NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI: RapidBit Exchange Launches Open ESG Academy to Advance Responsible Financial Literacy

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Austin, TX, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RapidBit Exchange announced the official launch of its Open ESG Academy, a multilingual, on-demand educational platform designed to promote ESG awareness, literacy, and implementation across individual and institutional audiences worldwide. The new initiative underscores RapidBit Exchange’s broader mission to integrate financial innovation with long-term social responsibility.

    Built in collaboration with academic advisors and sustainability experts, the ESG Academy offers structured modules across three core tracks: Environmental Impact, Social Inclusion, and Governance Practices. Users can access self-paced video courses, practical case studies, compliance toolkits, and real-time assessments tailored to regional regulatory contexts.

    “Responsible finance begins with informed decision-making,” said Julia Thompson, Director of Global Education Initiatives at RapidBit Exchange. “Our ESG Academy equips participants with not only the technical vocabulary of ESG, but also the critical thinking skills needed to apply these principles meaningfully in both personal and professional contexts.”

    The platform is freely accessible to all registered users and includes the following features:

    Modular Learning Tracks: Covering climate disclosure standards, human capital policy, diversity metrics, ethical decision frameworks, and stakeholder engagement tools.

    Interactive Resources: Including downloadable templates, regional ESG regulation summaries, and peer-reviewed implementation checklists.

    Certifications: Learners who complete the foundational and advanced tracks can earn digital credentials for career development and institutional reporting.

    Live Webinars and Community Forums: Led by subject-matter experts, regulators, and partner organizations.

    With the ESG Academy, RapidBit Exchange addresses the growing demand for credible, neutral, and globally applicable ESG education, especially among younger investors, cross-border teams, and organizations navigating evolving compliance requirements.

    The launch also reflects the platform’s growing investment in socially responsible infrastructure, aligning educational empowerment with environmental and governance integrity. RapidBit Exchange plans to integrate ESG performance dashboards and portfolio sustainability analytics in upcoming platform releases.

    “We believe that ESG should not remain a boardroom discussion. It should be embedded in the everyday decision-making of investors and platforms alike,” added Julia Thompson.

    About RapidBit Exchange
    RapidBit Exchange is a technology-driven financial platform delivering high-performance, globally compliant trading and learning infrastructure. With a presence across major markets and a commitment to security, transparency, and education, RapidBit Exchange empowers users to navigate complex financial systems with intelligence and integrity.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.

    https://rapidbitex.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Khartoum before the war: the public spaces that held the city together

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ibrahim Z. Bahreldin, Associate Professor of Urban & Environmental Design, University of Khartoum

    What makes a public space truly public?

    In Khartoum, before the current conflict engulfed Sudan, the answer was not always a park, a plaza or a promenade.

    The city’s streets, tea stalls (sitat al-shai), protest sites and even burial spaces served as dynamic arenas of everyday life, political expression and informal resilience.

    In a recently published article, I studied 64 public spaces across pre-war Greater Khartoum, revealing a landscape far richer – and more contested – than standard urban classifications suggest. Specifically, I uncovered four classifications: formal, informal, privately owned and hybrid spaces – each alive with negotiation and everyday use.

    While some spaces were planned by colonial engineers or municipal authorities, many were carved out by communities: claimed, adapted and reimagined through use.

    My research offers valuable insights into the design and planning of Africa’s cities. As they grow and face mounting political and environmental pressures, it’s time to rethink how public spaces are defined and designed – not through imported models, but by listening to the ways people already make cities public.



    Read more:
    Sudan needs to accept its cultural diversity: urban planning can help rebuild the country and prevent future conflict

    Across the African continent, cities are growing fast – but not always fairly. Urban expansion often privileges gated developments, mega-projects and high-security zones while neglecting the everyday spaces where most people live, work and gather.

    In Sudan, these dynamics have been further complicated by conflict, displacement and economic instability. The ongoing war has disrupted not only governance, but also the spatial fabric of urban life.

    My paper aims to invite those involved in planning policies and post-conflict reconstruction to move beyond formal, western-centric models that often overlook how publicness actually unfolds in African cities: through informality, negotiation and social improvisation.

    Khartoum’s public spaces, as documented in my study, serve as diagnostic tools for understanding how cities survive crises, express identity and contest inequality.

    In the wake of war and displacement, these spaces will play a role in shaping how Sudan rebuilds not just infrastructure, but social cohesion.

    Pre-war Khartoum

    Khartoum’s public spaces cannot be understood through conventional categories – like formal squares and urban parks – alone. These formal squares represent only one layer of a much more plural and negotiated urban reality.

    Drawing on fieldwork and the documentation of 64 public spaces across Greater Khartoum, I identify four overlapping types that reflect how space is produced, accessed and contested.

    1. Formal public spaces: These include planned parks, ceremonial squares, civic plazas and administrative open spaces, often relics of colonial or postcolonial urban planning. They are defined by order, visibility and regulation. Mīdān Abbas, originally an active civic space in the centre of Khartoum, repeatedly reclaimed by informal traders and protesters, is one example, illustrating how even the most formal spaces can become contested. It was notably active during Sudan’s April 1985 uprising, serving as part of a wider network of civic spaces used for political mobilisation. Informal traders consistently transformed it into a bustling marketplace, embedding everyday commerce and social exchange into the formal urban fabric.

    2. Informal and insurgent spaces: These emerge beyond or against official planning logics – riverbanks used for gatherings, neglected lots transformed into social nodes or bridges appropriated by traders. They include spiritual sites like Sufi tombs, and protest spaces such as the sit-in zone outside the city’s army headquarters. These spaces reveal the city’s capacity for bottom-up urbanism and collective adaptation.

    3. Privately owned civic spaces: Shopping malls, privately managed parks and cultural cafés fall into this category. While they appear public, they are often classed, surveilled (monitored through cameras or security presence) or exclusionary. The rise of these spaces coincides with the decline of state-managed urban infrastructure, reflecting the turn in Sudanese urban governance.



    Read more:
    Sudan: the symbolic significance of the space protesters made their own

    4. Public “private” spaces: These spaces blur lines between ownership and use. They include mosque courtyards, school grounds, building frontages or underutilised university lawns that serve as informal gathering points. Access here is governed less by law and more by social codes, trust or class.

    Together, these typologies highlight that “publicness” in Khartoum is relational. It depends not only on who planned a space, but who uses it, how and under what conditions.

    Planning in African cities must therefore move beyond fixed zoning maps to embrace the layered, fluid and lived nature of urban space.

    Rebuilding, rethinking, resisting

    Post-conflict reconstruction in Sudan – and elsewhere in Africa – must resist the allure of “blank slate” master plans. Those involve rebuilding cities from scratch with sweeping, top-down designs that ignore existing social and spatial dynamics.

    Imported models, often guided by bureaucratic thinking or commercial incentives, risk erasing the very spaces where public life already thrives, albeit informally or invisibly.

    Rather than imposing formality, planners should recognise and strengthen the informal and hybrid systems that sustain civic life, especially in times of instability.

    Urban theorists working in and on the global south, such as AbdouMaliq Simone and the late Vanessa Watson, have long argued for planning frameworks that centre on everyday practices, adaptive use and spatial justice.

    Khartoum offers a compelling case.

    From the sit-ins of 2019 to tea stalls run by displaced women, public spaces in Sudan are not inert backdrops. They are active platforms of everyday life, resistance, care and community-making.

    Reconstruction must begin by asking: what spaces mattered to people before the war? Which ones fostered inclusion, dignity and visibility? Only then can new urban futures emerge, ones that are rooted in the practices of those who have always made the city public, even when the state did not.

    What makes spaces truly public?

    The public realm in Sudan has always been shaped through negotiation, sometimes with the state, often despite it.

    Rebuilding after war is not only about reconstructing buildings but also about reimagining the terms of belonging.

    This requires a shift from viewing public space as a fixed asset to understanding it as a dynamic process. Who gets to gather, to speak, to rest, to protest – these are the true measures of publicness.

    Understanding Khartoum’s pre-war public spaces isn’t a nostalgic exercise. It’s a necessary step towards building more inclusive, resilient and locally grounded cities in the wake of crisis.

    Ibrahim Bahreldin is a member of the Sudanese Institute of Architects and the City Planning Institute of Japan, and is registered as a professional architect and urban planner with the Sudanese Engineering Council and the Saudi Council of Engineers. He is also affiliated with the King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.

    The Author receives funding from KAU Endowment (WAQF) at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

    – ref. Khartoum before the war: the public spaces that held the city together – https://theconversation.com/khartoum-before-the-war-the-public-spaces-that-held-the-city-together-258632

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Global outrage over Gaza has reinforced a ‘siege mentality’ in Israel – what are the implications for peace?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Eyal Mayroz, Senior Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney

    After more than 20 months of devastating violence in Gaza, the right-wing Israeli government’s pursuit of two irreconcilable objectives — “destroying” Hamas and releasing Israeli hostages — has left the coastal strip in ruins.

    At least 54,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military, close to two million have been forcibly displaced, and many are starving. These atrocities have provoked intense moral outrage around the world and turned Israel into a pariah state.

    Meanwhile, Hamas is resolved to retain control over Gaza, even at the cost of sacrificing numerous innocent Palestinian lives for its own survival.

    Both sides have been widely accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and mainly in Israel’s case, genocide.

    While the obstacles to ending the fighting remain stubbornly difficult to overcome, a troubling pattern has become increasingly apparent.

    The very outrage that succeeded in mobilising, sustaining and swelling international opinion against Israel’s actions — a natural psychological response to systematic injustice — has also reinforced a “siege mentality” already present among many in its Jewish population.

    This siege mentality may have undermined more proactive Israeli Jewish public support for a ceasefire and “day-after” concessions.

    A toxic cocktail of emotions

    Several dominant groups have shaped the conflict’s dynamics, each driven by a distinct set of emotional responses.

    For many Israeli Jews, the massacres of October 7 have aggravated longstanding feelings of victimhood and mistrust, fears of terrorist attacks, perceptions of existential threats, intergenerational traumas stemming from the Holocaust, and importantly, the strong sense of siege mentality.

    Together, these emotions have produced a toxic blend of anger, hatred and intense desire for revenge.

    For the Palestinians, Israel’s devastation of Gaza has followed decades of oppressive occupation, endless rights violations, humiliation and dispossession. This has exacerbated feelings of hopelessness, fear and abandonment by the world.

    The wider, global pro-Palestinian camp has been driven by moral outrage over the atrocities being committed in Gaza, alongside empathy for the victims and a sense of guilt over Western governments’ complicity in the killings through the provision of arms to Israel.

    Similarly, for Israel’s supporters around the world, anger and resentment have led to feelings of persecution, and in turn, victimisation and a sense of siege.

    Many on both sides have become prisoners of this moral outrage. And this has suppressed compassion for the suffering of the “other” — those we perceive as perpetrators of injustice against the side we support.

    Complaints of bias and content omissions

    Choosing sides in a conflict translates almost inevitably into biases in how we select, process and assess new information.

    We search for content that confirms what we already believe. And we discount information that would go against our pre-existing perceptions.

    This tendency also increases our sensitivity to omissions of facts we deem important for our cause.

    Since early in the crisis, voices in the two camps have accused the mainstream media in the West of biased coverage in favour of the “other”. These feelings have added fuel to the moral outrage and sense of injustice among both sides.

    Outrage in the pro-Israel camp has focused mainly on a perceived global conspiracy to absolve Hamas of any responsibility.

    In that view, Israel has been singled out as the only culpable party for the killings in Gaza. This is despite the fact Hamas unleashed the violence on October 7, used the Gazan population as human shields while hiding in tunnels, and refused to release all the Israeli hostages to end the fighting.

    On the other side, pro-Palestinian outrage has focused on “blatant” omissions by the media and Western governments of important historical facts that could provide context for the October 7 attacks.

    These included:

    On both sides, then, significant focus has been placed on omissions of facts that could support one’s own narrative or cause.

    A siege mentality in Israel

    Many Israelis continue to relive October 7 while remaining decidedly blind to the daily horrors their military inflicts on Gaza in their name. For them, the global outrage has reinforced a long-existing and potent siege mentality.

    This mindset has been fed by a reluctance to directly challenge Israeli soldiers risking their lives and other rally-around-the-flag effects. It’s also been bolstered by the desire for revenge and an intense campaign of dehumanising all Palestinians — Hamas or not.

    The so-called “ring of fire” created around Israel by Iran and its proxies —Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Houthis — has further amplified this siege mentality. Their stated objective is the destruction of Israel.

    I’ve conducted an exploratory study of Israeli media, government statements and English Jewish diaspora publications from October 2023 to May 2025, reviewing some 5,000 articles and video clips.

    In this research, I’ve identified strong, consistent uses of siege mentality language, phrases such as:

    In a detailed analysis of 65 English articles from major Israeli outlets, such as The Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel, and Jewish publications in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, I found siege mentality language in nearly nine out of ten searches.

    Importantly, nearly half of these occurrences were in response to pro-Palestinian rhetoric or advocacy: campus protests and actions targeting Israelis or Jews, university groups refusing to condemn October 7, or foreign governments’ recognition of Palestinian statehood.

    The sharp increase in attacks on Jews and Jewish installations since October 7 has also sparked global debates over rising antisemitism. Distinguishing honest critiques of Israel’s actions in Gaza from antisemitic rhetoric has become contentious, as has the use of antisemitism claims by Israeli leaders to dismiss much of this criticism.

    Moving forward

    When viewed through the prism of injustice, the strong asymmetry between Israeli and Palestinian suffering has long been apparent. But it’s grown even wider following Israel’s brutal responses to October 7.

    The culpability of Israel’s government and Hamas for the atrocities in Gaza is incontestable. However, many in the Israeli-Jewish public must also share some of the blame for refusing to stand up to – or by actively supporting – their extremist government’s policies.

    The pro-Palestine movement’s justice-driven campaigns have done much to combat international bystanding and motivate governments to act. At the same time, the unwillingness to unite behind a clearer unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’ massacres may have been a strategic mistake.

    By ignoring or minimising the targeting of civilians, the hostage-taking and the reports of sexual violence committed by Hamas, a vocal minority of advocates has weakened the movement’s otherwise strong moral authority with some of the audiences it needed to influence most. First and foremost, this is people in Israel itself.

