NewzIntel.com

Category: Entertainment

  • MIL-OSI: Blueface Featuring The Game’s “Stop Cappin” Acquired by Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) (OTC: SONGD)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Naples, FL, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) (OTC:SONGD) is thrilled to announce its acquisition of royalty-generating intellectual property stakes in “Stop Cappin” by Blueface featuring The Game. While the work will continue to be administered by third-party organizations, Music Licensing, Inc. will receive ongoing passive royalty payments from its performance.

    Blueface, a platinum-selling rapper known for his unique offbeat style, has become a defining voice in contemporary hip-hop. His collaboration with The Game, a legend in the genre with multiple chart-topping albums, resulted in “Stop Cappin”, a powerful anthem that blends gritty lyricism with unparalleled charisma. The track has amassed millions of streams globally, affirming its cultural impact and commercial success.

    This acquisition enhances Music Licensing, Inc.’s growing portfolio of iconic works, cementing its reputation as a leader in acquiring and managing high-value music royalties.

    Watch “Stop Cappin” by Blueface featuring The Game here.

    About Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) (ProMusicRights.com)

    Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG), also known as Pro Music Rights, is a diversified holding company and the fifth public performance rights organization (PRO) formed in the United States. Its licensees include notable companies such as TikTok, iHeart Media, Triller, Napster, 7Digital, Vevo, and many others. Pro Music Rights holds an estimated market share of 7.4% in the United States, representing over 2,500,000 works by notable artists such as A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Lil Yachty, MoneyBagg Yo, Larry June, Trae Pound, Sauce Walka, Trae Tha Truth, Sosamann, Soulja Boy, Lex Luger, Trauma Tone, Lud Foe, SlowBucks, Gunplay, OG Maco, Rich The Kid, Fat Trel, Young Scooter, Nipsey Hussle, Famous Dex, Boosie Badazz, Shy Glizzy, 2 Chainz, Migos, Gucci Mane, Young Dolph, Trinidad James, Chingy, Lil Gnar, 3OhBlack, Curren$y, Fall Out Boy, Money Man, Dej Loaf, Lil Uzi Vert, and countless others, as well as artificial intelligence (A.I.) created music.

    Additionally, Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) owns royalty stakes in Listerine “Mouthwash” Antiseptic and musical works by artists such as The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Elton John, Mike Posner, blackbear, Lil Nas X, Lil Yachty, DaBaby, Stunna 4 Vegas, Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, XXXTentacion, BlueFace, The Game, Jeremih, Ty Dolla $ign, Eric Bellinger, Ne-Yo, MoneyBagg Yo, Halsey, Desiigner, DaniLeigh, Rihanna, and numerous others.

    Forward-Looking Statements:

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of Music Licensing, Inc. & Pro Music Rights, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Music Licensing, Inc. & Pro Music Rights, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Pro Music Rights, Inc., Music Licensing, Inc., or any other person.

    Non-Legal Advice Disclosure:

    This press release does not constitute legal advice, and readers are advised to seek legal counsel for any legal matters or questions related to the content herein.

    Non-Investment Advice Disclosure:

    This communication is intended solely for informational purposes and does not in any way imply or constitute a recommendation or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, commodities, bonds, options, derivatives, or any other investment products. Any decisions related to investments should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor or professional. We assume no liability for any actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this communication

    Contact: investors@ProMusicRights.com

    SOURCE: Music Licensing, Inc.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Paytronix Elevates Online Ordering Platform, Launches Catering Capabilities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEWTON, Mass., Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Paytronix, the leader in guest engagement for restaurants and convenience stores, today announced Paytronix Catering, a new offering within its Online Ordering service that enables both large and small restaurants brands to grow and manage this important ordering channel with a catering offering that is fully integrated with Paytronix loyalty. Balancing first- and third-party ordering, Paytronix Catering gives brands the opportunity to turn third-party customers into first-party customers and, in so doing, optimize the significant revenue stream coming from catering orders.

    Paytronix Catering will enable restaurant brands to dramatically cut back on operational burdens by providing the tools necessary to accurately plan for catering orders, including order acceptance processes, partial payments, and calendar views of all orders. Restaurants can seamlessly manage the increased order volume and keep their kitchens functioning smoothly with additive lead timings, which help keep the pace and inflow of orders manageable for teams so they can meet guest expectations.

    Find out how to improve your catering with the Paytronix Catering Guidebook.

    “Most customers these days don’t consider you for catering until they see it themselves. For us, we put a lot of energy into making sure our customers knew that we had the capabilities, to see if it translated into new opportunities. And wow – it has been so profitable for us financially and operationally,” said Reed Daniels, CEO of Red’s Savoy Pizza.

    “Big catering orders obviously bring in sizable checks and bring on a lot of pressure because you really have to get them right. Since we’re taking them digitally, way ahead of time, we can make sure we’re on point operationally to give them everything they asked for in a timely, efficient manner that isn’t stressful for us or the customer. No pen, no paper – it’s all within the Paytronix platform like any other order. It’s proven to be incredibly valuable.”

    Paytronix Catering offers nearly 20 unique features designed to curate a clear and effective user experience, whether you’re a guest placing an order or the operator reviewing it. Such features include but are not limited to:

    • The Feed-o-meter, which is a unique visual designed to show ordering parties how close their order is to feeding the amount of people they are ordering for;
    • Catering Item Feed count, which eliminates the guesswork needed for guests to determine how many people each item is estimated to feed;
    • White Glove Service, available through our partnerships with EZCater and Doordash Large Order Fulfillment;
    • Order Approvals, which flag new catering orders in the system until they are reviewed by the appropriate manager. This is to confirm the restaurant has seen and reviewed the order and will appropriately plan ahead for the orders – limiting the potential for errors or staffing shortages.

    “Catering orders are placed ahead of time and are larger than typical online orders. Due to this, they add a layer of complexity into the preparation process for restaurants,” said Ray Gibson, online ordering product manager, Paytronix. “Paytronix Catering provides for the unique administrative and operational processes and complexities, including the need to hold an order above the POS until it is time to prep the order, and the need to take deposits for orders and for keeping on-prem orders and online ordering process seamless and accurate.”

    You can find out more information about Paytronix Catering here.

    About Paytronix
    Paytronix, an Access Group company, is a cloud-based digital guest engagement platform for the hospitality industry. Our innovative, unified platform provides loyalty programs, online ordering, gift cards, branded mobile applications, and strategic insights to more than 1,800 leading restaurant and convenience store brands. Our valued clients leverage the power of Paytronix across 50,000 sites globally to create seamless, personalized, and brand-authentic experiences that foster lasting relationships with their customers. For more than 20 years, Paytronix has been a trusted partner helping brands maximize the lifetime value of their guests and grow more profitable businesses. For more information, visit www.paytronix.com.

    Media Contact:
    Calen McGee
    Paytronix Systems, Inc.
    Calen.McGee@theaccessgroup.com
    646-957-7758

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: insightsoftware Powers Jet Reports with AI, Cloud Functionality, and Excel Online Integration

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — insightsoftware, the most comprehensive provider of solutions for the Office of the CFO, today announced the launch of Jet Reports Online, a reporting solution designed to deliver unmatched ease, flexibility, and accuracy for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central users. This release builds on more than two decades of Jet Reports’ strong user growth, with the Online deployment introducing modern features such as AI capabilities, cloud functionality and Microsoft Excel Online integration for a next generation reporting experience with smarter insights and greater adaptability.

    Organizations are navigating an ever increasingly cloud-first world. With 62% of businesses operating in a hybrid environment and 27% already fully cloud-based, modern financial reporting tools must bring mobility, adaptability, and scale. Unlike legacy offerings that rely on replicated and outdated data sets, Jet Reports Online connects directly to real-time cloud data, eliminating the need for additional IT infrastructure. With native Excel formulas and built-in Dynamics 365 Business Central security protocols, Jet Reports Online ensures seamless, secure reporting.

    “Finance leaders seek to maximize productivity and efficiency and achieve more with fewer resources – this requires flexible, cloud-based tools that provide instant access to real-time data, enabling faster, smarter decision-making,” said Chief Product Officer and General Manager, ERP Reporting & BI at insightsoftware, Lee An Schommer. “Solutions that rely on manual data refreshing place an undue burden on financial teams, driving up costs for the finance function. In today’s fast-paced business environment, real-time data isn’t just a luxury—it’s an absolute necessity,” said Schommer.

