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Category: Entertainment

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: WAVES 2025 pays stirring Tributes to the Legend of Bollywood Cinema Manoj Kumar

    Source: Government of India

    WAVES 2025 pays stirring Tributes to the Legend of Bollywood Cinema Manoj Kumar

    WAVES Breakout Session: “Remembering Manoj Kumar: Ace Filmmaker, True Nationalist” Concludes with Emotion, Insight, and Cinematic Legacy

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 5:47PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

     

    The cinematic waves at WAVES 2025 reached a heartfelt crescendo as the session “Remembering Manoj Kumar: Ace Filmmaker, True Nationalist” paid tribute to one of Indian cinema’s most iconic and patriotic voices. Moderated by noted film critic and podcaster Mayank Shekhar, the session brought together leading voices from the film and literary worlds to reflect on the legacy of the legendary actor, writer, and filmmaker.

    Born Harikishan Giri Goswami in 1937, Manoj Kumar’s life was as dramatic and inspiring as his films. Uprooted by partition, he came to Bombay with dreams but no film connections. A self-made storyteller who initially wrote scripts in Urdu, Kumar crafted a distinct cinematic voice — blending mainstream appeal with a deep sense of nationalism and social conscience.

    Kunal Goswami, actor and son of Manoj Kumar, opened the session with intimate memories: “My father lost everything during Partition, but never lost his vision. From living in refugee camps to scripting iconic stories in Urdu, his journey is a testimony of resilience. He brought Bhagat Singh’s mother to the premiere of ‘Shaheed’— that’s how personal his patriotism was. He created blockbusters that were also deeply nationalistic — a rare feat.”

    Madhur Bhandarkar, National Award-winning director of acclaimed movies such as Page 3, Chandni bar and Fashion remembered in awe Manoj Kumar’s cinematic techniques remarking that the way he shot songs was incredible. Bhandarkar added that Manoj Kumar’s films were layered with nationalism and social realism, something he has tried to echo in his own work. “Chandni Bar was in many ways a subconscious tribute to Manoj Kumar’s ethos.” said Bhandarkar.

    Dr. Raajeev Shrivastav, senior author and lyricist, shared an awe-inspiring tale:

    “At the screening of ‘Shaheed’ in Delhi attended by the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, the Prime minister asked Manoj Kumar to create a movie based on his slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan.’ Inspired by this, Manoj Kumar wrote the story for Upkaar on the overnight train journey back to Mumbai. Manoj Kumar’s life was a cinematic mission to speak to the common man. In this way his spirit mirrors the essence of WAVES itself.”

    Bharti S. Pradhan, veteran columnist and biographer, offered a poignant reflection:

    “Despite his massive success, he was incredibly approachable.  Even while unwell, he was dreaming of his next film. That was his spirit — always looking forward.”

    A Legacy That Lives On

    Known affectionately as Bharat Kumar, Manoj Kumar was the recipient of numerous accolades including the Padma Shri and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. His films — Shaheed, Purab Aur Paschim, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Upkaar, Kranti — were not just cinematic landmarks but cultural milestones. The session concluded with thumping applause from the audience and a collective sense of gratitude for a man who made patriotism poetic, and storytelling sublime.

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Search Is on for 2025’s Most Investible Canadian Cleantech Ventures

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Foresight Canada is now accepting applications for its fifth annual Foresight 50, a comprehensive spotlight on the 50 most investible cleantech companies across Canada to investors around the world. The initiative highlights companies with solutions to tackle the world’s biggest environmental and economic challenges.

    Since 2021, the Foresight 50 program has been instrumental in connecting promising Canadian cleantech ventures with a global network of investors, ensuring crucial injections of capital to multiply the impact of their solutions. Collectively, past honourees have raised over $2.25B in capital, fueling the growth of innovative solutions that enhance productivity in key global industries and accelerate Canada’s transition to a prosperous future economy.

    Companies selected for the Foresight 50 will benefit from:

    • Investor networking: Opportunities to connect with relevant investment firms.
    • International public relations: Increased visibility through Foresight-led media campaign.
    • Participation in the Foresight 50 Showcase: An in-person celebration for networking and investor connections.
    • Invite-only Investor Forum: Exclusive access to networking and panel sessions on the future of cleantech capital.

    Foresight 50’s panel of judges is composed of leading cleantech investors, including: Olivia Hornby (Spring Impact Capital), Moien Giashi (GreenSky Ventures), Cheri Corbett (BDC), Nikhil Nayer (Rogue Insight Capital), and Dania Moazzam (RBCx). These investors will select this year’s 50 ventures based on their investability, potential economic and job growth impact, leadership team, environmental impact, and probability of success. Winners will be announced at the ceremony in Calgary, November 2025.

    Who Should Apply?

    Canadian cleantech ventures with strong leadership, a clear growth trajectory, and a bold vision for environmental and economic impact. Foresight is looking for:

    • Companies across all cleantech sectors—from clean energy and sustainable agriculture to carbon capture and beyond.
    • Ventures at any funding stage, from seed to post-Series B.
    • Teams seeking strategic connections with international investors.
    • Innovators looking for visibility, credibility, and accelerated growth on the global stage.

    Submit your application by June 30, 2025.

    Quotes

    “Marking our fifth year of celebrating cleantech through our Foresight 50 underscores a vital reality: shining a bold spotlight on groundbreaking Canadian innovation is crucial now more than ever. Their ingenuity is beyond inspiring; they are the engine driving clean productivity across our nation, building a stronger and more sustainable future economy for Canada and the world.” —Jeanette Jackson, CEO, Foresight Canada

    About Foresight Canada:

    Foresight Canada helps the world do more with less, sustainably. As Canada’s largest cleantech innovation and adoption accelerator, they connect public and private sectors to the world’s best clean technologies, de-risking and simplifying the adoption of innovative solutions that improve productivity, profitability, and economic competitiveness, all while addressing today’s most urgent climate challenges.

    The 2025 Foresight 50 Showcase is presented by Foresight Canada and Export Development Canada (EDC). Media sponsor: Carbon Life Media.

    Image: 2024 Foresight 50 Honourees, Carbon Life Media.

    Heather Kingdon
    Communications Manager
    Foresight Canada
    hkingdon@foresightcac.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/03d7b8db-fd67-4010-b7f9-793e643e7fc3

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is a dark parable about coercive control

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Katy Mullin, Professor of Modern Literature and Culture, University of Leeds

    Coercive or controlling behaviour in an intimate or family relationship became a criminal offence in the UK in December 2015. The legislation was the result of a long campaign by the charity Women’s Aid to extend understanding of domestic abuse beyond physical violence. But, over 150 years earlier, Emily Brontë placed coercive control at the heart of her celebrated gothic romance, Wuthering Heights.

    The novel is often read as a great love story. It has inspired a Kate Bush song and many stage, film and TV adaptations. But Heathcliff is an abused child who becomes an abuser – and teaches his son to copy, continue and refine his abuse.

    In the novel, Cathy declares that “My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff!” Coercive control, like Cathy’s love, may not be fully visible, but it nonetheless underpins the emotional logic of Brontë’s plot.

    This article is part of Rethinking the Classics. The stories in this series offer insightful new ways to think about and interpret classic books and artworks. This is the canon – with a twist.

    Wuthering Heights is a novel of two halves. The first focuses on spirited, passionate Cathy, caught between her tamely domestic husband Edgar Linton and the thrilling wildness of Heathcliff, her soulmate from childhood. To revenge himself on Cathy for marrying Edgar, Heathcliff elopes with Edgar’s infatuated sister Isabella. Isabella initially sees Heathcliff as a brooding romantic hero, but she soon repents, fleeing with their baby son Linton.

    Heathcliff’s abuse of Isabella is sometimes physical, but more often psychological. He takes care, as he tells the family servant Nelly Dean, to “keep strictly within the limits of the law” to avoid giving Isabella “the slightest right to claim a separation”.

    The law grants him ownership of his wife’s money and property, but subtler refinements of abuse include humiliation, isolation from family and friends, and deprivation of food, privacy and personal care. At Wuthering Heights, Nelly is shocked to see Isabella unwashed, shabbily dressed. She’s “wan and listless; her hair uncurled: some locks hanging lankly down”.



    Read more:
    Margot Robbie’s Wuthering Heights dress is inaccurate, but not because it’s white – an expert explains

    Isabella has already reported that she is forced to sleep in a chair because Heathcliff keeps “the key of our room in his pocket”. Heathcliff delights in humbling her before Nelly and his own servants, calling her “an abject thing”, “shamefully cringing”, “pitiful, slavish, and mean-minded”.

    Isabella escapes Heathcliff clad only in “a girlish dress” and “thin slippers”, and goes into hiding with her brother’s financial help. After her death, Heathcliff recovers their son Linton and uses him to engineer a second coercive marriage to his cousin, Cathy and Edgar’s daughter Catherine.

    A sickly, peevish adolescent, Linton Heathcliff is perhaps the most unappealing character in Victorian fiction, lacking altogether the strength and charisma of his father. But his puny physicality casts the coercive nature of his abuse into relief.

    Catherine is imprisoned at Wuthering Heights and blackmailed into consenting to marry Linton, who becomes the legal owner of all her property. Incapable of dominating her physically, Linton delights in psychological torment, conspiring in his father’s surveillance and depriving her of beloved possessions:

    All her nice books are mine; she offered to give me them, and her pretty birds, and her pony Minny, if I would get the key of our room, and let her out; but I told her she had nothing to give, they were all, all mine. And then she cried, and took a little picture from her neck, and said I should have that; two pictures in a gold case, on one side her mother, and on the other uncle [Catherine’s father], when they were young. That was yesterday – I said they were mine, too.

    After Linton’s death, Heathcliff inherits everything, leaving the widowed and orphaned Catherine his penniless dependant. Wuthering Heights is a dark parable about the absolute power that marriage can grant to abusive men.

    Real-life inspiration

    Brontë’s plot was rooted in a real-life local case of domestic torment. In 1840, a Mrs Collins came to Haworth Parsonage to ask Emily’s father Patrick’s advice about her alcoholic, abusive husband. He was Patrick’s colleague and fellow clergyman, Rev. John Collins, assistant curate of Keighley.

    Unusually for the time, Patrick advised her to leave him and take her two children with her. In April 1847, just seven months before Wuthering Heights’ publication, Mrs Collins returned to Haworth to thank him. She told the Brontë family how she had settled in Manchester with her children, supporting them all by running a lodging house.

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    Mrs Collins’ experience of abuse did not only shape the chilling psychodrama of Wuthering Heights. There are echoes of Patrick’s advice in Emily’s sister Charlotte’s novel Jane Eyre (1847), and her eponymous heroine’s famous declaration of autonomy: “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you.”

    Mrs Collins’ strength and resilience also inspires the bravery of Helen Huntingdon in Anne’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848). Like Emily’s “eternal rocks,” coercive control lurks beneath the Brontës’ best-loved fictions, warning Victorian readers of the terrifyingly real dangers of psychological abuse long before the law caught up.

    Beyond the canon

    As part of the Rethinking the Classics series, we’re asking our experts to recommend a book or artwork that tackles similar themes to the canonical work in question, but isn’t (yet) considered a classic itself. Here is the suggestion from Hannah Roche and Katy Mullin:

    George Gissing photographed in 1880.
    Internet Archive

    Like the Brontës’ famous novels, George Gissing’s The Odd Women (1893) shows an acute awareness of the impact of psychological abuse. Against her better judgement, the 21-year-old Monica Madden marries Edmund Widdowson, a man 23 years her senior who attempts to police every aspect of her domestic, social, intellectual and psychological life.

    Gissing’s fictional abuser is a classic coercive controller, a perpetrator of a crime that did not yet exist, and his pattern of behaviour is now so familiar and identifiable that it appears both prescient and predictable. Intensely jealous and possessive, Widdowson deploys tactics of surveillance, stalking, regulation and isolation, making decisions about where Monica goes, who she sees, and even what she reads.

    Of course, like Heathcliff and Linton, Widdowson does not have access to online communication tools or spyware. But the many red flags in his treatment of Monica are likely to appear strikingly modern to readers today.

    Katy Mullin receives funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (“Coercive Control: From Literature into Law”, an AHRC Research Network).

    Hannah Roche receives funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (“Coercive Control: From Literature into Law”, an AHRC Research Network).

    – ref. Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is a dark parable about coercive control – https://theconversation.com/emily-brontes-wuthering-heights-is-a-dark-parable-about-coercive-control-253866

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Stuck in a creativity slump at work? Here are some surprising ways to get your spark back

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Poornika Ananth, Assistant Professor in Strategy and Organisations, School of Management, University of Bath

    GaudiLab/Shutterstock

    The latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s movie slate, Captain America: Brave New World, arrived earlier this year with the hopes of continuing the legacy of the beloved sub-franchise. But the film struggled to hit the heights of the three earlier instalments. Critics hit out at its messy plot, unremarkable characters, tired visuals – and an overall absence of creativity.

    This raises an interesting and broader question about creativity at work. Most advice on this focuses on having one creative idea. But what does it take to stay creative over time? After all, creativity at work isn’t just about having great ideas – it’s about having them consistently.

    Yet over time, even the most innovative minds and organisations like the Marvel Cinematic Universe can hit a creative slump that they struggle to recover from.

    Long-term creativity is often hindered by two broad factors. The first is the “expertise trap”. Expertise can initially be great for creativity. After all, as a person develops greater knowledge and skills, they can combine different elements of that knowledge to develop unique ideas and solutions to problems.

    Over time however, expertise can actually limit flexibility and creativity. When people become exceptionally skilled or knowledgeable in a particular field, they tend to experience “cognitive entrenchment”, a fixation where deeply ingrained knowledge of a topic leads to rigid ways of thinking.

    This might work well in familiar situations, but it can also make it harder for people to see things in a new light.

    The second factor is the “success trap”. Research suggests that success – and receiving recognition for a creative idea or outcome – can affect creativity in unexpected ways.

