NewzIntel.com

Category: Entertainment

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four men sentenced following death of man in Croydon

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Four men have been sentenced to a total of 67 years in prison following a Met Police investigation into the death of 22-year-old Lavaun Witter in Croydon.

    On 5 February 2021, officers were called to Wisbeach Road at around 20:08hrs, after a member of the public found Lavaun collapsed and seriously injured.

    He sadly died at the scene after sustaining a stab wound to the leg.

    An investigation was launched by the Met’s Specialist Crime South Unit. Enquiries revealed that prior to his death, Lavaun’s flat had been broken into by four men. The men, who were armed with long knives and swords, demanded drugs and slashed through an internal door.

    Lavaun and a 16-year-old boy were stabbed before running from the scene but Lavaun collapsed a short distance away.

    CCTV enquiries quickly identified the suspects as Tyreece Riggon, Julian Russell, Tyreece Wolfries-Parkin and Alex Pasley.

    On 18 February 2021, officers raided an address linked to Riggon and he and Russell were arrested. A subsequent search of an address linked to Russell recovered a Louis Vuitton bag belonging to Lavaun.

    Wolfries-Parkin and Pasley were also arrested in the following weeks.

    All were charged with Lavaun’s murder as well as attempted murder and attempted grievous bodily harm of the 16-year-old.

    Detective Chief Inspector Mike Nolan, Senior Investigating Officer in the case said:

    “These men were prepared to use extreme levels of violence and take Lavaun’s life to gain possession of drugs they believed were inside the property.

    “Lavaun was defenceless against the four men who were each armed with large knives, including a Samurai sword.

    “Levaun’s death devastated his family and his community. I commend the bravery and strength they have shown throughout this lengthy investigation.”

    A trial at the Old Bailey began on 17 July 2023 and Julian Russell (18.09.1998) of Sanfield Road, CR7 and Tyreece Wolfries- Parkins, (06.10.2002) were found guilty of murder. Alex Pasley (01.10.1995) of Paxton Grove, Coulsdon was found guilty of manslaughter.

    A re-trial began on 4 November 2024 and on Thursday, 12 December, Tyreece Riggon, 24 (29.09.2000) of Armistice Gardens, SE25 was found guilty of attempted GBH. Pasley was also found guilty of attempted GBH in relation to the attack on the 16-year-old boy.

    The group appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 19 February for sentencing.

    Julian Russell was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 24 years in prison minus the four years spent on remand.

    Tyreece Wolfries- Parkins was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum term of 20 years minus the time spent on remand.

    Alex Pasley was sentenced to 17 years in prison and Tyreece Riggon was sentenced to six years, both minus four years spent on remand.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Launches U-Based Leverage Trading with 25x to 100x Leverage, Adds 45 New Trading Pairs and Double Deposit Bonus No KYC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With Bitcoin’s price fluctuating below $100,000, many analysts predict a prolonged period of high volatility in the crypto market. Holding spot positions may struggle to generate short-term profits in such conditions. As a result, 100x leverage futures trading has become the preferred tool for seasoned investors looking to maximize potential gains in this volatile market. BexBack Exchange is ramping up its efforts to offer traders unmatched promotional packages. The platform now features a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, providing exceptional opportunities for investors.

    In addition to 100x leverage, BexBack is offering new U-based leverage trading options with 25x, 50x, and 75x leverage, giving traders greater flexibility to manage risk while maximizing potential returns. The platform has also added 45 new popular trading pairs, expanding the range of assets available to trade, creating more opportunities for strategic investment.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, XRP, and 50 other major cryptocurrencies for futures contracts.. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4110cea-b777-4e8a-a7eb-a18dd12391f9

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/adc5f0e3-e140-4b4a-9027-4bd52b34fb95

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/44223717-8017-48e3-8f16-cc79ec9de8b0

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fa2fed7-ca6f-4ecb-82e0-464a07c6f8bb

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Capital Bancorp, Inc. Completes Operational Conversion of Integrated Financial Holdings, Inc.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Capital Bancorp, Inc. (“CBNK”) announced that it had completed the conversion of Integrated Financial Holdings, Inc. (“IFH”) into its operations and systems. This conversion integrates IFH customer accounts into CBNK’s products and services.

    West Town Bank & Trust and Windsor Advantage previously operated as subsidiaries of IFH. In connection with the merger completed on October 1, 2024, West Town Bank & Trust merged with and into Capital Bank, N.A. and Windsor Advantage became a subsidiary of Capital Bancorp, Inc.

    “While Capital and IFH have already been effectively operating as one company, this conversion marks a major milestone,” said Ed Barry, Chief Executive Officer of CBNK. “Now that the conversion is complete, we are well positioned to better serve our customers and continue to execute on the meaningful synergies that we expect to accrue in the merger.”

    CBNK completed the conversion between the close of business on February 21st and reopening on February 24th. IFH customers – including customers of its North Riverside, IL branch – now have access to a wide selection of CBNK products and services. In addition, they can bank at any CBNK location, through digital banking or ATM. In connection with the merger, CBNK also anticipates opening a branch in Raleigh, NC on March 3, 2025.

    Information about the conversion and transition to CBNK was mailed to these customers on October 1, 2024. Since then, we have maintained ongoing communications to support a smooth transition.

    ABOUT CAPITAL BANCORP, INC.

    Capital Bancorp, Inc., Rockville, Maryland is a registered bank holding company incorporated under the laws of Maryland. Capital Bancorp has been providing financial services since 1999 and now operates bank branches in six locations including Washington D.C., Reston, VA, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Rockville, MD, Columbia, MD and N. Riverside, IL. Capital Bancorp had assets of approximately $3.2 billion at December 31, 2024 and its common stock is traded in the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “CBNK.” More information can be found at the Company’s website www.CapitalBankMD.com under its Investor Relations page.

    Capital Bank, N.A.
    Media Contact:
    Bryon Stevens
    Investor Relations
    Email: bstevens@capitalbankmd.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The quest to extend human life is both fascinating and fraught with moral peril

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Richard Gunderman, Chancellor’s Professor of Medicine, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy, Indiana University

    Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson has made it his life’s mission to delay aging and death. Netflix

    “Who wants to live forever?” Freddie Mercury mournfully asks in Queen’s 1986 song of the same name.

    The answer: Quite a few people – so much so that life extension has long been a cottage industry.

    As a physician and scholar in the medical humanities, I’ve found the quest to expand the human lifespan both fascinating and fraught with moral peril.

    During the 1970s and 80s, for example, The Merv Griffin Show featured one guest 32 times – life extension expert Durk Pearson, who generated more fan mail than any guest except Elizabeth Taylor. In 1982, he and his partner, Sandy Shaw, published the book “Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach,” which became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller and sold over 2 million copies. One specific recommendation involved taking choline and vitamin B5 in order to reduce cognitive decline, combat high blood pressure and reduce the buildup of toxic metabolic byproducts.

    Last year, Pearson died at 82, and Shaw died in 2022 at 79.

    The 1982 book by Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, ‘Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach,’ has sold millions of copies.
    Amazon

    No one can say for sure whether these life extension experts died sooner or later than they would have had they eschewed many of these supplements and instead simply exercised and ate a balanced diet. But I can say that they did not live much longer than many similarly well-off people in their cohort.

    Still, their dream of staying forever young is alive and well.

    Consider tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson’s “Project Blueprint,” a life-extension effort that inspired the 2025 Netflix documentary “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever.” His program has included building a home laboratory, taking more than 100 pills each day and undergoing blood plasma transfusions, at least one of which came from his son.

    And Johnson is not alone. Among the big names investing big bucks to prolong their lives are Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google founders Sergei Brin and Larry Page, and Oracle’s Larry Ellison. One approach involves taking senolytics – drugs that target cells that may drive the aging process, though more research is needed to determine their safety and efficacy. Another is human growth hormone, which has long been touted as an anti-aging mechanism in ad campaigns that feature remarkably fit older people. (“How does this 69-year-old doctor have the body of a 30-year-old?” reads one web ad).

    These billionaires may reason that, because of their wealth, they have more to live for than ordinary folks. They may also share more prosaic motivations, such as a fear of growing old and dying.

    But underlying such desires is an equally important ethical – and, for some, spiritual – reality.

    Quality versus quantity

    Is it a good thing, morally speaking, to wish to live forever? Might there be aspects of aging and even death that are both good for the world and good for individuals?

    Cicero’s “On Aging” offers some insights. In fact, the ancient Roman statesman and philosopher noted that writing about it helped him to find peace with the vexations of growing old.

    In the text, Cicero outlines and responds to four common complaints about aging: It takes us away from managing our affairs, impairs bodily vigor, deprives us of sensual gratifications and brings us to the verge of death.

    To the charge that aging takes us away from managing our affairs, Cicero asks us to imagine a ship. Only the young climb the masts, run to and fro on the gangways, and bail the hold. But it is among the older and more experienced members of the crew that we find the captain who commands the ship. Rome’s supreme council was called the Senate, from the Latin for “elder,” and it is to those rich in years that we look most often for wisdom.

    Cicero was keen to distinguish between quantity and quality of life.
    Crisfotolux/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    As to whether aging impairs bodily vigor, Cicero claimed that strength and speed are less related to age than discipline. Many older people who take care of themselves are in better shape than the young, and he gives examples of people who maintained their vigor well into their later years. He argued that those who remain physically fit do a great deal to sustain their mental powers, a notion supported by modern science.

    Cicero reminds readers that these same pleasures of eating and drinking often lead people astray. Instead, people, as they age, can better appreciate the pleasures of mind and character. A great dinner becomes characterized less by what’s on the plate or the attractiveness of a dining partner than the quality of conversation and fellowship.

    While death remains an inevitable consequence of aging, Cicero distinguishes between quality and quantity of life. He writes that it is better to live well than to live long, and for those who are living well, death appears as natural as birth. Those who want to live forever have forgotten their place in the cosmos, which does not revolve around any single person or even species.

    Those of a more spiritual bent might find themselves drawn to the Scottish poet George MacDonald, who wrote: “Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.”

    Embracing the circle of life

    What if the dreams of the life extension gurus were realized? Would the world be a better place?

    Would the extra good that a longer-lived Einstein could have accomplished be balanced or even exceeded by the harm of a Stalin who remained healthy and vigorous for decades beyond his death?

    At some point, preserving indefinitely the lives of those now living would mean less room for those who do not yet exist.

    Pearson and Shaw appeared on many other television programs in the 1970s and 1980s. During one such segment on “The Mike Douglas Show,” Pearson declared: “By the time you are 60, your immune function is perhaps one-fifth what it was when you were younger. Yet you can achieve a remarkable restoration simply by taking nutrients that you can get at a pharmacy or health food store.”

    For Pearson, life extension was a biomedical challenge, an effort more centered on engineering the self rather than the world.

    Despite making a living as life extension gurus, Durk Pearson, right, and Sandy Shaw didn’t live much longer than most Americans.

    Yet I would argue that the real challenge in human life is not to live longer, but to help others; adding extra years should be seen not as the goal but a byproduct of the pursuit of goodness.

    In the words of Susan B. Anthony: “The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world; I am like a snowball – the further I am rolled, the more I gain.”

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

    – ref. The quest to extend human life is both fascinating and fraught with moral peril – https://theconversation.com/the-quest-to-extend-human-life-is-both-fascinating-and-fraught-with-moral-peril-249430

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transform Your Space with Samsung’s Blue Tag Sale Deals

    Source: Samsung

     
    As part of the Blue Tag Sale, Samsung is proud to present an exciting selection of home technology and appliances designed to transform your living space into a more productive, personalised, and efficient environment. These innovative products provide the perfect opportunity to enhance your home and unlock your creativity.
     