    The foundation of Jet Reports Online is Reports Center, a secure, cloud-based portal designed for seamless management and cross-functional collaboration within Microsoft Dynamics Business Central Cloud. Finance teams can now run, schedule, and distribute their reports in one centralized location, reducing manual effort and the costs associated with self-hosted, self-managed solutions. The portal enhances collaboration by securely centralizing access and automating crucial tasks like scheduling and distribution in the cloud, as well as opening reports in Excel Online or Excel Desktop for deeper analysis.
    Key functionality includes:

    • AI Capabilities Powered by the insightsoftware Platform – Jet Reports Online is powered by the insightsoftware Platform, giving users access to powerful AI tools like Doc Assist, Data Assist, and Report Assist to generate faster, more accurate, and reliable reports with ease.
    • Automated Cloud Report Execution, Distribution, and Scheduling – Reports Center enables organizations to automate the running, scheduling, and distribution of reports from anywhere with an internet connection, aligning with the increasing demand for cloud-based solutions in the finance sector.
    • Enhanced Reporting Flexibility for Modern Finance Teams – The integration of Jet Reports Online with Excel Online streamlines key financial reporting tasks, providing users with an intuitive, cloud-based solution for designing, managing, viewing, and running reports in a browser, meeting the demands of modern businesses for flexible, adaptable financial reporting solutions.

    Read more about how Jet Reports empowers teams with enhanced financial reporting capabilities while ensuring Dynamics NAV users enjoy a smooth transition to Business Central Cloud.

    About insightsoftware
    insightsoftware is a global provider of comprehensive solutions for the Office of the CFO. We believe an actionable business strategy begins and ends with accessible financial data. With solutions across financial planning and analysis (FP&A), accounting, and operations, we transform how teams operate, empowering leaders to make timely and informed decisions. With data at the heart of everything we do, insightsoftware enables automated processes, delivers trusted insights, boosts predictability, and increases productivity. Learn more at insightsoftware.com.

    Media Contacts
    Inkhouse for insightsoftware
    insightsoftware@inkhouse.com

    Daniel Tummeley
    Corporate Communications Manager
    PR@insightsoftware.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: I’m a sports psychologist and diehard Eagles fan – here’s the behavioral science behind a Super Bowl LIX win

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Eric Zillmer, Professor of Neuropsychology, Drexel University

    Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ innovative plays demonstrate ‘brain connectivity at its finest,’ the author writes. Mitchell Leff via Getty Images

    The Super Bowl is one of the world’s most significant single-day sporting events.

    It attracts over 100 million U.S. viewers and [tens of millions of international viewers], making it an entertainment phenomenon. For Eagles fans who are not making the trip to the Superdome in New Orleans, there will be plenty of places to watch in Philadelphia – including rowdy bars, living rooms and even home tailgates, all while the city is lit in Eagles green.

    For me, the Super Bowl is a real-life laboratory. As a sports scientist, neuropsychology professor and the former athletic director at Drexel University in Philadelphia, I investigate how high-performance athletes prepare cognitively and psychologically for a winning performance on game day.

    When the stakes are at their highest, what can psychology reveal about who is mentally prepared to win the Super Bowl?

    Tough-minded and open to experience

    Research suggests that super-elite athletes are tough-minded and not easily rattled.

    Their psychological profiles look similar to those of high-performance solo classical guitarists or fighter pilots. On personality tests, athletes typically score at least average in extroversion, openness and agreeableness, and high in conscientiousness.

    Professional athletes work incredibly hard and are disciplined, well organized, goal-oriented, reliable and generally sociable.

    A new focus in personality research in competitive athletes is on creativity and, specifically, being open to experience, which includes being receptive to new ideas and being flexible.

    Openness has become increasingly important in the modern blueprint for winning football games. Daniel Memmert, a sports scientist at German Sport University Cologne, calls this “tactical creativity.” It is a cognitive style that allows one to be imaginative and engage in divergent thinking – which is an ability to think flexibly outside of routines and devise multiple solutions – even in real-time competitive situations.

    Divergent thinking in high-performance sports includes focusing on the task at hand and paying attention to relevant information while ignoring irrelevant information in the athletic arena. The creative athlete knows when and where to look in order to win a play or avoid a costly error.

    Creative and cool under pressure

    Creativity is essential in unscripted football plays – when a planned play has not been executed properly, like a fumble or an interception.

    Intentionally distracting your opponent has become an important part of sports competition. It is why quarterbacks often change the play at the line of scrimmage. But it becomes even more critical during improvised offensive plays when everything is unscripted. In a sport where milliseconds matter, being creative and engaging in something your opponent doesn’t expect can be the difference between winning and losing.

    When the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018, backup quarterback Nick Foles calmly executed a trick play on fourth-and-goal, becoming the first player in history to both throw and catch a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl. The play is now called the Philly Special.

    To engage in tactical creativity, however, an athlete must be relaxed. That’s not easy when millions of people are watching your every move.

    Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Trey Burton fires a touchdown pass to quarterback Nick Foles, not pictured, on a trick play during Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis in 2018.
    Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

    Brain connectivity at its finest

    Performance anxiety is a leading cause of poor athletic performance. Research suggests an athlete’s competitive anxiety can be cumulative and maybe even be contagious, affecting teammates negatively.

    That makes the Super Bowl as much a battle of nerves as it is about the physical execution of plays. So, how do professional athletes do it? The athlete practices how to think as much as they practice to play. Training is intentionally hard and uncomfortable to assist with preparing the body and mind.

    Since emotions and thoughts affect behavior and performance, the concept of emotional self-regulation – or intentionally focusing on the present moment – has been introduced into competitive sports. Mindfulness, meditation, yoga, breathing exercises and grounding techniques are now integral to the toolkit for high-performance sports.

    For athletes, it is relatively easy to elevate their emotions to push the ball forward with a play like the Philadelphia brotherly shove – an almost unstoppable offensive play used by the Eagles in which the team pushes the quarterback through the opponent’s defense for a short gain when needed.

    But calming those emotions to execute a synchronized, attacking, complex passing play is more challenging cognitively.

    A successful football player must easily transition from being highly aroused to remaining composed on command within seconds.

    This cognitive efficiency and fluidity requires many hours to master. I am fully aware that while watching the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, I am not just observing a great, innovative quarterback; I am witnessing brain connectivity at its finest.

    Philadelphia Eagles fans celebrated the team’s first Super Bowl win with a victory parade on Feb. 8, 2018.
    Corey Perrine via Getty Images

    Psychology of Eagles fans

    How fans experience Super Bowl Sunday is entirely different, psychologically speaking, from the players.

    To perform at the highest level, the players are process oriented. They attempt to be present in real time and play without fear. On game day, it is advantageous for the competitor to play like a kid, full of joy and confidence.

    Fans, on the other hand, are results oriented. And they are nervous wrecks, like parents watching their kids compete.

    One remedy for managing this stress is watching the game with other fans. Philadelphians represent diverse socioeconomic and ethnic groups that often unite through sports. These social connections – which Germans, who were among the first settlers in the city, call Gemeinschaftsgefühl – are a hallmark of good psychological health.

    I know I will never forget when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII: the game, the season and the parade.

    And new research indicates why.

    According to University of California, Berkeley psychology professor Dacher Keltner, these authentic “awe” moments are shortcuts to happiness. Football fans might experience awe when a seemingly unpredictable interception or touchdown has significant consequences.

    In other words, the thrill of the game and the excitement of winning not only unite fans, but they can also transform them into happier versions of themselves.

    Eric Zillmer 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. I’m a sports psychologist and diehard Eagles fan – here’s the behavioral science behind a Super Bowl LIX win – https://theconversation.com/im-a-sports-psychologist-and-diehard-eagles-fan-heres-the-behavioral-science-behind-a-super-bowl-lix-win-248643

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Volodymyr Nosov: WhiteBIT Group Blockchain Ecosystem Grew to 35+ Million Users

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VILNIUS, Lithuania, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In 2024, the WhiteBIT crypto exchange achieved significant milestones, strengthening its position as a leading player in the crypto industry. The platform became the largest crypto exchange in Europe by traffic, with its annual trading volume reaching a record $2.7 trillion. Additionally, WhiteBIT was the first in the world to receive the highest-level certification under the Cryptocurrency Security Standard (CCSS). Volodymyr Nosov, founder and CEO of WhiteBIT Group, discussed these achievements and prospects in an interview with Finbold.