    Creative success can motivate people to come up with more ideas, increasing the quantity and pace of their output. But on the other hand, it can also encourage creators to focus on the things that worked well in the past. They often try to replicate or tweak them instead of coming up with something genuinely new.

    Of course all is not lost. There are inspiring examples of people and organisations who break out of a creative slump. Taylor Swift faced being pigeonholed after her initial country-pop success, but came back even stronger with her shift to synth-pop in 2014.

    It’s hard to believe Danish firm LEGO ever struggled – but it built back better.
    olrat/Shutterstock

    And Danish firm LEGO, which was on the brink of bankruptcy in 2003, regained its supremacy in the toy sector by coming up with new ways of making their core products – LEGO bricks – popular again. This even included taking the creative leap into movies based on their bricks.

    Get your creative spark back

    Research indicates that if you want to be consistently creative, it is important to break away from the things that helped you achieve creative success in the past.

    This can mean moving away from familiar environments as your career advances. Or it could be adding to your knowledge sources so that you are not merely reliant on the depth of your knowledge but also on the breadth. You may also benefit from collaborating with people who already have that additional knowledge so you can combine your brainpower.

    Second, if you have had a recent success this can often come with expectations to replicate it and chase more opportunities. While this may have some short-term benefits, in the long run insulating yourself from those expectations – and the rapid increase in opportunities – can give you the time and space to come up with new ideas instead of retreading old ground.

    My own research suggests that sustaining creativity over time is not just about generating ideas repeatedly, it is also about managing a portfolio of developing ideas. This is a better approach than merely focusing on one central idea.

    It involves putting aside (or stockpiling) ideas that have limited use or value right now and turning your attention to other ideas in the portfolio. Stockpiled ideas can exist and develop in the background, but you can return to them in the future and use them flexibly to learn from, seek inspiration or develop new projects.

    For people who work in the knowledge economy, ideas can be their primary currency. But beyond that, creativity can also improve wellbeing and so is a fundamental part of being human. By following these tips to reignite your creative spark, you can reap those benefits of continued creativity over a long period of time.

    Poornika Ananth 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. Stuck in a creativity slump at work? Here are some surprising ways to get your spark back – https://theconversation.com/stuck-in-a-creativity-slump-at-work-here-are-some-surprising-ways-to-get-your-spark-back-253888

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Aurora Payments Appoints Embedded Commerce Leader John Badovinac

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAS VEGAS, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aurora Payments, a full-service payment technology provider, today announced the appointment of John Badovinac as Senior Vice President of Embedded Commerce. A proven leader in the payments space, Badovinac will oversee Aurora’s embedded and integrated payments strategy, with a focus on accelerating growth through ISV, SaaS, and ecommerce partner ecosystems

    Badovinac brings over 25 years of go-to-market experience across the full spectrum of payments services, including integrated ISV payments, merchant acquiring, value-added resellers, EMV certification, and point-of-sale systems.

    “John is a respected leader in the integrated payments space with deep relationships and a unique understanding of how to bring value to software platforms and partners,” said Derek Dean, CRO at Aurora Payments. “His ability to drive strategy while building trusted, long-term partnerships will be instrumental as we expand our embedded commerce capabilities.”

    Prior to joining Aurora, Badovinac led the B2B Channel at Fortis, where he was responsible for business strategy, revenue growth, and partner success across the company’s ISV and VAR segments. He also held senior roles at International Bancard, TSYS, and Discover Financial Services, where he played a foundational role in developing integrated payments solutions and establishing go-to-market motions with ISVs and payment facilitators.

    Badovinac joins Aurora at a pivotal moment as the company continues to scale its ARISE platform, expand its partner ecosystem, and bring seamless, intelligent payments infrastructure to ISVs, vertical SaaS providers and traditional businesses alike.

    “What drew me to Aurora is the team’s bold vision, the strength of the platform, and the opportunity to truly enable software platforms to grow revenue,” said Badovinac. “I’m thrilled to join an organization of proven and decisive leaders that are committed to innovation and to building meaningful relationships with its partners.”

    This appointment marks the latest investment in Aurora’s leadership team, following the recent addition of Avin Arumugam as Chief Product Officer and Derek Dean as Chief Revenue Officer.

    About Aurora Payments

    Aurora Payments is a united network of processing, technology, and payments solutions, supporting over 27,000 merchants and $12 billion in annual processing volume. Founded in 2005, Aurora has carved out leadership in several industries through its innovative products, exceptional service, and deep vertical expertise. The company’s proprietary platforms —ARISE, RISE CRM, Calendarise, and NailSoft—are cloud-based solutions designed to simplify payments and operations for small and midsize businesses. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Aurora Payments is backed by Corsair, a leading private equity firm focused on payments, software, and financial service investments.

    Follow Aurora Payments on LinkedIn or X, or learn more at https://risewithaurora.com.

    Contacts
    Media Contacts:
    Dominic Litten
    SVP, Marketing and Partnerships
    +1 2165132935
    Dom.Litten@risewithaurora.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8127d210-49f2-4a49-84a1-0e0257335550

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Agents Arrest San Antonio Man for Alleged Child Pornography Charges

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was arrested Tuesday in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of child pornography.

    According to court documents, Zaid Mashhour Haddad allegedly streamed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from his computer to a TV mounted on the bedroom wall of his apartment. One of the videos that allegedly depicted child pornography was displayed on Haddad’s TV as the FBI executed a search warrant on his apartment. The video was allegedly being streamed from a link Haddad received through Telegram. Agents reviewed and documented the contents of the link, which allegedly contained 181 different videos.

    The complaint alleges that the investigation into Haddad’s activity showed Haddad received links containing CSAM from direct message threads on Telegram, which were stored in the Telegram application on his phone. Details in the complaint allege that the links often led to virtual Zoom meetings where CSAM would be live streamed using content from a separate file sharing application.

    Haddad is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of knowingly accessing with intent to view any material that contained an image of child pornography. If convicted, Haddad faces up to 20 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, an additional restitution amount, and the requirement to register as a sex offender. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The FBI is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Occidental Announces Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Occidental (NYSE: OXY) announced today that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.24 per share on common stock, payable on July 15, 2025, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on June 10, 2025.

    About Occidental

    Occidental is an international energy company with assets primarily in the United States, the Middle East and North Africa. We are one of the largest oil and gas producers in the U.S., including a leading producer in the Permian and DJ basins, and offshore Gulf of America. Our midstream and marketing segment provides flow assurance and maximizes the value of our oil and gas, and includes our Oxy Low Carbon Ventures subsidiary, which is advancing leading-edge technologies and business solutions that economically grow our business while reducing emissions. Our chemical subsidiary OxyChem manufactures the building blocks for life-enhancing products. We are dedicated to using our global leadership in carbon management to advance a lower-carbon world. Visit Oxy.com for more information.

    Contacts

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Building a Budget and Saving for the Future

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WILMINGTON, Del., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — While most Americans would benefit from consulting with a financial advisor, becoming familiar with basic financial practices is easier than you might think. The centerpiece of any financial plan should be setting aside money for your future. Awareness and planning around spending on essentials each month allows you to better determine your capacity for saving.

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

    We all know creating a budget and sticking to it is essential, but it’s important to be smart about where you save and invest your money. Many people place their money in a regular savings account at their local bank, which typically offers a very low interest rate. Instead, consider placing your money in an FDIC insured high-yield online savings account where your money will earn much higher returns. And remember, it’s never too late to begin saving. For example, if you’re an AARP member, you can place your money in a high-yield no fee savings and CD accounts with Barclays and no matter how much or how little you want to save, AARP members will always get the highest rate of return the bank offers. It’s a smart approach to securing your future.

    Learn more at AARPdigitalbanking.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FIVE PEOPLE SENTENCED FOR FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT TARGETING ELDERLY RETIRED FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Five defendants who were convicted of a conspiracy scheme to defraud the retirement accounts of elderly and retired Florida school district employees have been sentenced after three defendants pleaded guilty and two defendants were found guilty by a federal jury. Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentences of the following defendants:

    • Lambert Aguebor, 33, of Miramar, Florida, has been sentenced to 71 months in federal prison after previously being found guilty by a federal jury of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
    • Floyd Bostic, 42, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison after previously being found guilty by a federal jury of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, three counts of Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, 16 counts of Money Laundering, and Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business.
    • Grace Aguebor, 36, of Miramar, Florida, has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.
    • Ronald Vargas, 38, of Osteen, Florida, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
    • Sarina Levy, 34, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, has been sentenced to 6 months and 1 day in federal prison, to be followed by 6 months of home detention, after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.

    “Americans are fed up with the constant barrage of scams that maliciously target the elderly,” said Acting United States Attorney Spaven. “With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and aggressively prosecuting those who seek to steal the hard-earned savings of our senior citizens.”

    Evidence presented at trial and court records show that Vargas worked as a Retirement Specialist at a Tallahassee-based company that administers a retirement 401(k) savings program whose participants are comprised largely of Florida school district employees or prior employees. Between January 2022, and March 2022, Vargas conspired with siblings Grace Aguebor and Lambert Aguebor to steal the retirement funds from the accounts of elderly retired school district employees—some of whom were deceased. Through his position, Vargas had access to the retired employees’ personally identifiable information (“PII”) and oversaw the processing of withdrawal requests from the 401(k) accounts. Vargas provided Grace and Lambert with PII of elderly 401(k) participants whose retirement accounts appeared to be dormant so the PII could be used to prepare fraudulent withdrawal request forms for these accounts.

    The fraudulent withdrawal request forms were then faxed to the company where Vargas worked so he could process them. Grace and Bostic personally faxed some of the fraudulent withdrawal request forms; in other cases, the fraudulent forms were given to other conspirators, including Levy, to fax. Once Vargas processed the forms, the stolen retirement funds were transferred to bank accounts controlled by Grace, Bostic, and other conspirators. In total, the conspirators withdrew and attempted to withdraw retirement funds from 25 different 401(k) accounts, resulting in a net total of $1.1 million actually being stolen.

    Evidence presented to the jury showed that Bostic also served as a money launderer who received over half of the stolen funds into his personal bank accounts and those of his Tallahassee-based music promotion businesses. Bostic then transferred some of the stolen funds between his various bank accounts in an effort to conceal or disguise its nature, location, source, or ownership. Evidence also showed that Bostic used some of the stolen funds to purchase a residence and pay for his personal and business expenses. Bostic also withdrew over $400,000 worth of stolen funds in cash at various banks and ATMs in Tallahassee and central Florida. The jury also saw evidence which showed that Bostic communicated and coordinated with Lambert Aguebor about the transfer of the stolen funds and to arrange meetings in central Florida.

    In addition to their prison sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay restitution totaling approximately $1,000,000 to the victims. The defendants’ imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release.

    This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.

    “Motivated by sheer greed, these individuals conspired to take advantage of Florida’s public servants, and their punishments mark an important step in holding these fraudsters accountable,” said FBI Jacksonville Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Carley. “Fraud and corruption pose a fundamental threat to our national security and our way of life, and the FBI and our partners will continue to identify and bring to justice anyone who takes advantage of hardworking Americans, and especially educators who dedicate their lives to supporting our children.”

    “As law enforcement professionals, it is our duty to protect our community, especially our most vulnerable members, from those who seek to exploit them for personal gain,” said Chief Lawrence Revell of the Tallahassee Police Department. “This case is a clear example of how greed can drive individuals to harm others, and we remain committed to working alongside our federal partners to ensure those who commit such crimes are held accountable.”

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Deals this May Bank Holiday Weekend

    Source: Samsung

     
    LONDON, U.K. – April 30, 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd is excited to announce an exceptional range of promotions available on Samsung.com across the May bank holiday weekend and beyond, offering UK customers the perfect opportunity to upgrade their tech and experience Samsung’s latest innovations.
     
    From smartphones and home appliances to wearables and entertainment solutions, Samsung’s curated selection of offers ensures there’s something for everyone. If you’re looking to enhance your daily life or explore cutting-edge technology, this is the ideal time to discover the best of Samsung, whether it’s for your spring cleaning or your upcoming holidays.
     
    Key Offers Include:
     
    Mobile and wearables
    Save £150 when you buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra, or save £100 when you buy the Galaxy S25 or S24[1]
    Save £75 when you buy the Galaxy A56 or A36[2]
    Save £150 on the Galaxy Watch Ultra, or Save £75 on the Galaxy Watch7[3]
    Save £200 when you buy a Galaxy Book5 plus get a guaranteed £100 off when you trade in any laptop, tablet or Android smartphone in any condition[4]

    Home Appliances:
    Save 20% when you buy 3 selected home appliances together, or 15% when you buy 2[5]
    Save 15% when you buy a selected oven & hob together[6]
    Save 15% when you buy a selected washing machine & tumble dryer together[7]
    Save up to £200 on selected Vacuum Cleaners1, plus get up to £200 off selected when you recycle your old one for free[8]

    TVs & Entertainment:
    Save up to £100 when you buy selected 4K Neo QLED TVs[9],  prices from £699
    Get a Free Freestyle when you buy a selected OLED TV[10]
    Save up to 20% on selected Monitors with discount code MAYMON[11]
    Claim up to £200 cashback on selected 2024 8K or 4K Neo QLED TVs[12]

     
    Customers can visit Samsung KX or shop online at Samsung.com/uk to enjoy these limited-time promotions.
     