    My research suggests that while injustice-based outrage can be effective at generating attention and engagement, it can also produce negative side effects. One adverse impact has been the polarisation of the public debate over Gaza, which, in turn, has contributed to the intensification of Israelis’ siege mentality.

    Noam Chomsky, a well-known Jewish academic and fierce critic of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, once noted in relation to Palestinian advocacy:

    You have to ask yourself, when you conduct some tactic, what the effect is going to be on the victims. You don’t pursue a tactic because it makes you feel good.

    The question, then, is how to harness the strong mobilising power of moral outrage for positive ends – preventing bystander apathy to atrocities – without the potential negative consequences. These include polarisation, expanded violence, feeding a siege mentality (when applicable), and making peace negotiations more difficult.

    The children in Gaza and elsewhere in the world deserve advocacy that will prioritise their welfare over the release of moral outrage — however justified.

    So, what approaches would most effectively help end the suffering?

    Most immediately, the solution rests primarily with Israel and, by extension, the Trump administration as the only international actor powerful enough to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to halt the killings.

    Beyond that, and looking toward the future, justice-based activism should be grounded in universal moral principles, acknowledge all innocent victims, and work to create space for both societies to recognise each other’s humanity.

    I served as a counterterrorism specialist with the Israeli Defence Forces in the 1980s.

    – ref. Global outrage over Gaza has reinforced a ‘siege mentality’ in Israel – what are the implications for peace? – https://theconversation.com/global-outrage-over-gaza-has-reinforced-a-siege-mentality-in-israel-what-are-the-implications-for-peace-258561

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Should global media giants shape our cultural and media policy? Lessons from satellite radio

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Brian Fauteux, Associate Professor Popular Music and Media Studies, University of Alberta

    Debates about regulating Canadian content for streaming media platforms are ongoing, and key issues include revising the definition of Canadian content for audio and visual cultural productions and whether big streaming companies would be mandated to follow new Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) policies.

    Global streaming companies are fighting regulations requiring them to fund Canadian content and news.

    The Motion Picture Association-Canada, which represents large streamers like Netflix, Amazon and Disney, has argued that the CRTC should not impose “mandatory positions, functions or elements of a ‘Canadian program’” on global streaming companies.

    The Online Streaming Act, passed in 2023, amended the Broadcasting Act to “ensure that online streaming services make meaningful contributions to Canadian and Indigenous content.”

    For example, according to the act, online audio streaming services that make more than $25 million in annual revenue and that aren’t affiliated with a Canadian broadcaster will contribute five per cent of those funds to organizations such as FACTOR, Musicaction, the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the Indigenous Music Office, among others.

    This has the potential to benefit musicians in Canada. But Apple and Spotify, and other tech and music companies, have banded together (under the Digital Media Association, DiMA), labelling the act a “streaming tax” on users.

    This is a pivotal moment to think about the important role of policy to support Canada’s independent artists, as well as public and community media, and the increasing power of global streaming companies when it comes to setting the terms of cultural policy. One way to do this is to consider the trajectory of satellite radio.



    Read more:
    Canada’s identity is at stake if we don’t equitably fund and support its music now

    Lessons from satellite radio

    As I have previously argued, the history of satellite radio anticipated the broader turn to subscription music listening. Similarly, the story of satellite radio in Canada exemplifies the tensions arising in policymaking today with streaming media.

    As I discuss in my new book, Music in Orbit: Satellite Radio in the Streaming Space Age, the launch of subscription satellite radio services in the United States in 2001, and their subsequent entry into the Canadian market in 2005, raised questions about how to regulate these new services.

    Canadian content regulations had been established for broadcast radio in 1971, and these needed to be sorted out for satellite radio channels. Many artists and music industry workers were keen to allow the service to enter the country, while others were concerned with the lack of substantial cultural protectionism.

    Canadian content for satellite

    When the CRTC first licensed Sirius and XM in Canada, the license stipulated that each provider had to offer at least eight Canadian-produced channels, each with at least 85 per cent Canadian content. (These guidelines countered the satellite providers’ proposal of only four Canadian channels each.) Later, the CRTC revised regulations, so that no less than 10 per cent of unique channels, per provider, had to be Canadian.

    Critics felt that relegating Canadian music to a small selection of channels higher on the channel lineup (in the 160s and 170s) was a disservice to Canadian content regulations, as those channels were easy to ignore. They also thought that, overall, the domestic music content featured on satellite would be lower than what was heard on terrestrial radio.

    During the 2004 CRTC public hearing before the licensing of Sirius and XM in Canada, Neil Dixon, the president of Canadian Music Week, argued that “one of the most difficult things we had to do in promoting independent music on an independent label was getting it outside this country.”

    Dixon championed the advantages of satellite radio in comparison to terrestrial radio, as did several creatives entities. They spoke of the belief and hope in seeing Canadian, as well as Indigenous artists, heard beyond Canadian borders and in areas not served by broadcast radio.

    CBC Radio 3 and satellite

    Among the Canadian satellite channels was CBC Radio 3, a channel programming 100 per cent independent Canadian music. It served as a beacon of hope for Canadian artists because its music programming drew from a wide variety of artists who had not yet received commercial radio play. This channel came from a financial and programming partnership between CBC, the public broadcaster, and Sirius Canada.

    Years after the 2011 merger of Sirius and XM in Canada, SiriusXM Canada was restructured in 2016, with 70 per cent of the company now owned by U.S. SiriusXM. This also meant that the CBC would cease being a shareholder in SiriusXM Canada.

    In 2022, Sirius XM Canada announced it was removing CBC Radio 3 and CBC Country; these were replaced by channels programmed by SiriusXM. The company also cut French-language CBC music channels ICI Musique Franco-Country and ICI Musique Chansons and introduced new French music channels.

    Uproar over cutting of CBC channels

    The cutting of CBC channels sparked uproar among artists in Canada, namely independent ones. SiriusXM had become a major income source for Canadian artists, particularly by comparison to the low royalty payments from Canadian commercial radio and streaming platforms.

    One headline in the Toronto Star read: “‘Final nail in the coffin’: Why SiriusXM dropping CBC Radio 3 is ‘potentially catastrophic’ for Canadian artists.”

    For artists, a royalty payment could be about $50 per play, divided between artist and owner of the song’s master (typically labels).



    Read more:
    Artists’ Spotify criticisms point to larger ways musicians lose with streaming — here’s 3 changes to help in Canada

    Subscription radio and superstar artists

    Among the new channels introduced by SiriusXM when it simultaneously cut CBC channels was Mixtape North, devoted to Canadian hip hop and R&B.

    Such a channel has the potential to support upcoming Canadian artists in these genres. However, the Mixtape North channel description mentions massively successful commercial artists: “Playing the newest hits from Drake and Jessie Reyez to classic throwbacks from Kardinal Offishall and K-OS to emerging voices.” In late May 2025, according to xmplaylist.com, the most played artists were The Weeknd and Drake, as well as Melanie Fiona, who has a new song with American artist LaRussell.

    A balance between superstar artists and smaller or independent artists is evident. The channel seems designed for more superstar artists than Radio 3, because it is without the CBC’s public media mandate to play independent artists.

    Precarity of public media institutions

    SiriusXM is a massive commercial subscription radio company with a long history of working to alter cultural policy in its favour. Some have argued that it didn’t make sense for a public media company to partner with a commercial subscription radio service in this way.

    The precarious position of public institutions and regulations to support smaller or independent artists remains a pressing issue. Traditional public broadcasters globally, since at least the early 2000s, have faced a growing pressure to reconceive service delivery and responsiveness to public needs and interests, and the multimedia ways people may want to tune in or engage.



    Read more:
    Trump and many GOP lawmakers want to end all funding for NPR and PBS − unraveling a US public media system that took a century to build

    The story of satellite radio exemplifies an imperfect approach to supporting Canadian culture across the digital and streaming music era, as well as the competing commercial and public interests in policymaking.

    We need to pay careful attention to the uneven power dynamics between major media companies and then the musicians and music lovers who live by the rules established through policymaking.

    Brian Fauteux receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Should global media giants shape our cultural and media policy? Lessons from satellite radio – https://theconversation.com/should-global-media-giants-shape-our-cultural-and-media-policy-lessons-from-satellite-radio-257531

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Announces Winners of 2025 Congressional Art Competition

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    (NEW YORK, NY) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis has announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for New York’s 11th Congressional District. Tammy Liang, a student at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, was selected as this year’s Washington DC winner. Her artwork titled “Thank You Mother,” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year alongside artwork from each Congressional District across the nation.

     

    This year’s district winner, Chen Xi He of Brooklyn’s Evergreen Art Studio, has been recognized for her artwork titled “Meringue,” which will be proudly displayed at one of Congresswoman Malliotakis’ District Offices for the next year.

     

    Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors this nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the competition’s inception in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated with over 10,000 works of art exhibited.

    “It’s a pleasure to congratulate Tammy and Chen, two incredibly talented artists, on winning this year’s Congressional Art Competition,” said Congresswoman Malliotakis. “Their pieces not only showcase exceptional skill through delicate brushwork, but also reflect the creativity and excellence of our community.”

     

    For the latest information on the process for next year, visit the link HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Welcomes Winner of 2025 Congressional Art Competition to the Capitol

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today welcomed Graciana Allen from Red Creek Central School to the nation’s Capital to witness the unveiling of her artwork, Inevitable, in the halls of Congress. 

    As this year’s winner of the Congressional Art Contest, Graciana Allen was flown to Washington, DC, to attend the Congressional Art Competition Reception and will have her artwork displayed in the halls of the United States Capitol for a full year. 

    This year, Tenney’s office received 30 submissions from 12 different schools for the Congressional Art Contest. Additional awardees include Ayden Kaufman, Phung Cao, and Kaitlyn Dougherty.

    “It was a pleasure to welcome this year’s Congressional Art Contest winner, Graciana Allen, to the United States Capitol to see her artwork displayed in the halls of Congress. Inevitable is a three-dimensional artwork crafted from intricately coiled paper, showcasing the young artist’s remarkable talent. Congratulations to Graciana, and thank you to the NY-24 High Schoolers who participated in this year’s competition, as well as the teachers who supported these young artists,” said Congresswoman Tenney.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Announces State Grants for Assessment and Remediation of 23 Blighted Properties

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont announced today that he is releasing $18.8 million in state grants that will be used for the assessment and remediation of 227 acres of contaminated land across Connecticut. The funding will support 23 properties in 19 towns and cities, helping cover the costs of cleaning up these parcels so they can be redeveloped and returned to productive use.

    The grants are being released through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Brownfield Remediation and Development Program. This round of funding is projected to attract $218 million in private investment and facilitate the creation of 450 housing units. Approximately 52% of the total funding will be allocated to distressed municipalities.

    “Old, polluted, blighted properties that have sat vacant for decades do nothing to stimulate our economy, grow jobs, and support housing growth,” Governor Lamont said. “With these grants, we are partnering with towns and developers to take unused, lifeless properties and bring them back from the dead, rejuvenating land that can be used for so much more and can bring value back to these neighborhoods.”

    “Our brownfield redevelopment efforts continue to produce great results, not only for the communities that can now capitalize on new opportunities for growth and vibrancy but also for the residents who directly benefit from the new end uses for these reclaimed properties, whether it be housing, parks, commercial space, or community centers,” DECD Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe said.

    The grants announced today under this funding round include:

    • Ansonia: $200,000 grant to the city for the assessment of the 4.21-acre site located at 35 and 65 Main Street, the former Farrel Ansonia Facility that has been vacant since 2018. These assessment activities will enable the city to determine the best use for the site.
    • Bridgeport: $200,000 planning grant to the Connecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments (MetroCOG) for planning activities on the western bank of the Yellow Mill Channel along Waterview Avenue. These planning activities will enable MetroCOG and the city to advance a comprehensive plan for development of a Waterfront Pathway.
    • Danbury: $200,000 grant to the city for the environmental assessment of the former Fairfield County Courthouse. This assessment will enable future reuse of the building as municipal office space in the historic district.
    • Danbury: $200,000 grant to the city for assessment activities at 13 Barnum Court, which was formerly used for hat manufacturing. The assessment work will help identify potential end uses and developers to cleanup and reuse the site.
    • Derby: $200,000 grant to the city to further evaluate site conditions and planning activities for the O’Sullivan’s Island (OSI) property at Caroline Street, a 17.25-acre peninsula of land located south of the downtown commercial district at the confluence of the Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers. The former regional fire training center is now part of the Naugatuck River Greenway and accessible to the public as a park. The assessment and planning activities will enable the city to further investigate the site to address previously identified contamination and open up the property for additional recreational activities.
    • East Lyme: $200,000 grant to the town to conduct assessment activities at 278 Main Street. These assessment activities will help to identify contamination and evaluate the cost of remedial action.
    • Hartford: $4,000,000 grant to the city for the demolition and abatement of the existing structure at the 2.95-acre site at 150 Windsor Street. Remediation of this strategic downtown property will open the site to future development opportunities.
    • Monroe: $100,000 grant to the town to complete assessment activities at the 7.74-acre site of the former Saint Jude School located at 709 Monroe Turnpike. The town is proposing to adaptively reuse the building for use as a community center and town offices.
    • Naugatuck: $200,000 grant to the borough for assessment work on the 36.2-acre site that was formerly a Hershey & Peter Paul Cadbury manufacturing site. This assessment will enable the site to be returned to productive use after 18 years of vacancy.
    • New Britain: $2,000,000 grant to the city for abatement and clean-up activities at the New Britain Business Park located at 221 South Street. The 54.91-acre site has historically been a commercial and industrial park and was home to the New Britain Machine Company. These cleanup activities will facilitate the adaptive reuse of 123,000 square feet of existing building space, providing new manufacturing, R&D, warehousing/distribution, and office spaces to meet local and regional market demands.
    • New Haven: $880,000 grant to the city for the remediation of the 1.13-acre vacant lot located at 275 South Orange Street. The site was formerly a portion of the New Haven Coliseum and is currently used for parking. The remediation will enable the construction of phase 1B of a multi-use development that will include 7,159 square feet of amenity and retail space and 120 residential units.
    • New Haven: $947,500 grant to the city for the demolition and abatement of blighted buildings and excavation of petroleum-impacted soil at 185, 212, and 213 Front Street. The 1.34-acre site, located along the Quinnipiac River, has a history of industrial use, including a coal yard, fuel tank farm, and metalworking shop. The remediation will pave the way for the construction of 70 residential units, retail spaces, and a 29,000 square foot green space and boardwalk to improve pedestrian access.
    • New Milford: $150,000 grant to the New Milford Economic Development Corporation for assessment activities at the Former East Street School, a 4.63-acre site located at 50 East Street. These assessment activities will enable the repurposing of the historical former school into a Cultural Center for the Arts and Community Hub, which could include affordable living spaces for creative professionals.
    • Norwich: $100,000 grant to the Norwich Community Development Corporation (NCDC) for the assessment of the former Norwich State Hospital, located at 628 and 705 Laurel Hill Road. The funding will enable the NCDC to complete a Phase III ESA, along with a conceptual remedial action plan, structural assessment, hazardous building materials assessment, and estimates of remediation, abatement, and cleanup costs. The NCDC is looking to renovate the property in concert with the neighboring Preston Riverwalk Development.
    • Redding: $200,000 grant to the town to conduct assessment activities at 19 North Main Street, which will help identify contamination at the former wastewater treatment facility of the Gilbert and Bennett Wire Mill and inform redevelopment efforts.
    • Shelton: $2,975,500 remediation grant to the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments for groundwater and soil cleanup, excavation, and disposal at 113 and 125 Canal Street, sites that were previously used for electroplating and other industrial operations. These remediation efforts will enable the development of two mixed-use complexes with a total of more than 120 residential units, retail space, and a parking garage. In addition, the walkway along the Housatonic River to Veterans Memorial Park will be extended.
    • Stonington: $177,000 grant to the town to conduct assessment activities at the Former Campbell Grain Facility, a 1.86-acre project site located at 27 West Broad Street and 15 Cogswell Street in Stonington. These assessment activities will help identify the level of contamination and the cost of a remedial action plan.
    • Torrington: $600,000 grant to the city for the abatement and demolition of the remaining buildings (buildings 21 and 24) at the 9.39-acre site located at 70 North Main Street. The proposed grant funds will be used for the remaining abatement and demolition. Upon completion, conceptual plans include construction of new commercial/industrial/light manufacturing buildings with a possible installation of a fuel-cell to generate necessary site power.
    • Torrington: $200,000 grant to the New Colony Development Corporation for the completion of assessment and planning activities at 100 Franklin Drive. The funding will enable the city to identify and partner with a potential developer to repurpose the former manufacturing site for potentially residential development.
    • West Hartford: $200,000 grant to the town for assessment activities of the Former AC Petersen Ice Cream Production Facility, a 1.02-acre site located at 240 Park Road. The assessment and subsequential cleanup will allow the building’s existing businesses, including the Playhouse on Park, a performing arts theater, to expand into the environmentally affected areas which have been unused or underused for several decades.
    • West Hartford: $688,000 grant to the town for demolition and remediation of the 1.21-acre site located at 579 New Park Avenue. The remediation activities will enable the construction of a mixed-use/TOD project consisting of 70 residential units.
    • Winchester: $200,000 planning grant to the Northwest Hills Council of Governments to examine a stretch/corridor of vacant and blighted industrial properties along the Mad River. Funds will be used to address potentially contaminated structures and create a comprehensive plan.
    • Windsor Locks: $4,000,000 grant to the town for abatement, demolition, and remediation activities at 255 Main Street, which is adjacent to the proposed location of the new train station. The cleanup activities will enable the construction of the first phase of a 120-unit mixed-use/TOD development.

    For more information on Connecticut’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program, visit www.ctbrownfields.gov.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wolf Point Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Methamphetamine to a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man accused of distributing methamphetamine to a minor admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Brickie Cole Jackson, 36, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine to a person under 21 years of age. Jackson faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 1 year, a maximum term of 40 years, a $2,000,000 fine, and at least 6 years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 30, 2025. Jackson was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that in November 2023, law enforcement responded to Wolf Point High School after a student, Jane Doe, admitted drug use and tested positive. Doe, a 16-year-old female, disclosed she had gone to Jackson’s house, and he provided her with methamphetamine. Doe said she had gone to the house multiple times over multiple days and Jackson provided her with methamphetamine on several occasions in November.

    In January 2024, Doe again admitted to hanging out with Jackson at his house over multiple days. He again provided Doe with methamphetamine.

    Jackson was interviewed. He admitted providing Doe with methamphetamine but said he believed she was 18 years old. Jackson said Doe stayed with him on two occasions, and he gave her about a gram of meth each time she stayed at his house.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, and Wolf Point Police Department conducted the investigation.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Apex Labs Granted Israel MoH Approval to Expand Phase 2b Macrodose Psilocybin PTSD Clinical Trial

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Israel’s Ministry of Health (MoH) approval to add additional sites to APEX SUMMIT-90 160 patient phase 2b macrodose clinical trial:
      • Tel Aviv University (TAU)’s Institute for Psychedelic Research located at the Sagol Brain Institute (SGI) in Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
      • Be’er Yaakov Mental Hospital (Merhavim) Center for Psychedelic Studies.
    • For more information or to register visit clinicaltrials.gov (Canada) and mytrials.gov (Israel).

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apex Labs Ltd. (APEX or the Company), a pharmaceutical company transforming the standard of mental health care with psilocybin is pleased to announce the approval by the Israeli MoH and IRBs to open two additional clinical trial sites for SUMMIT-90. The trial is a double-blind, placebo controlled phase 2b study evaluating multiple doses of APEX-90, a psilocybin macrodose utilizing APEX’s US patent pending capsule. APEX-90 is administered in-clinic with study-assisted psychotherapy for severe depression within diagnosed PTSD. Israel is facing a severe mental health crisis: 44% of adults report depression and 42% PTSD, far above the 8–13% depression and 6–10% PTSD rates seen in the US and Canada.

    This MoH approval leverages the expertise of TAU’s renowned SGI and Merhavim Hospital, which both have a rich history of pioneering research in neurological sciences. Their cutting-edge facilities and teams profound understanding of PTSD dynamics are poised to add patient recruitment expertise.

    “I am honoured to have been able to facilitate this new partnership; another example of building important bridges between Canada and Israel in innovative clinical research, which will result in advancing patient access to emerging treatments,” says Sharon J. Fraenkel, TAU Canada’s CEO for Ottawa, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada, on behalf of the organization.

    “As someone deeply connected to Israel, witnessing the toll of PTSD among my loved ones, I’m driven to lead research that brings hope and healing,” says Alysa Langburt, APEX’s VP of Global Clinical Development. “This marks more than a clinical milestone, it represents a fundamental step towards transforming the mental health landscape in Canada and Israel, where the need has never been greater. Through our incredible partnerships, we aim to catalyze a shift in access, care and outcomes for those suffering with PTSD.”

    “SUMMIT-90 offers a beacon of hope for the significant numbers suffering from PTSD in Canada and Israel,” says Tyler Powell, co-Founder and CEO of APEX. “It underscores our commitment to global mental health innovation and our belief in the opportunity for clinically proven psilocybin therapies to transform mental health care.”

    About Apex Labs Ltd.
    APEX is a patient-driven pharmaceutical company focused on revolutionizing the standard of mental health care with psilocybin. APEX’s strategy is two-pronged, clinical evaluation of drug assets alongside a robust Early Access Program. APEX recognizes and prioritizes Veterans as a patient base with the most severe unmet medical need.

    Visit apexlabs.com for more information and follow APEX on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This release contains certain “forward-looking statements” and certain “forward-looking information” as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “plans” or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability to control or predict, that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out here in, including but not limited to: receiving authorization of Health Canada Dealers Licence; filing US provisional patent, the Company evaluating the safety and efficacy of APEX-52 (psilocybin) and APEX-90 (psilocybin) in treating depression in Veterans and patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; statements related to APEX-52 and APEX-90, including manufacturing, dosing, and trial details; statements made by the Company’s executives with respect to Health Canada’s Dealer’s Licence and capsule patent filing; the Company’s efforts around the Early Access Program; statements made relating to Canadian Veteran patients; approvals by the Israeli Ministry of Health and ethics; the inherent risks involved in the general securities markets; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; the inherent uncertainty of cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, currency fluctuations; regulatory restrictions, liability, competition, loss of key employees and other related risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents managements’ best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

    SOURCE Apex Labs Ltd.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Zimbabwe makes strides in reducing antimicrobial use in poultry with FAO support

    Zimbabwe is making significant progress in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within its poultry sector, thanks to a collaborative effort between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Zimbabwe. Through a Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) supported project and the Fleming Fund global project, the initiative has successfully reduced the overuse of antimicrobials in the broiler value chain by empowering farmers with sustainable and biosecure poultry production practices.

    Antimicrobial resistance poses a serious threat to global health, food security, and economic stability. The overuse of antimicrobials in livestock production contributes significantly to this problem, leading to the development of resistant bacteria that can spread to humans, making infections harder to treat.

    The project, implemented in eight districts – Bubi, Chegutu, Masvingo, Marondera, Murewa, Mutare, Mutasa, and Zvimba – employed the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach to promote improved husbandry practices. This hands-on, participatory method equips farmers with the knowledge and skills to enhance biosecurity, prevent diseases, and ultimately reduce their reliance on antimicrobials.

    Speaking at a recent project review meeting, Berhanu Bedane, FAO Livestock Development Officer, emphasized the project’s impact. “This initiative has demonstrated the value and impact of the One Health approach, where sectors across human and animal health collaborated to address the shared threat of antimicrobial resistance,” he stated. He highlighted that FAO’s focus was on delivering practical, evidence-based interventions directly to the animal health sector.

    The FFS model proved instrumental in achieving these goals. By providing farmers with tailored training and communication materials, the project fostered a deeper understanding of disease prevention and the importance of responsible use of antimicrobials. A baseline Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) survey informed the development of these materials, ensuring they were relevant and effective.

    “The farmer field schools have been empowering poultry farmers through hands-on training in sustainable and biosecure poultry production,” Bedane explained. “This enhances poultry productivity while simultaneously reducing the use of antimicrobials through the reduction of infections, making our health more secure and sustainable.” He also noted similar initiatives in the dairy value chain aimed at understanding and reducing antimicrobial use through prudent biosecurity and animal health management systems.

    The Chief Director of the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), Dr Pious Makaya echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the project’s alignment with Zimbabwe’s national development priorities, as outlined in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and the broader Vision 2030. “What we have heard today is in sync with the national development imperatives that we have,” he said.

    He specifically highlighted the project’s contribution to key national priorities such as health and well-being, food security, and food safety. “Our health would be enhanced and improved, and also the health of the animals as well, the health of the environment as well would also be improved,” he stated, adding that enhanced animal health improves livestock production and promotes food safety.

    The DVS Chief Director recognized the complexity of tackling AMR, describing it as a “wicked problem” requiring multifaceted solutions. “We cannot have one single solution. It is not a linear problem,” he emphasized, underscoring the importance of the multi-sectoral approach adopted by the MPTF and Fleming fund projects. He also stressed the need for continuous review and adaptation of strategies to keep pace with the evolving nature of AMR.

    Looking ahead, both FAO and the Government of Zimbabwe reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining momentum in the fight against AMR. Berhanu Bedane stated that FAO and its partners in the Quadripartite are fully committed to maintaining momentum. He also pointed towards consolidating the achievements realized and identifying clear pathways for continued collaboration in the implementation of Zimbabwe’s AMR National Action Plan 2.0. The country is also being considered for a phase two of the MPTF project.

    The success of this collaborative initiative demonstrates the power of partnerships and the effectiveness of empowering farmers with knowledge and tools to adopt sustainable practices. These achievements also contribute to broader global goals under the RENOFARM initiative (Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms), which promotes reduced antimicrobial reliance through strengthened biosecurity, preventive animal health strategies, and improved farming practices. By reducing the reliance on antimicrobials in livestock production, Zimbabwe is taking a crucial step toward safeguarding public health, promoting food security, and protecting the environment for future generations.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: TopLine Financial Credit Union Opens New Maple Grove West Branch on June 9, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MAPLE GROVE, Minn., June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based member-owned financial services cooperative, recently opened a new full-service Maple Grove West branch on June 9, 2025, located at 7015 Alvarado Lane North, Maple Grove, MN 55311.

    The new Maple Grove West branch will provide personal service as well as self-service convenience with a new innovative 24/7 Interactive Teller Machine (ITM) that provides members with remote assistance service, combining the convenience of ATMs with the personalized experience of a branch visit. Financial product and service offerings include: savings and checking accounts, auto loans, home loans, personal loans, student loans, mortgage services, investment services, small business and commercial services, insurance agency, remote access, as well as financial education and counseling from TopLine Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors.

    “We are excited to announce the opening of our new Maple Grove West location, further expanding our presence in the surrounding communities of Maple Grove, Corcoran, Hamel and Media to offer accessible financial services to more consumers and small business owners,” stated Mick Olson, President and CEO of TopLine Financial Credit Union. “Our new branch reflects our dedication to delivering tailored financial solutions that empower individuals and families to realize their dreams, whether it’s buying a home, funding education, saving for retirement, protecting assets, or starting a small business. We look forward to creating lifelong connections and serving as a trusted financial partner for individuals and families across these vibrant communities.”

    TopLine will be holding a Grand Opening Celebration at the new location during the week of June 23 – 28, 2025. The community is invited to visit the branch in-person for exclusive specials, tasty treats, and a “We’ll Pay Your Phone Bill for a Month up to $150” raffle as a way to recognize the Bell System telephone workers who started the credit union 90 years ago. To learn more visit https://www.toplinecu.com/atms-locations/new-branch.

    TopLine will be hosting a Ribbon Cutting Celebration in partnership with the Minneapolis Regional Chamber at the new location, 7015 Alvarado Lane North, Maple Grove, MN 55311, on Wednesday, July 9th from 2:00pm – 4:00pm. Everyone is welcome and refreshments will be served.

    TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota’s 9th largest credit union, with assets of over $1.1 billion and serves over 70,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit financial cooperative offers a complete line of financial services from its ten branch locations — in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Circle Pines, Coon Rapids, Forest Lake, Maple Grove, Plymouth, St. Francis and in St. Paul’s Como Park — as well as by phone and online at www.TopLinecu.com. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties in Minnesota and their immediate family members, as well as employees and retirees of Anoka Hennepin School District #11, Anoka Technical College, Federal Premium Ammunition, Hoffman Enclosures, Inc., GRACO, Inc., and their subsidiaries. Visit us on our Facebook or Instagram. To learn more about the credit union’s foundation, visit www.TopLinecu.com/Foundation.

