Category: Entertainment

MIL-OSI: Alarum Technologies Announces Fourth Quarter and Annual 2024 Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

A Pivotal Year, Marking Accomplishment of Strategic Shift to Data Collection,
Hits Milestones Toward Becoming a Driving Force in the AI Revolution

2024 revenue increased to $31.8 million, of which $7.4 million was in the fourth quarter;
2024 net profit rose to $5.8 million and adjusted EBITDA reached $9.4 million;
Cash and liquid investments balance at year-end amounted to $25 million

TEL AVIV, Israel, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alarum Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq, TASE: ALAR) (“Alarum” or the “Company”), a global provider of web data collection solutions, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024.

Shachar Daniel, Chief Executive Officer of Alarum, said: “2024 was a landmark year for Alarum, as we successfully executed our strategic vision, to focus on data collection. This transformation comes at a time when AI is reshaping the world at an unprecedented pace. As data fuels intelligence, the companies that will lead this revolution are those that anticipate change, build a strong foundation, and position themselves for long-term success. This is exactly what we are striving for – taking it step by step.”

Market Trends Shaping Business Short-and Long-Term

Alarum Engaged in AI Model Training Trial Projects: as AI trends accelerated toward the end of 2024, collecting accurate data at massive scales has become increasingly critical. In the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, leading global companies, including one of the world’s largest online marketplace corporates, have selected Alarum’s Data Collection solutions for initial AI model training of mega-scale trial projects.
Industry Trends and Market Dynamics: With the growing demand for data, AI companies and data providers are forced to adapt to a rapidly evolving landscape, with websites implementing new technological barriers to data collection. This dynamic environment has led to revenue fluctuation across the industry. Alarum’s financial strength and operational efficiency allow it to capitalize on long-term market growth, leveraging its robust technological foundation, established customer base, and strategic engagements with industry leaders.
Financial Resilience: Alarum’s solid balance sheet and efficient operations enable it to stay ahead of the competition, seize opportunities promptly and adapt its long-term plans as required.
Long-term Product Strategy and Vision: Evolving market needs validate Alarum’s focus on in-depth research and aligned roadmaps. Recognizing the current era as a paramount opportunity, the Company continues to prioritize and allocate resources to seize and focus mainly on long-term growth opportunities, aiming to elevate its position to the next level.

Recent Developments and Business Highlights

Network Expansion: Alarum significantly scaled its IP network (IPPN) infrastructure in 2024, reinforcing its position as a key player in large-scale data collection. Its leadership was also acknowledged in the comprehensive public report on the IPPN industry, the 2024 PROXYWAY Market Research¹, which named Alarum’s NetNut Ltd. (“NetNut”) as a top performer.
Introducing Innovative Data Collection & Labeling Solutions: Alarum has introduced cutting-edge solutions, designed to provide seamless and scalable access to high-quality data. In the second half of 2024, the Company recorded initial sales from the Website Unblocker and SERP API (Search Engine Results Page Application Programming Interface) products, and it also made progress with the development of an AI Data Collector.
NetNut’s Net Retention Rate (“NRR”)² reached 1.27 as of December 31, 2024, compared to 1.53 as of December 31, 2023, yet another consecutive quarter of achieving an NRR well-above 1.

Chen Katz, Chairman of The Board of Alarum, commented: “Our 2024 results showcase the success of our strategic shift, which is well supported by our financial resilience. With a sharp focus on data collection, we have built a solid foundation for long term sustainability in the AI data-driven era. I am excited to see how our continued innovation and execution will shape the future of our company.”


Summary of Financial Results³
(in millions of U.S. dollars, rounded, except per share amounts and margins)

	For the Year Ended December 31,						For the Three Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
	(Audited)			(Audited)			(Unaudited)			(Unaudited)

Total Revenue		31.8			26.5			7.4			7.1
of which, Web Data Collection Revenue was		30.9			21.3			7.2			6.7
Gross profit		23.9			18.8			5.3			5.3
Gross margin (in percentage)		75.1	%		70.9	%		72.4	%		75.0	%
Non-IFRS gross margin (in percentage)		77.0	%		74.3	%		74.3	%		77.2	%
Total operating expenses		17.2			24.3			5.0			3.6
Financial income (expense), net		0.3			(0.6	)		0.2			(0.1	)
Tax benefit (expense)		(1.2	)		0.5			(0.1	)		(*	)
Net profit (loss) from continuing operations		5.8			(5.6	)		0.4			1.7
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations		9.4			5.2			1.5			2.2
Basic earnings (loss) per ADS from continuing operations (in U.S. dollars)	$	0.87		$	(1.35	)	$	0.06		$	0.28
Non-IFRS basic earnings (loss) per American Depository Share (“ADS”) from continuing operations (in U.S. dollars)	$	1.26		$	(1.14	)	$	0.20		$	0.38

Cash, cash equivalents and debt investments (including accrued interest)⁴		25.0			10.9			25.0			10.9
Shareholders’ equity³		26.4			13.2			26.4			13.2

* Less than $0.1 million

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Analysis

Revenue in Q4 2024 grew 4% year-over-year to $7.4 million (Q4 2023: $7.1 million). The increase is attributed to our NetNut web data collection business, which grew 7% to $7.2 million in Q4 2024, up from $6.7 million in Q4 2023. Revenue for the whole year 2024 grew 20%, rising to a record of $31.8 million (2023: $26.5 million). The Web Data Collection revenue reached a Company record $30.9 million in 2024, achieving 45% year-over-year growth (2023: $21.3 million).
Cost of revenue in Q4 2024 was $2.0 million (Q4 2023: $1.8 million). Full year 2024, cost of revenue was $7.9 million, (2023: $7.7 million). During these periods, costs have shifted towards investment in the Company’s IP network, as per its strategic decision announced in July 2023 to focus solely on its web data collection business.
Operating expenses in Q4 2024 totalled $5.0 million (Q4 2023: $3.6 million). The quarterly change was driven mainly by the increase in the NetNut Data Collection operations, primarily research and development salary costs. For the full year 2024, operating expenses were down to $17.2 million (2023: $24.3 million), mainly due to 2023-related impairment costs of goodwill and intangible assets and the strategic decision to scale down the Company’s consumer internet access business operations, partially offset by the increase in Data Collection operating expenses.
Financial income, net, in Q4 2024 was $0.2 million (Q4 2023: financial expense, net, of $0.1 million). Financial income, net, for 2024, increased to $0.3 million (2023: financial expense, net, of $0.6 million). This shift to financial income, net, from an expense, net, was mainly due to the increase in interest income from cash deposits as well as lower financial expenses related to short- and long-term loans.
2024 cash flow from operating activities rose 93%, to $8.9 million, compared to last year (2023: $4.6 million).
Bottom line, 2024 net profit from continuing operations rose to a record $5.8 million (2023: loss of $5.6 million), and the corresponding 2024 Adjusted EBITDA was up at a Company record $9.4 million (2023: $5.2 million).
As of December 31, 2024, shareholders’ equity doubled, totalling $26.4 million, up from $13.2 million as of December 31, 2023. The increase was driven by the switch to net profit from net loss as well as warrants and options exercises.
Outstanding ordinary share count as of December 31, 2024, was approximately 69.1 million shares, or 6.9 million in ADSs.

Financial Outlook

“In line with our guidance, total fourth quarter 2024 revenues increased to $7.4 million, of which $7.2 million were attributed to Web Data Collection, and fourth quarter 2024 Adjusted EBITDA reached $1.5 million. Our cash and liquid investment balance on December 31, 2024, increased to $25 million, demonstrating once again success in cashflow generation,” said Mr. Shai Avnit, Chief Financial Officer of Alarum.

“As we look ahead, our revenue guidance reflects the ongoing shifts in the global data collection. First quarter 2025 revenues are estimated at $7.3 million ±3% and Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter 2025 is expected to range from $0.8 million to $1.2 million. We are navigating a period of adjustment as the industry evolves, and while short-term revenue growth may be lower than in previous quarters, we remain focused on the bigger picture, and on generating long-term and sustainable value for the Company’s stakeholders,” Mr. Avnit concluded.

We are unable to present a reconciliation of our estimated Adjusted EBITDA to net profit from continuing operations as we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty, and without unreasonable effort, the impact and timing of certain expenses on our net profit from continuing operations. The financial impact of these expenses is uncertain and is dependent on various factors, including timing, and could be material to our consolidated statements of profit or loss and other comprehensive income (loss).

Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results Conference Call

Mr. Shachar Daniel, Chief Executive Officer of Alarum, and Mr. Shai Avnit, Chief Financial Officer of Alarum, will host a conference call today, March 20, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. ET, 5:30 a.m. Pacific time, 2:30 p.m. Israel, to discuss the fourth quarter and full year 2024 results and the first quarter 2025 outlook, followed by a Q&A session. To attend, please dial one of the following numbers, at least five minutes before the call starts: 1-877-407-0789 or 1-201-689-8562. If you are unable to connect using the toll-free number, please try the international dial-in number. An Israeli toll-free number is: 1 809 406 247. Participants will be required to state their name and company upon dialling in.

Replay: The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay here, after 11:30 a.m. ET on March 20, 2025, through April 20, 2025. Toll-free replay numbers: 1-844-512-2921 or 1-412-317-6671, ID: 13751807.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, Alarum is using forward-looking statements in this press release when it discusses strategic vision, benefits, advantages and capabilities of Alarum’s solutions, the growing demand for data, that Alarum’s financial strength and operational efficiency allow it to capitalize on long-term market growth, that Alarum’s solid balance sheet and efficient operations enable it to stay ahead of the competition, seize opportunities promptly and adapt its long-term plans as required, that the Company continues to prioritize and allocate resources to seize and focus mainly on long-term growth opportunities and its aim to elevate its position to the next level, the estimates of the revenues for the first quarter 2025 revenues and Adjusted EBITDA, that short-term revenue growth may be lower than in previous quarters, and the Company’s focus on the bigger picture, and on generating long-term and sustainable value for the Company’s stakeholders. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on Alarum’s current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties and actual results, performance or achievements of Alarum could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Alarum’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 20, 2025, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, Alarum undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. Alarum is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites.


Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
(in thousands of U.S. dollars)

	December 31,
	2024		2023
	(Audited)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	15,081		10,872
Trade receivables, net	3,231		1,994
Other receivables	503		399
	18,815		13,265

Non-current assets:
Long-term deposits	121		104
Other non-current assets	85		145
Property and equipment, net	130		88
Right-of-use assets	498		779
Deferred tax assets	422		181
Debt investments at fair value through other comprehensive income	9,256		–
Debt investments at fair value through profit or loss	555		–
Intangible assets, net	811		1,386
Goodwill	4,118		4,118
Total non-current assets	15,996		6,801
Total assets	34,811		20,066

Liabilities and equity
Current liabilities:
Trade payables	251		369
Other payables	4,484		2,439
Current maturities of long-term loan	938		290
Contract liabilities	1,987		1,983
Derivative financial instruments	148		109
Short-term lease liabilities	359		370
Total current liabilities	8,167		5,560

Non-current liabilities:
Long-term lease liabilities	261		523
Long-term loans, net of current maturities	32		802
Total non-current liabilities	293		1,325
Total liabilities	8,460		6,885

Equity:
Ordinary shares	–		–
Share premium	111,892		100,576
Other equity reserves	11,012		14,938
Accumulated deficit	(96,553	)	(102,333	)
Total equity	26,351		13,181
Total liabilities and equity	34,811		20,066


Condensed Consolidated Statements of Profit or Loss
(in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts)

	For the Year Ended December 31,					For the Three Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023		2024		2023
	(Audited)			(Audited)		(Unaudited)		(Unaudited)
Continuing operations
Revenue		31,824		26,521		7,370		7,107
Cost of revenue		7,915		7,711		2,032		1,778
Gross profit		23,909		18,810		5,338		5,329

Operating expenses:
Research and development		4,495		3,557		1,210		795
Sales and marketing		7,033		10,035		1,988		1,579
General and administrative		5,661		4,406		1,749		1,207
Impairment of goodwill		–		6,311		–		–
Total operating expenses		17,189		24,309		4,947		3,581

Operating profit (loss)		6,720		(5,499	)	391		1,748

Financial income (expense), net		281		(590	)	163		(54	)
Profit (loss) from continuing operations before income tax		7,001		(6,089	)	554		1,694
Tax benefit (expense)		(1,221	)	482		(112	)	(22	)
Profit (loss) from continuing operations, net of income tax		5,780		(5,607	)	442		1,672
Profit from discontinued operations, net of income tax		–		82		–		–
Net profit (loss) for the period		5,780		(5,525	)	442		1,672
Other comprehensive income (loss) for the period Change in fair value of debt investments		(80	)	–		(80	)	–
Total comprehensive income (loss) for the period		5,700		(5,525	)	362		1,672

Basic profit (loss) per share:
Continuing operations	$	0.09		(0.14	)	0.01		0.03

Discontinued operations		–		*		–		–
	$	0.09		(0.14	)	0.01		0.03

Diluted profit (loss) per share:
Continuing operations	$	0.08		(0.14	)	0.01		0.03

Discontinued operations		–		*		–		–
	$	0.08		(0.14	)	0.01		0.03

Basic profit (loss) per ADS:

Continuing operations	$	0.87		(1.35	)	0.06		0.28

Discontinued operations		–		*		–		–
	$	0.87		(1.35	)	0.06		0.28
* Less than $0.01

Use of Non-IFRS Financial Results

In addition to disclosing financial results calculated in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, this press release contains non-IFRS financial measures of EBITDA (EBITDA loss), Adjusted EBITDA (Adjusted EBITDA loss), non-IFRS net profit (loss), non-IFRS gross profit, non-IFRS gross margin and non-IFRS basic earnings (loss) per share or ADS for the periods presented. The Company defines EBITDA (EBITDA loss) as net profit (loss) from continuing operations before depreciation, amortization and impairment of intangible assets, financial income (expense) and income tax; defines Adjusted EBITDA (Adjusted EBITDA loss) as EBITDA (EBITDA loss) as further adjusted to remove the impact of (i) impairment of goodwill (if any); and (ii) share-based compensation; defines non-IFRS net profit (loss) as net profit (loss) from continuing operations before depreciation, amortization and impairment of intangible assets, impairment of goodwill, financial income (expense) effects primarily related to derivative financial instruments as well as long-term loans, deferred tax effects and share-based compensation; defines non-IFRS gross profit as gross profit from continuing operations adjusted to remove the impact of depreciation, amortization and impairment of intangible assets and share-based compensation recorded under cost of revenues; defines non-IFRS gross margin as the percentage of the non-IFRS gross profit out of revenues; and defines non-IFRS basic earnings (loss) per share or ADS as non-IFRS net profit (loss) divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares or ADSs. The Company’s management believes the non-IFRS financial information provided in this press release is useful to investors’ understanding and assessment of the Company’s ongoing operations. Management also uses both IFRS and non-IFRS information in evaluating and operating its business internally, and as such deemed it important to provide this information to investors. The non-IFRS financial measures disclosed by the Company should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with IFRS, and the financial results calculated in accordance with IFRS and reconciliations to those financial statements should be carefully evaluated. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations of these non-IFRS measures to their most directly comparable IFRS financial measures provided in the financial statement tables herein.

Other Metrics

Net retention rate (NRR) is a key indicator of customer base health and revenue expansion. It is based on NRR point in time, which measures the revenue growth of customers over the past four quarters, compared to the revenue generated from these customers during the same period a year earlier.
NRR is calculated as an average of the NRR points in time for the end of the current period and the three preceding quarters.
NRR > 1 (or 100%): Indicates revenue growth driven by existing customers, where upsells and cross-sells outweigh churn.
NRR < 1 (or 100%): Shows revenue loss due to churn exceeding gains from upsells or cross-sells.

