking such charter would neither strip it of its corporate existence, nor cause it to alter its operations. Reforming, rather than repealing, the NEA’s federal charter, will provide greater accountability to its members and rid the organization of its partisan slant.

    Read the bill text here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Major Settlement with Columbia University

    Source: US Whitehouse

    SECURING HISTORIC SETTLEMENT WITH COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: Today, President Donald J. Trump secured a historic settlement with Columbia University to address violations of federal civil rights laws and to restore fairness, merit, and safety in higher education.

    • The agreement ensures Columbia will not engage in unlawful racial discrimination in hiring, admissions, or university programming. Columbia will provide access to all relevant data and information to rigorously assess compliance with its commitment to merit-based hiring and admissions. 
    • Columbia will pay the United States $200 million to settle claims related to discriminatory practices, marking a significant win for accountability in academia.
    • Columbia will also pay the largest employment-discrimination public settlement in almost 20 years. Over $20 million will be paid to resolve alleged civil rights violations against Jewish Columbia employees that occurred on its campus following the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks. This is also the largest ever settlement for victims of anti-Semitism and for workers of any religion.
    • The agreement secures privacy, dignity, and fairness in women’s sports, programing, facilities, and housing.
    • The agreement mandates a comprehensive review of Columbia’s portfolio of programs in regional areas, starting with those relating to the Middle East, and fosters new faculty appointments to promote intellectual diversity.
    • Columbia will strengthen oversight of international students by reviewing admission processes, including by assessing applicants’ reasons for wishing to study in the U.S., sharing relevant data with the Federal Government, and reducing financial dependence on overwhelming international student enrollment.
    • Columbia will enhance campus safety and ensure a safe learning environment by appropriately enforcing strict rules against disruptive protests, prohibiting masked protests, and maintaining trained security officers and ongoing cooperation with the New York Police Department.
    • The agreement establishes robust oversight, including with an independent Resolution Monitor and an Administrator, to ensure Columbia complies with the agreement and federal laws.
    • Consistent with Columbia’s announcement in March, student discipline and rules have been moved from an unaccountable faculty senate to the Office of the Provost, providing for stronger oversight, transparency, and accountability.
    • The agreement reinstates most terminated federal grants, restores Columbia’s eligibility for future grants and awards, and closes pending investigations into the university.

    ADDRESSING DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: The Trump Administration took action to address Columbia University’s violations of federal civil rights laws, protecting students and upholding fairness in higher education.

    • The settlement culminates after concerning public incidents and subsequent civil rights investigations and actions regarding Columbia’s alleged discrimination on the basis of race and national origin.
    • Columbia’s failure to ensure a safe, non-discriminatory campus environment, including issues with protest policies and disciplinary processes, raised urgent concerns about student safety and free inquiry.
    • By securing this settlement, the Trump Administration is ensuring that Columbia upholds merit-based standards, complies with federal law, and fosters an environment of academic excellence and safety for all students.

    ADVANCING REFORMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: President Trump is holding elite universities accountable, ensuring they prioritize fairness, merit, and American values.  

    • The Administration has challenged elite universities like Harvard and Columbia for discriminating against student and staff, failing to protect students from violent anti-Semitism, and otherwise failing to be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars.
    • President Trump signed a Proclamation to safeguard national security by suspending the entry of foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programs at Harvard University. 
    • The Administration successfully negotiated a resolution with the University of Pennsylvania to keep men out of women’s sports and restore the trophies and records of women.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIST Makes First Detection of Cannabis in Breath From Edibles

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Credit: Victor Moussa/Shutterstock

    Cannabis has gained increased use in the United States, outpacing alcohol as Americans’  daily recreational drug of choice. Nearly 20 percent of cannabis users have admitted to driving after using the drug. However, unlike for alcohol, reliable roadside tests for cannabis don’t exist. Even blood tests can’t determine when a person used cannabis, leaving law enforcement without a way to determine a person’s recent use, much less how intoxicated they are.  

    To make things more complicated, there are multiple ways to consume cannabis, such as smoking, vaping, ingestion and dabbing (inhaling a concentrated form of cannabis extracts). Scientists know that the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) shows up in breath after smoking, but what about edibles? Would those show up in breath too?

    The answer is yes; they do. In a study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and their colleagues made the first cannabinoid measurements in breath after study participants ingested cannabis-infused edibles. 

    “This is an important step forward, that we can detect THC increases in breath after the ingestion of cannabis,” said Jennifer Berry, NIST research chemist and lead author on the paper. 

    Making a breathalyzer for cannabis is harder than making a breathalyzer for alcohol. Alcohol is a relatively simple and highly volatile molecule: It easily travels through the lungs and evaporates when it contacts air. But THC is a larger, more complicated molecule with very low volatility, and consumption is typically hundreds of times less than alcohol. It shows up in very small concentrations in breath, making THC detection much more challenging.  Regular users of cannabis can have THC in their breath for at least eight hours and in their blood for potentially weeks after stopping use,  meaning that a single measurement is insufficient to learn when a person last used it. 

    In the new study, NIST’s partners at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus observed 29 participants who each brought a cannabis-infused gummy to the lab with them. The edibles contained anywhere from 5 to 100 milligrams of THC. Researchers first took a breath sample from the participants before they ingested the product. Then they observed each participant for three hours, obtaining breath samples approximately every hour. 

    NIST researchers measured the concentration of THC and other cannabinoids in breath at those intervals. They detected THC in most of the participants before they took the edible, even though they had been asked to abstain for eight hours before the study. That wasn’t surprising. Our bodies process cannabinoids slowly, taking weeks to get them out of our systems compared with hours for alcohol.  

    The researchers found that 19 of the participants showed significant increases in THC in the three-hour period after ingesting the edible. Many of them exhibited a peak and then a decline in THC concentration during that time. Four of the participants did not show any change in THC, and six showed only a decrease from their first breath sample. However, it is possible that the measurements may have missed the time window in which a jump in THC could have occurred.

    The observed spikes and dips in THC levels clear up some questions about how cannabinoids distribute in our bodies and leave our systems after use. There is a common misconception that THC in breath is from leftover smoke in the lungs after smoking cannabis. This study shows that THC that is swallowed in edibles can make it through the digestive system and be exhaled back out through the lungs, Berry said. This matches something else that stood out to the NIST team, that edible cannabis takes time to show up in breath. “Edibles aren’t that different from smoked cannabis and alcohol in that way,” Berry said. “Whether you inhale it or ingest it, it will show up in breath, but it may take some time before doing so.”

    This study provides just the first steps of understanding how edible cannabis shows up in breath, said Kavita Jeerage, a NIST research chemical engineer leading the cannabis breath research. But this first detection of THC from edibles in breath provides encouraging signs that future instruments will be able to measure THC from ingested cannabis. 

    It will be up to toxicologists to determine what those measurements say about impairment, she said, work that NIST’s research partners are already pursuing.

    “Our partners at Anschutz conducted a variety of assessments to probe impairment after participants ingested their cannabis gummies, including observing participants’ driving abilities with a driving simulator. The breath samples were a bonus that allowed us to gather first-ever data to explore whether THC increases in breath after edible ingestion,” Jeerage said. “Looking forward, we can now tackle the question of when THC increases after edible ingestion, when it goes back to baseline, and how to analyze breathalyzer data to get the information needed.”  

    “This study supports the idea that multiple breath measurements over a period of time could be a way to use a breathalyzer to detect cannabis use, regardless of how it’s ingested,” said Tara Lovestead, a NIST chemical engineer on the cannabis breath research project. “However, devices will still need standards to ensure that they are accurate and used correctly, standards that don’t yet exist.” 

    NIST itself is not developing a cannabis breathalyzer, Lovestead added. Instead, NIST’s role is to help ensure that measurements of cannabis in breath can be accurate, reliable and have scientifically sound standards behind them. NIST will be hosting a workshop with device developers in September to discuss a path forward.  

    Paper:  Jennifer L. Berry, Ashley Brooks-Russell, Tara M. Lovestead and Kavita M. Jeerage. The detection of cannabinoids in breath after ingestion of cannabis-infused edibles. Journal of Analytical Toxicology. Published online July 10, 2025. DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkaf063

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Who Will Bury You? Short stories from Zimbabwe about women who refuse to be easily defined

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gibson Ncube, Senior Lecturer, Stellenbosch University

    Zimbabwe-born, Canada-based Chido Muchemwa’s debut short story collection, Who Will Bury You?, was published late in 2024 and immediately attracted the right kind of attention.

    Here was an unexpected range of themes: queer identity, dislocation in the diaspora, the lingering complexities of family and cultural belonging. The 12 stories, set between Zimbabwe and Canada, trace moments of rupture and reconnection across time and geography. And they’re mostly about women. Women, selfhood, loss and love.

    Gibson Ncube, who researches queer African fiction, unpacks why it’s such a good read.

    What are some of the stories about?

    The recurring questions in Who Will Bury You? are: who will remain when we are gone – who will understand us, who will grieve for us, and who will honour the truths we live by? These questions are animated through emotionally layered stories that centre the lives of Zimbabwean women and queer characters.

    Written with subtlety and care, some of the stories draw on Zimbabwean folklore, allowing Muchemwa to bridge the mythical and the present-day. She demonstrates how ancestral narratives continue to shape how people experience love, loss and belonging.

    House of Anansi Press

    The title story introduces a Zimbabwean “church going woman” and her daughter, who is living in Canada and has embraced a lesbian identity. In Zimbabwe, same-sex relationships remain criminalised under laws inherited from colonial rule and reinforced by state-sponsored homophobia. Political leaders often frame queerness as un-African or morally deviant.

    The story is told through alternating perspectives and offers a portrait of intergenerational estrangement, cultural friction, and love strained by silence. What one of the characters calls “things that might never feel sayable”. The theme of queerness recurs in several other stories like This Will Break My Mother’s Heart and If It Wasn’t for the Nights.

    Muchemwa allows these stories to gather meaning through multiple vantage points. She seems to resist resolution in favour of complexity. The collection is a significant contribution to the small but growing body of Zimbabwean literature that openly addresses queerness.

    What’s Muchemwa saying about queer African life?

    One of Muchemwa’s most powerful acts in the book is to treat queer life not as peripheral, but as central to the cultural, emotional and political worlds her characters inhabit. Queer desire, intimacy and estrangement are not exceptional disruptions. They are ordinary realities that are woven into everyday life. In these stories, queerness is at once a site of tenderness, conflict and hope. The effects of religion and colonial morality continue to shape how love is expressed and denied.

    Read more: 7 queer African works of art: new directions in books, films and fashion

    The stories challenge the erasure of queer voices by positioning them at the heart of families and communities. Queer characters are neither idealised nor victimised. They are allowed to simply be joyful, ambivalent, flawed, and resilient.

    Aside from identity, what are some of the other themes?

    The book also grapples with questions of memory, history and myth. In Finding Mermaids, Muchemwa blends contemporary reportage with folklore. A journalist and her grieving mother investigate the disappearance of young girls in a rural Zimbabwean town who are suspected to have been captured by njuzu, water spirits.

    Other stories, like Kariba Heights and The Captive River, explore the legacies of colonialism and the spiritual power of the Zambezi River. In these stories, Muchemwa is attentive to how land, history and belief have an impact on personal experiences.

    Living away from home, in the diaspora, is also a theme. Zimbabwe’s collapsing economy and ongoing political instability have driven many to seek better lives abroad, looking for jobs or educational opportunities.

    Characters in Toronto grapple with cultural dislocation. They long for home as they tackle the challenges of forging new forms of kinship abroad. The Toronto that Muchemwa renders is richly textured. It’s far from a generic western backdrop. It is portrayed as a space of possibility and tension in which characters remake themselves in the face of displacement.

    Why is it a special book to you as a scholar?

    Muchemwa’s prose is precise, controlled, and emotionally resonant. She writes with confidence, trusting the power of implication and delicate shifts in tone. The plots of the stories are simple. They are not driven by dramatic revelations. Rather, by accumulative emotional insight. Her characters often seem to border on the edge of decision or reconciliation. In fact, their silences are as revealing as their speech.

    Throughout the collection, there’s a sense of hushed intensity. The question of who will be there – at the end, in crisis, in love – lingers and ties the stories together. Even as her characters move between countries, generations and identities, they remain tied by their desire for recognition and care.

    Read more: Books: folklore and fantasy combine in Langabi, a supernatural historical epic from Zimbabwe

    Muchemwa’s debut contributes to a growing body of contemporary African writing that focuses on intimacy, friendship and queerness as legitimate and urgent narrative concerns. Who Will Bury You? offers a fresh take that avoids the clichés and stereotypes often associated with African literature – what Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has famously called the single story.

    Rather than dwelling on recurrent tropes of suffering or political crisis, Muchemwa’s stories place a spotlight on private lives and emotional entanglements. They compel us to be attentive to the quiet yet consequential turmoil that takes place within families and intimate relationships.

    The collection does not avoid the cultural and religious violences that have an impact on everyday life. But Muchemwa faces them through the perspective of those who survive, and remake, these constraints on their own terms.

    Who Will Bury You? is a carefully crafted collection that demands close attention. It’s a book about women who refuse to be easily defined. With this collection, Muchemwa asserts herself as a compelling new voice in Zimbabwean and African literature. Her debut represents new African storytelling which continues to expand the narratives of African writers. It dares to centre the personal, the queer, and the emotionally complex.

    – Who Will Bury You? Short stories from Zimbabwe about women who refuse to be easily defined
    – https://theconversation.com/who-will-bury-you-short-stories-from-zimbabwe-about-women-who-refuse-to-be-easily-defined-261291

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: What makes a person cool? Global study has some answers

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Todd Pezzuti, Associate Professor, Business School, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez

    From Lagos to Cape Town, Santiago to Seoul, people want to be cool. “Cool” is a word we hear everywhere – in music, in fashion, on social media. We use it to describe certain types of people.

    But what exactly makes someone cool? Is it just about being popular or trendy? Or is there something deeper going on?

    In a recent study I conducted with other marketing professors, we set out to answer a simple but surprisingly unexplored question. What are the personality traits and values that make someone seem cool – and do they differ across cultures?

    We asked nearly 6,000 people from 12 countries to think of someone they personally knew who was “cool”, “not cool”, “good”, or “not good”. Then we asked them to describe that person’s traits and values using validated psychological measures. We used this data to examine how coolness differs from general likeability or morality.

    Read more: What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think

    The countries ranged from Australia to Turkey, the US to Germany, India to China, Nigeria to South Africa.

    Our data showed that coolness is uniquely associated with the same six traits around the world: cool people tend to be extroverted, hedonistic, adventurous, open, powerful, and autonomous.

    These findings help settle a long debate about what it means to be cool today.

    A brief history of cool

    Early writing on coolness described it as emotional restraint: being calm, composed and unbothered. This view, rooted in the metaphor of temperature and emotion, saw coolness as a sign of self-control and mastery.