    CONTACT:
    Vicki Roscoe Erickson
    Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
    TopLine Financial Credit Union
    verickson@toplinecu.com | 763.391.0872

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3800e1e1-5d7e-4023-b216-87db66961a98

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: 6 ways AI can partner with us in creative inquiry, inspired by media theorist Marshall McLuhan

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Gordon A. Gow, Director, Media & Technology Studies, University of Alberta

    Crucially, McLuhan argued that far from making the liberal arts obsolete, automation makes them mandatory. (Bernard Gotfryd/Wikimedia Commons)

    Today’s large language models (LLMs) process information across disciplines at unprecedented speed and are challenging higher education to rethink teaching, learning and disciplinary structures.

    As AI tools disrupt conventional subject boundaries, educators face a dilemma: some seek to ban these tools, while others are seeking ways to embrace them in the classroom.

    Both approaches risk missing a deeper transformation that was predicted 60 years ago by Canadian communication theorist Marshall McLuhan.

    McLuhan’s insights can help educators — and all of us grappling with the meaning, uses and misuses of AI — to think about how to cultivate a new mindset, one that integrates human agency and machine capabilities consciously and critically.

    ‘Oracle of the electric age’

    In the mid-1960s, McLuhan published Understanding Media, earning a reputation as the “oracle of the electric age.”

    In the chapter, “Automation: Learning a Living,” McLuhan opens with a provocative observation: “Little Red Schoolhouse Dies When Good Road Built.” Technological change, he suggested, doesn’t merely augment existing systems — it transforms them.

    While roads once expanded access to specialized education, automation reverses this logic, he argued.

    This is because disciplinary boundaries are dissolved, and the intersection of learning and work is redefined. He wrote:

    “Automation … not only ends jobs in the world of work, it ends subjects in the world of learning.”

    McLuhan foresaw that computing would enable new forms of pattern recognition, requiring fundamentally different ways of thinking — more integrative, relational and responsive — rather than simply accelerating old methods.

    Automation makes the arts mandatory

    Crucially, McLuhan argued that far from making the liberal arts obsolete, automation makes them mandatory. In an age where machine intelligence is integrated into communication and creativity, the humanities, with their focus on cultural understanding, ethical reasoning and imaginative expression, become more essential than ever.

    To navigate this landscape, we can borrow from complex systems researcher Stuart Kauffman’s concept of the “adjacent possible,” as developed in author and innovation expert Steven Johnson’s theory of innovation.

    The “adjacent possible” refers to the set of opportunities and innovations that become accessible when new combinations of existing ideas and technologies are explored.

    This gives rise to what I refer to as AI-adjacency: a framework that treats artificial intelligence not as a replacement for human intelligence, but as a partner in strategic collaboration and creative inquiry.

    6 ways AI can be a partner in creative inquiry

    1. Critical discernment

    AI-adjacent learning begins with critical discernment: the ability to assess intellectual and cultural value regardless of whether AI was involved in the creation process.

    When game designer Jason Allen’s AI-assisted image, Théâtre D’opéra Spatial, won first place in a digital arts competition at the 2022 Colorado State Fair — and Allen shared information about it on social media — controversy ensued.

    Commenters were unsure how to evaluate artistic merit when creative direction is shared with AI. Allen reportedly spent more than 80 hours crafting over 600 text prompts in Midjourney, and also digitally altered the work. The debate illustrates how critical discernment moves beyond detecting AI use to asking deeper questions about authorship, effort and esthetic judgment.

    2. Strategic collaboration

    Strategic collaboration requires nuanced decision-making about when and how to involve AI tools in a creative process. A recent study reports that “the impact of ChatGPT as a feedback tool on students’ writing skills was positive and significant.”

    As one student in the study noted: “When you use ChatGPT in a classroom with your classroom, you’re doing it with several people. So much talk going on simultaneously! It’s kinda cool. The conversations are so meaningful and without noticing, we are working together and writing.”

    The value here is in an AI-facilitated collaboration that encourages students to become more interested in learning how to express themselves through writing.

    3. Voice and vision stewardship

    Stewarding voice and vision means ensuring that technology serves individual expression, not the other way around. At Berklee College of Music in Boston, with varied instructors, students are encouraged to explore AI’s varied potential uses in enhancing their creative process. If it’s used, instructors emphasize outputs must reflect the artist’s own style, not just the algorithm’s fluency. This fosters self-awareness and creative authorship amid technological collaboration.

    4. Cultural and social responsibility

    AI tools are not neutral, but they can be powerful allies when developed with cultural and social responsibility. Researchers on Vancouver Island are developing AI voice-to-text technology specifically for Kwak’wala, an endangered Indigenous language.



    Read more:
    How AI could help safeguard Indigenous languages

    Sara Child, a Kwagu’ł band member and professor in Indigenous education leading the project, told CBC that by “building the technology tool, the speech recognition tool, we can tap into that amazing resource that will help us recapture and reclaim language that is trapped in archives.”

    Unlike existing systems designed for English, this AI must be built from scratch because Kwak’wala is verb-centred rather than noun-based.

    The project demonstrates how AI can amplify marginalized voices. In this case, Indigenous communities control the development process and cultural knowledge remains in community hands.

    5. Adaptive expertise

    Adaptive expertise means knowing when to innovate beyond routine solutions. Medical education researchers Brian J. Hess and colleagues define it as “the capacity to apply not only routinized procedural approaches but also know when the situation calls for creative innovative solutions.”

    In an AI-integrated world, students must distinguish between when AI-generated responses are appropriate and can enhance productivity, versus when situations require human, slower, in-depth thinking and creative analysis.



    Read more:
    For both artists and scientists, slow looking allows surprising connections to surface

    Students must distinguish between when AI-generated responses can enhance productivity, versus when situations require human thinking.
    (Allison Shelley for EDUimages), CC BY-NC

    For example, history students can use AI to quickly process archival materials and identify patterns, but must also learn how to use AI to help them interpret the cultural significance of those patterns, which requires innovative analytical approaches grounded in a liberal arts education.

    6. Creative and intellectual agency

    Creative and intellectual agency represents a central pillar of humanities education, rooted in the German concept of Bildung, which is developing oneself through critical engagement with complex ideas.

    This principle of cultivating independent thinking and deep attention to challenging problems remains essential in an AI-integrated world. The challenge facing higher education is find ways to amplify intellectual agency through creative collaboration with AI tools. At Lehigh University in Pennsylvania,
    humanities students work with computer scientists to develop interdisciplinary courses like “Algorithms and Social Justice,” which involves applying humanistic perspectives throughout data analysis processes.

    McLuhan’s warning: loss of self-awareness

    ‘Narcissus,’ by Italian baroque painter Caravaggio, circa 1597–99.
    (Wikimedia Commons)

    McLuhan also offered a powerful warning through the myth of Narcissus in Understanding Media.

    Contrary to popular view, McLuhan argued Narcissus didn’t fall in love with himself; instead, he mistook his reflection for someone else.

    This “extension of himself by mirror,” McLuhan writes, “numbed his perceptions until he became the servomechanism of his own extended … image” — meaning, Narcissus became dependent on his own reflection.

    The real danger of AI isn’t replacement. It’s the loss of self-awareness. We risk becoming passive users of our own technological extensions and allowing them to shape how we think, create and learn without realizing it. In McLuhan’s terms, we become tools of our tools.

    AI-adjacent practices offer a way out. By engaging consciously with technology through the six dimensions, students learn to use AI critically and creatively — without surrendering their agency.

    Gordon A. Gow receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. 6 ways AI can partner with us in creative inquiry, inspired by media theorist Marshall McLuhan – https://theconversation.com/6-ways-ai-can-partner-with-us-in-creative-inquiry-inspired-by-media-theorist-marshall-mcluhan-258238

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Future conservationists get their hands dirty in Amamoor Valley weed battle

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 12 Jun 2025

    Open larger image

    Conservation and Ecosystem Management students from Nambour TAFE join with Gympie-based QPWS rangers to tackle destructive and invasive weeds in the Amamoor State Forest.

    A powerful new partnership between Nambour TAFE and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is giving the next generation of conservation professionals hands-on experience in protecting native ecosystems.

    Twenty Conservation and Ecosystem Management students from Nambour TAFE joined forces with Gympie-based QPWS rangers in late May to tackle the destructive weeds that threaten native rainforests in the Amamoor State Forest.

    The unique collaboration was coordinated by QPWS Sunshine Coast Ranger David Wolters, himself a graduate of the same TAFE course, and TAFE Queensland conservation and ecosystem educator Alissa George.

    David and Elissa, who recognised the opportunity to blend practical learning with meaningful environmental outcomes, said partnerships like these played an important role in combatting invasive species and protecting fragile ecosystems.

    “This was a great experience for Nambour TAFE Conservation and Ecosystem Management students,” Alissa said.

    “The students benefited from real industry experiences and learning the techniques used by QPWS to eradicate environmental weeds including Cats Claw creeper, Dutchman’s Pipe, and Lantana.

    “They eagerly listened to the rangers explain the importance of the site ecologically.

    “We saw the effects of the biocontrol for Cat’s Claw Creeper – the leaf sucking tingid bug – which the students were excited to see.

    “TAFE Nambour is very excited to continue this volunteering opportunity as it has been the highlight of the course for the students,” Alissa said.

    Throughout the day, students honed skills in identifying and removing invasive species including Cat’s Claw Creeper (Dolichandra unguis-cati), Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia elegans), and Lantana (Lantana camara).

    The experience also gave them direct access to seasoned rangers, allowing for deep conversations around conservation careers and techniques used in the field.

    For David Wolters, the day was a full-circle moment.

    “I’ve always been driven by a desire to support and protect our natural environment,” David said.

    “Studying Conservation and Ecosystem Management at TAFE provided me with the hands-on fieldwork and practical training that shaped my skills.

    “Now working in national parks,

    “I’m proud to contribute to the protection of our unique ecosystems and landscapes.

    “I’ve reconnected with TAFE to help current students gain valuable experience in the field, something that made a big difference during my own studies.

    “I’m passionate about sharing the knowledge I’ve gained working for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and look forward to continuing my work with Alissa George and her students in the years ahead.”

    QPWS Gympie Ranger Jim Martin, who also attended, praised the impact of the students’ involvement.

    “It’s great to have such a big group here keen to get stuck into the Cats Claw, which can feel like an insurmountable task at times,” Jim said.

    “Staying on top of the initial treatments we’ve made with solid follow-up work is what will make a real difference here, so the potential benefits of having TAFE groups out here to lend a hand and learn is huge.”

    The initiative not only delivered tangible benefits for the environment but also inspired and equipped the next generation of conservation professionals.

    Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting the field trip as a defining moment in their studies.

    With the groundwork laid and the vines pulled, both TAFE and QPWS are looking forward to building on this successful partnership – one weed at a time.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: English Teachers Across Madagascar Receive International Training

    The U.S. Embassy in Madagascar is proud to launch the English Language Teacher Training program, which brings together over 100 teachers nationwide to strengthen the quality of instruction, introduce innovative teaching methods, and foster collaboration among educators.  Funded by the U.S. Department of State and implemented in partnership with the English Language Teachers Association (ELTA) of Madagascar, this two-day training — centered on the theme Empowering Teacher Educators through Innovative Teaching and Leadership — features a dynamic blend of hands-on workshops, focus group discussions, and expert-led presentations grounded in best practices in English language teaching.

    Participants will engage with leading experts from the U.S., Madagascar, and beyond — including U.S. English Language Specialists, the Regional English Language Officer, English Language Fellows from Southern Africa, and representatives from ELTA Africa, ELTA Madagascar, and the TESOL International Association.

    The U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar delivered a keynote address highlighting the vital role of English teachers in shaping future generations and emphasized the importance of quality education as a foundation for lasting growth and opportunity.

    This program builds on the U.S. Embassy’s longstanding commitment to advancing the professional development of English educators throughout Madagascar.  Since 2019, the U.S. Government has provided high-quality training and capacity-building opportunities to over 3,000 English educators nationwide — enhancing teaching methodologies, promoting student-centered learning, and expanding access to resources in schools, universities, and community-based learning spaces such as English clubs and teacher associations.

    The Embassy is also proud to support this milestone event as a continuation of its investment in English language education—most notably, the creation of ELTA Madagascar in July 2024.  The establishment of this national association of English teachers is a direct result of the Embassy’s sustained engagement, including a series of targeted professional development initiatives.  Through this training, the Embassy aims to sustain the momentum by helping ELTA Madagascar expand its membership, strengthen its presence in all regions of the country, and develop robust, teacher-led programming.

    Through continued collaboration with local education leaders and institutions, the U.S. Embassy remains dedicated to advancing excellence in English teaching—helping build a future where both teachers and students can thrive, connect, and unlock new opportunities.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Madagascar.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The big Musk v Trump break-up: what the polls say about who the public thinks won

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Whiteley, Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex

    Many people thought that the close relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk would end badly, since they both have the hubris that comes from success and power. One is arguably the most powerful politician in the world and the other the richest man.

    That said, most people were not prepared for the rapid breakdown in their relationship and the slanging match that took place after Musk spectacularly fell out with the US president. This was magnified by the fact that both have their own influential social media sites (X and Truth Social) and so the divorce was very, very public.

    More recently Musk has rowed back on the comments he made about Trump after leaving his role as a “special government employee” of the administration, and says he went “too far”. But Trump might have a long memory for grievances, so it remains to be seen if the relationship can be patched up.

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    What do the American people think? The chart below shows the percentage of respondents with favourable and unfavourable opinions of Trump and Musk in the most recent US Economist/YouGov poll completed on June 9 after the row blew up.

    It is clear that the most people think that Trump won the contest, giving him a favourability gap (% favourable minus % unfavourable) of minus 10% compared with Musk’s gap of minus 23%.

    What Americans think of Trump and Musk after their row:


    Author’s graph based on Economist polling., CC BY-SA

    The demographics of these favourability judgements are particularly interesting. After the row, around 49% of men thought favourably of Trump, compared with 38% of women, continuing a trend that shows more male than female support for the president. But the gender gap for Musk is even wider with 43% men and only 27% women having a favourable view of the billionaire, making the gap 11% for Trump and 16% for Musk.