Non-IFRS Financial Measures
(in millions of U.S. dollars, rounded)

The following tables present the reconciled effect of the above on the Company’s Adjusted EBITDA (EBITDA loss); non-IFRS net profit (loss); and non-IFRS gross profit for the year and three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

	For the Year Ended December 31,				For the Three Months Ended December 31,
	2024		2023		2024		2023

Net profit (loss) from continuing operations	5.8		(5.6	)	0.4		1.7
Adjustments:
Depreciation, amortization and impairment of intangible assets	0.6		3.5		0.2		0.1
Financial expense (income), net	(0.4	)	0.6		(0.1	)	0.1
Tax expense (benefit)	1.4		(0.5	)	0.1		*
EBITDA (EBITDA loss)	7.4		(2.0	)	0.6		1.9
Adjustments:
Impairment of goodwill	–		6.3		–		–
Share-based compensation	2.0		0.9		0.9		0.3
Adjusted EBITDA for the period	9.4		5.2		1.5		2.2
* Less than $0.1 million


	For the Year Ended December 31,				For the Three Months Ended December 31,
	2024		2023		2024		2023
Net profit (loss) from continuing operations	5.8		(5.6	)	0.4		1.7
Adjustments:
Depreciation, amortization and impairment of intangible assets	0.6		3.5		0.2		0.1
Financial expense (income), net effects	0.1		0.1		(*	)	0.2
Deferred tax effects	(0.1	)	(0.5	)	(0.1	)	*
Impairment of goodwill	–		6.3		–		–
Share-based compensation	2.0		0.9		0.9		0.3
Non-IFRS net profit for the period	8.4		4.7		1.4		2.3
* Less than $0.1 million


	For the Year Ended December 31,		For the Three Months Ended December 31,
	2024	2023	2024	2023
Gross profit from continuing operations	23.9	18.8	5.3	5.3
Adjustments:
Depreciation, amortization and impairment of intangible assets	0.6	0.9	0.2	0.2
Share-based compensation	*	*	*	*
Non-IFRS gross profit for the period	24.5	19.7	5.5	5.5
* Less than $0.1 million

About Alarum Technologies Ltd.

Alarum Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq, TASE: ALAR) is a global provider of web data collection solutions, empowering organizations to gain a competitive edge by streamlining the collection, extraction, and analysis of large-scale structured data from public online sources. Our data collection solutions by NetNut, are based on our world’s fastest and most advanced and secured hybrid proxy network, which comprises both exit points based on our proprietary reflection technology and hundreds of servers located at our ISP partners around the world. Pushing the boundaries of innovation in data collection, we are building a robust platform, complemented by the Website Unblocker, Data Collector, Data Sets and AI data collector. As the impact of the AI revolution unfolds, Alarum, with its robust market-leading data collection offerings is preparing itself to play a meaningful role as the world reshapes in a new form.

For more information about Alarum and its web data collection solutions, please visit www.alarum.io.

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Investor Relations Contact:
investors@alarum.io

________________________
¹https://proxyway.com/research/proxy-market-research-2024
² See definition under “Other Metrics”
³ The table below contains certain non-IFRS financial measures. See “Use of Non-IFRS Financial Results” for additional information regarding these measures and reconciliations to the most comparable IFRS measures.
⁴ As of the last day of the period.

The MIL Network –

March 21, 2025

MIL-OSI: Chris Miller, Former Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Appointed by President Trump, Joins the Draganfly Board of Directors

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Tampa, Florida, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Draganfly Inc, (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) (FSE: 3U8A) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an award-winning, industry-leading drone solutions and systems developer, is proud to announce that Christopher C. Miller, former Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense under President Donald Trump, has joined the Company’s Board of Directors.

Miller, a seasoned national security expert with decades of experience in defense and intelligence, will help guide Draganfly’s strategic initiatives in the government, defense, and aerospace sectors. His extensive leadership in military operations and national security policy aligns with Draganfly’s commitment to providing cutting-edge, American-made drone technology for critical applications.

“Chris Miller’s experience at the highest levels of defense and national security will be invaluable to Draganfly as we continue to expand our role in government and security operations. His insights and expertise will help continue to position Draganfly as a leader in North American-made drone solutions for defense, law enforcement, and public safety,” said Cameron Chell, CEO of Draganfly.

Miller served as the Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense, overseeing the Department of Defense during a critical transition period. Prior to that, he held senior positions at the National Security Council and Special Operations Command, where he played a key role in shaping U.S. counterterrorism strategies.

“Draganfly is at the forefront of innovation in drone technology, and I’m honored to join the Board at such a pivotal time,” said Chris Miller. “As the demand for secure, American-made drone solutions grows, Draganfly’s commitment to innovation, safety, and strategic partnerships will be essential in supporting national security and defense initiatives. I look forward to contributing to the Company’s success.”

Miller’s appointment strengthens Draganfly’s leadership team as the Company continues to expand its work with government and defense partners. His deep understanding of security, policy, and military operations will help Draganfly further solidify its position as a key player in the rapidly evolving drone and aerospace industries.

For more information about Draganfly and its leadership team, visit draganfly.com.

About Draganfly

Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8) is a global leader in drone technology, AI, and autonomous systems, providing innovative solutions for public safety, defense, agriculture, and industrial applications. With over 25 years of experience, Draganfly is recognized for its groundbreaking contributions to the UAV industry and commitment to delivering cutting-edge, North American-made technology.

CSE Listing
NASDAQ Listing
Frankfurt Listing

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains certain “forward looking statements” and certain “forward-looking ‎‎‎‎information” as ‎‎‎‎defined under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎and information can ‎‎‎‎generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‎‎‎‎‎“may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, ‎‎‎‎‎“estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “plans” or similar ‎‎‎‎terminology. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎and information are based on forecasts of future ‎‎‎‎results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and ‎‎‎‎assumptions that, while believed by ‎‎‎‎management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant ‎‎‎‎business, economic and ‎‎‎‎competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎include, but are not ‎‎‎‎limited to, statements with respect to Chris Miller’s future contributions to Draganfly; that Draganfly will continue to position as a leader in North American-made drone solutions for defense, law enforcement, and public safety; that’s Draganfly’s commitment to innovation, safety, and strategic partnerships will be essential in supporting national security and defense initiatives. Forward-‎‎‎‎looking statements and information are subject to various ‎known ‎‎and unknown risks and ‎‎‎‎‎uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to ‎control or ‎‎predict, that ‎‎‎‎may cause ‎the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be ‎materially ‎‎different ‎‎‎‎from those ‎expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions ‎about ‎‎such ‎‎‎‎risks, uncertainties ‎and other factors set out here in, including but not limited to: the potential ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎impact of epidemics, ‎pandemics or other public health crises, including the ‎COVID-19 pandemic, on the Company’s business, operations and financial ‎‎‎‎condition; the ‎‎‎successful integration of ‎technology; the inherent risks involved in the general ‎‎‎‎securities markets; ‎‎‎uncertainties relating to the ‎availability and costs of financing needed in the ‎‎‎‎future; the inherent ‎‎‎uncertainty of cost estimates; the ‎potential for unexpected costs and ‎‎‎‎expenses, currency ‎‎‎fluctuations; regulatory restrictions; and liability, ‎competition, loss of key ‎‎‎‎employees and other related risks ‎‎‎and uncertainties disclosed under the ‎heading “Risk Factors“ ‎‎‎‎in the Company’s most recent filings filed ‎‎‎with securities regulators in Canada on ‎the SEDAR ‎‎‎‎website at www.sedar.com and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on EDGAR through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes ‎‎‎no obligation to update forward-‎looking ‎‎‎‎information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-‎‎‎looking information represents ‎‎‎‎‎managements’ best judgment based on information currently available. ‎‎‎No forward-looking ‎‎‎‎statement ‎can be and actual future results may vary materially. ‎‎‎Accordingly, readers ‎‎‎‎are advised not to ‎place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or ‎‎‎information.‎

Media Contact
Erika Racicot
Email: media@draganfly.com

Company Contact
Email: info@draganfly.com

The MIL Network –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The PKK says it will lay down its arms. What are the chances of lasting peace between Turkey and the Kurds? Podcast

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

For over 40 years, the Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK, has waged an armed insurgency against Turkey, fighting for Kurdish rights and autonomy.

But in late February, Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK’s imprisoned founder, called for the group to lay down its arms and dissolve itself. Days later, the PKK, which is labelled as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, Europe and the US, declared a ceasefire with Turkey.

In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to political scientist Pinar Dinc about what’s led to this moment and whether it could be the beginning of a lasting peace between Turkey and the Kurds.

Despite being imprisoned in solitary confinement since his capture in 1999, Öcalan has remained a central figure in the Kurdish movement, both in Turkey and across the region.

His call for the PKK to abandon its armed struggle came months after the leader of a Turkish ultra-nationalist political party launched an initiative to bring an end to the conflict.

Over the past few decades, previous rounds of peace talks between the PKK and Turkey, most notably in 2009 and 2013-15, have collapsed.

But Pinar Dinc, an associate professor of political science at Lund University in Sweden, says that since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel and the war in Gaza, the situation in the Middle East has rapidly changed. “It’s mutually beneficial to put an end to this war,” she says. “Both groups recognise the necessity of addressing regional tensions.”

Dinc says international support for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in north-eastern Syria, and its Rojava revolution, means that Turkey has been forced to recognise a new “Syrian Kurdish reality”. At the same time, she says, the Kurdish movement has also reached a limit in what it can achieve in an era of modern warfare.

Turkey has a huge army. It’s one of the biggest armies of Nato. Now we see increased use of drones surveillance and advanced weaponry, and I think the PKK guerrillas in the Qandil mountains, what they refer to as the medya defence zones, they’re also realising that this is getting more and more difficult.

Limited discussions began in March between the Turkish government and Kurdish political parties on a way forward in peace negotiations. Dinc says this is a real opportunity for a broader reconciliation process, but there will be real challenges in the detail of what it means for Turkey’s Kurdish population.

The PKK is an outcome of structural problems arising from the longstanding oppression and marginalisation of Kurds in Turkey, and addressing these root causes is essential for achieving lasting peace.

Listen to the conversation with Dinc on The Conversation Weekly podcast.

This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer.

Newsclips in this episode from AP Archive, AFP News Agency, Sky News, Med TV, Gazete Duvar, DW News, Al Jazeera English and France 24 English.

Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here.

Pinar Dinc is the principal investigator of the ECO-Syria project, which receives funding from the Strategic Research Area: The Middle East in the Contemporary World (MECW) at the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University, Sweden.

– ref. The PKK says it will lay down its arms. What are the chances of lasting peace between Turkey and the Kurds? Podcast – https://theconversation.com/the-pkk-says-it-will-lay-down-its-arms-what-are-the-chances-of-lasting-peace-between-turkey-and-the-kurds-podcast-252646

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 3.19.25

Source: US State of California 2

Mar 19, 2025

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Emily Warren, of Orinda, has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Innovative Mobility Solutions at the California State Transportation Agency. Warren has been an Advisory Venture Parter at Fontinalis Partners, LLC since 2019. She was Head of Public Policy at EverCharge from 2023 to 2024. Warren was Head of Public Policy at Embark Trucks from 2022 to 2023. Warren was Senior Manager of Public Policy at Amazon from 2021 to 2022. She was Senior Policy Advisor at NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates from 2020 to 2021. Warren was Senior Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Lime from 2018 to 2019. She held several roles at Lyft from 2012 to 2019, including Senior Director of Transportation Policy, Director of Transportation Policy, Director of Community Relations, Director of Community Engagement, and Community Manager. Warren was a Municipal Financial Consultant at Public Financial Management from 2011 to 2012. She was Assistant Director of External Affairs for the University of Pennsylvania from 2009 to 2010. Warren is a member of the National Center of Sustainable Transportation Leadership Council and the University of California, Los Angeles Institute of Transportation Studies Advisory Board. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree in Public Finance from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Critical Gender Studies from the University of California, San Diego. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $176,004. Warren is a Democrat.

Eva Spiegel, of Davis, has been appointed Deputy Director of Communications at the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Spiegel was Senior Communications Specialist at Kearns & West from 2021 to 2025. She was Founder and Principal of Spiegel Communications from 2019 to 2021. Spiegel was Director of Communications for the League of California Cities from 2007 to 2019. She was Director of Broadcast Operations and Special Projects at the American Communications Foundation from 1995 to 2006. Spiegel earned a Master of Arts degree in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts from California State University, San Francisco, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science for the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $150,000. Spiegel is a Democrat.

Suzy Shuster, of Beverly Hills, has been appointed to the California Film Commission. Shuster has been Co-Host and Executive Producer of Women’s Sports Now on RokuChannel since 2025, Co-Host of the What the Football Podcast since 2023, and Guest Host on The Rich Eisen Show since 2014. Shuster was a Host/Reporter for University of Southern California Trojans Pregame Show on ESPN 710 from 2003 to 2009. Shuster was a reporter for ABC Sports from 2003 to 2006. She was a Reporter for the NBA on TNT from 2004 to 2006. Shuster was a Reporter/Host of Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports West from 2000 to 2002. She was a Producer for Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel from 1988 to 1999. Shuster was a Producer for ESPN’s SportsCenter from 1997 to 1999. She is a member of the Board of Hillel at Columbia. Shuster earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Art History from Columbia University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Shuster is a Democrat.

Thomas “Tom” Huntington, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the State Park and Recreation Commission. Huntington has been a Consultant in Non-Profit Organization and Foundation Management since 2013. He was the Western Regional Development Director for the Environmental Defense Fund from 1985 to 2013. Huntington was a River Protection Campaign Coordinator and the Executive Director for the Friends of the River Foundation from 1977 to 1984. He was the Regional Manager and River Guide at OARS Inc. Adventure Travel from 1974 to 1984. Huntington earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Teaching from the University of Oregon. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Huntington is a Democrat.

Press Releases, Recent News

Recent news

Mar 19, 2025

News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring March 2025, as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is proud to join states around the…

Mar 19, 2025

News What you need to know: In the first two months of 2025, California National Guard’s Counter Drug Task Force has seized 1,045 pounds of illicit fentanyl with a street valuation of $6.8 million. SACRAMENTO – Continuing an enhanced focus in 2025 to combat the…

Mar 19, 2025

News What you need to know: 51 projects — including 46 independent features — will generate nearly $580 million in economic activity and employ over 6,490 cast and crew thanks to California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program. HOLLYWOOD — Governor Newsom today…

MIL OSI USA News –

March 20, 2025

MIL-OSI: FactSet Reports Results for Second Quarter 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Q2 GAAP revenues of $570.7 million, up 4.5% from Q2 2024.
Organic Q2 ASV of $2,276.2 million, up 4.1% year over year.
Q2 GAAP operating margin of 32.5%, down approximately 80 bps year over year, and adjusted operating margin of 37.3%, down 100 bps year over year.
Q2 GAAP diluted EPS of $3.76, up 3.0% from the prior year, and adjusted diluted EPS of $4.28, up 1.4% year over year.
Fiscal 2025 guidance updated. Expected organic ASV growth of $100 million to $130 million (approximately 4.4% to 5.8%), GAAP revenues in the range of $2,305 million to $2,325 million, adjusted operating margin in the range of 36% to 37%, and adjusted diluted EPS in the range of $16.80 to $17.40.

NORWALK, Conn., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FactSet (“FactSet” or the “Company”) (NYSE:FDS) (NASDAQ:FDS), a global financial digital platform and enterprise solutions provider, today announced results for its second quarter fiscal 2025 ended February 28, 2025.

Second Quarter Fiscal 2025 Highlights

GAAP revenues increased 4.5%, or $24.8 million, to $570.7 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 compared with $545.9 million in the prior year period. Organic⁽¹⁾ revenues grew 4.0% year over year to $568.0 million during the second quarter of fiscal 2025. Growth in GAAP and Organic revenues this quarter was driven by wealth and institutional buy-side clients.
Annual Subscription Value (“ASV”) was $2,306.1 million at February 28, 2025, compared with $2,185.6 million at February 29, 2024. Organic ASV was $2,276.2 million at February 28, 2025, up 4.1% or $90.7 million year over year⁽²⁾.
Organic ASV increased $19.6 million over the last three months. Please see the “ASV” section of this press release for details.
GAAP operating margin decreased to 32.5% compared with 33.3% for the prior year period, mainly due to an increase in acquisition-related professional fees and technology-related expenses, partially offset by growth in revenues and a decrease in employee compensation costs. Adjusted operating margin decreased to 37.3% compared with 38.3% in the prior year period, mainly due to higher technology related expenses offset by lapping of the prior year’s lower bonus accrual.
GAAP diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) increased 3.0% to $3.76 compared with $3.65 for the same period in fiscal 2024, primarily due to growth in revenues, partially offset by an increase in acquisition-related professional fees and technology-related expenses. Adjusted diluted EPS increased 1.4% to $4.28 compared with $4.22 in the prior year period, driven by growth in revenues, offset by higher operating expenses and a higher tax rate on an adjusted basis.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $174.0 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2025. Free cash flow increased to $150.2 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2025, compared with $121.9 million for the prior year period, an increase of 23.3%, primarily due to higher net cash provided by operating activities.