    Some of these scholars trace this form of cool to slavery and segregation, where emotional restraint was a survival strategy among enslaved Africans and their descendants, symbolising autonomy and dignity in the face of oppression. Others propose “cool” restraint existed long before slavery.

    Regardless, jazz musicians in the 1940s first helped popularise this cool persona – relaxed, emotionally contained, and stylish – an image later embraced by youth and various countercultures. Corporations like Nike, Apple and MTV commercialised cool, turning a countercultural attitude into a more commercially friendly global aesthetic.

    This is what makes someone cool

    Our findings suggest that the meaning of cool has changed. It’s a way to identify and label people with a specific psychological profile.

    Cool people are outgoing and social (extroverted). They seek pleasure and enjoyment (hedonistic). They take risks and try new things (adventurous). They are curious and open to new experiences (open). They have influence or charisma (powerful). And perhaps most of all, they do things their own way (autonomous).

    This finding held remarkably steady across countries. Whether you’re in the US, South Korea, Spain or South Africa, people tend to think that cool individuals have this same “cool profile”.

    We also found that even though coolness overlaps with being good or favourable, being cool and being good are not the same. Being kind, calm, traditional, secure and conscientious were more associated with being good than cool. Some “cool” traits were not necessarily good at all, like extroversion and hedonism.

    What about South Africa and Nigeria?

    One of the most fascinating aspects of our study was seeing how consistent the meaning of coolness was across cultures – even in countries with very different traditions and values.

    In South Africa, participants viewed cool people as extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open and autonomous – just like participants from Europe to Asia. In South Africa, however, coolness is especially distinct from being good. South Africa is one of the countries in which being hedonistic, powerful, adventurous and autonomous was much more cool than good.

    Read more: Which African countries are flourishing? Scientists have a new way of measuring well-being

    Nigeria was the only country in which cool and uncool people were equally autonomous. So basically, individuality wasn’t seen as cool. That difference might reflect cultural values that place a greater emphasis on community, respect for elders, or collective identity. In places where tradition and hierarchy matter, doing your own thing might not be cool.

    Social sciences, like all science, however, are not perfect. So, it’s reasonable to speculate that autonomy might still be cool in Nigeria, with the discrepancy resulting from methodological issues such as how the Nigerian participants interpreted and responded to the survey.

    Nigeria was also unique because the distinction between cool and good wasn’t as notable as in other countries. So coolness was seen more as goodness than in the other countries.

    Why does this matter?

    The fact that so many cultures agree on what makes someone cool suggests that “coolness” may serve a shared social function. The traits that make people cool may make them more likely to try new things, innovate new styles and fashions, and influence others. These individuals often push boundaries and introduce new ideas – in fashion, art, politics, or technology. They inspire others and help shape what’s seen as modern, desirable, or forward-thinking.

    Coolness, in this sense, might function as a kind of cultural status marker – a reward for being bold, open-minded and innovative. It’s not just about surface style. It’s about signalling that you’re ahead of the curve, and that others should pay attention.

    So what can we learn from this?

    For one, young people in South Africa, Nigeria, and around the world may have more in common than we often think. Despite vast cultural differences, they tend to admire the same traits. That opens up interesting possibilities for cross-cultural communication, collaboration and influence.

    Second, if we want to connect with or inspire others – whether through education, branding, or leadership – it helps to understand what people see as cool. Coolness may not be a universal virtue, but it is a universal currency.

    And finally, there’s something reassuring in all this: coolness is not about being famous or rich. It’s about how you live. Are you curious? Courageous? True to yourself? If so, chances are someone out there thinks you’re cool – no matter where you’re from.

    – What makes a person cool? Global study has some answers
    – https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-person-cool-global-study-has-some-answers-261266

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Gov. Hochul’s Op-Ed in the USA Today Network

    Source: US State of New York

    oday, the USA Today Network published an op-ed by Governor Kathy Hochul outlining her commitment to securing New York’s clean energy future, including her bold new directive to the New York Power Authority to take the next step towards building an advanced nuclear power plant in Upstate New York. From leading the nation in community solar to delivering major offshore wind projects, Governor Hochul lays out her vision for an energy strategy to power the next generation of jobs, technology, and economic growth and explains why advanced nuclear must be part of that future. Text of the op-ed can be viewed online and is available below:

    Affordability starts with energy.

    Whether it’s powering a home, a business, or a factory floor, reliable and reasonably priced electricity makes New York’s high quality of life possible. That’s why I’ve made it a cornerstone of our strategy to grow jobs, attract investment, and give families a reason to stay and build their lives here.

    It’s why I’ve worked to attract transformational economic development projects, like Micron’s $100 billion semiconductor campus outside of Syracuse and our nation-leading effort to create the country’s largest super computer dedicated to responsible AI in Buffalo. These investments bring jobs, opportunity, and long-overdue momentum to upstate communities.

    I grew up in Western New York. I remember when the region thrived — when energy from the Niagara River powered steel plants, car factories, and a middle class strong enough to support entire towns. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy stood at the opening of the Niagara hydropower plant and called it “an example to the world of North American efficiency and determination.”

    But when the economic tides shifted and innovation stalled, upstate cities were left behind. What followed was decades of disinvestment and job loss.

    Now, New York has a chance to reverse that trend — but we need to ensure we have the sufficient power to do it. I believe our state can lead the next energy revolution and, in doing so, bring a new era of prosperity to the regions that once powered America.

    NYPA must embrace advance nuclear power upstate

    That’s why I recently directed the New York Power Authority to take the next step in building an advanced nuclear power plant upstate. It’s a bold move, but one grounded in reality. If we want to power the economy of the future, we need a clean, reliable, around-the-clock source of electricity. Advanced nuclear power can deliver that.

    New York is already a national leader in renewable energy. We’ve topped the charts two years running as the number one community solar market in the country and beat our 2025 distributed solar goal a year ahead of schedule. We built South Fork Wind, the nation’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm, and put two more major projects — Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind — back on track after I raised their importance directly with the White House.

    These aren’t just policy wins. They represent real jobs, clean power, and progress.

    But solar only works when the sun shines, and wind turbines only spin when the weather is right. The industries of tomorrow need a fully dependable electric grid. They need certainty, which means renewables and clean baseload.

    The next chapter of New York’s economy depends on our ability to power it. Without enough clean and affordable energy, we won’t be able to support the jobs, homes and innovations we’re fighting to bring here.

    Imagine this: Microchips manufactured outside Syracuse are shipped to the University at Buffalo, where they power AI research. Those breakthroughs spark new startups in Rochester, create supply chain opportunities in Binghamton, and support robotics labs in Schenectady. That’s the future we want for upstate New York — one where our communities are connected, our workforce is empowered and our economy is firing on all cylinders.

    But that vision doesn’t run on hope. It runs on electricity, and a lot of it.

    That’s why I’ve committed to an all-of-the-above energy strategy. In just the last five years, we’ve built more than two gigawatts of renewable energy, making New York’s electric grid the second cleanest per capita in the country. But we can’t stop there.

    Advanced nuclear power can fuel New York’s future

    Advanced nuclear power offers baseload electricity without burning fossil fuels. One gigawatt can power one million homes. It’s reliable, carbon-free, and scalable. And it’s not untested — New York already has three nuclear plants that have operated safely and efficiently for decades. These next-generation reactors will be even more advanced and secure.

    I understand concerns about cost. Some projects, like the plant in Georgia, came in late and over budget. We are learning from those experiences, applying best practices and ensuring tight oversight. We can show the country that New York still knows how to build with ambition, discipline and results.

    We’re not just imagining the future. We’re constructing it. When we pair New York’s world-class workforce with forward-looking energy investments, we unlock a new era of innovation and inclusive economic growth.

    Energy helped write the story of the Rust Belt’s rise and fall. Now, it can power the comeback. Let’s seize that opportunity — and build the future that every New Yorker deserves.

    Kathy Hochul is Governor of New York.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ARU professor wins award for excellence in health

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Professor Shahina Pardhan and Wes Streeting MP at the Muslim News Awards

    A vision-loss expert at Anglia Ruskin University has won a prestigious award for her contribution to healthcare in the UK and globally.

    Professor Shahina Pardhan, Director of the Vision and Eye Research Institute (VERI) at ARU, received the prestigious Ibn Sina award for Excellence in Health at the Muslim News Awards.

    The award was presented by Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, in recognition of Professor Pardhan’s groundbreaking work in eyecare and her dedication to reducing blindness in high-risk and underserved communities.

    Professor Pardhan is the UK’s first female professor of optometry and a globally respected researcher. She has authored 255 peer-reviewed papers and led numerous international projects focusing on improving eye health outcomes.

    Her initiatives, which promote eye care literacy and increasing the uptake of vision screening in different languages, are estimated to have helped more than 163,000 people at high risk of blindness.

    The Muslim News Awards for Excellence celebrate the achievements of individuals who have made significant contributions to British society.

    In her acceptance speech, Professor Pardhan said: “To be recognised in connection with Ibn Sina, the founder of early modern medicine, is both an honour and humbling. The award is a reminder of the novel purpose that binds us all in healthcare – to heal, to serve, and to reach those in greatest need.

    “I stand here today committing the rest of my professional life to advancing eye health for those most at risk of blindness, especially in vulnerable communities where simple interventions can change a life or save one.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Love Not War AI Unveils Mathematical Framework That Aligns Capitalism with Collective Good

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Love Not War AI today announced the launch of Progressive Utility Mechanics, a newly discovered mathematical framework created by innovator Valraj Singh Mann. This groundbreaking system offers a universal method for designing economic models in which individual financial success automatically enhances social welfare. The announcement marks the first implementation of the framework in a real-world application via the LVAI cryptocurrency, positioning it as a potential tool for addressing systemic issues like poverty, climate change, and inequality at scale.

    Unlike traditional economic systems that create tension between profit and purpose, Progressive Utility Mechanics create mathematically structured guarantees that individual success automatically generates increasing social benefit. The framework is going to be demonstrated through LVAI (Love Not War AI), the first cryptocurrency where charitable impact grows over time, but applications extend across all human economic organization – from corporate structures to government policy to international development.

    “We’ve developed the mathematical framework that may reshape how economic systems are designed across sectors,” said Mann. “For the first time in history, we can create mathematically structured mechanisms that align individual greed with collective good automatically. This isn’t just about cryptocurrency – it’s about demonstrating that capitalism can be inherently charitable, that economic growth can systematically reduce poverty, and that success can help everyone through what we’re calling ‘Mann Mechanics.’”

    Independent analysis confirms this represents the first mathematically structured mechanism demonstrating that economic systems can be designed to automatically strengthen social outcomes as they grow, potentially addressing root causes of global inequality, environmental degradation, and systemic poverty.


    HUMANITY’S GREATEST ECONOMIC CHALLENGE

    Throughout history, human societies have struggled with the fundamental tension between individual success and collective welfare. Traditional capitalism creates wealth but concentrates it, leading to inequality. Socialist systems promote equality but reduce prosperity. Regulatory approaches create compliance costs and economic drag. Charitable solutions depend on voluntary giving that decreases as wealth concentrates.

    “Every economic system in human history has forced a choice between individual freedom and collective good,” noted Mann. “We’ve developed a mathematically structured mechanism demonstrating that choice may be false – they can be systematically unified through progressive design.”

    The framework addresses systemic challenges affecting billions globally:

    • Global Poverty: 700+ million people in extreme poverty despite unprecedented global wealth
    • Climate Change: Economic incentives that reward environmental destruction over restoration
    • Inequality Crisis: Wealth concentration accelerating in every developed economy
    • Corporate Externalities: Profit maximization creating social and environmental costs
    • Aid Dependency: International development creating dependency rather than self-sufficiency
    • Government Inefficiency: Tax systems that reduce productivity while funding bureaucracy


    PROGRESSIVE UTILITY MECHANICS: THE UNIVERSAL SOLUTION

    Progressive Utility Mechanics (also known as “Mann Mechanics”) create economic systems where individual market participation automatically generates increasing social benefit through mathematically structured allocation mechanisms that strengthen over time.

    This framework transforms traditional zero-sum economic thinking into positive-sum systems where everyone’s success helps everyone else automatically, without coercion, regulation, or voluntary charity.

    Real-world applications include:

    • Progressive Impact Corporations: Business structures where shareholder profits automatically fund stakeholder benefits, making successful companies automatically beneficial to their communities

    • Self-Funding Development Programs: Economic zones where business success automatically generates poverty reduction funding, creating sustainable development without foreign aid dependency

    • Progressive Environmental Bonds: Investment vehicles where profit automatically funds environmental restoration, aligning financial returns with ecological recovery

    • Municipal Progressive Systems: City economies where business success automatically improves public infrastructure and services, creating self-improving urban environments

    • Progressive Education Funding: Systems where private success automatically enhances public education, leveling educational playing fields through market mechanisms

    “This framework could eliminate the need to choose between economic growth and social good,” observed one policy researcher. “Every successful business, every profitable investment, every economic gain automatically helps solve humanity’s greatest challenges.”


    GLOBAL IMPACT POTENTIAL

    Progressive Utility Mechanics address the mathematical core of humanity’s most pressing challenges:

    Poverty Elimination: Systems where economic success automatically generates anti-poverty funding may provide sustainable income support without government intervention or international aid dependency.

    Climate Solutions: Investment structures where environmental restoration becomes systematically profitable through progressive mechanics may help reverse ecological damage while generating returns.

    Inequality Reduction: Economic designs where success automatically levels playing fields may reduce wealth concentration without reducing prosperity or economic freedom.
    Corporate Transformation: Business models where profit maximization automatically optimizes social and environmental outcomes could revolutionize capitalism without regulatory coercion.

    International Development: Self-funding development programs could replace aid dependency with sustainable economic systems that strengthen as they succeed.

    “We’re not just talking about improving existing systems,” emphasized Mann. “We’re demonstrating that fundamentally different systems are possible – ones that may systematically address problems rather than creating them.”


    MATHEMATICAL PROOF OF CONCEPT: LVAI IMPLEMENTATION

    LVAI cryptocurrency will serve as the first mathematical proof that Progressive Utility Mechanics work in practice, demonstrating charitable impact that increases rather than decreases over time through three-phase evolution:

    • Phase 1: Economic growth automatically funds ecosystem expansion

    • Phase 2: Balanced allocation prevents stagnation while building social impact capacity

    • Phase 3: Unused economic capacity automatically becomes permanent charity endowment.

    The implementation includes institutional-grade security (94/100 audit rating) and has been mathematically verified to create stronger charitable impact as the system matures, demonstrating that economic success can be systematically aligned with social benefit through mechanism design.


    APPLICATIONS ACROSS HUMAN CIVILIZATION

    The discovery provides mathematical foundations for redesigning economic organization across all sectors:

    Corporate Governance: Progressive Impact Corporations where shareholders profit more as stakeholder outcomes improve, automatically aligning business success with social good.