    Another interesting demographic is age. Some 35% of 18-to-29 year olds favour Trump (the lowest number of any age group), compared with 30% who favour Musk. The equivalent figures for the over 65s are 45% favouring Trump and 37% Musk. The age divide is wide, with young Americans disliking both more than older Americans, but it is not as wide as the gender gap.

    The income figures and attitudes to both are surprising. A total of 38% of those with incomes less than US$50,000 (£36,700) a year favour Trump, compared with 51% of those with incomes between US$50,000 and US$100,000. The surprise is that only 42% of those with incomes greater than US$100,000 favour Trump, making affluent Americans closer to the low-income group than to the middle-income group in attitudes to the president.

    The equivalent figures for Musk are 32% favourable in the US$50,000 group, 39% in the US$50,000 to US$100,000 group and 36% in the US$100,000+ group, which gives a similar picture.

    If we look at the voting record of the survey respondents in the presidential elections last year, 86% of Trump voters still have a favourable view of him, compared with only 5% of Harris voters. In comparison 67% of Republican voters are favourable to Musk, compared with 10% of Democrats. Equally, 81% of Conservatives favour Trump compared with 67% who favour Musk.

    Looking at the overall picture Musk is the loser in the row as far as the American public are concerned, and this may in part explain his apparent contrition.

    The price of Tesla shares (US$) since the presidential election:


    Author’s graph based on data from Yahoo finance., CC BY

    Overall though, Trump has been gradually losing support on his job approval since the election and the polling shows that 43% of respondents approve and 52% disapprove of his performance as president.

    We don’t have equivalent figures for Musk, but if we take the stock market price of Tesla shares as a guide to his approval ratings this has declined rapidly over time as the chart shows. On December 17 last year the price was US$480 (£353) per share, compared with US$332 per share on June 11 2025. This represents a fall of about 30%. The dramatic dip at the end of the series is an indicator of how markets have reacted to the spat between them.

    Following his public break-up with Trump, Musk’s other major company, Space X, is also likely to face fallout. It is a private company and so does not have a share price, but it is heavily dependent on contracts from the US government to keep going. It seems likely that the flow of contracts for space projects is likely to dry up following the row with Trump, as the president has suggested.

    Overall, Musk has paid a heavy price for becoming such a visible Trump supporter and subsequently falling out with him. And, so far, the public appears to be on Trump’s side.

    Paul Whiteley has received funding from the British Academy and the ESRC.

    – ref. The big Musk v Trump break-up: what the polls say about who the public thinks won – https://theconversation.com/the-big-musk-v-trump-break-up-what-the-polls-say-about-who-the-public-thinks-won-258841

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to Train Your Dragon: refreshed visuals don’t save this remake’s hackneyed American exceptionalism

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sarah Louisa Bowen, Head of Animation at the Northern Film School, Leeds Beckett University

    The original DreamWorks animated feature film, How To Train Your Dragon, was released in 2010 to widespread critical acclaim. Praised for its innovative 3D animation, emotional depth and stunning flying sequences, spectacle converged with identity, inclusion and a story of generational change that adhered to a reassuringly traditional narrative structure. Fifteen years later, in a world more politically fractured, the live-action remake has been released.

    The original film confidently mastered the uncanny valley issues of early 3D animation. This new live-action version builds on its success and presents a spectacular photo-realistic fantasy world.

    Hyper-real flight sequences offer immersion in ways that have appealed to audiences since the inception of cinema when phantom rides simulated the thrill of speed and continuous movement from a first person perspective.

    There are references to other films throughout, including Titanic (1997), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and the Alien and Harry Potter franchises. But even with its extensive use of CGI and visual effects, the differences between the live-action and animation are not as pronounced as might be expected in films made 15 years apart.

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    Significant differences are apparent when it comes to the characters, however. The 2025 reinterpretations of Hiccup (Mason Thames), Astrid (Nico Parker) and Stoic (Hiccup’s father, played by Gerard Butler) seem less nuanced than the original versions. With animated characters, the audience accepts a stylised story world and character motivation more readily. But translated to live action, their motivations now feel as though they turn on a sixpence. As such they come across more as narrative devices than psychologically developed characters.

    The story centres on a young Viking named Hiccup. He looks older here than the original animated 15-year-old, but like most heroes heading off for a rite of passage, he is still awkward, cerebral and caught in the space between boyhood and an adult masculinity.

    Hiccup is expected to kill a dragon as his initiation into adulthood. Instead, he bonds with the fearful Night Fury Dragon (which he names Toothless), and relates to the creature’s feelings of exclusion. This furthers his understanding of the creature he has injured and leads him to question the beliefs of his community.

    The trailer for How to Train Your Dragon.

    When Hiccup reaches out (a moment of welcome respite in the relentless musical score) to Toothless, the most feared dragon, becomes puppy-like with exuberance, gratitude and goodwill. This underlines the film’s themes of empathy over power and a vision for a world that is remade through connection. As such, Hiccup’s mastery of Toothless, through mutual trust and consent, belongs to a cinematic lineage of children and their animal companions.

    American exceptionalism

    The film begins with an introduction to the village of Berk that is under aerial bombardment from dragons. The plucky island community endures the raids with a grit and stoicism that is reminiscent of cinematic representations of the British during the blitz.

    If the dragons are stand-ins for the German Luftwaffe Messerschmitt, then Toothless is all RAF Spitfire. The aerial combat takes a new direction when the attacking dragons are revealed to be controlled by tyrannical alpha dragon, The Red Death.

    The voice casting of the villagers distracts from the action, however. The established Viking community is represented by a range of identities. All the adults speak with British accents while their children, the future inheritors, have an American lilt.

    Tradition versus modernity is one of the themes of the film.

    The implication is that the old Viking community is blinkered by tradition while the American youths represent modernity through reason and inclusion. This hackneyed trope of a traditional community stuck in the past until the Americans drive progress remains in this live-action version. It contradicts the film’s themes of inclusion and understanding by perpetuating an American exceptionalism that resonates with cultural shifts in the aftermath of the second world war.

    As such, the choice of accents is not merely a concession to the market but a continuation of the cultural hegemony of US war narratives. Even though the Battle of Britain was mostly a British, European and Commonwealth effort, it’s the legacy of the Eagle Squadrons, those rule-breaking Americans, who are alluded to here.

    This live-action version of How To Train Your Dragon is therefore refreshed in its visuals only. The dreams, cultural anxieties and post-war allusions remain. The question then is this: after Trump’s reshaping of America’s relationship with the UK and Europe, is a second world war meta-narrative still going to fly?

    Sarah Louisa Bowen 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. How to Train Your Dragon: refreshed visuals don’t save this remake’s hackneyed American exceptionalism – https://theconversation.com/how-to-train-your-dragon-refreshed-visuals-dont-save-this-remakes-hackneyed-american-exceptionalism-258496

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A school prom isn’t just a party – it can equip teens with life skills

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Julie Tinson, Professor of Marketing, University of Stirling

    Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

    The high school prom, an American institution, has now been a mainstay in UK culture for over 25 years. A prom heralds the end of exams and the end of school altogether – and the beginning of a new chapter of life. It’s an opportunity for teens to dress up in glamorous dresses and smart tuxedos, and maybe arrive in style in the back of a limo.

    It’s an adolescent ritual that might be seen as a one-off, frivolous event. But a prom is much more important than that.

    The research for our forthcoming book chapter has shown that organising and attending proms build teenagers’ leadership skills, creativity, practical and life skills, as well as social and emotional skills. It also boosts positive emotions, such as enthusiasm and pride: something teenagers emerging from a gruelling summer of exams need.

    For teens involved in organising the event, there is scope to develop leadership skills. Making group decisions about where to hold the event and how to fund it requires bargaining with other organising committee members, as well as reasoning with fellow students and navigating school rules.

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    Trying to please everyone, including teachers, parents and host venues can be a steep learning curve. And dealing with disappointment when compromise is required is an important life skill.

    For teenagers with limited involvement in organising the event, attending prom can still help boost their learning. Having a party to look forward to can increase teens’ diligence and commitment to their schoolwork as they revise for their exams. Some schools capitalise on this by offering “passports” to prom. This scheme could involve students earning a free ticket to prom by attending a set number of revision classes.

    Emerging adult selves

    Prom is more than an opportunity for dressing up. Teenagers can also use this event to present a new or altered self, using a coming-of-age celebration as a platform to convey who they are or who they want to be. In some cases, this can involve young people making their own clothing and accessories. Such types of activity afford practical and life skills.

    And any prom look requires organisation: budgeting, researching what’s available. Finances, limited or otherwise, may constrain or restrict choice and result in problem solving or trade-offs. As the high school prom occurs within a particular time frame, time management and the (online) ordering of products can contribute – or not – to the success of a desired prom outfit.

    Friends are keen to share their prom experience with others, but attending the high school prom can be prohibitively expensive. Our research has shown that in these situations, teens can develop their social and emotional skills as well as effectively communicating and negotiating with school staff in more equal, adult ways than they may have before.

    Some teenagers create their own prom looks.
    MJTH/Shutterstock

    For example, some teens in our research secured their friend’s attendance at prom by buying her a dress for her birthday and asking their teacher if she could have her prom ticket for free.

    There remains opportunity to use the high school prom as means to develop a wider range of diverse skills. Equality, diversity and inclusion could be better embedded in prom activities to make them accessible to all, and teenagers can be part of this. To ensure widening participation, creating high school proms that reflect a range of cultures and identities could further enhance learning opportunities for those taking part.

    High school proms involve not only teenagers but also their families, friends and the wider community. Schools especially have an important role to play in this coming-of-age celebration, often going further than simply supporting its organisation. Teachers, for example, can help facilitate the supply of dresses and other resources to guarantee inclusion at this end of school celebration, ensuring that those who want to attend this event can do so.

    Our research shows that teenagers actively participate in a learning journey while preparing for this ritual and develop life skills that they can build on in work, further education and volunteering. A high school prom is more than just one night to remember.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. A school prom isn’t just a party – it can equip teens with life skills – https://theconversation.com/a-school-prom-isnt-just-a-party-it-can-equip-teens-with-life-skills-254532

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The deteriorating justice system in England and Wales is hindering economic growth

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Diane Coyle, Professor of Public Policy, University of Cambridge

    Tupungato/Shutterstock

    The Labour government has made economic growth its top priority, committing to planning reforms, business partnerships and millions of pounds of investment in science and technology.

    But economic growth is not just about innovation, investment and businesses. How the law functions is of fundamental importance for economic growth. The UK’s highly-regarded system of justice plays an important role in creating the environment of trust that underpins commerce and investment.

    The legal system should be regarded as part of the national infrastructure, just as much as rail or electricity networks, or health and education. But like them, it has suffered a sustained drop in funding. And with the civil courts now in a state of neglect, their reputation – and the trust placed in them – is at risk of crumbling.

    For both people and businesses, the forum for resolving disputes and securing rights against one another, or against the state, involves the legal system. County courts, tribunals and bodies such as Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) are just a few of the bodies involved in civil and administrative law, employment law, tax law and corporate law.

    The Ministry of Justice budget for England and Wales, which funds courts and tribunals, started to fall in real terms in the 2011-12 financial year. This has led to under-resourcing, underequipping, and understaffing of services. Justice is an “unprotected” government department, and continues to be a low priority compared to others such as health and education.

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    The chancellor’s spending review announced “up to £450 million additional investment per year for the courts system by 2028-29, compared to 2025-26”, which the government says will help tackle court backlogs. But years of decline have already deteriorated the system significantly.

    The key question to measuring the success of publicly-funded legal systems is, are they fast, fair and predictable? It would be difficult today to answer positively.

    There are large backlogs due to staff shortfalls compared to caseloads. When it comes to civil claims in the courts, aside from the very smallest claims, the average period from a claim to a hearing is now 77 weeks. This is an increase from 48 weeks pre-austerity. In either case, it’s plenty of time for a small business or startup to go under while trying to reclaim a debt.

    The position in the tribunals is not much better. According to the latest Ministry of Justice statistics, the backlog of open tribunal cases rose by 4% overall in the quarter to June 2024, to 668,000. There was a 17% jump in employment tribunal open cases, and a huge surge in appeals to the special educational needs and disability tribunal, taking the backlog up 61% to 9,200.

    Another example is the 79,000 appeals outstanding at the social security and child support tribunal, where eligibility for personal independence payments for disabled people is determined. This was up 12% on the year in mid-2024, causing a large number of mostly financially struggling people to wait too long for the money they are due. This has the effect of draining spending power in the local economies that need it most.

    So much for speed. What about whether people and businesses can rely on justice that is fair and predictable? Unfortunately, the tribunal statistics contain worrying signs that this is not reliably happening. For instance, with the social security and child support tribunal, three-fifths of hearings resulted in administrative decisions being overturned in favour of the claimant.

    Effect on the economy

    The economic impact of fraying civil justice is hard to discern. The academic and policy literature alike tend to focus on the high-profile areas of law that affect corporations, such as property and contract disputes.

    Yet there are assuredly costs across the system. Employers may be unable to recruit staff until a tribunal case is settled; meanwhile, employees can’t find a new job. And small businesses may be unable to get bills paid, even for large amounts well over what their cash flow can sustain.

    Long waiting periods for tribunals can harm small businesses.
    JessicaGirvan/Shutterstock

    For countries where slow and unpredictable justice has long been acknowledged as a problem, there is solid evidence of its detrimental effect on the economy. For example, Italian growth has been shown to be hampered by the uncertainty around civil law processes, increasing the risks involved in business decisions. Economists – including Nobel prizewinners Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson – have identified the legal system as essential underpinning for the economy.

    The justice system needs to be regarded as part of national infrastructure, the collection of physical and institutional systems and networks without which the economy cannot function. People do not want courts any more than they want bridges or cables for their own sake, but for all the indispensable activities they enable.

    The value of the courts is indirect but fundamental. If they crumble, the economic transactions and investment enabled by a predictable, rapid justice system are held back.

    Civil and administrative justice does not leap to mind when contemplating the demands of the growth mission: battery factories, graphene labs and building sites all provide ministers with better photo ops. But unless there is improvement in the timeliness of decisions by courts and tribunals, growth in the UK will be facing yet another powerful headwind.

    Diane Coyle has received funding from the Nuffield Foundation’s Public Right to Justice programme.