GAAP effective tax rate for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 decreased to 15.9% compared with 16.4% for the second quarter of fiscal 2024. The decrease was primarily due to lower U.S. tax on foreign earnings, partially offset by certain discrete items, mainly lower excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation.

^{(1) References to “organic” figures in this press release exclude the current year impact of acquisitions and dispositions completed within the past 12 months and the current year impact from changes in foreign currency.}

^{(2) Beginning in fiscal 2025, FactSet is reporting Organic ASV, rather than Organic ASV plus Professional Services, to focus on the recurring nature of its revenues. This underscores the shift of FactSet’s offerings toward providing more managed services and less project-based services.}

“With increased visibility into the remainder of the fiscal year, we are reaffirming the 5% midpoint of our organic ASV growth guidance and narrowing the range of anticipated top-line outcomes,” said Phil Snow, CEO of FactSet. “The strength of our full-year pipeline and constructive dialogue with our clients position our business positively for growth acceleration in the second half of the year.”

Key Financial Measures*

(Condensed and Unaudited)	Three Months Ended
	February 28,			February 29,
(In thousands, except per share data)		2025			2024		Change
Revenues	$	570,660		$	545,945		4.5	%
Organic revenues	$	567,985		$	545,945		4.0	%
Operating income	$	185,492		$	181,942		2.0	%
Adjusted operating income	$	212,669		$	209,326		1.6	%
Operating margin		32.5	%		33.3	%
Adjusted operating margin		37.3	%		38.3	%
Net income	$	144,860		$	140,940		2.8	%
Adjusted net income	$	164,976		$	163,067		1.2	%
EBITDA	$	224,646		$	216,826		3.6	%
Diluted EPS	$	3.76		$	3.65		3.0	%
Adjusted diluted EPS	$	4.28		$	4.22		1.4	%

^{* See reconciliation of U.S. GAAP to adjusted key financial measures in the back of this press release.}

“We achieved solid financial performance in the first half of the fiscal year by maintaining our focus on cost discipline and increased efficiency, while continuing to invest in our strategic priorities,” said Helen Shan, FactSet’s CFO. “We are reaffirming our guidance range for adjusted operating margin and adjusted diluted EPS, despite modest dilution from our recent acquisitions.”

Annual Subscription Value (ASV)

ASV at any given point in time represents the forward-looking revenues for the next 12 months from all subscription services currently supplied to clients.

ASV was $2,306.1 million at February 28, 2025, compared with $2,185.6 million at February 29, 2024. Organic ASV was $2,276.2 million at February 28, 2025, up $90.7 million from the prior year, for a growth rate of 4.1%. Organic ASV increased $19.6 million over the last three months.

The buy-side and sell-side organic ASV annual growth rates as of February 28, 2025 were 4.1% and 2.2%, respectively. Buy-side clients, including institutional asset managers, wealth managers, asset owners, partners, hedge funds and corporate clients, accounted for 82% of organic ASV. The remaining organic ASV came from sell-side firms, including broker-dealers, banking and advisory firms, and private equity and venture capital firms. Supplementary tables covering organic buy-side and sell-side ASV growth rates may be found on the last page of this press release.

Segment Revenues and ASV

ASV from the Americas was $1,501.1 million compared with ASV in the prior year period of $1,413.6 million. Organic ASV from the Americas increased 4.4% to $1,474.9 million. Americas revenues for the quarter increased to $369.7 million compared with $352.6 million in the second quarter of last year. The Americas quarterly organic revenues growth rate was 4.0% over the prior year period.

ASV from EMEA was $571.3 million compared with ASV in the prior year period of $556.5 million. Organic ASV from EMEA increased 2.6% to $571.4 million. EMEA revenues were $143.4 million compared with $139.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024. The EMEA quarterly organic revenues growth rate was 3.1% over the prior year period.

ASV from Asia Pacific was $233.7 million compared with ASV in the prior year period of $215.5 million. Organic ASV from Asia Pacific increased 6.8% to $229.9 million. Asia Pacific revenues were $57.6 million compared with $54.1 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024. The Asia Pacific quarterly organic revenues growth rate was 6.8% over the prior year period.

Operational Highlights – Second Quarter Fiscal 2025

Client count as of February 28, 2025 was 8,645, a net increase of 396 clients in the past three months, mainly due to corporates, which now includes clients from the Irwin acquisition. The count includes clients with ASV of $10,000 and more and does not reflect the LiquidityBook acquisition.
User count was 219,141 as of February 28, 2025, a net increase of 874 users in the past three months, mainly driven by an increase in wealth management users. The user count does not reflect the Irwin and LiquidityBook acquisitions.
Annual ASV retention was greater than 95%. When expressed as a percentage of clients, annual retention was 91%.
Employee headcount was 12,598 as of February 28, 2025, up 2.6% over the last 12 months, with the increase primarily in the sales and technology groups, mainly from the Irwin and LiquidityBook acquisitions. FactSet’s Centers of Excellence account for approximately 67% of the Company’s employees.
A quarterly dividend of $39.5 million, or $1.04 per share, is being paid on March 20, 2025, to holders of record of FactSet’s common stock at the close of business on February 28, 2025.
FactSet acquired LiquidityBook, a provider of cloud-native trading solutions. The acquisition adds technology-forward order management (OMS) and investment book of record (IBOR) capabilities to the FactSet Workstation to seamlessly link adjacent steps in the front office trade workflow and enhance FactSet’s ability to serve the integrated workflow needs of clients across the entire portfolio lifecycle.
FactSet launched Pitch Creator, an AI-powered tool that streamlines pitchbook creation for investment banks. By automating the time-consuming tasks of model analysis and presentation building, FactSet Pitch Creator can reduce hours of manual work into minutes, creating the productivity gains necessary for junior bankers to prioritize high-value, strategic initiatives.
After the quarter end, FactSet acquired LogoIntern, a productivity solution that helps financial services professionals create well formatted logo outputs for presentations faster. This acquisition reinforces FactSet’s commitment to improving junior banker productivity and complements Pitch Creator to bring automation to another time-consuming, manual aspect of a junior banker’s daily workflow.
FactSet appointed Kevin Toomey as Head of Investor Relations. Toomey is replacing Yet He, who was acting as Interim Head of Investor Relations and now will continue in his role as FactSet’s Treasurer and Head of Financial Planning & Analysis.

Share Repurchase Program

FactSet repurchased 136,714 shares of its common stock for $64.4 million at an average price of $470.70 during the second quarter of fiscal 2025 under the Company’s share repurchase program. As of February 28, 2025, $186.9 million remained available for share repurchases under this program.

Annual Business Outlook

FactSet is updating its outlook for fiscal 2025. The following forward-looking statements reflect FactSet’s expectations as of today’s date. Given the risk factors, uncertainties, and assumptions discussed below, actual results may differ materially. FactSet does not intend to update its forward-looking statements prior to its next quarterly results announcement.

Fiscal 2025 Expectations (with reference to most recent previous guidance):

Organic ASV is expected to grow in the range of $100 million to $130 million during fiscal 2025 (narrowing from $90 million to $140 million).
GAAP revenues are expected to be in the range of $2,305 million to $2,325 million (up from $2,285 million to $2,305 million).
GAAP operating margin is expected to be in the range of 32.0% to 33.0% (down from 32.5% to 33.5%).
Adjusted operating margin is expected to be in the range of 36.0% to 37.0% (unchanged).
FactSet’s annual effective tax rate is expected to be in the range of 17% to 18% (unchanged).
GAAP diluted EPS is expected to be in the range of $14.80 to $15.40 (down from $15.10 to $15.70).
Adjusted diluted EPS is expected to be in the range of $16.80 to $17.40 (unchanged).

Adjusted operating margin and adjusted diluted EPS guidance do not include certain effects of any non-recurring benefits or charges that may arise in fiscal 2025. Please see the back of this press release for a reconciliation of GAAP to adjusted metrics.

Conference Call

Second Quarter 2025 Conference Call Details

Please register for the conference call using the above link before the call start time. The conference call platform will register your name and organization and provide dial-in numbers and a unique access pin. The conference call will have a live Q&A session.

A replay will be available on the Company’s investor relations website after 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on March 20, 2025, through March 20, 2026. The earnings call transcript will be available via FactSet CallStreet.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements based on management’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about industries in which FactSet operates and the beliefs and assumptions of management. All statements that address expectations, guidance, outlook or projections about the future, including statements about the Company’s strategy for growth, product development, revenues, future financial results, anticipated growth, market position, subscriptions, expected expenditures, trends in FactSet’s business and financial results, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “intends,” “projects,” “indicates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue,” and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors, including those discussed more fully elsewhere in this release and in FactSet’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly its latest annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as well as others, could cause results to differ materially from those stated. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and FactSet assumes no duty to and does not undertake to update forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance.

About Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Financial measures in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including revenues, operating income and margin, net income, diluted earnings per share and cash provided by operating activities, have been adjusted.

FactSet uses these adjusted financial measures both in presenting its results to stockholders and the investment community and in its internal evaluation and management of the business. The Company believes that these adjusted financial measures and the information they provide are useful to investors because they permit investors to view the Company’s performance using the same tools that management uses to gauge progress in achieving its goals. Investors may benefit from referring to these adjusted financial measures in assessing the Company’s performance and when planning, forecasting and analyzing future periods, and may also facilitate comparisons to its historical performance. The presentation of this financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP.

Organic revenues excludes the current year impact of revenues from acquisitions and dispositions completed within the past 12 months and the current year impact from changes in foreign currency. Adjusted operating income and margin, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted earnings per share exclude acquisition-related intangible asset amortization and non-recurring items. EBITDA represents earnings before interest expense, provision for income taxes and depreciation and amortization expense, while adjusted EBITDA further excludes non-recurring non-cash expenses. The Company believes that these adjusted financial measures help to fully reflect the underlying economic performance of FactSet.

Cash flows provided by operating activities have been reduced by purchases of property, equipment, leasehold improvements and capitalized internal-use software to report non-GAAP free cash flow. FactSet uses this financial measure both in presenting its results to stockholders and the investment community and in the Company’s internal evaluation and management of the business. Management believes that this financial measure is useful to investors because it is an indication of cash flow that may be available to fund further investments in future growth initiatives.

About FactSet

FactSet (NYSE:FDS | NASDAQ:FDS) helps the financial community to see more, think bigger, and work better. Our digital platform and enterprise solutions deliver financial data, analytics, and open technology to more than 8,600 global clients, including over 219,000 individual users. Clients across the buy-side and sell-side as well as wealth managers, private equity firms, and corporations achieve more every day with our comprehensive and connected content, flexible next-generation workflow solutions, and client-centric specialized support. As a member of the S&P 500, we are committed to sustainable growth and have been recognized amongst the Best Places to Work in 2023 by Glassdoor as a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award winner. Learn more at www.factset.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.

FactSet
Investor Relations Contact:
Yet He
+1.212.973.5701
yet.he@factset.com

Media Contact:
Megan Kovach
+1.512.736.2795
megan.kovach@factset.com

Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)
	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	February 28,			February 29,			February 28,			February 29,
(In thousands, except per share data)		2025			2024			2025			2024
Revenues	$	570,660		$	545,945		$	1,139,327		$	1,088,161
Operating expenses
Cost of services		269,604			255,142			528,383			506,763
Selling, general and administrative		115,564			108,861			234,117			210,416
Total operating expenses		385,168			364,003			762,500			717,179

Operating income		185,492			181,942			376,827			370,982

Other income (expense), net
Interest income		273			2,847			2,974			5,859
Interest expense		(13,916	)		(16,599	)		(28,316	)		(33,337	)
Other income (expense), net		471			455			574			337
Total other income (expense), net		(13,172	)		(13,297	)		(24,768	)		(27,141	)

Income before income taxes		172,320			168,645			352,059			343,841

Provision for income taxes		27,460			27,705			57,177			54,346
Net income	$	144,860		$	140,940		$	294,882		$	289,495

Basic earnings per common share	$	3.81		$	3.70		$	7.76		$	7.61
Diluted earnings per common share	$	3.76		$	3.65		$	7.66		$	7.49

Basic weighted average common shares		38,015			38,103			38,010			38,059
Diluted weighted average common shares		38,510			38,650			38,513			38,646

Certain prior year figures have been conformed to the current year’s presentation.

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
(In thousands)	February 28, 2025		August 31, 2024
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$	278,548	$	422,979
Investments		8,471		69,619
Accounts receivable, net of reserves of $14,998 at February 28, 2025 and $14,581 at August 31, 2024		277,636		228,054
Prepaid taxes		75,931		55,103
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		67,055		60,093
Total current assets		707,641		835,848

Property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net		79,739		82,513
Goodwill		1,245,315		1,011,129
Intangible assets, net		1,935,488		1,844,141
Deferred taxes		53,546		61,337
Lease right-of-use assets, net		118,129		130,494
Other assets		101,584		89,578
TOTAL ASSETS	$	4,241,442	$	4,055,040

LIABILITIES
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	131,103	$	178,250
Current debt		—		124,842
Current lease liabilities		32,560		31,073
Accrued compensation		70,846		93,279
Deferred revenues		177,325		159,761
Current taxes payable		30,483		40,391
Dividends payable		39,511		39,470
Total current liabilities		481,828		667,066

Long-term debt		1,472,162		1,241,131
Deferred taxes		14,772		8,452
Deferred revenues, non-current		446		1,344
Taxes payable		46,313		40,452
Long-term lease liabilities		158,419		177,521
Other liabilities		10,585		6,614
TOTAL LIABILITIES	$	2,184,525	$	2,142,580

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$	2,056,917	$	1,912,460

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$	4,241,442	$	4,055,040

*Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)*
	Six Months Ended
	February 28,			February 29,
(In thousands)		2025			2024
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income	$	294,882		$	289,495
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities
Depreciation and amortization		74,127			58,650
Amortization of lease right-of-use assets		15,177			15,263
Stock-based compensation expense		30,139			30,962
Deferred income taxes		8,763			5,632
Other, net		3,268			7,034
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions
Accounts receivable		(46,225	)		(39,468	)
Prepaid expenses and other assets		(3,889	)		(14,690	)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		(61,915	)		10,377
Accrued compensation		(21,470	)		(40,456	)
Deferred revenues		11,934			22,133
Taxes payable, net of prepaid taxes		(24,810	)		(26,150	)
Lease liabilities, net		(19,654	)		(19,840	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		260,327			298,942

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchases of property, equipment, leasehold improvements and capitalized internal-use software		(49,610	)		(38,383	)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash and cash equivalents acquired		(342,461	)		—
Purchases of investments		(4,208	)		(44,936	)
Proceeds from maturity or sale of investments		58,155			—
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(338,124	)		(83,319	)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from debt		305,000			—
Repayments of debt		(200,000	)		(125,000	)
Dividend payments		(78,817	)		(74,141	)
Proceeds from employee stock plans		60,344			66,544
Repurchases of common stock		(113,142	)		(112,165	)
Deferred acquisition consideration		(4,699	)		—
Other financing activities		(14,228	)		(14,465	)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(45,542	)		(259,227	)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		(8,048	)		(132	)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		(131,387	)		(43,736	)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		422,979			425,444
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	$	291,592		$	381,708

Reconciliation of total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	278,548		$	381,708
Restricted cash included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets		6,522			—
Restricted cash included in Other assets		6,522			—
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	291,592		$	381,708

Certain prior year figures have been conformed to the current year’s presentation.