    Municipal Economics: Progressive Economic Zones where local business success automatically funds public goods, creating self-improving communities without tax burden increases.

    International Relations: Progressive development frameworks where economic growth in developing nations automatically generates sustainable funding for infrastructure, education, and healthcare.

    Environmental Policy: Progressive conservation systems where land preservation and restoration become more profitable over time, creating economic incentives for ecological recovery.

    Educational Systems: Progressive funding mechanisms where private educational success automatically enhances public education quality, reducing inequality through market forces rather than redistribution.

    Healthcare Systems: Progressive health economics where medical innovation profitability automatically funds public health improvements, aligning pharmaceutical profits with population wellness.


    RESHAPING ECONOMIC THEORY

    Progressive Utility Mechanics (Mann Mechanics) represent the first mathematical framework proving that Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” – the foundational concept from the 18th-century economist known as the “Father of Modern Economics” – can be engineered rather than hoped for, creating guaranteed alignment between individual rational behavior and optimal collective outcomes.

    The innovation addresses fundamental questions that have challenged economists, philosophers, and policymakers:

    • Can capitalism be inherently fair? YES – through progressive design
    • Can individual greed serve collective good automatically? YES – through mathematical alignment
    • Can economic growth reduce rather than increase inequality? YES – through systematic progressive allocation
    • Can free markets solve social problems without government intervention? YES – through proper incentive design

    “This could be the most important breakthrough in economics since Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations,” noted one academic researcher. “Mann Mechanics provide the missing mathematical framework for creating automatically beneficial economic systems, potentially establishing a new field of study alongside Nash Equilibrium – developed by John Nash, the Nobel Prize-winning mathematician portrayed in ‘A Beautiful Mind’ – and Keynesian Economics, created by John Maynard Keynes, the influential British economist whose theories shaped modern government economic policy.”


    POTENTIAL CIVILIZATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

    If validated and widely implemented, Progressive Utility Mechanics may represent a significant advance in human economic organization since the development of market capitalism, potentially enabling:

    • Systematic poverty reduction through automatically self-funding anti-poverty systems
    • Climate change mitigation through profitable environmental restoration mechanisms
    • Inequality reduction without prosperity reduction through systematic leveling mechanisms
    • Corporate transformation from profit-maximizing to systematically beneficent entities
    • Government efficiency through market-based rather than bureaucratic social solutions

    “We’re exploring the potential to address humanity’s greatest challenges not through sacrifice or coercion, but by redesigning economic systems to systematically optimize for everyone’s benefit,” concluded Mann.


    PRIORITY ESTABLISHMENT

    This announcement establishes Valraj Singh Mann as the inventor of Progressive Utility Mechanics (Mann Mechanics) and creator of the mathematical framework for systematically aligning individual success with collective benefit. The innovation represents the first mathematically structured mechanism demonstrating that economic systems can be designed for systematic social optimization without reducing individual incentives or economic freedom.

    Comprehensive project documentation, including detailed whitepaper and technical specifications, is available at https://lovenotwar.ai


    ABOUT VAL MANN

    Valraj Singh Mann is the inventor of Progressive Utility Mechanics and creator of the mathematical framework for systematically aligning individual economic success with collective social benefit. Through breakthrough mathematical innovation, Mann has developed potential solutions to humanity’s greatest economic challenges while demonstrating that capitalism may be redesigned to be inherently beneficial to all participants.


    ABOUT PROGRESSIVE UTILITY MECHANICS

    Progressive Utility Mechanics (Mann Mechanics) represent a universally applicable mathematical framework for creating economic systems where individual success systematically generates increasing collective benefit. The principle provides potential applications across corporate governance, municipal economics, international development, environmental policy, and all forms of human economic organization.

    MEDIA CONTACT

    Ana Thapar
    Relations Manager
    Email: info@lovenotwar.ai
    Website: https://lovenotwar.ai
    New Community Channel: https://t.me/LoveNotWar_Base

    For global implementation discussions, academic collaboration, policy consultation, or interview requests, contact info@lovenotwar.ai with “Progressive Utility Framework” in the subject line.


    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This press release contains forward-looking statements about potential applications of Progressive Utility Mechanics to global economic challenges. Implementation of any framework requires extensive testing, stakeholder collaboration, and adaptation to specific economic, legal, and cultural contexts. All projections represent potential applications based on mathematical modeling and require real-world validation.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: What makes a person cool? Global study has some answers

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Todd Pezzuti, Associate Professor, Business School, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez

    From Lagos to Cape Town, Santiago to Seoul, people want to be cool. “Cool” is a word we hear everywhere – in music, in fashion, on social media. We use it to describe certain types of people.

    But what exactly makes someone cool? Is it just about being popular or trendy? Or is there something deeper going on?

    In a recent study I conducted with other marketing professors, we set out to answer a simple but surprisingly unexplored question. What are the personality traits and values that make someone seem cool – and do they differ across cultures?

    We asked nearly 6,000 people from 12 countries to think of someone they personally knew who was “cool”, “not cool”, “good”, or “not good”. Then we asked them to describe that person’s traits and values using validated psychological measures. We used this data to examine how coolness differs from general likeability or morality.



    Read more:
    What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think

    The countries ranged from Australia to Turkey, the US to Germany, India to China, Nigeria to South Africa.

    Our data showed that coolness is uniquely associated with the same six traits around the world: cool people tend to be extroverted, hedonistic, adventurous, open, powerful, and autonomous.

    These findings help settle a long debate about what it means to be cool today.

    A brief history of cool

    Early writing on coolness described it as emotional restraint: being calm, composed and unbothered. This view, rooted in the metaphor of temperature and emotion, saw coolness as a sign of self-control and mastery.

    Some of these scholars trace this form of cool to slavery and segregation, where emotional restraint was a survival strategy among enslaved Africans and their descendants, symbolising autonomy and dignity in the face of oppression. Others propose “cool” restraint existed long before slavery.

    Regardless, jazz musicians in the 1940s first helped popularise this cool persona – relaxed, emotionally contained, and stylish – an image later embraced by youth and various countercultures. Corporations like Nike, Apple and MTV commercialised cool, turning a countercultural attitude into a more commercially friendly global aesthetic.

    This is what makes someone cool

    Our findings suggest that the meaning of cool has changed. It’s a way to identify and label people with a specific psychological profile.

    Cool people are outgoing and social (extroverted). They seek pleasure and enjoyment (hedonistic). They take risks and try new things (adventurous). They are curious and open to new experiences (open). They have influence or charisma (powerful). And perhaps most of all, they do things their own way (autonomous).

    This finding held remarkably steady across countries. Whether you’re in the US, South Korea, Spain or South Africa, people tend to think that cool individuals have this same “cool profile”.

    We also found that even though coolness overlaps with being good or favourable, being cool and being good are not the same. Being kind, calm, traditional, secure and conscientious were more associated with being good than cool. Some “cool” traits were not necessarily good at all, like extroversion and hedonism.

    What about South Africa and Nigeria?

    One of the most fascinating aspects of our study was seeing how consistent the meaning of coolness was across cultures – even in countries with very different traditions and values.

    In South Africa, participants viewed cool people as extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open and autonomous – just like participants from Europe to Asia. In South Africa, however, coolness is especially distinct from being good. South Africa is one of the countries in which being hedonistic, powerful, adventurous and autonomous was much more cool than good.



    Read more:
    Which African countries are flourishing? Scientists have a new way of measuring well-being

    Nigeria was the only country in which cool and uncool people were equally autonomous. So basically, individuality wasn’t seen as cool. That difference might reflect cultural values that place a greater emphasis on community, respect for elders, or collective identity. In places where tradition and hierarchy matter, doing your own thing might not be cool.

    Social sciences, like all science, however, are not perfect. So, it’s reasonable to speculate that autonomy might still be cool in Nigeria, with the discrepancy resulting from methodological issues such as how the Nigerian participants interpreted and responded to the survey.

    Nigeria was also unique because the distinction between cool and good wasn’t as notable as in other countries. So coolness was seen more as goodness than in the other countries.

    Why does this matter?

    The fact that so many cultures agree on what makes someone cool suggests that “coolness” may serve a shared social function. The traits that make people cool may make them more likely to try new things, innovate new styles and fashions, and influence others. These individuals often push boundaries and introduce new ideas – in fashion, art, politics, or technology. They inspire others and help shape what’s seen as modern, desirable, or forward-thinking.

    Coolness, in this sense, might function as a kind of cultural status marker – a reward for being bold, open-minded and innovative. It’s not just about surface style. It’s about signalling that you’re ahead of the curve, and that others should pay attention.

    So what can we learn from this?

    For one, young people in South Africa, Nigeria, and around the world may have more in common than we often think. Despite vast cultural differences, they tend to admire the same traits. That opens up interesting possibilities for cross-cultural communication, collaboration and influence.

    Second, if we want to connect with or inspire others – whether through education, branding, or leadership – it helps to understand what people see as cool. Coolness may not be a universal virtue, but it is a universal currency.

    And finally, there’s something reassuring in all this: coolness is not about being famous or rich. It’s about how you live. Are you curious? Courageous? True to yourself? If so, chances are someone out there thinks you’re cool – no matter where you’re from.

    Todd Pezzuti received funding from ANID Chile to conduct this research.

    – ref. What makes a person cool? Global study has some answers – https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-person-cool-global-study-has-some-answers-261266

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: What makes a person cool? Global study has some answers

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Todd Pezzuti, Associate Professor, Business School, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez

    From Lagos to Cape Town, Santiago to Seoul, people want to be cool. “Cool” is a word we hear everywhere – in music, in fashion, on social media. We use it to describe certain types of people.

    But what exactly makes someone cool? Is it just about being popular or trendy? Or is there something deeper going on?

    In a recent study I conducted with other marketing professors, we set out to answer a simple but surprisingly unexplored question. What are the personality traits and values that make someone seem cool – and do they differ across cultures?

    We asked nearly 6,000 people from 12 countries to think of someone they personally knew who was “cool”, “not cool”, “good”, or “not good”. Then we asked them to describe that person’s traits and values using validated psychological measures. We used this data to examine how coolness differs from general likeability or morality.



    Read more:
    What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think

    The countries ranged from Australia to Turkey, the US to Germany, India to China, Nigeria to South Africa.

    Our data showed that coolness is uniquely associated with the same six traits around the world: cool people tend to be extroverted, hedonistic, adventurous, open, powerful, and autonomous.

    These findings help settle a long debate about what it means to be cool today.

    A brief history of cool

    Early writing on coolness described it as emotional restraint: being calm, composed and unbothered. This view, rooted in the metaphor of temperature and emotion, saw coolness as a sign of self-control and mastery.

    Some of these scholars trace this form of cool to slavery and segregation, where emotional restraint was a survival strategy among enslaved Africans and their descendants, symbolising autonomy and dignity in the face of oppression. Others propose “cool” restraint existed long before slavery.

    Regardless, jazz musicians in the 1940s first helped popularise this cool persona – relaxed, emotionally contained, and stylish – an image later embraced by youth and various countercultures. Corporations like Nike, Apple and MTV commercialised cool, turning a countercultural attitude into a more commercially friendly global aesthetic.

    This is what makes someone cool

    Our findings suggest that the meaning of cool has changed. It’s a way to identify and label people with a specific psychological profile.

    Cool people are outgoing and social (extroverted). They seek pleasure and enjoyment (hedonistic). They take risks and try new things (adventurous). They are curious and open to new experiences (open). They have influence or charisma (powerful). And perhaps most of all, they do things their own way (autonomous).

    This finding held remarkably steady across countries. Whether you’re in the US, South Korea, Spain or South Africa, people tend to think that cool individuals have this same “cool profile”.

    We also found that even though coolness overlaps with being good or favourable, being cool and being good are not the same. Being kind, calm, traditional, secure and conscientious were more associated with being good than cool. Some “cool” traits were not necessarily good at all, like extroversion and hedonism.

    What about South Africa and Nigeria?

    One of the most fascinating aspects of our study was seeing how consistent the meaning of coolness was across cultures – even in countries with very different traditions and values.

    In South Africa, participants viewed cool people as extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open and autonomous – just like participants from Europe to Asia. In South Africa, however, coolness is especially distinct from being good. South Africa is one of the countries in which being hedonistic, powerful, adventurous and autonomous was much more cool than good.



    Read more:
    Which African countries are flourishing? Scientists have a new way of measuring well-being

    Nigeria was the only country in which cool and uncool people were equally autonomous. So basically, individuality wasn’t seen as cool. That difference might reflect cultural values that place a greater emphasis on community, respect for elders, or collective identity. In places where tradition and hierarchy matter, doing your own thing might not be cool.

    Social sciences, like all science, however, are not perfect. So, it’s reasonable to speculate that autonomy might still be cool in Nigeria, with the discrepancy resulting from methodological issues such as how the Nigerian participants interpreted and responded to the survey.

    Nigeria was also unique because the distinction between cool and good wasn’t as notable as in other countries. So coolness was seen more as goodness than in the other countries.

    Why does this matter?

    The fact that so many cultures agree on what makes someone cool suggests that “coolness” may serve a shared social function. The traits that make people cool may make them more likely to try new things, innovate new styles and fashions, and influence others. These individuals often push boundaries and introduce new ideas – in fashion, art, politics, or technology. They inspire others and help shape what’s seen as modern, desirable, or forward-thinking.

    Coolness, in this sense, might function as a kind of cultural status marker – a reward for being bold, open-minded and innovative. It’s not just about surface style. It’s about signalling that you’re ahead of the curve, and that others should pay attention.

    So what can we learn from this?

    For one, young people in South Africa, Nigeria, and around the world may have more in common than we often think. Despite vast cultural differences, they tend to admire the same traits. That opens up interesting possibilities for cross-cultural communication, collaboration and influence.

    Second, if we want to connect with or inspire others – whether through education, branding, or leadership – it helps to understand what people see as cool. Coolness may not be a universal virtue, but it is a universal currency.

    And finally, there’s something reassuring in all this: coolness is not about being famous or rich. It’s about how you live. Are you curious? Courageous? True to yourself? If so, chances are someone out there thinks you’re cool – no matter where you’re from.

    Todd Pezzuti received funding from ANID Chile to conduct this research.

    – ref. What makes a person cool? Global study has some answers – https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-person-cool-global-study-has-some-answers-261266

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Who Will Bury You? Short stories from Zimbabwe about women who refuse to be easily defined

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gibson Ncube, Senior Lecturer, Stellenbosch University

    Zimbabwe-born, Canada-based Chido Muchemwa’s debut short story collection, Who Will Bury You?, was published late in 2024 and immediately attracted the right kind of attention.

