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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI USA: Read More (ICYMI: U.S. Rep. Greg Steube Congratulates FL-17 Students Appointed to U.S. Military Academies)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)

    May 13, 2025 | Press Releases

    SARASOTA — In case you missed it, U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) on Friday congratulated nine students from Florida’s 17th Congressional District who have received appointments to U.S. Service Academies following his nomination process in December.
    “These exceptional young men and women have chosen a path of duty, discipline, and devotion to the United States of America,” said Rep. Steube. “It’s an honor to nominate students from Florida’s 17th District who are answering the call to serve. At a time when our nation needs strong, principled leaders, these appointees represent the very best of our communities. I thank them for their commitment to defending our freedoms and upholding the values that make our country great.”
    Rep. Steube joined several of the appointees and their families at a congratulatory luncheon hosted by his office last week.
    Sydney Brann of Sarasota High School has been appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.Quinn Briggs of Lemon Bay High School has been appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.Keller Button of Sarasota Military Academy has been appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.Patrick Hooper of Lemon Bay High School has been appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.Zoe Kirby of Cardinal Mooney High School has been appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.Ava Micholopoulos of Pine View School has been appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.Sydney Pablo of Venice High School has been appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.Jaden White of Dunbar High School has been appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.Christine Wu of Pine View School has been appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
    The appointees will attend three of our nation’s five prestigious U.S. Service Academies: the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, MD; and the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, CO. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and U.S. Coast Guard Academy are also among the five federal service academies, though no FL-17 students received appointments to those institutions this year. The Coast Guard Academy is the only service academy that does not require a congressional nomination. You can learn more about the service academy nomination process here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: FAVO Capital Announces Participation in the D. Boral Capital Inaugural Global Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via IBN — FAVO Capital, Inc. (OTC: FAVO) (“FAVO Capital” or the “Company”), a leading provider of revenue-based funding solutions for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), today announced that it will participate in the D. Boral Capital Inaugural Global Conference, where Shaun Quin, President of FAVO Capital, will engage with potential investors and highlight the Company’s growth strategy and market opportunities.

    Conference Details:

    • Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2025
    • Location: New York City
    • Venue: The Plaza Hotel

    “We are looking forward to engaging with potential investors and learning what exactly the industry is looking for in a company about to IPO”. Said Vincent Napolitano, CEO of FAVO Capital, he added, “We believe this platform will showcase the company to new and potential investors.”

    The D. Boral Capital Inaugural Global Conference is a premier event bringing together emerging growth issuers and institutional investors. With approximately seventy-five companies presenting and hundreds of institutional investors in attendance, the conference provides FAVO Capital with a platform to showcase its innovative funding solutions and engage directly with the investment community.

    “We are excited to participate in the D. Boral Capital Inaugural Global Conference,” said Shaun Quin, President of FAVO Capital. “This event is an excellent opportunity for us to connect with investors, share our strategy, and highlight our growth story as we embark towards an uplisting.”

    Investors attending the conference are encouraged to reach out to FAVO Capital to arrange one-on-one meetings with the Company’s management team.

    About FAVO Capital, Inc.

    FAVO Capital, Inc. (OTC: FAVO) is a private credit firm specializing in alternative financing solutions for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the United States. Since its inception, FAVO Capital has supported more than 10,000 businesses. FAVO Capital is committed to financial transparency, sustainable growth, and empowering SMBs with flexible funding solutions. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, the company also has operations in New York and the Dominican Republic.

    For more information, visit www.favocapital.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

    Investor Alerts

    Interested investors and shareholders are encouraged to sign up for press releases and industry updates by registering for Email Alerts at FAVO News Alerts.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include, but are not limited to, projections, estimates, and expectations regarding future trends, financial performance, and operational strategies. Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “believes,” “plans,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” or similar expressions.

    These statements are based on the company’s current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions and are subject to significant risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, market conditions, regulatory developments, competition, economic conditions, and the company’s ability to execute its business strategy.

    Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated, and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances, or changes in expectations after the date of this press release, except as required by law.

    Company Contact:

    FAVO Capital, Inc.
    4300 N University Drive
    D-105
    Lauderhill, FL 33351

    Investor Relations:
    Scott McGowan
    InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN)
    Phone: 310.299.1717
    ir@favocapital.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What will the Antichrist look like? According to Western thought, an authoritarian king – or the pope

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Philip C. Almond, Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland

    Composite image by The Conversation. Images courtesy of TruthSocial/@realDonaldTrump and Wikimedia Commons

    The US presidency and the papacy came together on May 3 when Donald Trump posted an AI-generated photograph of himself dressed as the pope to Truth Social. The image was then shared by the White House’s accounts.

    Seated in an ornate (Mar-a-Lago-style) golden chair, he was wearing a white cassock and a bishop’s hat, with his right forefinger raised.

    Trump has since told reporters he “had nothing to do with it […] somebody did it in fun”.

    This image of “Pope Donald I” is of historical significance, for reasons of which, no doubt, the White House and Trump were blissfully unaware. It is the first ever image to combine the two most important understandings of the figure of the Antichrist in Western thought: on the one hand, that of the pope, and on the other, that of the authoritarian, despotic world emperor.

    On April 22, the day after Pope Francis’ death, Trump declared “I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice”. On April 28, Trump told The Atlantic “I run the country and the world”.

    So, both pope and world emperor.

    The Imperial Antichrist

    In the New Testament, the First Letter of John says, before Christ came again, the Antichrist will appear: the most conspicuous sign the end of the world was near.

    The Antichrist would be the archetypal evil human being who would persecute the Christian faithful. He would be finally defeated by the forces of good. As Sir Isaac Newton suggested, “searching the Prophecies which [God] hath given us to know Antichrist by” is a Christian obligation.

    The first life of the Antichrist was written by a Benedictine monk, Adso of Montier-en-der, around 1,100 years ago. According to Adso, the Antichrist would be a tyrannical evil king who would corrupt all those around him with gold and silver. He would be brought up in all forms of wickedness. Evil spirits would be his instructors and his constant companions.

    The Antichrist, left, is depicted as a king, in this image from a 12th century manuscript.
    Wikimedia Commons

    Seeking his own glory, as Adso put it, this king “will call himself Almighty God”.

    The Antichrist was opposite to everything Christ-like. According to the Christian tradition, Christ was fully human yet absolutely “sin free”. The Antichrist too was fully human, but completely “sin full”. The Antichrist was not so much a supernatural being who became flesh, as a human being who became fully demonised.

    Influenced by Christian stories of the Antichrist, Islam and Judaism constructed their own Antichrists – al-Dajjal, the Antichrist of the Muslims, and Armilus, the Antichrist of the Jews. Both al-Dajjal and Armilus are king-like messiahs.

    Over the centuries, many world leaders have been labelled “the Antichrist” – the Roman emperors Nero and Domitian were Antichrist figures, and the French emperor Napoleon was named the Antichrist in his own time.

    There have been more recent leaders who have been likened to the Antichrist, among them former president of Iraq Saddam Hussein, King Charles III, former Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev, al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, and Trump.

    The Papal Antichrist

    In the year 1190, King Richard I of England, on his way to the Holy Land, was informed by the Italian theologian Joachim of Fiore (c.1135–1202) the next pope would be the Antichrist.

    In the history of the Antichrist, this was a momentous occasion. From this time on, the tyrannical Antichrist outside of the Church would be juxtaposed with the papal deceiver within it.

    That the Catholic pope was the Antichrist was the common reading of the pope in the 16th-century Protestant Reformation.

    Martin Luther (1483–1546), the founder of the Protestant revolution, declared the pope “is the true […] Antichrist who has raised himself over and set himself against Christ”.

    Just as all Christians would not worship the Devil as God, he went on to say, “so we cannot allow his apostle the pope or Antichrist, to govern as our head or lord”.

    This 1877 painting depicts Martin Luther summoned by the Catholic Church in 1521, to renounce or reaffirm his views criticising Pope Leo X.
    Wikimedia Commons

    As he was about to be burned by the Catholic Queen Mary for his Protestant beliefs, the Anglican bishop Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556) declared, “as for the pope, I refuse him, as Christ’s enemy and antichrist with all his false doctrine”.

    Even in 1988, as Pope John Paul II addressed the European Parliament, the Northern Ireland hardline Protestant leader Ian Paisley roared, “Antichrist! I renounce you and all your cults and creeds” – to which, we are told, the pope gave a slight bemused smile.

    Except among the most extreme of Protestant conservatives, the idea of the papal Antichrist no longer has any purchase. The papal Antichrist has vacated the Western stage for the imperial Antichrist.

    The Antichrist and the end of the world

    In the history of Christianity, the idea of the Antichrist was a key part of Christian expectations about the return of Christ and the end of the world.

    In the final battle between the forces of good and evil, the Antichrist would be defeated by the forces of Christ. In short, the rise of the world emperor who was the Antichrist was a sign that the end of the world was at hand.

    In the light of the Western history of “the Antichrist”, the image of the imperial and papal US president is a powerful sign that the global order – at least as we have known it for the last 80 years – may be at an end.



    Read more:
    Five things to know about the Antichrist

    Philip C. Almond 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. What will the Antichrist look like? According to Western thought, an authoritarian king – or the pope – https://theconversation.com/what-will-the-antichrist-look-like-according-to-western-thought-an-authoritarian-king-or-the-pope-256205

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tax Canadian movies? Why culture has always been at the centre of trade wars

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sarah E.K. Smith, Canada Research Chair in Art, Culture & Global Relations and Associate Professor, Faculty of Information & Media Studies, Western University

    The United States government recently announced a plan to leverage a 100 per cent tariff on “foreign” films. President Donald Trump explained it was because he wanted to protect the U.S. film industry. He said other reasons include “national security” and “propaganda.”

    The current announcement may seem out of place in trade talks about steel and automobiles. But culture has long been a key part of North American trade relations.

    In my book, Trading on Art: Cultural Diplomacy and Free Trade in North America, I examine how culture became a vital tool for shaping relationships among Canada, Mexico and the United States. I focus on visual art — including exhibitions and museum initiatives — to show how culture is intertwined with the negotiation of free trade in North America.

    A history of cultural negotiations

    In the late 20th century, when Canada negotiated the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (later expanded into NAFTA), culture was central to free-trade debates.

    The period was charged with anxiety over American cultural imperialism and concerns about protecting Canadian cultural production. Ultimately, at Canada’s urging, culture was formally exempted from free-trade agreements, with limited provisions focused on cultural industries. But even though the cultural exemption in trade agreements may give the impression that culture has nothing to do with the histories of free trade, my research shows otherwise.

    This exemption isn’t just about protecting markets. Political scientist Patricia Goff says it also comes from a “desire to uphold …a distinct cultural identity.” Culture held a key place in the discussions about the impact of free trade. And it served as a means to construct new geopolitical identities, helping to introduce and reinforce the trade alliance.

    Culture was mobilized in different ways. It functioned as a unifying tool, but also a venue for critique.

    For example, following the creation of NAFTA, the online exhibition Panoramas: The North American Landscape in Art brought together art from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. The show offered a new transnational approach and explored landscapes across the continent.

    Other artworks such as Free Expression by Canadian activist-artists Carole Condé and Karl Beveridge articulated a critical response to impending free trade. Their piece depicts apprehension about the danger of U.S. cultural domination and speaks to the need to protect Canada’s cultural producers.

    Art as a diplomatic tool

    All three governments — of Canada, Mexico and the United States — used art exhibitions as a way to create and share stories about North American unity. While art has long been used for national narratives, this collaboration and these new stories about the North American region were a departure.

    For most of the 20th century, people did not think of North America as a unified or shared cultural entity. Most people saw the Americas as divided between Anglo and Latin America.

    Art was seen as a means to overcome this. It provided a way to support and depict the new alliance between Canada, Mexico and the United States under free trade. Exhibitions offered a way to depict North America in a new perspective. They presented concepts about continental unity to the public.

    During a trip to Canada, President Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mila Mulroney sing during a gala performance at Grand Théâtre de Québec in March 1985.
    (Ronald Reagan Library), CC BY

    How could Canada, Mexico and the United States understand themselves as part of a regional group? These art shows worked on many levels. They brought together work that helped make visual, thematic connections. They helped cultural professionals meet and make connections. They helped museums forge relationships.

    On top of that, the exhibitions also provided diplomatic spaces. Many openings celebrated specific moments in bi- and trilateral relationships, creating and facilitating social spaces for diplomatic and government connections.

    In this way, these exhibitions functioned as a form of cultural diplomacy. Some were initiated by governments to mark the economic integration of the continent. Others picked up on new understandings of the continent that were circulating. It was a process, according to American historian Nicholas Cull, by which international relationships became managed through the circulation of “cultural resources and achievements.”

    Art and cultural exchange gave people a meaningful and accessible way to see and understand the growing ties between the three countries. Art also offered a powerful and engaging way to tell the public about North American connections.

    Artistic resistance, critiques of free trade

    These were not the only messages circulating in this period. A body of contemporary art questioned and challenged free trade.

    For many Canadian artists, their work offered a means to question and critique increasing economic integration under free trade. In the 1980s and ‘90s, video art was a particularly active site for such work.

    An affordable medium that was easily disseminated, video art critiqued the media coverage of free trade, reflected on cultural nationalism and advanced experimental narratives about North America. Video art was also deeply tied to the anti-globalization protests that began at the start of the economic integration of North America under free trade.

    Video offered a space for creative expression and documentation of the protests. Video also enhanced protection for activists who were safer because they were recording their encounters with law enforcement. Beyond producing artworks, many artists joined other cultural producers, community and labour organizations to advocate against free trade.

    A behind-the-scenes image from the film shoot for ‘Acknowledgment’ (2020) by Jonathan Elliott.
    (Andrew Williamson for the City of Toronto/Toronto History Museums), CC BY-NC

    The role of culture

    Free-trade agreements radically reshaped the economies and public understandings of the western hemisphere in the late 20th century. Political scientist Guy Poitras argues that North America as a region was invented at this time.

    Culture is often overlooked when considering free-trade histories and dismissed as a form of “soft power.” But the cultural sphere does not sit apart from daily life and political economic concerns. Art and exhibitions from this period offer a rich vantage point on how free trade was perceived and contested. Examination of culture also reveals how it was used to construct a North American identity.

    Culture is not simply an entity to be instrumentalized for international relations, but a key venue in which these relations always play out. In the lead up to the renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and amid the current tariff war, the ties between Canada, Mexico and the United States seem fragile. We should pay attention to how culture will be used as a tool to support or fracture these connections.

    Sarah E.K. Smith receives funding from the Canada Research Chairs program, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Western University. She is affiliated with the North American Cultural Diplomacy Initiative and the International Cultural Relations Research Alliance.

    – ref. Tax Canadian movies? Why culture has always been at the centre of trade wars – https://theconversation.com/tax-canadian-movies-why-culture-has-always-been-at-the-centre-of-trade-wars-256022

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Staying socially connected can help maintain healthy eating with age, especially for older women

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Annalijn I. Conklin, Associate Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia

    Older people who are socially isolated have poor diet quality compared to those with frequent friend contact.
     (Shutterstock)

    Healthy eating supports healthy aging: Canada’s Food Guide recommends daily intake of fruits and vegetables as a way to help prevent multiple chronic conditions that typically affect older adults.