    With a focus on both form and function, Samsung’s latest TVs and monitors bring cutting-edge technology into your home, allowing you to work smarter, play harder, and inspire your creative spirit. Whether you’re seeking the ultimate entertainment experience or a workstation that fosters productivity, Samsung’s products are built to meet the demands of modern living.

    Transforming Lounge Spaces
    Samsung’s TVs offer stunning picture quality, immersive sound, and smart features like streaming services, and gaming capabilities, making them perfect for entertainment and relaxation. The Frame TV, a unique product from Samsung, can be seamlessly be integrated into your space, serving as both a TV and a piece of art when not in use.
     

     
    Transforming Creativity Spaces
    Samsung’s monitors, such as the Odyssey series, provide high-resolution displays and colour accuracy making them ideal for creative work. These monitors feature a sleek, futuristic design that will make your setup the envy of all your friends.

    Discover Samsung’s Transformative Home and Workspace Solutions:
    Samsung 98 Inch Crystal UHD DU9000 4K Tizen OS Smart TV (UA98DU9000KXXA)
    If you want to take your home entertainment to the next level, the 98″ Crystal UHD DU9000 offers excellent image quality and size, creating an awe-inspiring focal point in your living area. Available for R49,999* (save 20,000), this TV is perfect for viewing from any angle and will elevate your creative space to new heights.
     
    Samsung 65″ The Frame Art Mode QLED 4K Smart TV (QA65LS03BAKXXA)
    Bringing art and technology together, The Frame is the ideal addition to any creative home. When not in use as a TV, it displays beautiful artwork in Art Mode. Available for R21,999* (save R3,000), this stylish 65-inch QLED TV helps foster an inspiring atmosphere while blending seamlessly with your home décor.
     
    Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen (SP-LFF3CLAXXXA)
    Available for only R9,999* (save R999), the Freestyle 2nd Gen portable projector offers versatility with the ability to project onto almost any surface. Whether you want to create a home cinema experience or present creative ideas to clients, this compact projector can turn any space into a productivity powerhouse.
     
    Colour accuracy, Samsung TVs are Pantone Validated.
     

     
    Samsung 32″ Smart Monitor M70D UHD, USB-C with Speakers & Remote (LS32DM702UAXXA)
    At just R7,999* (save R2,000), this smart monitor doubles as both a workstation and entertainment hub, with USB-C connectivity, built-in speakers, and UHD resolution to bring your projects to life. With a design that complements modern homes, it’s an all-in-one solution for productivity and creativity.
     
    Samsung 32″ Odyssey G55C QHD, 1ms MPRT, 165Hz Gaming Monitor (LS32CG552EAXXA)
    Both gamers and professionals would enjoy the Odyssey G55C, which offers an exceptional 165Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time for a smooth and responsive experience. Now available for R6,499* (save R1,500), this curved monitor helps create an immersive workspace where you can both work and play.
     
    Samsung’s latest collection of home technology not only upgrades the functionality of your space but also adds style, versatility, and inspiration. Get these incredible Blue Tag Sale deals and transform your home into a space that’s truly your own.
     
    The Samsung Blue Tag Sale runs from 13 January – 2 March 2025, in Samsung stores, online, the Samsung Shop App, as well as participating retailers. Don’t miss out!
     
    For more information, visit www.samsung.com/za

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Littlest Yak Brings a Heartwarming Tale to the Guild Lounge

    Source: City of Preston

    On Sunday 9 March, The Guild Lounge is delighted to present The Littlest Yak, a musical adaptation of the award-winning children’s book by Lu Fraser.

    This special family-friendly event will feature two performances at 11am and 2pm.

    Audiences of all ages can enjoy a lively and touching performance filled with beautiful puppets, engaging songs, and an uplifting message of self-acceptance.

    The show follows Gertie, the smallest of the yaks, as she embarks on an adventure to prove that being little doesn’t mean being any less important.

    Brought to the stage by LAStheatre.

    The Littlest Yak promises a visually stunning experience set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Himalayas.

    The production has been nominated for four OffWestEnd Awards, further cementing its reputation as a must-see family event.

    Tickets are priced at £14.50.

    Families are encouraged to book in advance to secure their seats for this heart-warming performance.

    Visit The Guild Lounge website to book tickets and to find out more about other up coming events.

    Located in the heart of Preston, The Guild Lounge is the go-to destination for nightlife, entertainment, and cultural experiences.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: JAMining Launches Limited-Time High-Yield Bitcoin Cloud Mining Plan with an Opportunity to Earn up to $10,850 Daily

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JAMining has announced the launch of its exclusive high-yield Bitcoin cloud mining plan, available for a limited time. This new plan offers users the opportunity to earn up to $10,850 per day without the need for expensive hardware or technical expertise. As cloud mining gains popularity as a passive income stream, JAMining’s latest offering stands out as a timely opportunity for both novice and experienced investors to capitalize on the growing crypto market.

    How to Easily Start JAMining Free Cloud Mining？

    Cloud mining is a simple and secure way to invest in cryptocurrency, perfect for investors of all levels. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced investor, you can follow the steps below to get started quickly：

    “Start making money”

    1. Register a JAMining account

    Click the “Get Your $100” button and follow the simple steps to complete the registration and start your cloud mining journey

    2. Select a contract plan

    JAMining provides flexible contract plans to meet the needs of different investors and help you achieve your ideal profit goals. The following are some contract examples:

    Contract Amount Duration Daily Profit Total Income Total Return (Principal + Income)
    $100 1 day 1% $1 $100 + $1
    $200 2 days 3.5% $7 $200 + $7
    $500 3 days 1.8% $9 $500 + $27
    $1000 5 days 1.9% $19 $1000 + $95
    $2600 10 days 1.95% $50.70 $2600 + $507
    $10000 20 days 2.1% $210 $10000 + $4200
             

    3. Monitor earnings

    Your daily income will be automatically settled within 24 hours and updated to your account in real time. You can check your income at any time.

    4. Invite friends to make money

    Invite friends to register and purchase computing power through exclusive invitation codes. You can not only increase your friends’ income, but also get an additional 7% referral reward.

    Affiliate Program Highlights:

    Long-term benefits: The referrer can continue to profit from every investment of the referred user, no matter when it occurs.
    Simple promotion: With the exclusive invitation code, the referrer can easily invite friends to join the platform.
    Win-win: Not only help others enter the cryptocurrency field, but also achieve personal wealth growth.

    Why choose JAMining？

    Advanced technical support

    JAMining platform uses the latest mining technology and efficient hardware equipment to provide users with high-yield, low-cost mining services, covering mainstream cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

    Flexible investment options

    Whether you are a novice small investor or a large-scale fund manager, JAMining can provide you with a tailor-made mining plan to help you maximize your profits.

    24/7 security guarantee

    The platform uses distributed storage, data encryption and multiple firewall technologies to ensure the security of your assets. In addition, JAMining provides 24-hour customer support to answer your questions at any time.

    International (FCA) certification guarantee

    JAMining platform has been certified by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which means that the platform has reached international standards in terms of security and compliance, greatly enhancing user trust

    Summarize

    JAMining provides an efficient source of passive income through an easy-to-understand contract purchase method. Whether you are a novice in cryptocurrency or an experienced investor, you can quickly get started on this platform and start automatically growing your crypto assets. JAMining will continue to optimize the platform functions to bring more investment opportunities and value to global users.

    Official Website: https://jamining.com/

    Email: info@jamining.com

    Contact: Apostolakis

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by JAMining. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of JAMining and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in cloud mining and related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/44a94024-5458-46c9-90f5-1858fd4f7d46
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c9403551-81ba-49b0-b712-81cada9f484d
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9dd8cba-49b2-45d9-9852-831b846b66f6

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why including people with disabilities in the workforce and higher education benefits everyone

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lauren Shallish, Associate Professor of Disability Studies in Education, Rutgers University – Newark

    The employment rate for people with disabilities is about half that of nondisabled people. Johner Images via Getty Images

    Whether it’s declaring that blindness prevents government employees from doing their jobs or suggesting that hiring workers with intellectual disabilities contributed to Federal Aviation Administration safety lapses, the Trump administration has repeatedly questioned whether people with disabilities belong in the workplace.

    This stance reflects widespread stigma and misconceptions about what people with disabilities can and do accomplish.

    Negative stereotypes and exclusionary practices persist despite the fact that people with disabilities are the largest minority group in the United States, representing nearly 30% of the population. Whether or not you identify as disabled, most people live or work in close proximity to others with a disability.

    For years I have researched how people with disabilities have been kept out of efforts to guarantee equal access for everybody, particularly in higher education. This exclusion is often due to unfounded beliefs about capacity, intellect and merit, and the false premise that disability inclusion requires lowering standards.

    However, studies demonstrate that including people with disabilities is good for everyone, not just disabled people. Schools and workplaces are more collaborative and responsive when people with disabilities are included at all levels of the organization. In other words, disability inclusion isn’t about charity; it’s about making organizations work better.

    The Americans with Disabilities Act, enacted in 1990, provides legal protections for people with disabilities in the workplace.
    kyotokushige/DigitalVision via Getty Images

    Rolling back protections

    President Donald Trump issued executive orders the day he took office for a second time that aimed at ending government and private-sector efforts to make U.S. workplaces and schools more diverse, equitable and inclusive. In addition to affecting LGBTQ+ communities and people of color, these measures could erode years of progress toward protecting the rights of people with disabilities to earn a living.

    Between 40 million and 80 million Americans identify as disabled. Even the higher end of this range underestimates the actual number of people with disabilities, because some individuals choose not to identify that way or even realize they qualify as such. That includes people with impairments from chemical and pesticide exposure, as well as many older people and those who are living with HIV and AIDS, to name some examples.

    Only 15% of people with disabilities are born with their impairment, so most individuals become disabled over their lifetime.

    Tracing historical precedents

    Blaming failures on people with disabilities and people of color echoes the harms embedded in eugenics, an attempt to scientifically prove genetic inferiority of disabled, LGBTQ+ Indigenous and Black people.

    Eugenics led to the institutionalization and forced sterilization of, and the coercive experimentation on, people with disabilities, immigrants and people of color across the U.S. Even the Supreme Court endorsed the concept in the early 20th century.

    These studies began to fade after World War II, but their legacy persists. Even today, forced sterilization continues to be lawful in U.S jurisdictions in 31 states and in Washington.

    Due to widespread activism and the advent of new legal protections, many states finally dismantled their eugenic policies in the late 1970s. But eugenics-era experiments provided foundations for contemporary medical research, standardized testing and segregated school placements.

    People with disabilities have far-reaching legal guarantees of civil rights and access today due to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The statute, which was enacted in 1990 and strengthened in 2008, provided protections in the workplace, educational settings, transportation and places of recreation and commerce, among others. It also guarded against negative perceptions of disability.

    For example, if an employer perceived someone as disabled and denied them consideration in the hiring process because of that, the candidate would be protected from discrimination under the ADA – whether or not they had a disability.

    While these advances are significant, many people with disabilities still do not have access to their basic civil rights. This is particularly true of Black people with disabilities, as they are disproportionately pushed out of school, disciplined more harshly, targeted for incarceration and marginalized in disability representation and research.

    Accommodations for people with disabilities enable them to contribute unique talents to classrooms and workplaces.
    Halfpoint Images via Getty Images

    Gaining workplace accommodations

    Critics of inclusion efforts sometimes wrongly argue that employing people with disabilities is too costly due to the accommodations they may require. But the Job Accommodation Network in the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy found in 2023 that nearly 60% of these accommodations cost nothing.

    What’s more, many tax incentives are available to cover these costs.

    Disability civil rights law does not mandate hiring people who are not qualified or lowering standards to include the disabled. The law requires that candidates meet the “essential functions” of the job in order to be hired.