    Here was an unexpected range of themes: queer identity, dislocation in the diaspora, the lingering complexities of family and cultural belonging. The 12 stories, set between Zimbabwe and Canada, trace moments of rupture and reconnection across time and geography. And they’re mostly about women. Women, selfhood, loss and love.

    Gibson Ncube, who researches queer African fiction, unpacks why it’s such a good read.

    What are some of the stories about?

    The recurring questions in Who Will Bury You? are: who will remain when we are gone – who will understand us, who will grieve for us, and who will honour the truths we live by? These questions are animated through emotionally layered stories that centre the lives of Zimbabwean women and queer characters.

    Written with subtlety and care, some of the stories draw on Zimbabwean folklore, allowing Muchemwa to bridge the mythical and the present-day. She demonstrates how ancestral narratives continue to shape how people experience love, loss and belonging.

    The title story introduces a Zimbabwean “church going woman” and her daughter, who is living in Canada and has embraced a lesbian identity. In Zimbabwe, same-sex relationships remain criminalised under laws inherited from colonial rule and reinforced by state-sponsored homophobia. Political leaders often frame queerness as un-African or morally deviant.

    The story is told through alternating perspectives and offers a portrait of intergenerational estrangement, cultural friction, and love strained by silence. What one of the characters calls “things that might never feel sayable”. The theme of queerness recurs in several other stories like This Will Break My Mother’s Heart and If It Wasn’t for the Nights.

    Muchemwa allows these stories to gather meaning through multiple vantage points. She seems to resist resolution in favour of complexity. The collection is a significant contribution to the small but growing body of Zimbabwean literature that openly addresses queerness.

    What’s Muchemwa saying about queer African life?

    One of Muchemwa’s most powerful acts in the book is to treat queer life not as peripheral, but as central to the cultural, emotional and political worlds her characters inhabit. Queer desire, intimacy and estrangement are not exceptional disruptions. They are ordinary realities that are woven into everyday life. In these stories, queerness is at once a site of tenderness, conflict and hope. The effects of religion and colonial morality continue to shape how love is expressed and denied.



    Read more:
    7 queer African works of art: new directions in books, films and fashion

    The stories challenge the erasure of queer voices by positioning them at the heart of families and communities. Queer characters are neither idealised nor victimised. They are allowed to simply be joyful, ambivalent, flawed, and resilient.

    Aside from identity, what are some of the other themes?

    The book also grapples with questions of memory, history and myth. In Finding Mermaids, Muchemwa blends contemporary reportage with folklore. A journalist and her grieving mother investigate the disappearance of young girls in a rural Zimbabwean town who are suspected to have been captured by njuzu, water spirits.

    Other stories, like Kariba Heights and The Captive River, explore the legacies of colonialism and the spiritual power of the Zambezi River. In these stories, Muchemwa is attentive to how land, history and belief have an impact on personal experiences.

    Living away from home, in the diaspora, is also a theme. Zimbabwe’s collapsing economy and ongoing political instability have driven many to seek better lives abroad, looking for jobs or educational opportunities.

    Characters in Toronto grapple with cultural dislocation. They long for home as they tackle the challenges of forging new forms of kinship abroad. The Toronto that Muchemwa renders is richly textured. It’s far from a generic western backdrop. It is portrayed as a space of possibility and tension in which characters remake themselves in the face of displacement.

    Why is it a special book to you as a scholar?

    Muchemwa’s prose is precise, controlled, and emotionally resonant. She writes with confidence, trusting the power of implication and delicate shifts in tone. The plots of the stories are simple. They are not driven by dramatic revelations. Rather, by accumulative emotional insight. Her characters often seem to border on the edge of decision or reconciliation. In fact, their silences are as revealing as their speech.

    Throughout the collection, there’s a sense of hushed intensity. The question of who will be there – at the end, in crisis, in love – lingers and ties the stories together. Even as her characters move between countries, generations and identities, they remain tied by their desire for recognition and care.



    Read more:
    Books: folklore and fantasy combine in Langabi, a supernatural historical epic from Zimbabwe

    Muchemwa’s debut contributes to a growing body of contemporary African writing that focuses on intimacy, friendship and queerness as legitimate and urgent narrative concerns. Who Will Bury You? offers a fresh take that avoids the clichés and stereotypes often associated with African literature – what Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has famously called the single story.

    Rather than dwelling on recurrent tropes of suffering or political crisis, Muchemwa’s stories place a spotlight on private lives and emotional entanglements. They compel us to be attentive to the quiet yet consequential turmoil that takes place within families and intimate relationships.

    The collection does not avoid the cultural and religious violences that have an impact on everyday life. But Muchemwa faces them through the perspective of those who survive, and remake, these constraints on their own terms.

    Who Will Bury You? is a carefully crafted collection that demands close attention. It’s a book about women who refuse to be easily defined. With this collection, Muchemwa asserts herself as a compelling new voice in Zimbabwean and African literature. Her debut represents new African storytelling which continues to expand the narratives of African writers. It dares to centre the personal, the queer, and the emotionally complex.

    Gibson Ncube receives funding from the National Research Foundation.

    – ref. Who Will Bury You? Short stories from Zimbabwe about women who refuse to be easily defined – https://theconversation.com/who-will-bury-you-short-stories-from-zimbabwe-about-women-who-refuse-to-be-easily-defined-261291

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nadler Statement on Columbia University Settlement

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

    Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) issued the following statement on Columbia University’s $200 million settlement with the Trump Administration: 

    “I am deeply disappointed by reports of Columbia University’s outrageous and embarrassing $200 million capitulation to the Trump Administration’s repugnant extortion campaign.

    Let’s be clear: no investigation was ever conducted by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights— the single body charged under federal law with investigating antisemitism on campus. Rather, unlike Harvard, my alma mater has allowed a once highly-respected institution to succumb to the Trump Administration’s coercive and exploitative tactics. Columbia has effectively waived the white flag of surrender in its battle at the heart of the Trump Administration’s war on higher education and academic freedom.

    While Columbia needs to do a better job at protecting its students against antisemitism on campus, this disgraceful and humiliating action will not, in anyway, improve the situation on campus for Jewish students.

    Columbia’s students, faculty, staff, and larger community deserve better than this cowardly decision.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: War victory anniversary talk held

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Civil Service Bureau and the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau jointly organised a talk at the Central Government Offices today to commemorate the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and in the World Anti-Fascist War.

    The talk was delivered by Professor at the Institute of World History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the School of History of the University of the CASS Prof Wang Chaoguang and Associate Vice President of Lingnan University Prof Lau Chi-pang.

    During the talk, Prof Wang gave a comprehensive analysis of the history of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, delving into the historical status, major contributions and the significance of the war as the main Eastern battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the Communist Party of China’s role as the pillar of the War of Resistance.

    Prof Lau also shared with participants the heroic deeds of the East River Column and the Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade during the war period.

    Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung, politically appointed officials and civil servants in the directorate, senior and middle ranks attended the talk today. Together with those participating via video conferencing, over 200 participants attended the talk.

    Delivering the opening remarks, Mrs Yeung pointed out that civil servants should learn from history, firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, uphold the spirit of “patriots administering Hong Kong”, and make greater contributions to the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and the lasting peace and stability of the country.

    She encouraged civil servants to actively participate in the thematic seminars and learning activities organised to commemorate the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Martin Slouka to head up the Monetary and Financial Statistics Division

    Source: Czech National Bank

    Martin Slouka will become Director of the Monetary and Financial Statistics Division of the Czech National Bank’s Research and Statistics Department on 1 August 2025. The Bank Board decided on his appointment at its meeting on 24 July 2025.

    Martin Slouka graduated in statistical and insurance engineering from the Faculty of Informatics and Statistics of the Prague University of Economics and Business. He has been working at the CNB since 2005, specialising in statistics and data processing within the Monetary and Financial Statistics Division. He has held the positions of head of the Microdata Statistics Unit and Deputy Director of the Monetary and Financial Statistics Division since 2015. He has participated in numerous training courses abroad, including internships at the European Central Bank and other central banks in Europe and at the International Monetary Fund. He has represented the CNB in the ECB/ESCB working group for the development and collection of granular credit and credit risk data since 2019.

    Jakub Holas
    Director, Communications Division

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Clear Street Launches Specialty Finance Franchise with the Addition of Mickey Schleien

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clear Street, (“Clear Street”, “the Company”) a cloud-native financial technology firm on a mission to modernize the brokerage ecosystem, today announced the appointment of Mickey Schleien, CFA, as Managing Director and Senior Analyst, leading equity research coverage of Business Development Companies (BDCs) and Collateralized Loan Obligation (CLO) closed-end funds. He will report to Director of Research Mara Goldstein.

    Mr. Schleien brings three decades of capital markets experience to Clear Street, with deep expertise in BDCs and CLOs. He joins the firm from Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., where he spent more than 18 years producing comprehensive research coverage across the BDC and CLO fund sectors. Prior to that, Mr. Schleien held senior research positions at several prestigious financial institutions, including Lehman Brothers, UBS, James Capel (HSBC) and Morgan Stanley.

    Mara Goldstein, Director of Research at Clear Street, said, “We are delighted to welcome Mickey to our equity research team, where his extensive experience and deep understanding of BDCs and CLO funds will be invaluable. Mickey’s long-standing tenure in the space, along with his well-established relationships and sharp investment analysis, enhances our ability to serve clients—particularly as this sector plays a vital role in funding the growth of small- and medium-sized businesses. His appointment underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional research and insights across key market segments.”

    “I’m thrilled to join Clear Street at this exciting time in the firm’s growth,” said Mr. Schleien. “The combination of Clear Street’s innovative technology platform and commitment to excellence in equity research creates a unique opportunity to deliver exceptional value to clients. I look forward to leveraging my BDC and CLO experience, as well as my relationships with institutional investors, management teams, regulators and sector organizations to contribute to the firm’s continued success.”

    Mr. Schleien holds an MBA from Loyola Marymount University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from UCLA. He is also a CFA charter holder.

    Media Contact:

    Ashley DeSimone

    Chief Marketing Officer, Clear Street, adesimone@clearstreet.io

    About Clear Street:

    Clear Street is modernizing the brokerage ecosystem with financial technology and services that empower market participants with real-time data and best-in-class products, tools and teams, to navigate capital markets around the world. Complemented by white-glove service, Clear Street’s cloud-native, proprietary product suite delivers financing, derivatives, execution and more to power client success, adding efficiency to the market and enabling clients to minimize risk, redundancy and cost. Clear Street’s goal is to create a single platform for every asset class, in every country and in any currency. For more information, visit https://clearstreet.io.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Clear Street Launches Specialty Finance Franchise with the Addition of Mickey Schleien

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clear Street, (“Clear Street”, “the Company”) a cloud-native financial technology firm on a mission to modernize the brokerage ecosystem, today announced the appointment of Mickey Schleien, CFA, as Managing Director and Senior Analyst, leading equity research coverage of Business Development Companies (BDCs) and Collateralized Loan Obligation (CLO) closed-end funds. He will report to Director of Research Mara Goldstein.

    Mr. Schleien brings three decades of capital markets experience to Clear Street, with deep expertise in BDCs and CLOs. He joins the firm from Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., where he spent more than 18 years producing comprehensive research coverage across the BDC and CLO fund sectors. Prior to that, Mr. Schleien held senior research positions at several prestigious financial institutions, including Lehman Brothers, UBS, James Capel (HSBC) and Morgan Stanley.

    Mara Goldstein, Director of Research at Clear Street, said, “We are delighted to welcome Mickey to our equity research team, where his extensive experience and deep understanding of BDCs and CLO funds will be invaluable. Mickey’s long-standing tenure in the space, along with his well-established relationships and sharp investment analysis, enhances our ability to serve clients—particularly as this sector plays a vital role in funding the growth of small- and medium-sized businesses. His appointment underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional research and insights across key market segments.”

    “I’m thrilled to join Clear Street at this exciting time in the firm’s growth,” said Mr. Schleien. “The combination of Clear Street’s innovative technology platform and commitment to excellence in equity research creates a unique opportunity to deliver exceptional value to clients. I look forward to leveraging my BDC and CLO experience, as well as my relationships with institutional investors, management teams, regulators and sector organizations to contribute to the firm’s continued success.”

    Mr. Schleien holds an MBA from Loyola Marymount University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from UCLA. He is also a CFA charter holder.

    Media Contact:

    Ashley DeSimone

    Chief Marketing Officer, Clear Street, adesimone@clearstreet.io

    About Clear Street:

    Clear Street is modernizing the brokerage ecosystem with financial technology and services that empower market participants with real-time data and best-in-class products, tools and teams, to navigate capital markets around the world. Complemented by white-glove service, Clear Street’s cloud-native, proprietary product suite delivers financing, derivatives, execution and more to power client success, adding efficiency to the market and enabling clients to minimize risk, redundancy and cost. Clear Street’s goal is to create a single platform for every asset class, in every country and in any currency. For more information, visit https://clearstreet.io.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Microsoft Research Asia launches Singapore lab

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft Research Asia launches Singapore lab

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Pelvic floor training can help active women avoid exercise-related symptoms

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Holly Ingram, Senior Midwifery Lecturer, Anglia Ruskin University

    Dudarev Mikhail/Shutterstock

    Are you a woman who exercises regularly? If so, here’s a vital question: do you train your pelvic floor muscles as part of your routine?

    If the answer is no, now’s the time to start. It’s never too late to protect yourself from pelvic floor dysfunction – and the benefits go far beyond avoiding leaks.

    The pelvic floor is a complex hammock of muscles and ligaments stretching from the front of your pelvis to your tailbone. It weaves around the urethra, vagina and anus, supporting the pelvic organs and helping them stay in the right place.

    These muscles are essential for bladder and bowel control, sexual function and core stability. In fact, your pelvic floor works alongside the diaphragm, abdominal muscles, and back muscles in what’s known as the “core canister” or “core rectangle.” Together, they help stabilise the spine, protect internal organs, and support movement, especially in high-impact or strength-based activities.

    How does sport affect pelvic floor health?

    Many sports rely heavily on core strength. Running, jumping, lifting and full-contact sports like rugby all demand stability, control and muscular endurance. But they also place significant strain on the pelvic floor.

    That’s why pelvic floor dysfunction is surprisingly common among sportswomen. Around one in two women in the UK will experience pelvic floor symptoms at some point in their lives – but rates are even higher among female athletes. A 2024 study of female rugby players found that 63% experienced pelvic floor dysfunction serious enough to affect both their performance and daily life, often requiring physiotherapy or specialist support.

    Movements such as jumping, running, landing and breath-holding during exertion all increase intra-abdominal pressure, which pushes down on the pelvic floor. Without proper conditioning, these muscles can become strained or fatigued, especially if they’re weaker than the surrounding core muscles.

    Endurance sports can also take their toll, causing the pelvic floor to repeatedly contract under pressure. Like any muscle, the pelvic floor is susceptible to overuse injuries and needs time to recover.