    We know that healthy eating is strongly influenced by our social connections and different settings. But aging often brings losses to different social connections that can put healthy eating at risk.

    As researchers who study the interaction of nutrition, age and social issues, we were curious to know if adverse changes in an older person’s social connections matter for maintaining a good diet, and who is most affected?

    Social isolation and social diversity change with age

    There is broad health research focused on social isolation that measures this concept at one point in time using a combination of different types of social contexts such as living alone, infrequent social contact, no social participation and not married.

    About one in five aging adults reduces the variety of their social engagement.
    (Shutterstock)

    Social isolation, however, is not a static experience as aging adults frequently go through changes in different types of social relationships, often reducing their social contacts and activities over time.

    Our recent research shows that the number of different social activities decreases over time for middle-age and older adults.

    About one in five aging adults reduces the variety of their social engagement (for example, seeing friends and family, volunteering, sports, religious and educational activities, etc.), with greater declines seen among older women.

    In addition, about 14 per cent of aging Canadians either became socially isolated or stayed socially isolated over time. Canadians in the oldest age group and in more socio-economically disadvantaged groups appear most vulnerable to staying or becoming either socially isolated or less socially diverse over time.

    It is important, then, for research on nutrition and healthy aging to better capture distinct alterations in social engagement over time, not only in terms of a lack of regular social interaction but also in terms of a diversity of social interactions.

    Dietary risks of changing social connections

    Both the quantity and the quality of the foods we eat can be affected by our meal setting, and eating alone is correlated with poor diet quality.

    Eating alone is correlated with poor diet quality.
    (Shutterstock)

    Among older adults, being socially isolated is linked to inadequate intakes of fruits and vegetables — a marker of diet quality that is associated with chronic disease. More specifically, both older men and women with no or rare friend contact have poor diet quality compared to those with frequent friend contact.

    It has been unclear whether staying or becoming socially isolated is a problem for maintaining healthy eating habits as people age. It is also unknown whether reducing the variety of social activities puts diet quality at risk of declining.

    The handful of nutrition studies that do consider changes in social connections all focus on marital transitions, leaving a critical gap in knowledge for healthy aging policy and practice.

    Our new study with collaborators is filling this knowledge gap by using multiple waves from a nationally representative cohort of middle-aged and older Canadians.

    The first important finding is that older women who stayed socially isolated — meaning one or no monthly activity — reduced their diet quality over time compared to women who stayed engaged in two or more monthly social activities.

    The second notable finding is the older women who reduced their diversity of social activities also had declines in diet quality over time. And finally, both older women and older men who had a small number of social activities that stayed the same over time were also at risk of declining diet quality.

    These results were not explained by other social or behavioural factors that were included in the study’s analysis.

    Social interventions to support healthy eating

    Canada’s healthy aging strategy and Food Guide both emphasize the important role of social connections for maintaining health and healthy eating. There have long been programs, such as Meals on Wheels, that support health and well-being by providing hot, nutritious meals to individuals, especially older adults, who are home-bound.

    Both older women and older men who had low social diversity over time were also at risk of declining diet quality.
    (Shutterstock)

    Maintaining regular and diverse social activities is vital for promoting health and well-being as people transition from mid to later life. Everybody can benefit from not just being connected, but also from staying connected across a range of social settings.

    We want to call attention to the significance of both persistent isolation and losses of social diversity for women’s nutrition and health in Canada. Different types of social connections may matter for women than for men, and their maintenance over time can show different effects on diet and health that need more research and policy action.

    Understanding the social determinants of diet for women is key to addressing health inequities and to tailoring more effective social interventions for aging Canadians, such as social prescribing and other social relational models of care.

    Annalijn I. Conklin receives funding from The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and Michael Smith Health Research BC. Dr. Conklin is affiliated with Obesity Canada.

    Gilciane Ceolin and Sanaz Mehranfar 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. Staying socially connected can help maintain healthy eating with age, especially for older women – https://theconversation.com/staying-socially-connected-can-help-maintain-healthy-eating-with-age-especially-for-older-women-254585

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Have journalists skipped the ethics conversation when it comes to using AI?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Angela Misri, Assistant professor, Toronto Metropolitan University

    It’s become clear that many news organizations are still operating in the ethical equivalent of the Wild West when it comes to how they use artificial intelligence. (Shutterstock)

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used in journalistic work for everything from transcribing interviews and translating articles to writing and publishing local weather, economic reports and water quality stories.

    It’s even being used to identify story ideas from the minutes of municipal council meetings in cases where time-strapped reporters don’t have time to do so.

    What’s lagging behind all this experimentation are the important conversations about the ethics of using these tools. This disconnect was evident when we interviewed journalists in a mix of newsrooms across Canada from July 2022 to July 2023, and it remains a problem today.

    We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 journalists from 11 Canadian newsrooms. Many of the people we spoke to told us that they had worked at multiple media organizations throughout their careers.

    The key findings from our recently published research:

    • AI literacy varies within the same newsroom and certainly within the industry as a whole.

    • There’s agreement that humans play an important role in supervising the use of AI, but there’s no agreement on where human journalists must be involved in the process — at the AI tool coding level? Before a piece is published?

    • Journalists believe professional practice and industry standards are being followed when using AI in journalism, but there is no agreed-upon “rule book” for how AI should be used.

    • There are issues with transparency about how and when AI is being used, both among journalists working in the same newsroom and in terms of what is revealed to audiences about whether the content they are consuming was created using AI tools.



    Read more:
    Transparency and trust: How news consumers in Canada want AI to be used in journalism

    What journalists told us

    Some of what we heard was reassuring. One journalist told us:

    “The one thing that we are very particular about when we use this technology is that our editors always have the ability to override what the machine is doing.”

    At the same time, however, it became clear that many news organizations are still operating in the ethical equivalent of the Wild West.

    In many cases, journalists we spoke to talked about just following their gut when it came to deciding if using that AI tool to do that task was ethical. As one of our interviewees put it: “There’s a rule book in my head.”

    When we asked interviewees how they knew their colleagues at the same publication followed the same ethical code they did when using AI, most could not answer except to imply that their co-workers wouldn’t have been hired if they didn’t share the same principles. One journalist said:

    “I’ve worked there for 14 years now …I can’t think of anyone whose ethics I would disagree with.”

    Getting the ethics of AI right and being seen to be doing so is important because journalism has a growing trust problem and needs to do everything possible to reverse the trend.

    Multiple studies have shown that Canadian audiences want to know if AI tools are being used in newsrooms, and they aren’t sure if they want to pay for journalism created using AI.



    Read more:
    How audience data is shaping Canadian journalism

    AI and news

    Audiences, meanwhile, are being fed a steady diet of examples that illustrate how using AI tools to create journalistic work can go very wrong. For instance:

    Journalists and news organizations are still struggling to arrive at a shared understanding of how to use AI tools.
    (Shutterstock)

    News organizations might think they’re being transparent with audiences about how much content is being created using AI, but our research finds the evidence is mixed at best, especially in circumstances where AI generates the content and an editor approves it in the content management system before it is published.

    In one memorable Zoom interview, an editor walked us through the AI-generated content in an article posted online, saying that it was clearly identified as AI on the webpage.

    However, upon sharing the page, they were shocked to discover there was no information about the article being AI-generated anywhere. They said it would be fixed immediately, but when we last checked, the article still said nothing about the AI tool used to generate it.

    While we gathered data from interviews, newsrooms in Canada started releasing guidance through internal emails and public blog posts. It is hard to find any language in publicly accessible policies that refers explicitly to how AI is being used or the ethics surrounding such use. It’s also unclear who is involved in conversations about ethical AI use in newsrooms, and who is not.

    As one journalist we interviewed put it:

    “I think my frustration personally comes from again the lack of openness to have this conversation about AI, and the urgency of it, because I think … we’re so busy trying to survive, we don’t realize that having this conversation about AI will help us survive.”

    Our research suggests journalists and news organizations are still struggling in the midst of rapid technological change to arrive at a shared understanding of AI tools, their usage, the limitations of programming and best practices that build rather than erode trust.

    Angela Misri receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

    April Lindgren receives funding from the School of Journalism and the Journalism Research Centre at Toronto Metropolitan University, the Rossy Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. She has received funding previously from MITACS, CTV News, the Ken and Debbie Rubin Public Interest Advocacy Fund and CWA Canada, the Media Union.

    Nicole Blanchett receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, and the School of Journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University. She has received funding previously from Centre d’études sur les médias and Mitacs.

    – ref. Have journalists skipped the ethics conversation when it comes to using AI? – https://theconversation.com/have-journalists-skipped-the-ethics-conversation-when-it-comes-to-using-ai-255485

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dan Goldman Introduces Legislation to Extend Student Loan Forgiveness to Volunteer Firefighters and First Responders

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    80,000 Volunteer Firefighters Across New York State, Nearly Half of NY EMS Agencies Rely Solely on Volunteers   

       

    PSLF Encourages Public Service Enrollment in Fields Where Limited Staffing Jeopardizes Emergency Response Efforts  

       

    Volunteer Firefighters Account for 65% of U.S. Firefighting Force  

       

    Read the HEROES Act of 2025 Here  

    Washington, DC – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) introduced the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Student Debt (HEROES) Act of 2025, which would expand eligibility for loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program to include volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMTs.  

    “Volunteer firefighters and EMTs risk their lives every day to keep us safe, yet they’re too often denied the recognition and support granted to other public servants,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “As the number of volunteer firefighters and EMTs continues to decline, we must prioritize the first responders who keep communities across our city, state, and country safe. Those who put their lives on the line deserve nothing less than the full support and resources afforded to all public servants.”

    The Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) said, “One of the biggest challenges facing volunteer response agencies is the critical need to attract new members. Including volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program would be an effective addition to their recruitment toolbox. It would also assist them in retaining existing volunteers, who often work several jobs in addition to volunteering. We commend Congressman Goldman for recognizing the value of volunteer first responders and for his efforts to support them.”  

    Volunteer firefighters are estimated to save localities across the country nearly 47 billion dollars annually. The HEROES Act would not only provide crucial support to our dedicated first responders but also help address staffing shortages by incentivizing more individuals to volunteer their time.  

    Established to bolster recruitment and retention efforts in the public sector, the PSLF Program forgives borrowers’ student loans after they work for ten years in a qualifying public service and make 120 qualifying payments. Despite working in qualifying public services, however, volunteer EMTs and firefighters are currently excluded from the program. Nationwide, volunteer firefighters make up 65% of the firefighting force, with 19,000 fire stations relying on them exclusively.  

    In addition to expanding coverage to volunteer firefighters and EMTs, the HEROES Act would require the Department of Education, which oversees the PSLF program, to outline minimum volunteer time requirements for eligibility and develop regulations for tracking and verifying volunteer time.  

    Congressman Dan Goldman is committed to supporting first responders who dedicate their lives to the betterment of their communities.   

    This past February, Congressman Goldman introduced the ‘9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act’ which would provide permanent and mandatory funding for the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) and update an outdated funding formula to prevent a future funding shortfall, ensuring survivors and first responders don’t lose access to care.  
    In February, Congressman Goldman introduced the ‘Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act,’ which would ensure the families of law enforcement officers who are killed as a result of their work on behalf of their communities are not unjustly denied benefits due to arbitrary retirement status restrictions. The legislation would amend the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program to ensure the families of fallen officers receive the benefits they deserve.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Could gravity be evidence that the universe is a computer simulation? My new study suggests why this might be so

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Melvin M. Vopson, Associate Professor of Physics, University of Portsmouth

    A star cluster in the constellation Sagittarius seen by the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope

    We have long taken it for granted that gravity is one of the basic forces of nature – one of the invisible threads that keeps the universe stitched together. But suppose that this is not true. Suppose the law of gravity is simply an echo of something more fundamental: a byproduct of the universe operating under a computer-like code.

    That is the premise of my latest research, published in the journal AIP Advances. It suggests that gravity is not a mysterious force that attracts objects towards one another, but the product of an informational law of nature that I call the second law of infodynamics.

    It is a notion that seems like science fiction – but one that is based in physics and evidence that the universe appears to be operating suspiciously like a computer simulation.

    In digital technologies, right down to the apps in your phone and the world of cyberspace, efficiency is the key. Computers compact and restructure their data all the time to save memory and computer power. Maybe the same is taking place all over the universe?

    Information theory, the mathematical study of the quantification, storage and communication of information, may help us understand what’s going on. Originally developed by mathematician Claude Shannon, it has become increasingly popular in physics and is used in a growing range of research areas.

    In a 2023 paper, I used information theory to propose my second law of infodynamics.

    This stipulates that information “entropy”, or the level of information disorganisation, will have to reduce or stay static within any given closed information system. This is the opposite of the popular second law of thermodynamics, which dictates that physical entropy, or disorder, always increases.

    Take a cooling cup of coffee. Energy flows from hot to cold until the temperature of the coffee is the same as the temperature of the room and its energy is minimum – a state called thermal equilibrium. The entropy of the system is a maximum at this point – with all the molecules maximally spread out, having the same energy. What that means is that the spread of energies per molecule in the liquid is reduced.

    If one considers the information content of each molecule based on its energy, then at the start, in the hot cup of coffee, the information entropy is maximum and at equilibrium the information entropy is minimum. That’s because almost all molecules are at the same energy level, becoming identical characters in an informational message. So the spread of different energies available is reduced when there’s thermal equilibrium.

    But if we consider just location rather than energy, then there’s lots of information disorder when particles are distributed randomly in space – the information required to keep pace with them is considerable. When they consolidate themselves together under gravitational attraction, however, the way planets, stars and galaxies do, the information gets compacted and more manageable.

    In simulations, that’s exactly what occurs when a system tries to function more efficiently. So, matter flowing under the influence of gravity need not be a result of a force at all. Perhaps it is a function of the way the universe compacts the information that it has to work with.

    Here, space is not continuous and smooth. Space is made up of tiny “cells” of information, similar to pixels in a photo or squares on the screen of a computer game. In each cell is basic information about the universe – where, say, a particle is – and all are gathered together to make the fabric of the universe.

    If you place items within this space, the system gets more complex. But when all of those items come together to be one item instead of many, the information is simple again.

    The universe, under this view, tends to naturally seek to be in those states of minimal information entropy. The real kicker is that if you do the numbers, the entropic “informational force” created by this tendency toward simplicity is exactly equivalent to Newton’s law of gravitation, as shown in my paper.

    This theory builds on earlier studies of “entropic gravity” but goes a step further. In connecting information dynamics with gravity, we are led to the interesting conclusion that the universe could be running on some kind of cosmic software. In an artificial universe, maximum-efficiency rules would be expected. Symmetries would be expected. Compression would be expected.

    And law – that is, gravity – would be expected to emerge from these computational rules.

    We may not yet have definitive evidence that we live in a simulation. But the deeper we look, the more our universe seems to behave like a computational process.

    Melvin M. Vopson is affiliated with the University of Portsmouth and the Information Physics Institute.