     
    [1] Purchase from samsung.com by 13.05.25
    [2] Purchase from Samsung.com by 27.05.25
    [3] Purchase from Samsung.com by 03.06.25
    [4] Purchase from Samsung.com by 20.05.25. £100 value based on any laptop, tablet or Android smartphone, in any condition. Charges apply if you don’t send us your Trade In device. T&Cs apply.
    [5] Purchase from Samsung.com/uk by 03.06.25. Discount applied automatically at checkout when two or more qualifying products in basket. Excludes all Vacuum Cleaners, Microwaves & accessories. Not in conjunction with any other offer. While stocks last.
    [6] Purchase from Samsung.com/uk by 03.06.25. Discount applied automatically at checkout when two or more qualifying products in basket. Excludes all Vacuum Cleaners, Microwaves & accessories. Not in conjunction with any other offer. While stocks last.
    [7] Purchase from Samsung.com/uk by 03.06.25. Discount applied automatically at checkout when two or more qualifying products in basket. Excludes all Vacuum Cleaners, Microwaves & accessories. Not in conjunction with any other offer. While stocks last.
    [8] Only available at Samsung.com/uk. Customers must apply Trade Up discount on product page, before checking out. Recycled products are non-returnable and have zero value. You must make sure it is ready for collection at the same time we deliver your new product. We reserve the right to refuse the delivery if you fail to do so. You will be required to pay a surcharge equal to the amount of the discount you received, if you do not recycle or have your product ready for recycling. Offer cannot be combined with multi-buy promotions for Home Appliances. Each household may only recycle one of each type of product and will receive only one Trade Up discount for each product type recycled. The Trade Up discount is an incentive to recycle it is not a Trade In value for the recycled product.
    [9] Purchase from samsung.com/uk by 06.05.25.
    [10] Purchase from samsung.com by 06/05/2025. Free item automatically added at checkout. While stocks last.
    [11] Purchase from Samsung.com/uk by 06.05.25. Enter code at checkout. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.
    [12] Purchase from samsung.com/uk by 27/05/25. Claim between 30 & 60 days of purchase. To claim and for full T&Cs see https://samsungoffers.claims/preorder2025VisionAI.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Some ‘Star Wars’ stories have already become reality

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Daniel B. Oerther, Professor of Environmental Health Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology

    Tatooine’s moisture farming equipment stands in the desert of Tunisia, where parts of the ‘Star Wars’ movie series were filmed. Véronique Debord-Lazaro via Flickr, CC BY-SA

    Just 48 short years ago, movie director George Lucas used the phrase “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” as the opening to the first “Star Wars” movie, later labeled “Episode IV: A New Hope.” But at least four important aspects of the “Star Wars” saga are much closer – both in time and space – than Lucas was letting on.

    One, the ability to add blue food coloring to milk, was possible even at the time the first film came out. But in 2024, “Star Wars”-themed blue milk became periodically available in grocery stores.

    And we, an environmental health engineer and a civil engineer, know there are at least three more elements of these ancient, distant Lucas stories that might seem like science fiction but are, in fact, science reality.

    Moisture farming

    In that first movie, “Episode IV,” Luke Skywalker’s Uncle Owen was a farmer on the planet of Tatooine. He farmed water from air in the middle of a desert.

    It might sound impossible, but it’s exactly what experts discussed at the second International Atmospheric Water Harvesting Summit hosted by Arizona State University in March 2025.

    Each day, a human needs to consume about the equivalent of 0.8 gallons of water (3 liters). With more than 8 billion people living on the planet, that means engineers need to produce nearly 2.6 trillion gallons (10 trillion liters) of clean drinking water every year. Taken globally, rainfall would be enough, but it’s distributed very unevenly – including landing in the oceans, where it immediately becomes too salty to drink safely.

    Deserts, which cover about one-fifth of the Earth’s land area, are home to about 1 billion people.

    Researchers at places such as Berkeley have developed solar-powered systems that can produce clean drinking water from thin air. In general, they use a material that traps water molecules from the air within its structure and then use sunlight to condense that water out of the material and into drinkable liquid. But there is still a ways to go before they are ready for commercial distribution and available to help large numbers of people.

    Researchers can harvest water from air in the desert, in a process powered only by the Sun.

    Space debris

    When the second Death Star was destroyed in “Return of the Jedi,” it made a huge mess, as you would expect when blowing to smithereens an object at least 87 miles across (140 kilometers). But the movie’s mythology helpfully explains a hyperspace wormhole briefly opened, scattering much of the falling debris across the galaxy.

    As best as anyone can tell, a hyperspace wormhole has never appeared near Earth. And even if such a thing existed or happened, humans might not have the technology to chuck all our trash in there anyway. So we’re left with a whole lot of stuff all around us, including in space.

    According to the website Orbiting Now, in late April 2025 there were just over 12,000 active satellites orbiting the planet. All in all, the United States and other space-faring nations are trying to keep track of nearly 50,000 objects orbiting Earth. And there are millions of fragments of space debris too small to be observed or tracked.

    Just as on Earth’s roads, space vehicles crash into each other if traffic gets too congested. But unlike the debris that falls to the road after an Earth crash, all the bits and pieces that break off in a space crash fly away at speeds of several thousand miles per hour (10,000 to 30,000 kph) and can then hit other satellites or spacecraft that cross their paths.

    This accumulation of space debris is creating an increasing problem. With more satellites and spacecraft heading to orbit, and more stuff up there moving around that might hit them, space travel is becoming more like flying the Millennium Falcon through an asteroid field every day.

    Engineers at NASA, the European Space Agency and other space programs are exploring a variety of technologies – including a net, a harpoon and a laser – to remove the more dangerous pieces of space junk and clean up the space environment.

    Dodging obstacles in space is no picnic.

    The Force itself

    To most Earth audiences, the Force was a mysterious energy field created by life that binds the galaxy together. That is until 1999, when “Episode I: The Phantom Menace” revealed that the Force came from midi-chlorians, a microscopic, sentient life form that lives within every living cell.

    To biologists, midi-chlorians sound suspiciously similar to mitochondria, the powerhouse of our cells.
    The current working hypothesis is that mitochondria emerged from bacteria that lived within cells of other living things. And mitochondria can communicate with other life forms, including bacteria.

    There are many different kinds of mitochondria, and medical professionals are learning how to transplant mitochondria from one cell to another just like they transplant organs from one person’s body to another. Maybe one day a transplant procedure could help people find the light side of the Force and turn away from the dark side.

    May the Fourth – and the Force – be with you.

    Daniel B. Oerther is affiliated with the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.

    William Schonberg occasionally receives funding from NASA.

    – ref. Some ‘Star Wars’ stories have already become reality – https://theconversation.com/some-star-wars-stories-have-already-become-reality-255563

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: AutoScheduler.AI Discusses How Disjointed Tech Wreaks Havoc on Distribution on Supply Chain Now Podcast

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AutoScheduler.AI, an innovative Warehouse Orchestration Platform and WMS accelerator, recently participated in a podcast on Supply Chain Now, the voice of supply chain. AutoScheduler CEO Keith Moore discussed how disjointed tech wreaks havoc on distribution with hosts Scott Luton and Jake Barr, who used AutoScheduler when he worked at P&G.

    To listen to the podcast, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m3bzn2vpls.

    “Distribution centers and warehouses have no shortage of challenges, including labor shortages, increased demand, and disparate automation and technology that doesn’t integrate well,” says Keith Moore, CEO of AutoScheduler.AI. “For enterprises serious about efficiency and resource maximization, AutoScheduler delivers dynamic orchestration tailored to warehouse complexities, ensuring every asset and process is optimized to support production, boost throughput, and drive profitability.”

    On the podcast “The Logistics Problem No One Talks About: How Disjointed Tech is Wreaking Havoc on Distribution,” AutoScheduler highlighted:

    • The real cost of scattered data and disconnected workflows.
      • Many companies build buffers to account for the disjointed information, resulting in excess inventory, additional labor, and underutilized automation. Adding more space and crew also adds unnecessary costs.
      • AutoScheduler improves the quality of work by eliminating the endless firefighting cycle of ensuring the right products arrive at the right place at the right time.

    “These buffers, costs, and challenges that exist because of the disjointed nature of systems wouldn’t exist in a perfect world because everything would just get where it needs to go,” adds Moore. “You would have optimized service at optimized cost. For example, a production schedule changes by the minute, so companies need to know what raw materials need to be brought to what line at what time. This must be perfectly orchestrated to get everything there so production continues running.”

    • Why traditional WMS and ERP solutions aren’t enough anymore.
      • The traditional WMS is not designed to optimize a facility’s overall constrained flows. An ERP doesn’t plan in size buckets for less than a day, but most changes in the warehouse occur in minutes, not days.
      • To meet customer delivery requirements, businesses need to know where inventory is, what inventory is going on which truck, how many pick processes are needed to get the inventory, and the capacity limits that the dock or production line can handle at a particular time. This can only be done with advanced mathematics like AI that can think further than the next 5, 10, or 20 minutes into the future.

    “The snowball effect that as all these changes, dilemmas, and delays add up, so we need to take a smarter, better, forward-looking approach with available technology, rather than using the very limiting traditional platforms that are out there,” adds Moore.

    • How visibility and orchestration eliminate operational silos.
      • Step one is to have a single pane of glass showing all the ingested data from the siloed units so you can pull together the threads that hold the data together and show how they will impact each other. AutoScheduler allows companies to have all the data in one place by integrating the data across platforms, giving businesses a single view of information, which enhances decision-making.
      • Step two is predictivity—being able to examine the data, examine known boundaries and conditions inside your facility, and start to predict what will happen.
      • Step three is “prescriptivity”—or orchestration—where you make decisions to optimize future outcomes.

    “With orchestration, we take all the data, do scenario modeling to figure out where the world’s going to break and where my bottlenecks are going to be, and then start to make tradeoffs to optimize outcomes – and at the end of the day, that optimized outcome is some combination of maximized service, minimized cost,” adds Moore.

    • AI’s role in integrating, predicting, and optimizing distribution workflows.
      • It creates calm out of the chaos because you have taken the prescriptive steps to create a cadence of activities where the people running the operations know what to execute next without stopping and waiting.
      • AI is evaluating all the different potential options for running a facility, not just for the next five minutes but for the next day or two, based on all known information.
    • What an intelligent, dynamic logistics platform looks like in action.
      • It harmonizes the data across all systems.
      • It continuously and dynamically runs and understands exactly how each site needs to operate.
      • It’s configurable so that when we model a site inside our platform, it is tuned to that site to understand how it operates and runs.
      • Identifies where the bottlenecks are – telling the who, what, where, and when.

    “With AutoScheduler.AI, people inside of facilities can spend their valuable time on fighting actual fires and not on the management of overall orchestration of work,” says Moore.

    About AutoScheduler.AI

    AutoScheduler.AI empowers you to take full control of your warehouse with a cloud-based solution that seamlessly integrates with your existing WMS/LMS/YMS or any other solution. We automate critical tasks like labor scheduling, dock management, and task sequencing, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. You’ve already invested in the software to run your warehouse—what we do is provide the orchestration layer that ties it all together to make real-time data driven decisions. With AutoScheduler.AI, you get smart orchestration for a smarter, more agile warehouse. For more information, visit: http://www.autoscheduler.ai.

    Contact:
    Becky Boyd
    MediaFirst PR
    Becky@MediaFirst.Net
    Cell: (404) 421-8497  

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5cd16654-28f3-4390-b9d3-c358231e7c5c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Virginia Giuffre’s treatment in the media highlights the great consequences of accusing high profile men of abuse

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lindsey Blumell, Lecturer in Journalism, City St George’s, University of London

    Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent accusers of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has died at age 41. Her family said she died by suicide at her farm in Australia.

    Giuffre had long accused Prince Andrew of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager. She brought a civil sexual assault case against him, which Andrew ultimately settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. He has denied all claims against him. But the accusations and his friendship with Epstein ultimately led to Andrew’s partial withdrawal from public life.

    Giuffre’s story is a poignant reminder of the great consequences to anyone who speaks out about their abuse, especially someone who speaks out against the powerful.

    Giuffre was not just a victim of Epstein’s crimes, she was also the focus of brutal tabloid media coverage in the UK and around the world. That’s not to say there weren’t moments of great reporting. But those were often overshadowed by sensationalising and stereotyping that regularly accompany reporting on those who come forward with allegations of sexual abuse.

    A search for Virginia Giuffre on news database Factiva yields over 25,000 results. It’s hard to imagine carrying the weight of so much attention, positive or negative.

    News coverage was a mix of support and scrutiny, starting almost 15 years ago and then intensifying in the last six years, when Epstein was arrested. He died while in jail, awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges.

    The first wave of news coverage on Giuffre dates back to early 2011. The tabloids and broadsheets often referred to Giuffre (known as Virginia Roberts then) as a “masseuse” or more explicit terms, while also reporting that she was a minor when she was first allegedly sexually exploited and abused by Epstein and only 17 when she first met Prince Andrew. Coverage largely included one-word quotes from Giuffre, but nothing that humanised her to readers.

    The Times and other publications reported on Andrew’s friendly connection to Epstein – though there was no direct accusation against him at that time.

    There was a breezy tone to coverage that focused on catchy wordplay headlines between the prince and the “pervert” Epstein. Epstein was already a registered sex offender in 2008, but there was little reflection on his horrendous actions that led him to that title.

    More glaringly, there was little to no concern for Giuffre or other survivors. They were salacious fodder. There was little empathy for what they experienced and the risks they took speaking publicly. The main focus was on the apparent embarrassment of Andrew’s friendship with Epstein, which eventually led to the prince stepping down from his trade envoy role.

    The important men and their roles were the news angles. Giuffre was only a supporting character.

    The second wave of news coverage on Giuffre happened in 2019, when Epstein was arrested for accusations of child sex trafficking. She was named in court documents and noted as a victim of Epstein in media, but was again overshadowed by Epstein’s connections to other powerful men such as Donald Trump or Bill Clinton (both deny knowing of Epstein’s crimes).

    None of this is to imply that those linked to Epstein shouldn’t be named and investigated. But, as my research shows, when powerful men are accused, the coverage largely revolves around those powerful men and the monetary or career consequences to them. The survivors and the abuse and trauma they experience are a footnote.

    Research shows that how journalists evaluate the newsworthiness of a story often values power structures, men’s perspectives and celebrity status. Therefore, when someone like Giuffre does come forward, her story and voice come secondary to the more powerful accused.