    Pelvic floor dysfunction can show up in several ways, including leaking urine or faeces during exercise, coughing or sneezing; disrupted bowel habits; a heavy or dragging feeling in the lower abdomen or vagina; pain during sex; a bulging sensation or visible tissue in the vaginal area; and pelvic organ prolapse.

    These symptoms may appear during exercise – or at rest – and often worsen over time without the right support or training.

    Exercise can help with pelvic floor dysfunction – only if the pelvic floor is actively and effectively engaged. Many workouts target the abs or general core, but if the pelvic floor isn’t included with the same intensity, muscular imbalances can develop. Combined with gravity and high-impact movement, this puts the pelvic floor at greater risk of dysfunction.

    The good news? The pelvic floor responds well to training. With regular, focused practice, these muscles become stronger, more coordinated and more resilient – helping to prevent dysfunction and even aiding recovery after childbirth.

    How to train your pelvic floor

    Not sure where to start? Here’s a simple exercise:

    1. Imagine you’re holding in wind – gently contract your anus.

    2. Next, squeeze your urethra as if stopping a flow of urine.

    3. Now, lift upwards through the vagina.

    4. Hold the contraction for a few seconds (or as long as you comfortably can), then release.

    That’s one pelvic floor contraction: well done!

    Try doing a few reps at a time, and gradually build up. You can incorporate these into your run, add them to your core workout, or practise them during rest days or cool-downs. The goal is to make pelvic floor training a regular part of your routine.

    Your pelvic floor deserves just as much attention as your abs, glutes or quads. If you’re a woman who exercises, training these deep core muscles can boost your performance, reduce your risk of injury and support your overall health now and in the future.

    So next time you lace up your trainers or hit the gym, don’t forget your pelvic floor. Your body will thank you.

    Holly Ingram 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. Pelvic floor training can help active women avoid exercise-related symptoms – https://theconversation.com/pelvic-floor-training-can-help-active-women-avoid-exercise-related-symptoms-259711

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI: Trader AI: This Trader AI App Sets New Standard in AI-Driven Trading with Unmatched Security and User Approval

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NY, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trader AI, a pioneering fintech platform specializing in AI-powered cryptocurrency trading, today announces the launch of its fully integrated trading robot tailored specifically for Canadian investors. Building on extensive development and rigorous testing, Trader AI delivers a secure, compliant, and highly automated solution designed to help both novice and experienced traders optimize returns while effectively managing risk.

    By seamlessly combining advanced machine learning algorithms, real-time market analysis, and regulatory compliance, Trader AI establishes itself as a frontrunner in the emerging landscape of AI-driven crypto trading. With the cryptocurrency market expanding rapidly—exceeding USD 50 billion in annual trading volume—investors are seeking innovative tools that simplify trading processes without compromising on security or transparency. Trader AI’s newly announced features and localized support address these needs directly, empowering Canadians to participate confidently in digital asset markets.

    Key Highlights:

    • AI-Powered Signal Generation: Proprietary machine learning models continuously scan global crypto markets to identify high-probability trade setups across major coins—including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and top altcoins—enabling swift, data-driven decision-making.
    • Fully Automated Execution: Direct API integrations with FINTRAC-registered Canadian brokerages ensure that algorithmic signals translate instantly into live orders, minimizing latency and slippage.
    • User-Centric Interface: A clean, intuitive dashboard guides users from registration to live trading in under 20 minutes, supported by a built-in demo mode for risk-free practice and an optional manual trading toggle for advanced traders.
    • Robust Risk Management: Dynamic stop-loss and take-profit mechanisms adjust automatically to real-time volatility metrics, while customizable position-sizing algorithms safeguard capital with preset risk thresholds.
    • Transparent Fee Structure: Trader AI requires a minimum deposit of USD 250 and operates commission-free—fees are embedded solely within market-standard spreads, ensuring full cost transparency.
    • Canadian-Focused Compliance: With partnerships in Ontario and British Columbia, Trader AI operates alongside regulated broker-dealers, maintains PIPEDA-aligned data practices, and offers optional KYC verification for withdrawals exceeding CAD 2,000 per month.
    • Localized Support & Education: 24/7 live chat, toll-free phone lines, region-specific webinars on taxation and compliance, and a bilingual knowledge base demonstrate Trader AI’s commitment to serving Canada’s diverse trading community.

    Visit Here to Register on the Trader AI – Select Your Country Here!!!

    Trader AI’s Mission: Democratizing Crypto Trading 

    In recent years, the cryptocurrency sector has witnessed explosive growth—often accompanied by elevated volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and a steep learning curve for newcomers. Recognizing these challenges, Trader AI was conceived to bridge the gap between sophisticated algorithmic trading and accessibility for everyday Canadians. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the platform aims to automate labor-intensive tasks such as trend analysis, technical indicator computation, and real-time order generation, freeing users from the need to monitor markets around the clock.

    How Trader AI Works: A Technical Overview

    According to official website, Trader AI’s core engine is anchored in a multi-layered AI architecture that integrates supervised learning, deep neural networks, and real-time data aggregation. Below is an outline of the platform’s operational framework:

    1. Comprehensive Market Data Aggregation
      • Trader AI continuously ingests live order book data, trade histories, volume indicators, and social sentiment inputs from over 20 global exchanges.
      • All incoming data undergoes cleaning and normalization, ensuring consistency for downstream machine learning modules.
    2. Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition
      • A combination of supervised models—trained on historical price movements from January 2017 to December 2024—and unsupervised clustering algorithms identify characteristic market patterns, such as sudden volume surges, technical divergence, and on-chain network activity that historically precedes price shifts.
      • Periodic model retraining occurs every four weeks, incorporating the most recent market data to adapt to evolving conditions.
    3. Signal Generation and Scoring
      • When the AI identifies a pattern that meets predefined confidence thresholds (typically 70–85% probability), it issues a trade signal complete with suggested entry price, stop-loss, take-profit levels, and ideal position size relative to account equity.
      • Each signal is assigned a Signal Quality Score (SQS)—a proprietary metric ranging from 0 to 100—that reflects confidence based on factors such as liquidity depth, volatility, and historical win rate for similar setups.
    4. Automated Order Execution
      • Upon user authorization (via the “Auto-Trade” toggle), signals are dispatched instantly through secure API connections to partnered Canadian brokerages and select international exchanges.
      • In live conditions, orders are executed with an average round-trip latency of under 150 milliseconds, minimizing the risk of slippage during periods of heightened volatility.
    5. Dynamic Risk Management
      • Stop-loss and take-profit parameters adjust in real-time based on Average True Range (ATR) and Bollinger Band expansions. For example, if an asset’s 24-hour volatility spikes above 8%, the AI narrows stop-loss bands by 10–15% to limit drawdown.
      • The platform’s Position Sizing Algorithm (PSA) calculates optimal trade size by referencing account balance, risk tolerance (e.g., 1–3% per trade), and portfolio diversification targets. Any deviation beyond preset risk thresholds triggers an automated alert or halts new allocations.

    Registration and Onboarding: Getting Started in Minutes

    Trader AI’s streamlined registration process has been optimized for speed, transparency, and regulatory compliance—ensuring that Canadian clients can begin trading quickly without unnecessary hurdles. The following steps outline the typical user journey from initial sign-up to live trading:

    1. Account Creation
      • Visit official website homepage, click “Sign Up,” and complete the registration form with basic information:
        • Full legal name
        • Email address
        • Country of residence (preselected as based on IP detection)
        • Phone number (for 2FA and important notifications)
      • Users must acknowledge the platform’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, both of which include specific disclosures regarding data handling under PIPEDA regulations.
    2. Email and Phone Verification
      • An email containing a verification link is sent immediately; clicking the link confirms the email address.
      • A one-time code (OTP) is dispatched to the registered phone number. Entering this code completes the two-step verification process.
    3. Demo Account Activation
      • Without any deposit requirement, new users receive CAD 10,000 in virtual funds to explore the platform’s features and test AI-generated signals.
      • The demo environment simulates real market conditions, including bid-ask spreads and execution latencies, enabling risk-free practice trades.
    4. Minimum Deposit and Funding Options
      • To transition from demo to live trading, a minimum deposit of USD 250 is required.
      • Canadian users may fund accounts via:
        • Interac e-Transfer: Funds clear within 1–2 business hours.
        • Credit/Debit Card (Visa/Mastercard): Instant funding up to CAD 5,000 per day for non-verified accounts.
        • Wire Transfer: Larger deposit limits (up to CAD 50,000 daily) with a 1–2 business day processing time.
      • Immediately after deposit confirmation, live trading features unlock—allowing users to choose between fully automated or manual signal execution.
    5. Optional KYC Verification
      • For withdrawals exceeding CAD 2,000 per month, users are prompted to complete Know Your Customer (KYC) verification by uploading:
        • A government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver’s license, passport)
        • Proof of address (e.g., utility bill, bank statement dated within the last 90 days)
      • KYC checks typically finalize within 24–48 hours, though urgent requests may be expedited upon user inquiry.
    6. Live Trading Activation
      • With funds deposited and (if necessary) KYC cleared, users can configure initial risk parameters—such as daily drawdown limits, maximum open trades, and preferred asset baskets.
      • The AI engine is now primed to generate signals. Traders can elect “Auto-Trade” to allow fully automated execution or opt to review and manually approve each AI recommendation.

    Core Features and Functionalities

    As per official website, Trader AI’s feature set has been refined to balance sophistication with usability—addressing the distinct needs of Canada’s diverse trading population. The following sections highlight the platform’s most compelling capabilities:

    1. AI-Powered Trade Signals

    • Proprietary Algorithms: Trader AI’s AI suite includes recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which process time-series price data, order flow imbalances, and macroeconomic indicators to forecast short-term price movements.
    • Cross-Asset Analysis: Signals are not isolated to single-asset momentum. The system examines correlations between Bitcoin, major equities indices, and global macro events—such as central bank announcements—to adjust trading thresholds.
    • Signal Quality Score (SQS): Each trade recommendation includes an SQS metric (0–100) reflecting confidence based on factors like market depth, recent volatility shifts, and historical win rates for analogous setups. Users can filter signals by minimum SQS thresholds (e.g., ≥ 70) to ensure high-probability engagement.

    2. Automated Trade Execution

    • API Integrations: Trader AI maintains secure API connections with FINTRAC-registered Canadian brokerages—such as Maple Brokerage and Aurora Digital Assets—and renowned international exchanges. This reduces counterparty risk by routing orders through regulated entities rather than holding funds internally.
    • Low-Latency Order Routing: By co-locating servers near major exchange matching engines, Trader AI achieves average order round-trip times under 150 ms. This is critical during rapid price fluctuations when even small delays can erode profit margins.
    • Slippage Control: Users may elect “Maximum Slippage Tolerance” parameters (e.g., 0.1%–0.5% of trade size) to prevent orders from executing at disadvantageous prices. If slippage exceeds the user-defined threshold, orders are canceled automatically.

    3. Customizable Strategy Settings

    • Risk Tolerance Profiles: “Conservative,” “Moderate,” and “Aggressive” presets allow users to quickly adopt risk frameworks aligned with their goals. Conservative settings limit daily drawdown to 2% of account equity and cap leverage at 2x; moderate settings permit up to 4% drawdown and 5x leverage; aggressive settings enable up to 6% drawdown and 10x leverage (subject to brokerage approvals).
    • Asset Basket Creation: User-defined “Smart Baskets” group multiple cryptocurrencies—such as “Top 5 by Market Cap,” “Emerging DeFi Tokens,” or “Stablecoin Arbitrage.” The platform rebalances these baskets weekly based on performance, market capitalization changes, and liquidity metrics.
    • Volatility-Adaptive Stop-Loss: Stop-loss percentages are not static. Instead, they adjust proportionally to the 14-day Average True Range (ATR) and Bollinger Band expansions. For example, if the ATR for Bitcoin spikes from 2% to 4%, the stop-loss widens by 10–15% to avoid premature exit during heightened volatility.

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    4. Portfolio Diversification Engine

    • Balanced Allocation Recommendations: The AI provides suggested allocation percentages across multiple asset classes—e.g., 40% BTC, 25% ETH, 15% top-10 altcoins, and 20% stablecoins—based on risk-adjusted performance data and user-defined risk tolerance.
    • Correlated Asset Mitigation: By monitoring correlation coefficients between assets (e.g., BTC vs. ETH correlation of 0.85), the platform can reduce overweight positions to minimize systemic exposure. When correlation exceeds 0.9, the AI recommends temporary reallocation to lower-correlation assets.
    • Automated Rebalancing: Weekly portfolio rebalancing ensures that no single asset exceeds preset maximum exposure (e.g., 25% of total equity). If an asset’s value grows beyond this cap, the system executes partial sell orders and redistributes proceeds to underweighted categories.

    5. Comprehensive Reporting and Analytics

    • Real-Time Dashboard: The homepage features live P&L, open trade positions, daily profit percentages, and drawdown statistics. A customizable graph displays historical performance, including monthly ROI comparisons against benchmark indices like the S&P 500 and TSX Composite.
    • Sharpe Ratio & Sortino Ratio: Users can view risk-adjusted performance metrics to gauge risk efficiency. A Sharpe Ratio above 1.5 is highlighted in green, indicating favorable risk-adjusted returns. Sortino Ratio (which penalizes downside volatility) is also displayed for more precise risk assessment.
    • Trade History: A searchable log details each executed trade (entry price, exit price, timestamp, P&L, SQS). Users can filter by asset, date range, or trade outcome (win/loss). CSV export functionality enables further analysis in external tools.

    6. Security and Data Protection

    • SSL Encryption & Data Integrity: All data in transit is encrypted via AES 256-bit SSL/TLS protocols. Sensitive user information—such as login credentials and payment details—resides in encrypted databases with advanced hashing (bcrypt) and tokenization methods.
    • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Upon login, users must input their password followed by a one-time code generated through an authenticator app (e.g., Google Authenticator) or delivered via SMS. This two-tier verification effectively prevents unauthorized access, even if credentials are compromised.
    • Third-Party Security Audits: Leading cybersecurity firms—such as CanSecWest Security—conduct quarterly penetration tests and codebase reviews. Summary reports are shared with the Canadian Office of the Privacy Commissioner to demonstrate ongoing compliance with PIPEDA.
    • Data Residency: All Canadian user data is stored on servers located within Canada, ensuring compliance with provincial data sovereignty regulations. Backups occur daily and are encrypted with unique user-specific keys.