    – ref. Could gravity be evidence that the universe is a computer simulation? My new study suggests why this might be so – https://theconversation.com/could-gravity-be-evidence-that-the-universe-is-a-computer-simulation-my-new-study-suggests-why-this-might-be-so-255913

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI methods help predict the emergence of ‘gazelles’ and other high-growth firms, but challenges remain

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Tatiana Beliaeva, Enseignante–chercheuse en entrepreneuriat, UCLy (Lyon Catholic University)

    Predicting whether or not companies will be successful is crucial for guiding investment decisions and designing effective economic policies. However, past research on high-growth firms – enterprises thought to be key for driving economic development – has typically shown low predictive accuracy, suggesting that growth may be largely random. Does this assumption still hold in the AI era, in which vast amounts of data and advanced analytical methods are now available? Can AI techniques overcome difficulties in predicting high-growth firms? These questions were raised in a chapter I co-authored in the De Gruyter Handbook of SME Entrepreneurship, which reviewed scientific contributions on firm growth prediction with AI methods.

    According to the Eurostat-OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) definition, high-growth firms are businesses with at least 10 employees in the initial growth period and “average annualised growth greater than 20% per annum, over a three year period”. Growth can be measured by the firm’s number of employees or by its turnover. A subset of high-growth firms, known as “gazelles”, are young businesses – typically start-ups – that are up to five years old and experience fast growth.


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    High-growth firms drive development, innovation and job creation. Identifying firms with high-growth potential enables investors, start-up incubators, accelerators, large companies and policymakers to spot potential opportunities for investment, strategic partnerships and resource allocation at an early stage. Forecasting outcomes for start-ups is more challenging than doing so for large companies due to limited historical data, high uncertainty, and reliance on qualitative factors like founder experience and market fit.

    How random is firm growth?

    Accurate growth forecasting is especially crucial given the high failure rate of start-ups. One in five start-ups fail in their first year, and two thirds fail within 10 years. Some start-ups can also contribute significantly to job creation: research analysing data from Spanish and Russian firms between 2010 and 2018 has shown that while “gazelles” represented only about 1-2% of all businesses in both countries, they were responsible for approximately 14% of employment growth in Russia and 9% in Spain.

    High-growth firms are “widely considered essential for stimulating economic growth and employment” but are difficult to identify. Stakeholders need accurate growth predictions to help optimize decision-making and minimize risks by identifying firms with the highest potential for success.

    In an effort to understand why some firms grow faster than others, researchers have looked into various factors including the personality of entrepreneurs, competitive strategy, available resources, market conditions and macroeconomic environment. These factors, however, only explained a small portion of the variation in firm growth and were limited in their practical application. This led to the suggestion that predicting the growth of new businesses is like playing a game of chance. Another viewpoint argued that the problem of growth prediction might stem from the methods employed, suggesting an “illusion of randomness”.

    As firm growth is a complex, diverse, dynamic and non-linear process, adopting a new set of methods and approaches, such as those driven by big data and AI, can shed new light on the growth debate and forecasting.

    AI offers new opportunities for predicting high-growth firms

    AI methods are being increasingly adopted to forecast firm growth. For example, 70% of venture capital firms are adopting AI to increase internal productivity and facilitate and speed up sourcing, screening, classifying and monitoring start-ups with high potential. Crunchbase, a company data platform, claims that internal testing has shown that its AI models can predict start-up success with “95% precision” by analysing thousands of signals. These developments promise to fundamentally change how investors and businesses approach decision-making in private markets.

    The advantages of AI techniques lie in their ability to process a far greater volume, variety and velocity of data about businesses and their environments compared to traditional statistical methods. For example, machine learning methods such as random forest (RF) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) help identify key variables affecting business outcomes in datasets with a large number of predictors. A “fused” large language model has been shown to predict start-up success using both structured (organized in tables) fundamental information and unstructured (unorganized and more complex) textual descriptions. AI techniques help enhance the accuracy of firm growth predictions, identify the most important growth factors and minimize human biases. As some scholars have noted, the improved prediction indicates that perhaps firm growth is less random than previously thought. Furthermore, the ability to capture data in real time is especially valuable in fast-paced, dynamic environments, such as high-technology industries.

    Challenges remain

    Despite AI’s rapid progress, there is still considerable potential for advancement. Although the prediction of high-growth firms has been improved with modern AI techniques, studies indicate that it continues to be a challenge. For instance, start-up success often depends on rapidly changing and intangible factors that are not easily captured by data. Further methodological advances, such as incorporating a broader range of predictors, diverse data sources and more sophisticated algorithms, are recommended.

    One of the main challenges for AI methods is their ability to offer explanations for the predictions they make. Predictions generated by complex deep learning models resemble a “black box”, with the causal mechanisms that transform input into output remaining unclear. Producing more explainable AI has become one of the key objectives set by the research community. Understanding what is explainable and what is not (yet) explainable with the use of AI methods can better guide practitioners in identifying and supporting high-growth firms.

    While start-ups offer the potential for significant investment returns, they carry considerable risks, making careful selection and accurate prediction crucial. As AI models evolve, they will increasingly integrate diverse and unstructured data sources and real-time market signals to detect early indicators of potential success. Advancements are expected to further enhance the scalability, accuracy, speed and transparency of AI-driven predictions, reshaping how high-growth firms are identified and supported.

    Tatiana Beliaeva ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.

    – ref. AI methods help predict the emergence of ‘gazelles’ and other high-growth firms, but challenges remain – https://theconversation.com/ai-methods-help-predict-the-emergence-of-gazelles-and-other-high-growth-firms-but-challenges-remain-255907

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi unveils roadmap for deepening cooperation with LAC countries 2025-05-13 22:12:54 Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday announced the launch of five programs to advance shared development and revitalization with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

    Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum and delivers a keynote speech at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

    BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday announced the launch of five programs to advance shared development and revitalization with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries.

    The five programs, ranging from solidarity, development and civilization to peace and people-to-people connectivity, were announced by Xi when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing.

    In 2015, Xi and LAC delegates attended the opening ceremony of the first ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum in Beijing, which marked the launch of the forum.

    On Solidarity Program, Xi said China is willing to strengthen solidarity with LAC countries and continue to support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns, to firmly safeguard the international system with the U.N. at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, and to speak with one voice in international and regional affairs.

    In the next three years, China will invite 300 members from political parties of CELAC member states every year to visit China to facilitate exchanges on national governance best practices, Xi said.

    On Development Program, China is willing to work with LAC countries to implement the Global Development Initiative, resolutely uphold the multilateral trading system, ensure stable, unimpeded global industrial and supply chains, and promote an international environment of openness and cooperation, Xi said.

    Noting that the two sides should foster greater synergy between their development strategies and expand high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said China will import more quality products from LAC countries and encourage Chinese enterprises to expand their investment in the region.

    On Civilization Program, Xi called for joint implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative. He said both sides should uphold the vision of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness between civilizations, champion humanity’s common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, and enhance China-LAC civilizational exchanges and mutual learning, including through a conference on China-LAC inter-civilizational dialogue.

    On Peace Program, Xi called for joint implementation of the Global Security Initiative. He said both sides should cooperate more closely in disaster governance, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, anti-corruption, narcotics control and combating transnational organized crime so as to safeguard security and stability in the region.

    On People-to-People Connectivity Program, Xi said in the next three years, China will provide CELAC member states with 3,500 government scholarships, 10,000 training opportunities in China, 500 International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarships, 300 training opportunities for poverty reduction professionals, and 1,000 funded placements through the Chinese Bridge program, initiate 300 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects, and support CELAC member states in developing Chinese language education.

    China has decided to offer a visa-free policy to five LAC countries, and will expand the policy to cover more regional countries in due course, Xi said.

    Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia, the CELAC rotating chair, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Chilean President Gabriel Boric, and Dilma Rousseff, president of the New Development Bank and former Brazilian president, addressed the event respectively.

    Special representative of Yamandu Orsi, president of Uruguay, the incoming CELAC rotating chair, read out the president’s congratulatory letter.

    Faced with a world full of uncertainties, LAC countries and China should work together to promote continuous new progress in building a community with a shared future, they said.

    Both sides should respect each other and firmly support each other in safeguarding sovereignty and choosing their own development path, they said, calling for strengthening the synergy between the development strategies of LAC countries and the Belt and Road Initiative, and promoting cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, agriculture, science and technology, new energy and education.

    The two sides should also promote exchanges and dialogues among civilizations, safeguard the authority of the U.N., support multilateralism and free trade, and oppose unilateralism, protectionism, power politics and bullying to safeguard the common interests of the Global South, they added.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum and delivers a keynote speech at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with guests attending the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. Xi attended the opening ceremony of the meeting and delivered a keynote speech. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum and delivers a keynote speech at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping and guests attend the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. Xi delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the meeting. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping and guests attend the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. Xi delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the meeting. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro, also rotating president of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

    Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

    Chilean President Gabriel Boric delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

    Dilma Rousseff, president of the New Development Bank and former Brazilian president, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Releases Report Documenting Trump’s War on Science

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, May 13 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today released a new report uncovering the far-reaching scope of Trump’s attacks on science and their impact on public health.
    “Since January, Trump has launched an unprecedented, illegal and outrageous attack on science and scientists. Trump is not only denying scientific truth but actively seeking to undermine it,” said Sanders. “That is beyond unacceptable.  This is a war we cannot allow Trump to win. Far too many lives are at stake.”
    The report finds that Trump officials effectively cut $2.7 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding in the first three months of 2025 – including a 31 percent cut to cancer research through March, compared to the same timeframe last year.
    “Trump’s war on science is an attack against anyone who has ever loved someone with cancer,” said Sanders. “The American people do not want us to slash cancer research in order to give more tax breaks for billionaires.”
    The report draws on HELP Committee Minority Staff’s interviews with dozens of federal scientists, workers, and experts to explain how Trump officials are suppressing what scientists can say, controlling how scientists work together, and erasing scientific data. Among those interviewed:
    One doctor said, “purging public health agency websites of data” would leave health care workers “without vetted guidance on how to treat patients.”
    Staff at the NIH Clinical Center explained how clinical care had been abruptly interrupted, and said, “Initially, we had whole labs full of people that were fired. Complete chaos. Nobody had any idea if their tests were being run. This administration has a lot of blood on their hands. We’re not political people. We just want to take care of people.”
    One former HHS official said, “I chose to go into federal service because I care about people. I want to be able to answer to the taxpayer, not the shareholder.”
    Multiple officials confirmed that scientific communication with the World Health Organization has been severely restricted.
    Trump’s arbitrary firings of HHS workers are already threatening the health and well-being of tens of millions of seniors, children, and working families.  For example, HHS has fired:
    A division at FDA that helped millions of Americans get faster access to low-cost generic prescription drugs;
    A team at CDC that supported states responding to environmental health threats like pollution, wildfires, and lead in drinking water; and
    Critical staff in NIH’s clinical cell-therapy program, delaying treatment for patients with advanced cancer. One Stage IV cancer patient said, “The reality is that by reducing money and staff, the NIH will not be able to produce my treatment and it might cost me my life. That does not sound like an administration that cares about its people.”
    The report documents how Trump officials have undermined the important role that vaccines play in preventing disease during the single largest measles outbreak in over 25 years –  with 1,001 cases reported, 126 hospitalizations, and 3 deaths.
    Trump officials have also lied about the consequences of their actions. Elon Musk says “no one” has died from the foreign aid freeze. But researchers estimate nearly 200,000 people have already died, and a global vaccine program estimates 1.2 million children – equivalent to 60,000 classrooms of kids – will die because of cuts that will save taxpayers 0.005 percent of the federal budget.
    “Let’s be clear. Trump’s war on science is not making America healthy again. It is making Americans and people throughout the world sicker,” said Sanders. “This must end. Congress, the scientific community, and the American people must stand up and fight back.”
    Read the report here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI can be a danger to students – 3 things universities must do

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sioux McKenna, Professor of Higher Education, Rhodes University, South Africa, Rhodes University

    Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is trained on enormous bodies of text, video and images to identify patterns. It then creates new texts, videos and images on the basis of this pattern identification. Thanks to machine learning, it improves its ability to do so every time it is used.

    As AI becomes embedded in academic life, a troubling reality has emerged: students are extremely vulnerable to its use. They don’t know enough about what AI is to be alert to its shortcomings. And they don’t know enough about their subject content to make judgements on this anyway. Most importantly, they don’t know what they don’t know.

    As two academics involved in higher education teaching, we argue that there are four key dangers facing students in today’s world of AI. They are:

    • blind trust in its abilities

    • using it to side-step actual learning

    • not knowing how it works

    • perpetuating the gap between expertise and uncritical yet confident noise.

    Given our experiences as academics who have developed curricula for students and who research generative AI, we think there are three things universities can do. They should teach critical AI literacy, emphasise why developing knowledge is important, and teach students why being an expert matters if they’re going to engage meaningfully with AI.

    The four dangers

    Blind trust in AI’s false confidence. A recent Microsoft report showed that those who know the least about a topic are the most likely to accept AI outputs as correct. Generative AI programs like ChatGPT and Claude produce text with remarkable confidence. Students lacking domain expertise can’t identify when these systems are completely wrong.

    Headlines already demonstrate the consequences of this in the workplace: lawyers submitting fabricated case citations generated by AI, and hospitals using AI transcription tools that invent statements never actually made.

    Generative AI can get it wrong because it doesn’t understand anything in the human sense of the word. But it can identify and replicate patterns with remarkable sophistication. These patterns include not only words and ideas but also tone and style.

    Missing the power of education. A core purpose of higher education is to give students a new way of understanding the world and their place in it. When students use AI in ways that sidestep intellectual challenges, they miss this essential transformation.

    When students simply outsource their thinking to AI, they’re getting credentials without competence. They might graduate with degrees but without knowledge and expertise.

    The false confidence trap. Even students who develop critical awareness about AI’s limitations face what Punya Mishra, a learning engineer professor at Arizona State University, calls “the false confidence trap”. They might recognise that AI can produce errors but lack sufficient subject knowledge to correct those errors.

    As Mishra puts it:

    It’s like having a generic BS detector but no way to separate truth from fiction.

    This creates a dangerous half-measure where students recognise AI isn’t perfect but can’t effectively evaluate its outputs.

    Perpetuating the knowledge gap. As AI becomes ubiquitous in workplaces, the gap between those with genuine expertise and those relying solely on AI will widen. Students who haven’t developed their own knowledge foundations will be increasingly marginalised in a world that paradoxically values human expertise more, not less, as AI advances.

    Answers

    There are three steps universities can take.

    Integrate critical AI literacy. Students need to understand how generative AI works – how AI is trained on massive databases of human-created texts and images to identify patterns by which to craft new outputs.

    It’s not enough to have an “Intro to AI” course. Every discipline needs to show students how AI intersects with their field and, most significantly, empower them to reflect on the ethical implications of its use. This includes engaging in questions around the use of copyrighted materials for the training of generative AI, the biases inherent in AI generated texts and images, and the enormous environmental cost of AI use.

    Emphasise knowledge development. Higher education institutions must actively counter the view that university is merely about the provision of credentials. We need to help students see the value of acquiring domain expertise. This is not always self-evident to those students who understand higher education only as a means to a job, which encourages them to engage with knowledge in an instrumentalist way – and thus to use AI in ways that prevent engagement with complex ideas. It is a personal relationship with knowledge that will prepare them for a future where AI is everywhere. Advocating for the power of knowledge needs to be a central part of every academic’s job description.

    Model dual expertise. Academics should model what Mishra calls “the dual expertise challenge” — combining domain knowledge with critical AI literacy. This means demonstrating to students how experts engage with AI: analysing its outputs against established knowledge, identifying biases or gaps, and using AI as a tool to enhance human expertise rather than replace it.