    According to a 2024 Labor Department report, the employment rate for working-age people with disabilities was 38% compared with 75% for nondisabled people. Though there are countless reasons for this disparity, many people with disabilities can and want to work, but employers don’t give them the opportunity.

    Providing benefits for everyone

    Many accommodations designed for people with disabilities also benefit others.

    Captioning on videos and movies was originally meant to benefit the deaf community, but it also helps multilingual speakers and people who simply are trying to follow the dialogue. Similarly, visual or written instructions assist people with depression, Down syndrome or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, but they can also make tasks more accessible for everyone, along with breaking assignments into smaller components.

    Sensory break rooms benefit people with autism and post-traumatic stress disorder, while also providing a reprieve in a noisy work environment and minimizing distractions. Remote work options can make it easier for people with chronic illnesses to be employed, and they similarly benefit others who may have caregiving responsibilities – helping attract and retain talented employees. Text-to-speech software provides people with cerebral palsy and nonspeaking individuals with options for communication, similar to options that many people already use on their phones.

    A large body of research demonstrates the broad benefits of making jobs and schools more accessible to people with disabilities, which is ultimately an advantage for everyone.

    Studies on diversity in educational and workplace settings also demonstrate positive outcomes. In a study of 10 public universities, researchers found that students who reported positive, informal interactions with diverse peers had higher scores on measures of more complex thinking, a concern for the public good and an interest in poverty issues, and were more likely to vote and develop strong leadership skills.

    In a national survey of human resources managers conducted in 2019, 92% of the respondents who were aware that one or more of their employees had a disability said those individuals performed the same or better than their peers who did not.

    Research published by the Harvard Business Review found many advantages to hiring people with disabilities.

    For one thing, people with disabilities can have unique insights that contribute to the workplace culture. The presence of employees with disabilities can make the environment of entire companies and organizations more collaborative. Earning a reputation for inclusiveness and social responsibility can improve customer relations and can give businesses an edge when they seek funding and recruit talented new employees.

    Ultimately, I believe it’s important to create conditions where anyone can thrive, including people with disabilities. Doing so benefits everyone.

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

    – ref. Why including people with disabilities in the workforce and higher education benefits everyone – https://theconversation.com/why-including-people-with-disabilities-in-the-workforce-and-higher-education-benefits-everyone-249676

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Elon Musk’s deep ties to – and admiration for – China could complicate Trump’s Beijing policy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Linggong Kong, Ph.D. Student, Auburn University

    Elon Musk holds an outsized influence in the new Trump administration.

    As head of his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, the world’s wealthiest man has enjoyed nearly unfettered political power in slashing and refashioning the federal government as he sees fit. And it has quickly become clear that he has the president’s ear on issues beyond that brief.

    But on one topic, Musk stands somewhat apart from others in the coterie of aides and advisers around Trump: China. In contrast to the many hawks in the new Trump cabinet who call for a hard-line approach on China, Musk is a striking outlier.

    As an expert on China-U.S. relations who has monitored Musk’s views on China, I don’t find his long history of espousing pro-Chinese sentiment surprising, given that he has sought throughout to get a business hold in the country.

    But those entanglements are worth scrutiny, given Musk’s role in the Trump administration at a time when one of America’s biggest foreign policy challenges is how to manage its relationship with Beijing.

    Musk’s journey to the East

    For years, Musk has had significant business interests in China, with Tesla’s Shanghai factory, Tesla Giga Shanghai, playing a crucial role in the company’s global operations.

    Since its opening in 2019, the Shanghai plant has surpassed Tesla’s Fremont, California, facility in both size and productivity, now accounting for more than half of the company’s global deliveries and a majority of its profits. Moreover, nearly 40% of Tesla’s battery supply chain relies on Chinese companies, and these partnerships continue to expand.

    Elon Musk walks with Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong during the groundbreaking ceremony for a Tesla factory in Shanghai on Jan. 7, 2019.
    STR/AFP via Getty Images

    Notably, Tesla was the first foreign automaker permitted to establish operations in China without a local partner, following a change in ownership regulations. The Shanghai factory was constructed with the support of US$1.4 billion in loans from Chinese state-owned banks, granted at favorable interest rates.

    Between 2019 and 2023, the Shanghai government also provided Tesla with a reduced corporate tax rate of 15% – 10 percentage points lower than the standard rate.

    The cost advantages of manufacturing in Shanghai, which include lower production and labor expenses, have further cemented Tesla’s reliance on the Chinese market.

    Given that Musk’s wealth is largely tied to Tesla stock, his financial standing is increasingly dependent on the company’s fortunes in China, making any potential disengagement from the country both economically and strategically challenging.

    Tesla’s continued investment in China underscores this dependency. On Feb. 11, 2025, the company opened its second factory in Shanghai — a $200 million plant that is set to produce 10,000 megapack batteries annually. It’s the company’s first megapack battery factory outside the U.S..

    This investment deepens Tesla’s presence in China amid a new wave of U.S.-China trade tensions. On Feb. 1, the Trump administration imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, prompting Beijing’s retaliation with tariffs on American coal, liquefied natural gas, agricultural equipment and crude oil.

    A Chinese fan

    It remains unclear to what extent Musk’s financial interests in China will translate to real influence over the Trump administration’s policy toward Beijing. But Musk’s long history of pro-China remarks suggests the direction he wants the administration to move.

    During his visit to Beijing in April 2024, Musk praised the country, noting also: “I also have a lot of fans in China – well, the feeling is mutual.”

    His admiration appears to hinge in part on how he views business and labor practices in China. In that vein, Musk has criticized American workers as lazy and has faced U.S. labor law disputes, while simultaneously praising Chinese workers for “burning the 3 a.m. oil” under an intensely repressive labor system.

    In numerous posts on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, which he owns, Musk has also praised China’s infrastructure and high-speed rail system, lauded its space program, applauded its leadership in global green energy initiatives and urged his followers to visit the country.

    Musk has also opposed U.S. efforts to decouple from China, describing the countries’ economies as “conjoined twins,” despite a sizable part of the foreign policy establishment in the West viewing decreased dependency on China as necessary for security interests amid rising geopolitical tensions.

    On the issue of Taiwan, the most dangerous flashpoint in U.S.-China relations, Musk has compared Taiwan to Hawaii, arguing that it is an integral part of China and noting that the U.S. Pacific Fleet has prevented mainland China from achieving reunification by force.

    Musk further suggested that the Taiwan dispute could be resolved by allowing China to establish Taiwan as a special administrative zone, similar to Hong Kong.

    His remarks were shared and welcomed by China’s then-ambassador to the U.S., who, in a post on X, emphasized China’s so-called peaceful unification strategy and advocated for the “one country, two systems” model.

    Trump’s back-channel envoy?

    The big question going forward is how Musk’s financial stakes in, and stated admiration for, China will translate into attempts to influence the U.S. administration’s China policy, particularly given Musk’s unconventional advisory role and the strong faction of anti-China hawks in Trumpworld.

    Given Musk’s approach to China, it’s hard to see him not trying to use his influence with the president to push for somewhat warmer relations with Beijing.

    If such counsel were heeded, it’s easy to envision Musk leveraging his deep ties to China, particularly his close personal relationship with China’s current second-ranking official, Premier Li Qiang, who was the Shanghai party chief when Tesla’s factory was built. In the scenario, Donald Trump could tap Musk as a back channel for diplomacy to ease U.S.-China tensions and facilitate bilateral cooperation when needed.

    To this point, it was, perhaps, telling that it was Musk who met with China President Xi Jinping’s envoy to Trump’s inauguration, Vice President Han Zheng, on the eve of the event.

    But it’s far from certain that Trump wants that diplomatic role for Musk, or that other voices won’t win out with regard to Beijing. In his first term, Trump launched an unprecedented trade war and tech blockade against China, fundamentally reshaping U.S.-China relations and pushing the U.S. toward something of a bipartisan consensus to counter Beijing that has existed for several years.

    Trump’s tariff moves and second-term picks for top trade and commerce roles, like Peter Navarro and Jamieson Greer — who played key roles in the trade war against China during the president’s first term — suggest that Trump’s commitment to further decoupling from China remains strong.

    Furthermore, Musk’s business interests and personal wealth tied to China could leave him vulnerable to Chinese influence. By leaning on Musk’s close ties with Trump, China could use his dependence on the Chinese market as a bargaining chip to pressure Trump into making concessions on issues of major strategic importance to Beijing.

    China has a history of coercing foreign companies reliant on its market into making compromises on matters concerning its national interests. For instance, Apple removed virtual private network apps from its app store in China at the government’s request. Similarly, Tesla could face comparable pressure in the future if Beijing wants to use Musk as a cudgel to influence policy in the Trump administration. Notably, as the head of DOGE, with access to sensitive data from multiple agencies, Musk could find himself caught between U.S. security scrutiny and China’s strategic targeting.

    So long as Musk retains the influence with Trump that he holds now, it’s conceivable that his pro-China sentiments will translate into attempts to influence government policy. Yet even if this is to be the case, whether those efforts succeed will depend on the president and his other advisers, many of whom are seeking an aggressive front against Beijing and are likely to view Musk as an impediment rather than ally in that fight to come.

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

    – ref. How Elon Musk’s deep ties to – and admiration for – China could complicate Trump’s Beijing policy – https://theconversation.com/how-elon-musks-deep-ties-to-and-admiration-for-china-could-complicate-trumps-beijing-policy-249988

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: TruGolf Links to Launch Revolutionary Hybrid Golf Concept for Franchisees

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nexus Golf Invests for Minority Stake in TruGolf Links Subsidiary

    Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TruGolf Links, the franchise subsidiary of TruGolf Holdings, announced it’s bringing an innovative, fully patented hybrid golf simulator solution to the franchise market. This cutting-edge technology, five years in development, puts simulator technology onto physical golf courses allowing for a new, tech infused way of playing golf. Merging the virtual and physical worlds of golf has been recently popularized by the high-profile TGL (Tomorrow Golf League) giving proof that the golfing world is open to new and different playing formats. This groundbreaking product is made possible by TruGolf Links long standing close relationship with Nexus Golf. To further that relationship, Nexus Golf has announced a strategic investment in TruGolf Links.

    With this breakthrough, regional developers will have access to a next-generation indoor-outdoor golf experience, allowing consumers in their area to engage with the sport in an entirely new way. By merging advanced simulation technology with real-world gameplay, this hybrid solution offers a compelling and immersive alternative to traditional golf, making the sport more accessible, interactive, and engaging for players of all skill levels. It also will change the business equation for golf course operators, expanding operating hours, better leveraging existing infrastructure and creating new revenue streams. Hybrid golf technology will allow for full length golf to be played at night without lighting an entire golf course. Night golf is currently limited to smaller par 3 golf courses.

    “The decision to invest for a minority stake in TruGolf Links and reinforce our partnership was easy and obvious given our shared mission of redefining what is possible in golf through technology.” Said Tim Vale, Owner of Nexus Golf, LLC and Inventor of Nexus Hybrid Golf. Nexus Golf will invest $2 million in TruGolf Links and has already made the first tranche of the investment.

    TruGolf Links, the fast-growing franchise subsidiary of TruGolf Holdings, has positioned itself as a leader in the evolution of golf entertainment. With Nexus Golf’s backing, the brand is set to accelerate its expansion, providing franchise partners with a unique opportunity to deliver a broad array of customer solutions while capitalizing on the growing demand for immersive, technology-driven golf experiences.

    “This is a game-changer for the sport and the business of golf,” said Ben Litalien, Chief Development Officer at TruGolf Holdings. “By integrating the hybrid simulator concept into our franchise model, we are empowering regional developers to redefine the golf experience for a new generation of players. The Hybrid Golf product solves virtually every problem in golf including the time it takes to play, lost golf balls, land required, maintenance costs, intimidation factor and more.”