    Changing headlines

    A shift in the tone of coverage came in 2020, when Giuffre and others were the focus of a Netflix docuseries on Epstein’s crimes. Watching the detailed accounts from so many humanised Giuffre and others, while showing the tremendous weight put on survivors when they come forward. Their stories elicited empathetic responses from viewers.

    News coverage has made some progress in the last decade due to the ##MeToo movement and survivors speaking out. However, this has since been tempered by a backlash to #MeToo – and problematic attitudes persist within news and entertainment industries. Threats of legal action from those accused can leave journalists hesitant to report on sexual abuse.

    In February 2022, Andrew settled a civil sexual assault case with Giuffre for an undisclosed amount. The coverage was more sensitive to Giuffre than a decade prior – the mislabelling and scandalising were mostly left out – but still lacked survivors’ perspectives. Andrew was stripped of his royal and military titles at the time but appears to remain in standing with the royal family unofficially.

    There has also been compassion in the coverage of Giuffre’s death, particularly in interviews with her family and friends. There are calls for accountability from Andrew, as well as the usual, terrible tabloid coverage exploiting the situation.

    One limitation of reporting on sexual abuse cases is that often survivors don’t want to speak publicly to news media because of the tremendous risks and consequences they face. Survivors face backlash when telling friends and family in their private circles because they are blamed, or are not believed. These consequences are intensified when survivors go public.

    Several organisations have provided guidelines to news organisations on how to report more fairly and accurately on sexual abuse.

    Many people who experience sexual abuse never come forward. Giuffre did, and repeatedly spoke to media for over a decade. While some news organisations learned how to be more sensitive, the focus has never been enough on her story, her life and her determination.

    If any of the content in this piece affects you or someone you know, resources are available.

    In the UK: Samaritans are available by phone, for free, at 116 123, or by email at jo@samaritans.org. Further resources can also be found here.

    Contact Rape Crisis England & Wales online or by phone at 0808 500 2222.

    If you are in crisis in the US, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

    Lindsey Blumell receives funding from City St George’s, University of London

    – ref. Virginia Giuffre’s treatment in the media highlights the great consequences of accusing high profile men of abuse – https://theconversation.com/virginia-giuffres-treatment-in-the-media-highlights-the-great-consequences-of-accusing-high-profile-men-of-abuse-255443

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Superstar Platforms, Inc Files Registration Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Marks Key Milestone Toward Becoming a Fully Reporting Public Company

    ATLANTA, GA, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dinewise, Inc (OTC PINK-DWIS) (referred to as “Dinewise”, “we”, “us”, “our” or the “Company”) A leading national technology conglomerate specializing in automotive, fintech, and entertainment solutions has announced the filing of its Form 10 Registration Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Formerly known as Dinewise, the Company will now operate under its new name, Superstar Platforms, Inc., as it transitions into a fully reporting public entity.

    “This is a pivotal milestone in our company’s journey,” said Michael Farr, CEO of Superstar Platforms, Inc. “From the moment I accepted the role of CEO, I have been laser-focused on providing transparency and meeting all necessary compliance requirements in our operations. This filing reflects our commitment to our stakeholders, and paves the way for greater liquidity.”

    With this filing, Superstar Platforms, Inc. will now adhere to the SEC’s regulatory framework required of public companies. The company has also established a board of directors composed of a diverse group of seasoned entrepreneurs, trailblazers, and community leaders, each bringing valuable experience and insight to guide the company’s strategic initiatives.

    Looking forward, the company anticipates finalizing its acquisition of TitlePal; a fintech company that has developed an innovative online solution for Title Pawn transactions, in the coming month. Superstar Platforms also plans to update its ticker symbol to better align with its new corporate identity.

    About Superstar Platforms

    Superstar Platforms, a leading national technology conglomerate, is the parent company that owns and controls a diversified portfolio of subsidiaries across various industries. Growth will primarily be driven through strategic acquisitions. Currently Superstar Platforms owns PawnTrust: a specialized marketplace designed exclusively for the approximately 11,000 pawn shops across the country. The online marketplace (www.pawntrust.com) digitizes the inventory using advanced image recognition algorithms to automate item descriptions of the participating pawn shops and markets them on a national scale. The marketplace contains cutting-edge technology that streamlines the borrowing, buying, and bartering transactions typically found at a pawn shop. The platform plans to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize pricing, reduce fraud, and create personalized search recommendations to enhance the customer’s experience. These enhancements let consumers experience a frictionless shopping experience on their mobile app that gives them instant access to this nationwide inventory of pawn shops. Not only does this provide a more efficient way for consumers to shop, eliminating the need to visit multiple stores, but it also amplifies the reach of individual pawn shop owners. By joining the PawnTrust- ‘Pawn Partners’ network, shop owners gain access to a broader audience, enhancing their visibility and sales opportunities. This innovative approach aligns customer convenience with business growth, reshaping how people interact with the pawn industry. Consumers that purchase items outside of their local area will have their items conveniently shipped to them. As the intermediary in each transaction, PawnTrust earns a fee on every item sold in the marketplace. Many of these local pawn shops lack an online presence or the capital to market their inventory on a national scale. By bridging this gap, PawnTrust opens up opportunities for incremental sales from a wider buying base, effectively transforming the pawn shop and micro-lending industries. This model not only supports local businesses but also extends their reach, driving growth and innovation within the market. 

    About TitlePal 

    TitlePal is an innovative, web-based lender that delivers fast, convenient cash loans to individuals with clear auto titles. By harnessing advanced algorithms and integrating with third-party systems, the platform ensures seamless verification of applicants’ identity, financial capacity, and vehicle condition. Approved funds are deposited directly into customers’ bank accounts, often within minutes, setting a new standard for efficiency in title lending

    Forward-Looking Information

    This release includes statements that may constitute ”forward-looking” statements, usually containing the words ”believe,” ”estimate,” ”project,” ”expect” or similar expressions. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While the Company believes the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurances such expectations will prove to be accurate. Security holders are cautioned such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Certain factors may cause results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements made in this release. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, acceptance of the Company’s current and future products and services in the marketplace, the ability of the Company to develop effective new products and receive regulatory approvals of such products, competitive factors, dependence upon third-party vendors, risks and uncertainties related to the current unknown duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and other risks detailed in the Company’s periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.

    Investor Relations:
    Resources Unlimited
    718-269-3366
    mike@resourcesunlimitedllc.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Reveals Second Domestic Abuse Filing Filed by Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Wife

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    So-called “Maryland Dad’s” Track Record of Violence 

    WASHINGTON – On Wednesday April 30, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that the wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — the so-called “Maryland Dad”—filed a petition for protection against him in 2020.  

    “The facts are clear: Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a violent illegal alien who abuses women and children. He had no business being in our country and we are proud to have deported this violent thug,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “We have now found two petitions for protection against him, in addition to the fact that he entered the country illegally and is a confirmed member of MS-13. Our country is safer with him gone.” 

    According to the petition filed by Jennifer Vasquez on August 3, 2020, in the District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County, Garcia verbally abused her, kicked her, slapped her, shoved her, mentally abused her kids, locking them in their bedroom while they cried, and detained Vasquez against her will. In November 2019, Vasquez alleges that Garcia grabbed her by the hair while in a vehicle. In December 2019, she states Garcia grabbed her from her hair in the car and dragged her out of the vehicle–abandoning her in the street. In January 2020, Vasquez claims Garcia broke her son’s tablet and broke doors in their house. In March 2020, she alleges that Garcia pushed her against the wall while breaking phones and TVs. 

    This newly released petition was filed in 2020, prior to the petition Vasquez filed against Garcia 2021. In that filing, Vasquez claimed he bruised, punched, and scratched her while ripping off her shirt. 

    DHS has previously revealed that Garcia was involved in a suspected human trafficking incident, is an MS-13 gang member, and had been accused of domestic abuse on at least one other occasion. Still, the media continues to call him a victim while ignoring the real victims: the women he battered, the children he terrorized, and the communities he endangered. 

    The Aug. 2020 protection order petition can be found here.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Best Online Casinos: JACKBIT Rated Top Casino Site In 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LARNACA, Cyprus, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the demand for online gambling for real money grows, players face a crowded market of options, making it challenging to identify the best online casinos that pay real money. Our team meticulously evaluated numerous platforms, and JACKBIT emerged as the clear leader in delivering an unmatched real money casino experience.

    JOIN JACKBIT NOW & WIN FREE SPINS

    Whether you’re chasing jackpots on the best online casino slots or strategizing at blackjack tables, JACKBIT offers a seamless and rewarding platform that stands out among top online casinos. This review explains why JACKBIT stands out as the top online casino, detailing its bonuses, games, payment options, and more. Ready to dive in? Join JACKBIT Casino and claim your 30% rakeback and 100 free spins!

    A Closer Look at the Best Online Casino: JACKBIT

    JACKBIT has secured the top spot in our rigorous evaluation of the best online casinos for real money. Below, we break down the key factors that make it the leading real money casino for 2025.

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              Legal Disclaimer

              This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be interpreted as legal, financial, or gambling advice. All information is presented “as is,” with no warranties regarding accuracy or completeness. Readers are responsible for verifying information and ensuring compliance with local gambling laws. Gambling involves financial risk and potential addiction. Gamble responsibly, only wagering what you can afford to lose. Seek help from organizations like the National Council on Problem Gambling if needed. Some links may be affiliate links, earning a commission at no cost to you. JACKBIT is licensed outside your jurisdiction and may be restricted in certain regions.

              A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dffa4a83-8d63-4896-b946-7c34d8acc993

              The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LPL Financial Welcomes Barlow Capital Advisors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LPL Financial LLC announced today that financial advisor R. Brennan Barlow, AAMS™, has joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and custodial platforms. He reported serving approximately $250 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets* and joins LPL from Raymond James.

    Based just outside of Dallas in Flower Mound, Texas, Barlow is a second-generation financial advisor who founded Barlow Capital Advisors in 2009. After a decade working in the financial services industry, Barlow wanted to create a family-owned and operated independent practice to serve his community. Supported by Senior Client Service Associate Keri Alanis and Client Service Associate Amanda Barlow — Brennan’s wife — Barlow takes a holistic approach to offering wealth management advice and strategy to his clients.

    “I believe in the ‘Three P’s’: Protect your wealth, preserve your lifestyle and prevent surprises in retirement,” Barlow said. “To that end, I take the time to educate my clients on the wealth management process and then work alongside them to ensure our strategies are consistently angled toward their ideal financial outcome.”

    Looking for more autonomy and the flexibility to run and grow his business, the Barlow Capital Advisors team turned to LPL Financial.

    “LPL offers unmatched flexibility and service options that will allow me to enhance my current practice and provide an elevated client experience,” Barlow said. “By partnering with LPL, I am confident I can build my business the way I envision and in a way that exceeds my clients’ expectations.”

    Scott Posner, LPL Managing Director, Business Development, said, “We welcome Brennan, Keri and Amanda to LPL and wish them success on this next chapter of their business. At LPL, we understand that advisors are looking for sophisticated capabilities and the autonomy to build and grow their practice according to their vision. We look forward to supporting Barlow Capital Advisors for years to come.”

    Related

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

    About LPL Financial

    LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) is among the fastest growing wealth management firms in the U.S. As a leader in the financial advisor-mediated marketplace, LPL supports nearly 29,000 financial advisors and the wealth management practices of approximately 1,200 financial institutions, servicing and custodying approximately $1.7 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets on behalf of approximately 6 million Americans. The firm provides a wide range of advisor affiliation models, investment solutions, fintech tools and practice management services, ensuring that advisors and institutions have the flexibility to choose the business model, services, and technology resources they need to — run thriving businesses. For further information about LPL, please visit www.lpl.com.

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

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

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

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

    Media Contact: 
    Media.relations@LPLFinancial.com 

    Tracking #732197

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Battery Tender Launches Charge N Start Lineup, a Powerful All-in-One Solution for Charging and Jump-Starting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DELAND, Fla., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Battery Tender by Deltran, a leading brand in battery chargers and jump starters, today announces the launch of its new Charge N Start line, a cutting-edge suite of two-in-one battery chargers and jump starters. With three models featuring smart charging technology and robust jump-starting power, the Charge N Start series ensures versatility for car owners, powersports enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers alike.

    A dead battery can turn a routine day into an unexpected hassle, whether it strands a commuter in a parking lot, delays an off-road ride or interrupts a road trip. Traditional jumper cables require another vehicle, and portable jump starters, while effective, can’t maintain battery levels. By combining a jump starter with a smart charger and maintainer in one device, Charge N Start eliminates battery anxiety, helps prepare motorists for roadside emergencies and keeps batteries in top condition, leading to longer battery life.

    “At Battery Tender, we understand that our customers rely on their vehicles for adventures, work and everyday convenience,” said Michael Prelec, CEO of Deltran, parent company of Battery Tender. “The Charge N Start lineup is more than a jump starter and charging solution, it’s a game changer in battery maintenance. Whether you’re an everyday motorist, commuter, avid mariner, powersport enthusiast or weekend rider, having a single device that not only gets you back on the road but also protects and maintains your battery’s health over time is invaluable.”

    Charge N Start 4120 leads the lineup, featuring a 4 AMP charger and a 1200 AMP jump starter intended for most vehicles including cars, boats, SUVs and powersport vehicles. For powersport vehicles like motorcycles, personal watercraft and ATVs, riders can count on Charge N Start 1110 and 1120 models. These 12V, 1 AMP solutions provide peace of mind, so riders are always ready, whether they’re taking their bike for a cruise or heading out for an off-road adventure.

    Charge N Start details:

    • Charge N Start 1100 ($129.95) – A 12V, 1 AMP charger and 1000 AMP jump starter for powersports vehicles such as motorcycles, personal watercraft, ATVs and UTVs, capable of jump-starting up to V8 engines.
    • Charge N Start 1120 ($139.95) – An enhanced version of the 1100, designed for the same vehicle types but with improved durability and reliability.
    • Charge N Start 4120 ($169.95) – A 12V, 4 AMP charger with a 1200 AMP jump starter, ideal for cars, trucks, boats, SUVs and powersports vehicles.