    As AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, the value of human expertise only grows. Universities that prepare students to critically engage with AI while developing deep domain knowledge will graduate the experts that society needs in this rapidly evolving technological landscape.

    We have our work cut out for us, but expertise remains highly valued.

    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. AI can be a danger to students – 3 things universities must do – https://theconversation.com/ai-can-be-a-danger-to-students-3-things-universities-must-do-255652

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Genentech Will Build New Manufacturing Plant in Wake County Creating 400 Jobs

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Genentech Will Build New Manufacturing Plant in Wake County Creating 400 Jobs

    Governor Stein Announces Genentech Will Build New Manufacturing Plant in Wake County Creating 400 Jobs
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Josh Stein announced today that Genentech, one of the world’s premiere biotechnology companies, will invest $700 million to build a new manufacturing plant in Holly Springs, creating 400 jobs.

    “World-class companies like Genentech recognize that North Carolina is a leading state for biotechnology,” said Governor Josh Stein. “These companies know that our life science workforce is ready to help them deliver their cutting-edge medicines to the world. We are proud to welcome Genetech to North Carolina.”

    Genentech, with headquarters in South San Francisco, California, is a member of Switzerland’s Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and is considered the original biotechnology pioneer. For more than 40 years the company has pursued groundbreaking science to discover and develop medicines for people with serious or life-threatening diseases. Genentech’s project in Holly Springs will establish a new 700,000 sq. ft. high-volume fill-finish operation to support its existing product portfolio as well as its future pipeline, allowing the company to meet growing demand for its medicines.

    “Genentech would like to thank Governor Stein and Commerce Secretary Lilley for their support and for welcoming us to North Carolina. We are thrilled to establish this relationship with the city of Holly Springs, where we will create new manufacturing and construction jobs while making a broader positive impact on the local economy and community for many years to come,” said Genentech CEO Ashley Magargee. “Our new facility will serve as an important new setting within our manufacturing network to help deliver on the promise of our company’s life-changing science and industry-leading pipeline.”

    “Genentech siting its first East Coast production facility in North Carolina is a gamechanger for our already strong biotechnology sector,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Thanks to amazing state leadership from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and continued investments in workforce and infrastructure, these kinds of successes breed great jobs and great therapies that make the world a healthier place.”

    Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average salary for the new positions will be $119,833, compared with an average wage in Wake County of $76,643. The new positions will bring an annual payroll impact to the community of more than $50 million per year.

    The company’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by more than $3 billion. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs and the capital investment, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $9,846,750, spread over 12 years and based on the creation of 420 jobs. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets.

    The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 230 per cent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost, the state receives $3.30 in state revenue. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company. 

    Because Genentech chose to expand in Wake County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 3, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $3,282,250 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. Even when new jobs are created in a Tier 3 county such as Wake, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps more economically challenged communities elsewhere in the state.

    “Our momentum in biotech is off the charts as these new jobs and new investment come to Holly Springs,” said N.C. Senator Lisa Grafstein. “Genentech is a renowned brand in the industry, and we welcome the company to our growing family of life science partners.”

    “Economic development success takes teamwork, and I’m proud of the many local, regional, and state organizations that worked hard to bring Genentech to our community,” said N.C. Representative Ya Liu. “We look forward to seeing this innovative company put down roots and grow in Holly Springs, Wake County, and North Carolina.”

    Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, N.C. Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, N.C. State University, Duke Energy, Enbridge Gas North Carolina, Capital Area Workforce Development, Wake Tech, the Town of Holly Springs, Wake County, and Wake County Economic Development, a program of the Greater Raleigh Chamber.  

    May 12, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: AI can be a danger to students – 3 things universities must do

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sioux McKenna, Professor of Higher Education, Rhodes University, South Africa, Rhodes University

    Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is trained on enormous bodies of text, video and images to identify patterns. It then creates new texts, videos and images on the basis of this pattern identification. Thanks to machine learning, it improves its ability to do so every time it is used.

    As AI becomes embedded in academic life, a troubling reality has emerged: students are extremely vulnerable to its use. They don’t know enough about what AI is to be alert to its shortcomings. And they don’t know enough about their subject content to make judgements on this anyway. Most importantly, they don’t know what they don’t know.

    As two academics involved in higher education teaching, we argue that there are four key dangers facing students in today’s world of AI. They are:

    • blind trust in its abilities

    • using it to side-step actual learning

    • not knowing how it works

    • perpetuating the gap between expertise and uncritical yet confident noise.

    Given our experiences as academics who have developed curricula for students and who research generative AI, we think there are three things universities can do. They should teach critical AI literacy, emphasise why developing knowledge is important, and teach students why being an expert matters if they’re going to engage meaningfully with AI.

    The four dangers

    Blind trust in AI’s false confidence. A recent Microsoft report showed that those who know the least about a topic are the most likely to accept AI outputs as correct. Generative AI programs like ChatGPT and Claude produce text with remarkable confidence. Students lacking domain expertise can’t identify when these systems are completely wrong.

    Headlines already demonstrate the consequences of this in the workplace: lawyers submitting fabricated case citations generated by AI, and hospitals using AI transcription tools that invent statements never actually made.

    Generative AI can get it wrong because it doesn’t understand anything in the human sense of the word. But it can identify and replicate patterns with remarkable sophistication. These patterns include not only words and ideas but also tone and style.

    Missing the power of education. A core purpose of higher education is to give students a new way of understanding the world and their place in it. When students use AI in ways that sidestep intellectual challenges, they miss this essential transformation.

    When students simply outsource their thinking to AI, they’re getting credentials without competence. They might graduate with degrees but without knowledge and expertise.

    The false confidence trap. Even students who develop critical awareness about AI’s limitations face what Punya Mishra, a learning engineer professor at Arizona State University, calls “the false confidence trap”. They might recognise that AI can produce errors but lack sufficient subject knowledge to correct those errors.

    As Mishra puts it:

    It’s like having a generic BS detector but no way to separate truth from fiction.

    This creates a dangerous half-measure where students recognise AI isn’t perfect but can’t effectively evaluate its outputs.

    Perpetuating the knowledge gap. As AI becomes ubiquitous in workplaces, the gap between those with genuine expertise and those relying solely on AI will widen. Students who haven’t developed their own knowledge foundations will be increasingly marginalised in a world that paradoxically values human expertise more, not less, as AI advances.

    Answers

    There are three steps universities can take.

    Integrate critical AI literacy. Students need to understand how generative AI works – how AI is trained on massive databases of human-created texts and images to identify patterns by which to craft new outputs.

    It’s not enough to have an “Intro to AI” course. Every discipline needs to show students how AI intersects with their field and, most significantly, empower them to reflect on the ethical implications of its use. This includes engaging in questions around the use of copyrighted materials for the training of generative AI, the biases inherent in AI generated texts and images, and the enormous environmental cost of AI use.

    Emphasise knowledge development. Higher education institutions must actively counter the view that university is merely about the provision of credentials. We need to help students see the value of acquiring domain expertise. This is not always self-evident to those students who understand higher education only as a means to a job, which encourages them to engage with knowledge in an instrumentalist way – and thus to use AI in ways that prevent engagement with complex ideas. It is a personal relationship with knowledge that will prepare them for a future where AI is everywhere. Advocating for the power of knowledge needs to be a central part of every academic’s job description.

    Model dual expertise. Academics should model what Mishra calls “the dual expertise challenge” — combining domain knowledge with critical AI literacy. This means demonstrating to students how experts engage with AI: analysing its outputs against established knowledge, identifying biases or gaps, and using AI as a tool to enhance human expertise rather than replace it.

    As AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, the value of human expertise only grows. Universities that prepare students to critically engage with AI while developing deep domain knowledge will graduate the experts that society needs in this rapidly evolving technological landscape.

    We have our work cut out for us, but expertise remains highly valued.

    – AI can be a danger to students – 3 things universities must do
    – https://theconversation.com/ai-can-be-a-danger-to-students-3-things-universities-must-do-255652

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa is Empowering First Responders Through Simulation: Launch of a One-Day Facilitator Course on Pre-Hospital and Enroute Care

    Source: United States Navy

    OKINAWA, Japan — On 29 April, U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa (USNHO) Camp Foster, Japan. Staff from USNHO held a one-day facilitator course. Cdr. Amy Aparicio brought together a team of subject matter experts (SME), including Capt. Michelle Sangiorgi and Amanda Studer from the Emergency Department. Cdr. Frank Riojas from Staff Education and Training (SEAT) helped provide training aids and equipment. Lt. Zach Juniper provided real-world practical instruction to the students.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Pythian’s Vanessa Simmons and Donna Williston Again Named to CRN’s 2025 Women of the Channel List

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OTTAWA, Ontario, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pythian Services Inc. (“Pythian”), a leading global services company specializing in data, analytics, and AI solutions, is proud to announce today that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has recognized Vanessa Simmons, Senior Vice President of Business Development, and Donna Williston, Director of Alliances, on the Women of the Channel list for 2025. Simmons and Williston were similarly recognized last year by CRN. Simmons has been recognized on the Women of the Channel list for seven consecutive years, and also was named on the CRN Women of the Channel Power 80 Solution Provider list for 2025—a prestigious list that celebrates industry leaders who contribute to impactful business outcomes through innovation.

    CRN’s annual Women of the Channel list recognizes women whose leadership, vision, and advocacy within the IT channel significantly contribute to business growth and innovation. The honorees are chosen for their inventive strategies and leadership, showing a steadfast commitment to the channel’s advancement.

    “Both Vanessa and Donna are highly deserving of this prestigious recognition from CRN,” said Brooks Borcherding, CEO of Pythian. “Their unwavering commitment to excellence and forward-thinking approaches have been instrumental in Pythian’s growth, propelling our organization toward the accomplishment of great achievements—such as being named Google Cloud Databases Partner of the Year for North America.”

    The strong state of Pythian’s partnership ecosystem is due to Vanessa Simmons’ ambitiously innovative leadership and steadfast focus on making Pythian a premier service provider that stays on the cutting edge of advantage-driving platform solutions. Donna Williston’s innate ability to foster cross-collaboration and inspire the best in others as they work together toward a common goal has allowed her to continually enhance key strategic partnerships that enrich Pythian’s capabilities and benefit its customers.

    The Women of the Channel list will be featured in CRN Magazine in June, which will be published in print and online at www.crn.com/magazine. To learn more about the impactful solutions Simmons, Williston and the entire Pythian team guide their customers toward, register for one of our Google Cloud Workshops to determine the business value you could uncover for your organization.

    About The Channel Company

    The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end-users. Backed by over 40 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. For more information, visit www.thechannelcompany.com or follow The Channel Company on X and LinkedIn.

    About Pythian

    Founded in 1997, Pythian is a leading data and AI services provider specializing in digital transformation and operational excellence for enterprise customers. We help organizations optimize their data estates, helping them to drive AI enablement, innovation, and growth. Through strategic consulting, managed services and cloud migrations, we enable cost savings, risk reduction and seamless operations while preparing businesses to adopt AI and for the future of data management. A Google Cloud Premier Partner with multiple Specializations, including Data Analytics, Marketing Analytics, Machine Learning and a certified Google Cloud MSP, we’ve delivered thousands of professional and managed services projects for leading enterprises. For more information, visit www.pythian.com or follow us on X, LinkedIn, and our Blog.

    Pythian Media Contacts

    Matt Malanga
    Senior Vice President, Marketing
    mmalanga@pythian.com    		 Elisabeth Grant
    Branch Out Public Relations
    egrant@branchoutpr.com
    +1 612-599-7797

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Revenera Monetization Platform Delivered 426% ROI, According to Total Economic Impact Study

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ITASCA, Ill., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Revenera, producer of innovative platforms that help technology companies build better products, accelerate time-to-value, and monetize what matters, today announced the findings of The Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) of Revenera, a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting. The study illustrates how Revenera’s customers benefited from new software monetization models, effective entitlement management, improved compliance, and accelerated time to market.

    The 2025 study aggregates the experiences of four multinational organizations in the cybersecurity, energy, engineering technology, and manufacturing fields, each with experience using Revenera. Forrester reviewed the interviewees’ experiences, combining the results to represent a single composite organization: a global enterprise with 5,000 employees, specializing in software and technology solutions and generating $2 billion in annual revenue. The study highlights a three-year 426% return on investment (ROI) and net present value (NPV) of $28.8 million for the composite organization.

    “The Total Economic Impact™ of Revenera study by Forrester illustrates how companies can leverage Revenera to strategically grow their revenue and significantly improve operational efficiency. It directly impacts the most important business metrics for any technology company: ARR growth, customer satisfaction and compliance management,” said Nicole Segerer, general manager at Revenera.

    Key Results of the Study

    Benefits of Revenera, as revealed by the study’s evaluation of the composite organization, include:

    • Return on investment: 426% over three years. Variables contributing to this ROI include growth in incremental revenue from automated software licensing and entitlement management for new product releases, revenue from transitioning from perpetual- to subscription-based licensing, and improved compliance, such as the recapture of software revenue leakage.
    • Rapid payback period: The point in time at which net benefits (benefits minus costs) equal initial investment or cost is <6 months.
    • Accelerated time to market for new software licensing models: Revenera’s automated software and entitlement management accelerated time to market by streamlining processes that previously were performed manually. This resulted in a 90% reduction in time to enable licensing and entitlement by year 3 with Revenera.
    • Process improvements: Additional unquantified benefits of Revenera include streamlined global compliance, improved customer experience, increased sales opportunities due to improved visibility, and support from Revenera to ensure that licensing solutions remain aligned with the organization’s evolving needs.

    Customer Perspectives
    Anonymized customers interviewed by Forrester highlighted the value of deploying Revenera:

    • “The value here is clear: we’re able to do in a month what used to take over a year. Now, when we onboard a new product, it’s just a small portion of our standard work process, rather than a major challenge that we need to figure out. Previously, this was considered a high-risk area of our development process, but now, it’s a well-established part of each project. It means we can launch new products faster.” —product manager, manufacturing
    • “Our decision to move to Revenera was driven by the need to improve our financials for one of our [core offerings]. We realized we were significantly underselling its value, and with a major revenue shift ahead, we needed full visibility into our customer base. We needed to know who our customers were, what they had, and how they were using it.” —director of digital operations, energy
    • “Why did we choose Revenera over the others? Well, we already had an existing relationship, and frankly, Revenera showed a greater interest in what we were trying to achieve from a future-looking perspective. The relationship, combined with their willingness to explore long-term opportunities, made them the stronger partner.”—director, research & development, engineering technology
    • “Historically, we did not pursue customers who were slightly over-provisioned unless it was a gross overuse case. We often waited until renewal cycles to address discrepancies. However, Revenera gives us the capability to track software usage with more precision, particularly for term licenses, and decide when and how to take action. The data it provides allows us to evaluate and take action with more confidence should we need to enforce over-provisioning penalties.”—vice president, product, cybersecurity

    Download The Total Economic Impact™ of Revenera study at info.revenera.com/SWM-RPT-Forrester-Total-Economic-Impact.

    Follow Revenera

    About Revenera
    Revenera helps product executives build better products, accelerate time to value, and monetize what matters. Revenera’s leading solutions help software and technology companies drive top-line revenue with modern software monetization, understand usage and compliance with software usage analytics, empower the use of open source with software composition analysis, and deliver an excellent user experience—for embedded, on-premises, cloud, and SaaS products. To learn more, visit www.revenera.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Appointment of new Non-Executive Director

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    13 May 2025

    Appointment of new Non-Executive Director

    Admiral Group plc (“Admiral”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Paola Bonomo as an Independent Non-Executive Director with effect from 12 May 2025.