    The patented hybrid golf simulator solution will be rolled out across TruGolf Links franchise locations, creating new revenue streams for entrepreneurs while giving golf enthusiasts an exciting, modern way to enjoy the game year-round. We anticipate the first hybrid franchise location to be operational by the end of 2025.

    For more information on TruGolf Links franchise opportunities and the Nexus Golf investment, contact:

    Ben Litalien
    Chief Development Officer
    TruGolf Links
    franchise@trugolflinks.com
    1-888-845-4657
    trugolflinks.com

    About Nexus Golf

    Nexus Golf is a forward-thinking solutions company dedicated to advancing the future of golf through technology. Nexus Golf’s mission is to make the game more fun and accessible for consumers and more profitable for business owners.

    About TruGolf Links Franchising

    While the company offers individual franchises, the focus of its expansion efforts is with Regional Developers who acquire a territory of 1M or more in population, open a flagship location within that territory, then develop the territory with additional units they own or with independent franchisees. Regional Developers are compensated for attracting franchisees and providing support locally to all TruGolf Links locations within their territory.

    For more information about TruGolf Links franchise program, visit: www.trugolflinks.com/franchising.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Blockchain is Growing Fast, and Cloud Mining is a Popular Investment – ION Mining Expands Global Operations with High-Yield Contracts

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ION Mining, a leading global cloud mining platform, is excited to announce its latest cloud mining plans for 2025, designed to offer investors and cryptocurrency enthusiasts higher returns, enhanced sustainability, and greater accessibility. With the rapid expansion of the cryptocurrency market, ION Mining continues to revolutionize Bitcoin and Ethereum mining with cutting-edge technology and environmentally friendly solutions.

    Introducing New High-Yield Mining Contracts

    To meet the growing demand for secure and profitable cloud mining, ION Mining has launched exclusive 2025 mining contracts, offering competitive returns and a seamless user experience:

    • Basic Cloud Computing Plan – Invest $300, earn $27.3 in 5 days
    • Classic Cloud Computing Plan – Invest $1,200, earn $388.8 in 15 days
    • Advanced Cloud Computing Plan – Invest $5,000, earn $1,155 in 10 days
    • Super Cloud Computing Plan – Invest $11,000, earn $8,118 in 30 days

    Each contract ensures a full return of the initial investment at the end of the term, allowing users to reinvest or withdraw their earnings with complete flexibility.

    Why Choose ION Mining?

    Founded in 2017 and headquartered in the UK, ION Mining is authorized and regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority (FCA), providing a secure and compliant platform for users worldwide. With over 100 global data centers across North America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and South America, ION Mining guarantees a stable and transparent mining environment.

    Key benefits of ION Mining include:

    • Instant Access & Zero-Cost Trial – New users receive a $15 bonus upon registration, allowing them to test the platform risk-free.
    • State-of-the-Art Technology – Utilizing industry-leading mining hardware such as Bitmain and NVIDIA for maximum efficiency.
    • Eco-Friendly Mining Operations – Powered by renewable energy sources, reducing environmental impact and operational costs.
    • No Hidden Fees – Transparent pricing structure with no unexpected maintenance or withdrawal charges.

    A Sustainable Future in Cryptocurrency Mining

    As part of its commitment to sustainability, ION Mining is expanding its use of green energy solutions, ensuring an eco-conscious approach to cryptocurrency mining. By leveraging solar and wind power, ION Mining reduces carbon footprints while maintaining profitability for its users.

    Join ION Mining and Start Earning Today!

    ION Mining provides a secure, efficient, and lucrative solution for individuals looking to generate passive income in the cryptocurrency space. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced investor, ION Mining’s flexible plans cater to all financial goals. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of the next evolution in cloud mining.

    For more information and to start mining today, visit: https://ionmining.com/

    Contact:
    Email: info@ionmining.com
    Website: https://ionmining.com/

    About ION Mining:
    ION Mining is a global leader in cloud mining solutions, offering secure, efficient, and sustainable cryptocurrency mining services. Established in 2017, ION Mining is fully regulated and continues to set industry standards in innovation and transparency.

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by ION Mining. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the sponsor and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in cloud mining and related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1fec530c-720f-4cda-ad75-9ef83f4e7ebb

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fb1d4172-f7c7-47cb-a4e2-d008a395d950

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f981166c-5cbc-4ddd-bf3d-17ce8638dc31

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Red Cat Holdings Proud to Announce Teal’s Black Widow™ and FlightWave’s Edge 130 Selected as Winners of the Blue UAS Refresh     

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or the “Company”), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, today announced that its Black Widow drone and FlightWave Edge 130 were included on the list of 23 platforms and 14 unique components and capabilities selected as winners of the Blue UAS Refresh. The platforms will undergo National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) verification and cyber security review with the ultimate goal of joining the Blue UAS List.

    Over the coming months, the Blue UAS List and Blue UAS Framework will expand with new additions. The inclusion of the Black Widow and Edge 130 as winners of the Refresh further validates Red Cat’s commitment to delivering NDAA-compliant unmanned systems for defense and government applications.

    “We applaud the DIU’s ongoing diligence and focus on U.S. drone manufacturing,” said Jeff Thompson, Red Cat CEO. “The inclusion of both Teal’s Black Widow and FlightWave’s Edge 130 in the NDAA verification and cyber security review underscores our dedication to providing safe and secure solutions for the U.S. military and the warfighters that use them. As national security concerns around drone technology continue to grow, our systems ensure that the military and government agencies have access to reliable, mission-ready platforms.”

    Teal’s Black Widow is Red Cat’s small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) designed for short-range reconnaissance (SRR) missions. The system, which was down selected for the U.S. Army’s SRR Program of Record contract, provides military operators with improved situational awareness, autonomous capabilities, and rugged performance in contested environments. The company recently announced a partnership with Palantir to integrate Visual Navigation software (VNav) into Red Cat’s Black Widow drones.

    FlightWave’s Edge 130 is a high-endurance vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone engineered for medium-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. Its modular payload system and extended flight capabilities make it a versatile asset for defense and government missions.

    Inclusion in the review continues Red Cat’s legacy of having Blue listed solutions, including Teal 2 and Golden Eagle. Pending inclusion in the updated Blue UAS approved list, Red Cat’s drones can continue to be easily procured by the U.S. Department of Defense, federal agencies, and allied partners, eliminating lengthy waiver processes and ensuring rapid deployment to the field.

    For more information on Red Cat’s approved Blue UAS products, visit www.redcat.red or the official DIU Blue UAS page at www.diu.mil/blue-uas.

    About Red Cat Holdings, Inc.

    Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) is a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations. Through two wholly owned subsidiaries, Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace, Red Cat has developed a Family of Systems. This includes the Black Widow™, a small unmanned ISR system that was awarded the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Program of Record contract. The Family of Systems also includes TRICHON™, a fixed-wing VTOL for extended endurance and range, and FANG™, the industry’s first line of NDAA-compliant FPV drones optimized for military operations with precision strike capabilities. Learn more at www.redcat.red.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Red Cat Holdings, Inc.’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2023. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

    Contact:

    INVESTORS:
    E-mail: Investors@redcat.red

    NEWS MEDIA:
    Phone: (347) 880-2895
    Email: peter@indicatemedia.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes ZRCN Inc. to OTCQX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced ZRCN Inc. (OTCQX: ZRCN), is a manufacturer and seller of digitally-enabled hand-tools, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market.

    ZRCN, Inc. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “ZRCN.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

    Trading on the OTCQX Market offers companies efficient, cost-effective access to the U.S. capital markets. Streamlined market requirements for OTCQX are designed to help companies lower the cost and complexity of being publicly traded, while providing transparent trading for their investors. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

    “We are pleased to begin trading on the OTCQX, which provides an excellent platform for investors to engage with ZRCN as we continue to innovate in the high-tech construction tool and electronic device industries,” said John Stauss, CEO of Zircon Corporation. “This milestone supports our mission to grow ZRCN globally, deliver value to our stakeholders and enhance accessibility for investors.”

    About ZRCN, Inc.
    ZRCN Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary Zircon Corporation, is a global manufacturer and seller of digitally-enabled hand-tools, including stud-sensors, A/C detectors, fluid detection alert sensors, and other innovative digital and electronic tools. Leveraging over 200 individual patents based on sensor and semiconductor-based technologies, Zircon has been a leader in its field for nearly 50 years. In 2025, the company will proudly celebrate its 50th anniversary, marking a legacy of industry innovation and a commitment to quality for customers worldwide.

    To learn more about ZRCN, Inc., visit https://investors.zrcn.com/.

    About OTC Markets Group Inc.
    OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market.
    Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

    OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

    To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

    Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

    Media Contact:
    OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

    ZRCN Corporation, +1 (800) 245-9265, media@zircon.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Can Financial Systems Withstand the Next Crisis? | World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    While the global financial system has shown resilience against recent shocks, it faces numerous challenges stemming from rapid technological advances, increased geopolitical tensions and divergent monetary policies.

    What key factors are behind a relatively stable financial system and what lessons can be learned to build up resilience against future shocks?

    This session was developed in collaboration with Bloomberg Television and is linked to the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems.

    Speakers: Suzan Kereere, Raghuram G. Rajan, Sergio P. Ermotti, Klaas Knot, Francine Lacqua, Lim Chow-Kiat

    The 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum will provide a crucial space to focus on the fundamental principles driving trust, including transparency, consistency and accountability.

    This Annual Meeting will welcome over 100 governments, all major international organizations, 1000 Forum’s Partners, as well as civil society leaders, experts, youth representatives, social entrepreneurs, and news outlets.

    The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/
    Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/
    YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef
    Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/
    X ► https://twitter.com/wef
    LinkedIn ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum
    TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@worldeconomicforum
    Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF

    #Davos2025 #WorldEconomicForum #wef25

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPNA9aAzSB4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: CampDoc and Traction Rec Partnership Elevates Community-Based Programs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANN ARBOR, Mich., Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CampDoc, the leading camp management and electronic health record system for camps and youth programs, has joined forces with Traction Rec, a premier membership and program management platform, to streamline operations and elevate health and safety for YMCAs, JCCs, Boys and Girls Clubs, and parks and recreation organizations.

    This integration connects CampDoc’s camp management and health and safety tools with Traction Rec’s comprehensive program management platform, empowering organizations to deliver a seamless experience for participants and staff. Key features include automated account provisioning and data syncing, reducing administrative work and ensuring that critical health information is easily accessible when it’s needed most.

    “Partnering with Traction Rec is an exciting step in helping YMCAs, JCCs, and other community-based organizations enhance their operations,” said Dr. Michael Ambrose, Founder and CEO of CampDoc. “This integration brings simplicity and security to health management, so organizations can focus on delivering transformative experiences for participants.”

    Traction Rec is trusted by community-based organizations to manage membership, programs, and operations. With this integration, organizations running summer camps, youth programs, child care, or other out-of-school time events can now efficiently manage participant health and have instant access to allergies, medications, immunizations, and illness and injury reporting.

    “At Traction Rec, our goal is to equip organizations with the tools they need to operate more efficiently and focus on what truly matters,” said Lara Gilchrist, CEO of Traction Rec. “Partnering with CampDoc allows us to help customers tackle critical health and safety challenges, so they can dedicate more time and energy to strengthening their programs, supporting staff, and serving their communities.”

    This partnership highlights a shared vision to use technology to simplify operations, improve participant health and safety, and meet the growing demand for secure, user-friendly solutions. Together, CampDoc and Traction Rec are setting a new standard for health and program management in the nonprofit and community sector.

    YMCAs, JCCs, and other community-based organizations interested in exploring the CampDoc-Traction Rec integration can visit www.campdoc.com or www.tractionrec.com for more information.