    Charge N Start is compatible with standard (sealed or flooded lead acid), AGM, GEL and lithium batteries, supporting a wide range of vehicles. When connected, it automatically switches from charging the car battery to the jump starter once the car battery is fully charged, ensuring it’s ready without manual input. Built with spark-proof technology and reverse polarity protection to ensure safe use, motorists can easily operate Charge N Start worry-free. The portable design and carrying case also make it easy to store and transport. Additional accessories include smart alligator clips, a 6-foot AC input and DC output cable and an alligator clip and ring terminal cable combo with a 7.5 AMP fuse.

    Charge N Start is available on BatteryTender.com, Amazon and will be coming to Lowe’s Home Improvement nationwide in June. For more information on Charge N Start models and the full range of battery management solutions from Battery Tender, visit BatteryTender.com.

    About Battery Tender®
    Battery Tender® is a leading force in the power management and battery industry, dedicated to crafting cutting-edge charging and maintenance solutions. With a rich legacy spanning over 35 years, our brand has garnered unwavering trust from customers worldwide, owing to our steadfast commitment to performance and unmatched product reliability. For more information, visit BatteryTender.com and follow @BatteryTender on social.

    About Deltran, Parent Company of Battery Tender®
    Deltran is proud of where they started in 1965. As a third-generation family-owned and operated business, Deltran is committed to developing dependable quality products, providing exemplary customer service, and maintaining the trust of their brand. As stewards of the Battery Tender® brand, they have the great privilege of managing and building a consistent and strong identity for one of America’s leading battery maintenance solution manufacturers.

    Media Contact
    Uproar by Moburst for Battery Tender
    Julia Cappiello
    julia.cappiello@moburst.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The woman who turned the Met Gala into the biggest party of the year

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Elizabeth Castaldo Lundén, SweAmfo/ASF Research Fellow at USC School of Cinematic Arts | Fulbright Scholar, University of Southern California

    Diana Vreeland takes a drag from her cigarette as she greets Andy Warhol. Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

    The annual Met Gala in New York City is a dazzling collision of celebrity, fashion and media frenzy.

    The event is ostensibly a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, which houses a vast collection of historical costumes and fashion artifacts.

    But for many people, it’s that time of year when their social media feeds become awash with posts, stories and live streams of A-list actors, musicians and influencers ascending the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to showcase their elaborate outfits.

    Zendaya at the 2024 Met Gala, which was themed ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.’
    Neilson Barnard/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

    The gala has come a long way since its early days as an intimate fundraising event for the local fashion industry and New York’s old-guard elite.

    Through my research at the Met’s Thomas J. Watson Library, I discovered the ways in which a former fashion editor named Diana Vreeland elevated this formerly stuffy charity ball into a global media sensation.

    A low-key affair

    Philanthropist and arts patron Irene Lewisohn launched the Museum of Costume Art in 1937 to promote the preservation and study of historical clothing. In 1946, New York fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert helped bring the museum’s collection under the purview of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with the caveat that it would operate independently of the museum’s budget. It was then renamed the Costume Institute.

    Dorothy Shaver burnished the reputation of the Costume Institute in its early years.
    Erwin Blumenfeld/Condé Nast via Getty Images

    In 1948, Lambert organized the inaugural gala to raise funds for the institute. The following year, Lord & Taylor president Dorothy Shaver established a formal management structure for both the institute and its annual gala, streamlined operations, and helped burnish the reputation of the fledgling institution among New York’s social elite. During her tenure, gala revenues climbed steadily, from US$31,723 in 1949 to $118,775 in 1958 – roughly $1.3 million in today’s dollars.

    The Met Gala that Shaver shaped looked similar, in many ways, to today’s: There was a theme, a formal dinner, live entertainment and a fashion parade that attendees could participate in. There were also a photographers row, where guests could be snapped by famed fashion photographers for a fee, and raffles with department store prizes.

    After Shaver’s death in 1958, department store executives continued to steer the gala, but attendance and revenue waned. In 1961, in an effort to cut costs and revive interest, the event was moved into the museum itself.

    The gala needed a reinvention. Soon, it would get one.

    Vreeland’s vision

    Diana Vreeland took the reins of the Met Gala in 1973.

    She’d had a storied career in fashion journalism, including stints as fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue.

    Vreeland, however, understood that in order for the gala to grow, it needed to become a newsworthy event that would be of interest to those who might not even attend the gala itself. So she selected spectacular, sometimes controversial themes that would generate interest from the press.

    Vreeland’s first exhibition in 1973 was bold: a tribute to a single designer, Cristóbal Balenciaga.

    “The World of Balenciaga” was funded by the Spanish government, Iberia Airlines and five Spanish banks – a controversial move, considering Spain was still under Francisco Franco’s dictatorship. The show featured Franco’s granddaughter’s wedding dress as one of the central pieces.

    Some curators also bristled at Vreeland’s unorthodox approach to exhibition planning, such as blurring time periods, displaying clothes without providing historical context and prioritizing beauty over scholarship.

    “She knows fashion and who wore it,” one former museum official said, “but she doesn’t know history.”

    Nonetheless, critics deemed the gala and its accompanying exhibition a huge success. American designer Stan Herman declared that the garments “belong in a museum, like good paintings.”

    In the coming years, Vreeland’s other themes included “Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design,” “The ‘10s, ’20s and ’30s,” and “American Women of Style.” The latter was accompanied by a Vogue magazine spread starring actress and model Marisa Berenson, who channeled iconic American “it girls” like Irene Castle, Consuelo Vanderbilt and Josephine Baker.

    Models and actresses wear costumes and masks for the Costume Institute’s 1974 exhibition ‘Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design.’ Diana Vreeland is seated in the center, sans mask.

    Buzz and pizzazz

    Before Vreeland, coverage of the gala was limited to society pages and publications like Women’s Wear Daily.

    Vreeland knew how to generate buzz because she thought like an editor. She also knew how to charm the press. Vreeland popularized words like “pizzazz,” “splendeur” and “deeveen.” She told tales of discovering model and actress Lauren Bacall and the work of fashion designer Roy Halston. She regaled reporters with stories of allegedly visiting Buffalo Bill in Wyoming.

    Under Vreeland’s leadership, media coverage of the gala and exhibitions exploded, with articles appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker, New York Magazine, People, Interview, Le Figaro, Le Monde, Revista Hola!, ABC de las Americas, Il Tempo, Paris Herald Tribune and Tokyo’s High Fashion, among others. During her tenure, she also opened the doors to reporters and photographers so they could cover the night of the event.

    In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily she said, “I am an entertainer. And I believe in wit, and good nature, and laughter.”

    Corporate controversies

    With “The World of Balenciaga,” Vreeland also pioneered the use of corporate sponsorships to finance the exhibitions and parties. In 1982, Pierre Cardin Management funded “La Belle Époque,” a Met Gala theme associated with the relaunch of the famed Paris restaurant Maxim’s, in which Cardin had invested.

    In 1983, Vreeland courted controversy again with the first exhibition honoring a living designer — Yves Saint Laurent — underwritten by the Pierre Bergé Foundation. Bergé was Saint Laurent’s life and business partner.

    The show was launched amid rumors of the designer’s declining health and growing criticism of the museum being exploited as a publicity platform.

    “One day the god of the Temple of Dendur will cry: ‘I am not on earth to share a museum with a bunch of fashion freaks!’” critic John Heilpern groused in the East Side Express.

    The following year, Ralph Lauren became the central sponsor and guest of honor for “Man and the Horse.”

    Diana Vreeland and designer Ralph Lauren at the 1984 gala, which was themed ‘Man and the Horse’ and sponsored by Lauren.
    Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images

    The Met set

    Under Vreeland, a new kind of guest list also emerged.

    The rise of celebrity culture in the 1960s gave birth to the “jet set” – beautiful people whose fame transcended traditional society circles.

    Vreeland embraced this shift. She made space at the gala for the likes of Andy Warhol, Bianca and Mick Jagger, Halston and his Halstonettes, David Bowie, Cher, Diana Ross, Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson.

    Their presence helped transform the gala from society soirée to pop culture phenomenon.

    After Vreeland’s death in 1989, the event lost some its splendor under the guidance of museum curators. Women’s Wear Daily columnist Aileen Mehle later lamented the decline, writing that the event had become “a far cry from the dear old Diana Vreeland days when that fashion oracle called the Costume Institute’s shots, and elegance and anticipation abounded.”

    In the late 1990s, however, the museum curators who had run the event since Vreeland’s death ceded control back to the fashion industry. High-end brands like Chanel, Versace and Christian Dior sponsored the Met Gala, while fashion editors such as Liz Tilberis and Anna Wintour chaired the event.

    By channeling Vreeland’s vision, they were able to turn the gala into the global media spectacle it is today, which now thrives in an era of social media and global branding.

    This year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Styles,” is co-chaired by rapper-producer Pharrell Williams, who is also the artistic director of Menswear at Louis Vuitton. The LVMH conglomerate – Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton – is the sponsor, showing how the gala continues to operate as a platform where corporate branding, celebrity culture and high culture converge.

    Taylor Swift attends the 2014 Met Gala, themed ‘Charles James: Beyond Fashion.’
    Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

    Elizabeth Castaldo Lundén received funding from Fulbright (2023-2024)

    – ref. The woman who turned the Met Gala into the biggest party of the year – https://theconversation.com/the-woman-who-turned-the-met-gala-into-the-biggest-party-of-the-year-250363

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Doechii’s ‘Anxiety’ Is an Anthem for Our Emotional State

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Editor’s Note: The following article by Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Sandra Chafouleas originally appeared in Psychology Today.

    KEY POINTS

    • Doechii’s “Anxiety” nails both the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety.
    • The song guides us to notice anxious thoughts as “passing through.”
    • Multiple coping options exist: observe thoughts, avoid judgment, calm body, and connect with others.
    • Families can use the song to talk about anxiety and healthy coping options.

    Doechii’s “Anxiety” is bigger than pulsating rhythms and unflinching lyrics. In a year thus far dominated with uncertainty, it represents more than popular music. It captures how many of us feel right now. When it pops into our playlists, we might wonder: was the timing of release planned or coincidental? Doechii has nailed it, tapping into our shared whole-body experience.

    The song and accompanying video work so well in showing exactly how anxiety feels in our bodies and minds. When Doechii sings, “Breathing shallow, mind won’t settle / Tomorrow’s problems here today”, she is describing the hallmark features of anxiety. Think about quick and short breaths, racing thoughts, and worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. Anxiety feels like “Anxiety” sounds, with brilliant mirroring of how the experience can hijack us.

    Doechii does more than describe the symptoms of anxiety. In the middle, she attempts to shift perspective: “Notice it, name it, watch it go / It’s not you, it’s just passing through.” This part shows us the beginnings of how to escape from anxiety’s hold. Emotion science tells us that we can learn to observe our thoughts rather than be consumed by them. This awareness, for example, can be found in the core elements of approaches like mindfulness-based cognitive therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy. For listeners of the song, this reframing can begin to open multiple pathways for healthy responding to anxiety. We need different options as a single approach doesn’t work for each person or across every situation.

    Here are some examples to explore:

    • Recognize thoughts as just thoughts: When we view a worried thought as “just anxiety talking,” we can acknowledge the intrusion without it taking over how we define who we are or what we do.
    • Just notice without judging: When we observe our thoughts, feelings or sensations without labeling, we can create space to be less reactive to anxiety.
    • Use our bodies to calm down: When we are anxious, we experience sensations in our body like tight muscles or shallow breathing. We can do deep breathing, relax our muscles, or move our bodies to feel better.
    • Connect with others: When we feel alone in holding our anxious feelings, we can reach out with someone we trust to remind us that we are not alone. Sharing with others can help us as well as the other person.

    Helping Our Kids Handle Anxiety

    For parents, Doechii’s song also could open doors to talking about anxiety with our kids, especially our teens. When our kids are feeling mixed up inside, hearing a parent say, “I totally get this song – sometimes I feel just like it” could help. When we share our own worries while talking through healthy coping options, we teach important life skills. This doesn’t mean that we should dump adult problems on our kids. It’s about showing kids how to acknowledge and work through those tough feelings like tension or worried thoughts.

    Here are simple things parents can try:

    • Talk out loud about your own experiences: When you feel worried, say something like: “I’m nervous about my big meeting tomorrow. My heart is beating fast and my throat feels tight. I need to try something to calm my body down. I’m going to take five deep breaths and see what happens.”
    • Discuss the difference between helpful and unhelpful worry: Talk through situations about when worry could actually be useful (I need to plan out when and how to study for this test) and when it might be taking over (If I don’t ace this test, I won’t do well in anything and there goes my future). Notice opportunities to catch and shift unhelpful feelings before they spin even bigger.
    • Create solutions together: Work together to come up with simple activities that family members can use when feeling anxious—like a special way of deep breathing, counting things you can see in the room, or shaking out your arms and legs to release tension.
    • Have kids take the lead in solutions: Instead of jumping in to fix kids’ feelings of anxiety, try first asking them to share what’s happening. Let them take the lead in answering “What could we try?” Encouraging their problem solving in the moment helps build skills for handling future worries on their own.

    Doechii has created more than entertainment with “Anxiety”; she’s offered a useful tool for our times. We identify with it because anxiety is a likely visitor throughout our lives, and especially now. Let’s use the song to shine light on our capacity to respond in healthy ways. We have a shared role in deciding what to do when anxiety shows up, an important lesson for both caregivers and kids.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Snail Games Reports April 2025 Momentum with Key Franchise Expansions, New Indie Horror IP Releases, and Strategic Publishing Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CULVER CITY, Calif., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Snail, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNAL) (“Snail Games” or the “Company”), a leading global independent developer and publisher of interactive digital entertainment, today highlighted major milestones across its portfolio for April 2025, including expansions within the ARK franchise, a content milestone for Bellwright, and multiple IP launches under Wandering Wizard, the Company’s independent indie publishing label.