    – ref. The deteriorating justice system in England and Wales is hindering economic growth – https://theconversation.com/the-deteriorating-justice-system-in-england-and-wales-is-hindering-economic-growth-258362

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wearable fitness trackers can make you seven times more likely to stick to your workouts – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Matthew Cocks, Reader, Exercise Physiology, Liverpool John Moores University

    Wearable fitness trackers might help you better stick to your fitness goals. PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/ Shutterstock

    The hardest part of any workout regime is sticking with it. Around half of those who start an exercise programme stop within six months.

    But our recent study found that using wearables (such as a smartwatch) not only makes people more likely to start working out, they’re also seven times more likely to still be active after six months compared to those who didn’t use a smartwatch.

    Our study focused specifically on adults who had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Physical activity is a cornerstone of type 2 diabetes management, as it helps regulate blood sugar, supports cardiovascular health and improves quality of life.

    Yet around 90% of people with type 2 diabetes fall short of weekly physical activity recommendations. Common barriers include low motivation, uncertainty about what activity is safe and a lack of tailored support.

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    Our study tested a new approach using wearable technology and remote coaching to overcome these barriers. We found that people who followed a smartwatch-supported remote coaching programme were ten times more likely to start a workout regime than those who received remote coaching alone.

    The study involved 125 adults aged between 40 and 75 from the UK and Canada who had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. All participants worked with an exercise specialist to co-design a personalised six-month physical activity plan. The focus was on gradually increasing both moderate-to-vigorous exercise (with a target of 150 minutes per week) and daily lifestyle activity. Support was delivered remotely through phone or video calls.

    Half of the participants were randomly assigned to use wearable technology to support their personalised activity plans. The smartwatch had movement and heart rate sensors, a mobile app to track activity and personalised text messages based on their recent progress. They could also message their coach, receive real-time feedback and adjust their activity plans accordingly.

    The results were striking. Compared to the control group, those who were given a smartwatch were ten times more likely to start working out regularly, seven times more likely to still be active after six months and three times more likely to remain active one year later – even after support had ended.

    At the end of the programme, over 50% of the smartwatch group were meeting recommended activity levels. In comparison, only 17% of the control group were.

    Feedback from participants showed that the flexibility of plans, personalised messages and smartwatch data were key motivators. While some faced early challenges with the technology, most adapted quickly.

    Half of those who used a smartwatch met recommended weekly activity levels.
    Melnikov Dmitriy/ Shutterstock

    These findings support growing evidence that wearable technology can help people become – and stay – more active. While our study focused on people with type 2 diabetes, similar benefits have also been observed in the general population.

    For example, one trial found that inactive adults (aged 45-75) who were given pedometers and walking advice increased their daily step count by around 660 steps after 12 weeks compared to a control group. Those given a pedometer were also more active three years later.

    Since then, wearable technology has advanced. Modern smartwatches now capture a wider range of metrics beyond steps – such as heart rate and activity intensity. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis, which analysed more than 160 randomised controlled trials, found that fitness trackers and similar devices were effective at increasing physical activity by an average of around 1,800 steps per day. Importantly, the most sustained improvements occurred when wearables were paired with personalised feedback or behavioural support.

    Together, these studies suggest that wearables can be powerful tools for long-term behaviour change and may help us better stick to our fitness goals.

    Wearable fitness trackers can extremely helpful – but only if you use them purposefully. Our research, along with findings from other studies, shows that wearables are most effective when they help you apply proven behaviour-change strategies.

    Here are some evidence-based tips to help you get the most out of your device:

    1. Set realistic, specific goals

    Plan exactly when and how you’ll move. Apps can help you set daily or weekly targets. Research shows that breaking down big, vague intentions – such as “get fit” – into small, concrete steps makes it easier to stay motivated and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

    2. Schedule activity and stick to it

    Use reminders or calendar prompts to build a regular routine. Consistency builds habits, and scheduled activity reduces the chance of skipping workouts due to forgetfulness or lack of planning.

    3. Track your progress

    Monitoring your activity helps you stay motivated and accountable. This feedback boosts motivation by showing that your efforts are making a difference, increasing your sense of control and accountability.

    4. Use small rewards

    Many devices include features such as badges or streaks, which reinforce progress. Celebrating small wins triggers feelings of accomplishment, which encourages you to keep going and helps build long-term habits.

    5. Share with others

    Whether it’s a friend or coach, sharing your progress can boost commitment. Knowing others are aware of your goals can increase motivation, provide encouragement, and help you overcome challenges.

    6. The tracker is a tool, not the solution

    It won’t change behaviour on its own. Its value lies in how it supports your goals and helps you build lasting habits.

    These techniques don’t just encourage short-term change – they build motivation, self-belief and routine, which are key for maintaining healthy habits over time.

    Our research shows that when wearable tech is used as part of a structured, supportive programme, it can make a real difference – especially for people managing health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. By combining wearable technology with personalised coaching and proven behaviour change techniques, you might just have a better chance of sticking with your physical activity goals.

    Matthew Cocks receives funding from the Medical Research Council.

    Katie Hesketh receives funding from Diabetes UK and NIHR.

    – ref. Wearable fitness trackers can make you seven times more likely to stick to your workouts – new research – https://theconversation.com/wearable-fitness-trackers-can-make-you-seven-times-more-likely-to-stick-to-your-workouts-new-research-256941

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council Leaders rule out single unitary authority proposal for Hertfordshire

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    The Leaders of Hertfordshire’s 11 councils have agreed to rule out the option of a single unitary authority for the county as part of ongoing discussions on local government reform proposals.

    In response to the Government’s invitation to councils in all two-tier areas to submit an interim plan for moving to a single tier of unitary councils providing all services, Hertfordshire’s interim submission outlined a number of options for further consideration ranging from one to four unitary councils.

    Following the election of a new County Council administration in May, there will be no further work to develop the business case for one unitary council covering the whole of Hertfordshire. This reflects a shared view that a single unitary council covering Hertfordshire’s 1.2m residents would be too remote from the county’s diverse communities.

    Leaders’ shared priorities remain ensuring any changes benefit residents and businesses, that excellent local government services are maintained, residents are kept safe, and strong democratic accountability is available to communities across the county. They will continue to explore the evidence and refine the options to be considered ahead of submitting final proposals to the Government by 28 November for Ministers to consider.

    A team of officers drawn from the County Council and all 10 District & Borough Councils has been established to develop the options and make recommendations for Leaders to consider. Key considerations will include ensuring value for money in any new structures; understanding the impact of any changes to key services like social care and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND); how proposals support future devolution; and making sure communities continue to have a strong say in local decisions. The Government will provide £378,077 funding to support this project.

    Councils will also continue to prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to people and communities during this period of transformation.

    The views of residents, businesses, local government partners, colleagues, and other stakeholders across the public and private sectors will be essential as proposals develop and significant engagement will take place over the coming months.

    Councillor Helen Campbell, Deputy Leader of St Albans City and District Council, said:

    The eleven local authorities in Hertfordshire are of one mind, namely that one unitary body for the whole of the county is not in the best interests of residents. This unanimous view follows the Hertfordshire County Council elections last month which saw a change in its political leadership. 

    Now the single unitary option has sensibly been scrapped, we will all work together to carefully assess the pros and cons of the other three options we have collectively decided to put on the table. Firmly at the forefront will be what is best for residents across the county. In addition, we will focus on continuing to deliver the quality services our residents need and the facilities they value.

    Notes to editors

    Leaders have also agreed that £378,077 Government funding provided to Hertfordshire to support the development of local government reorganisation proposals will be held by Watford Borough Council with the Hertfordshire Leaders Group collectively agreeing how it should be spent.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ARU students win Kodak prize for bold commercial

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    ARU students Lisa-Marie Soulier, left, and Claudia Vogt at the awards ceremony

    Two Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) students have won a national award run by Kodak for a “bold” and “funny” commercial, beating off entries from 17 other universities and film schools from across the UK and Ireland.

    Director Claudia Vogt and producer Lisa-Marie Soulier, both 22-year-old third year BA (Hons) Film and Television Production students at ARU, collected the award for best overall film at a ceremony held at the historic Regent Street Cinema in London.

    The Kodak Student Commercial Awards is an annual competition run by Kodak and Nahemi, the national association for higher education in the moving image. The competition, which has been running for nearly 40 years, received a total of 61 entries this year.

    Students were provided with a 10 minute roll of Kodak 16mm film to make a 30 second commercial based on one of four live briefs set by advertising agencies McCann, Libertine and TBWA. Representatives from the national agencies were on the judging panel.

    The ARU students’ live brief was for the sexual health and wellbeing charity Brook, and their winning film, Eros – The Myth Buster, is a light-hearted commercial to promote the use of condoms.

    The judges described the commercial as “a film that really stood out with its original storytelling and bold, funny approach. The sharp writing had us laughing throughout, and it felt more like an entertaining story than an ad, in the best possible way.”

    In addition to Claudia and Lisa-Marie, the cinematographer for Eros – The Myth Buster was Jack Bryant and it was edited by Karina Bhojwani, who are also both third year BA (Hons) Film and Television Production students at ARU.

    “We didn’t expect to win first prize at all, so this is such a surprise. It’s also incredibly rewarding because it was quite a complicated shoot, using cameras we don’t use on a day-to-day basis, so this recognition from Kodak and the judges is fantastic.”

    Student Claudia Vogt, who directed the film

    “The brilliant thing about the Film and TV Production course at ARU is that it’s so hands-on and practical.

    “We have access to the very best equipment, such as ARRI Alexa Mini LF cameras, which are the same cameras used in Hollywood, and our tutors have been amazing. They’ve provided opportunities for us during the course to work with high-profile organisations such as the Imperial War Museum and Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, which is great for our portfolios.”

    Producer Lisa-Marie Soulier, who came to study at ARU from Montreal in Canada

    The pair also combined for their graduation film Saturday Night Butch, which is on show at the ARU Creative Showcase, and plan to continue working together after graduation.

    Claudia added: “We’ve made documentary, fiction and now adverts together, and we plan to expand on all of these and continue to focus on opportunities and projects that feel relevant to us.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Coinchange and Kanga Exchange Announce Partnership to Drive 30% User Adoption For Passive Income

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Toronto, Canada, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a significant step toward mainstreaming crypto-based passive income, Coinchange and Kanga Exchange have joined forces to offer automated yield solutions—resulting in over 30% user adoption in just months. The partnership between Coinchange, a digital asset management platform, and Kanga Exchange, a leading cryptocurrency exchange platform, demonstrates how the integration of yield-generating solutions can simplify access to passive income opportunities. The collaboration has enabled over 30% of Kanga’s active users to generate passive income through multi-strategy active portfolio management solutions on their digital asset holdings without requiring active supervision or technical expertise.


    Kanga and Coinchange Address Passive Income Needs

    Kanga Exchange operates over 800 physical exchange points across 12 countries, specifically serving users who prefer cash-based transactions or localized financial services. This model merges traditional finance with digital assets to serve both individual and institutional clients through its platform and wallet application. However, users increasingly wanted to grow their crypto holdings passively, which created a demand for tools that automate yield generation with minimal complexity.

    Coinchange addressed this need by integrating its Earn API into Kanga’s platform. The API connects user deposits to a range of protocols, automating how users earn returns and eliminating the need for manual intervention. This strategy is appealing to busy individuals as well as businesses that want to grow their unused funds without needing to navigate smart contracts or liquidity pools.


    Partnership Highlights: Key results

    • Increased earnings: Users achieved 3-5% higher yields on average compared to traditional savings and staking offerings;
    • Expanding reach: Kanga Exchange’s hundreds of thousands active users could see 30% adoption of its Earn product, underscoring surging demand for passive crypto income tools;
    • Instant access: Coinchange’s Earn product removed the typical 15–30 day waiting period  for Kanga Exchange, giving users easy and flexible access to their funds.


    Simplifying DeFi: How the Earn API Works for Users

    The Earn API simplifies the process: users deposit digital assets as well as stablecoins into their Kanga wallets, and the API automatically allocates funds across vetted protocols. This approach removes technical barriers, allowing users to benefit from decentralized finance without requiring knowledge of wallet addresses, gas fees, or market monitoring.

    Key advantages of the integration include:

    • Reduced transaction costs: The API aggregates funds & optimizes a multi-strategy approach to reduce transaction costs;
    • Automated yield generation: Algorithms handle asset allocation for consistent and diversified returns;
    • Liquidity preservation: Integration enables withdrawals without lock-up periods – removing the need to wait.


    Measurable Success and Market Impact

    The partnership has supported financial inclusion by making access to advanced portfolio composition tools streamlined. Users who previously avoided decentralized finance due to its complexity now earn passive income through a familiar exchange interface.

    The integration has demonstrated measurable success in enhancing user engagement, with 30% of users utilizing the yield feature. By making the process easier, Kanga has strengthened its value proposition as more than a trading platform, while Coinchange has expanded its reach to a diverse, globally distributed user base.


    Addressing Challenges: Trust and Compliance

    Initially, adoption faced challenges as users didn’t fully understand how risks were managed. Coinchange and Kanga addressed this by highlighting the Earn API’s security protocols and audit processes. Regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions necessitated the use of reporting tools, ensuring compliance with local financial regulations.


    Key Takeaways and Future Outlook

    The Coinchange-Kanga partnership case study exemplifies how strategic collaborations can unlock potential for mainstream audiences. The Earn API integration simplified complex technology, making it easy for Kanga’s global users to earn passive income. This model highlights the importance of infrastructure solutions in driving cryptocurrency adoption, particularly for users prioritizing simplicity and liquidity. To further enhance its comprehensive offering, Kanga Exchange also provides a crypto loan service. Looking ahead, Kanga is actively working on introducing advanced features, including futures contracts and trading competitions, to further expand its ecosystem. As the digital asset ecosystem evolves, similar integrations will likely play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between traditional finance and decentralized innovation.


    About Coinchange

    Coinchange is a digital asset management platform based in Canada that provides market-neutral, multi-management, and multi-strategy solutions. In order to produce steady, market-neutral yields as investment solutions for institutional clients, the company combines active portfolio management, transparency, and strategy diversification.


    About Kanga Exchange

    Kanga Exchange is a leading cryptocurrency platform born in Poland and built for the world. Since 2018, Kanga has been on a mission to make crypto accessible and usable in everyday life, not just as an investment, but as a real financial alternative.