    About DocNetwork
    CampDoc and SchoolDoc offer the most comprehensive Electronic Health Record (EHR) solution to help ensure the health and safety of children while they are away from home. DocNetwork is trusted by over 1,250 programs across all 50 states and internationally, including traditional day and residential camps, aquariums, museums, zoos, YMCAs, JCCs, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, parks and recreation facilities, colleges and universities, and K-12 public, private, and charter schools. For more information about DocNetwork and web-based health management, please visit www.campdoc.com, www.schooldoc.com, or call 734-619-8300.

    About Traction Rec
    Traction Rec is a leading provider of technology solutions for nonprofit community centers and parks and recreation organizations. Utilizing the Salesforce platform, Traction Rec is a purpose-built solution that empowers community organizations to efficiently manage memberships, programs, social services, financial operations and more. With a focus on innovation and community impact, Traction Rec continues to be a key player in driving the digital transformation of the nonprofit sector. To learn more, visit www.tractionrec.com.

    Contact:

    For DocNetwork:
    Michael Ambrose, M.D.
    734-619-8300
    michael@docnetwork.org

    For Traction Rec:
    Alysia Withers
    awithers@tractionrec.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple will spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple will spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years

    February 24, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple will spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years

    Teams and facilities to expand in Michigan, Texas, California, Arizona, Nevada, Iowa, Oregon, North Carolina, and Washington

    Plans include a new factory in Texas, doubling the U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund, a manufacturing academy, and accelerated investments in AI and silicon engineering

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced its largest-ever spend commitment, with plans to spend and invest more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. This new pledge builds on Apple’s long history of investing in American innovation and advanced high-skilled manufacturing, and will support a wide range of initiatives that focus on artificial intelligence, silicon engineering, and skills development for students and workers across the country.

    “We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing U.S. investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “From doubling our Advanced Manufacturing Fund, to building advanced technology in Texas, we’re thrilled to expand our support for American manufacturing. And we’ll keep working with people and companies across this country to help write an extraordinary new chapter in the history of American innovation.”

    As part of this package of U.S. investments, Apple and partners will open a new advanced manufacturing facility in Houston to produce servers that support Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that helps users write, express themselves, and get things done. Apple will also double its U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund, create an academy in Michigan to train the next generation of U.S. manufacturers, and grow its research and development investments in the U.S. to support cutting-edge fields like silicon engineering.

    The $500 billion commitment includes Apple’s work with thousands of suppliers across all 50 states, direct employment, Apple Intelligence infrastructure and data centers, corporate facilities, and Apple TV+ productions in 20 states. Apple remains one of the largest U.S. taxpayers, having paid more than $75 billion in U.S. taxes over the past five years, including $19 billion in 2024 alone.

    Today, Apple supports more than 2.9 million jobs across the country through direct employment, work with U.S.-based suppliers and manufacturers, and developer jobs in the thriving iOS app economy.

    Opening a New Manufacturing Facility in Houston

    As part of its new U.S. investments, Apple will work with manufacturing partners to begin production of servers in Houston later this year. A 250,000-square-foot server manufacturing facility, slated to open in 2026, will create thousands of jobs.

    Previously manufactured outside the U.S., the servers that will soon be assembled in Houston play a key role in powering Apple Intelligence, and are the foundation of Private Cloud Compute, which combines powerful AI processing with the most advanced security architecture ever deployed at scale for AI cloud computing. The servers bring together years of R&D by Apple engineers, and deliver the industry-leading security and performance of Apple silicon to the data center.

    Teams at Apple designed the servers to be incredibly energy efficient, reducing the energy demands of Apple data centers — which already run on 100 percent renewable energy. As Apple brings Apple Intelligence to customers across the U.S., it also plans to continue expanding data center capacity in North Carolina, Iowa, Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada.

    Doubling Apple’s U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund

    As part of this new investment, Apple is doubling its U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund, which was created in 2017 to support world-class innovation and high-skilled manufacturing jobs across America. The growing commitment will increase the fund from $5 billion to $10 billion, focused on promoting advanced manufacturing and skills development throughout the country.

    The fund’s expansion includes a multibillion-dollar commitment from Apple to produce advanced silicon in TSMC’s Fab 21 facility in Arizona. Apple is the largest customer at this state-of-the-art facility, which employs more than 2,000 workers to manufacture the chips in the United States. Mass production of Apple chips began last month.

    Silicon used by Apple is designed to bring Apple users incredible features, performance, and power efficiency across their devices. Apple’s suppliers already manufacture silicon in 24 factories across 12 states, including Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, and Utah. The company’s investments in the sector help create thousands of high-paying jobs across the country at U.S. companies like Broadcom, Texas Instruments, Skyworks, and Qorvo.

    To date, Apple’s U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund has supported projects in 13 states — including Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Indiana — that have helped build local businesses, train workers, and create a wide range of innovative manufacturing processes and materials for Apple products.

    Growing R&D Investments Across the U.S.

    Apple continues to expand its R&D across the U.S. In the past five years, Apple has nearly doubled its U.S.-based advanced R&D spend, and it will continue to accelerate its growth.

    Recently, Apple announced the newest addition to its iPhone lineup, iPhone 16e. iPhone 16e delivers fast, smooth performance and breakthrough battery life, thanks to the industry-leading efficiency of the A18 chip and the new Apple C1 — the first cellular modem designed by Apple, and the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone. Apple C1 adds a new chapter to the story of Apple silicon and is the result of years of R&D investment, bringing together the work of thousands of engineers. Apple C1 is the start of a long-term strategy that will allow Apple to innovate and optimize the modem system for additional Apple products.

    In the next four years, Apple plans to hire around 20,000 people, of which the vast majority will be focused on R&D, silicon engineering, software development, and AI and machine learning. The expanded commitment includes significant investment in Apple’s R&D hubs across the country. This includes growing teams across the U.S. focused on areas including custom silicon, hardware engineering, software development, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

    Supporting American Businesses with a New Manufacturing Academy in Detroit

    To help companies transition to advanced manufacturing, Apple will open the Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit. Apple engineers, along with experts from top universities such as Michigan State, will consult with small- and medium-sized businesses on implementing AI and smart manufacturing techniques. The academy will also offer free in-person and online courses, with a skills development curriculum that teaches workers vital skills like project management and manufacturing process optimization. The courses will help drive productivity, efficiency, and quality in companies’ supply chains.

    Apple has long been committed to investing in education and skills development for American workers and students. That includes ongoing and expanding grant programs for organizations like 4-H, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and FIRST, which work closely with Apple in communities across the country to create free programming that helps young people learn vital skills like coding.

    Apple’s support for the next generation of innovators also includes efforts like the company’s New Silicon Initiative, which prepares students for careers in hardware engineering and silicon chip design. Last year, this program expanded to students at Georgia Tech, and it now reaches students at eight schools across the country. Apple is continuing to expand the initiative, including a new collaboration with UCLA’s Center for Education of Microchip Designers (CEMiD) beginning this year.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    Press Contacts

    Nick Leahy

    Apple

    nleahy@apple.com

    Anna Mitchell

    Apple

    anna_m@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Derby’s Market Hall to reopen after £35.1m refurbishment

    Source: City of Derby

    The doors to Derby’s historic Market Hall will open again to the public on Saturday 24 May – almost 159 years to the day since its original grand opening.

    Visitors will see at first hand the results of a careful, multi-million-pound restoration, aimed at preserving the rich heritage of the Grade II-listed building while also introducing modern enhancements.

    The Market Hall was officially declared open on 29 May,1866, by Mayor Frederick Longdon. When the occasion was marked an appropriate inaugural ceremony, including a performance of Handel’s Messiah. 

    The transformed Market Hall will bring together the best of the region’s independent shopping, eating, drinking and entertainment and will offer a variety of new features and experiences for visitors including:

    • A carefully curated mix of traditional and themed stalls, including quality fresh produce
    • Make and trade stalls and creative spaces
    • a cosmopolitan food court and bars
    • Events and pop-up activity

    Wates Construction, which has an extensive track record of heritage restoration work across the UK, led an expert team of local architects and engineers – including Latham Architects, Rogers Leask, and Clancy Consultants – on the flagship project.

    Derby City Council also appointed design consultancy Hemingway Design to help bring alive an ambition to create a building that will be a hub for creatives, makers and traders, building on the city’s heritage of innovation and industry.

    The £35.1m transformation, partly funded with £9.43m from the Governments Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) began with the Market Hall’s most iconic feature: the striking cast iron, copper, and glass roof. Designed by Melbourne engineer Rowland Mason Ordish, whose later work included the roof of London’s St Pancras railway station, this distinctive element needed significant repair.  

    Previously, the Market Hall often had to close to customers if there was a chance of strong winds, snow, or heavy rain in case the glass windows came out of their frames. These windows have now been replaced, and the extensive structural restoration of the roof was finished in August 2022.

    The revitalised Market Hall has also been redesigned with accessibility and inclusion at its heart, making it an accessible building for all visitors.

    Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, said:

    I’m thrilled to announce that the historic Derby Market Hall will be reopening its doors on Saturday 24 May 2025. The building is a treasure for Derby and its reopening has been highly anticipated by many. This is a historic moment for everyone in the city to be celebrated by all.

    Derby Market Hall will be a flagship, vibrant destination that will attract visitors from across the region and beyond. I am truly excited for the opening event, and I know that visitors will enjoy everything that the revitalised Market Hall has to offer.

    Located at the heart of the city centre, linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter with the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, the redeveloped Market Hall will play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre and is expected to generate £3.64m for the local economy every year. 

    Plans are now underway for an official event to mark the reopening of the Derby Market Hall.

    Follow Derby Market Hall on Facebook and Instagram, or visit the website, to find out more. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Crypto Fight Night Hong Kong Draws 550 Elite Attendees and 600,000 Global Viewers, Setting the Stage for 2025 World Tour

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Hong Kong, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — – On Thursday evening Crypto Fight Night (CFN) took centrestage with an exclusive, sold-out event held in tandem with the highly anticipated Consensus Hong Kong, the premier crypto conference. Hosted at the iconic Grand Hyatt, the event captivated a global audience both in-person and online, drawing 550 of the most influential figures in the crypto space. Attendees included top-tier founders, visionary thought leaders, and major investors, solidifying its position as a premier networking opportunity and providing a unique look into the crypto industry. 

    Beyond the excitement at the live event, the Hong Kong event attracted a significant online audience, with over 600,000 viewers streaming the fight across multiple platforms. The broadcast reached audiences worldwide, with the highest viewership coming from the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Thailand. Social media engagement was equally impressive, with 1.2 million impressions and 100,000 engagements across platforms. 

    The night was full of high-stakes clashes, incredible comebacks, and victories. The main showcase fight of the night was between high-profile rivals Korean Jew and Crypto Bitlord. The rivals were close from the start, prompting Korean Jew to set the tone early with a decisive MMA takedown, but Crypto Bitlord regained momentum in the later rounds, landing a clean knockdown that shifted the tide. After a hard-fought contest, Crypto Bitlord secured a unanimous decision victory, reinforcing his reputation as a formidable competitor.  

    In the YouTube division, MyMateNate dominated his opponents and called out Deji for a potential showdown. Meanwhile, the underdog, The Iron Bit pushed Biel to the distance but ultimately lost as Biel’s striking power proved decisive. Overcome by emotions, Biel dedicated his win to his late grandfather, who passed away the week before.  

    CFN’s 2025 Roadmap
    Earlier this month CFN unveiled its 2025 roadmap, sharing plans to expand into major sporting hubs globally. The upcoming event will be held in Paris on April 9th, in official partnership with Paris Blockchain Week. This partnership highlights CFN’s commitment to bridging the gap between sports and blockchain technology. Fighters and sponsors can join the action by signing up through the CFN website. 