    According to Nosov, in the fall of 2024, the exchange attracted 33+ million users, the highest figure among European crypto exchanges and the second globally. “This demonstrates customer trust in our platform, as well as recognition of our technological capabilities and security,” said Volodymyr Nosov. He emphasized that security remains a key priority for WhiteBIT. “We became the first crypto exchange in the world to achieve the highest level of CCSS certification. This unique security standard covers all aspects of the exchange’s operations, from protecting user assets to internal procedures and protocols. Trust in a cryptocurrency platform starts with the reliable protection of user data and assets,” stated Nosov. One of the highlights of 2024 was the rapid growth in the value of the WBT Coin, which rose from $10 to $28 within several months. “This growth was organic, driven by market activation and interest from business clients who view WBT as a promising investment,” explained Volodymyr Nosov. Last year, WhiteBIT Group also significantly enhanced its functionality for institutional clients, whose numbers grew to 1,300. “We added 60 new assets to our collateral options, bringing the total to over 80. These include popular coins such as PEPE, SUI, TON, and AAVE, which can also be deposited with interest,” noted Nosov. Regarding plans for 2025, the company is preparing for active expansion in Italy, Croatia, and Kazakhstan, having already secured VASP authorization in these regions. “We are forming partnerships, establishing local infrastructure, and planning to actively develop product offerings in these countries,” Nosov concluded.

    In just a few years, WhiteBIT Group has grown from a crypto exchange into a large-scale ecosystem that integrates advanced solutions in cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies. Today, WhiteBIT Group serves over 35 million users, offering a wide range of products: the centralized WhiteBIT exchange, Whitepay crypto-acquiring, WhiteSwap decentralized exchange, White.market gaming marketplace, gaming projects like Pocket Rocket, WhiteEx card and the Whitechain blockchain with its native WhiteBIT Coin (WBT). The company also develops media projects such as the G.N. News portal and ByHi, the world’s first entertainment and educational YouTube show about cryptocurrency. This breadth of offerings positions WhiteBIT as a true hub of innovation in the crypto sphere.

    About WhiteBIT  
    WhiteBIT is one of the largest European centralized crypto exchanges founded in 2018. The exchange offers 600+ trading pairs, 300+ digital assets, and 9 state currencies. The company is an official partner of FC Barcelona, FC Trabzonspor, ESL Faceit, and VISA. The goal of WhiteBIT is the mass implementation of blockchain technology worldwide.

    Contact

    WhiteBIT
    pr@whitebit.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ddf8dcaa-a9a6-4d05-ad18-aa389f91308e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The First Step to a Quantum-Safe Future With Samsung Knox

    Source: Samsung

     
    Samsung Electronics has been working on a new form of cutting-edge mobile security, starting from the Galaxy S25 series. Known as post-quantum cryptography (PQC), the technology uses advanced algorithms to future-proof against the potential risks that quantum computing poses to traditional encryption methods.
     
    Samsung Newsroom explored the future of digital security to understand why Samsung is already taking these protective measures.
     

    Eyes on the Horizon
    Quantum computing represents one of the most transformative fields in modern technology, offering unparalleled problem-solving capabilities. By harnessing the power of quantum computers, complex challenges can be solved exponentially faster than with traditional computing — unlocking breakthroughs in numerous industries from medicine to logistics. For instance, quantum algorithms could streamline supply chains or improve punctuality in transportation systems.
     
    However, this immense computational power comes with risks. Because quantum algorithms have the potential to break certain encryption methods used to safeguard today’s data, addressing this vulnerability is critical to ensuring data protection in the future.
     
    While quantum computing is not expected to reach full-scale implementation immediately, early action is essential to protection against “harvest now, decrypt later” threats — where attackers collect data now to decrypt it with future quantum capabilities.
     

    Redefining Standards of Defense
    Samsung has been working on PQC to ensure encrypted data remains secure in a quantum-powered world.
     
    The company is closely following standards recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)1 to defend against quantum computer attacks. For example, the ML-KEM (Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism) algorithm employs lattice-based mathematics — complex multidimensional structures that make encryption keys exceptionally difficult to solve, even for quantum computers. Ideal for secure communication between connected devices, the algorithm provides robust security while optimizing performance and minimizing data exchange.

     
    NIST’s PQC standards secure a wide range of electronic information from confidential emails to e-commerce transactions. For Samsung, they are a way to future-proof cloud data against quantum threats.
     
     
    Samsung’s Strategic Approach
    Committed to protecting user data as technologies such as quantum computing evolve, Samsung is introducing Post-Quantum Enhanced Data Protection (EDP) to Samsung Knox Matrix — the company’s industry-leading protection for connected device ecosystems.
     
    Samsung’s EDP feature currently provides end-to-end encryption for user data when backing up, restoring or syncing personal information through Samsung Cloud.
     
    With the integration of PQC technology to Knox Matrix, another layer of protection has been added — setting a new standard for cloud security on mobile devices. Knox Matrix’s cross-device compatibility will ensure seamless quantum-safe protection for Samsung Cloud backups and synced data across smartphones, TVs and digital appliances.
     
    This feature is available on the new Galaxy S25 series as the first device operating on One UI 7, giving Galaxy users enhanced protection against quantum computing threats.
     

    Samsung Leading a Secure Future
    In an ever-evolving digital landscape, preparing for potential threats is not an option but a necessity. As quantum computing looms on the horizon, the need to future-proof data protection has become increasingly clear.
     
    The Galaxy S25 series is the first in the industry to support PQC-based cloud data protection, raising the bar for data protection in the upcoming quantum computing era. Moving forward, Samsung will continue to pioneer the mobile security industry and create a future where users can enjoy a connected world with peace of mind.
     
     
    1 NIST has finalized its principal set of encryption algorithms designed to withstand cyberattacks from quantum computers. Built for the future, these new standards are specified in the first completed standards from NIST’s Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) standardization project.
     
     
    Bibliography
    Announcing Issuance of Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) FIPS 203, Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism Standard, FIPS 204, Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Standard, and FIPS 205, Stateless Hash-Based Digital Signature Standard. (2024, August 14). Federal Register.
    Retrieved from: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/14/2024-17956/announcing-issuance-of-federal-information-processing-standards-fips-fips-203-module-lattice-basedNational Institute of Standards and Technology. (2025, January 2). NIST.
    Retrieved from: https://www.nist.gov/
    NIST Releases First 3 Finalized Post-Quantum Encryption Standards. (2024). NIST.
    Retrieved from: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2024/08/nist-releases-first-3-finalized-post-quantum-encryption-standards

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: CVR Energy to Release Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Earnings Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUGAR LAND, Texas, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CVR Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CVI) plans to release its fourth quarter and full-year 2024 earnings results on Tuesday, Feb. 18, after the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The Company also will host a teleconference call on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 1 p.m. Eastern to discuss these results.

    This call, which will contain forward-looking information, will be webcast live and can be accessed on the Investor Relations section of CVR Energy’s website at www.CVREnergy.com. For investors or analysts who want to participate during the call, the dial-in number is (877) 407-8291. The webcast will be archived and available for 14 days at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/4a2maqba. A repeat of the call also can be accessed for 14 days by dialing (877) 660-6853, conference ID 13751234.

    CVR Energy’s fourth quarter and full-year 2024 earnings news release will be distributed via GlobeNewswire and posted at www.CVREnergy.com.

    About CVR Energy, Inc.
    Headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, CVR Energy is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in the renewables, petroleum refining and marketing businesses as well as in the nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing business through its interest in CVR Partners, LP. CVR Energy subsidiaries serve as the general partner and own 37 percent of the common units of CVR Partners, LP.