Reconciliation of U.S. GAAP Results to Adjusted Financial Measures

Financial measures in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including revenues, operating income and margin, net income, diluted EPS and cash provided by operating activities, have been adjusted below. FactSet uses these adjusted financial measures both in presenting its results to stockholders and the investment community and in its internal evaluation and management of the business. The Company believes that these adjusted financial measures and the information they provide are useful to investors because they permit investors to view the Company’s performance using the same tools that management uses to gauge progress in achieving its goals. Adjusted measures may also facilitate comparisons to FactSet’s historical performance.

Organic Revenues

Organic revenues exclude the current year impact of revenues from acquisitions and dispositions completed within the past 12 months and the current year impact from changes in foreign currency. The table below provides a reconciliation of revenues to organic revenues:

(Unaudited)	Three Months Ended
	February 28,			February 29,
(In thousands)		2025			2024	Change
Revenues	$	570,660		$	545,945	4.5	%
Acquisition revenues		(3,793	)		—
Currency impact		1,118			—
Organic revenues	$	567,985		$	545,945	4.0	%

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The table below provides a reconciliation of operating income, operating margin, net income and diluted EPS to adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted net income, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted diluted EPS.

	Three Months Ended
	February 28,			February 29,
(in thousands, except per share data)		2025			2024		% Change
Operating income	$	185,492		$	181,942		2.0	%
Intangible asset amortization		18,137			16,674
Business acquisitions and related costs⁽¹⁾		9,040			—
Restructuring/severance		—			10,710
Adjusted operating income	$	212,669		$	209,326		1.6	%
Operating margin		32.5	%		33.3	%
Adjusted operating margin⁽²⁾		37.3	%		38.3	%
Net income	$	144,860		$	140,940		2.8	%
Intangible asset amortization		13,425			12,579
Business acquisitions and related costs⁽¹⁾		6,691			—
Restructuring/severance		—			8,080
Income tax items		—			1,468
Adjusted net income⁽³⁾	$	164,976		$	163,067		1.2	%
Net income		144,860			140,940		2.8	%
Interest expense		13,916			16,599
Income taxes		27,460			27,705
Depreciation and amortization expense		38,410			31,582
EBITDA	$	224,646		$	216,826		3.6	%
Non-recurring non-cash expenses		—			1,285
Adjusted EBITDA	$	224,646		$	218,111		3.0	%
Diluted EPS	$	3.76		$	3.65		3.0	%
Intangible asset amortization		0.35			0.32
Business acquisitions and related costs⁽¹⁾		0.17			—
Restructuring/severance		—			0.21
Income tax items		—			0.04
Adjusted diluted EPS⁽³⁾	$	4.28		$	4.22		1.4	%
Weighted average common shares (diluted)		38,510			38,650

^{(1)   Primarily related to the acquisition of LiquidityBook.}
^{(2)   Adjusted operating margin is calculated as Adjusted operating income divided by Revenues.}
^{(3)   For purposes of calculating Adjusted net income and Adjusted diluted EPS, all adjustments for the three months ended February 28, 2025 and February 29, 2024 were taxed at an adjusted tax rate of 26.0% and 24.6%, respectively.}

Business Outlook Operating Margin, Net Income and Diluted EPS

(Unaudited)
Figures may not foot due to rounding	Annual Fiscal 2025 Guidance
(In millions, except per share data)	Low end of range			High end of range
Revenues	$	2,305		$	2,325
Operating income	$	761		$	744
Operating margin		33.0	%		32.0	%

Intangible asset amortization		80			81
Other adjustments (net)		12			12
Adjusted operating income	$	853		$	837
Adjusted operating margin (a)		37.0	%		36.0	%

Net income	$	588		$	567
Intangible asset amortization		66			66
Other adjustments (net)		10			10
Discrete tax items		(4	)		(4	)
Adjusted net income	$	660		$	640

Diluted earnings per common share	$	15.40		$	14.80
Intangible asset amortization		1.73			1.73
Other adjustments (net)		0.30			0.30
Discrete tax items		(0.03	)		(0.03	)
Adjusted diluted earnings per common share	$	17.40		$	16.80

^{(a) Adjusted operating margin is calculated as Adjusted operating income divided by Revenues.}

Free Cash Flow

(Unaudited)	Three Months Ended
	February 28,			February 29,
(In thousands)		2025			2024		Change
Net Cash Provided for Operating Activities	$	173,955		$	143,798
Less: purchases of property, equipment, leasehold improvements and capitalized internal-use software		(23,736	)		(21,917	)
Free Cash Flow	$	150,219		$	121,881		23.3	%

Supplementary Schedules of Historical ASV by Client Type

The following table presents the percentages and growth rates of organic ASV by client type, excluding the impact of currency movements, and may be useful to facilitate historical comparisons. Organic ASV excludes acquisitions and dispositions completed within the last 12 months and the effects of foreign currency movements.

The numbers below do not include professional services or issuer fees.

	Q2’25	Q1’25	Q4’24	Q3’24	Q2’24	Q1’24	Q4’23	Q3’23
% of ASV from buy-side clients	82.3%	82.1%	82.0%	82.3%	82.0%	82.0%	81.8%	82.1%
% of ASV from sell-side clients	17.7%	17.9%	18.0%	17.7%	18.0%	18.0%	18.2%	17.9%

ASV Growth rate from buy-side clients	4.1%	4.3%	4.9%	5.3%	5.6%	7.2%	6.9%	7.3%
ASV Growth rate from sell-side clients	2.2%	3.5%	3.8%	3.7%	5.5%	7.6%	9.3%	12.3%

The following table presents the calculation of organic ASV.

(In millions)	As of February 28, 2025
As reported ASV	$	2,306.1
Currency impact ^(a)		1.9
Acquisition ASV ^(b)		(31.8	)
Organic ASV	$	2,276.2
Organic ASV annual growth rate		4.1	%

^{(a) The impact from foreign currency movements.}
^{(b) Acquired ASV from acquisitions completed within the last 12 months.}

The MIL Network –

March 20, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: WayWORD puts the spotlight on women in STEM and art The legacy of a mathematician and writer hailed as one of the earliest pioneers of computer science will be celebrated at an Aberdeen literary festival.

Source: University of Aberdeen

Ada LovelaceThe legacy of a mathematician and writer hailed as one of the earliest pioneers of computer science will be celebrated at an Aberdeen literary festival.
Ada Lovelace, the daughter of Aberdeen-born Romantic poet Lord Byron, is remembered for her groundbreaking work on Charles Babbage’s proposed mechanical general purpose computer, first described in 1837.
Her legacy is the focus of a special event at the University of Aberdeen’s cross-arts festival WayWORD that will combine the impact of Lovelace’s work on our lives today with a demonstration of new AI technology developed by Aberdeen engineers which enables audiences to enjoy a unique musical performance created from live painted drawings.
The software, developed by AI developer Jack Caven and AI specialist Dr Andrew Starkey from the University of Aberdeen, translates tangible painted marks into audible sounds in real time and unique for each performance.
They have worked with visual artist Kate Steenhauer’s on the ‘PaintingMusic’ project and her artwork depicts and pays tribute to Lovelace’s contributions to technological advancement, reflecting on the role of technology today, current advancements in AI and the impacts on our world.
The project has also produced creative tools for audiences to explore AI’s limitations, encompassing performance and an interactive app which the audience will be able to try on the day.
Developed using ‘Explainable, Green and Creative AI’, the app allows audiences to create their own interactive ‘performance’ by creating musical scores from their drawings through the Painting Music software.
The free event will take place at 3.30pm on Wednesday 26th March at St Machar Academy and is supported by Aberdeen City Council Creative Funding and Explorathon: a pan-Scotland festival celebrating research taking place in Scottish institutions and the impact it has on people’s lives which will return in September. Public Engagement and Events Coordinator Charlotte Lever explains, ‘We are supporting this activity as it connects people in local communities who don’t have day-to-day engagement with universities and showcases important research’.
Earlier in the day at St Machar Academy, all female S1 pupils will attend workshops with Kate exploring Lovelace’s legacy as well as Kate’s own career and experiences as an engineer and visual artist based in Aberdeen.
Other events in the WayWORD ‘Spring into Summer’ programme across March to May includes a community readthrough of a brand-new play exploring the past, present and future of Torry in Aberdeen, street art workshops with Outlines Collective at Sunnybank Park, and a series of events at Sir Duncan Rice Library including the Aberdeen launch of a new queer Scottish writing anthology Fierce Salvage, and a Gothic writing workshop, Carrion Crow book launch and talk about what it’s really like to be a professional writer with acclaimed author Heather Parry. All of these other WayWORD’s events are free and supported by Creative Scotland’s National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations. Tickets can be booked online at www.waywordfestival.com
WayWORD is part of the WORD Centre for Creative Writing within the School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Celebrate, commemorate and reflect with VE and VJ 80 Days in Leeds

Source: City of Leeds

The Lord Mayor of Leeds invites everyone to join her in marking the commemoration of Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan with an evening of music, word, and song in May.

This year marks the 80^th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and Victory over Japan Day.

Victory in Europe Day, known as VE Day, marked the unconditional surrender of the German armed forces on May 8 1945 ending nearly six years of fighting in the European theatre of war.

Fighting in the Far East continued for another three months following VE Day, with Japanese forces surrendering on August 14 1945. The surrender of Japan is known as Victory over Japan Day, or VJ Day. Although VJ Day took place on August 14-15, Japan formally surrendered on September 2 1945, which marked the official end of the Second World War.

As the country celebrates, commemorates, and reflects on the end of the war, the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung will host a civic event at Leeds Minster on the evening of May 10 2025.

Invited guests include royal representatives and civic leaders from across West Yorkshire, along with diplomats and ambassadors.

The event will feature orchestral, choir, and bagpipe performances, contemporary songs of the war era, and personal stories of Leeds people who contributed to the victory. Focusing on a timeline running through the nearly six years of war, the testimonies will not just examine the stories of those who fought, but contributions from the Women’s Land Army, firefighters, the home front in Leeds, and the contribution of the royal family.

Music for the event will be provided by the Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, The Bridge Ensemble, the Hummingbirds vocal harmony trio, and the Leeds Pipe Band.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung, said: “The Second World War was the costliest conflict in human history, fought to defend the freedoms that we still enjoy today.

“Therefore, it is fitting that we as a city mark the 80^th anniversary of the end of the war not just with solemnity, but by trying to capture the spirit of that time through music and song, and the stories of the many Leeds people who contributed to victory.

“The anniversary is also a time for reflection on the many sacrifices made during that time and to learn from the strength and resilience of communities that came together for a common cause.

“I hope you will join me at this special civic event to mark the achievements of a very special generation of people who gave their all for our freedom.”

The Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, said: “The Second World War was a pivotal moment in world history and Leeds and its people made a critical contribution to the war effort.

“Thousands of men and women from Leeds contributed by joining the armed forces and auxiliary organisations. Others by keeping the country fed, with power, heat, and transport, and safe from the threatened invasion through organisations like the Women’s Land Army, the ‘Bevin Boy’ miners, and the Civil Defence Service.

“As a city, we can be proud of the role our citizens played in delivering victory over tyranny, and it is only right that we mark the occasion with a civic event to celebrate their achievements, commemorate their sacrifices, and reflect on the lessons of a war that changed the world.”

The VE/VJ Day 80 Leeds event takes place at 7:30pm on May 10 at Leeds Minster. Tickets are £5 with all proceeds being donated to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, however, concessions are available. You can book your ticket by visiting: https://www.leedstickethub.co.uk/whatson-event/80th-anniversary-of-ve-vj-day-commemoration-concert/

In addition to the civic event, the Lord Mayor and the Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Ed Anderson CBE, will also attend a short service at the War Memorial in Victoria Gardens, Leeds, at 11am on Thursday May 8 2025, to lay wreaths and remember the contributions of all those who served and gave their lives in the Second World War.

The public has also been invited to submit any photographs they may own of the VE and VJ Day celebrations in Leeds to a new collection on the Leeds Libraries historical photo platform, ‘Leodis’. Photography can be submitted by emailing localandfamilyhistory@leeds.gov.uk. If people need help digitising their images, librarians can help at the weekly digital drop-in sessions at community hubs. Details of the drop-in session can be found at https://www.leedsinspired.co.uk/events/digital-drop-ins

For residents looking to hold a street party, Leeds City Council will, where possible and appropriate, support and administer a scheme to allow neighbours to formally close their street to facilitate a VE & VJ street party event. Applications would need to be received on or before 15^th April 2025 for the application to be administered and to be processed in time. More details about closing your road can be found at: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/licences-and-permits/play-streets

Ends

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Keynote speech by SCST at Hong Kong Tourism Overview 2025 (English only)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is the keynote speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at Hong Kong Tourism Overview 2025 today (March 20):

Dr YK Pang (Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Dr Pang Yiu-kai), Dr Peter Lam (Chairman-Designate of the Hong Kong Tourism Board), distinguished guests, friends from the travel industry, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. It is with enormous pleasure and a lot of emotion that I join you all at today’s Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Tourism Overview. I was a regular attendee from 2011 to 2016, but this is my very first time joining this important event as the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism. Really happy to see so many old friends of the tourism industry in the audience, and for new friends in this room, a very warm “hello” to all of you.

Strong rebound of tourism performance

Tourism has been a cornerstone of Hong Kong’s economy all along. It may not be a major source of foreign investment, but travel and related sectors gallantly provide employment for some 150 000 people of our workforce. In 2024, we welcomed close to 45 million visitors, marking a more than 30 per cent increase year on year. Among them, Mainland and non-Mainland visitors exceeded 34 million and 10 million respectively, with year-on-year increases at 27 per cent and 44 per cent respectively, injecting momentum into the local economy, and showcasing the collaborative efforts of the Government and the industry. As we entered 2025, we continue to see handsome growth, and achieved in January alone the highest monthly record of 4.74 million visitor arrivals since the pandemic.

And for these remarkable achievements, I would like to take the opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to Dr YK Pang for leading the Hong Kong Tourism Board with dedication and passion over the past six extraordinary years, particularly through the difficult times during the pandemic. As the Chairman, you have guided the Board with exemplary leadership in successfully overcoming various challenges and then driving the recovery of Hong Kong tourism. Thank you for your invaluable contributions to the Board and to Hong Kong’s tourism development.

To sustain the momentum of the recovery, it is essential for all of us in the Government and the industry to recognise that the global tourism landscape has indeed changed substantially after the pandemic, and is continually evolving. With the advancement in digital technology and changing traveller preferences, we must embrace innovation, adapt our traditional offerings and craft new ones to maintain our competitive edge.

Tourism Blueprint 2.0

With this in mind, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau promulgated on December 30, 2024, the Tourism Blueprint 2.0, setting out the vision and mission for the development of Hong Kong’s tourism industry for the five-year period from 2025 to 2030.
I am sure most of you have already read the Blueprint 2.0, maybe serval times, so I am not going to bore you with the details yet again. But I think it is useful for me to elaborate the three key messages, which form the bases of the Blueprint 2.0, to you in person, which will shape the direction of the tourism industry in the coming years.

Opportunities to capitalise – Mainland’s support measures

The first message is Hong Kong’s uniqueness as an international tourist city with the advantage of being backed by the motherland, the Mainland of China. This is our core strength and fundamental asset, and it is getting even more important at this day and age as we are under the cloud of geopolitical tension. It is paramount that we make the most out of the wide range of supportive measures that the Central People’s Government has so generously endowed Hong Kong, through the rolling out of the resumption and expansion of multiple-entry permits for Shenzhen residents and the gifting of two precious giant pandas “An An” and “Ke Ke”, to name just a few. These measures have injected fresh impetus into our travel, retail, catering and hospitality industries. The entire tourism industry must strategically utilise these initiatives to maximise the benefits for Hong Kong as a whole.

Traditional and new tourism offerings

This naturally brings me to my second message. Hong Kong boasts significant traditional tourism advantages, including world-class tourist attractions, like the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary later this year; Ocean Park, especially with “An An”, “Ke Ke” and the two cute panda cubs “家姐”,”細佬”; our diverse cuisine, from corner delis “chaa chaan teng” to Michelin-star restaurants; efficient urban management and transportation systems. One thing that we in Hong Kong take for granted and tourists from abroad may not be aware, Hong Kong is in fact one of the safest cities in the world for business and leisure travel. It is essential that we continue to fortify these traditional assets and optimise and strengthen our infrastructure. But it is also crystal clear that amidst fierce competition from nearby cities, there is no room for complacency at all, and we surely cannot just rely on our traditional tourism mode and attractions anymore.