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    7. Transparent Fee Structure

    • No Subscription Fees: Trader AI does not charge recurring platform fees—traders benefit from a zero-cost software model.
    • Embedded Spread-Only Costs: All trading costs are embedded in exchange spreads. For example:
      • BTC–USD: Typical spread between 0.10% and 0.20%.
      • ETH–USD: Typical spread between 0.12% and 0.22%.
      • Top Altcoins (e.g., LINK, DOT): Spreads between 0.20% and 0.40%.
    • Withdrawal Fees:
      • Interac e-Transfer (≤ CAD 1,000): Flat CAD 20 fee.
      • Interac e-Transfer (> CAD 1,000): No fee.
      • Wire Transfers: CAD 30 processing fee (waivable for account balances > CAD 10,000).
    • Currency Conversion Markup: For trades executed in USD or other foreign currencies, a transparent 0.25% conversion margin is applied—visibly displayed on the funding page prior to transaction confirmation.

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    Localized Support and Educational Initiatives

    Trader AI’s success in Canada is rooted in its investment in region-specific support and educational resources. Recognizing that regulatory requirements and tax implications for cryptocurrencies vary significantly from country to country, the platform has implemented multiple initiatives to guide Canadian users.

    1. Multi-Channel Customer Support

    • 24/7 Live Chat: Available directly on the website, live chat is staffed around the clock by bilingual (English/French) agents trained in both technical troubleshooting and Canadian regulatory guidelines.
    • Toll-Free Canadian Phone Lines: Operating daily from 8 AM to 8 PM ET, dedicated support lines (1-800-IMPATH1) ensure prompt resolution of urgent issues—ranging from account access difficulties to withdrawal queries.
    • Email Ticketing System: For non-urgent matters, users can submit support tickets via support@immediate-path.com. Average response time is 4–6 hours on weekdays; weekend requests are addressed within 12 hours.

    2. Dedicated Compliance Resources

    • Regulatory Updates Section: A rotating banner on the Trader AI homepage alerts users to any changes in Canadian crypto regulations—such as new FINTRAC reporting guidelines or provincial licensing requirements.
    • Tax Reporting Guides: Downloadable PDFs explain:
      • How to classify various transactions (spot trading, staking rewards, airdrops) for CRA reporting.
      • Strategies for netting gains and losses across multiple wallets and platforms—ensuring accurate portfolio-wide tax calculations.
    • AML & KYC Policy Disclosure: Users can review Trader AI’s anti-money-laundering protocols, including suspicious transaction reporting criteria and process flows for large withdrawals requiring enhanced due diligence.

    From Demo to Dollars: Transform Your Strategy with Trader AI High-Precision AI—Get Started Now

    Safety and Security

    As crypto regulatory framework continues to evolve, Trader AI remains committed to exceeding compliance standards and upholding the highest levels of security—minimizing risk for users and partners alike.

    1. Data Privacy and PIPEDA Compliance

    • PIPEDA-Aligned Privacy Policy: Trader AI’s privacy policy explicitly references the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), ensuring that Canadian user data is collected, processed, and stored in accordance with federal requirements.
    • Data Residency: All Canadian user data is housed on servers located within Canadian jurisdiction (Toronto and Montreal data centers), offering additional protection under provincial data sovereignty regulations (e.g., Ontario’s provincial data residency requirements).
    • User Rights: Canadians retain full control over personal information—users can request access, correction, or deletion of their data at any time by contacting privacy@immediate-path.com.

    2. Encryption and Infrastructure Security

    • End-to-End SSL/TLS Encryption: All data transmitted between user browsers and Trader AI’s servers is encrypted via AES 256-bit SSL/TLS protocols, preventing interception or tampering.
    • Hashed Password Storage: User passwords are stored using bcrypt with a work factor of 12, making brute-force compromises computationally infeasible.
    • Intrusion Detection & Multi-Tenant Segmentation: Network traffic is continuously scanned by an Intrusion Detection System (IDS). Each user’s trading environment resides within an isolated container, preventing cross-account data leaks or unauthorized lateral movement by attackers.

    Comparative Performance: Backtesting and Live Results

    Trader AI’s performance results—both in backtesting and real-world conditions—underscore its capability to navigate dynamic crypto landscape:

    Backtesting Overview (January 2020–December 2024)

    • Annualized Return (Conservative Settings): 45%
      • Parameters: Maximum daily drawdown capped at 2%, trades limited to 07:00–16:00 EST (peak liquidity hours), leverage ≤ 2x.
      • Historical drawdown: 12% during March 2020 “Corona Crash.”
    • Annualized Return (Moderate Settings): 70%
      • Parameters: Daily drawdown ≤ 4%, 24/7 trading, leverage ≤ 5x.
      • Historical drawdown: 18% during May 2021 “Altseason Correction.”
    • Annualized Return (Aggressive Settings): 95%
      • Parameters: Daily drawdown ≤ 6%, leverage ≤ 10x, full asset basket allocation including high-volatility DeFi tokens.
      • Historical drawdown: 25% during November 2021 “Crypto Winter II.”

    Metrics

    • Average Win Rate: 62%
    • Average Risk/Reward Ratio: 1:1.8
    • Maximum Drawdown (Conservative): 12%
    • Maximum Drawdown (Aggressive): 25%

    Asset Coverage and Diversification Strategies

    Trader AI supports a broad spectrum of digital assets, enabling traders to construct diversified portfolios that mitigate risk and capture growth across multiple sectors:

    1. Major Cryptocurrencies
      • Bitcoin (BTC): The flagship asset, receiving the highest allocation in most conservative and moderate baskets.
      • Ethereum (ETH): Backbone of decentralized finance (DeFi) and smart contracts, featured prominently.
      • Litecoin (LTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ripple (XRP), Cardano (ADA): Liquid, established altcoins available for core portfolio building.
    2. Emerging DeFi and Layer-1 Tokens
      • Polkadot (DOT), Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX): Rapidly scaling networks with robust ecosystems—suitable for moderate-risk allocations.
      • Chainlink (LINK), Aave (AAVE), Uniswap (UNI): Leading DeFi and oracle solutions that often exhibit high volatility paired with substantial upside potential.
    3. Metaverse and NFT-Related Tokens
      • Decentraland (MANA), Axie Infinity (AXS), The Sandbox (SAND): Assets tied to virtual real estate and blockchain gaming—ideal for investors seeking exposure to Web3 trends.
    4. Stablecoin Pairs and Hedging Options
      • Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Dai (DAI): Trader AI’s AI can automatically rotate capital into these stablecoins when market volatility exceeds user-defined thresholds (e.g., 10% 24-hour price swing), preserving equity during short-term drawdowns.
    5. Sector-Specific Baskets
      • “Layer 1 Champions”: Allocation across BTC, ETH, DOT, SOL, AVAX.
      • “DeFi Innovators”: Allocation across LINK, AAVE, UNI, SUSHI, COMP.
      • “Metaverse Mavericks”: Allocation across MANA, AXS, SAND, FLOW.

    Trader AI Knows the Next Move—Be the First to Profit. Download and Trade Today!

    Payments, Fees, and Account Funding

    Trader AI’s commitment to transparency extends to its straightforward funding and fee model. Canadian users benefit from local payment options, minimal entry capital requirements, and no hidden subscription charges.

    1. Minimum Deposit Requirement

    • Base Capital: USD 250 (equivalent to approximately CAD 330 at current exchange rates).
    • Deposit Methods for Canadians:
      • Interac e-Transfer: Typical processing time of 1–2 business hours; no fees for deposits over CAD 1,000; flat CAD 20 fee for deposits ≤ CAD 1,000.
      • Credit/Debit Card (Visa, Mastercard): Instant processing with a daily limit of CAD 5,000 for non-verified accounts.
      • Wire Transfer: For larger capital needs (up to CAD 50,000 per transaction), processed in 1–2 business days; CAD 30 fee applies (waivable for initial deposits > CAD 10,000).
    • Currency Conversion: For trades executed on non-CAD pairs, an automatic 0.25% conversion margin is applied. Real-time mid-market exchange rates are displayed prior to transaction.

    2. Fee Structure

    • Software Access: No subscription or platform fees—Trader AI’s model is “software-free,” with all platform maintenance costs absorbed by the company.
    • Trading Costs (Embedded Spreads):
      • BTC–USD/CAD: Spreads between 0.10% and 0.20%.
      • ETH–USD/CAD: Spreads between 0.12% and 0.22%.
      • Major Altcoins: Spreads ranging from 0.20% to 0.40%.
      • Spread rates adjust dynamically based on overall market liquidity—tightening during high-liquidity periods and widening slightly during low-liquidity windows (e.g., weekends, public holidays).
    • Withdrawal Fees:
      • Interac e-Transfer (≤ CAD 1,000): Flat CAD 20.
      • Interac e-Transfer (> CAD 1,000): No fee.
      • Wire Transfer: CAD 30 (waived if account balance exceeds CAD 10,000 at time of withdrawal).
      • Credit/Debit Card Refunds: If a user funded via card and requests a refund to the same card, a 2% processing fee applies to cover issuer charges.
    • Overnight Funding Fees: If a user employs leverage (up to 10x for aggressive strategies), an overnight interest rate of 0.03% per day is applied—transparent line-item in the trade ticket before order execution.

    About Trader AI

    Trader AI Inc. is a AI-driven cryptocurrency trading solutions. Founded in 2023 by a team of quantitative analysts, data scientists, and seasoned software engineers, Trader AI’s mission is to democratize algorithmic trading—making advanced, data-driven strategies accessible to investors of all experience levels.

    Key Facts:

    • Established: 2023
    • Core Product: AI-powered crypto trading robot with automated and manual trading modes
    • Target Market: Crypto investors, ranging from first-time traders to institutional participants
    • Regulatory Partners: Maple Brokerage (Ontario), Victory Crypto (British Columbia)—both FINTRAC-registered

    Company Vision: Trader AI seeks to empower Canadians by providing state-of-the-art AI trading tools under a fully compliant, transparent framework. By combining deep learning, robust risk management, and localized support, Trader AI aims to elevate Canada as a global hub for safe, responsible cryptocurrency trading.

    Conclusion

    Trader AI stands at the forefront of AI-driven cryptocurrency trading, combining cutting-edge machine learning, rigorous risk management, and a deep commitment to regulatory compliance. For both newcomers and seasoned traders, the platform offers a streamlined onboarding process, transparent fee structures, and a robust suite of tools designed to optimize performance while safeguarding capital. All users benefit from local payment integrations, bilingual support, and educational resources that demystify tax reporting and compliance requirements.

    Whether you’re aiming to augment your existing strategy or take your first steps into automated crypto trading, Trader AI delivers an accessible, secure, and high-performing environment. With a proven track record of consistent returns—backed by both backtesting data and real-world results—this platform has quickly become a trusted choice for Canadian investors seeking to navigate volatile markets with confidence.

    Ready to experience the power of AI-driven trading for yourself? Sign up for a free demo account and explore Trader AI’s features with CAD 10,000 in virtual funds. When you’re ready to trade live, a minimum deposit of USD 250 (approximately CAD 330) unlocks full access to all automated and manual trading modes. Discover why thousands of Canadians are turning to Trader AI to harness smarter strategies and take control of their crypto portfolios.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect Trader AI Inc.’s expectations regarding future events, including anticipated performance, product enhancements, and regulatory developments. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Trader AI Inc. assumes no obligation to update or revise these statements except as required by applicable law.

    Visit Here to Register on the Trader AI – Select Your Country Here!!!

    Media Contact

    Trader AI 

    50 W 4th St,
    New York, NY 10012, USA
    Email: info@traderai.ai
    Phone
    AU +61284889800
    UK +442038379676
    Website – https://traderai.ai

    General Disclaimer:
    The content provided in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Readers are advised to consult a certified financial advisor, licensed loan officer, or legal professional before making any financial decisions. The information presented may not apply to every individual circumstance and is not intended to substitute professional judgment or regulatory guidance. The information provided on this website does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, trading advice, or any other sort of advice and you should not treat any of the website’s content as such. We does not recommend that any cryptocurrency should be bought, sold, or held by you. Do conduct your own due diligence and consult your financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
    Trading Disclaimer:
    Trading cryptocurrencies carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all investors. Before deciding to trade cryptocurrency you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with cryptocurrency trading, and seek advice from an independent financial advisor. ICO’s, IEO’s, STO’s and any other form of offering will not guarantee a return on your investment.
    HIGH RISK WARNING: Dealing or Trading FX, CFDs and Cryptocurrencies is highly speculative, carries a level of non-negligible risk and may not be suitable for all investors. You may lose some or all of your invested capital, therefore you should not speculate with capital that you cannot afford to lose. Please refer to the risk disclosure below. Trader AI does not gain or lose profits based on your activity and operates as a services company. Trader AI is not a financial services firm and is not eligible of providing financial advice. Therefore, Trader AI shall not be liable for any losses occurred via or in relation to this informational website.
    SITE RISK DISCLOSURE: Trader AI does not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information contained within this website; this includes education material, price quotes and charts, and analysis. Please be aware of and seek professional advice for the risks associated with trading the financial markets; never invest more money than you can risk losing. The risks involved in FX, CFDs and Cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for all investors. Trader AI doesn’t retain responsibility for any trading losses you might face as a result of using or inferring from the data hosted on this site.
    LEGAL RESTRICTIONS: Without limiting the above mentioned provisions, you understand that laws regarding financial activities vary throughout the world, and it is your responsibility to make sure you properly comply with any law, regulation or guideline in your country of residence regarding the use of the Site. To avoid any doubt, the ability to access our Site does not necessarily mean that our Services and/or your activities through the Site are legal under the laws, regulations or directives relevant to your country of residence. It is against the law to solicit US individuals to buy and sell commodity options, even if they are called “prediction” contracts, unless they are listed for trading and traded on a CFTC-registered exchange unless legally exempt. The UK Financial Conduct Authority has issued a policy statement PS20/10, which prohibits the sale, promotion, and distribution of CFD on Crypto assets. It prohibits the dissemination of marketing materials relating to distribution of CFDs and other financial products based on
    Cryptocurrencies that addressed to UK residents. The provision of trading services involving any MiFID II financial instruments is prohibited in the EU, unless when authorized/licensed by the applicable authorities and/or regulator(s). Please note that we may receive advertising fees for users opted to open an account with our partner advertisers via advertisers websites. We have placed cookies on your computer to help improve your experience when visiting this website. You can change cookie settings on your computer at any time. Use of this website indicates your acceptance of this website. Please be advised that the names depicted on our website, including but not limited to Trader AI, are strictly for marketing and illustrative purposes. These names do not represent or imply the existence of specific entities, service providers, or any real-life individuals. Furthermore, the pictures and/or videos presented on our website are purely promotional in nature and feature professional actors. These actors are not actual users, clients, or traders, and their depictions should not be interpreted as endorsements or representations of real-life experiences. All content is intended solely for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as factual or as forming any legally binding relationship
    RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH FUTURES TRADING
    Futures transactions involve high risk. The amount of the initial margin is low compared to the value of the futures contract, so that transactions are “leveraged” or “geared”. A relatively small market movement has a proportionately larger impact on the funds that you have deposited or have to pay: this can work both for you and against you. You may experience the total loss of the initial margin funds as well as any additional funds deposited in the system. If the market develops in a way that is contrary to your position or if margins are increased, you may be asked to pay significant additional funds at short notice to maintain your position. In this case it may also happen that your broker account is in the red and you thus have to make payments beyond the initial investment.
    RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRONIC TRADING
    Before you begin carrying out transactions with an electronic system, you should carefully review the rules and provisions of the stock exchange offering the system, or of the financial instruments listed that you intend to trade, as well as your broker’s conditions. Online trading has inherent risks due to system responses/reaction times and access times that may vary due to market conditions, system performance and other factors, and on which you have no influence. You should be aware of these additional risks in electronic trading before you carry out investment transactions.
    Accuracy Disclaimer:
    All information included in this article is presented in good faith and believed to be accurate at the time of writing. However, no representations or warranties are made regarding the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information presented. Any reliance placed on such information is strictly at the reader’s own risk. The publisher does not accept responsibility for typographical errors, outdated information, or changes to products, terms, or policies after publication.
    Regulatory and Jurisdictional Disclaimer:
    Lending laws vary by jurisdiction, and not all services described in this article may be available in every state or region. It is the responsibility of the reader to understand and comply with local laws and regulations. The platforms mentioned are independently operated and are not controlled or endorsed by the publisher.
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    This content may be republished or syndicated by authorized partners under existing licensing or distribution arrangements. All syndication partners are free from liability regarding the editorial stance, financial suggestions, or any user outcome resulting from the reading or application of this content.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Cubic zirconia only forms under extreme temperatures, like those produced when an asteroid impacts Earth

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Neeraja Chinchalkar, PhD student, Earth and Planetary Science and Exploration, Western University

    A satellite image of the Clearwater Lakes, the site of two large asteroid impacts that struck Earth about 290 million years ago (NASA Earth Observatory)

    When high-velocity asteroids land on the Earth, they can form a meteor impact crater. Such collisions have occurred throughout Earth’s history and still occur on other planetary bodies today.