    For further information, please contact:

    Investor Relations:
    Richard Roberts
    CVR Energy, Inc.
    (281) 207-3205
    InvestorRelations@CVREnergy.com

    Media Relations:
    Brandee Stephens                        
    CVR Energy, Inc.
    (281) 207-3516
    MediaRelations@CVREnergy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: EZCORP to Release First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results After Market Close on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EZCORP, Inc. (“EZCORP” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: EZPW), a leading provider of pawn transactions in the United States and Latin America, will issue first quarter fiscal 2025 results (period ended December 31, 2024) on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025, after the market close.

    The Company will host a webcast and conference call at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday, February 6th, 2025, to discuss its results. The presentation slides will be posted to the Investor Relations section of its website after the market close on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025.

    Date Thursday, February 6th, 2025
    Time: 9:00 a.m. Eastern time
    Dial-in registration link: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI86f9072cf4c447ae86954e0a22daa957
    Live webcast registration link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/j568nkgu

    A replay of the conference call will be available online at http://investors.ezcorp.com shortly after the live call concludes. If you have any difficulty accessing the conference call, please contact Elevate IR at EZPW@elevate-ir.com.

    About EZCORP
    Formed in 1989, EZCORP has grown into a leading provider of pawn transactions in the United States and Latin America. We also sell pre-owned and recycled merchandise, primarily collateral forfeited from pawn lending operations and merchandise purchased from customers. We are dedicated to satisfying the short-term cash needs of consumers who are both cash and credit constrained, focusing on an industry-leading customer experience. EZCORP is traded on NASDAQ under the symbol EZPW and is a member of the S&P 1000 Index and Nasdaq Composite Index.

    Follow EZCORP on social media:
    Facebook EZPAWN Official https://www.facebook.com/EZPAWN/
    EZCORP Instagram Official https://www.instagram.com/ezcorp_official/
    EZPAWN Instagram Official https://www.instagram.com/ezpawnofficial/
    EZCORP LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/ezcorp/

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Sean Mansouri, CFA
    Elevate IR
    EZPW@elevate-ir.com
    (720) 330-2829

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bread Financial to Participate in the BofA Securities 2025 Financial Services Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bread Financial® Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BFH), a tech-forward financial services company that provides simple, personalized payment, lending and saving solutions to millions of U.S consumers, today announced the company’s participation in the BofA Securities 2025 Financial Services Conference on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

    Bread Financial Chief Financial Officer Perry Beberman will participate in a fireside chat. The fireside chat will take place at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live here.

    The fireside chat can also be accessed through Bread Financial’s investor relations website. A replay of the webcast will be available for 90 days following the event.

    About Bread Financial® 
    Bread Financial® (NYSE: BFH) is a tech-forward financial services company that provides simple, personalized payment, lending and saving solutions to millions of U.S. consumers. Our payment solutions, including Bread Financial general purpose credit cards and savings products, empower our customers and their passions for a better life. Additionally, we deliver growth for some of the most recognized brands in travel & entertainment, health & beauty, jewelry and specialty apparel through our private label and co-brand credit cards and pay-over-time products providing choice and value to our shared customers.

    To learn more about Bread Financial, our global associates and our sustainability commitments, visit breadfinancial.com or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

    Contacts

    Brian Vereb — Investor Relations
    Brian.Vereb@breadfinancial.com

    Susan Haugen — Investor Relations
    Susan.Haugen@breadfinancial.com

    Rachel Stultz — Media
    Rachel.Stultz@breadfinancial.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: RN-Purneftegaz produced 280 millionth ton of oil

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The accumulated production of RN-Purneftegaz, one of the main centers of Rosneft oil and gas production in Yamal, has reached 280 million tons of oil since the start of field operation in 1986. This result was made possible by pioneering oil workers and the entire team of RN-Purneftegaz. The qualifications of the company’s specialists, non-standard engineering solutions, and many years of work have allowed the development of the most complex fields in terms of structure, the creation of a powerful production infrastructure from scratch, and the introduction of innovative technologies.

    The total area of licensed areas located in the Purovsky District is more than 14 thousand square kilometers. The operating stock exceeds 2.7 thousand wells, and the length of pipelines is about 4 thousand kilometers.

    In 2024, the company launched the Yuzhno-Tarkosalinskoye field into commercial operation and also began developing new deposits of the Verkhnepurpeyskoye and Komsomolskoye fields. The development of a new resource base will allow maintaining a stable level of raw material production in the medium term.

    The complex geological structure of a number of fields under development requires the selection and implementation of innovative technologies for drilling and oil production. The company successfully uses a domestic automated drilling control system. The development has reduced the drilling time by an average of 11.7 hours/well. The automated intelligent system operates on the autopilot principle: based on the initial parameters, the automation makes adjustments to the control of the technological process without the operator’s participation. At the same time, a high level of industrial safety is ensured.

    RN-Purneftegaz pays special attention to environmental protection. The company carries out systematic work on reforestation and preservation of aquatic biological resources of the region. Over the past three years, more than 1.2 million pine seedlings have been planted on an area of 340 hectares in Yamal. The company has released more than 2.1 million fry of valuable fish species – peled, carp, nelma and muksun – into the rivers of the Ob-Irtysh basin.

    The city of Gubkinsky, built by oil workers, is the base for RN-Purneftegaz. With the support of Rosneft, most of the socially significant facilities were built here: a city hospital, a children’s library, music and art schools, two swimming pools, an indoor ice rink, and a number of residential complexes. The city-forming enterprise provided financial assistance in the construction of the Neftyanik Palace of Culture and Sports. The construction of an Ice Palace with a total area of 6,500 sq. m. is underway. The new facility will allow Gubkin residents to engage in winter sports all year round.

    For over twenty years, the company has been providing ongoing support to the indigenous peoples of Yamal, helping to preserve their culture and traditional way of life. With the support of RN-Purneftegaz, a program to develop education for children of the indigenous peoples of the North who lead a nomadic lifestyle has been implemented in the region since last year. Grants from oil workers have been used to publish teaching aids in the language of the Forest Nenets – a textbook, a workbook, and an online simulator for elementary grades. The district is also developing the practice of preparing children for school directly in the places where families live – in nomadic kindergartens.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft February 4, 2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dragon Dance and Painted Lanterns: Moskino Cinema Park Celebrates Chinese New Year

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Last weekend, February 1 and 2, the Moskino Cinema Park hosted a grand celebration of the Chinese New Year, in which more than 10 thousand people took part. A varied program was prepared for visitors, which did not leave either children or adults indifferent.

    Chinese Folklore, Dragon Dancing and Mandarin Throwing

    You could learn about Eastern secrets and myths in the quest “The Coming of the Chinese Spirit”. More than two thousand people took part in it, and their task was to catch the hungry Nyan and get a prize. The guests had to find red objects, and to do this, they had to distract the monster from Chinese mythology, make him laugh and make noise. The participants completed the task and won.

    Fun games in Chinese style were held near a natural green screen in the open air. Children and adults assembled puzzles with images of a dragon, rolled balls through a wooden labyrinth, threw oranges at targets, made cubes from multi-colored figures and played tangerine tic-tac-toe.

    In Chalet No. 1 on the Central Square, master classes were held, where those who wanted to painted white Chinese lanterns with patterns, learned calligraphy under the guidance of masters, and molded a dragon from air plasticine. In addition, street classes were held in Chinese national dance with a dragon. A large head and a long tail on sticks were distributed among the participants. They smoothly moved around the square, creating the illusion that the dragon was hovering in the air.

    The scenery of the Gonzaga Theatre featured Chinese folklore. Drummers performed there: the artists were dressed in traditional costumes and performed rhythmic compositions.

    Master classes, performances and excursions

    For winter sports enthusiasts, the skating rink and tubing hill continued to operate. After skating, you could warm up with hot drinks at the fair.

    At master classes in Chalet No. 2, children painted movie clappers, made “Jolly Snowman” magnets, and decorated a field and sea pebble figures for playing tic-tac-toe. The educational center hosted master classes in acting, dancing, and vocals.

    The weekend also saw the performance of the multimedia play “Cathedral Square”. Spectators saw the performance in the open air, sitting on warm heated seats, and learned a lot about the Time of Troubles. On different days, famous theater and film actors Dmitry Pevtsov, Ekaterina Guseva, Leonid Yakubovich, Anna Bolshova, Elena Zakharova and other artists take part in the play. You can see the production in the historical scenery of “Cathedral Square of Moscow” every weekend until February 23 inclusive. Tickets are available on the play’s page on the website of the Moskino cinema park.