    Paola brings with her a wealth of international leadership experience in strategy, digital technology, and transformation. She spent 14 years in strategy consulting with McKinsey, specialising in technology and telecommunications. Paola spent 10 years in operational leadership roles in digital, including senior positions at eBay, Vodafone, and, latterly, Facebook where Paola was the Global Marketing Solutions Regional Director for Southern Europe.

    Paola was a Non-Executive Director of AXA Assicurazioni S.p.A., the Italian operating entity of the AXA Group, from 2014 until April 2025 and had been a member of its Audit, Internal Control and Risk, and Remuneration Committees.

    Paola is currently a Non-Executive Director of FAAC S.p.A., an international group providing access automation, parking and access control solutions. Further, Paola is a Non-Executive Director of Infrastrutture Wireless Italiane S.p.A. (INWIT), the leading Italian telecommunications tower operator. Further, Paola serves as Vice Chair of Italian Angels for Growth, where she is an angel investor and advisor to digital startups.

    Paola has extensive board experience in both public and private companies, holding recent Non-Executive Director roles in a number of digital, telecoms, and retail companies. Paola has recently been a Non-Executive Director of Telecom Italia, listed on the Italian Stock Exchange, where she chaired the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, stepping down in 2024. She was a Non-Executive Director and member of the Audit Committee at Crystal Peak Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition company listed on Euronext Amsterdam, leaving this position in 2023. Paola was also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration and Nomination Committees at Piquadro S.p.A., a fashion group operating a portfolio with brands Piquadro, The Bridge and Lancel, listed on the Italian Stock Exchange, leaving in 2022.

    Paola holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a degree in business administration from Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Italy.

    Mike Rogers, Chair of the Admiral Board, said:
    “I am pleased to appoint Paola to the Board. She has significant knowledge of the international financial services sector and extensive experience in digital transformation, gained whilst working for several well-known consumer-facing brands. Paola has achieved a lot of success in her executive and non-executive roles, and I believe that her insights will prove valuable as the Group continues to deliver against its strategy.”

    Paola Bonomo, incoming Non-Executive Director, said: 
    “I am honoured to be joining Admiral’s Board. Admiral has established itself as a leading personal lines insurer in the UK by focusing on data to better understand and anticipate customers’ needs. I am looking forward to working with the rest of the Board and the management team to support the Group’s ambition to deliver long-term sustainable growth in its businesses in the UK and Mainland Europe.”

    Milena Mondini de Focatiis, CEO of Admiral Group, said
    “On behalf of all my colleagues I would like to welcome Paola to Admiral. The Group continues to evolve, and I look forward to working with Paola and the rest of the Board to ensure that we continue to meet the needs of our growing customer base.”

    Effective on 12 May 2025, Paola will be appointed to the Admiral Group Remuneration Committee. From 12 May 2025 the members of the Remuneration Committee will be Karen Green (Chair), Justine Roberts, Mike Brierley and Paola Bonomo.

    This announcement is made pursuant to Listing Rule 6.4.6R. In accordance with LR 6.4.8R, the Company confirms that there is no further information to be disclosed in terms of LR 6.4.8R (1) to LR 6.4.8R (6) inclusive in respect to Paola Bonomo.

    Notes to Editors

    About Admiral Group
    Admiral Group plc is a leading FTSE 100 financial services company offering motor, household, travel and pet insurance as well as personal lending products. Established in 1993 in the UK, the Group now has offices in Canada, France, Gibraltar, India, Italy, Spain, and the US.

    For further information please contact:

    Media:        
    Addy Frederick                                Addy.Frederick@admiralgroup.co.uk         

    Investors/ Analysts:        
    Diane Michelberger                         InvestorRelationsTeam@admiralgroup.co.uk

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Baby Supplies Donated by Topline Financial Credit Union Members and Employees

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MAPLE GROVE, Minn., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based member-owned financial services cooperative, held their fourth annual diaper and wipe drive during the month of April benefitting three local non-profits, Avenues for Youth, Hope 4 Youth and YMCA of the North Youth and Family Services. TopLine members and employees generously donated diapers, wipes, and other baby care items to help bring comfort to families in need in our local communities.

    Employees were able to participate by donating baby care items and money in exchange for a “Foundation Friday/Saturday” sticker, allowing them to wear jeans to work. TopLine and community members could also purchase items from the credit union’s Amazon Wishlist or Target Registry and have them delivered directly to TopLine, and in return delivered to the charitable partners. When the program ended TopLine employees and members had donated over 1,154 diapers, 63 packs of wipes and $1,160 in cash to assist local individuals and families.

    “We are dedicated to collaborating with our community non-profit partners to address their current needs,” stated Mick Olson, President and CEO of TopLine. “Our people-first philosophy is exemplified by the generosity of our donors, and we sincerely appreciate their compassion in supporting others through challenging times.”

    Avenues for Youth provides emergency shelter, short-term housing and supportive services for homeless youth in a safe and nurturing environment. There are over 6,000 homeless youth in Minnesota each night. Avenues shelters in Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis help over 300 youth. Visit www.avenuesforyouth.org to learn more.

    Hope 4 Youth is a nonprofit organization in Anoka County that helps young people, ages 16-24, who are experiencing homelessness in the northern Twin Cities metro area. To learn more, visit www.hope4youthmn.org.

    The YMCA of the North Youth and Family Services is a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. To learn more about the Y’s mission and work, visit ymcanorth.org/youthandfamilyservices.   

    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 or www.ahcu.coop. 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/dac3fb31-6583-484a-91c4-f23fca2a0220

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Global AI In Cybersecurity Market Expected to Reach $219 Billion By 2034 as Frequency of Cyber Threats Increase

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Artificial Intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity refers to the use of artificial intelligence technologies to improve the detection, prevention, and response to cyber threats. The AI in cybersecurity market revenue is witnessing rapid growth as organizations increasingly adopt AI-code tools to strengthen their defense mechanisms against evolving cyberattacks. A report from POLARIS MARKET RESEARCH said that: “The global AI in cybersecurity market was valued at USD 25.40 billion in 2024. It is expected to grow from USD 31.38 billion in 2025 to USD 219.53 billion by 2034, at a CAGR of 24.1% during the forecast period.” It continued: “One of the key drivers of this market is the rising complexity and frequency of cyber threats, which traditional methods struggle to address. A 2024 report by the International Telecommunication Sector revealed that 8 billion records were breached in 2023, with over 2,800 incidents reported. The average cost of a data breach has increased by 15% in the past three years, totaling approximately USD 3.3 million for small businesses in North America, further boosting the AI in cybersecurity market expansion. Additionally, AI-powered solutions analyze vast volumes of data in real time, identifying irregularities and patterns indicative of potential breaches, thus providing proactive protection. The IoT and the expansion of connected devices generate vast amounts of data and often lack robust security measures, making them vulnerable to exploitation and creating a larger attack surface for cyber threats. A November 2024 CSIS report revealed that the UK’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) identified a three-fold increase in cyberattacks compared to 2023. The NCSC supported 430 incidents, with 89 deemed nationally significant, and recognized China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea as key threats. Additionally, AI-powered cybersecurity solutions are crucial in this context as they enable real-time monitoring and threat detection across multiple endpoints.” Active companies in cybersecurity news today include Cycurion Inc. (NASDAQ: CYCU), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), F5, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV), CyberArk (NASDAQ: CYBR).

    POLARIS MARKET continued: “These solutions can identify and mitigate potential risks, ensuring the integrity and security of interconnected systems by leveraging machine learning algorithms. The growing reliance on IoT devices is driving the AI in cybersecurity market demand to safeguard critical infrastructures and sensitive data. Data breaches and unauthorized access lead to substantial financial and reputational damage, making robust cybersecurity measures essential. Thereby encouraging companies to invest in AI tools for cybersecurity. For instance, in August 2024, IBM launched a generative AI cybersecurity assistant to improve threat detection and response, enabling consultants to advance alert investigations. Additionally, AI enhances data protection by using advanced analytics and predictive capabilities to detect vulnerabilities and prevent unauthorized access, with the increasing volume of sensitive information being exchanged and stored digitally. Its ability to adapt to emerging threats and provide automated responses ensures comprehensive security for sensitive information, addressing the critical need for data protection.”

    Cycurion Inc. (NASDAQ:CYCU) Secures $33 Million Contract Renewal to Enhance Cybersecurity for State- Level Public Higher Education Institutions –  Cycurion (“Cycurion” or the “Company”), a trusted leader in IT cybersecurity solutions and AI, announces that it has been awarded a significant contract renewal by a major state-level public higher education group. Under this renewed agreement, Cycurion will deliver comprehensive cybersecurity services to member universities and colleges within the group, ensuring they are equipped to defend their education-focused operations and digital assets against the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. The renewal, valued at $33 million over the five-year term, extends Cycurion’s partnership through November 2030.

    Comprehensive Cybersecurity Services – As part of this renewed contract, Cycurion will provide an extensive suite of cybersecurity and governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) 24x7x365 managed support services, which include:

    •        Enterprise Security Strategy: Developing a holistic approach to security that aligns with institutional goals and protects valuable digital assets

    •        Risk & Vulnerability Assessment & Testing: Continuous evaluation and testing of security measures to identify vulnerabilities and enhance defenses

    •        Disaster Recovery: Strategies and solutions to restore systems and data after disruptive events

    •        Business Continuity Planning: Ensuring ongoing operations during and after a security incident

    •        Forensics and Recovery Services: Comprehensive support for incident investigation and data recovery

    •        Regulatory Compliance Analysis: Assisting institutions in meeting federal and state compliance requirements

    “We are honored to continue serving this key state-level public higher education group customer,” said L. Kevin Kelly, CEO of Cycurion. “The contract underscores the capabilities and value proposition of Cycurion’s suite of managed information technology support services and our commitment to minimizing cybersecurity risk for our education vertical clients.”

    Opportunity for Broader Access – In addition to the member institutions of this State- Level Public Higher Education Group, any university or governmental entity across the United States can leverage this contract vehicle to access our cybersecurity services. The contract provides a streamlined pathway for educational and governmental organizations to enhance their cybersecurity posture without the need for an extensive procurement process.   CONTINUED…   Read this entire press release and more news for CYCU at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-cycu/

    In other developments in the markets of note:

    Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) – Google LLC recently announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Wiz, Inc., a leading cloud security platform headquartered in New York, for $32 billion, subject to closing adjustments, in an all-cash transaction. Once closed, Wiz will join Google Cloud.

    This acquisition represents an investment by Google Cloud to accelerate two large and growing trends in the AI era: improved cloud security and the ability to use multiple clouds (multicloud).

    Both cybersecurity and cloud computing are rapidly growing industries with a vast range of solutions. The increased role of AI, and adoption of cloud services, have dramatically changed the security landscape for customers, making cybersecurity increasingly important in defending against emergent risks and protecting national security.

    Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), the leader in cloud security, recently published its Zscaler ThreatLabz 2025 Phishing Report, analyzing over two billion blocked phishing attempts between January and December 2024 captured by the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™, the world’s largest cloud security platform. The annual report exposes how cybercriminals are using Generative AI to launch surgical, targeted attacks against high-impact business functions – and why a Zero Trust + AI defense strategy is mission critical. The report uncovers a shift from high-volume email blasts to targeted, AI-fueled attacks designed to evade defenses and exploit human behavior. It also offers actionable insight to help organizations defend against this evolving threat landscape.

    “The phishing game has changed. Attackers are using GenAI to create near-flawless lures and even outsmart AI-based defenses,” said Deepen Desai, CSO and Head of Security Research, Zscaler. “Cybercriminals are weaponizing AI to evade detection and manipulate victims, which means organizations must leverage equally advanced AI-powered defenses to outpace these emerging threats. Our research reinforces the importance of adopting a proactive, multi-layered approach—combining robust zero trust architecture with advanced AI-driven phishing prevention—to effectively combat the rapidly evolving threat landscape.”

    F5 (NASDAQ: FFIV) recently unveiled broad cybersecurity enhancements to the F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP) that significantly improve organizations’ ability to identify and remediate vulnerabilities and threats to AI and other modern applications. These new enhancements enable enterprises to strengthen security for business-critical applications in an increasingly risky threat landscape. The F5 ADSP is the industry’s only platform that fully converges high-performance load balancing and traffic management with advanced app and API security capabilities.

    The F5 ADSP is the most complete application security offering for enterprises looking to address the increasingly complex cybersecurity challenges inherent in today’s AI-driven hybrid multicloud world. Similar to Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) built to secure endpoints and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platforms built to secure network access, F5’s ADSP is built to consolidate disparate tools for securing apps and APIs into a single comprehensive platform, enabling organizations to simplify their security footprint while offering broader protection against enhanced threats.

    CyberArk (NASDAQ: CYBR), the global leader in identity security, recently announced its 2024 Partner of the Year Award winners. The awards honor top-performing CyberArk partners who have consistently delivered exceptional customer value, spearheading new identity security transformation and adoption to help customers defend against the rapidly expanding attack surface.

    CyberArk partners play a critical role in helping organizations strengthen their identity security programs. By driving value and modernizing customers’ identity security strategies, they position organizations to keep pace with evolving threats—all powered by a unified platform built to secure every identity, across humans, AI and machines. The CyberArk Partner Network is one of the industry’s largest global networks of security-focused partners, with more than 1,800 global systems integrators (GSIs), managed service providers (MSPs), solution providers, strategic outsourcers, advisories and distributors, as well as global and regional marketplaces.

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

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    DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates Financialnewsmedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM was compensated fifty two hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by Cycurion Inc. by a non-affiliated third party.  FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: New Survey Reveals Americans are Turning to Side Hustles and Extra Jobs to Pay Off Debt

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COSTA MESA, Calif., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — While some Americans are struggling with unmanageable debt, they are finding many ways to cope, including limiting their use of credit cards and sticking to a rigid budget. A survey from Experian found that U.S. adults describe unmanageable debt as constant stress and a choice between paying off debt and covering basic necessities.

    The good news is that many U.S. adults report conquering debt they once thought was unmanageable, including credit card and medical debt, as well as personal and student loans. Approximately 36% of U.S. adults who have overcome such debt took on an additional job or side hustle, about 26% utilized the snowball method (prioritizing smaller debts first) and 23% relied on budgeting apps to monitor cash flow. The survey also found that U.S. adults currently facing unmanageable debt are considering using these same methods.

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link.

    “Unmanageable debt can negatively impact many facets of a consumer’s life. While credit is a useful tool for achieving certain financial goals, it must be used wisely,” said Rod Griffin, senior director of Consumer Education and Advocacy at Experian.

    To help Americans with their financial health, Experian announced a $5 million debt relief initiative among 5,000 families in Louisiana, partnering with Louisiana State University basketball player Flau’jae Johnson. The company also offers a free membership with financial tools for managing debt and money.