In the Blueprint 2.0, we promote the four “+ tourism” directions, covering culture, sports, ecology and mega events, in which Hong Kong possesses world-class resources that have yet to be fully presented to global visitors. This is where you, my friends in the travel and tourism trade, must and can all work together and rack your brains to develop innovative and interesting tourism products that speak to the desire of new-generation travellers’ aspiration for in-depth exploration of Hong Kong’s rich, diversified, and unique characteristics. Island tourism, for example, is one of the areas that we are actively working on. Hong Kong’s countryside and outlying islands are our hidden gems. Within an hour, we can travel after attending a formal business meeting in the bustling city centre to our countryside and explore the amazing wonders of nature, just like I did just this past Sunday when I hiked for five hours from Shek Pik Reservoir to Tai O in Lantau in the day, and then dressed up to the nines for a wedding banquet in the evening. We should develop more island tourism and eco-tourism itineraries for our global visitors who now have an increase in preference in this area. Our stunning Victoria Harbour is also one of the most beautiful and must-go photo points among the world’s top visit places. We must make better use of our harbour and the surrounding water body by developing more innovative products like yacht tourism to attract tourists. Horse racing is another world-class tourist attraction that Hong Kong excels and has lots of potential, and I’m glad that CTS (China Travel Service) has recently signed an MOU with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to promote horse-racing tourism, and I believe more will come in this direction. And these days I cannot attend any public speaking engagement without mentioning the Kai Tak Sports Park, our new and proud landmark with a 50 000-sized stadium, with which we are now in a position to bring truly mega sports and entertainment events befitting Hong Kong’s role as an international metropolis. It is only by infusing the city with fresh energy through new tourism offerings can we enhance the ambiance of our vibrant city and attract visitors from around the globe. On this, I look forward to the support and efforts from all of you in unleashing our creativity and developing products that will captivate the hearts of visitors.

Everyone is tourism ambassador

My third message, which I have been repeating at every opportunity since appointment as the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, is that everyone in the community has a role to play in the development of tourism in Hong Kong, in particular in welcoming our visitors from around the world. This is surely most important for all of us present today, who is always the first point of contact with our tourists. Positive and warm hospitality is the key to prosperous tourism development. Hospitality is not just about providing accommodation and dining services but also about offering attentive and caring services, making visitors feel like home and willing to consume, if I am honest. Therefore, we advocate the concept of “Everyone is a tourism ambassador”, and I would encourage everyone in the tourism trade, as well as members of the public, to welcome every visitor with a warm and friendly smile. Every sunny smile by a member of the public will add to the happy vibe that we could bring to our community, and will more likely bring about quality service provided by hospitality professions. We launched the Hospitality Campaign in 2024 with various government departments, the tourism and related sectors, the education sector and district representatives, encouraging the trade and the entire community to go an extra mile in promoting the spirit of hospitality. We will continue to encourage quality services to welcome every visitor. One of our development strategies in the Blueprint 2.0 is to expand and diversify our visitor source markets. These include the Muslims, silver-haired, family, study-tour, and youth visitors. In order to attract these different segments of visitors, in addition to providing attractive tourism offerings, we must understand their needs and show our respect to make them feel welcomed and valued. This is hospitality and I am confident that our tourism industry will excel in it, giving the warmest welcome to our visitors.

Conclusion

My dear friends, we have come a long way recovering from the pandemic, and it is now time for us to work together to bring Hong Kong tourism to new heights. Hong Kong is a city full of energy and endless adventures. The Government, along with the tourism industry, the business sector and the community, and indeed everyone in Hong Kong, need to act together to shape Hong Kong’s attractive tourism brand vividly. I always call myself a tourism veteran, and you have my assurance that I am all ears when you have a new idea to tell me, and I shall be in action when I know that there are things that my bureau could do to facilitate your business. Equally, I hope I have your assurance that you are walking with me to rejuvenate our travel and tourism industries, and that I can count on your diligence and creativity on this journey. I also look forward to working closely once again with the new Chairman of Hong Kong Tourism Board, Dr Peter Lam, to bring Hong Kong tourism to the new and next level of excellence.

Thank you very much.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCSD’s “Hong Kong Artists” Series to showcase local art talents (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

　　The “Hong Kong Artists” Series 2025, presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will launch six brilliant programmes featuring 10 distinguished local artists skilled in violin, piano, cello, guzheng and vocal arts. Among them, a cross-genre performance of music and painting will be staged to showcase Hong Kong’s unique cultural character, embracing diversity and innovation. Tickets will be available for purchase starting at 10am next Thursday (March 27).

　　Brief introductions of the programmes are as follows:——————————————–
Date and time: May 10 (Saturday), 8pm
Venue: Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Ticket prices: $240 and $320

　　Curated by renowned pianist Colleen Lee and watercolour artist Fu Man-yat, this cross-genre arts programme presents works of French composers Debussy, Saint-Saëns and Ravel. Lee, together with three vibrant musicians – Aaron Chan (violin), Letty Poon (cello) and Rhythmie Wong (piano) – will perform alongside Fu’s paintings. The concert features interactions between painting and music, enabling the audience to experience the commonalities between the two art forms. ——————————————–
Date and time: June 11 (Wednesday), 8pm
Venue: Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall
Ticket prices: $200 and $240——————————————–
Date and time: July 4 (Friday), 8pm
Venue: Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall
Ticket prices: $200 and $240——————————————–
Date and time: September 9 (Tuesday), 8pm
Venue: Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall
Ticket prices: $200 and $240——————————————–
Date and time: November 13 (Thursday), 8pm
Venue: Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall
Ticket prices: $200 and $240——————————————–
Date and time: December 1 (Monday), 8pm
Venue: Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall
Ticket prices: $200 and $240
　　The “Hong Kong Artists” Series aims to provide a platform for local artists to showcase their remarkable talents. In addition to individual performances, it also encourages cross-genre works to highlight their unique styles. For more information, please visit the above-mentioned website.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SCST expresses condolences over passing of Jimmy Lo

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

SCST expresses condolences over passing of Jimmy Lo
Mr Lo was a prominent figure in Hong Kong’s music and lyric-writing scene, as his lyrics captured the essence of the city’s evolving times and emotions. He wrote lyrics for over 3 000 songs, each a masterpiece of poetic craftsmanship and profound emotion. His works have touched the lives of many in Hong Kong, leaving a lasting impression in the city’s collective memory. Revered as the “Maestro of Lyrics”, Mr Lo’s timeless classics, such as “Dynasty”, “Every Time It Changes” and “Fatherland”, skilfully interweaved lyrics and mood, conveying a multitude of emotions to listeners. His works continue to resonate with audiences and stand the test of time.

Miss Law said, “With his superb writing skills, Mr Lo’s lyrics were imbued with profound emotion and philosophy. His works were sometimes meticulous and sometimes grand, touching the hearts of countless listeners. He dedicated his life to creating classic songs for Hong Kong’s music industry, leaving behind a precious collective memory for us all. His passing is a tremendous loss to Hong Kong’s cultural community. We will always remember this exceptional artist and truly value his tremendous contributions to Hong Kong’s culture.”
Issued at HKT 15:30

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Rosanna Law mourns Jimmy Lo

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law has expressed sorrow over the passing of lyricist Jimmy Lo and extended her deepest condolences to his family.

A prominent figure in Hong Kong’s music scene, Mr Lo wrote lyrics for over 3,000 songs, touching the lives of many in the city and leaving a lasting impression on its collective memory.

Revered as the “Maestro of Lyrics”, Mr Lo’s classics include Dynasty, Every time it changes and Fatherland.

The Government commented that Mr Lo’s songs are masterpieces of poetic craftsmanship and profound emotion. It said that he skillfully interweaved lyrics and mood, conveying a multitude of emotions to listeners, and that his works continue to resonate with audiences and stand the test of time.

Paying tribute, Miss Law said: “With his superb writing skills, Mr Lo’s lyrics were imbued with profound emotion and philosophy. His works were sometimes meticulous and sometimes grand, touching the hearts of countless listeners.

“He dedicated his life to creating classic songs for Hong Kong’s music industry, leaving behind a precious collective memory for us all. His passing is a tremendous loss to Hong Kong’s cultural community.”

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 20, 2025

MIL-OSI: Continued momentum for Oxford Metrics’ smart manufacturing division

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

20 March 2025

Oxford Metrics plc

(“Oxford Metrics” or the “Group”)

Continued momentum for Oxford Metrics’ smart manufacturing division

Appointment of smart manufacturing managing director
Industrial Vision Systems wins three contact lens inspection contracts since October 2024

Oxford Metrics plc (LSE: OMG), the smart sensing and software company servicing life sciences, entertainment, engineering and smart manufacturing markets, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Simon Gunter as managing director of our smart manufacturing division. The Group also announces that Industrial Vision Systems (“IVS”) has secured three contracts for global contact lens manufacturers with a combined value of c. £1.6 million (contained within current FY25 market expectations).

Appointment of managing director, smart manufacturing

Dr Simon Gunter has been appointed managing director of our smart manufacturing division, to lead and build the Group’s position in this important market and growth area. Simon is an experienced c-level leader with an extensive track record of growing early-stage technology businesses and successfully implementing change through business transformation, strategy and direction, M&A, and launching innovative products.

Simon has held executive board positions at Evinox Holding, Minibems, Nomad Digital and AlertMe and senior leadership positions at companies including Tiscali, Pirelli and 360networks, across the UK, Europe and North America.

Contact lens inspection contracts

IVS has secured three contracts for well-known, global, contact lens manufacturers. We are pleased to see that two of these contracts are with existing customers expanding their relationship with IVS. The third contract is with a new customer in contact lens manufacturing, as companies within IVS’ addressable market recognise the value of IVS’ specialised machine vision inspection systems for automated quality control.

Under the contracts, IVS will supply non-contact inspection systems enabling the manufacturers to automatically detect lens defects, errors and other irregularities, ensuring ‘right first time’ products. These inspection systems offer state-of-the-art checking, guidance and sorting using machine learning AI techniques, optimising line efficiency and increasing yield, while guaranteeing contact lens production quality.

Imogen O’Connor, CEO of Oxford Metrics, said, “Having established our presence in the smart manufacturing market, Simon, our new smart manufacturing managing director, brings a great deal of experience and will be a fantastic addition to the team as we work together to help build and capture more of this growth market.

I am also pleased to announce the recent contract wins; as demand for machine vision inspection continues to grow, manufacturers are increasingly turning to IVS’ technology to automate complex visual tasks, detect defects, and ensure quality products. The opportunity for inspection automation in manufacturing sectors such as medical devices, pharmaceuticals, automotive and aerospace is very exciting, as smart manufacturing becomes the standard.”

For further information please contact:

Oxford Metrics	+44 (0) 1865 261860
Imogen O’Connor, CEO
Zoe Fox, CFO Emma Colven, Head of Communications

FTI Consulting	+44 (0)20 3727 1000
Matt Dixon / Emma Hall / Jemima Gurney

About Oxford Metrics

Oxford Metrics is a smart sensing and software company that enables the interface between the real world and its virtual twin. Our smart sensing technology helps over 10,000 customers in more than 70 countries, including all of the world’s top 10 games companies and all of the top 20 universities worldwide. Founded in 1984, we started our journey in healthcare, expanded into entertainment, winning an OSCAR® and an Emmy®, moved into defence, engineering and smart manufacturing. We have a strong track record of creating value by incubating, growing and then augmenting through acquisition, unique technology businesses.

The Group trades through its market-leading division Vicon, Industrial Vision Systems, and recently acquired, The Sempre Group. Vicon is a world leader in motion measurement analysis to thousands of customers worldwide, including Red Bull, Imperial College London, Dreamscape Immersive, Industrial Light & Magic, and NASA. Industrial Vision Systems is a specialist in machine vision software and technology for high precision, automated quality control systems trusted by blue-chip, smart manufacturing companies across the globe including BD, DePuy, Jaguar Land Rover, Johnson & Johnson, Zytronic and Alkegen. Sempre is a measurement specialist solving manufacturing challenges across multiple industries. Through their expert in-house consultants and partnerships with over 25 well-known manufacturers including Jenoptik, Renishaw and Micro-Vu, Sempre offers an extensive range of products and software to customers in aerospace, automotive, medical, energy and precision engineering.

The Group is headquartered in Oxford with offices in the United Kingdom, United States and Germany. Since 2001, Oxford Metrics (LSE: OMG), has been a quoted company listed on AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange. For more information about Oxford Metrics, visit www.oxfordmetrics.com.

About Reach announcements

This is a RNS Reach announcement. Reach is an investor communication service aimed at assisting listed and unlisted companies to distribute media only / non-regulatory news releases into the public domain. Information required to be notified under the AIM Rules, Market Abuse Regulation or other regulation would be disseminated as an RNS regulatory announcement and not on Reach.

The MIL Network –

March 20, 2025

MIL-OSI: JuicyChat.AI Unveils NSFW AI Girlfriend Chatbot in 2025, Redefining Virtual Companionship

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JuicyChat.AI has announced the launch of its NSFW AI Girlfriend chatbot, marking a significant advancement in AI-driven virtual companionship. This platform combines sophisticated artificial intelligence with user-centric customization to deliver immersive and personalized interactions.

AI-Driven Emotional Companionship Enters New Era

In 2025, artificial intelligence is reshaping digital interactions, with NSFW AI girlfriend chatbots emerging as a key innovation. JuicyChat.AI’s platform leverages natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning to offer hyper-personalized virtual companionship, focusing on immersive engagement and privacy safeguards.

Customization and Smart Responsiveness at Core

The NSFW AI girlfriend chatbot allows users to design AI personas with customizable backstories, personalities, and dialogue styles, spanning anime-inspired, realistic, and niche scenarios. Advanced semantic algorithms enable real-time emotion detection, delivering context-aware responses to avoid robotic interactions. The platform operates on a subscription-plus-coins model, with premium features priced 40% below industry averages, according to the company.

Market Demand Meets Technical Compliance

Industry analysts link the trend to rising demand for non-realistic emotional outlets. A 2025 report projects the global AI companionship market to hit $30 billion, with “virtual partners” growing 75% annually. JuicyChat.AI emphasizes its content moderation system uses multi-layered AI filtering to ensure ethical compliance, while user data is protected via end-to-end encryption.

Beyond Entertainment: Broader Applications Eyed

While initially positioned as entertainment, the technology has broader implications. Psychologists at Stanford University’s Human-AI Interaction Lab note potential applications in mental health support, where NSFW AI companions could provide non-judgmental listening tools. Educators also see value in language learning companions tailored to individual proficiency levels.

JuicyChat.AI plans to roll out multimodal features by Q4 2025, including voice cloning and image-based scenario building, while partnering with cybersecurity firms to enhance privacy protocols, aiming to “create the world’s most intuitive virtual NSFW AI companion platform” through user feedback and model upgrades.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0f2581a3-d0fa-4c99-b525-c829067d20ac

The MIL Network –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: ‘I want my daughter to have the same opportunities as my sons – that’s not unreasonable,’ – Cryst…

Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

David Beckham shot to fame in the 1990s playing football for Manchester United and England and boosted the game’s profile in the USA playing for LA Galaxy. Off the pitch he was at the centre of Cool Britiannia-era glamour, marrying Posh Spice pop star-turned-fashion designer Victoria.

He’s a global brand, and he has used that fame and influence, among other things, as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations children’s fund, UNICEF, where his 7 Fund – named after the number he wore on the pitch – works in schools around the world to combat bullying, violence, child marriage and missed education.

Beckham, who turns 50 this year, was at the Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos to receive a Crystal Award, which the Forum bestows on people in arts and entertainment who have gone beyond the day job to help improve the state of the world.

At a time when overseas development is under pressure like never before, and with a rise in online misogyny, we spoke to David Beckham about his work with UNICEF and his role as a father.

Catch up on all the action from the Annual Meeting 2025 at wef.ch/wef25 (http://wef.ch/wef25) and across social media using the hashtag #WEF25.