    ARK Franchise Strengthens with New Content
    Snail Games continued to build on the momentum of its flagship sandbox survival IP with two major content updates:

    • Eggcellent Adventure Returns to ARK: Survival Ascended
      The seasonal Eggcellent Adventure event reinforces seasonal events as a key strategy for retention and re-engagement.
    • Extinction Map Launches in ARK: Ultimate Mobile Edition
      The rollout of the Extinction map on mobile represents a continued push into high-growth mobile markets. This update supports Snail Games’ long-term vision of delivering premium survival experiences across multiple platforms, making the IP more accessible to a broader audience of players.

    In addition to new content releases, Snail Games continues to prepare for the 10-year anniversary of its flagship ARK: Survival Evolved, with the anticipated upcoming release of its new expansion map DLC, ARK: Aquatica.

    Bellwright Marks One Year in Early Access with Major Update
    April 2025 also marked the one-year Early Access anniversary for Bellwright. The update introduced significant new content and player-requested features. With a growing player base and positive community sentiment, Bellwright reflects Snail’s commitment to long-term support and scalable IP growth.

    Notable Update Features include:

    • Animal Husbandry & Advanced Resource Systems
      Players can now raise livestock through new husbandry structures, producing essential resources like milk, eggs, and meat. Paired with the new Butchery system, this deepens the economy and rewards strategic village management.
    • Fishing & Exploration Enhancements
      A full-featured fishing system with diverse fish types, mini-games, and a Fishing Hut adds immersive gameplay variety. New locations, including caves, swamps, and mountain trails, further expand the world’s exploration potential.
    • Quality-of-Life Upgrades & Narrative Expansion
      A major crafting UI overhaul, savable squad rosters, and over 25 new quests enhance both accessibility and long-term player retention.

    Wandering Wizard Celebrates New Game Launches and Acquisition
    Snail Inc’s indie publishing label Wandering Wizard deepened its footprint in the horror space with two notable releases and a strategic publishing deal.

    • Launches of The Cecil: The Journey Begins and Chasmal Fear
      In April 2025, Wandering Wizard expanded its catalog with the launch of two horror titles, The Cecil: The Journey Begins and Chasmal Fear. Both games highlight the creativity and passion of small indie teams — with The Cecil: The Journey Begins crafted by a solo developer and Chasmal Fear brought to life by a duo of brothers. These releases underscore Wandering Wizard’s commitment to empowering independent creators and bringing bold, fresh voices to the gaming community.
    • Publishing Rights Secured for Whispers of West Grove
      The acquisition of publishing rights to Whispers of West Grove adds another indie horror experience to the Wandering Wizard portfolio, aligning with Snail Games’ strategy of identifying high-potential indie IPs with organic audience momentum.

    These achievements reflect Snail Games’ continued execution across its core franchises, emerging IPs, and strategic publishing initiatives. As the Company moves into the second quarter, it remains focused on the 10-year anniversary of ARK: Survival Evolved, the anticipated launch of the ARK: Aquatica DLC, expanding its global reach, investing in scalable growth opportunities, and delivering fresh experiences that engage players across multiple platforms and genres.

    For Creators interested in collaborative opportunities reach out to creatordirect@noiz.gg

    For media inquiries, interview requests, or additional details, please contact: press@snailgamesusa.com

    About Snail, Inc.
    Snail, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNAL) is a leading, global independent developer and publisher of interactive digital entertainment for consumers around the world, with a premier portfolio of premium games designed for use on a variety of platforms, including consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. For more information, please visit: https://snail.com/.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “expect,” “should,” “plan,” “intend,” “may,” “predict,” “continue,” “estimate” and “potential,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this press release and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expansions within the ARK franchise, development of new content, a content milestone for Bellwright, and multiple IP launches under Wandering Wizard, the Company’s independent indie publishing label. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed by the Company with the SEC on March 26, 2025 and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC, including the Company’s Forms 10-Q filed with the SEC. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

    Investor Contact:
    John Yi and Steven Shinmachi
    Gateway Group, Inc.
    949-574-3860
    SNAL@gateway-grp.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: On Mother’s Day, Celebrate Mom with $0-Fee BOSS Money Transfers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Newark, NJ, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BOSS Money, the remittance and payments brand of IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT), today announced promotional $0-fee international money transfers for new and existing customers on Mother’s Day.

    “BOSS Money has removed money transfer fees for Mother’s Day to make celebrating Moms everywhere easy and economical,” said Michelle Rendo, VP Marketing for BOSS Money. “Mother’s Day is a celebration of connection, love, and appreciation that transcends borders. A transfer on Mother’s Day is a wonderful way to say, ‘Thank you, Mom!’” 

    New BOSS Money customers can take advantage of $0-fee money transfers on Mother’s Day and every day of the year when using the BOSS Money app with:

    • $0-fee on the first two (2) transfers to all BOSS Money destination countries;
    • $0-fee on the first five (5) transfers to Mexico;
    • $0-fee for unlimited transfers to Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, and Venezuela.

    Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 11th in the USA, but on different days in some other nations. To reflect this variation, BOSS Money is offering current BOSS Money customers two (2) $0-fee money transfers to destinations around the world when using the BOSS Money app on the following schedule*:

    • May 5 to May 11th — to all BOSS Money country-destinations with promo code “MOM”;
    • May 21 to May 25th — to the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Haiti, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Madagascar with promo code “MOMMY”;
    • May 26 to May 30th — to Nicaragua with promo code “MAMA”.

    To begin a BOSS Money $0-fee transfer and to see details of BOSS Money’s Mother’s Day promotions, use the free BOSS Money app available from the iOS App and Google Play Stores. 

    To learn more about our low fees, competitive exchange rates and exclusive promotions visit bossmoney.com.

    ABOUT BOSS MONEY

    BOSS Money’s rapidly expanding international remittance service provides fast, secure and reliable money transfers for residents of the U.S. and Canada to popular destination countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and South Asia. BOSS Money offers a robust menu of payout options including cash pick-up, mobile money, in-country bank account, and debit card direct deposit. Customers can remit funds through the highly rated BOSS Money and BOSS Revolution apps or through licensed Boss Money retailers.

    ABOUT IDT CORPORATION

    IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT) is a global provider of fintech and communications solutions through a portfolio of synergistic businesses: National Retail Solutions (NRS), through its point-of-sale (POS) platform, enables independent retailers to operate more effectively while providing advertisers and marketers with unprecedented reach into underserved consumer markets; BOSS Money facilitates innovative international remittances and fintech payments solutions; net2phone provides enterprises and organizations with intelligently integrated cloud communications and contact center services across channels and devices; IDT Digital Payments and the BOSS Revolution calling service make sharing prepaid products and services and speaking with friends and family around the world convenient and reliable; and, IDT Global and IDT Express enable communications services to provision and manage international voice and SMS messaging.

    *Exclusions may apply

    All statements above that are not purely about historical facts, including, but not limited to, those in which we use the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” “target” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgment of what may happen in the future, actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these statements due to numerous important factors. Our filings with the SEC provide detailed information on such statements and risks and should be consulted along with this release. To the extent permitted under applicable law, IDT assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

    CONTACT

    IDT Corporation Investor Relations
    Bill Ulrey
    william.ulrey@idt.net

    # # #

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Jackery Launches Homepower 3000: the Smartest Choice for Essential Home Backup Power

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FREEMONT, Calif., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jackery, a global leader in innovative solar generators and green off-grid energy solutions, has unveiled the Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3000, the newest addition to its best-selling 3kWh solar generator range. Designed specifically for essential home backup needs, the HomePower 3000 offers a simplified, high-performance power solution built to handle extreme conditions with ease. Marking a shift in branding from the “Explorer” series to the new “HomePower” line, this release underscores Jackery’s focus on practical, dependable energy solutions for the modern home.

    With a powerful 3072Wh battery capacity and 3,600W output (7200W Surge), the Jackery HomePower 3000 is engineered to keep essential household appliances and tools running during blackouts, emergencies, or everyday off-grid use. Capable of supporting high-demand appliances up to 7,200W surge power – including refrigerators, air conditioners, water pumps, wifi, lights and coffee machines, even capable of powering multiple essential home appliances at the same time. With the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s recent Annual Electric Power Industry Report, noting the average length of a power outage in the U.S. is five to six hours long, consumers can rest assured that the HomePower 3000 has the capability to power their refrigerator for up to two days. Delivering reliable power when it’s needed most, the system can keep a household running for up to 15 hours, supporting essential devices like a refrigerator (≤200W), fan (30W), lighting (60W), and Wi-Fi router (7W); all operating simultaneously*.

    The Jackery HomePower 3000 not only delivers powerful performance but also ensures effortless ease of use as Jackery has become known for. Designed by Jackery in the U.S., and utilizing real customer feedback from more than 10 years industry experience, the HomePower 3000 offers a plug-and-play operation and an intelligent display, making device control a breeze for the whole family, and a wide variety of ages.

    The HomePower 3000 is also built for extreme durability. Capable of performing in temperatures ranging from -40°F to 185°F, it is housed in a rugged design ideal for both home use and off-grid projects. Plus, with its UL certified uninterruptible power supply (UPS) functionality, it kicks in automatically within 20 milliseconds of detecting power loss, ensuring critical devices stay operational without a hitch.

    As the world’s lightest and most compact 3kWh LiFePO₄ power station — officially certified by Frost & Sullivan — the Jackery HomePower 3000 sets a new standard in portable home energy. It’s 47 percent smaller and 43 percent lighter than mainstream products of the same capacity, thanks to breakthrough automotive-grade CTB (Cell to Body) technology, which boosts space efficiency by 14percent. A rugged honeycomb bottom shell design further enhances durability and safety, all within a unit no larger than a standard microwave.

    Beyond its compact form, the HomePower 3000 delivers serious performance: it can be recharged in as fast as 1.7 hours and supports multiple charging options; including AC, AC+DC, solar, and even gas generator, ensuring users stay powered in any situation. The Jackery App enables smart features like scheduled and off-peak charging, as well as prioritized solar charging, helping users save up to 25 percent annually on electricity bills. And thanks to proprietary ZeroDrain™ technology, when stored at full capacity, the unit retains 95 percent of its power even after a full year, ready whenever it’s needed.

    The HomePower 3000 can generate up to 3,500 kWh of free energy over 5 years with its two Jackery SolarSaga 200W bifacial solar panels. Slim yet durable, designed to endure 4,000 folds, and easy to carry, these panels deliver superior performance with industry-leading IBC technology and TÜV Class II certification.

    “The HomePower 3000 delivers a robust combination of reliability and versatility – anytime, anywhere,” said Jack Sun, CEO of Jackery. “With increasingly unpredictable weather patterns affecting communities nationwide, the HomePower 3000 represents Jackery’s commitment to providing consumers with dependable power security that works both during emergencies and everyday life. This isn’t just another generator – it’s peace of mind in an uncertain world.”

    Whether you’re preparing for hurricane season, powering essential appliances during power outages due to unpredictable emergencies, or simply looking to reduce your dependence on the grid, the Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3000 offers peace of mind through advanced engineering and performance that’s ready for anything. Trusted by over 120,000 five-star reviewers and with 90% favorable ratings in the U.S., Jackery delivers reliability that customers consistently count on.

    The HomePower 3000 retails for $2,299 and is currently available for purchase online at Jackery’s website. Jackery will also offer a specially priced solar generator bundle that includes the HomePower 3000 with two 200W Solar Panels between May 2-14, available for $1,999.

    For more information on Jackery, the HomePower 3000 and other products, please visit www.jackery.com. Be sure to follow Jackery on social media at @JackeryUSA for the latest updates in real time.

    *Tested under Jackery Lab conditions.

    ABOUT JACKERY
    Founded in California in 2012, Jackery is a leader in innovative solar generators and renewable energy solutions. Offering a diverse range of products—from compact 100W units to essential home backup systems, all the way to robust 123kWh energy storage solutions for whole-home use—Jackery combines cutting-edge technology with a steadfast commitment to sustainability. Designed in the USA based on customer usability and the diverse energy needs of the United States, Jackery is dedicated to providing reliable, renewable energy solutions, prioritizing convenience, trust, energy independence, and environmentally responsible practices. With over 150,000 five-star reviews, Jackery has earned the trust of customers worldwide. To learn more, check out Jackery on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

    MEDIA CONTACT
    ICR
    jackery@icrinc.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8e9dabad-6f51-4d34-81e4-e6f5bb5aa15c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SAIC Awarded New $55 Million Mission Integration Contract From Space Development Agency

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RESTON, Va., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Science Applications International Corp. (NASDAQ: SAIC) has been awarded the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) Tranche 3 Program Integration (T3PI) contract from the Space Development Agency (SDA). This new $55 million contract spans a five-year performance period and is set for a May 1, 2025, program start.

    The PWSA is a constellation populated with multi-vendor space vehicles for the Transport, Tracking and Custody Layers and an associated ground system designed to address critical Department of Defense capability gaps associated with closing challenging kill chains with precision and speed. The Tranche 3 space layers will provide multi-band global communications access and persistent encrypted connectivity for warfighter missions, global missile defense, augmented Position, Navigation and Timing and 24/7, all-weather custody of time-sensitive targets. Under this new contract, SAIC will deliver mission-first management of enterprise requirements, schedule, engineering, technical reviews and risk to help address the complexity of integrating multiple Tranche 3 space layers, the ground segment, the existing space segments and operational users.

    “T3PI is a strategic win for SAIC because it demonstrates our proven expertise in mission integration and digital engineering,” said David Ray, SAIC executive vice president of Space and Intelligence Business Group. “But most importantly, it’s a win for warfighters as SAIC works with our robust ecosystem of partners, including the Space Development Agency and U.S. Space Force to integrate threat kill chains at speed. Ultimately, this work increases warfighter lethality and decision dominance in all domains – land, sea, air, space and cyber.”