    With a deep presence in Central Europe and an expanding international footprint, Kanga helps people easily move between crypto and cash through one of the region’s largest on-ramp and off-ramp infrastructures, including over 800 physical locations.

    More than just a trading platform, Kanga is committed to education and real-world adoption through initiatives like its free Kanga University, helping users explore the full potential of digital assets beyond speculation, focusing on everyday use, financial inclusion, and long-term impact.

    As it continues to grow, Kanga is building on its existing ecosystem of accessible financial tools, including peer-to-peer trading, crypto-backed services, and everyday crypto-to-cash solutions. Kanga makes crypto simpler, more useful, and more human for everyone, everywhere.

    Coinchange Social Media:
    Coinchange Website | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | App Store Application | Google Play Application

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: [Editorial] Samsung Employees Play Vital Role as Solve For Tomorrow Mentors

    Source: Samsung

    The global electronics giant has decided to take a closer look at the work done by its mentors – a group of Samsung employees who have volunteered their time to support participating students in the 2025 Solve for Tomorrow competition.
     
    The Top 20 schools that were selected to attend this year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow – Design Thinking workshops were paired with a group of mentors who were more than ready to turn and empower participating school learners into the next generation of problem-solvers. During these workshops which took place between April 10 and May 30, the 2025 mentors were able to assist both the participating learners and their educators by ensuring that they were equipped with essential skills and tools to approach problem-solving creatively and systematically.
     
    These advisors also played a crucial role in ensuring that the workshops fostered critical thinking, design thinking practices, teamwork and the ability for the learners to develop human-centred solutions. During these workshops, the mentors were able to offer support through Question & Answer (Q&A) sessions, video calls and other forms of communication. And when the work of these mentors was analysed – looking at how they contributed in empowering learners from different schools to transform ideas into tangible solutions that address real-world challenges – ultimately leading to positive change in their communities – this is how the whole process penned out:
     
    Zanele Sobuswa who was assigned to mentor learners form Mthiyaqhwa High School, in Kwa-Zulu Natal expressed just how  excited she was to be part of the group of mentors this year as well. Last year, Zanele mentored Mbilwi Secondary School learners that hailed from Limpopo into a second place win. She is convinced that she can also help this year’s KZN-based school to not only move into the Top 10, but also to be part of the Top 3 winners for 2025.
     

     
    This year, Zanele acted as a support structure – guiding learners of Mthiyaqhwa High School through the competition process and provided them with guidance in areas of problem-solving, research and prototyping. As a committed advisor who contributed to the development of learners last year as well – Zanele has once again helped to develop these incredible learner’s skills in STEM and encouraged their creative thinking capacity.
     
    Another dynamic Samsung employee who returned as a volunteer this year is Rose Legodi. Rose is a very passionate marketing professional at Samsung – she possesses a curious nature, which allows her to approach life with imagination, creativity and an open mind. She was yet again more than willing to share her expertise, experience and guidance with the learners from two Bloemfontein-based schools: Lenakeng Technical and Lereng Secondary Schools.
     

     
    In addition, Rose played a critical role in guiding learners from the two schools through the competition process and this included brainstorming and research – in preparation for the prototype development stage. She was also able to assist this year’s learners and their educators to not only identify a challenge, but to also come up with a solution that will help address a genuine and pressing issue within their community related to infrastructure and safety, using technology. Like all the other advisors, she also ensured that the ideas for their solutions were based on the 2025 theme: “Infrastructure and Safety”.
     
    Sizwe Mahlobo, another dedicated volunteer was assigned to a Limpopo based school – Thengwe Secondary. Sizwe has played a pivotal role in keeping his students focused and on track throughout the competition. He has successfully provided guidance and support to the learners, helping them to understand the competition’s requirements and develop their solutions. Importantly, during the workshops – Sizwe was able to help both the learners and teachers of Thengwe Secondary School with planning, learning and developing their solution – using the design thinking process.
     

     
    As a mentor and advisor, he has also managed to offer STEM expertise and experience, checking the learners’ ideas and helping them refine their solutions. Sizwe has successfully provided guidance and support to the learners as they are in the process of developing their projects and prototypes – helping them to refine their ideas even further, while improving their problem-solving skills.
     
    With the help of the Samsung mentors – one of the most significant and consistent takeaways from this year’s workshops is how the learners were able to effortlessly exercise their critical thinking skills. They have now been able to add to their STEM proficiency and are prepared for the rigors of higher education. Another critical observation is the growth in the learners confidence – allowing them to take on leadership roles, collaborate with their peers and successfully prepare to build their fully realised projects from idea to execution.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: [Editorial: Youth Month Testimonials] Samsung Education-Focused CSR Programmes Making A Positive Difference in the Lives of South African Youth

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung’s education-focused, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes strive to promote innovation and empower youth through technology; with the ultimate aim of addressing societal issues.
     
    These programmes offer support to underprivileged youth and aim to cultivate creative thinking while also providing critical skills training needed by the local economy. By doing so, Samsung is creating opportunities for young people to make a positive impact on their communities and society. Samsung spoke to some of the beneficiaries from its education-focused initiatives that are driven through technology and this is what they had to say:
     
    Siyabonga ‘Siya” Mojalefa Tshabalala originally from Qwaqwa in the Free State was part of the 2022 Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programme in partnership with Central University of Technology (CUT). SIC is a global initiative that upskills youth aged 18-25 in future technologies to enhance their employability while focusing on AI, IoT, Big Data and Coding. Siya explained: “ Through this SIC programme – I gained hands-on experience through paper coding, peer programming and projects and these skills have helped me to solve real-world problems. The programme also taught me some important soft skills that are required in work environments, these included communication, critical thinking, problem solving skills and ability to collaborate with others.”
     

     
    Another beneficiary, 26 year old Mulalo Ndou, did her undergrad in Mathematical Science and majored in Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). She also completed her honours in Risk Analysis (Cum-laude) at the University of the Free State (UFS).
     
    According to Mulalo, Samsung’s bursary fund was her light at the end of the tunnel. Mulalo received funding from Samsung when she needed it to complete her last year of studies. “I lost the funding I had for my studies in my final year and had to go back home, but Samsung came through for me, she said. “This bursary fund paid for my annual fees and accommodation in my final year and postgraduate studies. It also provided me with a monthly meal and living stipend as well as an allowance for a laptop.”
     

     
    After Mulalo finished her postgrad, Samsung provided her with an internship opportunity. “When the internship period was over, Samsung gave me a full-time position as a Process Improvement Data Analyst/Reporting Specialist am very grateful to the individuals at Samsung who helped me to be successful in my role,” she added. In an effort to pay it forward, Mulalo also works as a volunteer at Rising Females in STEM, as she is also a Rising Female in Technology and Mathematics.
     
    Mulalo said that she has always wanted to be one of the mentors in the Samsung Solve For Tomorrow (SFT) programme. “This SFT opportunity came at the right time and has been an amazing experience. I am learning something new each day from the participating learners and most importantly, how to become a great mentor.”
     
    Nzumbululo Todani, an 18 year old learner from Mbilwi Secondary in Thohoyandou, Limpopo. Nzumbululo is one of the beneficiaries from the SFT contest that challenges students to use STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills to solve real-world problems in their respective, local communities. His participation in the SFT competition has proved to be invaluable – he attributes his academic achievements in 2024 to his experience in the programme. Nzumbululo was awarded the top learner in the province for the 2024 NSC examinations with an average aggregate of 97%. Also, he was awarded for obtaining 300/300 in two gateway subjects: Physical Science and Geography.
     

     
    “When I participated in the contest, I assumed the role of team co-ordinator, managing and planning the daily landscape of the project and doing quality control on the prototype as well as all papers written and the final presentation. The competition left me with invaluable communication, leadership, planning, evaluation and time management skills.”
     
    Thoriso Rangata is a 32 year male entrepreneur and the owner of KTO Digital – a Business Process Automation, Software Development Services and Background Screening Software as a Service (SaaS) solution provider. He currently stays in Johannesburg but is originally from Limpopo and is one of the beneficiaries of the Samsung EEIP Entrepreneurship Development Programme. Thoriso became part of the programme when he responded to a public call for applications. At the time, his business needed support so that they could meet the company’s growth objectives.”

    Since being part of the EEIP programme, Thoriso won the Nedbank Business of the Year Award in 2022. His company also launched their own product and received accreditation for the business as a credit bureau in 2022.
     
    “The other direct benefits that we received from being part of the programme included: Grant Funding, Asset Financing and Continuous Business Mentorship that our business needed in order for us to move forward, Thoriso added. “We strongly believe that the skills we acquired from this EEIP programme, which included Business regulatory governance structures and strategic business growth approaches/methods – have contributed to the success of our business to date.”
     
    Through these education-focused CSR programmes that are driven by technology, Samsung is actively promoting the transfer of critical skills as well as both employment and entrepreneurship opportunities that are needed by the country’s youth and the local economy.
     
    The testimonials from the youth that participated in Samsung’s programmes mentioned above, are a clear indication of the impact the company is making in South Africa. By continuing to fund such programmes, Samsung is working towards winning the fight against youth unemployment, inequality and poverty in the country;  through job creation and the development of a skilled workforce.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Successfully Wraps Up 2025 “Solve For Tomorrow” Design Thinking Workshops with Top 20 of SA’s Brilliant, Young Minds

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung has officially wrapped up the 2025 “Solve for Tomorrow” Design Thinking Workshops in South Africa, which took place between 10 April and 30 May, with some of the country’s brightest and talented young minds.
     
    These Design Thinking Workshops were part of Phase 2 of the competition – where the top 20 schools were invited to collaborate and develop paper prototypes of their solutions. This phase has offered learners from various schools in the country, an opportunity to experience hands-on collaborative guidance from Samsung’s mentors who helped them to tackle the next phase of their prototype developments.
     
    Themed: “Infrastructure and Safety” – the Design Thinking workshops in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest are designed to equip learners with the skills to transform their ideas into workable solutions, particularly those addressing community challenges. The recent workshops focused on critical thinking, human-centred problem-solving and collaborative design.
     
    According to Lefa Makgato, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager for Samsung Electronics in Southern Africa: “It was amazing to see how well the school learners and their educators that participated in this year’s Design Thinking Workshops responded to their assigned mentors and the experience as a whole. Both the learners and their educators found this experience engaging and beneficial for their learning and design processes.”
     

     
    “As Samsung, we believe that the activities that these learners engaged in during the workshops are meeting the overall objectives of the Solve for Tomorrow competition. This contest has, from the onset, been seeking to foster collaboration among the learners, educators and their mentors as well as to develop their skills and promote a growth mindset. Importantly, this experience has now encouraged independent learning, challenged the learners’ perspectives and allowed their mentors the opportunity to provide them with valuable feedback.”
     
    Some of the aspects of the Design Thinking workshops included the following:

    Skills Development: Learners have gained valuable skills in translating their ideas into practical solutions that can solve their respective communities’ problems.
    Human-Centred Design: The workshops emphasised understanding user needs and created solutions that can address real-world challenges.
    Cognitive & Structured Processes: Participants have now learnt structured processes for creative problem-solving.
    Collaboration & Communication: The workshops have fostered teamwork and improved the learner’s communication skills, which are essential for successful project development.
    Prototype Development: These workshops have now successfully prepared learners for the next phase of the competition, where they will develop and present their prototypes.
    Inspiration & Motivation: The workshops are designed to foster a mindset of innovation and problem-solving, encouraging learners to “think, speak and act like designers.
    Support for Teachers: The workshops have also gone an extra mile as they have benefitted the teachers as well. This platform and the mentors have provided the tools and guidance for the educators to support their learners in the next, prototype development phase.

     
    And furthermore, with the help of Samsung mentors – the workshops have cultivated a mindset of innovation and great problem-solving skills. The Samsung team is convinced that the solutions developed by the brilliant learners in conjunction with their educators during this year’s workshops – have the potential to make a real difference in their respective communities.
     
    Makgato added: “We are pleased with the impact and outcomes of this year’s Design Thinking Workshops. And, we are certain that these workshops have achieved the objective of enhancing the learners’ ability to identify, analyse and solve problems creatively and effectively. 
     
    “As Samsung, we remain committed to using programmes such as the Solve for Tomorrow to bridge the country’s resource gap in STEM education. We believe that by fostering innovation and social impact through technology, we also inspire learners to use their skills to improve their respective communities,” she concluded.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Politics with Michelle Grattan: Senator Tammy Tyrrell on wild days in Tasmania

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

    Tasmanian politics has been thrown into chaos after a Labor motion of no confidence forced Premier Jeremy Rockliff to either resign or call for a new election. The premier opted for the latter, with Tasmanians to vote on July 19, only something over a year into the four-year term.

    In Tasmania, Australia’s smallest state in terms of both size and population, local issues dominate. Labor homed in on economic mismanagement.

    But there is controversy over the Macquarie Point Hobart AFL stadium (which the major parties support) as well as the state’s important salmon industry, which saw a lot of attention federally in the lead-up to the last election.

    To talk all things Tasmanian, we’re joined by Independent Tasmanian Senator Tammy Tyrrell. She was elected in 2022 under the banner of the Jacqui Lambie Network a former member of the party but left last year. We talk about the state election, as well as federal issues and the new Senate.

    Tyrrell laments Tasmanians’ being made to vote again so soon,

    I was out and about on the northwest coast of Tasmania all day yesterday and everybody was like, what the heck is going on? They don’t want to go to an election, the people of Tasmania, they want the parliament to actually be grown ups and sort it out amongst themselves.

    The budget in Tasmania is in a shambles and we’re so far in the red that we can’t see any way out of it. But really? There’s no way that the Labor [party] is going to form government unless they form a minority government and no Tasmanian will support a Labor-Greens government again in a hurry. But I really think that the Liberal government should have elevated somebody else from within to be the leader, to be the premier.

    On her former boss Jacqui Lambie whose party has now collapsed, Tyrrell says it’s because of the kind of person she is,

    [In] the federal election, Jacqui focused outside of Tasmania. She focused on expanding the network. And it didn’t work for her because she didn’t campaign enough here in Tasmania.

    It’s a shame that she’s not supporting the candidate that is still sitting with her under the network. […] I think she should have stuck by Andrew Jenner and supported him through this [Tasmanian] election because he has shown loyalty to her and he has stuck it through thick and thin. So I believe he should be able to run back under the banner.