    For those who wanted to see the unique scenery of the cinema park and learn new facts about the cinema professions, the excursion “Cinema Expedition” was held, and during the staged filming based on the Soviet films “Gentlemen of Fortune” and “Varvara-Beauty, Long Braid” it was possible to try on the costumes of the characters, learn the roles and act in front of the camera.

    Nature and scenery. Producer Evgeniya Sholokhova on filming in the Moskino cinema parkSpectators shared their impressions of the play “Cathedral Square”A piece of a plate from an excursion: the Moskino cinema park told about an unusual tradition

    The Moskino Cinema Park is part of Sergei Sobyanin’s Moscow — City of Cinema project and an object of the Moscow film cluster. The first stage of development has already been completed here: 18 natural sites, four pavilions and six infrastructure facilities have been built. Among them are the sets of Moscow Center, Moscow of the 1940s, Vitebsk Station, Yurovo Airport, Moscow Cathedral Square, Deaf Village, Partisan Village, County Town, Cowboy Town, St. Petersburg Bar and other sites.

    The Moscow Film Cluster is an infrastructure facility, services and facilities for filmmakers, which are being developed by the Moscow Government within the framework of the Moscow — City of Cinema project. Its structure includes the Moskino film park, the Gorky Film Studio (sites on Sergei Eisenstein Street and Valdaisky Proyezd), the Moskino film factory, the Moskino cinema chain, the film commission and the Moskino film platform.

    Project “Winter in Moscow”— the main event of the season, which until February 28 brings together various events in the capital. Citizens and tourists are invited to remember traditions and history, warm up with tea and hot buns, go ice skating, watch ice shows, give gifts to people who find themselves in a difficult life situation, and show concern for those who need it.

    Muscovites and guests of the capital are offered a huge selection of events in the open air and in cultural and sports institutions. The atmosphere of winter traditions has engulfed the entire city: more than 1.9 thousand sites are open. The project organically intertwined with the largest festivals of the capital “Moscow Estates”, “Moscow Tea Party”, “City of Light” and many others. All information about the project and events of the winter season can be found in a special section of mos.ru.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149655073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Apollo Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO) (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, “Apollo”) today reported results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024.

    Marc Rowan, Chief Executive Officer at Apollo said, “Our fourth quarter results punctuate a very strong year of performance for Apollo. 2024 highlights include record origination activity exceeding $220 billion, inflows of more than $150 billion, and assets under management surpassing $750 billion. Entering 2025, our growth strategy is clear, our team is focused on execution, and we are playing to win.”

    Apollo issued a full detailed presentation of its fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024 results, which can be viewed on Apollo’s Investor Relations website at ir.apollo.com.

    Dividend

    Apollo Global Management, Inc. has declared a cash dividend of $0.4625 per share of its Common Stock for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024. This dividend will be paid on February 28, 2025 to holders of record at the close of business on February 18, 2025.

    Apollo Global Management, Inc. has also declared and set aside for payment a cash dividend of $0.8438 per share of its Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, which will be paid on April 30, 2025 to holders of record at the close of business on April 15, 2025.

    The declaration and payment of dividends on the Common Stock and the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock are at the sole discretion of Apollo Global Management, Inc.’s board of directors. Apollo cannot assure its stockholders that they will receive any dividends in the future.

    Conference Call

    Apollo will host a public audio webcast on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. During the webcast, members of Apollo’s senior management team will review Apollo’s financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024.

    The webcast may be accessed at ir.apollo.com. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, there will be a replay of the webcast available at the same link one hour after the event.

    Apollo distributes its earnings releases via its website and email distribution lists. Those interested in receiving firm updates by email can sign up for them at ir.apollo.com.

    About Apollo

    Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of December 31, 2024, Apollo had approximately $751 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    In this press release, references to “Apollo,” “we,” “us,” “our” and the “Company” refer collectively to Apollo Global Management, Inc. and its subsidiaries, or as the context may otherwise require. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include, but are not limited to, discussions related to Apollo’s expectations regarding the performance of its business, its liquidity and capital resources and other non-historical statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. When used in this press release, the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including risks relating to inflation, interest rate fluctuations and market conditions generally, the impact of energy market dislocation, our ability to manage our growth, our ability to operate in highly competitive environments, the performance of the funds we manage, our ability to raise new funds, the variability of our revenues, earnings and cash flow, the accuracy of management’s assumptions and estimates, our dependence on certain key personnel, our use of leverage to finance our businesses and investments by the funds we manage, Athene’s ability to maintain or improve financial strength ratings, the impact of Athene’s reinsurers failing to meet their assumed obligations, Athene’s ability to manage its business in a highly regulated industry, changes in our regulatory environment and tax status, and litigation risks, among others. We believe these factors include but are not limited to those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 27, 2024, and the quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 6, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this press release and in our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. This press release does not constitute an offer of any Apollo fund.

    Investor and Media Relations Contacts

    For investors please contact:
    Noah Gunn
    Global Head of Investor Relations
    Apollo Global Management, Inc.
    212-822-0540
    ir@apollo.com

    For media inquiries please contact:
    Joanna Rose
    Global Head of Corporate Communications
    Apollo Global Management, Inc.
    212-822-0491
    communications@apollo.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Picus Security Finds 3X Increase in Malware Targeting Password Stores

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Picus Security, the leading security validation company, today released The Red Report™ 2025. Based on an in-depth analysis of more than 1 million pieces of malware collected in 2024, the fifth annual report reveals that 25% of malware targets credentials in password stores — a 3X increase from 2023. For the first time ever, stealing credentials from password stores is in the top 10 techniques listed in the MITRE ATT&CK Framework. The report reveals that these top 10 techniques accounted for 93% of all malicious actions in 2024.

    “Threat actors are leveraging sophisticated extraction methods, including memory scraping, registry harvesting and compromising local and cloud-based password stores, to obtain credentials that give attackers the keys to the kingdom,” said Picus Security co-founder and VP of Picus Labs, Dr. Suleyman Ozarslan. “It’s vital that password managers are used in tandem with multi-factor authentication, and that employees never reuse a password, especially for their password manager.”

    Picus observed that attackers are prioritizing complex, prolonged, multi-stage attacks that require a new generation of malware to succeed. Picus Labs researchers coined the term “SneakThief” to represent the evolution of info-stealing malware, which involves increased stealth, persistence and automation. They liken the increasingly sophisticated approach to “the perfect heist,” noting that most malware samples now contain more than a dozen malicious actions designed to help attackers evade defenses, increase permissions and exfiltrate data.

    “Focusing on Top 10 MITRE ATT&CK techniques is the most viable way to stop the kill chain of sophisticated malware strains as early as possible”, said Volkan Ertürk, CTO and co-founder of Picus. “SneakThief malware is not an exception, enterprise security teams can stop ninety percent of malware by focusing on just 10 of MITRE’s entire library of techniques.”

    Additional key findings from the report include:

    • Malware samples now contain an average of 14 malicious actions. This means each individual piece of malware is more complex and can perform more actions in the cyber kill chain.
    • Exfiltration and stealth tactics made up 11.3 million actions in 2024. Adversaries are shifting to covert exfiltration methods — “whispering channels” like encrypted communications (HTTPS, DoH) — and living-off-the-land techniques to blend malicious activity into legitimate traffic. It is more common than ever to see tactics like process injection and application layer protocols used as key enablers, allowing attackers to persist in environments and exfiltrate data without triggering an alert.
    • No evidence that cybercriminals are using AI-driven malware. Despite the widespread hype surrounding AI and its potential applications in cybersecurity, Picus’s analysis revealed no significant increase in the use of AI-driven malware techniques in 2024.

    Methodology
    Picus Labs processed 1,094,744 pieces of malware collected between January and December 2024. From the identified malicious files, 14,010,853 malicious actions were detected, averaging approximately 14 actions per malware sample. These malicious actions were systematically mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework. The Picus Red Report offers a more in-depth description of the research methodology.