    For those Americans making a game plan for future success, more than 2 in 3 (70%) are avoiding taking on additional or unmanageable debt by steering clear of buy-now-pay-later payment options or limiting their use of credit cards. Meanwhile, 60 percent of respondents say they have a support system that could help them if they face a challenging debt payoff journey.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Growing Prevalence of Cyber Threats Causing Tech Companies to Invest Heavily in AI-Powered Cybersecurity Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The Artificial Intelligence (Al) in cybersecurity market is rapidly expanding as organizations increasingly adopt Al-driven solutions to improve threat detection, prevention, and response to evolving cyber risks. The network security segment dominated the Al in cybersecurity market expansion in 2024 due to the critical need to safeguard organizational networks from evolving cyber threats. A report from an industry insider said that: “The global AI in cybersecurity market assessment, based on type, includes network security, endpoint security, application security, and cloud security. The network security segment dominated the AI in cybersecurity market expansion in 2024 due to the critical need to safeguard organizational networks from evolving cyber threats. Securing networks against malware, phishing, and ransomware attacks has become a top priority as enterprises increasingly adopt digital transformation initiatives and cloud-based infrastructures. AI-powered network security solutions excel in real-time traffic analysis, abnormality detection, and proactive threat mitigation, ensuring robust protection of sensitive data and operational continuity. This essential role in securing core systems and communications highlights the network security segment’s dominance. The global AI in cybersecurity market evaluation, based on application, includes identity & access management, risk & compliance management, data loss prevention, unified threat management, fraud detection/ anti-fraud, threat intelligence, others. The data loss prevention segment is expected to witness the fastest AI in cybersecurity market growth during the forecast period due to the rising emphasis on safeguarding sensitive and confidential information.”   Active companies in cybersecurity news today include Cycurion Inc. (NASDAQ: CYCU), Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), Palo Alto Networks® (NASDAQ: PANW), Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO), CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD).

    The report continued: “Organizations face heightened risks of accidental leaks or intentional data breaches with increasing volumes of data being generated and exchanged. AI-driven DLP solutions offer advanced capabilities to monitor, identify, and prevent unauthorized data transfers or exposure, ensuring compliance with strict data protection regulations such as Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and others. This growing need for robust data security across industries positions the DLP segment for accelerated adoption during the forecast period.   North America dominated the AI in cybersecurity market revenue in 2024 due to the region’s advanced technological infrastructure and high adoption of innovative security solutions. The presence of major cybersecurity companies such as IBM and AWS and early adopters of AI-driven technologies across industries such as finance, healthcare, and government especially contributed to market dominance.”

    Cycurion Inc. (NASDAQ:CYCU) Secures $33 Million Contract Renewal to Enhance Cybersecurity for State- Level Public Higher Education Institutions – Cycurion (“Cycurion” or the “Company”), a trusted leader in IT cybersecurity solutions and AI, announces that it has been awarded a significant contract renewal by a major state-level public higher education group. Under this renewed agreement, Cycurion will deliver comprehensive cybersecurity services to member universities and colleges within the group, ensuring they are equipped to defend their education-focused operations and digital assets against the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. The renewal, valued at $33 million over the five-year term, extends Cycurion’s partnership through November 2030.

    Comprehensive Cybersecurity Services – As part of this renewed contract, Cycurion will provide an extensive suite of cybersecurity and governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) 24x7x365 managed support services, which include:

    •        Enterprise Security Strategy: Developing a holistic approach to security that aligns with institutional goals and protects valuable digital assets

    •        Risk & Vulnerability Assessment & Testing: Continuous evaluation and testing of security measures to identify vulnerabilities and enhance defenses

    •        Disaster Recovery: Strategies and solutions to restore systems and data after disruptive events

    •        Business Continuity Planning: Ensuring ongoing operations during and after a security incident

    •        Forensics and Recovery Services: Comprehensive support for incident investigation and data recovery

    •        Regulatory Compliance Analysis: Assisting institutions in meeting federal and state compliance requirements

    “We are honored to continue serving this key state-level public higher education group customer,” said L. Kevin Kelly, CEO of Cycurion. “The contract underscores the capabilities and value proposition of Cycurion’s suite of managed information technology support services and our commitment to minimizing cybersecurity risk for our education vertical clients.”

    Opportunity for Broader Access – In addition to the member institutions of this State- Level Public Higher Education Group, any university or governmental entity across the United States can leverage this contract vehicle to access our cybersecurity services. The contract provides a streamlined pathway for educational and governmental organizations to enhance their cybersecurity posture without the need for an extensive procurement process.   CONTINUED…   Read this entire press release and more news for CYCU at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-cycu/

    In other developments in the markets of note:

    Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the leading connectivity cloud company, recently announced a wave of global technology companies, including Asana, Atlassian, Block, PayPal, Sentry, Stripe, and more, are working with Cloudflare to create powerful AI experiences through Anthropic’s AI assistant, Claude. These software companies are enabling Claude and other AI assistants to securely interact with their services on behalf of users, through connections built on Cloudflare Workers. Now users can complete tasks and interact with their favorite business tools through natural conversations with Claude, rather than working directly in the application.

    AI is already transforming the way we work by helping to edit emails, generate code, and analyze data. However, it still often requires the user to switch between multiple applications, tabs, and tools to implement the actions it recommends. For truly autonomous, agentic AI experiences, AI tools should be able to act on the user’s behalf. That can only happen if AI tools can directly interact with business software tools. MCP servers allow AI platforms to connect directly to the popular tools where data resides so the user can send an email, answer a question about a marketing campaign, or create invoices–all without leaving the AI assistant. But delivering reliable, low-latency, and secure access to external tools and data is a significant technical challenge, especially at global scale.

    Palo Alto Networks® (NASDAQ: PANW), the global cybersecurity leader, and the National Hockey League (NHL®) recently unveiled Cortex XSIAM® 3.0, the next evolution of its industry-leading SecOps platform, bolstered with proactive exposure management and advanced email security, enabling customers to further consolidate on Cortex for significantly better, faster and more cost-effective security operations.

    Three years ago, Palo Alto Networks anticipated the future of security operations by introducing Cortex XSIAM, which consolidates and normalizes all cybersecurity data to fuel advanced, real-time analytics and automation, making disjointed point products obsolete. The best-selling platform surged past $1 billion cumulative bookings in FY25 Q2, making it our fastest offering to reach this milestone. Earlier this year, Palo Alto Networks doubled down on cloud security with the introduction of Cortex Cloud, converging its industry-leading CNAPP and CDR capabilities on the unified Cortex platform.

    Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) recently announced Incident Prediction, an industry-first security capability that extends Adaptive Protection, a unique feature of Symantec Endpoint Security Complete (SES-C), by leveraging AI to identify and disrupt living-off-the land (LOTL) attacks and other cyberthreats.

    Trained on a catalog of over 500,000 real-world attack chains built by the world-class Symantec Threat Hunter Team, Incident Prediction puts the advantage back in defenders’ hands by: predicting attackers’ behaviors, preventing their next move in the attack chain even when they’re using legitimate software, and then quickly returning the enterprise to its normal state. With Incident Prediction, SES-C delivers exceptional cyber resilience against motivated adversaries.

    CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) recently released its 2025 State of SMB Cybersecurity Report, uncovering a widening gap between cybersecurity awareness and readiness among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). While 93% of SMBs consider themselves knowledgeable about cybersecurity risks and 83% report having a plan in place, just 36% are investing in new tools – and only 11% have adopted AI-powered defenses.

    Based on insights from SMB decision-makers across industries and company sizes, the research reveals that despite rising awareness, most SMBs still lack the budget, tools and in-house expertise to stop modern threats. With attacks becoming more advanced and frequent, SMBs need protection that’s easy to use, affordable to deploy and built to scale with their business.

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

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    DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates Financialnewsmedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM was compensated fifty two hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by Cycurion Inc. by a non-affiliated third party.  FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What do bacon and faeces have in common? They can produce the same feeling of disgust

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Elisa Becker, Postdoctoral Researcher, Behaviour Change Interventions, University of Oxford

    Friends Stock/Shutterstock

    What do crispy bacon, a juicy beef steak, human flesh and faeces have in common? They’re all foods that trigger a powerful emotional reaction in people – disgust. And according to new research, for vegetarians, meat sits in the same psychological category as some of the most revolting substances imaginable.

    In our recent study, we explored how vegetarians and omnivores respond emotionally to different types of food. We asked vegetarians to look at images of commonly eaten meats – roast chicken, beef steak and bacon – alongside a selection of unpopular vegetables like raw onions, aubergine, olives and brussels sprouts.

    For omnivores, we swapped out the familiar meats for extreme examples: meat made from human or dog flesh – and faeces.

    Participants answered a series of questions about how they would feel eating each food, focusing especially on foods they said they’d refuse. We gathered 896 such “food rejections” from more than 300 people in the UK, and from these, we could dig into the psychology behind why people reject certain foods.

    Here’s what we found.

    Offending vegetables were usually rejected due to distaste – a reaction based on sensory experience: taste, smell, or texture. This was true for both vegetarians and omnivores. Whether it’s the bitterness of brussels sprouts or the sponginess of raw aubergine, the dislike came down to flavour or texture.

    Meat, however, was a different story. For vegetarians, it wasn’t the flavour of meat that made it unappealing, but the very idea of it. Their responses were driven by disgust – a reaction not to how something tastes, but to what it is.

    Those who rejected meat felt discomfort at the idea of meat being inside their body, or of it touching other food. That kind of deep, intuitive rejection mirrors how omnivores in our study reacted to images of human flesh, dog meat, or faeces – things we avoid not because of how they taste, but because of what they represent.

    To feel this distinction yourself, try this mental exercise. Imagine your favourite soup. Now, picture a tiny amount of a vegetable you dislike – let’s say beetroot – blended into it. You can’t see it, taste it, or smell it. Would you still eat the soup?

    If yes, you’re experiencing distaste to the beetroot. Distaste only kicks in when your senses are affronted. No taste, no problem.

    Now try the same scenario, but instead of beetroot, imagine the soup contains a minuscule amount of dog meat. Still invisible, undetectable – but you know it’s there. Would you eat it?

    Most people in western countries wouldn’t – not because of the flavour, but because of an almost primal aversion. That’s disgust.

    This distinction has been known in psychology for decades. Earlier studies showed that animal products like blood, bush meat and faeces are usually rejected because they evoke disgust, while plant-based foods are disliked due to distaste. But until now, it wasn’t clear just how closely vegetarians’ aversion to everyday meat mirrors reactions to the most revolting substances imaginable. This excludes reasoned, non-emotional choices like avoiding meat for environmental reasons or peanuts due to allergy.

    Distaste and disgust evolved to protect us from different threats. Plants often defend themselves with bitter or sour toxins, prompting a distaste response that’s shared across many species. The threat in meat comes from pathogens and parasites that can’t usually be detected by taste, so distaste is useless here. Disgust gives us way to respond to the idea of contamination, one that makes us recoil not just from the food itself, but from anything it touches.

    Disgust toward meat is more common than you might think. Around 74% of vegetarians and even 15% of flexitarians report robust levels of disgust when it comes to meat. And many omnivores experience it too – especially when confronted with unfamiliar meats. Think of the famous “Bushtucker Trials” on the reality show I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here. Few of us could stomach insects, animal brains, or offal – even if told they’re safe and nutritious.

    This emotional reaction isn’t just a quirk. It may help us reduce meat consumption overall. Recent research shows that during challenges like Veganuary, when people go a month without meat, they often become more disgusted by meat afterward. This makes it easier to keep reducing their intake.

    That could have benefits not only for personal health and animal welfare, but also for the environment, as livestock farming is a major contributor to climate change.

    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. What do bacon and faeces have in common? They can produce the same feeling of disgust – https://theconversation.com/what-do-bacon-and-faeces-have-in-common-they-can-produce-the-same-feeling-of-disgust-255194

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Phillips 66 Issues Statement Following Glass Lewis and ISS Reports

    Source: Phillips

    Disagrees with ISS’ and Glass Lewis’ Recommendations which Failed to Address Critical Issues Reiterates The Strength Of Phillips 66’s Highly Qualified Board And Nominees

    HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) today announced that it strongly disagrees with the recommendations issued by Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”) and Glass Lewis & Co. (“Glass Lewis”).
    “We disagree with the recommendations issued by ISS and Glass Lewis,” said the Phillips 66 Independent Directors. “We remain committed to engaging with and listening to our shareholders on the issues in this campaign.”
    The Company notes the following issues and omissions in the reports’ analyses that remain critical factors for shareholders to consider:
    Elliott’s break-up thesis not examined: The reports did not opine on the merits of Elliott’s thesis to break up Phillips 66, which is the primary objective of Elliott’s campaign. In fact, ISS stated clearly that its report “is not an endorsement of a Midstream and/or Chemicals separation.” Supporting Elliott’s directors implicitly supports this risky path and overrides the judgment of Phillips 66’s highly qualified Board. Our Board continually evaluates the portfolio to maximize shareholder value and currently believes that the integrated model is the best path to shareholder value creation. As we always have, we remain committed to regularly and aggressively assessing these options going forward.
    Concerning assessment of director independence: By recommending against Robert Pease, the reports establish a concerning precedent on evaluating director independence.
    The reports suggest a director selected and vetted by a shareholder can be determined to lack independence after one month on the board and one vote. The single vote was for a combined CEO and Chair, a policy that is in place at 44% of S&P 500 companies.1
    This analysis disregards the fact that Mr. Pease’s vote represented his professional judgment as a 30-year corporate leader and ignores the fact that Mr. Pease was carefully evaluated for his qualifications and independence by Elliott. It also fails to apply any scrutiny to Elliott’s self-interested lack of support for its recently supported director.

    Reliance on board analysis from five years ago: ISS acknowledged that Phillips 66 has refreshed its Board substantially since July 2020. Yet, it still claimed that a lack of Board refreshment prior to the COVID-19 pandemic reflects a need for change now.
    Concerning governance overlooked: ISS and Glass Lewis disregarded Elliott’s ongoing efforts to acquire CITGO. The reports also overlook the fact that this pursuit took place concurrently with discussions of a second director appointment. Notably, neither report mentions anything about Elliott’s misleading disclosures and the overlapping relationships of its director nominees. These are unresolved issues that are highly relevant to shareholder considerations.
    Phillips 66 reiterates its commitment to ongoing transformation and governance refreshment. The Company reminds shareholders of key facts including:
    Consistent refreshment: Phillips 66 has added five new independent directors in the past four years to equip the Board with fresh perspectives and independent viewpoints. In its report, ISS acknowledged the Company’s board refreshment efforts, noting “Beginning in July 2020, the pace of board refreshment accelerated rapidly. The board appointed Julie Bushman early that month, Lisa Davis in October 2020, Denise Singleton and Doug Terreson in July 2021, and Greg Hayes in July 2022. Mark Lashier also joined in July 2022 in connection with his succession as CEO. Accompanying these appointments, Ferguson departed in August 2020, and McGraw and Tschinkel departed in March 2021.”
    Strong governance practices: The Board is firmly committed to declassification that would require all directors to stand election each year. The last attempt to do so received approval from 73% of outstanding shares.
    In its report, ISS supported Phillips 66’s declassification proposal, arguing, “The proposed declassification, assuming it can clear the supermajority hurdle, would enhance board accountability to shareholders, and the resubmission of this proposal to a vote after it failed in prior years demonstrates a commitment to shareholders’ interests on the part of management.”