    While most asteroid impacts on Earth happened millions of years ago, their remnants are still preserved across the Earth’s surface. Impact-affected rocks experience intense heat and pressure during the impact.

    One such ancient impact site, known as West Clearwater Lake, is located in Québec, on the Canadian Shield near Hudson Bay. This crater, now filled with water, was formed when an asteroid struck Earth approximately 285 million years ago.

    A natural thermometer

    Zircon is a mineral commonly found in a variety of rock types on Earth and in some rocks on the moon and other planets. It is an incredibly durable, naturally occurring mineral that has been around since as long as the Earth itself. The physical resilience of zircon makes it a useful tool to study natural geological phenomena.

    Zircon, when heated enough, begins to break down into its components: zirconia (ZrO₂) and silica (SiO₂). Zirconia has different forms depending on how hot it gets, called polymorphs — these are minerals with the same chemical make up but different crystal structures that adapt to changing physical conditions. One of the polymorphs of zirconia is cubic zirconia, named for its cubic structure.

    Finding cubic zirconia in nature is incredibly rare because of the specific conditions it requires to remain structurally stable. Cubic zirconia forms only under extreme conditions where temperatures reach above 2,370 C. On the Earth’s surface, such naturally hot temperatures have only been known to exist during impact crater formation.

    At West Clearwater Lake, we found evidence of this natural cubic zirconia preserved in natural glass — a remnant of the intense heat from the ancient asteroid impact. For comparison, active volcanoes such as those in Hawaii reach temperatures in the range of 800 to 1,200 C.

    In nature, zirconia exists in several forms, depending on the temperature and pressure it’s exposed to. The three main polymorphs are: monoclinic, tetragonal and cubic.

    Monoclinic zirconia is stable at lower temperatures and is the most common form of zirconia found in nature. Tetragonal zirconia exists at moderately high temperatures and is unstable at low temperatures. Cubic zirconia is only stable at extremely high temperatures above 2,370 C, and is also unstable at lower temperatures.

    A backscattered electron image of a zircon grain decomposing into zirconia.
    (N. Chinchalkar , G. Osinski, T. Erickson & C. Cayron), CC BY

    A hot piece of history

    How, exactly, did cubic zirconia end up in these rocks?

    When the asteroid hit the West Clearwater Lake region millions of years ago, it generated temperatures hot enough to melt and vaporize some of the surface rock. As the molten rock cooled and solidified, microscopic crystals of zircon, originally present within target material, got caught up in the hot melt and began to transform.

    At temperatures above 2,370 C, these zircon crystals started to break down, and some of them turned into cubic zirconia. This provided evidence of the extreme heat, which our research team discovered in our recent study.

    This fascinating evidence gives us insights into how hot it can get during a meteorite impact, something that’s hard to measure millions of years after the fact.

    Artificial production

    Synthetic cubic zirconia is produced artificially by heating zirconium oxide to high temperatures, then cooling it in a controlled environment; the zirconia then forms crystals that resemble diamonds. Synthetic cubic zirconia is a popular substitute for diamonds in jewelry because it is cheap to produce but still sparkles like diamonds.

    Synthetic cubic zirconia contains high amounts of stabilizing agents, like the element yttrium, that prevent it from becoming unstable and help it maintain its brilliance over time.

    Without the additives used in synthetic cubic zirconia, natural zirconia is much more likely to transform into other forms as it cools down. That’s why finding natural cubic zirconia is so rare — it exists only in places where temperatures were once unimaginably high.

    Synthetic cubic zirconia is a popular substitute for diamonds in jewelry because it is cheap to produce but still sparkles like diamonds.
    (James St. John/Flickr), CC BY

    Asteroid impacts

    Apart from being a fascinating geological discovery, finding evidence of cubic zirconia in an impact structure gives scientists a better understanding of the conditions created during asteroid impacts. These ancient events weren’t just violent — they fundamentally changed the Earth’s surface in ways that we’re still learning about.

    While the discovery of cubic zirconia in West Clearwater Lake is exciting, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Impact craters are not unique to Earth — they are found on most rocky objects in our solar system. For example, cubic zirconia has been found in moon rocks brought back by astronauts of the Apollo missions.

    Meteorite craters like the West Clearwater Lake are only a small part of a larger story of Earth’s history. During its nascent years, Earth was regularly bombarded by asteroids that were remnants of the debris from the formation of the solar system, and these collisions helped shape the planet’s surface. In fact, there is compelling evidence that asteroid impacts may have played a role in the origin of life by creating environments where complex chemicals could form.

    Neeraja Chinchalkar is affiliated with the Lunar and Planetary Institute

    Gordon Osinski receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Space Agency.

    Timmons Erickson 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. Cubic zirconia only forms under extreme temperatures, like those produced when an asteroid impacts Earth – https://theconversation.com/cubic-zirconia-only-forms-under-extreme-temperatures-like-those-produced-when-an-asteroid-impacts-earth-238267

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI: 2X Appoints Amber Tobias as SVP of Corporate Development, Accelerating Strategic M&A Initiatives and Integration Excellence

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MALVERN, Pa., July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 2X, the leader in subscription-based go-to-market services, today announced the appointment of Amber Tobias as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development. With over 10 years of corporate development and M&A experience at private equity portfolio companies, Tobias brings proven expertise in end-to-end acquisition processes, strategic integration, and building scalable inorganic growth strategies from the ground up.

    Tobias joins 2X at a pivotal moment as the company accelerates its strategic acquisition program following recent investments from Insight Partners and successful integrations of StraightArrow and Intelligent Demand, and strategic investment in Get Levrg. Her appointment reinforces 2X’s commitment to executing a disciplined M&A strategy that expands service capabilities, deepens market expertise, and strengthens technology partnerships.

    Driving Strategic Growth Through Proven M&A Leadership

    In her role as SVP of Corporate Development, Tobias will lead 2X’s strategic acquisition initiatives, overseeing target identification, deal execution, and post-acquisition integration. Her extensive experience managing complex transactions and challenging market dynamics positions her to accelerate 2X’s inorganic growth strategy while ensuring seamless integration of acquired capabilities into the company’s scalable managed services model.

    “Amber’s appointment comes at exactly the right time in 2X’s evolution,” said Dom Colasante, CEO of 2X. “She’s worked across private equity and PE-backed portfolio companies and has an outstanding track record of creating great outcomes for acquired company employees, customers, and platform acquirers. Her expertise in building inorganic growth strategies and gaining strong organizational buy-in will be instrumental as we continue to expand our capabilities and market presence through strategic acquisitions.”

    Extensive Private Equity and Integration Experience

    Prior to joining 2X, Tobias served as Head of Corporate Development at FluentStream, a growth-stage SaaS company and PSG portfolio company, where she executed the company’s programmatic M&A strategy and led end-to-end acquisition processes. Her experience spans multiple private equity environments, including roles at Aspirion (formerly backed by Aquiline Capital Partners), Illuminate Education (formerly backed by Insight Partners), and as an M&A Associate at specialty investment firm Nadavon Capital Partners.

    “I’m excited to join the 2X team and contribute to the company’s impressive growth trajectory,” said Tobias. “2X has built something truly special with their innovative subscription-based go-to-market services, and their recent strategic acquisitions demonstrate a thoughtful approach to expanding capabilities while maintaining service excellence. I look forward to working with our world-class investors Recognize Partners and Insight Partners, Dom, and the entire 2X team to identify and execute acquisitions that strengthen 2X’s market leadership and create value for clients, employees, and stakeholders. We’re eager to partner with businesses that share our values and are looking for a strategic home to scale their next chapter.”

    Strengthening M&A Capabilities for Continued Growth

    The addition of Tobias to 2X’s leadership team reflects the company’s commitment to building best-in-class corporate development capabilities. Her expertise in integration planning and execution will be particularly valuable as 2X continues to enhance its service portfolio, expand geographic reach, and deepen technology partnerships that bring more value to clients.

    Tobias holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Indiana University Bloomington and a Master of Business Administration from California State University, Monterey Bay.

    About 2X

    2X is the global leader in subscription-based go-to-market services, helping GTM leaders achieve greater impact while lowering costs through its comprehensive managed services delivery model. Building on its foundation as the leader in B2B marketing as a service (MaaS), 2X now provides end-to-end go-to-market solutions including marketing operations and MarTech management, campaign build and optimization, content and creative production, revenue operations, sales technology implementation, and strategic consulting services. 2X is a services partner of 6sense, Salesforce, Adobe Marketo Engage, HubSpot, Gong, Bombora, Drift, WordPress, Google, Meta, and many other leading revenue platforms.

    With more than 1,000 team members globally, 2X is backed by private-equity firms Recognize Partners and Insight Partners. 2X has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the US by Inc. and the Financial Times. For more information, visit 2X.marketing or our LinkedIn.

    About Recognize

    Recognize is a distinguished investor and business builder focused on next-generation Digital Services companies. Headquartered in New York, the firm seeks to back visionary founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams who are building innovative businesses that leverage AI, software, and digital platforms to deliver transformative outcomes to enterprises. Recognize provides deep operational expertise, industry relationships, and strategic capital to drive accelerated growth of these specialized businesses. To learn more, visit www.recognize.com.

    About Insight Partners

    Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of December 31, 2024, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 800 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has offices in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insight’s mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on X @insightpartners.

    Media Contact
    Audree Hernandez
    JMAC PR for 2X
    2X@JMACPR.com   

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/753c3c4d-5ea1-4dce-8c50-221199c1a75d

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: 2X Appoints Amber Tobias as SVP of Corporate Development, Accelerating Strategic M&A Initiatives and Integration Excellence

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MALVERN, Pa., July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 2X, the leader in subscription-based go-to-market services, today announced the appointment of Amber Tobias as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development. With over 10 years of corporate development and M&A experience at private equity portfolio companies, Tobias brings proven expertise in end-to-end acquisition processes, strategic integration, and building scalable inorganic growth strategies from the ground up.

    Tobias joins 2X at a pivotal moment as the company accelerates its strategic acquisition program following recent investments from Insight Partners and successful integrations of StraightArrow and Intelligent Demand, and strategic investment in Get Levrg. Her appointment reinforces 2X’s commitment to executing a disciplined M&A strategy that expands service capabilities, deepens market expertise, and strengthens technology partnerships.

    Driving Strategic Growth Through Proven M&A Leadership

    In her role as SVP of Corporate Development, Tobias will lead 2X’s strategic acquisition initiatives, overseeing target identification, deal execution, and post-acquisition integration. Her extensive experience managing complex transactions and challenging market dynamics positions her to accelerate 2X’s inorganic growth strategy while ensuring seamless integration of acquired capabilities into the company’s scalable managed services model.

    “Amber’s appointment comes at exactly the right time in 2X’s evolution,” said Dom Colasante, CEO of 2X. “She’s worked across private equity and PE-backed portfolio companies and has an outstanding track record of creating great outcomes for acquired company employees, customers, and platform acquirers. Her expertise in building inorganic growth strategies and gaining strong organizational buy-in will be instrumental as we continue to expand our capabilities and market presence through strategic acquisitions.”

    Extensive Private Equity and Integration Experience

    Prior to joining 2X, Tobias served as Head of Corporate Development at FluentStream, a growth-stage SaaS company and PSG portfolio company, where she executed the company’s programmatic M&A strategy and led end-to-end acquisition processes. Her experience spans multiple private equity environments, including roles at Aspirion (formerly backed by Aquiline Capital Partners), Illuminate Education (formerly backed by Insight Partners), and as an M&A Associate at specialty investment firm Nadavon Capital Partners.

    “I’m excited to join the 2X team and contribute to the company’s impressive growth trajectory,” said Tobias. “2X has built something truly special with their innovative subscription-based go-to-market services, and their recent strategic acquisitions demonstrate a thoughtful approach to expanding capabilities while maintaining service excellence. I look forward to working with our world-class investors Recognize Partners and Insight Partners, Dom, and the entire 2X team to identify and execute acquisitions that strengthen 2X’s market leadership and create value for clients, employees, and stakeholders. We’re eager to partner with businesses that share our values and are looking for a strategic home to scale their next chapter.”

    Strengthening M&A Capabilities for Continued Growth

    The addition of Tobias to 2X’s leadership team reflects the company’s commitment to building best-in-class corporate development capabilities. Her expertise in integration planning and execution will be particularly valuable as 2X continues to enhance its service portfolio, expand geographic reach, and deepen technology partnerships that bring more value to clients.

    Tobias holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Indiana University Bloomington and a Master of Business Administration from California State University, Monterey Bay.

    About 2X

    2X is the global leader in subscription-based go-to-market services, helping GTM leaders achieve greater impact while lowering costs through its comprehensive managed services delivery model. Building on its foundation as the leader in B2B marketing as a service (MaaS), 2X now provides end-to-end go-to-market solutions including marketing operations and MarTech management, campaign build and optimization, content and creative production, revenue operations, sales technology implementation, and strategic consulting services. 2X is a services partner of 6sense, Salesforce, Adobe Marketo Engage, HubSpot, Gong, Bombora, Drift, WordPress, Google, Meta, and many other leading revenue platforms.