    Jacqui is a strong person and the network had every chance to be a strong network, but Jacqui [is] not really a team player. She’s more of a single athlete because she’s so determined and strong of her opinion and it’s hard to take a group forward when you’ve got such a strong force that does not communicate sideways very well. She is a strong human being and I still believe in Jacqui but it makes it hard for her to have a team.

    On the salmon farming industry, while Tyrrell voices her support, she agrees that environmental concerns do matter,

    I support any industry that puts jobs and money into small rural and regional communities in Tasmania. I agree that they need to be as eco and as green friendly as possible and I know that the salmon industry is doing things to be clean and as green as possible. But I also believe that we need to look after the people who live and work in Tasmania.

    We can’t sacrifice an industry completely just to satisfy the people that don’t like the salmon industry. I will always support the people of Tasmania and encourage industry and business to be as eco-friendly as possible, which is why we’re encouraging as many biofuels and eco-green fuel companies as possible to come to Tasmania, and thrive here.

    On reports that the Nationals approached her to join their party. Tyrell says while she didn’t seriously consider it, she took it as a “compliment”,

    It was a big compliment though. The Nats represent rural and regional Australia beautifully, by speaking their voice and for them to see that I am representing the people of Tasmania in a good light. It was a huge compliment to be approached to join them. But I’d already been in a relationship and I’m quite happy being a single divorcee.

    It’s amazing being an independent, it means that I can say and do what my community wants me to in their voice without having to agree to broad-sweeping politics or legislative ideas that I don’t agree with fundamentally.

    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. Politics with Michelle Grattan: Senator Tammy Tyrrell on wild days in Tasmania – https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-senator-tammy-tyrrell-on-wild-days-in-tasmania-258802

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Scrum Alliance and Northwestern University Join Forces to Empower the Next Generation with Essential Scrum and Agile Skills

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Through a unique collaboration, Scrum Alliance® a global leader in agile certifications, and Northwestern University School of Professional Studies (SPS), renowned for its prestigious academic programs and dedicated approach to professional development, have joined forces to offer a suite of on-demand courses designed to equip professionals with essential agile skills.

    No matter where an organization is in its agile transformation, these on-demand courses offer ways to understand agile adoption success factors, management approaches and change management development.

    All three courses offer the ultimate flexibility, letting those who desire to stay ahead of the curve learn anytime, anywhere and at their own pace. But it’s not just about convenience — these courses will provide the tools to seize opportunities and deliver real, impactful results in any industry. Whether it’s advancing a career or transforming an organization, these courses provide the expertise you need to thrive in today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving business world.

    “Agility is no longer just a buzzword; it’s the key to thriving in today’s volatile, fast-moving business world,” said Tristan Boutros, CEO of Scrum Alliance. “This partnership with Northwestern University allows us to deliver actionable skills that go beyond theory — these are concrete skills that help professionals mobilize strategy, drive measurable bottom-line results and mitigate risk. Whether it’s managing projects more effectively, leveraging AI advancements or responding to shifts in the market, agility is essential for today’s leaders who need to act fast, think ahead and lead with impact.”

    Professionals will have access to three on-demand microcredential courses offered by Scrum Alliance with each course launching this summer.

    1. Agile Stakeholder Engagement will launch in early July. Effective stakeholder communication is crucial for product owners and scrum masters to ensure project alignment, build relationships and maintain engagement throughout the agile process. This course will explain best practices for communication between agile and traditional projects while identifying and prioritizing stakeholder’s communication needs.
    2. Agile Change Management will launch in August. Whether your organization is just beginning its agile transformation or is further along, it’s crucial to help your team quickly adapt. This course addresses common obstacles teams face during agile transitions and offers change management strategies to overcome resistance.
    3. Mastering Hybrid Agile is scheduled to launch in September. This course helps teams—remote, hybrid and in-person—optimize collaboration and tackle the challenges of distributed work. Participants will explore agile practices to enhance communication, streamline teamwork and overcome common hurdles in hybrid environments, ensuring success on any project.

    Each course is between three and five hours long and covers several modules and examples. Interactive and practical exercises are integrated throughout each microcredential to apply what was learned. Together, Northwestern University and Scrum Alliance encourage those already in the workforce to take advantage of these offerings and advance their professional skills.

    “SPS is committed to offering high-quality, flexible, and accessible educational programs that advance the careers of working professionals,” said Erica Wilke Bova, Ed.D., Assistant Dean, Professional Education Programs. “This partnership enables us to create contemporary curricula in an innovative format that meets the workforce needs of Scrum Alliance’s network.”

    About Scrum Alliance®
    As the first not-for-profit focused on agile education and professional credentialing, Scrum Alliance continues to advance its position of Agile for Anyone™ by equipping professionals and their organizations with the education, skills, and community needed to succeed in today’s ever-evolving workplaces.

    Learn more at www.scrumalliance.org.

    About Northwestern University
    Northwestern University is a leading private research institution with campuses in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois. Known for its academic excellence and commitment to innovation, Northwestern offers a wide range of professional development programs through its School of Professional Studies, preparing individuals for success in an ever-evolving global economy.

    For more information or to enroll in the new agile courses, please visit www.scrumalliance.org or www.sps.northwestern.edu.

    Media Contact
    Bethany Rhodes
    Uproar by Moburst for Scrum Alliance
    bethany@moburst.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to Environment Agency declaring drought status for Yorkshire

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on a drought status confirmed in Yorkshire, as announced by the Environment Agency. 

    Dr Jess Neumann, Associate Professor in Hydrology, University of Reading, said:  

    “The drought announcement in Yorkshire comes only a few weeks after parts of north-west England declared a drought. 

    “An unseasonably dry spring, the driest in nearly 90 years, means many reservoir levels are only 60-65% full, well below the 80-85% average for this time of year. The lack of rainfall is placing significant strain on public water supplies, affecting agricultural crop production, and harming wildlife and the environment. 

    “Water companies are implementing their drought action plans as another warm and dry week is forecast ahead. Small actions and changes to behaviour can have an important role to play. People should be mindful of their water use, and I would urge everyone to develop water-saving habits. Small actions such as capturing water from the tap in a jug while waiting for it to run hot, turning taps off when brushing your teeth, and using a watering can rather than a hose in the garden may prevent harsher restrictions, such as so-called “hosepipe bans” being needed, in the coming weeks and months.

    “Two large areas of England are now in drought status. This raises important questions about the security of our water in the long term. Water is no longer abundant and plentiful. We urgently need to adjust to a future of climate change and water stress and invest in infrastructure and regulations to save water.

    “At the same time, the forecast for the UK is suggesting that there is potential for some torrential downpours and thunderstorms, which may bring rapid flash flooding, especially to the west of England and Wales, but with eastern England, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland also at risk.

    “The recent dry weather conditions, which can lead to dry soils or baked, hard ground, may actually increase run-off rates, potentially increasing the risk of hazardous flash flooding.

    “Currently the UK is sandwiched between high pressure to the east and low pressure in the west, driving hot, humid air across the country, creating conditions for active thunderstorms.

    “The current climatic picture in the UK shows water stress and uncertainty in some regions while other areas are facing risks of flooding. This pattern of extreme weather and regional variability is in keeping with the impacts of the hotter atmosphere and warmer, higher seas that we are already experiencing as a result of our increasingly changing climate.”

    Declared interests

    Jess Neumann: “I am a trustee of the Charity River Mole River Watch. We work with water companies including SES Water and the Environment Agency.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Sky Quarry Applies for Recycling Permit to Launch Integrated Energy Facility in Utah

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WOODS CROSS, Utah, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYQ) (“Sky Quarry” or “the Company”), an integrated energy solutions company committed to revolutionizing the waste asphalt shingle recycling industry, today announced that it has filed a Waste Management Recycling Permit application to Utah regulators. If approved, the permit would allow the Company to operate a combined oil sands extraction and waste asphalt shingle recycling facility at its PR Spring site, unlocking new commercial pathways and expanding revenue-generating operations.

    The application is accompanied by a request to the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), the Utah state agency responsible for managing trust lands on behalf of public education, for approval of a combined permit structure. This would allow Sky Quarry and its wholly owned subsidiary, 2020 Resources, to consolidate shingle processing, heavy oil extraction, and asphaltic sand production under a unified sustainable waste energy development plan.

    If approved, the permit would open the door to several operational initiatives at the PR Spring site, including:

    • Commercialization of approximately $1 million in asphaltic sand inventory.
    • Deployment of the Company’s ECOSolv process to support on-site heavy oil extraction.
    • Continued advancement of recycled product development through R&D.
    • Demonstration of scalable remediation methods applicable across U.S. markets.

    Sky Quarry projects a combined recovery of approximately 10 million barrels over a 15-year period from oil sands and recycled shingles, based on the PR Spring facility’s operating capacity of 2,000 barrels per day.

    “This is a critical step in scaling our waste-to-energy platform and creating multiple revenue streams from a single operational footprint,” said David Sealock, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Sky Quarry. “It will allow us to showcase how our blended recycling and extraction model functions at a commercial level.”

    The permit application also represents a meaningful step forward in Sky Quarry’s commercial roadmap, aligning with the Company’s long-term vision to integrate recycling and resource recovery. It is expected to:

    • Enable early-stage cash flow from asphaltic sand and oil sales.
    • Strengthen the Company’s ESG and sustainability profile.
    • Enhance the long-term strategic value of its oil sands assets.

    Mr. Sealock continued, “This application and lease proposal reflects our continued progress toward developing scalable, commercially viable solutions that we believe align with Utah’s economic and environmental priorities. We look forward to working closely with SITLA and state regulators to move this vision forward.”

    About Sky Quarry Inc.

    Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYQ) and its subsidiaries are, collectively, an oil production, refining, and a development-stage environmental remediation company formed to deploy technologies to facilitate the recycling of waste asphalt shingles and remediation of oil-saturated sands and soils. Our waste-to-energy mission is to repurpose and upcycle millions of tons of asphalt shingle waste, diverting them from landfills. By doing so, we can contribute to improved waste management, promote resource efficiency, conserve natural resources, and reduce environmental impact. For more information, please visit skyquarry.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may include ”forward-looking statements.” All statements pertaining to our future financial and/or operating results, future events, or future developments may constitute forward-looking statements. The statements may be identified by words such as “expect,” “look forward to,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “will,” “project,” or words of similar meaning. Such statements are based on the current expectations and certain assumptions of our management, of which many are beyond our control. These are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and factors, including but not limited to those described in our disclosures. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying expectations not occur or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or our achievements may (negatively or positively) vary materially from those described explicitly or implicitly in the relevant forward-looking statement. We neither intend, nor assume any obligation, to update or revise these forward-looking statements in light of developments which differ from those anticipated. You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and the Company’s other disclosures, including the statements made under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s Form 10-K as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025, as well as the Company’s Form 10-Q as filed with the SEC on May 15, 2025. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are contained.

    Investor Relations
    Jennifer Standley
    Director of Investor Relations
    Ir@skyquarry.com

    Company Website
    www.skyquarry.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LPL Financial Welcomes Runyan Capital

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LPL Financial LLC announced today that financial advisor Jeff Runyan has joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and custodial platforms. He reported serving approximately $330 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets* and joins LPL from Wedbush Securities.

    Based in Beverly Hills, Calif., Runyan grew up in Missouri, where his passion for financial discipline took root early and deepened over time. After beginning his career in wealth management in 2001, he set out to fulfill a lifelong dream of building his own firm. In 2010, he founded Runyan Capital, an independent firm dedicated to delivering an elevated wealth management experience. With over two decades of experience in investment management, Runyan remains grounded in the midwestern values that shaped him, earning a reputation as a trusted advisor known for thoughtful guidance and a deep commitment to helping clients make confident, informed financial decisions.

    “Our guiding principle is: ‘Discipline Makes the Difference,’” Runyan said. “The Runyan Capital process of building portfolios for each client incorporates behavioral economics research, taking a disciplined and proactive approach that helps prevent reactionary changes, aligns with each client’s individual goals, and contributes to their long-term success.”

    Looking for improved technology offerings, more autonomy and the opportunity to amplify the elevated client experience, the Runyan Capital team, which includes Connor Brumfield, Sam Aamot and Jenni Runyan, Jeff’s wife, turned to LPL.

    “We chose to partner with LPL because of its size, scale and reputation, as well as their impressive integrated and streamlined technology,” Runyan said. “Making the move to LPL will allow us to take our business to the next level and provide our clients with an enhanced level of service.”

    Outside of work, Runyan enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and is an avid endurance athlete, having run marathons around the world. He has served on several boards, including the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills, PIMCO’s Investment Management Member Advisory Board for Financial Advisors and The Friends of Greystone in Beverly Hills. A proud alumnus of the University of Missouri, he remains an active supporter of its faculty and programs and is a lifetime member of the university’s Chancellor’s Fund for Excellence.

    Scott Posner, LPL Managing Director, Business Development, said, “We welcome Jeff, Connor, Sam and Jenni to the LPL community and congratulate them on this milestone in the evolution of their practice. Just as the Runyan Capital team offers their unwavering dedication to their client’s financial success, we are committed to helping our advisors differentiate themselves and enhance the client experience. We look forward to supporting Runyan Capital in this next chapter of their business.”

    Related
    Advisors, learn how LPL Financial can help take your business to the next level.

    About LPL Financial

    LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) is among the fastest growing wealth management firms in the U.S. As a leader in the financial advisor-mediated marketplace, LPL supports over 29,000 financial advisors and the wealth management practices of approximately 1,200 financial institutions, servicing and custodying approximately $1.8 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets on behalf of approximately 7 million Americans. The firm provides a wide range of advisor affiliation models, investment solutions, fintech tools and practice management services, ensuring that advisors and institutions have the flexibility to choose the business model, services, and technology resources they need to run thriving businesses. For further information about LPL, please visit www.lpl.com.

    Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC (“LPL Financial”), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Runyan Capital and LPL Financial are separate entities.

    Throughout this communication, the terms “financial advisors” and “advisors” are used to refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial.

    We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the “Investor Relations” or “Press Releases” section of our website.

    *Value approximated based on asset and holding details provided to LPL from end of year, 2024.

    Media Contact: 
    Media.relations@LPLFinancial.com 

    Tracking #752320

    The MIL Network –