    Early days in transformation strategy: ISS recognizes that Phillips 66 has improved its operating results since Mark Lashier stepped in as CEO on July 1, 2022 and achieved a total shareholder return above that of key competitors. ISS noted, “Since the appointment of Lashier as CEO through May 8, 2025, PSX has outperformed VLO by 20.9 percentage points.” Phillips 66 has made it clear that it is working to improve operations but is not satisfied with its results. In under three years, the Company has made progress on corporate cost takeout, refining performance, asset divestitures and more. These are facts recognized by the reports. These actions reflect a commitment to improvement that is continuing and will lead to further performance improvement and ultimately increased shareholder value.
    Relevant director skills: Phillips 66’s Board composition is closely aligned with the Company’s strategy and the issues raised in this campaign. Of the continuing Directors and nominees, six have refining experience, five have chemicals experience and five have midstream experience. The majority has experience in business transformations, several have expertise in finance and a number are experts in supply chains.2 Notably, the Company’s Directors and nominees have overseen more than $300 billion in “breakup or major divestiture transactions.3
    Phillips 66 encourages shareholders to reach their own informed conclusions.
    Elliott is seeking rapid, irreversible change in pursuit of a short-term thesis that would introduce significant risks to Phillips 66 shareholders. Do not let Elliott’s short-term and misinformed thesis disrupt your consistent and compelling returns.
    Phillips 66 recommends that shareholders use the WHITE proxy card to vote:
    ‘FOR’ only its four nominees using the WHITE proxy card;
    ‘FOR’ management’s proposal to approve the declassification of the Board of Directors, in line with the recommendations from ISS & Glass Lewis;
    ‘AGAINST’ Elliott’s proposal requiring annual director resignations, which implementing would violate Delaware law and put your Board at significant legal and reputational risk.
    The Board strongly recommends that shareholders safeguard their investment in Phillips 66 by casting their vote as soon as possible, regardless of plans to attend the Annual Meeting virtually on May 21, 2025.
    Shareholders may receive materials from Elliott Management that say “Gold proxy card” or “Gold voting instructions” or similar language. Phillips 66 recommends that shareholders DISCARD any Gold voting materials they may receive from Elliott. Shareholders may cancel out any vote made using a Gold proxy card by voting again TODAY using the Company’s WHITE proxy card. Only the latest-dated vote will count.
    About Phillips 66
    Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) is a leading integrated downstream energy provider that manufactures, transports and markets products that drive the global economy. The company’s portfolio includes Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, Marketing and Specialties, and Renewable Fuels businesses. Headquartered in Houston, Phillips 66 has employees around the globe who are committed to safely and reliably providing energy and improving lives while pursuing a lower-carbon future. For more information, visit phillips66.com or follow @Phillips66Co on LinkedIn.
    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws relating to Phillips 66’s operations, strategy and performance. Words such as “anticipated,” “committed,” “estimated,” “expected,” “planned,” “scheduled,” “targeted,” “believe,” “continue,” “intend,” “will,” “would,” “objective,” “goal,” “project,” “efforts,” “strategies” and similar expressions that convey the prospective nature of events or outcomes generally indicate forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on management’s expectations, estimates and projections as of the date they are made. These statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, and you should not unduly rely on them as they involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include: changes in governmental policies or laws that relate to our operations, including regulations that seek to limit or restrict refining, marketing and midstream operations or regulate profits, pricing, or taxation of our products or feedstocks, or other regulations that restrict feedstock imports or product exports; our ability to timely obtain or maintain permits necessary for projects; fluctuations in NGL, crude oil, refined petroleum, renewable fuels and natural gas prices, and refining, marketing and petrochemical margins; the effects of any widespread public health crisis and its negative impact on commercial activity and demand for refined petroleum or renewable fuels products; changes to worldwide government policies relating to renewable fuels and greenhouse gas emissions that adversely affect programs including the renewable fuel standards program, low carbon fuel standards and tax credits for renewable fuels; potential liability from pending or future litigation; liability for remedial actions, including removal and reclamation obligations under existing or future environmental regulations; unexpected changes in costs for constructing, modifying or operating our facilities; our ability to successfully complete, or any material delay in the completion of, any asset disposition, acquisition, shutdown or conversion that we have announced or may pursue, including receipt of any necessary regulatory approvals or permits related thereto; unexpected difficulties in manufacturing, refining or transporting our products; the level and success of drilling and production volumes around our midstream assets; risks and uncertainties with respect to the actions of actual or potential competitive suppliers and transporters of refined petroleum products, renewable fuels or specialty products; lack of, or disruptions in, adequate and reliable transportation for our products; failure to complete construction of capital projects on time or within budget; our ability to comply with governmental regulations or make capital expenditures to maintain compliance with laws; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets, which may also impact our ability to repurchase shares and declare and pay dividends; potential disruption of our operations due to accidents, weather events, including as a result of climate change, acts of terrorism or cyberattacks; general domestic and international economic and political developments, including armed hostilities (such as the Russia-Ukraine war), expropriation of assets, and other diplomatic developments; international monetary conditions and exchange controls; changes in estimates or projections used to assess fair value of intangible assets, goodwill and property and equipment and/or strategic decisions with respect to our asset portfolio that cause impairment charges; investments required, or reduced demand for products, as a result of environmental rules and regulations; changes in tax, environmental and other laws and regulations (including alternative energy mandates); political and societal concerns about climate change that could result in changes to our business or increase expenditures, including litigation-related expenses; the operation, financing and distribution decisions of equity affiliates we do not control; and other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Phillips 66’s businesses generally as set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Phillips 66 is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
    Additional Information
    On April 8, 2025, Phillips 66 filed a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”) and accompanying WHITE proxy card with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “2025 Annual Meeting”) and its solicitation of proxies for Phillips 66’s director nominees and for other matters to be voted on. This communication is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document that Phillips 66 has filed or may file with the SEC in connection with any solicitation by Phillips 66. PHILLIPS 66 SHAREHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (AND ANY AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ACCOMPANYING WHITE PROXY CARD AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT SOLICITATION MATERIALS FILED WITH THE SEC AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders may obtain copies of the Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements to the Proxy Statement and other documents (including the WHITE proxy card) filed by Phillips 66 with the SEC without charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed by Phillips 66 with the SEC also may be obtained free of charge at Phillips 66’s investor relations website at https://investor.phillips66.com or upon written request sent to Phillips 66, 2331 CityWest Boulevard, Houston, TX 77042, Attention: Investor Relations.
    Certain Information Regarding Participants
    Phillips 66, its directors, its director nominees and certain of its executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in connection with the solicitation of proxies from Phillips 66 shareholders in connection with the matters to be considered at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the names of such persons and their respective interests in Phillips 66, by securities holdings or otherwise, is available in the Proxy Statement, which was filed with the SEC on April 8, 2025, including in the sections captioned “Beneficial Ownership of Phillips 66 Securities” and “Appendix C: Supplemental Information Regarding Participants in the Solicitation.” To the extent that Phillips 66’s directors and executive officers who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation have acquired or disposed of securities holdings since the applicable “as of” date disclosed in the Proxy Statement, such transactions have been or will be reflected on Statements of Changes in Ownership of Securities on Form 4 or Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership of Securities on Form 3 filed with the SEC. These documents are or will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
    1. Matthew Tonello, “2023 Disclosure Practices on Board Leadership and Structure,” Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, May 12, 2025, https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2024/01/18/2023-disclosure-practices-on-board-leadership-and-structure/.2. Source: Company filings, public filings.3. Source: Deal Point Data, Reuters, FactSet, Financial Times, RBC Capital Markets.

    Source: Phillips 66

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Could gravity be evidence that the universe is a computer simulation? My new study suggests so

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Melvin M. Vopson, Associate Professor of Physics, University of Portsmouth

    A star cluster in the constellation Sagittarius seen by the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope

    We have long taken it for granted that gravity is one of the basic forces of nature – one of the invisible threads that keeps the universe stitched together. But suppose that this is not true. Suppose the law of gravity is simply an echo of something more fundamental: a byproduct of the universe operating under a computer-like code.

    That is the premise of my latest research, published in the journal AIP Advances. It suggests that gravity is not a mysterious force that attracts objects towards one another, but the product of an informational law of nature that I call the second law of infodynamics.

    It is a notion that seems like science fiction – but one that is based in physics and evidence that the universe appears to be operating suspiciously like a computer simulation.

    In digital technologies, right down to the apps in your phone and the world of cyberspace, efficiency is the key. Computers compact and restructure their data all the time to save memory and computer power. Maybe the same is taking place all over the universe?

    Information theory, the mathematical study of the quantification, storage and communication of information, may help us understand what’s going on. Originally developed by mathematician Claude Shannon, it has become increasingly popular in physics and is used in a growing range of research areas.

    In a 2023 paper, I used information theory to propose my second law of infodynamics.

    This stipulates that information “entropy”, or the level of information disorganisation, will have to reduce or stay static within any given closed information system. This is the opposite of the popular second law of thermodynamics, which dictates that physical entropy, or disorder, always increases.

    Take a cooling cup of coffee. Energy flows from hot to cold until the temperature of the coffee is the same as the temperature of the room and its energy is minimum – a state called thermal equilibrium. The entropy of the system is a maximum at this point – with all the molecules maximally spread out, having the same energy. What that means is that the spread of energies per molecule in the liquid is reduced.

    If one considers the information content of each molecule based on its energy, then at the start, in the hot cup of coffee, the information entropy is maximum and at equilibrium the information entropy is minimum. That’s because almost all molecules are at the same energy level, becoming identical characters in an informational message. So the spread of different energies available is reduced when there’s thermal equilibrium.

    But if we consider just location rather than energy, then there’s lots of information disorder when particles are distributed randomly in space – the information required to keep pace with them is considerable. When they consolidate themselves together under gravitational attraction, however, the way planets, stars and galaxies do, the information gets compacted and more manageable.

    In simulations, that’s exactly what occurs when a system tries to function more efficiently. So, matter flowing under the influence of gravity need not be a result of a force at all. Perhaps it is a function of the way the universe compacts the information that it has to work with.

    Here, space is not continuous and smooth. Space is made up of tiny “cells” of information, similar to pixels in a photo or squares on the screen of a computer game. In each cell is basic information about the universe – where, say, a particle is – and all are gathered together to make the fabric of the universe.

    If you place items within this space, the system gets more complex. But when all of those items come together to be one item instead of many, the information is simple again.

    The universe, under this view, tends to naturally seek to be in those states of minimal information entropy. The real kicker is that if you do the numbers, the entropic “informational force” created by this tendency toward simplicity is exactly equivalent to Newton’s law of gravitation, as shown in my paper.

    This theory builds on earlier studies of “entropic gravity” but goes a step further. In connecting information dynamics with gravity, we are led to the interesting conclusion that the universe could be running on some kind of cosmic software. In an artificial universe, maximum-efficiency rules would be expected. Symmetries would be expected. Compression would be expected.

    And law – that is, gravity – would be expected to emerge from these computational rules.

    We may not yet have definitive evidence that we live in a simulation. But the deeper we look, the more our universe seems to behave like a computational process.

    Melvin M. Vopson is affiliated with the University of Portsmouth and the Information Physics Institute.

    – ref. Could gravity be evidence that the universe is a computer simulation? My new study suggests so – https://theconversation.com/could-gravity-be-evidence-that-the-universe-is-a-computer-simulation-my-new-study-suggests-so-255913

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Type 5 diabetes is a newly recognised disease – here are all the types of diabetes you need to know about

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Craig Beall, Senior Lecturer in the Neuroscience of Energy Homeostasis, University of Exeter

    Suriyawut Suriya/Shutterstock.com

    Type 5 diabetes has just been recognised as a distinct form of diabetes by the International Diabetes Federation. Despite the name, there are more than a dozen different types of diabetes. The classification isn’t quite as tidy as the numbering suggests.

    Here’s a clear guide to the different types, including some that you may not have heard of, along with information about what causes them and how they are treated.

    Type 1

    Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body’s immune system mistakenly attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This autoimmune reaction can occur at any age, from infancy through to old age.

    It is not linked to diet or lifestyle. Instead, it probably results from a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental triggers, such as viral infections.

    Treatment involves lifelong insulin therapy, delivered through injections or pumps.

    A small number of people who struggle with low blood sugars, called hypoglycaemia, can receive new cells in the pancreas that produce insulin from deceased donors. For many, this reduces the number of insulin injections needed. Some can stop taking their insulin altogether.

    What’s more, dozens of people have now received stem-cell-derived transplants to effectively “cure” their diabetes, although people still need to take strong immune-suppressing drugs. This treatment is not yet widely available.

    Type 2

    Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the condition and is often linked to having a high BMI (body mass index). However, it can also affect people of normal weight, particularly those with a strong genetic predisposition.

    Certain ethnic groups, including south Asians and people of African and Caribbean descent, are at higher risk – even at lower body weights.

    Boosting the body’s production of insulin can help to control blood sugar levels. Some drugs boost insulin production from the pancreas, while others improve insulin sensitivity.

    Metformin, for example, is taken by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. This drug improves insulin sensitivity and switches off sugar production by the liver.

    There are dozens of different drugs to help control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. Tailoring treatment to the individual has been shown to improve health outcomes significantly.

    Lifestyle changes can also reverse diabetes. This can be done by keeping a low-calorie diet of 800 calories a day. In a research trial maintaining this diet for 12 months reversed diabetes in 46% of people.

    Gestational diabetes

    This type of diabetes develops during pregnancy, typically between weeks 24 and 28. It is triggered by hormonal changes that reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin.

    Risk factors include being overweight or obese, a family history of diabetes, and giving birth to a large baby in a previous pregnancy.

    Those from Middle Eastern, south Asian, black and African Caribbean backgrounds are also at higher risk of gestational diabetes. Age is also a factor, as insulin sensitivity declines with age. This can be treated with diet and exercise, tablets or insulin injections.

    Gestational diabetes usually develops during the second or third trimester of pregnancy.
    Just Life/Shutterstock.com

    Rarer forms of diabetes

    There are at least nine sub-types of diabetes that include rare genetic forms, sometimes caused by a single genetic change. Others can be caused by treatment, such as surgery or drugs, such as steroids.

    • Neonatal diabetes appears early in life. Some of the genetic changes affect how insulin is released from the pancreas. Some people still make their own insulin, so can be treated with tablets that help pancreas cells to push out insulin.

    • Maturity onset diabetes of the young, or Mody, occurs later in life and is linked to genetic changes. There are several gene changes, with some affecting how pancreas cells sense sugar and others affecting how the pancreas develops.

    • Type 3c diabetes is different. It is caused by damage to the pancreas. People with pancreatic cancer, for example, can develop diabetes after parts of the pancreas are removed. It can also develop after pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).

    • Those with cystic fibrosis are also at a higher risk of developing diabetes. This is called cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. The risk increases with age and is very common, with around a third of people with cystic fibrosis developing diabetes by the age of 40.

    Type 5

    This newly designated form is linked to malnutrition during early life. Type 5 diabetes is more common in poorer countries. It affects around 20-25 million people worldwide.

    People have low body weight and lack insulin. But the lack of insulin is not caused by the immune system. Instead, the body may not have received the correct nutrition during childhood to help the pancreas develop normally.

    Studies with rodents have shown that a low-protein diet during pregnancy or adolescence leads to poor pancreas development. This has been known for many years. Having a smaller pancreas is a risk factor for different forms of diabetes. Essentially, having fewer reserves of insulin-producing cells.