    Rahul Suri, Founder of Crypto Fight Night and Partner at Ghaf Capital, said “The Hong Kong event showcased the powerful connection between the realms of cryptocurrency and combat sports. As we gear up for our 2025 World Tour, beginning with Paris Blockchain Week, we are thrilled to keep bridging the gap between blockchain innovation and the electrifying energy of combat sports.”

    Following Paris, CFN will continue its world tour with events scheduled in Dubai and Las Vegas in May, London in October, Tokyo in August, Singapore in October, Bangkok in November, and Miami in December 2025. Additionally, CFN is proud to be an official partner of Paris Blockchain Week and to announce that long-time sponsor BONK will continue its support, bringing along the beloved BONK-girls to enhance the excitement of the CFN 2025 World Tour.  

    Sign up to Fight in Paris: https://www.cfn.wtf/fighter-application
    Sign up to Sponsor CFN Paris: https://www.cfn.wtf/sponsor-application

    -ENDS-

    About Crypto Fight Night

    Crypto Fight Night is an avant-garde platform designed to bring together the dynamic energy of combat sports to the futuristic audience of crypto investors, entrepreneurs, and influencers. Founded by Rahul Suri of Ghaf Capital, along with Jai Vora and RookieXBT, the first edition was held in 2021. Organized under the banner of Savy Promotions, CFN has garnered critical acclaim from both the boxing and crypto communities, experiencing continuous growth annually with millions of live streams, through a series of successful championships. CFN’s pioneering collaboration with the World Boxing Council represents a historic milestone in both the professional boxing and the crypto domain, establishing CFN as a distinctive and influential Crossover Boxing IP. Off-chain is CFN’s international event series, uniting regional fans from across the globe.

    For more details: https://cfn.wtf/ 

    Follow: X | Instagram

    Media Contact
    Romina Perino
    romina@lunapr.io
    Luna PR

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales and Qatar Airways Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Develop Local Service Hub in Doha

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales and Qatar Airways Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Develop Local Service Hub in Doha

    Thales, a global technology leader in the defence, aerospace, cybersecurity and digital solutions markets, and Qatar Airways, voted the World’s Best Airline by Skytrax in 2024, have today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a dedicated Inflight Entertainment (IFE) service and maintenance center based in Doha, Qatar.

    The mission of a local Thales facility is to provide rapid access to comprehensive services such as repair, spare distribution, technical assistance and line maintenance for the full range of Thales IFE products.

    ©Qatar Airways

    This will drive Qatar Airways’ operational excellence and support the airline’s ambitious growth plans to serve a large quantity of aircraft. In line with Qatar Vision 2030, this partnership will contribute to the growth of the aerospace and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operations) ecosystem and bring high-skilled jobs to the country.

    This MOU builds on a strong and long-standing relationship between the two companies. Over the years, Thales has been Qatar Airways’ trusted IFE provider for several aircraft platforms, including their Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, A350 and A380 aircraft. This partnership was recently expanded to include Qatar Airways’ new A321 NX fleet, which will be equipped with Thales’ award-winning FlytEDGE cloud-native IFE solution.

    Qatar Airways Chief MRO Officer, Mr Ali Al Saadi said: “We are pleased to see the progression of our work with Thales. It is vitally important that we continue to explore new ways to ensure our technology and capabilities are at the cutting edge of modern aviation, and I am confident that our partnership with Thales will enable this to happen.”

    Thomas Got, Vice President, Aviation Global Services at Thales said:, “Our partnership with Qatar Airways is growing stronger. This MOU underscores our shared commitment to even greater operational excellence and lays the groundwork for developing a local service hub and expertise in Doha, to support the airline’s future growth ambitions.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Support grassroots music venues with a levy on stadium tickets

    Source: Mayor of London

    • Grassroots Music Venues (GMVs) play an indispensable role in producing new talent and growing the UK music scene. Analysis by the Music Venue Trust shows 88 out of the 96 artists (92 per cent) in the 2024 Glastonbury line-up started their careers performing at grassroots venues.1
    • According to the Music Venue Trust, 2023 was the worst year for venue closures since the organisation was launched 10 years ago, with 125 venues shutting down in the UK.2
    • In 2023, GMVs spent £248 million on presenting live music but only generated £131 million in ticket revenue.3
    • On 4th February 2025, the Mayor announced a ‘Nightlife Taskforce’ made up of 11 independent industry professionals to look at the “challenges and opportunities” to the night time economy and find ways to improve it.4

    The London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills Committee has today published its report – London’s Night-Time Economy – supporting calls for the live music industry to introduce a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets to support GMVs in London.

    The report follows an in-depth investigation by the Committee, which saw industry experts, professionals and local authorities provide evidence on London’s night-time economy, what work is currently being done, and any barriers preventing further growth in the sector.

    Key recommendations in the report include:

    • The Mayor should advocate for London’s live music industry to introduce a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets to support grassroots music venues in London.
    • The Mayor should work with London Councils to promote best practice in licensing. This should include adding the Ask for Angela scheme to venues licensing conditions, so that operation of the scheme becomes enforceable as part of routine licensing visits.
    • The Mayor should instruct Transport for London to carry out an impact assessment and review existing night tube provision since 2016. This should assess the practicability, benefits or difficulties of expanding the night tube.
    • The Mayor should develop a code of practice for organisations in the entertainment sector in London who employ freelancers, to ensure better pay and conditions for these workers, along similar lines to the Good Work Standard.

    Marina Ahmad AM, Chair of the Economy, Culture and Skills Committee, said:

    “London’s night-time economy plays a pivotal role in the wider economy of the city. One in every four pounds spent in London is spent between 6pm and 6am.

    “Through our investigation, we heard directly from industry experts who highlighted a number of barriers which are preventing further growth in the sector.

    “A key point raised was that grassroots music venues face incredibly challenging financial situations, due to the slim profit margins and increases in rent and business rates.

    “We know that the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee support the introduction a voluntary levy on arena and stadium tickets to support GMVs, which is why we are calling on the Mayor to support this call, and help these vital venues continue to thrive in London.

    “We are also keen to see the Ask for Angela scheme to form part of venue licensing conditions, to ensure the safety of women and girls in London’s night life.

    “Our report highlights a number of key recommendations which we have shared with the Mayor’s Nightlife Taskforce, and we will push for our recommendations to help shape the work of the taskforce to help London reach its goal of being a leading 24 hour city.”

    Follow us @LondonAssembly.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Temporary closure of Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Swimming Pool

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Attention TV/radio announcers:

    Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

         Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (February 24) that due to urgent maintenance works, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Swimming Pool in Central and Western District has been temporarily closed until further notice.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Schools participate in Anti-“Space Oil Drug” Week campaign (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Anti-“Space Oil Drug” Week campaign, co-organised by the Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau and the Education Bureau (EDB), is being held in all schools in Hong Kong this week from February 24 to 28. The campaign aims to enhance the correct understanding among students of the harm of the “space oil drug” and strengthen their resolve to stay away from drugs. Diverse learning activities will be held in schools, including talks, anti-drug videos and drama shows, as well as dissemination of anti-“space oil drug” messages in class.
     
         A spokesperson from the ND said, “The EDB has produced and uploaded anti-‘space oil drug’ life event examples and a music video entitled ‘Building Our Dreams – Let’s Knock Drugs Out’, and has issued a circular informing schools of the relevant resources produced by various government departments for reference and deployment. The ND has also provided anti-‘space oil drug’ publicity materials to schools. Following the campaign, the Government will continue to incorporate knowledge about combating the ‘space oil drug’ in preventive education and publicity in schools. We also welcome schools to arrange visits for students to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre.”
     
         A spokesperson from the EDB emphasised, “The EDB has always attached importance to the cultivating of correct values and positive life attitudes among students, guiding them to practice lawful and appropriate behavior, and establishing healthy lifestyles. We encourage schools to teach students to stay away from the ‘space oil drug’ through learning activities of the campaign, and work together to protect our next generation from the harm of drugs. We also urge teachers, school social workers and parents to work hand in hand. If they notice any signs of drug use among students, they should refer the students to suitable counselling and treatment programmes.”
     
         Action Committee Against Narcotics member Dr Rizwan Ullah, who is also an education worker, agreed that schools must take actions to remind students of the harm of the “space oil drug” and educate students in ways to resist drug temptations in schools. Dr Ullah said, “Drug problems may appear in any school, and the school sector must take the initiative to deal with it. The Anti-‘Space Oil Drug’ Week provides an opportunity for schools to intensively educate their students about the harm of drugs and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. I noticed that some schools are actively holding activities under the campaign, and also joining hands with others in the community to safeguard schools from drugs. Indeed, everyone can make a contribution to the anti-drug cause.”
     
         Students or others who face issues related to the “space oil drug” or have other drug problems can contact professional social workers for information or assistance through WhatsApp or WeChat at 98 186 186, or call the 24-hour hotline at 186 186.      

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: 4/2025・Trifork Group AG – Change to the Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 4 / 2025
     Schindellegi, Switzerland – 24 February 2025


    Change to the Board of Directors

    Casey Rosenthal, Member of the Board of Directors of Trifork Group AG since 2019, is joining Trifork’s US organization in an operational role and has therefore left the Board of Directors with immediate effect.

    Casey Rosenthal will be a member of the management team of Trifork US, leading growth in the Platform and Data Engineering space. Pairing his extensive experience in managing large-scale platforms with Trifork’s expertise in building scalable, resilient solutions, Casey Rosenthal will be key in executing Trifork’s ambition to continue the strong growth witnessed in North America in the past years.

    Before joining Trifork US, Casey Rosenthal was a software entrepreneur and an engineering manager in the Traffic Engineering and Chaos Engineering teams at Netflix. He has managed teams to tackle big data and architect solutions to difficult problems. He finds opportunities to leverage his experience with distributed systems and artificial intelligence, translating novel algorithms and academia into working models. Casey Rosenthal also models human behavior using personality profiles in Ruby, Erlang, Elixir, Prolog, Scala, and other languages. He speaks frequently at conferences on the topics of chaos engineering and complexity.

    Investor and press contact:
    Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director & Head of IR
    frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 73 17


    About Trifork 
    Trifork is a pioneering global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative solutions. With 1,278 professionals across 76 business units in 15 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.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia and ACES-NH deploy 25G PON-based neutral host fiber network to enhance broadband connectivity across Saudi Arabia #MWC25

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    Nokia and ACES-NH deploy 25G PON-based neutral host fiber network to enhance broadband connectivity across Saudi Arabia #MWC25

    • ACES-NH first to deploy a 25G PON-based neutral host fiber network in Saudi Arabia, providing service providers across the region with access to high-speed connectivity to operators, residential, enterprise and SMEs users.
    • Nokia’s Altiplano network automation solution will enable ACES-NH to streamline operations, lower costs and enhance internet service delivery.
    • Nokia is the only vendor that supports all next-generation PON options, including 10G, 25G, 50G, and future 100G PON technologies.

    24 February 2025
    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Nokia today announced that ACES-NH successfully deployed Saudi Arabia’s first-ever 25G PON-based neutral host network, marking a significant milestone in the country’s fiber evolution. Built on Nokia’s fiber technology, the new network enables multiple service providers to leverage a unified infrastructure, minimizing redundancy and driving enhanced connectivity to bolster Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

    The neutral host model allows multiple service providers to share a high-performance fiber broadband network, improving efficiency and reducing infrastructure duplication. As the leading supplier of 25G PON technology, Nokia equips ACES-NH with a future-ready fiber platform, supporting evolving use cases — from residential broadband and enterprise connectivity to smart city services and industrial applications.

    ACES-NH’ open access network, powered by Nokia’s Altiplano Access Controller, leverages automation to streamline operations. The initial deployment comprises Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) and Optical Network Terminals (ONTs), laying the groundwork for future nationwide expansion and extended use cases for enterprises.