    To learn more, download the Picus Red Report 2025 and register to explore the report results with the Picus Research team during a (live) webinar on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. EST.

    Resources

    About Picus Security 
    Picus Security, the leading security validation company, gives organizations a clear picture of their cyber risk based on business context. Picus transforms security practices by correlating, prioritizing and validating exposures across siloed findings so teams can focus on critical gaps and high-impact fixes. With Picus, security teams can quickly take action with one-click mitigations to stop more threats with less effort.

    The pioneer of Breach and Attack Simulation, Picus delivers award-winning, threat-centric technology that allows teams to pinpoint fixes worth pursuing, offering a 95% recommendation in Gartner® Peer Insights™ Customers’ Choice for 2024 in the BAS tools category.* 

    Contact Info:
    Jennifer Tanner
    Look Left Marketing
    picus@lookleftmarketing.com 

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/73c8bf25-cd5e-41a8-8b6d-4561fe99df09

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/009eaa50-d2e3-4bee-aadb-f2140af1864c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: WAVES 2025 to unveil AI-powered solutions for combating misinformation in live broadcasting

    Source: Government of India (2)

    WAVES 2025 to unveil AI-powered solutions for combating misinformation in live broadcasting

    TruthTell Hackathon as part of the Create in India Challenge garners over 5,600 global registrations, with 36% women participation

    Mentorship, Funding & prizes worth ₹10 Lakh Prizes: Take on the challenge of protecting viewers from misleading content, promoting ethical journalism

    Registration closing soon! join the TruthTell Hackathon before 21st February 2025

    Posted On: 04 FEB 2025 12:15PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has announced the TruthTell Hackathon challenge in collaboration with the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA). The Hackathon is part of the Season 1 of Create in India Challenge (CIC) of the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025. The challenge is a pioneering initiative aimed at developing AI-powered solutions to combat misinformation in live broadcasting.

    Hacking the Hoax

    In today’s fast-paced media environment, misinformation spreads rapidly, especially during live broadcasts. The challenge of detecting false information in real time is critical for broadcasters, journalists, and viewers alike.

    With a prize pool of ₹10 lakh, the hackathon calls upon developers, data scientists, and media professionals to create AI-driven tools for real-time misinformation detection and fact verification. Winning teams will receive cash prizes, mentorship opportunities, and incubation support from leading tech professionals.

    To date, the Hackathon has received overwhelming interest, with over 5,600 registrations globally, including 36% participation from women.

     Key Objectives:

    • Develop AI-powered tools for real-time detection and verification of information in live broadcasts.
    • Enhance trust and transparency in the media landscape.
    • Promote the ethical use of artificial intelligence in news reporting.

    Hackathon Phases & Key Dates:

    • Prototype Submission Deadline: 21st February 2025
    • Final Presentations: End-March 2025
    • Winners Showcase: WAVES Summit 2025

    For participation details and registration, visit: https://icea.org.in/truthtell/

    Supporting partners

    The Hackathon is supported by key partners, including the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), IndiaAI Mission, and DataLEADS; underscoring ICEA’s dedication to fostering innovation in media technology and upholding broadcasting standards.

    About ICEA

    The India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) is the apex industry body representing the mobile and electronics sector in India, driving innovation, policy advocacy, and global collaborations to strengthen India’s digital ecosystem.

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha

    (Release ID: 2099432) Visitor Counter : 20

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Pre-event Press release for Chennai Roadshow

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 04 FEB 2025 11:35AM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) will host the North East Trade and Investment Roadshow in Chennai on February 5, 2025, starting at 3:30 PM at Hotel Hilton, Guindy, Chennai. The event will be inaugurated by Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister for MDoNER.

    Key officials, including Shri Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, MDoNER, and Shri Shantanu, Joint Secretary, MDoNER, along with senior representatives from various North Eastern States, will also be in attendance.

    The roadshow will feature B2G meetings, providing a unique opportunity for potential investors to engage directly with state representatives and explore investment opportunities across multiple sectors. This event is organized in collaboration with the State Governments of the North Eastern States, FICCI (Industry Partner), and Invest India (Investment Facilitation Partner).

    This Chennai Roadshow is the eighth event in the ongoing series, showcasing presentations from the eight North Eastern States—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. These states will highlight a diverse range of investment opportunities in key sectors, including agri-food processing, IT & ITES, entertainment & sports, energy, infrastructure & logistics, tourism & hospitality, education & skill development, healthcare, textiles, handloom & handicrafts, all crucial for driving economic growth in the region.

    The Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat and Viksit North East’ has driven significant infrastructure development in the region over the past decade, including roadways, airways, railways, and waterways. These efforts have greatly improved the lives of the local population, boosting tourism and economic activities.

    The North East Investor Summit supports this vision by attracting investments and unlocking the region’s untapped potential, further advancing its journey toward prosperity and development.

    Previous roadshows in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad, along with the state seminar at Vibrant Gujarat, have garnered substantial interest from potential investors. Building on these successes, MDoNER organized a signing and exchange of MoUs event for the North East Investors Summit on March 6, 2024, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, facilitating discussions between senior officials and investors.

    The recent Ahmedabad roadshow, attended by  MoS for MDoNER, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, facilitated numerous B2G meetings that encouraged potential investments.

    The upcoming Chennai Roadshow aims to build on this momentum, providing investors with the opportunity to engage directly with state officials. Given the success of previous editions, this event is anticipated to attract even greater attention and participation, solidifying Chennai’s role as a financial hub for the economic growth of the North East.

    The session will include valuable insights from the  Minister of MDoNER and presentations from various states, highlighting investment opportunities and empowering investors to become part of the dynamic investment landscape of North East India.

    *****

    Samrat/Dheeraj@: donerpib[at]gmail[dot]com

    (Release ID: 2099415) Visitor Counter : 89

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Civil Society Organizations Brief the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the Situation of Women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, Belarus and Luxembourg

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    GENEVA, Switzerland, February 4, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was this afternoon briefed by representatives of civil society organizations on the situation of women’s rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, Belarus and Luxembourg, the reports of which the Committee will review this week.

    In relation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, speakers raised concerns regarding gender-based violence and abuse of internally displaced women and girls in the context of the escalating conflict, and the impact of the withdrawal of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    On Nepal, speakers addressed discrimination against vulnerable women, including indigenous women and girls, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women, and women sex workers; anti-discrimination legislation; and the participation of women in political processes.

    Non-governmental organizations speaking on Belarus raised topics including the dissolution of civil society organizations, imprisonment of women human rights defenders, and barriers to access to justice for women.

    Regarding Luxembourg, a speaker raised issues related to a lack of gender sensitive policies and measures to address intersecting forms of discrimination, and the subordination of women through the social system.

    The National Human Rights Commissioner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo spoke on the country, as did the following non-governmental organizations: Centre for Migration, Gender, and Justice; Groupe d’Action pour les Droits de la Femme; and SAVIE ASBL LGBT.

    Regarding Nepal, the following non-governmental organizations spoke: Forum for Women, Law and Development; Feminist Dalit Organization; Nepal Indigenous Women Federation; Sex Workers and Allies South Asia and Team; Campaign for Change, Mitini Nepal, and Intersex Asia; and Visible Impact.

    The following non-governmental organizations spoke on Belarus: Belarusian Helsinki Committee; Human Constanta; Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions; Coalition against gender-based and domestic violence; and Our House.

    A representative of the Consultative Commission of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg on Human Rights spoke on Luxembourg.

    The Committee also held an informal meeting with the Working Group on Business and Human Rights and representatives from civil society and the business sector on “increasing the bottom line through smart, gender-inclusive, rights-focused approaches in digitisation.”

    Opening the meeting, Nahla Haidar, the newly elected Committee Chairperson, said artificial intelligence and digital technologies had revolutionised everyday life and business practices across sectors in ways that were never envisioned in the past. She called for action to prevent bias and discrimination against women through cyber-enabled modalities; expand women’s economic opportunities in the new digital era; and equip women and girls with necessary skills, capacities and tools to contribute to providing digital solutions.

    In the meeting, speakers discussed topics such as measures to prevent discrimination of women in the private sector, and particularly in the field of technology; measures to promote access to science, technology, engineering and maths education for women; measures to address the impacts of artificial intelligence on women; and measures to protect women’s rights in the energy transition era.