    With more than 1,000 team members globally, 2X is backed by private-equity firms Recognize Partners and Insight Partners. 2X has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the US by Inc. and the Financial Times. For more information, visit 2X.marketing or our LinkedIn.

    About Recognize

    Recognize is a distinguished investor and business builder focused on next-generation Digital Services companies. Headquartered in New York, the firm seeks to back visionary founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams who are building innovative businesses that leverage AI, software, and digital platforms to deliver transformative outcomes to enterprises. Recognize provides deep operational expertise, industry relationships, and strategic capital to drive accelerated growth of these specialized businesses. To learn more, visit www.recognize.com.

    About Insight Partners

    Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of December 31, 2024, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 800 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has offices in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insight’s mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on X @insightpartners.

    Media Contact
    Audree Hernandez
    JMAC PR for 2X
    2X@JMACPR.com   

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/753c3c4d-5ea1-4dce-8c50-221199c1a75d

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Business coalition calls for 25% cut in the cost of red tape by 2030

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Business, universities, and investors have jointly urged the federal government to commit to cutting the cost of red tape by 25% by 2030, in a submission for next month’s Economic Reform Roundtable.

    The push to reduce regulation is in line with action by the EU and the United Kingdom’s Labour government, the submission says.

    “Cutting red tape means faster home builds, quicker loan approvals, and lower prices at the checkout,” it says.

    “For Australians, it’s the difference between waiting months or days for a service, and it ensures growth isn’t choked by unnecessary or outdated processes that haven’t kept up with the modern world.”

    The need to push against red tape is highlighted in the recently-published book Abundance by Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein. The book has impressed Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who has urged his colleagues to read it.

    The coalition of 27 groups includes small, medium and large businesses, universities and the investment community. The united approach is an attempt by business to avoid being divided and trapped at the roundtable, as business felt it was at the 2022 Jobs and Skills summit.

    On taxation, the submission proposes a three-month review, supported by Treasury, the Productivity Commission, business representatives and other stakeholders to “kick start” comprehensive tax reform.

    The exercise would be underpinned by principles that encouraged investment and economic growth.

    Business has become concerned the roundtable could be a way of seeking support for tax increases rather than comprehensive tax reform.

    The submission says tax reform and the trade offs involved, should not be pursued separately from measures to promote efficiency and spending restraint to “ensure government lives within its means”.

    Tax reform should support the dynamism and productivity of Australian individuals and businesses”, the submission says.

    Revenue should be raised with the least possible cost to society, and there should be minimum distortions to work, savings and investment.

    Among other proposals, the coalition urges a boost to investment and innovation by reforming the handling of R&D.

    It says there should be a national strategy to boost Australia’s investment competitiveness.

    The submission backs reforming the framework for environmental and planning approvals. It says there should be a “single, predictable, and transparent approval pathway that provides timely and certain decisions.”

    “Our economic rule book is out of date. If we don’t fix it, not only will Australians struggle to get ahead in life, but future generations are at risk of missing out on the quality of life we enjoy today,” the joint group of industry associations says.

    Michelle Grattan 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. Business coalition calls for 25% cut in the cost of red tape by 2030 – https://theconversation.com/business-coalition-calls-for-25-cut-in-the-cost-of-red-tape-by-2030-259688

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Aberdeen Art Gallery welcomes one millionth visitor

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    Aberdeen Art Gallery has welcomed its one millionth visitor since re-opening in November 2019 following its landmark redevelopment.  
    Eleanor Watson of Giffnock was visiting with her sister and nephew. They were met by Helen Fotherghill, Service Manager – Archives Gallery & Museums, who presented Dorothy with a certificate for an artwork which will be ‘adopted’ in her name – A Ground Swell, Carradale, by William McTaggart, which is on display in the French Impressions gallery. Eleanor also received a goody bag of Tall Ships commemorative items.  
     
    Visitor numbers to the Art Gallery swelled during the Tall Ships Races weekend, with the Gallery offering extended opening hours until 8pm during the event for visitors to enjoy the Monsters of the Deep exhibition and Festival of the Sea events. 
     
    Councillor Martin Greig, Aberdeen City Council’s culture spokesman, said, “The re-imagined Art Gallery, with its outstanding collection, is the city’s flagship cultural venue. I’m delighted to share the news of this major milestone and offer my congratulations to Eleanor Watson on being the millionth visitor. The Art Gallery is a safe, accessible, public space in the heart of the city where you can see great art for free. We want everyone to feel welcome here and we look forward to inspiring and delighting the next million visitors.”  
     
    Commenting on being the millionth visitor, Eleanor said, “I’m thrilled and honoured to be the one millionth visitor. This is my first visit to the Gallery, but my nephew Eoin, who lives in Aberdeen, is a regular visitor, and he suggested we come today. I’m delighted to have this beautiful painting by William McTaggart adopted in my name to commemorate the milestone. I’m looking forward to finding out more about the artist and to visiting again when we’re next in Aberdeen.”  
     
    Eleanor’s nephew, Eoin, said, “The Gallery has been a very important place for me. I visited with my mother from early childhood. I lost both my parents to cancer at a young age and have been away from Aberdeen for some 30 years. Recently returning to the city I am extremely grateful I rediscovered the Gallery. I have faced a number of personal challenges this year and the Saturday morning Artroom sessions at the Gallery run by Elaine from Grampian Hospitals Art Trust, which I have attended for a couple of months, have shone a light in my life. It is so apt and somewhat overwhelming that walking through the door with my Aunts, showing them where Mum and I spent time together, that Eleanor should be singled out as the millionth visitor since reopening.” 
     
    Aberdeen City Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund were the major funders of the Art Gallery redevelopment, with support from many other trusts, foundations, corporate and individual donors. The much-loved building, which was designed by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie and originally opened in 1885, was completely re-imagined by internationally-acclaimed Hoskins Architects and exhibition designers Studioarc.  
     
    Notable milestones and successes since the re-opening include: 

    2020 – joint winner of Art Fund Museum of the Year 
    2021 – only Scottish venue for the prestigious British Art Show 9; named Building of the Year by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland  
    2022 – shortlisted for European Museum of the Year 
    2023 – presented the major special exhibitions Galloway Hoard – Viking Age Treasures (on loan from National Museums Scotland) and Book of Deer, one of the principle antiquities of Celtic Scotland (on loan from Cambridge University Library); named Best Visitor Attraction – Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Thistle awards  
    2024 – acquired a ceramic pot by celebrated British Artist Sir Grayson Perry 
    2025 – offered new experiences for visitors – All Fired Up interactive display of studio ceramics and the McBey reference library, supported by volunteers; achieved Gold level Green Tourism Award  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China publishes report on research into building SCO community of common destiny

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    ZHENGZHOU, July 24 (Xinhua) — A research report on building a community with a shared future for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was released by a think tank in China on Thursday, calling for a closer regional community with a shared future and focusing on expanding dialogue among civilizations and people-to-people cooperation.

    The document was released by the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, central China.

    The report notes that building a community of shared destiny for the SCO is an important step in line with the flow of history and a significant conceptual innovation in contemporary international relations. It is necessary to formulate a framework for action aimed at promoting regional cooperation through stability and achieving regional prosperity through development.

    In order to fully realize the high-quality platform function of the SCO, all member states should accumulate collective strength while taking into account their own interests, the document added.

    According to the report, the SCO member states have different cultural traditions. They should attach great importance to organizing a broad dialogue among civilizations and cooperation in the fields of culture, education, science and technology, sports, expand exchanges between different groups of people, especially between the media and youth, and continue to hold high-level forums of people’s diplomacy, media forums, youth forums and women’s forums.

    The report emphasizes that in order to improve the regional governance system and make joint efforts to implement modernization, it is necessary to clearly understand the differences between the current major tasks and long-term goals for the future. A series of small-scale but effective projects for improving the people’s well-being of the member states of the organization should be implemented to demonstrate the most significant signs of building a community of common destiny of the SCO. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Yellowstone has been a ‘sacred wonderland’ of spiritual power and religious activity for centuries – and for different faith groups

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Thomas S. Bremer, Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, Rhodes College

    Beehive Geyser, in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. Thomas S. Bremer

    Nearly 5 million travelers come to Wyoming to visit Yellowstone National Park each year, most in the summer months. They come for the geysers, wildlife, scenery and recreational activities such as hiking, fishing and photography.

    However, few realize that religion has been part of Yellowstone’s appeal throughout the park’s history. My 2025 book “Sacred Wonderland” documents how people have long found holiness in Yellowstone: how a landscape once sacred to Native Americans later inspired Christians and New Age communities alike.

    Native reverence – and removal

    Long before European Americans “discovered” the Yellowstone region in the 19th century, numerous Indigenous peoples were aware of its unique landscape – particularly geysers, hot springs and other hydrothermal wonders. Several tribal groups engaged in devotional practices long before it became a park. These included the Tukudika, or Sheep Eaters, a band of mountain Shoshone. They lived year-round within the boundaries of what would become the national park.

    Anthropologists know relatively little about the specific beliefs that Native Americans held about Yellowstone during this era. However, it’s clear most of the Indigenous groups who frequented Yellowstone considered it, as historian Paul Schullery concludes, “a place of spiritual power, of communion with natural forces, a place that inspired reverence.”

    Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, Yellowstone National Park.
    Thomas S. Bremer

    After the Civil War, more Euro-Americans entered the region. In 1872, the U.S. government created Yellowstone as the first national park, setting a precedent for others in the United States and around the world.

    Yellowstone and other U.S. national parks established in the 19th century were products of manifest destiny: the Christian idea that Americans had a divinely ordained right to expand their country across the continent. The nation’s westward expansion included turning supposedly wild, “uncivilized” areas into parks.

    The park system’s creation, though, came at the cost of Indigenous communities. In Yellowstone, the Tukudika were forcibly removed in the 1870s to two reservations in Idaho and Wyoming, as anthropologists Peter Nabokov and Lawrence Loendorf discuss in their book “Restoring a Presence.”

    Christian ministry

    In addition to the concept of manifest destiny, Christians brought their own religious practices to Yellowstone National Park.

    The U.S. Army was responsible for protecting and managing the park from 1886 to 1918. It operated from Fort Yellowstone at Mammoth Hot Springs in the northern part of the park. The last building it erected at the fort was a chapel, which has been in continuous use as a worship space – mostly for Christian groups – since its completion in 1913.

    The Yellowstone National Park Chapel at Mammoth Hot Springs, finished in 1913, was the last building constructed by the U.S. Army at Fort Yellowstone.
    Thomas S. Bremer

    One group that has used the chapel consistently since the 1950s is ACMNP, A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, an evangelical Protestant parachurch ministry founded in Yellowstone. Its volunteers conduct worship services and proselytize among employees and visitors.

    ACMNP began as the brainchild of Presbyterian minister Warren Ost, who had worked as a bellhop at the Old Faithful Inn during summer breaks in seminary. Upon graduation, he formed the ministry, hoping to capitalize on the awe people experience in the parks to affirm believers’ faith and bring new souls to Christ.

    ACMNP’s mission involves placing seminarians and other students in national parks as “worker-witnesses.” They work as paid employees in secular jobs and conduct religious activities after their regular working hours. Additionally, they are encouraged to talk about religion with their fellow workers on the job.

    ACMNP experienced rapid growth in the 1950s and 1960s, boosted by support from National Park Service leadership. Cooperation included reduced-cost housing for their volunteers, and in some parks the superintendents or other high-level officials served on local ACMNP committees.

    At its peak in the 1970s, ACMNP had nearly 300 volunteers working in over 50 locations. However, a federal lawsuit in the 1990s challenged its relationship with the government on the grounds of church-state separation and ended some of the privileges ACMNP had enjoyed. Not long after the legal action, Ost announced his retirement.

    Although the organization has scaled back operations, the ministry in Yellowstone has experienced few changes. ACMNP volunteers continue to offer religious services to park employees and visitors throughout the summer.

    Spiritual fortress

    Another religious group has a very different interpretation of Yellowstone. The Church Universal and Triumphant, which had several thousand members at its height, was founded by Elizabeth Clare Prophet in the 1970s, based on the teachings of her late husband, Mark Prophet.

    The Church Universal and Triumphant is an heir to the “I AM” movement, which flourished in the U.S. during the 1930s. Most prominent among I AM’s influences were theosophy, which promotes esoteric knowledge gleaned from Asian religious traditions as a universal wisdom underlying all religions; new thought, which advocates a mind-over-matter spirituality; and spiritualism, which involves communicating with spirits.

    In the 1980s, Prophet’s followers relocated from California to Montana, where they purchased a large ranch adjacent to Yellowstone National Park’s northwest boundary. With them, they brought an eclectic New Age theology that combines elements of Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism with belief in “ascended masters,” spiritual beings who guide the church. The group’s tradition teaches that beneath Yellowstone are two underground caverns, hidden from human view, that contain a cache of sacred stones with spiritual powers.

    The Church Universal and Triumphant gained attention in the ‘90s when its believers in Montana built underground bunkers. Members believed that their ascended masters had predicted a nuclear war and had instructed the community to prepare to survive underground. When the prophecy of a nuclear attack did not materialize, many members became disillusioned.

    The group struggled to rebuild its reputation and establish goodwill with Montana neighbors, including the National Park Service. Elizabeth Clare Prophet retired in 1999, and since then the church has concentrated more on its publishing and educational enterprises. However, a core community of the faithful still live and worship on their Royal Teton Ranch adjacent to Yellowstone.

    The main church sanctuary at Church Universal and Triumphant headquarters, just outside Yellowstone National Park.
    Thomas S. Bremer

    Although the community teaches that its Montana ranch is a sacred location of the ascended masters, followers’ holiest place in the Western Hemisphere is roughly 35 miles south of Yellowstone, in Grand Teton National Park. They believe humanity began at Grand Teton Mountain and that the faithful will find their destiny there.

    Accordingly, members believe that Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks are brimming with spiritual powers, sacred sources of light and energy for the entire world.

    In my conversations with people in the park, I found that very few knew anything about Yellowstone’s religious history at all – especially Native American practices. The ongoing practices of religious communities in the park remain invisible to nearly all visitors. Still, many vacationers interpret Yellowstone’s wonders as evidence of God’s handiwork.

    Thomas S. Bremer received funding in the past to conduct historical research for the National Park Service at Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois.

    – ref. Yellowstone has been a ‘sacred wonderland’ of spiritual power and religious activity for centuries – and for different faith groups – https://theconversation.com/yellowstone-has-been-a-sacred-wonderland-of-spiritual-power-and-religious-activity-for-centuries-and-for-different-faith-groups-261045

    MIL OSI –