    As America’s leading Mission Integrator, SAIC delivers advanced technology solutions for national imperatives including all-domain warfighting and next-generation space capabilities. The Fortune 500 company is already working with SDA on the innovative Battle Management Command, Control and Communications (BMC3) program which securely delivers apps to in-orbit satellites. For SDA’s Tranche 3 Layers, SAIC has assembled a highly experienced team to provide comprehensive systems engineering support to ensure seamless mission integration of the PWSA space, ground and user segments. This approach guarantees a tailored, scalable and secure solution for space operations, aligned with SDA’s planned launch windows.

    “Beyond delivering next-gen warfighting capabilities, T3PI highlights the need of a data-centric mission integration approach for the space, intelligence and military communities,” Ray continued. “For new national imperatives like Golden Dome for America missile defense, premier mission integrators will be essential to fuse existing all-domain systems with newly created infrastructure using advanced commercial technologies like digital engineering, AI, cloud and multi-level security. We’re excited to get started on T3PI so that we can efficiently maximize value for the American taxpayers with speed and scale for the best mission outcomes.”

    About SAIC 
    SAIC® is a premier Fortune 500 mission integrator focused on advancing the power of technology and innovation to serve and protect our world. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets include secure high-end solutions in mission IT, enterprise IT, engineering services and professional services. We integrate emerging technology, rapidly and securely, into mission critical operations that modernize and enable critical national imperatives.

    We are approximately 24,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom.

    Media Contact: 
    Darryn C. James
    Darryn.C.James@saic.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Live Ventures to Issue Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results and Hold Earnings Conference Call on May 8, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAS VEGAS, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Live Ventures Incorporated (NASDAQ: LIVE) (“Live Ventures” or the “Company”), a diversified holding company, will issue its financial results for its fiscal second quarter ended March 31, 2025, before the market opens on Thursday, May 8, 2025. The Company will hold a conference call to discuss the results on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time).

    The dial-in numbers are as follows:

    • 800.231.0316 (U.S.)
    • +1.314.696.0504 (International/caller-paid)
    • Conference Title: Live Ventures FY 2025 Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call

    Please dial in at least 15 minutes in advance, but no sooner than 30 minutes, to ensure you are connected. To listen to the discussion after the call, please go to the “Investor Relations” page of the Live Ventures website (https://ir.liveventures.com/) for a recording.

    About Live Ventures Incorporated
    Live Ventures is a diversified holding company with a strategic focus on value-oriented acquisitions of domestic middle-market companies. Live Ventures’ acquisition strategy is sector agnostic and focuses on well-run, closely held businesses with a demonstrated track record of earnings growth and cash flow generation. The Company looks for opportunities to partner with management teams of its acquired businesses to build increased stockholder value through a disciplined buy-build-hold long-term focused strategy. Live Ventures was founded in 1968. In late 2011 Jon Isaac, CEO and strategic investor, joined the Board of Directors of the Company and later refocused it into a diversified holding company. The Company’s current portfolio of diversified operating subsidiaries includes companies in the textile, flooring, tools, steel, and entertainment industries.

    Contact:
    Live Ventures Incorporated
    Greg Powell, Director of Investor Relations
    725.500.5597
    gpowell@liveventures.com
    www.liveventures.com

    Source: Live Ventures Incorporated

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear Announces Opening Keynote Presentation and Platinum Sponsorship at the Upcoming Reuters Events: SMR & Advanced Reactor 2025 Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, N.Y., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced that it is the Platinum Sponsor of the upcoming Reuters Events: SMR & Advanced Reactor 2025, to be held in Nashville, Tennessee on 12-13, May 2025.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Chief Executive Officer James Walker will lead the opening keynote presentation titled, “The Growth of U.S. Advanced Reactors — Wall Street’s Success Story” at 9:00am on May 12th. In the presentation, he will explore how U.S. policy shifts, global energy demand, and the availability of clean energy focused investment capital are hastening the commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors, including small nuclear reactors (known as SMRs) like those being developed by NANO Nuclear, and how NANO Nuclear capitalized on these trends to become the best performing initial public offering in the U.S. of 2024.

    “Reuters Events offer a valuable opportunity to engage with stakeholders and leading innovators in the SMR and advanced reactor field,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear. “I’m excited for NANO Nuclear to be the leading sponsor and to personally participate in this year’s conference to discuss NANO Nuclear’s journey and mission, and gain insights from the broader community shaping the future of nuclear technology.”

    Reuters Events: SMR & Advanced Reactor 2025 is the only senior-level meeting point for the SMR community, where 600+ leaders from utilities, financiers, reactor developers, technology providers and regulators unite to create meaningful connections, share trusted insights, and obtain lessons-learned to inform your multi-billion-dollar strategy at pace.

    “This conference unites some of the most forward-thinking innovators in the advanced reactor space,” said Professor Massimiliano Fratoni, Senior Director and Head of Reactor Design of NANO Nuclear. “It’s an excellent forum to learn about the direction of the nuclear industry and exchange ideas with those driving progress. I’m looking forward to the informative sessions on offer.”

    “NANO Nuclear is executing on schedule, and we expect the next 12 months to include several important regulatory and operational milestones that will help secure our leadership in the U.S. microreactor race,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear. “The achievement of these milestones would be key as we advance toward construction, demonstration, regulatory licensing and eventual commercialization and deployment for our cutting-edge reactors. I look forward to discussing our progress with investors and industry peers at the upcoming Reuters SMR & Advanced Reactor Conference.”

    A replay of Mr. Walker’s presentation if produced by Reuters Events: SMR & Advanced Reactor 2025 will be available on NANO Nuclear’s website for at least 30 days following the presentation at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/news-events/events.

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

    Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include patented KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

    Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

    HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

    NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

    For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:

    Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
    Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

    PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE:

    NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN
    NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE
    NANO Nuclear Energy X PLATFORM

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release, the conference presentation referred to herein, and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release and such presentation contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release and the related presentation, forward-looking statements may include those related to NANO Nuclear’s development, demonstration and regulatory licensing plans and goals, as well as the anticipated future benefits to NANO Nuclear of being a publicly traded company. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Aemetis Biogas Completes $1.6 million of LCFS and D3 RIN Sales in April

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CUPERTINO, Calif., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX), a diversified global renewable natural gas and biofuels company, announced today that the Aemetis Biogas subsidiary of the company completed $1.6 million of sales of California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credits and federal Renewable Fuel Standard D3 Renewable Identification Numbers (D3 RINs) during April 2025.

    The LCFS credits were generated for Q4 2024 at the default rate of -150 carbon intensity. A pending application to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for seven digesters is in the final approval process, with approval expected this quarter in time for the next quarterly LCFS credit sale. The seven pending dairy digesters are expected to average lower than -350 carbon intensity, a significant increase of more than 120% of the number of LCFS credits that will be received by Aemetis Biogas after the completion of sale transactions compared to the -150 default pathway.

    “Aemetis Biogas production and revenues from dairy RNG continues to grow, with more biogas production from four more dairies planned to come online this quarter,” stated Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis. “The expected adoption of 20 years of low carbon biofuel mandates in the next few months by CARB after completion of the OAL process is expected to increase the value of the LCFS credits rapidly, compounded by our expected approval of pathways for seven dairies that will increase the number of credits generated by those digesters by an estimated 120%.”

    Aemetis Biogas has signed agreements with 50 diaries and has 11 digesters operating to process waste from 12 dairies. An additional four dairies that supply one large biogas digester are planned to be operational in Q2 2025. The company has installed 36 miles of biogas pipeline, with environmental approval for 60 miles of biogas pipeline to be installed as dairy digesters are completed.

    Dairy RNG generates revenues from sale of the fuel, California LCFS credits, federal D3 RINs and federal Section 45Z production tax credits, in addition to federal Section 48 investment tax credits. In the past 18 months, Aemetis has received $70 million from the sale of $83 million of Section 48 investment tax credits to two corporate purchasers. Additional Section 48 investment tax credit sales are expected to be completed in the next few months as additional dairy digesters are completed.

    Starting in January 2025, Aemetis Biogas generated 45Z production tax credits from dairy RNG production. The sale of 45Z tax credits is in process, with the first sales expected to be completed in summer 2025.

    About Aemetis

    Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Aemetis is a renewable natural gas and biofuels company focused on the operation, acquisition, development, and commercialization of innovative technologies that support energy independence and security. Founded in 2006, Aemetis operates and is expanding a California biogas digester network and pipeline system to convert dairy waste into renewable natural gas. Aemetis owns and operates a 65 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in California’s Central Valley near Modesto that also supplies about 80 dairies with animal feed. Aemetis owns and operates an 80 million gallon per year biofuels facility on the East Coast of India producing high quality distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin. Aemetis is developing a sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel biorefinery and a carbon sequestration project in California. For additional information about Aemetis, please visit www.aemetis.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions or beliefs about future events or other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, projections of financial results; statements related to the development, engineering, financing, construction, timing, and operation of biodiesel, biogas, sustainable aviation fuel, CO2 sequestration, and other facilities; our ability to promote, develop, finance, and construct such facilities; and statements about future market demand and market prices and results of government actions. Words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “targets,” “view,” “will likely result,” “will continue” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions and predictions and are subject to many risks and uncertainties. Actual results or events could differ materially from those set forth or implied by such forward-looking statements and related assumptions due to certain factors, including, without limitation, competition in the ethanol, biodiesel and other industries in which we operate, commodity market risks including those that may result from current weather conditions, financial market risks, customer adoption, counter-party risks, risks associated with changes to government policy or regulation, and other risks detailed in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, and in our other filings with the SEC. We are not obligated, and do not intend, to update any of these forward-looking statements at any time unless an update is required by applicable securities laws.

    Company Investor Relations
    Media Contact:
    Todd Waltz
    (408) 213-0940
    investors@aemetis.com

    External Investor Relations
    Contact:
    Kirin Smith
    PCG Advisory Group
    (646) 863-6519
    ksmith@pcgadvisory.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nvni Group Limited Reports Record 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ~ Record FY24 Revenue of R$193.3 Million, up 14.4% from 2023 ~

    ~ Delivered the Company’s First Operating Profit of R$16.5 Million ~

    ~ Significant Improvement in Adjusted EBITDA of R$57.4 Million, up 30% Compared to FY23 ~

    ~ Nuvini CEO Pierre Shurmann to Host Investor Webinar on Friday, May 9th, 2025 at 11:00a.m. Eastern Time ~

    NEW YORK, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nvni Group Limited (Nasdaq: NVNI) (“Nuvini” or the “Company”), a leading acquirer of private SaaS B2B companies in Latin America, today announced its financial results for the full year of 2024, highlighted by record revenue, improvements across KPIs and execution of M&A strategy.

    2024 Key Financial & Operational Highlights:

    • Record Net Operating Revenue of R$193.3 million, an increase of R$24.3 million, or 14.4%, compared to R$169.0 million for 2023, driven mainly by an increase in SaaS subscription revenue, increased customer retention and a growing client base.
    • Continued improvement in Gross Profit and Margin of R$122.5 million and 63.4% compared to $102.8 million and 60.8% for 2023.
    • Delivered the Company’s first Operating Profit of R$16.5 million, a sizeable improvement compared to a loss of R$(189.2) million during 2023.
    • Significantly Increased Adjusted EBITDA by R$13.1 million to R$57.4 million or 30% when compared to R$44.3 million during 2023.
    • Adjusted Free Cash Flow of R$22.5 million, an increase of R$31.9 million when compared to 2023.
    • Cash & Equivalents of R$18.0 million at year end compared to R$11.4 million at the end of 2023.
    • Improved churn of (2.9)% when compared to (3.3)% during 2023, marking improved client satisfaction and performance in relation to competition.
    • Recorded Client Lifetime Value (“LTV”) / Client Acquisition Cost (“CAC”): of 6x for the full year of 2024, an improvement compared to 4x for 2023.

    Subsequent Events:

    • Announced on March 18, 2025 that the Company entered into a term sheet for the acquisition of Munddi Soluções em Tecnologia Ltda. – ME (“Munddi”), an online platform that connects brands with consumers, suppliers, and retail chains based in São Paulo, Brazil. This acquisition, if completed, will mark the first of four planned for 2025 as part of Nuvini’s ongoing expansion strategy. The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2025.

    CEO Commentary:

    “We are pleased to report our FY 2024 financial results highlighted by record revenues, operating profit, and substantial improvements across all of our KPIs, further showcasing our executional abilities to drive sustainable growth and optimize operational performance,” said Pierre Shurmann, CEO of Nuvini. “We continue to make meaningful strides to improve profitability while expanding our revenue base, as evidenced by our recently announced plans to acquire Munddi, which will be one of four targeted acquisitions during FY 2025,” he concluded.

    FY 2025 Outlook

    The Company reiterates its target of a minimum of four completed acquisitions in 2025.

    Nvni Group Limited Investor Webinar

    The Company will be hosting an Investor Webinar on Friday May 9th at 11:00a.m. Eastern Time during which Nuvini CEO, Pierre Shurmann, will deliver prepared remarks discussing financial results, strategic updates and FY25 outlook. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation. To register for the Investor Webinar, please click here. Interested investors and analysts may submit questions in advance through 5:00pm ET on Thursday, May 8, 2025 to NVNI@mzgroup.us.

    Notes on KPIs

    Churn: Nuvini defines Churn for a given period as the percentage calculated from the clients lost over the total active clients of the previous period. Churn is a key performance measure that Nuvini uses to evaluate its clients’ satisfaction and its performance in relation to the competition.