    Committee Experts and members of the Working Group spoke in the meeting, as did representatives of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Trade Organization, and various private sector and civil society organizations.

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s ninetieth session is being held from 3 to 21 February. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 4 February to consider the report of the Democratic Republic of the Congo submitted under the exceptional reporting procedure (CEDAW/C/COD/EP/1).

    Opening Remarks by the Committee Chair

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chairperson, said that during each session, the Committee invited national and international non-governmental organizations to informal public meetings to provide specific information on the States parties that were scheduled for consideration by the Committee. She welcomed the representatives of non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions that had come to provide information on the States parties whose reports were being considered this week: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, Belarus and Luxembourg.

    Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal and Belarus

    Democratic Republic of the Congo

    On the Democratic Republic of the Congo, speakers, among other things, said violence against displaced persons was on the rise in the State. Gender-based violence, specifically, was rampant, leaving survivors with limited access to justice. Displaced women had a lack of access to reproductive health care and were giving birth in unsafe conditions. The economic struggles that displaced women and girls faced were equally alarming. With scarce income opportunities, many were driven to survival sex, which exposed them to sexual exploitation and abuse.

    The withdrawal of the United Nations Organization Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo raised real concerns. Plans from national authorities to take on the responsibilities of the Mission remained lacking. Armed militias and members of the security forces continued to abuse women with impunity. There were also “tolerance houses” where internally displaced women and girls were sexually abused. Justice remained inaccessible for most survivors.

    Speakers called on the Government to bolster administrative capacities; ensure the transfer of United Nations facilities to the armed forces; investigate “tolerance houses” and hold perpetrators of gender-based violence criminally liable; control the spread of weapons; and ensure justice and dignity for all women in the State. Speakers also called for a national migration strategy that was gender-responsive; mechanisms for gender-based violence prevention, mitigation, and response; provision of health services and resources, especially with regards to maternity health, that connected to related concerns such as food insecurity and nutrition; and programmes to expand livelihood provisions that supported displaced women and girls.

    Nepal

    Speakers said Nepal had yet to enact a robust anti-discrimination law, making women more vulnerable to abuse. There was a need to criminalise discrimination against women and eliminate all discriminatory legal provisions against them. The State party also needed to allocate sufficient human and financial resources to public bodies working on women’s rights. Appropriate support needed to be provided to women victims of violence.

    Fifteen per cent of Nepal’s population of women faced multiple forms of discrimination; many women faced social exclusion and violence. Some girls did not report crimes due to a lack of trust in the justice system.

    Nepal needed to amend the Constitution to address historical discrimination of indigenous women and to recognise the customary laws of indigenous people. The Government needed to amend the act on the rights of persons with disabilities to address the rights of indigenous women with disabilities. Access to justice needed to be promoted for indigenous women and women with disabilities.

    Nepal had failed to ratify the Palermo Protocol, and human trafficking and sex work were treated as the same in the country. Sex workers faced various forms of discrimination and violence. Nepal’s legislation had a direct impact on sex workers’ access to citizenship. Legislation on trafficking in persons needed to be amended to differentiate between trafficking and sex work. The Government also needed to facilitate sex workers’ access to citizenship and promote awareness raising campaigns on the rights of sex workers.

    Lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex girls faced harmful treatment and violence, and systematic discrimination in education and healthcare in Nepal, and the Government had failed to act in response. The Government needed to ensure such women could access single women’s allowances, redefine marriage to include gender-free terminology, and support this group’s access to rights.

    Education on sexual and reproductive health remained optional and inadequate in Nepal. It needed to be made compulsory. Legislation needed to be amended to fully decriminalise abortion, particularly abortions in cases of rape. The State also needed to amend legislation to include sexual and reproductive health and rights and sensitise health care providers and community members on safe births. It further needed to decriminalise sexual relations between consenting adolescents under the age of 18.

    The meaningful participation of women in political processes was lacking; many women politicians faced violence. Nepal needed to investigate historic violence against marginalised women, collect disaggregated data on women, enhance women’s leadership capacities, take measures to eliminate discrimination against marginalised women and girls, and provide quality health services to all women and girls, particularly indigenous women, at a minimal cost.

    Belarus

    Speakers on Belarus said the Constitution did not provide effective protection against discrimination. Women’s rights to education and health care were limited. Belarus had institutionalised discriminatory food provisions; women and girls were not able to access fruit and nuts, leading to long-term health risks.

    Access to justice for women was undermined by the persistent persecution of women human rights defenders. Women activists had been falsely labelled as terrorists despite their peaceful actions. The State had systematically dissolved various civil society organizations, including many that supported women. Almost 2,000 non-governmental organizations had been forced to liquidate. All women’s organizations that had prepared shadow reports to the Committee for the last review had been liquidated. It was immensely difficult to find legal assistance due to the political suppression of lawyers. In 2022, the Government had forcibly liquidated all trade unions. Six women trade union activists remained in prisons.

    At least 139 women were political prisoners in Belarus. They lacked access to healthcare and were persistently ill-treated. Imprisoned women faced forced labour and modern forms of slavery. If women refused to work, they were put in “cages of shame” and forced to stand outside for several hours. Women prisoners earned between five and 10 euros per month and faced harsh penalties for not meeting quotas.

    When domestic violence cases were reported to police, police screened the political activities of the victim rather than provide support. Victims and aggressors were invited together to meetings with authorities, promoting impunity.

    Women migrants were vulnerable to trafficking and violence. Domestic violence was not a ground for asylum in Belarus.

    Luxembourg

    No non-governmental organizations spoke on the situation of women in Luxembourg.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said that there were many laws and policies for women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but there was weak implementation. How was the transitional justice policy being implemented for women? Was there a plan to promote the security of women and girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

    The Expert shared the non-governmental organizations’ concern regarding the suppression of civil society in Belarus. Were there plans to update the national action plan on human rights in Belarus, and were there plans to establish a national human rights institution?

    Another Expert asked about anti-trafficking activities being carried out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. To what extent were women represented in local governments and decision-making bodies in Nepal?

    One Committee Expert asked about financial resources devoted to implementing the national gender equality plan in Nepal. What were areas of concern related to sexual and reproductive health services in Belarus?

    A Committee Expert asked about problems regarding access to justice for Dalit women in Nepal. How common was the dowry custom in Nepal? Why was the dowry for younger women and girls lower?

    Another Committee Expert asked if the Democratic Republic of the Congo had laws on the accountability of military personnel and contractors involved in violence against women. What social protection system and benefits did Belarus have for women and girls?

    One Committee Expert asked about legal provisions that needed to be challenged. What needed to be done to educate girls and society about the harms of the kumari practice in Nepal, which isolated girls from their community?

    A Committee Expert called for information on the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national action plan on the development of the security forces. What action had been taken to dismantle non-governmental armed groups in the east? Was it still possible for non-governmental organizations in Belarus to protect women and interact with the Government?

    Responses by Non-Governmental Organizations

    Nepal

    Responding to questions on Nepal, speakers said there was a very low percentage of women in federal and provincial decision-making bodies in Nepal, and an even lower percentage of Dalit women. There needed to be increased representation of women in these bodies. There were several laws that directly discriminated against women, including laws on legal residences, which considered women and girls’ residences as those of their husbands and fathers. Divorced women lost their property rights. It was prohibited to oppose gender biases in cultural and social practices. Nepal’s laws did not recognise lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women as minorities; this needed to be done.

    In Nepal, the parents of women paid dowries, and less dowry was paid for younger women. Dowry payments were most prevalent in the south of the country. The Criminal Code criminalised this practice, but it still existed.

    Sexual and reproductive health education was part of the school curriculum but was no longer a compulsory subject. There were also gaps in sexual and reproductive health legislation, with many marginalised women not able to access sexual and reproductive health services.

    Dalit women and other marginalised women could not easily access the justice system. They were not made aware of where and how to access justice and faced violence and discrimination from the police because of their identity.