Related podcasts:

What just happened in Davos, and how is the world different now? https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/davos-2025-what-just-happened/ Global Risks Report: the big issues facing the world at Davos 2025 https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2025/ The 90-year-old using sports to change the lives of refugees https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/refugees-unhcr-sport-claude-marshall/

Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts (http://wef.ch/podcasts) :

YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts) – https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts

Radio Davos (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos) – subscribe (https://pod.link/1504682164) : https://pod.link/1504682164

Meet the Leader (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader) – subscribe (https://pod.link/1534915560) : https://pod.link/1534915560

Agenda Dialogues (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues) – subscribe (https://pod.link/1574956552) : https://pod.link/1574956552

Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club (https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub) : https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_8-9D633OY

MIL OSI Video –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: AI-Powered Quality Inspection in Manufacturing with Lenovo & Trifork
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Press release

AI-Powered Quality Inspection in Manufacturing with Lenovo & Trifork

Zurich, Switzerland, 20 March 2025 – Trifork’s AI-Powered Quality Inspection for Manufacturing, one component of our suite of Vision AI offerings, has successfully passed the Lenovo Validated Design (LVD) process.
By combining Lenovo Edge systems, Nvidia technologies, and Trifork’s Vision AI capabilities, manufacturers gain access to a powerful quality assurance solution that not only automates real-time inspection but also detects defects and classifies objects based on shape, color, size, and other critical attributes.

This validated solution significantly reduces manual inspection efforts and related costs while enhancing accuracy. It delivers high-value, timely, and detailed insights to manufacturing and quality teams, enabling them to monitor production quality in real-time and assess the impact of quality improvement initiatives.

Key benefits include:
- Instant visual capture of manufacturing production output and real-time assessment of product quality
- Significant reduction in manual QA inspection efforts and costs
- Minimized waste and rework, improving operational efficiency
- Higher production effectiveness, leading to increased profitability and customer satisfaction
- Continuous evaluation of QA investments and their impact
“AI-powered quality inspection is transforming manufacturing by enabling real-time defect detection, reducing waste, and optimizing production efficiency. Our partnership with Trifork ensures that manufacturers can deploy a validated, scalable, and secure Edge AI solution that seamlessly integrates into their operations.”
— Allen Holmes Jr., AI Innovation Leader, Lenovo

“At Trifork, we believe in building intelligent, scalable solutions that drive real business impact. By integrating our Vision AI technology with Lenovo’s powerful Edge systems, we are enabling manufacturers to achieve next-level quality control with automated inspections and real-time insights—setting a new standard for efficiency and precision in the industry.”
— Jørn Larsen, Founder & CEO, Trifork

Designed for manufacturing leaders, quality engineers, and industrial automation experts, this solution helps drive operational excellence with AI-driven precision.

Learn more: https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/lp2178.pdf

Investor and media contact

Frederik Svanholm
Group Investment Director, Head of IR & PR
frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 7317

About Trifork

Trifork is a pioneering global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative solutions. With 1,229 professionals across 73 business units in 16 countries, Trifork delivers expertise in inspiring, building, and running advanced software solutions across diverse sectors, including public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. Trifork Labs, the Group’s R&D hub, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic and high-potential technology companies. Trifork Group AG is a publicly listed company on Nasdaq Copenhagen. Learn more at trifork.com.

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The MIL Network –
March 20, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Adelaide Festival gives a hopeful vision for the future of Australian contemporary dance

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Brannigan, Associate Professor Theatre and Performance, UNSW Sydney

Mass Movement. Morgan Sette/Adelaide Festival

I arrived at Stephanie Lake’s premiere of Mass Movement a little late on my first day at Adelaide Festival.

Walking down the hill from King William road towards Elder Park, the Torrens River was lit up in oranges and golds by the setting sun. A river of people came into view, winding from a thin spread on the hillside nearest me to a thick block of settled-in picnicers, back up the opposite hill to the bank of institutional buildings along the river.

In the centre of this river, a stage crowded with performers in black and white waved and flowed: movements that passed along individuals juxtaposed with sharper unison actions, vocalisations and free-for-alls.

I missed the solo performance that opened this outdoor performance, and the procession of dancers winding down onto the stage. But what I saw left an impression of an excellent community activation with many performers of all ages and training backgrounds, and an audience of family, friends and strangers here to see this part-human part-natural spectacle.

Mass Movement featured 1,000 dancers, the most Stephanie Lake has ever worked with.
Morgan Sette/Adelaide Festival

This work sits within Lake’s body of spectacle-scale works that have become a signature for this important new-generation Australian choreographer. With 1,000 performers, the most she has ever worked with, whether bigger is better may be neither here nor there when the emphasis is on spectacle and community.

One Single Action in an Ocean of Everything

Established Melbourne-based choreographer Lucy Guerin’s mastery of the duet, her use of unison and tight spatial delineations, gestural detail and intensely demanding timing are all there in her most recent work, One Single Action in an Ocean of Everything.

Dancers and choreographic collaborators Amber McCartney and Geoffrey Watson are up to the task and perfectly matched. McCartney is compact, precise but playful. Watson is more measured yet somehow looser and more sensual.

The first half of the piece works intricate movements along a diagonal across the stage to downstage right, where a moon-like sphere hangs at head height.

Lucy Guerin plays with themes of destruction, orthodoxy, disobedience, care and empathy.
Gregory Lorenzutti/Adelaide Festival

The dancers’ trajectory, and often their gaze, are locked on this object. In the upper corner on the floor are mallets. Taken up by the dancers, they become part of a percussive choreography. The spectacle of the dancers making their mark on time within the complex choreography locks us all into a ride that we anticipate will end with a smashed sphere.

Guerin’s experience is evident in how she shapes a work. The opening sections with their tightrope-like structure are physically, temporally and spatially smashed as the material from the sphere flies across the stage.

A broom is introduced by Watson. This precipitates a new relationship between the two dancers. Experiential chaos versus spatial order replaces the teamwork of the first half, as the two become constantly at odds with each other.

Themes of destruction, orthodoxy, disobedience, care and empathy are not hard to draw out of this microcosm. The sound, by CS + Kreme, does great support work with its mechanical complexities, pounding meter and a high synthetic sound like a tap running in the next hotel room. The lighting design by Paul Lim is also a star.

A Quiet Language

A Quiet Language asks a tall order of Daniel Riley and co-director Brianna Kell: to create a performance work that spoke to the 60th anniversary of Australian Dance Theatre (ADT).

Riley, a Wiradjuri man from Western New South Wales, took on the directorship of ADT in 2022 following Garry Stewart’s 20-year plus tenure, with Kell as artistic associate. The introduction of Indigenous leadership for the company is welcome. There is a history of cultural appropriation across many Australian dance artists, from Beth Dean and Rex Reid in the 1950s, to the complex case of Jiri Kylian’s Stamping Ground (1983) later performed by Bangarra Dance Theatre in 2019.

It is well overdue that the rich and deep choreographic practices of our First Nations people are now being represented by leadership in a major dance company outside Bangarra.

In A Quiet Language, the names of artists associated with the company flicker as the years scroll past on the horizontal screens at either end of the space. But the real homage might be in the tone and style of this work.

Tie-dyed costumes by Ailsa Paterson, featuring an occasional headband, speak to the genesis of the company under the direction of Elizabeth Cameron Dalman across 1965–75.

A Quiet Language is a homage to the choreographic history of ADT.
Morgan Sette/ADT

Dalman is credited as collaborator, and the company spent four weeks of development with this extraordinary artist now in her 90s.

A Quiet Language begins with two female dancers, Yilin Kong and Zoe Wozniak, walking from one bank of audience to the other, directing their bold and curious gaze at us. They are accompanied by composer and musician Adam Page who remains on stage throughout.

Sebastian Geilings, Zachary Lopez and Patrick O’Luanaigh join them with more playful provocations for the audience, making the school group in the bank opposite me squirm.

We have met the dancers first as individuals, and the full cavalcade of ADT’s historical casts rests, virtually, behind the five young artists.

This breaking of the fourth wall speaks to the radical new approach that Dalman’s work represented in the 1960s when contemporary approaches to dance were still emerging locally.

The dancers move into group work that dominates the many phases of the piece, memorably a stormy section representing protest in theatre dance around the world in the 1960s.

This is followed by a dark solo by Wozniak that heaves itself off the floor in tense, cramping movements, resonating with the suffering behind current international headlines.

The dancers are credited with choreographic collaboration and it shows in their commitment to, and comfort within, the movement. This is delivered at an intense and unrelenting pitch throughout, recalling Stewart’s signature high-impact work. But the way the choreography is drawn to the floor – through tenacious connection or a giving-in that slides joyfully across its surface – feels fresh.

The Walking Track

I end my time in Adelaide with Karul Projects’ The Walking Track, presented by Vitalstatistix in Port Adelaide, where six performance pieces were commissioned by local First Nations dance and performance artists.

These are dispersed on site along a walk hosted by Karul Projects’ artistic director, Thomas E.S. Kelly, a Minjungbal, Wiradjuri and Ni-Vanuatu man.

Kelly established Karul Projects alongside Taree Sansbury, a local Kaurna, Narungga and Ngarrindjeri woman, in 2017 in Queensland, making this a rare First Nations dance company existing outside Bangarra Dance Theatre.

The Walking Track shows the future of Australian contemporary dance is bright.
Heath Britton/Vitalstatistix

The all-female cast of artists – Adrianne Semmens, Alexis West, Caleena Sansbury, Janelle Egan, Kirsty Williams, Lilla Berry, Mel Koolmatrie and Pearl Berry – offered works-in-development that told stories of family, loss, displacement and environmental destruction.

Their careful framing by Kelly on Country gave assurance that the future of Australian contemporary dance is bright.

Walking with the small audience around Port Adelaide, I kept an eye out for the dolphins Kelly informed us were just below the surface and imagined the local Kaurna people who had gathered on the banks there before being moved on. I could feel a slowly turning tide that will, no doubt, inspire fresh creative and critical gains for Australian contemporary dance.

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

– ref. Adelaide Festival gives a hopeful vision for the future of Australian contemporary dance – https://theconversation.com/adelaide-festival-gives-a-hopeful-vision-for-the-future-of-australian-contemporary-dance-252300

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Post-95s inheritor revolutionizes Chinese lion dance

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

Under the night sky, luminous lions leap and dance to the rhythm, performing spectacular moves and drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience.

These luminous lions are the creation of Li Zujie, a post-95 intangible cultural heritage inheritor. Through his efforts, the luminous lions have evolved through three design iterations, not only becoming a viral sensation in China but also finding their way to more than 20 countries and regions worldwide, including Malaysia and Singapore.

Li was born into a family engaged in lion dance for generations in Suixi county, Zhanjiang city, south China’s Guangdong Province, known as the “hometown of Chinese lion dance.”

With a long history, the Suixi-style lion dance, as a branch of the Guangdong lion dance, was included in the first batch of China’s national intangible cultural heritage list as early as 2006.

Li’s father is a national-level representative inheritor of the Guangdong lion dance, while his mother is a representative inheritor of the provincial-level intangible cultural heritage of Suixi lion head crafting techniques.

Under his parents’ guidance, Li developed a keen interest in lion dance from an early age.

Li vividly recalled every milestone in his lion dance journey—from the early days of practicing basic skills, to performing as a drummer in his third grade of primary school and finally taking up the lion head for a performance in sixth grade. Each improvement filled him with pride and kindled his hope of adding new highlights to the Suixi lion dance.

“During winter and summer breaks, I would help my parents with crafting tasks, like installing the lions’ eyes and headdresses,” Li said. His parents’ hands-on instruction in bamboo framing and parameter adjustments quickly honed his crafting skills.

“Perhaps it was learning lion dance and crafting techniques from such a young age that made me develop a habit of studying the characteristics of different teams’ lion heads and equipment,” Li said. In 2007, at just 12 years old, he was struck by foreign teams using illuminated decorations on their drums during a competition. This sparked his ambition to innovate with lion heads.

A nighttime performance in 2013 prompted Li to develop luminous lions. “The venue was quite dark, making it difficult for the audience to see our movements clearly. I wondered if attaching light strips to the lion would dramatically enhance the atmosphere and visual appeal of evening performances.”

Li wasted no time putting his idea into practice. While studying in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, he would go to markets to select materials and learn technical skills after class.

His hard work paid off. After about six months of experimentation, the first-generation luminous lion prototype was successfully developed.

By customizing higher-quality LED strips, larger-capacity batteries, and optimizing circuit placement to accommodate dance movements, Li’s team improved the performance of the second-generation luminous lions.

In recent years, Li and his luminous lions have graced over 20 major galas and events, including the Chinese TV show “Charm China” in 2017, the opening ceremony of the 4th Annual International Jackie Chan Action Movie Week in 2018, and the 2020 Spring Festival Gala at the sub-venue in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

After the second-generation luminous lions gained fame, Li received a flood of orders and constant performance invitations. Yet he didn’t rest on his laurels. After three years of refinement, he incorporated digital control and programmable lighting technology, enabling the third-generation luminous lions to change colors in sync with music and movement patterns.

Beyond preserving lion dance traditions and crafting lion heads, Li has leveraged short videos and e-commerce platforms to further spread the Suixi lion dance.

In March 2018, Li posted his first short video about the Suixi lion dance on the popular short video platform Douyin. To date, his account on the platform has posted over 1,000 videos featuring training and performance clips, lion head crafting processes, and related cultural and creative products, attracting more than 200,000 followers. One video featuring breathtaking lion dance moves garnered over 210,000 likes on Douyin alone, with total views exceeding 100 million across different platforms.

Online popularity has boosted offline performances and sales. “Since we started producing short videos, we’ve received dozens of performance invitations through online channels, and many people have placed orders for luminous lions after seeing our videos,” Li said.

Today, Li’s family factory sells over 10,000 lion dance-related products annually, reaching more than 20 countries and regions worldwide. Last year alone, the factory sold over 400 luminous lions. In addition, miniature lion dance-themed cultural products become best sellers in Li’s online store.

In recent years, Li and his team have actively promoted lion dance through school programs, educational tours, and training classes.

“Currently, our team has introduced lion dance to three schools, teaching over 100 students. Whenever possible, I make sure to teach in person,” he said.

Li has contributed wholeheartedly to the preservation of lion dance. “The lion dance industry is no longer just about making a living like in the past. As new-generation inheritors, we should focus more on how to expand the reach of Chinese traditional culture,” Li noted.

MIL OSI China News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Chinese opera ‘A Dream of Splendor’ poised to premiere

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

“A Dream of Splendor,” a Chinese opera, is in the final preparation stage for its world premiere. [Photo/Shanghai Opera House]

A Chinese opera “A Dream of Splendor,” inspired by the popular TV series of the same name, is in the final preparation stage for its world premiere at the Shanghai Grand Theatre from March 28 to 30.

The production, a collaboration between Shanghai Opera House and Tencent Video, blends traditional Song Dynasty (960-1279) aesthetics with contemporary operatic elements.

In crafting an authentic representation of Song Dynasty culture, stage designer Ding Ding has created set pieces that transport audiences to the bustling streets of Kaifeng, Henan province, then known as Dongjing. Circular fans serve dual roles in Ding’s design as practical props and symbolic elements embodying the era’s artistic spirit.

“Our stage design breaks traditional spatial and temporal boundaries,” Ding said. “We’ve drawn inspiration from ancient artworks to create a picture-in-picture scene on stage. The inner sorrows and joys of the characters are also projected through the paintings on the screen.”

The production’s costume design, led by Chen Gufang, reconstructs Song Dynasty fashion while incorporating modern theatrical elements.

Each character’s costume tells its own story: protagonist Zhao Pan’er’s garments feature orchid motifs symbolizing her gentle yet resilient nature, while male lead Gu Qianfan’s crane-patterned costumes reflect his composure and authority.

Multimedia designer Hu Tianji has employed cutting-edge technology to enhance the visual experience. “We’re using technology as a brush and culture as ink to create an innovative interpretation of traditional Chinese aesthetics,” Hu said.

The production features dynamic projections of historical landmarks, including the Baochu Pagoda and Hong Bridge, complemented by historically accurate props.