    Client Lifetime Value (“LTV”) / Client Acquisition Cost (“CAC”): Nuvini’s marketing strategy is underpinned by disciplined, results-driven Client Lifetime Value (“LTV”) and Client Acquisition Cost (“CAC”) metrics. LTV is calculated as follows: (1/average of last 6 months churn rate)*(ARPU*Gross Margin). This provides insight to Nuvini management on the estimated lifetime value of a client over time. CAC is calculated as the sales and marketing expenses divided by the volume of new clients and provides insight on the total cost of client acquisition. Nuvini utilizes standard market premises to calculate LTV and CAC. These metrics provide Nuvini management guidance over the rate and timing of return on marketing investments. Nuvini believes enhances engagement, increases brand awareness and drives repeat purchase. Nuvini’s core brands each have a dedicated marketing team whose goal is to develop a bespoke strategy that engages existing business clients and drives awareness amongst new business clients. Additionally, Nuvini’s highly curated brand portfolio emphasizes a differentiated positioning and purpose for each of its brands in order to target a unique business client. Through a consistent focus on ensuring distinctive brand messaging, Nuvini seeks opportunities to redefine and reinvigorate its existing and acquired brands to appeal to targeted business segments.

    About Nuvini

    Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, Nuvini is the leading private serial software business acquirer in Latin America. The Nuvini Group acquires software companies within SaaS markets in Latin America. It focuses on acquiring profitable “business-to-business” SaaS companies with a consolidated business model, recurring revenue, positive cash generation and relevant growth potential. The Nuvini Group enables its acquired companies to provide mission-critical solutions to customers within its industry or sector. Its business philosophy is to invest in established companies and foster an entrepreneurial environment that would enable companies to become leaders in their respective industries. The Nuvini Group’s goal is to buy, retain and create value through long-term partnerships with the existing management of its acquired companies.

    Investor Relations Contact:

    Sofia Toledo
    ir@nuvini.co

    MZ North America
    NVNI@mzgroup.us

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Some of the statements contained in this press release include or may include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created by those laws. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on Nuvini. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting Nuvini will be those that we have anticipated. Where a forward-looking statement expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “aim,” “target,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “may,” “likely,” “plan,” “probably” or similar words may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about the ability of Nuvini to: realize the benefits expected from this strategic partnership; achieve projections and anticipate uncertainties relating to the business, operations and financial performance of Nuvini, including (i) expectations with respect to financial and business performance, including financial projections and business metrics and any underlying assumptions, (ii) expectations regarding market size, future acquisitions, partnerships or other relationships with third parties, (iii) expectations on Nuvini’s proprietary technology and related intellectual property rights, and (iv) future capital requirements and sources and uses of cash, including the ability to obtain additional capital in the future; enhance future operating and financial results; comply with applicable laws and regulations; stay abreast of modified or new laws and regulations applying to its business, including privacy regulation; anticipate rapid technological changes; and effectively respond to general economic and business conditions.

    While forward-looking statements reflect Nuvini’s good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. Nuvini disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, data or methods, future events or other changes after the date of this press release, except as required by applicable law. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause Nuvini’s future results, performance or transactions to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, please see the section “Risk Factors” of the Annual Report on Form 20-F filed by Nuvini with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2025. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are based only on information currently available to Nuvini.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ImmunoGenesis Expands Phase 1a/b Trial of IMGS-001 for Advanced Solid Tumors to Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    First dual-specific PD-L1/PD-L2 antibody with cytotoxic killing function is designed to treat the many “immune-excluded” cancers that are resistant to existing immunotherapies

    Promising early signals of activity seen as Phase 1 dose escalation proceeds

    HOUSTON, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ImmunoGenesis, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative, science-driven immune therapies, and Cancer Focus Fund, LP, a unique investment fund established in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide funding and clinical expertise to advance promising clinical therapies, today announced expansion of the Phase 1a/b clinical trial of ImmunoGenesis’ lead candidate, IMGS-001, to Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center in southeastern Louisiana. IMGS-001 is a novel dual-specific PD-L1/PD-L2 antibody with cytotoxic killing function designed to treat immune-excluded, cold tumors that are resistant to existing immunotherapy. The Phase 1a/b trial is being partially funded by a previously announced investment from Cancer Focus Fund.

    “We are encouraged by the early performance of IMGS-001 as we proceed with Phase 1 dose escalation in patients with a variety of advanced solid tumors,” said James Barlow, President and CEO of ImmunoGenesis. “Initial low doses administered to date have been well-tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicities, and we’re seeing promising signs of clinical activity in patients who have failed prior treatments. Expanding our trial to Ochsner MD Anderson, with its excellent clinical research staff, will accelerate our progress toward establishing initial proof-of-concept and offering more patients access to this potentially groundbreaking approach.”

    While first-generation PD-(L)1 checkpoint inhibitors have become a mainstay of cancer treatment, more than half of all cancers are “cold” immune resistant tumors that do not respond to these immunotherapies. IMGS-001 is designed to unlock the potential of immunotherapy for a broader group of patients by targeting key mechanisms of immune resistance, using a single engineered molecule to overcome immunosuppression through cytotoxic killing function and optimizing the PD-1 pathway blockade. In preclinical studies, IMGS-001 demonstrated superior survival benefit and tumor growth inhibition compared to currently approved checkpoint inhibitors.

    The Phase 1a/b first-in-human, open-label, multicenter study (NCT06014502) includes a dose escalation and an expansion portion to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of IMGS-001 in adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors refractory to standard-of-care treatment. Anticipated tumor types in the dose expansion portion of the study include ovarian, colorectal, and triple-negative breast cancer.

    Daniel Johnson, MD, director of the Center for Innovative Cancer Therapies (Phase 1) at Ochsner MD Anderson and lead investigator of the IMGS-001 Phase 1a/b trial at Ochsner, noted, “My research focuses on advancing new strategies to combat immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance while minimizing immunotherapy-related side effects. IMGS-001 has a novel mechanism that has the potential to overcome the key resistance mechanisms in immune-excluded tumors. Based on the results of preclinical studies and the promising signals seen in trial participants to date, we believe IMGS-001 may have the potential to improve clinical response for patients with these difficult-to-treat cancers. We welcome the opportunity to participate in this trial and to make it available to eligible patients in our care.”

    Ochsner MD Anderson is part of a collaborative network of hospitals and health care systems dedicated to advancing MD Anderson’s mission to end cancer. Ochsner MD Anderson patients in southeastern Louisiana receive care based on the same protocols and practice standards provided at MD Anderson in Houston, Texas. Ochsner MD Anderson experts provide access to a full range of multidisciplinary cancer care options, as well as to clinical trials of investigational drugs, when appropriate. Ochsner’s Center for Innovative Cancer Therapies has been leading first-in-human Phase 1 oncology clinical trials since 2016.

    Ross Barrett, a founder and Managing Partner of Cancer Focus Fund, said, “We believe that IMGS-001 has the potential to treat the many tumors that are resistant to current immunotherapies, and we are delighted that the Phase 1a/b trial is expanding to Ochsner MD Anderson. At Cancer Focus Fund we are proud to work collaboratively with leading institutions whose efforts to advance innovative new cancer therapies are generating promising results.”

    About the IMGS-001 Phase 1a/b Clinical Trial
    The IMGS-001 Phase 1a/b trial is a first-in-human, open-label, dose-escalation and dose-expansion study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity and preliminary anti-tumor activity of IMGS-001. Phase 1a is a dose-escalation study that aims to determine the safety, tolerability, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of IMGS-001 in adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors refractory to appropriate standard-of-care treatments. Phase 1b is an open-label, dose-expansion cohort study of patients with prespecified tumors intended to further assess the safety and preliminary anti-tumor activity of IMGS-001.

    About IMGS-001
    IMGS-001 is a PD-L1/PD-L2 dual-specific inhibitor with engineered cytotoxic effector function. It is the first molecule to target PD-L2 in addition to PD-L1, potentially shutting down the entire PD-1 pathway and providing a superior blockade compared to other PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors. Its engineered effector function enables IMGS-001 to kill immunosuppressive PD-L1 and/or PD-L2-expressing cells present in the tumor microenvironment, providing the potential to overcome immune resistance in immune-excluded tumors. Preclinical data showed that IMGS-001 drove superior survival rates and tumor growth inhibition in head-to-head studies compared to currently available immunotherapies. With its cytotoxic killing function and superior blockade, IMGS-001 may provide a new foundation for combination immuno-oncology therapies. This Phase 1a/b study is being conducted with support from an investment from the Cancer Focus Fund, LP and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) DP200094.

    About Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center provides patients in the South Gulf region with access to cancer treatments that are among the most advanced in the nation. As Louisiana’s leader in cancer care, Ochsner Health has joined forces with MD Anderson, the nation’s leader in cancer care, to bring an enhanced level of comprehensive cancer care to patients. Ochsner is the first and only provider in Louisiana with a fully integrated cancer program based on MD Anderson’s standards and treatment plans. It offers customized treatment plans with access to cutting-edge technology, a multidisciplinary approach, and potential access to clinical trials.

    About Ochsner Health
    Ochsner Health delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. It is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 46 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. In 2024, Ochsner Health cared for more than 1.6 million people from every state in the nation and 63 countries, and for 13 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Ochsner as the No. 1 hospital in Louisiana. Ochsner Health is innovating healthcare by investing in new technologies and research to make world-class care more accessible, affordable, convenient and effective.

    About ImmunoGenesis
    ImmunoGenesis is a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to transforming immuno-oncology by targeting key mechanisms of immune resistance. The company’s lead product, IMGS-001, is a cytotoxic, dual-specific PD-L1/PD-L2 antibody currently in a Phase 1a/b clinical trial for the treatment of immune-excluded (“cold”) tumors, which account for more than half of all cancers. In addition to its lead program, the company is developing a number of novel approaches to overcome immune resistance in cold tumors. ImmunoGenesis designs therapies to address the pathology of these tumors, overcoming immune exclusion to elicit a robust immune response. For more information, visit immunogenesis.com

    About Cancer Focus Fund
    The Cancer Focus Fund LP is a unique investment fund established in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The fund provides investment support to advance promising cancer therapies that are close to being tested in humans or are in early clinical development, along with the clinical trial expertise and infrastructure of MD Anderson and strategic partners Ochsner Health System Precision Cancer Therapies Program New Orleans and the LSU Feist Weiller Cancer Center Shreveport. The Fund’s objective is to leverage this unique combination to provide investors with superior risk-adjusted returns. In collaboration with MD Anderson, the Cancer Focus Fund provides both capital and translational research expertise with the goal of accelerating the development of novel cancer therapies that result in better outcomes for patients while generating returns for investors.

    Disclosures
    The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s relationships with Cancer Focus Fund and ImmunoGenesis, and all research conducted at MD Anderson related to these relationships, has been identified as institutional financial conflicts of interest by MD Anderson’s Institutional Conflict of Interest Committee and therefore are managed under Institutional Conflict of Interest Management and Monitoring Plans.

    Contacts

    ImmunoGenesis
    Corporate
    James Barlow
    President and CEO
    James.barlow@immunogenesis.com

    Cancer Focus Fund
    Corporate:
    Ross Barrett
    Managing Partner
    ross@cancerfocusfund.com

    Media:
    Barbara Lindheim
    BLL Partners for Cancer Focus Fund
    blindheim@bllbiopartners.com
    (917) 355-9234

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Binah Capital Group Expands Executive Team with Appointment of Industry Veteran Ryan Marcus as Chief Business Development and Engagement Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Binah Capital Group, Inc. (“Binah Capital”) (NASDAQ: BCG), a leading financial services enterprise that owns and operates a network of firms empowering independent financial advisors, today welcomed Ryan Marcus as its new Chief Business Development and Engagement Officer.

    In his new role, Mr. Marcus will work closely with Binah Capital’s broker-dealers, including PKS Investments, Cabot Lodge Securities and World Equity Group, to develop and implement long-term business strategies. He will focus on enhancing market presence, building a unified value proposition and driving sustainable growth across the organization.

    Mr. Marcus brings a strong record of results-driven leadership, strategic growth execution and a deep understanding of the wealth management space. Known for his authentic, relationship-focused approach, Mr. Marcus has built a career around driving engagement and unlocking value for financial services organizations. He most recently served in senior roles at MarketCounsel, where he led business development and client engagement initiatives.

    “Ryan is a rare talent and industry builder who understands how trust, transparency and long-term value are created and maintained,” said Craig Gould, CEO of Binah Capital Group. “His deep relationships and intuitive grasp of the advisor landscape will strengthen our ability to deliver unparalleled support to our partners. We’re thrilled to welcome him as a senior executive at Binah and look forward to working together to execute on our strategic growth plans.”

    “MarketCounsel has been so much more than a job to me—it’s been a huge part of my life for over a decade. My colleagues have become part of my family, and being part of such a powerful brand has been both personally and professionally rewarding,” said Marcus. “Being Brian Hamburger’s right hand and personal friend through so many chapters has been one of the most meaningful and fulfilling experiences. As I take this next step and join the leadership team at Binah Capital Group, I look forward to making just as big of an impact here as I have at MarketCounsel.”

    Mr. Marcus’s hiring signifies a meaningful step forward for Binah Capital as it continues to invest in experienced talent to spearhead innovative growth strategies to further enhance our solutions and services.

    About Binah Capital Group

    Binah Capital Group (“Binah Capital”, “Binah” or the “Company,” is a financial services enterprise that owns and operates a network of industry-leading firms that empower independent financial advisors. As a national broker-dealer aggregator, Binah specializes in delivering value through its innovative hybrid-friendly model, making it an optimal platform for RIAs navigating today’s complex financial landscape. Binah’s portfolio companies are built to help advisors run, manage, and execute commission-based business seamlessly while providing best in class resources to support their advisory practice. We don’t just offer tools—we cultivate partnerships. Binah Capital Group stands alongside RIAs as a trusted ally, delivering the structure, flexibility, and cutting-edge solutions they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

    For more, please visit: www.binahcap.com

    Contact:

    Binah Capital Investor Relations
    ir@binahcap.com

    Binah Capital Public Relations
    media@binahcap.com

    The MIL Network –