    Based on the Quillion chipset, Nokia’s 25G PON fiber broadband solution enables ACES-NH to deliver high-speed data and low latency for next-generation applications. This advancement ensures that businesses, small and medium enterprises, and consumers can enjoy seamless connectivity for cloud gaming, enterprise networking, and next-generation digital experiences.

    “Together with Nokia, we are proud to deliver Saudi Arabia’s first 25G PON-based neutral host network. This deployment transforms fiber connectivity in the Kingdom, giving multiple service providers secure, high-speed access over a shared infrastructure and reinforcing ACES-NH’ leadership in neutral host solutions.” said Dr. Luai Hasnawi, Chief of Fixed Network at ACES-NH.

    “This milestone marks a major shift toward “Fiber for Everything”. With 25G PON, infrastructure providers like ACES-NH can address residential, enterprise, and mobile transport needs on a single network, reducing costs and accelerating digital innovation across Saudi Arabia,” added Kamal Ballout, Head of Middle East and Africa Enterprise and Partners, Network Infrastructure at Nokia.

    Multimedia, technical information and related news 
    Product page: Nokia 25G PON
    Product page: Nokia Altiplano Access Controller
    Web page: Fiber for Everything

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation. 

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable, and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Media inquiries
    Nokia Middle East & Africa Communications
    Email: cordia.so@nokia.com

    Nokia Press Office
    Email: Press.Services@nokia.com

    Follow us on social media
    LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Kyivstar Selects Mavenir to Deliver Enhanced Enterprise Fixed-Mobile Convergence Services

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    READING, United Kingdom, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mavenir, the cloud-native network infrastructure provider building the future of networks, has been selected by Kyivstar, the leading Ukrainian digital operator, part of VEON Group (Dubai, UAE) to deliver enhanced Enterprise fixed and mobile connectivity for the operator’s B2B customers. Kyivstar has partnered with Mavenir to deploy its leading-edge, future-proof architecture and full-stack solution, including hardware, software and containerized platform.

    The FMC solution includes Converged Telephony Application Server (CTAS), Media Resource Function (MRF), Element Management System and Analytics Platform providing enterprise services. Mavenir also brings in-depth knowledge of the Ukrainian market, and an ability to deliver the solution with short timelines. Defne, a specialist in providing innovative voice solutions for the enterprise market, will be working alongside Mavenir to deliver some of the niche business services, whilst Mavenir will be responsible for the overall solution. Investment in world-class connectivity infrastructure remains a high priority for Kyivstar despite the conditions in the region.

    Kyivstar CIO, Andriy Zhukovskyi, said: “Connectivity is incredibly important in Ukraine at this time, and our role is to keep deploying the best services to all our customers. Mavenir has demonstrated to us that they have a world-class solution that meets the needs of our Enterprise customers, showcasing the ability to deliver on time – despite the extremely challenging environment in which we are working.”

    Dr. Virtyt Koshi, Senior Vice President and General Manager, EMEA at Mavenir, added: “The team at Kyivstar is committed to deliver cutting edge services, and we’re proud to be the preferred partner for this new Enterprise and Business Services capability.”

    -x-

    About Kyivstar:

    Kyivstar is Ukraine’s largest communications operator, serving more than 23.3 million mobile subscribers and over 1.1 million Home Internet fixed line customers (as of September 2024). The company provides services across a wide range of mobile and fixed line technologies, including 4G, Big Data, Cloud solutions, cybersecurity, digital TV, and more. Kyivstar plans to invest USD 1 billion into the development of new telecom technologies in Ukraine over 2023-2027. Kyivstar has allocated over UAH 2 billion over the past two years to help Ukraine overcome wartime challenges, including providing support for the Armed Forces, clients and social projects. Kyivstar is a part of VEON, global digital operator. The Group’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq (New York) stock exchange. Kyivstar has been operating in Ukraine for 27 years and is recognized as the largest taxpayer in the communications sector, the best employer and a socially responsible company. For more information: www.kyivstar.ua

    About Mavenir:

    Mavenir is building the future of networks today with cloud-native, AI-enabled solutions which are green by design, empowering operators to realize the benefits of 5G and achieve intelligent, automated, programmable networks. As the pioneer of Open RAN and a proven industry disruptor, Mavenir’s award-winning solutions are delivering automation and monetization across mobile networks globally, accelerating software network transformation for 300+ Communications Service Providers in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the world’s subscribers. For more information, please visit www.mavenir.com

    Meet Mavenir at Mobile World Congress 2025, Barcelona, Mar 3-6, 2025.

    To explore Mavenir’s latest innovations and learn more about how Mavenir is delivering the Future of Networks – Today, visit us in Hall 2 (Stand 2H60) at #MWC25.

    PR Contacts: pr@mavenir.com and pr@kyivstar.net

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Societe Generale: Appointment within the Societe Generale Group

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    APPOINTMENT WITHIN THE SOCIETE GENERALE GROUP

    Press release

    Paris, 24 February 2025

    Societe Generale announces the appointment of Lubomira Rochet as Executive Vice President in charge of Retail Banking activities in France, Private Banking and Insurance, as well as the Group’s Chief Operating Office (technology, procurement and real estate). She will join the Bank in April 2025. Lubomira will also become a member of the Group Executive Committee.

    Lubomira Rochet’s mission will be to assist Slawomir Krupa, Chief Executive Officer of Societe Generale, in overseeing Retail Banking activities in France (both SG retail network and BoursoBank), Private Banking and Insurance, as well as the activities of the Group’s Chief Operating Office (including technology, procurement and real estate).

    Lubomira Rochet is an accomplished leader with proven expertise in business transformation, digital businesses and in all aspects of customer relations, particularly for retail activities. She has held high-level responsibilities in these areas on a global scale with a compelling track record. Her technical skills, extensive experience, strategic vision and leadership will be key assets in advancing the development and transformation of the Group and our retail activities in France. She will contribute to enhancing our performance in terms of customer experience and satisfaction, business growth and operational efficiency to support our teams on the ground.

    Slawomir Krupa, Chief Executive Officer, comments: “I am pleased to announce the appointment of Lubomira Rochet to the Group Executive Committee. She will assist me in overseeing Retail Banking activities in France and will also bring her extensive expertise to our projects for the further growth of our retail banking activities and the technological transformation of the Group. Her talent and creativity will further enhance the blend of different skills and wide-ranging experiences within the Group’s leadership team. I wish her every success in her new role.”

    Biography 
     Lubomira Rochet has held strategic positions throughout her career in the technology, digital, and retail sectors. From 2003 to 2007, she was responsible for strategy at Sogeti (Capgemini), before leading innovation and startups in France for Microsoft from 2008 to 2010. In 2010, she joined the digital marketing agency Valtech and became the Managing Director of this agency in 2012. From 2014 to 2021, she drove the digital transformation of L’Oréal as Chief Digital Officer and was a member of the Executive Committee. Since 2021, she has been a Partner at JAB Holding Company LLC. Lubomira also served as an independent Director on the Board of Directors of Societe Generale from 2017 to 2024. An economist by training, Lubomira Rochet is a graduate of the École Normale Supérieure de Paris-Saclay, Sciences Po Paris, and the College of Europe in Bruges.

    Press contact:  
    Jean-Baptiste Froville_+33 1 58 98 68 00_ jean-baptiste.froville@socgen.com

    Societe Generale

    Societe Generale is a top tier European Bank with more than 126,000 employees serving about 25 million clients in 65 countries across the world. We have been supporting the development of our economies for 160 years, providing our corporate, institutional, and individual clients with a wide array of value-added advisory and financial solutions. Our long-lasting and trusted relationships with the clients, our cutting-edge expertise, our unique innovation, our ESG capabilities and leading franchises are part of our DNA and serve our most essential objective – to deliver sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders.

    The Group runs three complementary sets of businesses, embedding ESG offerings for all its clients:

    • French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance, with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank.
    • Global Banking and Investor Solutions, a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG.
    • Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services, comprising well-established universal banks (in Czech Republic, Romania and several African countries), Ayvens (the new ALD I LeasePlan brand), a global player in sustainable mobility, as well as specialized financing activities.

    Committed to building together with its clients a better and sustainable future, Societe Generale aims to be a leading partner in the environmental transition and sustainability overall. The Group is included in the principal socially responsible investment indices: DJSI (Europe), FTSE4Good (Global and Europe), Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index, Euronext Vigeo (Europe and Eurozone), STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes, and the MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index (World and Europe).

    For more information, you can follow us on Twitter/X @societegenerale or visit our website societegenerale.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Who is Friedrich Merz, the man now most likely to lead Germany? Eight things to know

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ed Turner, Reader in Politics, Co-Director, Aston Centre for Europe, Aston University

    With the social democrat Olaf Scholz conceding defeat to the centre right in Germany’s election, the man most likely to be named the next chancellor will be Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz.

    The CDU has emerged as the largest party with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) second – its best-ever result in a federal election.

    Merz will have to assemble a coalition government, which will involve some tough negotiations, but Europe’s leaders can be expected to treat him as a “chancellor in waiting”. Here are eight things to know about the man about to take one of the most important political positions in Europe.

    1. He’s taking his party further to the right

    The first thing you need to know about Merz is that he and former chancellor Angela Merkel were longstanding rivals and sparring partners. Back in the early 2000s, after Merkel became leader of the CDU, she ousted Merz from his role as the party’s parliamentary leader, taking on the role herself.

    Merkel never made Merz a minister, and indeed he decided not to run for parliament again in 2009, having already begun to focus on his various private sector interests (as a lawyer but also a company board member). Merz was critical of Merkel’s decision to shift the CDU to the centre ground and was concerned it would open up space for the AfD to move into.



    Read more:
    What is the AfD? Germany’s far-right party, explained

    When Merz did become party leader in 2022, he began rewriting of the party’s programme in a much more conservative direction.

    2. He’s an economic liberal

    Merz takes a very different economic view to Merkel, at least in the latter years of her chancellorship. In 2003, he argued for a radical simplification of Germany’s tax rules such that a tax return could be calculated on the back of a beer mat.

    His party’s 2025 manifesto argued for deregulation and tax cuts to boost Germany’s sluggish growth. Part of this, Merz argued, should be funded by more conditionality being applied to welfare recipients, with a complete stop on benefits for recipients who refused to take any form of work on. In 2024, he also said he’d do “everything” to stop the EU taking on common debt.

    3. He’s a social conservative

    In his younger years, Merz was in the Catholic youth movement. He has a record of voting against abortion and has made a few awkward comments about homosexuality (saying of Klaus Wowereit, a gay mayor of Berlin, “I don’t mind as long as he doesn’t come near me”). In a strange comment, he once referred to his wife and daughters as evidence he didn’t have a problem with women. In a TV debate with Scholz, Merz was asked about Donald Trump’s recognition of only two genders, and reacted: “You can understand his position.”

    In 2000, Merz spoke of a German Leitkultur (loosely, “leading culture”, as contrasted with “multiculturalism”) – a term now in common parlance in Merz’s CDU.

    4. He’s a transatlantacist

    From 2009 to 2019, Merz chaired the Atlantic Bridge, a prominent German organisation devoted to strengthening relations between Germany and the US. He is a transatlanticist by instinct and recently sent a hand-written note to Donald Trump congratulating him on his election, noting his “strong mandate for leadership”. However, in a statement on election night, Merz pledged to “achieve independence” from the US and recognised that Trump is “largely indifferent” to Europe’s fate.

    5. He’s pro-European

    With some caveats (for instance around common debt and cooperation over refugees) Merz is a pro-European. He was a member of the European parliament between 1989 and 1994, and has been clear that closer European cooperation is an essential part of Europe’s answer to Trump.