Lighting designer Xiao Lihe has implemented a seasonal color scheme to symbolize the characters’ emotional journeys, while the production’s elaborate hairstyles and accessories recreate Song Dynasty fashion, including the baoji (wrapped bun) for women and futou (headwear) for men.

Composed by Lu Liang with libretto by Cao Lusheng, the opera features singers Xu Xiaoying and Yu Haolei. Conductor Zhang Chengjie and director Jiang Weiguo lead the Shanghai Opera House chorus and symphony orchestra in this production.

MIL OSI China News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: From Sydney Harbour to the Oscars: How the Galaxy S25 Series Launched Around the World

Source: Samsung

To introduce the Galaxy S25 series to the world, Samsung Electronics launched a series of bold and immersive marketing campaigns across key markets — each designed to showcase the flagship lineup’s AI-powered next-generation capabilities. From an interactive watercraft experience in Australia and a metro station rebrand in Chile to a laser show in Malaysia and an esports tournament in India, these activations brought the Galaxy S25 experience directly to consumers through dynamic and engaging events.

Samsung Newsroom explores some of the standout campaigns that marked the arrival of the Galaxy S25 series worldwide.

[Australia] Elevating Morning Commutes With the Galaxy Go Fleet

In Australia, Samsung launched the Galaxy Go Fleet — a fleet of custom-branded watercraft that transformed daily commutes across Sydney Harbour and the Brisbane River into an interactive Galaxy S25 experience. Passengers on board had the opportunity to test key Galaxy AI features, including Now Brief and Audio Eraser, and experienced firsthand how the Galaxy S25 series helps them start and navigate their day with ease.

[Peru] Introducing the Galaxy AI Train on Lima Metro’s Line 1

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samsung Perú (@samsungpe)

Samsung Peru became the first tech company in Peru to rebrand a metro train by introducing the Galaxy AI Train on Lima Metro’s Line 1, a key transportation route serving over 500,000 passengers daily. In celebration of the Galaxy S25 series launch, passengers received exclusive metro cards and promotional goods — further enriching their unique transportation experience.

[Chile] Transforming Tobalaba Metro Station and Illuminating Santiago’s Night Sky

Samsung Chile made its mark in Santiago with two high-profile activations to celebrate the launch of the Galaxy S25 series. Tobalaba Metro Station, one of the city’s busiest transit hubs, was officially renamed “Galaxy AI” — immersing daily commuters in the Galaxy S25 experience.

The celebrations continued with a spectacular drone light show where over 300 drones illuminated Santiago’s night sky with stunning visual arrangements alluding to Galaxy AI and the Galaxy S25 series. The synchronized performance mesmerized spectators, turning the city skyline into a dazzling tribute to Samsung’s latest mobile innovations.

[United States] Bringing Stunt Action to the Oscars With Galaxy AI

In the U.S., Samsung celebrated the Galaxy S25 Ultra during the 2025 Oscars with two high-energy ads featuring stunt performers — developed in collaboration with Disney Advertising, ArtClass Content, Empire Stunts, Kimmelot, Maximum Effort, More Media and Really Original. The campaign highlighted the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s advanced AI-powered video-editing capabilities such as Audio Eraser, a feature that removes unwanted background noise. By demonstrating how Galaxy AI enhances both professional filmmaking and everyday content creation, the initiative put stunt professionals in the spotlight — recognizing their contributions to the industry while showcasing Samsung’s state-of-the-art mobile technology.

[United Kingdom] Celebrating Everyday Moments With a Personal Touch

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A post shared by Samsung UK (@samsunguk)

Samsung U.K. embraced a more personal approach by highlighting how the Galaxy S25 Ultra enhances daily life. Through engaging social media content created in collaboration with Anaïs Gallagher and Molly Moorish-Gallagher, Samsung demonstrated the Auto Trim feature, which allows users to effortlessly edit their favorite video clips and even generate highlight reels. Additionally, the campaign illustrated how the Galaxy S25 Ultra, through the Now Brief feature, integrates itself into users’ bedtime routines by providing personalized updates and content — thereby helping them wind down more easily after a busy evening.

[Malaysia] Lighting Up Kuala Lumpur With Fireworks and Laser Beams

Samsung Malaysia celebrated the arrival of the Galaxy S25 series with spectacular fireworks and a laser show over the Merdeka 118 tower. In addition, Samsung hosted the Edit & Win contest — inviting participants to creatively edit a fireworks image using Galaxy AI’s many tools for a chance to win a Galaxy S25 Ultra.

[Brazil] Capturing São Paulo From the Sky With the Galaxy S25 Ultra

In Brazil, Samsung launched a unique experience at Sampa Sky, São Paulo’s highest observation deck accessible to the public. Suspended 150 meters above ground level, visitors had the opportunity to capture breathtaking views of the city skyline with unparalleled clarity and detail using the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 200MP main camera and AI-enhanced 100x space zoom. The campaign also showcased Galaxy AI’s advanced editing tools, demonstrating how users can seamlessly refine and enhance their shots.

[Italy] Pushing the Galaxy S25 Ultra to the Limit in the Dolomites

Samsung Italy hosted the Galaxy Wintercamp in the Dolomites where nine athletes and creators spent three days pushing the Galaxy S25 Ultra to its limits in extreme alpine conditions. Participants used Now Brief to optimize their planning and employed the device’s 200MP camera and AI-enhanced photography tools to capture breathtaking ski descents, tricks and ice performances.

[India] Taking Center Stage at the #PlayGalaxy Cup

In India, Samsung hosted the third edition of the #PlayGalaxy Cup — one of the biggest esports events in the country. The tournament saw India’s top gamers compete against one another using the Galaxy S25 Ultra, allowing them to experience the device’s advanced display, next-level processing power and AI-driven gaming enhancements firsthand. Streamed live, the competition demonstrated how the Galaxy S25 series is designed to meet the demands of high-intensity gameplay while delivering a smooth, immersive experience.

[Thailand] Bringing Star Power to the Launch in Bangkok

Samsung Thailand celebrated the Galaxy S25 series launch with the Galaxy S25 | Here AI am Music Fest, a high-energy event featuring celebrities, influencers and fan activities. Attendees enjoyed interactive games with #TeamGalaxy stars and tested the latest Galaxy AI features. The night culminated in a blue carpet walk and an AI-powered concert where Galaxy AI helped curate the show with a blend of music, technology and entertainment.

MIL OSI Economics –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI China: New policy to ensure food quality and safety

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

A citizen enjoys food at a restaurant in Xixiu District of Anshun, southwest China’s Guizhou province, Jan. 24, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

China has announced a new comprehensive guideline aimed at strengthening oversight across the entire food supply chain, from farms to consumer tables.

The policy, jointly issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China’s Cabinet, outlines stricter controls and enforcement measures to enhance public health protection and ensure food quality.

The new guideline emphasizes greater coordination between regulatory bodies and a focus on improving food safety at every stage of production, distribution and sale. A key component of the reforms includes the establishment of a traceability system for agricultural products, enabling better monitoring from farms to markets. This is intended to prevent unsafe products from entering the food supply while allowing authorities to respond quickly to any safety issues that might arise.

The policy also tightens regulations surrounding food production and business licensing. Producers and distributors will now face more stringent checks before receiving licenses, and compliance will be rigorously enforced at both the provincial and local levels.

Traditional food producers will be required to meet modern safety standards while preserving cultural practices.

In addition to improving food production standards, the policy addresses food storage and transportation. New safety protocols for warehouses and logistics companies aim to ensure that food is stored and transported under controlled conditions, preventing contamination or spoilage.

As online food sales continue to grow, the document emphasizes the responsibilities of e-commerce platforms and livestreaming hosts in selling food products online. It calls for “ensuring the accountability of online food sales entities and strengthening the collaborative governance of food safety issues in online sales” to improve regulation of the emerging sector. Furthermore, it requires the establishment of a comprehensive regulatory mechanism for food service.

For imported food products, the policy introduces a risk management framework to ensure that all foreign foods entering China meet domestic safety standards. This includes additional oversight of food sold through cross-border e-commerce channels.

In January, data from the Ministry of Public Security showed that 12,000 cases of food safety crimes were solved last year.

Last week, a reporter from The Beijing News conducted undercover visits to several Yangmingyu Braised Chicken and Rice franchise stores in Henan province. They observed kitchens using spoiled mushrooms and processing overnight darkened beef with coloring agents for reuse. They also witnessed leftover food from customers being recycled and reprocessed.

This year’s CCTV 3.15 Gala also exposed the issue of excessive phosphate levels in water-injected shrimp sold on various online platforms though advertisements for these shrimp frequently featured claims of “zero additives” and “zero moisture retention agents”.

MIL OSI China News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI China: View of Zhaoxing Dong Village in China’s Guizhou

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

View of Zhaoxing Dong Village in China’s Guizhou

Updated: March 20, 2025 09:23 Xinhua

Villagers make sticky rice and grilled pork for tourists at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved. In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. [Photo/Xinhua]

This photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a night view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

This photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows Lusheng, a traditional musical instrument, at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Villagers sing the grand song of the Dong ethnic group for tourists at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

An aerial drone photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Villagers walk outside the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

A visitor uses a camera at the Dong culture exhibition center in the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

An aerial drone photo taken on March 18, 2025 shows a view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Visitors take photos at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Villagers make embroideries in front of a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

An aerial drone photo taken on March 18, 2025 shows a view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

This photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Tourists pose for photos at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Villagers sing the grand song of the Dong ethnic group at a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Villagers sit around a firepit at a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

A villager makes embroideries at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Villagers sing the grand song of the Dong ethnic group for tourists at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

A tourist poses for photos at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

A villager dries traditional Dong cloth at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

MIL OSI China News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI China: US launches new round of airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, other provinces

Source: China State Council Information Office

Photo taken with a cellphone on March 19, 2025 shows smoke and fire rising from a neighborhood following an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen. [Photo/Xinhua]

A new round of U.S. airstrikes struck Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Wednesday evening, wounding at least nine people, including seven women and two children, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

The strikes targeted a building under construction in Sanaa’s Geraf neighborhood, damaging nearby residential structures and injuring civilians sheltering in an adjacent building, the channel reported.

The attack marked the second U.S. strike on the area since Saturday, when earlier raids killed 53 people and wounded 98, including women and children, according to Houthi-controlled health authorities.

Wednesday’s strikes also expanded to other regions, with al-Masirah reporting strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in governorates such as Saada, al-Bayda, Hodeidah, and al-Jawf.

The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, claimed earlier on Wednesday they had launched cruise missiles at the USS Harry Truman in the Red Sea, calling it their fourth such attack in 72 hours.

The group insists its maritime strikes target only Israeli-linked vessels to pressure Israel to halt its Gaza offensive and allow humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.

The U.S. military, which began strikes on Houthi targets Saturday, says the campaign aims to protect international shipping lanes.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned the Houthis on Saturday to cease attacks or face intensified consequences, declaring, “Hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before.”

MIL OSI China News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Brockport woman awaiting sentencing for committing fraud, charged once again with bank fraud and making false statements

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Patricia Hutchins, 53, of Brockport, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with making a false statement and bank fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in July 2021, U.S. Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant at Hutchins’ Rochester and seized documents, cash, and electronic devices that were either used in or derived from various wire fraud schemes, including Unemployment Insurance fraud, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud, and elder fraud. In October 2022, Hutchins was arrested on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. On May 1, 2024, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and is awaiting sentencing on that charge, which is scheduled for April 15, 2025. As part of her plea agreement, Hutchins must pay restitution to two victims: $20,052.00 to reimburse a financial institution for a fraudulent PPP loan disbursement $25,100.00 to an elderly individual who had been duped into “paying off a debt for a friend” by sending that money to Hutchins.

On October 16, 2024, Hutchins appeared in federal court for sentencing. At that time, she stated that she had invested the entire proceeds of her home sale in a retirement account and did not have any money for restitution. As a result, her sentencing was delayed. On December 4, 2024, Hutchins appeared once again for sentencing. This time, she advised the court that she had given all of her money to an individual whom she believed to be country music recording artist Kenny Chesney, who had agreed to invest it for her. Hutchins had already used this excuse—that she was scammed by a person whom she believed was Kenny Chesney—twice before. Hutchins ultimately pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud with the individual whom she claimed to believe was Kenny Chesney.

According to the latest complaint against Hutchins, the proceeds from the sale of her residence were deposited into her bank account, approximately one month before her scheduled sentencing on October 16, 2024. In the month leading up to the sentencing, she pulled approximately $15,000.00 out of the account, making numerous $250.00 gift card purchases at merchants such as Walgreens, Tops, Wegman’s, Lowe’s, and Home Depot. After the original sentencing was adjourned, and she was directed by the Court to gather funds to pay restitution, Hutchins continued to make regular gift card purchases totaling approximately $8,500.00. As of November 29, 2024, there was approximately $1,000 left in her account. In addition, Hutchins is accused of fraud involving two credit card accounts.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

# # # #

MIL Security OSI –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Sisters, aunties, daughters and mothers to celebrate Myers Park

Source: Auckland Council

HER festival is hosting a celebration of Myers Park.

Bring your daughters, mothers, aunties and female friends! Sparkling with new light projections, art, birdsong, dancing, inspiration and 344 trees (24 newly planted), the park is the venue for Into the Night on Saturday 5 April from 4pm until 10.30pm.

With enhanced park lighting and acclaimed artwork Waimahara already uplifting the park, HER festival director Ella Mizrahi will weave further light and sound elements through the park, creating a nature haven for women to gather and hear music.

Ella Mizrahi says this is the second Into the Night event for HER festival.

“Expect amazing mother-daughter performances, mind blowing projection-mapped buildings, sound installations and an amazing line up of DJs. Bring your mum, bring your daughter. See you there!” she says.

DJ Mittzy.

In collaboration with ZAP Productions, Into the Night will showcase a diverse line-up of female musicians across genres – collaborating with local artists, supporting the creative sector and stimulating the local economy.

Promoted as five days of education, arts and inspiration, HER runs from 2 to 6 April with venues including Q Theatre, Basement Theatre and Myers Park.

Councillor Julie Fairey welcomes HER festival to Myers Park.

“I’m glad we are showcasing Myers Park with a friendly evening event for anyone who identifies as female, as the upgrade at the northern end of the park focused on safety as a priority.

“I remember being in the park late at night in the early 2000s and it was dark and scary to be in, particularly as a woman. The underpass has gone from being a disused rundown space to a place of light and beauty, with a connection to mana whenua. This end of Myers Park has not only become safer, it has become an ideal venue option for festivals like this, allowing more women to start to reclaim this public space,” she says.

Myers Park.

Auckland Council Head of Arts and Culture Emily Trent says: “I’m thrilled to see the HER festival taking place in the newly upgraded Myers Park.

“The space has been beautifully transformed, creating a renewed sense of safety and wellbeing. I encourage women in Tāmaki Makaurau to join us for an inspiring evening of dance and art in the park – a wonderful experience for festival goers,” she says.

Auckland Council is joining Creative NZ to help fund this alcohol-free event with support from the city centre targeted rate.

The big picture

Waitematā Local Board, Auckland Council, and the Auckland City Centre Advisory Panel have a keen interest in enhancing the visitor experience in Myers Park; making it a place all people and communities can enjoy and use in safety.

The renewal of the northern end of the park – including boardwalk, wetland gardens, a new stairway from Queen Steet and a redeveloped underpass entry / exit – completes the redevelopment of Myers Park which was supported by the city centre targeted rate.

Watch a video about the transformation here and learn more about the climate resilience aspects of the Myers Park upgrade here.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: InternetNZ – New Zealanders spending more time online than ever – InternetNZ

Source: InternetNZ

A study commissioned by InternetNZ found that New Zealanders are spending more time online than ever, with 50% of respondents spending four or more hours of their leisure time on the Internet each day.

Internet Insights is an annual survey of New Zealanders’ habits, concerns and awareness of the online world, and has seen a steady increase in the amount of time we spend online.

On average New Zealanders spend three hours a day on the internet for personal use. 67% of 18-29 year olds spend four or more hours online in their free time, making them the demographic that is the most wired into the web.