    Diabetes is an umbrella term for a range of conditions that result in raised blood sugar levels, but the underlying causes vary widely. Understanding the specific types of diabetes someone has is crucial to providing the right treatment.

    As medical science evolves, so does the classification of diabetes. Recognising malnutrition-related diabetes as type 5 will stimulate discussion. This is a step towards better global understanding and care – especially in low-income countries.

    Craig Beall currently receives funding from Diabetes UK, Breakthrough T1D, Steve Morgan Foundation Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge, Medical Research Council, NC3Rs, Society for Endocrinology and British Society for Neuroendocrinology.

    – ref. Type 5 diabetes is a newly recognised disease – here are all the types of diabetes you need to know about – https://theconversation.com/type-5-diabetes-is-a-newly-recognised-disease-here-are-all-the-types-of-diabetes-you-need-to-know-about-256262

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Improving cardiology nursing

    Source: Scottish Government

    New skills to benefit patients and clinical staff.

    Cardiology nurses are to be supported to develop advanced skills to enable them to treat a wider range of patients and heart conditions.

    The National Specialist Nursing In Cardiology Framework will set out how nurses can develop advanced skills and expertise through university-level qualifications and clinical experience. This will support their practice at advanced level, including interpreting diagnostic tests and prescribing medications, leading teams and mentoring colleagues.

    Nursing professionals and cardiology services will be better able to align with the needs of the people they are caring for.

    Public Health Minister Jenni Minto visited Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert to launch the framework and said:

    “Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of serious ill health and death, and nurses across the country make enormous efforts to ensure the best care for patients.

    “As a government we want to support the NHS workforce and ensure they can continue to develop new skills that benefit patients. This innovative framework will help cardiology nurses obtain advanced skills to ensure more timely diagnoses, improved management of conditions and better access to care.

    “I hope that cardiology nurses across Scotland will find this to be a useful framework and that it helps them to develop their careers and meet the increasing amount of cardiovascular demand that we are seeing across the system.”

    The framework is a collaboration between the Scottish Government, nursing representatives from all NHS health boards, and NHS Education for Scotland.

    Senior Cardiology Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist and National Heart Disease Coordinator for the Scottish Government Leeanne Macklin said:

    “The framework not only aims to enhance patient care but also offers a structured pathway for career progression in specialty cardiology nursing. By creating clear routes to advanced practice roles such as Clinical Nurse Specialist and Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist, the framework supports the ongoing professional development of nurses within cardiology across Scotland.

    “This initiative is also designed to improve retention and job satisfaction by providing nurses with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive in their careers.”

    Associate Director for Nursing, Policy and Professional Practice at RCN Scotland Eileen McKenna said:

    “Advanced practice roles recognise the safety critical role that nursing plays and provide an opportunity for nurses to develop and have their clinical skills and expertise recognised. The Specialist Nursing in Cardiology Framework is a welcome route for learning and career progression for existing and future cardiology nurses.”

    The Chief Medical Officer’s Specialty Advisor for Cardiology Dr Ross McGeoch said:

    “Clinical Nurse Specialists are integral to the delivery of timely, safe, and effective cardiology care in Scotland. The Specialist Nursing in Cardiology Framework further strengthens these roles for the benefit of both practitioners and our patients.” 

    Background

    https://nmahpdevelopmentframework.nes.scot.nhs.uk/supporting-frameworks/specialist-practice-frameworks/cardiology/specialist-nursing-in-cardiology-framework/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 2025 Eurovision ‘a record-breaking moment for linguistic diversity’, says researcher The endurance of the European Song Contest and its place in the hearts of so many countries provides the ‘ideal lens for analysing cultural identities, memory, and heritage’, says Dr BárbaraBarreiro León.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Dr Bárbara Barreiro LeónThe endurance of the European Song Contest and its place in the hearts of so many countries provides the ‘ideal lens for analysing cultural identities, memory, and heritage’, says Dr BárbaraBarreiro León.
    The lecturer in Lecturer in Film & Visual Culture at the University of Aberdeen is currently writing a book exploring how identities are represented through film, music and other contemporary arts, including Eurovision.
    She says each year of the content – which has been running since 1956 – offers ‘a truly inexhaustible source of research’ and she will attend the 2025 event as part of the press group and will present at an academic conference being held at the University of Basel.
    “Comparing different years, countries, performances, and styles of hosting significantly enriches my research focus on memory, cultural heritage, and identity within Eurovision,” Dr León added.
    “When I last attended in 2023, the UK hosted on behalf of Ukraine—a moment filled with symbolic weight. This year, Switzerland takes on the role, bringing the contest full circle as the country that hosted the very first Eurovision in 1956. Being behind the scenes in these contexts offers a unique form of fieldwork—one that is immersive, dynamic, and unlike any other.”
    She said that the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest stands out as ‘a record-breaking moment for linguistic diversity in the competition’.
    Dr León said: “Out of 37 entries, 24 feature lyrics in languages other than English. Some countries are embracing their native tongues for the first time in years—or even decades—like Germany.
    “Others are showcasing regional dialects, such as Sweden’s entry, which is performed in Vörå, a unique blend of Finnish and Swedish. In a surprising twist, some nations are even singing in the native languages of other countries, with Estonia, for example, presenting a song in Italian.”
    [embedded content]
    Dr León’s previous work has focused primarily on Ukraine but she has expanded this focus to encompass themes such as European belonging, diaspora and migration, and the visual politics of flag representation.
    “It is a competition which may not always be taken seriously here but which has very different meanings across the countries taking part,” she added.
    “It is still the biggest musical event in the world and was founded to bring Europe back together following the Second World War.
    “There is nothing comparable which has run for so many years and which has such an enormous fan base crossing a huge number of national borders.
    “From that perspective it is the ideal vehicle to look at more than seven decades of change in our societies and culture with each edition of the contest bringing fresh examples that continuously enrich and deepen the broader conversation.”
    Further details of the conference at the University of Basel can be found at https://www.eurovisions.eu/programme-2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Erick Tsang to visit Hungary, Egypt

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang will conclude his Beijing visit tomorrow and depart for Hungary and Egypt from May 15 to 20 to attend the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Economic & Trade Cooperation Exchange Conferences.

    The conferences are jointly organised by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, to promote the development opportunities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

    While in Beijing, Mr Tsang led the Hong Kong SAR Government delegation to meet Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying and leaders of various bureaus to deepen their understanding of the country’s foreign policies and the latest developments of the international situation.

    Mr Tsang thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its staunch and continuous support for the Hong Kong SAR Government.

    He hoped it would continue to provide support and guidance to the Hong Kong SAR Government in handling the city’s external affairs, to support Hong Kong in intensifying international interaction and co-operation, and to showcase the successful implementation of “one country, two systems” to the world.

    Mr Tsang also met the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and the Committee on Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan & Overseas Chinese of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and toured the China Foreign Affairs University.

    Before leaving Beijing tomorrow, he will visit the Museum of Early Revolutionary Activities of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, meet Hong Kong students in Beijing, and call on the Office of the Hong Kong SAR Government in Beijing to receive briefings on its work.

    Mr Tsang will leave for Budapest, Hungary, in the early hours of May 15 to attend the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area – Europe (Hungary) Economic & Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference the next day.

    The conference aims to promote the enormous business opportunities brought about by the GBA to the Hungarian business community and how Hong Kong can play its important function as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the two places.

    During his stay in Hungary, Mr Tsang will meet local political and business representatives to learn about the latest developments in the region and explore ways to further strengthen co-operation between Hungary and Hong Kong, with a view to opening up new opportunities for enterprises of both places.

    He will depart for Cairo, Egypt, on May 17 for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area – Africa (Egypt) Economic & Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference on May 19 to promote the GBA’s latest developments and the development potential as well as Hong Kong’s unique advantages under “one country, two systems”.

    During his stay, he will exchange views with representatives of the local political and business circles to understand the local development trends and promote interface between the industries of Hong Kong and Egypt.

    Mr Tsang will leave Egypt on the evening of May 19, returning to Hong Kong on May 20. During his absence, Under Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Clement Woo will be Acting Secretary.

    Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Maisie Chan and Director-General of Investment Promotion Alpha Lau will join the visits.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Neag School Honors Faculty and Staff With 2025 Annual Awards

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The Neag School of Education honored several faculty and staff on May 2 with its annual awards recognizing research, teaching, and service. In March, the Neag School’s Dean’s Office solicited nominations from current students, faculty, and staff and presented the awards at the end-of-year School Meeting. The 2025 award recipients are:

    Dean Jason Irizarry presents the 2025 Zirkel Distinguished Teaching Award to Adam McCready during the May 2 Neag School meeting. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

    Dr. Perry A. Zirkel Distinguished Teaching Award – Adam McCready

    The Zirkel Distinguished Teaching Award is awarded annually to a full-time faculty member in the Neag School. Alumnus Perry A. Zirkel ’68 MA, ’72 Ph.D., ’76 JD is a university professor emeritus of education and law at Lehigh University, where he formerly was dean of the College of Education and more recently held the Iacocca Chair in Education. The 2025 award recipient is Adam McCready, an assistant professor-in-residence in the Department of Educational Leadership since 2019.

    McCready is a faculty member for the Neag School’s Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) Master of Arts program. His research critically examines the college student experience to identify and challenge oppressive educational structures. He has studied students’ experiences in historically white college social fraternities; college men and masculinities; and the relationship between social media use and students’ attitudes, behaviors, and experiences. His research has been published in Psychology of Men & Masculinities, Research in Higher Education, Innovative Higher Education, Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, and the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice. McCready serves as the editor for the Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice, and previously served as the vice chair for scholarship and research for the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Coalition on Men and Masculinities.

    McCready exemplifies excellence in teaching through his unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in the classroom. Since joining the HESA program, McCready has taught diverse core courses, skillfully blending rich scholarship with professional experience. A reflective educator, he thoughtfully incorporates material centering minoritized students and engages in critical conversations about race, gender, sexuality, and disability to better prepare future higher education leaders.

    In Spring 2022, McCready introduced an innovative “ungrading” philosophy, focusing on feedback and reflection rather than numerical scores. This humanizing approach has strengthened student learning while influencing fellow faculty members to rethink their evaluation methods. Known for his flexibility, McCready proactively seeks student feedback and adjusts his courses to meet learners’ evolving needs.

    His thoughtful course preparation, creativity, and deep investment in student success have earned him high student evaluation scores and recognition from UConn and the Neag School’s administration. Students and colleagues alike commend his relational, scholar-practitioner model of teaching.

    Sandra Chafouleas is the recipient of the 2025 Neag School Distinguished Researcher Award. (Neag School photo)

    Distinguished Researcher Award – Sandra Chafouleas

    This award is given to a full professor in the Neag School who, over at least the last 10-year period (at least five consecutive completed years at UConn), has made significant research contributions to their field of study. This year’s recipient is Sandra Chafouleas, a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology.

    Chafouleas is also the Neag Endowed Professor and the founder and co-director of the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH). Chafouleas focuses on supporting school system implementation of evidence-informed practices and is known for her expertise in areas of integrated health and learning (whole child), school mental health, and social, emotional, and behavioral assessment and intervention.

    As a principal investigator and co-principal investigator, Chafouleas has secured over $20 million to support research, service, and training activities through the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and private foundations. Chafouleas has successfully built and led multidisciplinary and multisite teams in tackling issues in the social, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children across pre-K-12 settings. She currently serves as multiple principal investigator on an NIH-funded U24 Network to advance the science of emotional well-being, leading the measurement, training, and mentorship of emerging scholars. Many individuals, including junior faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and students, have benefited from her research team’s leadership as collaborators on research publications, presentations, and grants.

    Chafouleas is also the co-creator of the award-winning Feel Your Best Self program, a free and fun toolkit that teaches 12 simple coping strategies to promote emotion regulation. The program has won numerous awards, including one Gold and three Silver Telly awards. She has authored over 200 publications, which have been cited more than 11,000 times, and regularly serves as a national presenter and invited speaker.

    She is a fellow in the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science. She has received multiple recognitions, including a 2022 Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association and selection as the 2023 Reed Fellow at UConn Waterbury. Chafouleas previously served as associate dean for The Graduate School (2012-2014) and the associate dean for research at the Neag School (2014-2016). Prior to becoming a university trainer, she worked as a school psychologist and school administrator in a variety of settings supporting the needs of children with behavior disorders.

    Dean Jason Irizarry presents the 2025 Neag School Early-Career Scholar Award to Zachary Collier during the May 2 Neag School meeting. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

    Outstanding Early-Career Scholar Award – Zachary Collier

    This award is given to a pre-tenured faculty member in the Neag School who has completed at least two consecutive years at UConn. The 2025 recipient is Zachary Collier, an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology.

    Collier is a leading scholar in educational statistics, causal data mining, and artificial intelligence applications in missing data analysis. His work addresses critical methodological challenges in education, public health, and special education, with research published in top-tier journals such as Structural Equation Modeling, Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, and Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness.

    Collier has received significant external funding from major agencies, including a $3.1 million NIH grant, a $2.9 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, and awards from the Spencer and James S. McDonnell foundations. In 2025, he was named an Emerging Scholar by Diverse Issues in Higher Education and was a featured mathematician by the Network for Minorities in Mathematical Sciences. That same year, he was appointed as grant reviewer for the IES.

    Beyond his research, Collier is a dedicated educator and mentor known for fostering inclusive, collaborative learning environments. He teaches foundational and advanced courses in statistics and data science and actively supports graduate student development through co-authored research. A staunch advocate for equity in quantitative research, he contributes to initiatives like the InclusiMetrics Conference and is recognized for advancing justice-oriented approaches through QuantCrit and data sensitivity methods.

    Valerie J. Pichette Outstanding Staff Award – Diane Herlihy and Christine North

    Dean Jason Irizarry presents Diane Herlihy with the 2025 Valerie J. Pichette Outstanding Staff Award.

    Named in honor of the late Valerie J. Pichette, this award recognizes an individual or individuals who have gone above and beyond in their work at the Neag School over the past academic year. Pichette had a 30-year history of service to the state of Connecticut, including having served as executive assistant to the Neag School dean for nearly two decades. This year’s recipients are Diane Herlihy and Christine North.

    Herlihy, who joined the Neag School in 2019, is the true definition of a team player. She collaborates with faculty, students, and staff to support others within the Neag School and always brings a positive attitude. As a volunteer and an active member of the Community Building Committee, she has been instrumental in the planning and execution of many events throughout the year, including Undergraduate Commencement.

    She has taken on the responsibilities of other positions multiple times to fill in for colleagues without hesitation and still ensured her work was not affected. Herlihy is always attentive to staff and student needs and is one of the first people willing to help; she seeks out answers to problems and does it all with a caring and determined attitude.

    Dean Jason Irizarry presents Christine North with the 2025 Valerie J. Pichette Outstanding Staff Award.

    North, the sole administrative staff person for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, constantly juggles requests from faculty, students, staff, Neag School administrators, and external stakeholders who call with questions, seek advice, and need help solving problems. She is a stable and calming presence and an essential ingredient in how the department’s business and mission are met.

    Since joining the Neag School in 1996, North has been an important member of the School community, helping others solve problems and raising questions and alternative strategies when relevant. She exhibits institutional loyalty, impressive professionalism, initiative, integrity, a willingness to help with everything and anything, and deeply cares for the culture of the Neag School.

    MIL OSI USA News –