    He has also patched up relations with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen (with whom, as a Merkel ally and CDU liberal he had little instinctive attraction), and sees potential in cooperation with her and with Manfred Weber, a CSU politician and leader of the European parliament’s centre-right MEPs.

    Merz has also pledged to visit Warsaw and Paris to rebuild relations after a difficult period under Scholz.

    6. His dealings with the far right have been controversial

    Merz has been consistently inconsistent when it comes to relations with the AfD. He mused in 2023 about the possibility of cooperation at a local level, noting that “we are obliged to recognise democratic elections”, before rowing back.

    In November 2024, Merz said he and his party would not attempt to pass legislation in the national parliament if it meant relying on AfD votes to do it. But he shocked the nation in January 2025 when he did precisely that – pushing forward a hardline immigration plan with the AfD’s support.



    Read more:
    What happened in the German parliament and why is the far right hailing it as a ‘historic’ moment?

    The volte face earned him criticism from his nemesis, Merkel – although that’s not something likely to have concerned him unduly.

    7. He’ll be hemmed in by coalition politics

    Merz will need to strike a deal with multiple other parties in order to govern. That will make his flagship programme of tax cuts hard to achieve, since cuts to welfare or climate spending would be anathema to all potential coalition partners.

    Germany’s other parties instead want Merz to reconsider Germany’s “debt brake” – the constitutional rules that restrict government borrowing. He’ll be under even more pressure to do so given a broad consensus over the need to raise defence spending.

    Perhaps it will take a conservative fiscal hawk to assemble the necessary two-thirds majorities in both chambers of parliament for change.

    8. He’d like to visit… Tibet?

    Finally, among rather thin pickings in popular reporting on Merz’s hobbies, a softball interview last summer told us he likes modern classical music and Beethoven, and one day hopes to visit Tibet.

    But holidays will be some way from his priorities at the moment. There is a strong desire in Europe for Germany to play a more active leadership role once again. At a time when Trump is noisily backing away from underscoring European security and supporting Ukraine, Merz is keenly aware of the void being opened up, and is determined that Germany, with its European allies (including even the UK) will step up.

    Ed Turner 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. Who is Friedrich Merz, the man now most likely to lead Germany? Eight things to know – https://theconversation.com/who-is-friedrich-merz-the-man-now-most-likely-to-lead-germany-eight-things-to-know-247643

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: A Bold Experiment: Red Notice Coin (RNC) Drops a Game-Changer in the Crypto World

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LA PAZ, MEXICO, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Red Notice Coin (RNC) just dropped a groundbreaking initiative, using blockchain tech to shake up the global law enforcement scene. This ain’t your average crypto move; it’s a whole new vibe in the industry, setting a fresh precedent for what’s possible.

    RNC is bringing the heat with a unique digital ecosystem, introducing a brand-new asset class: RWCA. Taking cues from Interpol’s Red Notice list, they’re putting 6,700 high-profile international individuals on the blockchain. This is next-level crypto blending innovation with some serious thought-provoking vibes.

    A Social Experiment Meets Blockchain Frontier

    Interpol’s Red Notice list has been the go-to for global law enforcement for decades, spotting everyone from financial hustlers to international heavyweights. But RNC ain’t just another crypto project – it’s a social experiment, a fresh brand, and a deep dive into how justice, digital ownership, and blockchain collide. It’s like, “What if we took the system and flipped it on its head?” RNC ain’t here to judge who’s on the list, it’s about asking the big questions:

    • Can digital assets challenge real-world legal frameworks?
    • Is the global legal system playing fair, or is it getting swayed by outside noise?
    • Should blockchain just chill and stay neutral, or can it rewrite the whole story?

    You know the deal – crypto OGs like Ross Ulbricht (Silk Road), Roger Ver (Bitcoin Cash), and Richard Heart (HEX, PulseChain, PulseX) have been in the hot seat, challenging the status quo in the digital world. RNC’s not picking sides; it’s just putting publicly available info out there on tokens to get people talking about justice, transparency, and how blockchain keeps it real forever.

    Crypto’s all about decentralization and doing your own thing, right? Well, RNC’s flipping the script by locking high-profile names on a ledger that can’t be messed with. It’s like, “Here’s the tea, and it’s staying put.”

    The project’s slick, eye-catching website is a total vibe – complete with their own original rap music video that slaps and a daring, edge-pushing search engine that lets you track Interpol’s Most Wanted in real time like some next-level spy thriller.

    Some folks might see RNC as the next big thing in blockchain storytelling, while others might think it’s stirring the pot. But RNC’s just chilling in the middle, giving you a new lens to look at legal history and chew on it. This project ain’t here to change the system – it’s about shining a light on the legal, ethical, and moral dilemmas and letting the public analyze and interpret independently.

    The Red Notice Coin & NFT Ecosystem: The Lowdown

    • Token Symbol: RNC
    • Total Supply: 670,000,000,000 RNC
    • Blockchain Networks: Ethereum & Arbitrum
    • Launch Strategy: Dropping straight on Uniswap and hitting the major crypto trackers. No waiting around.
    • New NFT Asset Class: We’re talking 6,700 one-of-a-kind NFTs, each a digital avatar based on real-deal individuals. These bad boys are tradeable and hooked up to a merch system where NFT owners get 50% of the sales when their avatar’s gear sells. Cha-ching!

    A Social and Financial Revolution

    RNC’s pushing blockchain into new territory by linking up with:

    • Indie news outlets that ain’t afraid to call out the legal system’s BS.
    • A Red Notice digital show that’s gonna dissect how law, ethics, and crypto collide.
    • A Play-to-Earn game where you can dive into the whole ecosystem and maybe make some cash while you’re at it.

    Get Involved Before It Blows Up

    Don’t sleep on this – get in on the Red Notice Coin presale before it hits the street. This ain’t just about stacking coins; it’s your ticket to one of the most mind-bending blockchain experiments of the decade. Want the deets? Hit ’em up at +526122341159 or swing by their spot at 118 Calle Marina Central, 23097 La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Let’s make moves!

    Social Links

    https://linktr.ee/RedNoticeCoin

    Press Contact

    Brand: Red Notice LLC

    Contact: Alex Harrington

    Email: pr@rednotice.run

    Website: https://rednotice.run

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Pakistan keen to welcome Chinese cinema ‘Ne Zha 2’

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    This photo taken on Feb. 13, 2025 shows a poster for the Chinese animated film “Ne Zha 2” at a cinema in Chaoyang District of Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Pakistani audiences are eagerly awaiting the release of the Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2,” and efforts are underway to bring the film to cinemas in Pakistan, a leading distributor said.

    In an interview with Xinhua, Sheikh Amjad Rashid, chairman of Pakistan’s film distribution company, Distribution Club, said that on public demand, they are in contact with the film’s distributors to introduce “Ne Zha 2” to Pakistani cinemas.

    “Ne Zha 2” has dethroned Disney’s 2024 picture “Inside Out 2” to become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time globally.

    “The young generation in Pakistan is already a fan of Chinese actors, singers, dramas, and games, but despite this, Chinese films have yet to make their mark in our cinemas,” he said. “With ‘Ne Zha 2’ receiving global acclaim, this is the right time to introduce Chinese cinema to Pakistan.”

    The film has already captured audiences worldwide with its gripping storytelling, high-quality animation, and stunning visual effects, and it will be interesting for the Pakistani audience to watch the masterpiece of Chinese animation, showcasing the country’s growing prowess in the global film industry, said Rashid.

    “We have distributed over 400 movies in Pakistan, and among foreign films, animated movies have performed exceptionally well. Given its strong storyline, breathtaking animation, and world-class visual effects, we expect ‘Ne Zha 2’ to be a massive success in Pakistan,” he added.

    He noted that Pakistan does not produce enough films annually to meet domestic demand, and the restriction on the release of Bollywood films in local cinemas has left a vacuum in the country’s cinema industry.

    “Chinese films can be a great option to fill this gap. The overwhelming interest in ‘Ne Zha 2’ among Pakistani audiences proves that Chinese films have strong potential in our market,” he said.

    He mentioned that he recently visited China twice, where he signed agreements with Chinese distributors to bring Chinese content to Pakistan, adding that the release of the animated blockbuster will mark the beginning of this collaboration.

    “We are fully prepared to release the movie in English and dub it in Urdu to ensure it reaches a wider audience,” he added.

    Talking about the deep-rooted Pakistan-China friendship, Rashid stressed that people-to-people contacts between the two countries have significantly strengthened over the years.

    “Due to our longstanding friendship with China and the presence of thousands of Pakistani students and professionals who have lived in China, Chinese culture is already familiar here. Introducing ‘Ne Zha 2’ will be an important step in strengthening cinematic ties between the two countries,” he said.

    The cultural exchange through cinema will enhance mutual understanding between the two nations, just as Chinese dramas and music have gained popularity in Pakistan, he noted.

    Rashid added that while Pakistani films have been screened in China, it is time for more Chinese movies to be released in Pakistan, fostering stronger people-to-people connections.

    “As Pakistan-China relations continue to flourish, cultural exchanges through cinema will help bring the people of both countries even closer,” he said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘Ne Zha 2’ fuels China’s travel boom and merchandise craze

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A fan poses for photos with a statue of Nezha, the main character from “Ne Zha 2,” at the Gazelle Digital Cultural and Creative Valley in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The phenomenal success of the Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” is driving a surge in cultural tourism and merchandise sales, with visitors flocking to destinations associated with the film or its mythological tale, while Ne Zha-themed products are flying off the shelves.

    As Chinese films like “Ne Zha 2” gain international recognition, they not only showcase the country’s rich culture to global audiences but also appear to inspire more travelers to experience China firsthand.

    “I want to let my daughter watch it (“Ne Zha 2″). I think she’ll like it,” said Coy Amanda Paige, a traveler from the United States.

    French visitor Courel Benedicte praised the quality of “Ne Zha 2,” calling it a great choice for young audiences. “What is interesting is the way how the Chinese culture is actually emphasized through the different characters,” she said.

    Domestically, “Ne Zha 2” is dominating the box office, commanding 76.3 percent of February’s total revenue, which exceeded 15 billion yuan (around $2.07 billion) as of Feb. 22.

    Amid the film’s success, many scenic spots across China are offering free or discounted admission with a “Ne Zha 2” movie ticket. Examples include the Laojieling scenic spot in Henan Province, a site steeped in Ne Zha legends, and Li Jing’s Former Residence in Shaanxi Province, the historic estate of Tang Dynasty General Li Jing, the real-life prototype for Ne Zha’s father in mythology, among many other tourist destinations.

    The film’s popularity has also ignited massive demand for Ne Zha-themed merchandise, with themed items such as blind-box figurines and popcorn buckets selling out rapidly.

    E-commerce data shows that since February, searches for Ne Zha merchandise on Chinese online shopping platform Taobao have surpassed 10 million, with a peak of over 800,000 users searching in a single day. As of Feb. 22, total sales of Ne Zha merchandise have exceeded 240 million yuan (around $33 million).

    To meet the demand, officially licensed manufacturers are working around the clock. One model toy company in Hunan Province has even established a dedicated “Ne Zha Express” production line that ships an average of 250,000 figurines a day across China.

    Beyond the domestic market, the company is in talks with copyright holders to expand sales to overseas markets such as North America and Southeast Asia, where interest is growing rapidly.

    Industry analysts predict that revenue from Ne Zha-themed merchandise and collectibles could rival the film’s total box-office earnings.

    As of noon on Feb. 23 Beijing Time, “Ne Zha 2” has amassed a total box office of 13.5 billion yuan (around $1.86 billion), including pre-sales and overseas earnings, according to online movie platform data. The film is now the highest-grossing animated film globally and ranks among the top 8 highest-grossing films of all time.

    MIL OSI China News –