Vivien Maidaborn, CEO of InternetNZ, attributes the increasing trend of time spent online to several factors, including immediacy, convenience and the addictive nature of many mobile apps.

“The appeal of apps, streaming services, and the accessibility of news and online tools have contributed to an unprecedented level of connectivity in 2025. These statistics may prompt people in Aotearoa to evaluate their online/offline balance but many will see the amount of time they spend online as normal.”

The study also revealed that 53% of individuals aged 30-39 spend four or more hours online daily, making them the second-highest demographic in terms of time spent online. The most popular online activities for this group were social media, email, streaming TV shows, and reading news online. Facebook was the most frequented social media platform, with 58% of respondents checking it at least once per day.

“The amount of time we’re spending online highlights the need to ensure that information we’re consuming is safe, fair, and accurate. Governments and civil society need to keep holding the gatekeepers to account and demanding change when it’s needed.”

The top ten most popular online activities also include messaging friends, using search engines, online shopping, paying bills, gaming, and personal reading and research.

The survey found that women spend more time on social media and messaging than men. Women spend 52% of their online time on social media and 32% on messaging, while men spend 41% and 16% of their time online on social media and messaging, respectively.

The study also collected data on New Zealanders’ views on the most worrisome aspects of the internet, such as children accessing harmful content online, misinformation, scams, and how we feel about the rise of Artificial Intelligence.

Maidaborn views the research as a crucial yearly indicator of how society utilises the Internet, and what that reveals about the connection between our lives and the online world.

“The internet has transformed from a rarity to an everyday essential in the past 25 years. As it continues to grow, understanding how New Zealanders use it is crucial to addressing the challenges.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Fire at Pennington business premises

Source: South Australia Police

Police are investigating a fire at a Pennington business premises in the early hours of this morning.

Police and fire crews were called to the corner of Addison Road and Fortisgreen Avenue about 5.15am on Thursday 20 March by reports of a building fire.

Fire crews have worked quickly to extinguish the fire and prevented it spreading to neighbouring premises.

There are no reports of injury.

Detectives and fire cause investigators will enter and examine the premises later this morning.

Northbound traffic on Addison Road is restricted and diverted around the scene due to emergency service activity. Motorists are advised to find an alternate route to avoid delays.

Anyone who saw or heard any suspicious activity in the area this morning, or has any CCTV or dashcam footage of any vehicles in the area from around 5am, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

MIL OSI News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government of India Taking Measures Against Online Pornography

Source: Government of India

Government of India Taking Measures Against Online Pornography

New IT Rules Mandate Faster Removal of Harmful Online Content

Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 9:44PM by PIB Delhi

The policies of the Central Government are aimed at ensuring an open, safe, trusted and accountable Internet for its users.

The Information Technology Act, 2000 (“IT Act”) provides punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material and material containing sexually explicit act in electronic form. The IT Act also has stringent punishment for publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit act in electronic form.

Also, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (“IT Rules, 2021”) casts obligations on the intermediaries, including social media intermediaries, to observe due diligence and if they fail to observe such due diligence, they lose the exemption from their liability under law for third-party information or data or communication link hosted by them. Such due diligence includes that in case a significant social media intermediary is providing services primarily in the nature of messaging shall enable the identification of the first originator of the information on its computer resource for the purposes of prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution or punishment of an offence related to rape, sexually explicit material or child sexual abuse material.

Such due diligence also includes that intermediaries shall remove within 24 hours any content which prima facie exposes the private area of any individual, shows such individual in full or partial nudity or shows or depicts such individual in any sexual act or conduct. Further, the rules provide for the establishment of one or more Grievance Appellate Committee(s) to allow users to appeal against decisions taken by Grievance Officers of social media intermediary on such complaints.

To ensure a good and healthy entertainment in accordance with the provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules 1983, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), regulates the public exhibition of films including adult films. According to the guidelines issued by them, films which are considered unsuitable for exhibition to non-adults shall be certified for exhibition to adult audiences only.

Further for online publishers of curated content, the IT Rules, 2021 prescribes the code of ethics publishers of online curated content, commonly known as OTT Platforms. This code requires the OTT Platforms to classify content in specified age-appropriate categories, restrict access of age-inappropriate content by children, and implement an age verification mechanism for content classified as “Adult”.

To further strengthen the mechanism to deal with such cybercrimes in a coordinated manner, the Government has also taken several other measures, including the following:

(i) The Ministry of Home Affairs operates a National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) to enable citizens to report complaints pertaining to all types of cybercrimes, with special focus on cybercrimes against children. The Ministry has also set up the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to deal with all types of cybercrime, including cybercrime against children, in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.

(ii) The Ministry of Home Affairs has provided financial assistance to States and Union territories under the Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children Scheme for capacity building, including for the setting up of cyber forensic-cum-training laboratories and training of personnel of law enforcement agencies, public prosecutors and judicial officers.

(iii) Government has from time to time blocked websites containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), based on lists from Interpol received through the Central Bureau of Investigation, India’s national nodal agency for Interpol.

(iv) Government has issued an order to Internet Service Providers, directing them to implement Internet Watch Foundation, UK or Project Arachnid, Canada list of CSAM websites/webpages on a dynamic basis and block access to such web pages or websites.

(v) The Dep artment of Telecommunications has requested Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to spread awareness among their subscribers about the use of parental control filters, and has also directed ISPs with International Long-Distance license to block certain websites found to be containing CSAM.

(vi) To spread awareness on cybercrime, the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken several steps that include dissemination of messages on cybercrime through the Twitter handle @cyberDost, radio campaigns and publishing of a Handbook for Adolescents/Students.

(vii) A MoU has been signed between the National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), USA regarding sharing of Tipline reports on online child explicit material and child sexual exploitation contents from NCMEC. The Tip lines, as received from NCMEC, are being shared with States/UTs online through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal for taking further action.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

***

Dharmendra Tewari/Navin Sreejith

(Release ID: 2113098) Visitor Counter : 36

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bharat Pavilion Makes Historic Debut at Hong Kong FILMART

Source: Government of India

Bharat Pavilion Makes Historic Debut at Hong Kong FILMART

Consul General of India, Hong Kong Inaugurates First-ever Bharat Pavilion at Hong Kong (FILMART)

“Pavilion represents new era of global partnerships for Indian cinema”: Consul General of India, H.E. Ms. Satwant Khanalia

Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 6:10PM by PIB Mumbai

Mumbai, 19^th March 2025

In a landmark moment for Indian cinema on the global stage, the first-ever Bharat Pavilion made its debut at the prestigious Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART). Consul General of India, Hong Kong & Macau, H.E. Ms. Satwant Khanalia, inaugurated the pavilion, marking a significant step in strengthening India’s presence in the international film and media industry.

Organised by the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Bharat Pavilion is supported by the Consulate General of India, Hong Kong & Macau. This initiative highlights the growing influence of Indian cinema and its expanding global footprint, promoting international collaborations and showcasing the immense potential of India’s storytelling prowess.

At the inauguration, H.E. Ms. Satwant Khanalia expressed her pride in India’s dynamic cinematic landscape. “It is an honor to launch the first-ever India Pavilion at FILMART. India’s film industry is one of the largest in the world, and its stories resonate with audiences across cultures. This pavilion represents a new era of global partnerships and opportunities for Indian cinema,” she said.

Promoting WAVES: India’s Premier Global M&E Summit

A key focus of the Bharat Pavilion is to promote the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), scheduled to take place in Mumbai from 1st to 4th May 2025. WAVES is poised to be a premier platform aimed at bringing the global Media & Entertainment (M&E) industry’s attention to India, fostering trade, innovation, and cross-border collaborations. With a diverse array of industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders expected to participate, WAVES aims to position India as the Content Hub of the World.

Driving Collaborations and Expanding Opportunities

On its first day, the Bharat Pavilion at FILMART buzzed with activity, hosting dialogues, meetings, and networking sessions with international industry representatives. The pavilion facilitated discussions on co-productions, content distribution, and collaborations, opening doors for Indian filmmakers and content creators to explore new markets and expand their global reach.

About NFDC

National Film Development Corporation of India is the central agency established to encourage the good cinema movement in the country. Through its participation in key international events such as FILMART, Cannes Film Festival, and Berlinale, NFDC facilitates co-productions, market access, and distribution opportunities for Indian content creators.

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

Come, Sail with us! Register for WAVES now (Coming soon!).

PIB TEAM WAVES 2025 | Dhanlakshmi/ Preeti Malandkar | 072

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

(Release ID: 2112927) Visitor Counter : 109

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Indian Railways Strengthens Crowd Management and Infrastructure to Enhance Passenger Safety Following New Delhi Stampede
Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:49PM by PIB Delhi

Each railway station has unique operational challenges due to varying passenger movement patterns during the festivals. For the security arrangements and to streamline passenger flow, station specific plans are made involving all the stakeholders that include Government Railway Police (GRP), Local Police and Local Civil Administration and accordingly action is taken to manage the influx of passengers.

To handle the rush of passengers during Maha Kumbh 2025 at Prayagraj, new infrastructure was created building seven additional platforms, bringing the total to 48 platforms across 9 stations in the Prayagraj area. The approach roads to these stations have also been widened to ensure smooth movement of pilgrims. In total, 17 new permanent Yatri Ashryas were constructed, increasing the holding capacity of these shelters from 21,000 to over 1,10,000. Additionally, 21 new Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and Road Under Bridges (RUBs) have been built, eliminating all level crossings in the region.

A well-coordinated train operation plan was deployed to ensure smooth transportation during the Kumbh. Each station was having its own control room, with a central master control room at Prayagraj Junction. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were developed for train operations and crowd management at stations. To facilitate smooth rush of passenger’s flow, extensive measures have been put in place, including single entry and exit points at stations on major Snan days and unidirectional movement on platforms, foot over bridges (FOBs), and ramps.

Security arrangements for Mahakumbh-2025 were comprehensive, with an emphasis on surveillance and real-time monitoring. A total of about 1200 CCTV cameras, including 116 Face Recognition System (FRS) cameras and Drone cameras were also deployed for surveillance of tracks and crowd management at approach roads to stations.

Additional deployment of 15,000 personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) and para-military forces were done to ensure security.

Also, additional deployment was made at other sensitive railway stations where high rush of passengers was expected i.e. Varanasi, Ayodhya, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Danapur and New Delhi etc.

New Delhi Railway Station has adequate infrastructure. It has 16 nos. of platforms, three foot over bridges (FOBs), access from both Paharganj and Ajmeri gate side, large open spaces in front of the station etc. Large rush of passengers during festivals and events like Kumbh, Chatth, Holi etc. are being handled regularly on New Delhi Railway Station.

Further, redevelopment of New Delhi Railway Station has been sanctioned under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

Amrit Bharat Station Scheme envisages development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach. This scheme involves preparation of Master Plans and their implementation in phases to improve the amenities at the stations like improvement of station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products through schemes like One Station One Product, better passenger information systems, executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping etc. keeping in view the necessity at each such station.

The scheme also envisages improvement of building integrating the station with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision of ballast less tracks etc. as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centres at the station in the long term.

The plan for redevelopment of New Delhi Railway station, envisages larger new station buildings at both sides, spacious Air Concourse with modern amenities for passenger, Multi Modal Transport Hub connecting different mode of transportation and providing parking and other facilities. The redeveloped station envisages a network of surface and elevated roads to provide access at two levels and to decongest surrounding areas of New Delhi railway station. Adequate security measures like CCTV cameras, access control, movement regulation and waiting space etc are also envisaged.

The details of allocation of funds for development and maintenance of stations are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not footfall-wise or Work-wise or Station-wise. Passenger amenities are generally funded under Plan Head-53 ‘Customer Amenities’. An allocation of ₹12,994 Crores (Revised Estimate) has been made for the financial year 2024-25 under Plan Head-53. New Delhi railway station in Delhi falls under Northern Railway Zone and the fund allocation to Northern Railway for development and maintenance of stations under Plan Head-53 ‘Customer Amenities’ for the year (RE 2024-25) is ₹ 1531.24 Cr.

To handle heavy rush of passengers at stations, following decisions have been taken by railways –

Permanent holding areas at 60 stations:
1. During the festival season of 2024, holding areas were created outside stations. These waiting areas were able to hold large crowds at Surat Udhna, Patna and New Delhi. Passengers were allowed only when the train came to the platform.
2. Similar arrangements were made during Mahakumbh at nine stations of Prayag area.
3. Based on the experience of these stations, it has been decided to create permanent waiting areas outside stations at 60 stations across the country which periodically face heavy crowds.
4. Pilot projects have started at New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Ghaziabad stations.
5. With this concept, the sudden crowd will be contained within the waiting area. Passengers will be allowed to go to platforms only when the trains arrive at the platform. This will decongest the stations.
Access control:
1. Complete access control will be initiated at the 60 stations.
2. Passengers with confirmed reserve tickets will be given direct access to the platforms.
3. Passengers without a ticket or with a waiting list ticket will wait in the outside waiting area.
4. All unauthorised entry points will be sealed.
Wider foot-over-bridges (FOB):
1. Two new designs of 12 metre wide (40 feet) and 6 metre wide (20 feet) standard FOB have been developed. These wide FOBs with ramps were very effective in crowd management during Mahakumbh. These new standard wide FOBs will be installed in all the stations.
Cameras:
1. Cameras helped crowd management in a big way during Mahakumbh. A large number of cameras will be installed in all stations and adjoining areas for close monitoring.
War rooms:
1. War rooms at large stations will be developed. Officers of all departments will work in the war room during crowd situations.
New generation communication equipment:
1. Latest design digital communication equipment like walkie-talkies, announcement systems, calling systems will be installed on all heavy crowd stations.
New design ID card:
1. All staff and service persons will be given a new design ID card so that only authorised persons can enter the station.
New design uniform for staff:
1. All staff members will be given new design uniforms so that they can be easily identified during a crisis situation.
Upgradation of station director post:
1. All major stations will have a senior officer as station director. All other departments will report to the station director.
2. Station director will get financial empowerment so that he can take on-the-spot decisions for improving the station.
Sale of tickets as per capacity:
1. Station Director will be empowered to control the sale of tickets as per capacity of the station and the available trains.
CCTV cameras are installed at New Delhi railway station, which is being monitored round the clock. A high-level inquiry committee has been constituted for comprehensive investigation into the incident at New Delhi railway station. The incident of the stampede at New Delhi railway station occurred on 15.02.2025, in which 18 people died and 15 were injured.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

*****

Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

(Release ID: 2112830) Visitor Counter : 12

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
March 20, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom proclaims Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Source: US State of California 2

Mar 19, 2025

Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring March 2025, as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:

PROCLAMATION

California is proud to join states around the country, raising awareness about the many ways in which people with intellectual and developmental disabilities contribute to strong, diverse communities across our state. This March, we shine a light on the work underway to drive the inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and reaffirm our collective commitment to breaking down the barriers they face in connecting to the communities where they live.

Over the last decade, California has worked to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Autism and Down Syndrome with the resources they need to live and thrive in the community. We are the only state that provides developmental services as an entitlement, and we prioritize home and community-based care – avoiding institutional settings. We’ve increased the rates for our direct service professionals to keep and attract the people who provide vital support. We’re also supporting strong career pathways for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities through investments in education, new laws encouraging earlier career planning, and ending sub-minimum wage as of this last January.

This year, California’s Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) released a draft of the Master Plan for Developmental Services: A Community Driven Vision to leverage investments and strengthen quality, access, and sustainability for all consumers and families – no matter their demographic groups, geographic region, or socioeconomic status. The Master Plan recognizes that California’s developmental services system is deeply connected to other health and social systems. It seeks to create and strengthen bridges between critical systems across CalHHS and other systems and services, including education, housing, employment, transportation, and public safety.

We are taking a whole-of-government approach, one driven by communities themselves and delivered in partnership with the private sector, to realize a more equitable, person-centered, and data-driven developmental services system. We’ll continue working across sectors and disciplines to ensure that all Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities can thrive and contribute to all facets of life in their neighborhoods and communities. And this month, we also take the opportunity to celebrate the value and gifts that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities contribute to the Golden State.

NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim March 2025, as “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.”

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 17^th day of March 2025.

GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California

ATTEST:
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
Secretary of State

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