    Belarus

    Responding to questions on Belarus, speakers said Belarus’ Gender Equality Council did not include non-governmental organizations working on human rights and gender equality. Belarus’ legislation on incitement to hatred was used to oppress women human rights defenders. One such woman had been imprisoned for seven years under this legislation. Raids, inspections and blocking of websites were tools used by the Government to restrict the activities of civil society organizations.

    Statements by National Human Rights Institutions

    Democratic Republic of the Congo

    GISÈLE KAPINGA NTUMBA, National Human Rights Commissioner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said the Democratic Republic of the Congo was going through one of its darkest times in recent history, marked by the invasion of the M23 rebels in the east of the country, which was facing a protracted, violent crisis. Many women and girls had been displaced and were facing heightened risks of sexual violence and rape. The National Human Rights Commission had conducted investigations into sexual violence linked to conflict, engaging with competent institutions to address this problem and combat impunity.

    The Commission welcomed that the Government had implemented several measures to protect women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence, including a law criminalising such violence and enshrining access to justice for victims. However, there was still a long way to go until these measures could effectively protect civilians from sexual and gender-based violence. The number of internally displaced persons continued to grow, and there had been many cases of rape reported. There needed to be increased funds to limit the circulation of small arms and light weapons, build new camps, and increase humanitarian aid for internally displaced persons. Care for victims of sexual and gender-based violence needed to be given by trained professionals.

    The national fund for compensation for the victims of gender-based violence had helped victims to access care. The Commission also welcomed the organisation of travelling courts to combat impunity. The Government needed to restore peace in the east and take steps to protect civilians from gender-based violence, and provide internally displaced persons with adequate aid. Armed groups needed to respect the rules of international humanitarian law and implement an immediate ceasefire. The international community needed to promote peace by adopting sanctions against M23 and other armed groups.

    Luxembourg

    LAURA CAROCHA, Human and Social Sciences Expert,Commission consultative des Droits de l’Homme du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg [Consultative Commission of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg on Human Rights], welcomed the efforts made by Luxembourg to combat discrimination against women since the last report, while noting persistent shortcomings, including a social system that kept women in a subordinate position to men. Luxembourg’s policy favoured a “neutral” approach that was not gender sensitive. Ms. Carocha urged politicians to openly acknowledge this systemic patriarchal domination and to make the deconstruction of this mechanism a priority. To this end, it was imperative that the Government finally implemented the principle of gender mainstreaming in a cross-cutting manner in all its policies.

    Luxembourg’s equality efforts lacked an intersectional approach and the Government rarely addressed multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Disability was conspicuously absent from the National Action Plan for Equality between Women and Men, while the gender dimension was neglected in the National Action Plan on Disability. It was essential to have detailed data, disaggregated by gender, age, ethnicity, disability and education level, to better understand and address the different forms of discrimination that women faced. The Government also needed to impose concrete actions on companies, municipalities and administrations in terms of gender equality and the fight against discrimination against women.

    All actions taken in the fight against discrimination against women needed to be carried out in close collaboration with civil society. This cooperation needed to be translated into lasting partnerships and political will to ensure that the contributions of civil society were seriously considered in the decision-making process.

    Ms. Carocha concluded by calling for the recognition of multiple forms of discrimination, and a proactive and participatory response from the Government to gender inequalities rooted in societal dynamics. This meant adopting structural solutions that addressed the root causes of discrimination.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert offered condolences to the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including families of civilians who had lost their lives. What did the National Human Rights Commission wish the Committee to highlight in the dialogue with the State party?

    Another Committee Expert asked about measures to prevent conflict-related gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    One Committee Expert asked if humanitarian aid groups were able to access Goma and deliver food, health and menstrual products?

    A Committee Expert expressed concern regarding the lack of participation from women’s organizations from Luxembourg in the dialogue. What progress had been made in reforming the Constitution? Was there an initiative to amend the timeframe for authorising abortions in the State? The State party did not publish data broken down by origin. Could data be provided on migrant workers in Luxembourg?

    Another Committee Expert asked about Luxembourg’s process for identifying stateless persons.

    Responses by National Human Rights Institutions

    GISÈLE KAPINGA NTUMBA, National Human Rights Commissioner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said that in Goma, people in displacement camps had been bombarded. They had no power and no water, and the Rwandese army was on its way in. The international community needed to assist the Democratic Republic of the Congo in creating humanitarian corridors to assist internally displaced persons fleeing the region. The State had approved laws and measures on preventing sexual violence, but implementing these was a challenge, particularly in regions where the Government did not have control. In the dialogue, the Committee needed to ask the Government to choose diplomacy over other means, as the population was dying for nothing. Those involved in the conflict needed to be prosecuted. The international community needed to condemn the situation in the east and promote diplomacy.

    Meeting with the Working Group on Business and Human Rights

    Statements

    ANDREA ORI, Director, Groups in Focus Section, Human Rights Treaties Branch, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the meeting would address the nexus between business and human rights, and gender and digital technologies. Cooperation and practices in digital fields needed to not perpetrate discrimination against women. There was room for improvement on measures addressing gender discrimination in the workplace, representation of women in leadership positions, workplace harassment, and labour rights for women. Women were over-represented in low-paying jobs. Stereotypes hindered women’s access to finance and investments, and women had less access to technology and digital services. Today’s discussion would focus on enhancing the promotion and protection of women.

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chairperson, said artificial intelligence and digital technologies had revolutionised everyday life and business practices across sectors in ways that were never envisioned in the past. Strategic, innovative modalities to better safeguard the rights of women and girls called for partnerships, joint approaches and harmonised frameworks. Women needed to be engaged in digital developments from the beginning. States needed to avoid the re-inventing of stereotypes, bias and discrimination and the perpetuation of violence against women through cyber-enabled modalities; safeguard women’s livelihoods and expand economic opportunities in the new digital era for them; and equip women and girls with necessary skills, capacities and tools to contribute to providing digital solutions.

    This briefing was anticipated to be the first in a series of collaborative efforts to address substantive issues on women’s economic rights in a digital world based on the provisions of the Convention. Business and human rights principles and the jurisprudence of the Committee and standards could be systematically deployed to uphold and respond to women’s rights protection and economic empowerment, particularly through inclusive digital technologies.

    Sadly, gender equality had often been constrained by interpretations outside the text of the Convention, resulting in persistent gender gaps and disparities. Critical partnerships would enable the Committee to explore a collaborative and coordinated approach for bridging digital gender inequalities to create a more inclusive and equitable digital future for women and girls, one that was not only free of all forms of violence but also offered them equal opportunities to access and utilise digital technologies to boost their livelihoods and human capital assets.

    LYRA JAKULEVIČIENĖ, Chairperson of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, said that this year, the Working Group was preparing a report on the use of artificial intelligence in businesses and its human rights impacts. It focused on the deployment of artificial intelligence technologies and procurement by States and businesses, looking at biases and other issues. The use of artificial intelligence and other technologies had many benefits and but also created concerns, including related to gender, and these would be captured in the report. Synergy with the Committee would help both bodies to advance their agendas and strengthen the global protection of human rights, particularly for vulnerable women and girls.

    ESTHER EGHOBAMIEN-MSHELIA, Committee Expert, said 300 million fewer women than men had access to mobile internet globally. Although about a third of small and medium enterprises were owned by women, women were under-represented in discussions on the global value chain. States needed to focus on the energy transition and artificial intelligence technologies, as if they did not address issues in these fields, the gender gaps would widen.

    FERNANDA HOPENHAYM, Gender Focal Point of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, said the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights had a cross-cutting gender perspective, and this needed to be addressed by States and businesses. The Guiding Principles said that States needed to include a gender perspective in all policies on business and human rights. It also called on businesses to respect human rights and to implement measures promoting diversity and inclusion. Women needed to be able to access remedies in cases in which their rights were violated. Technologies needed to be gender sensitive, responsive and transformative.

    Panel Discussion

    In the ensuing discussion, speakers, among other things, said women faced many barriers to accessing the labour market; these needed to be addressed. Countries needed to change company cultures to address discrimination against women employees, and promote diversity and family-friendly policies. Businesses needed to consider documents outlining the rights of women and girls, such as the Convention, and use tools to assess the effectiveness of gender equality measures. They also needed to create an enabling environment for women. Another key requirement was to conduct human rights due diligence with a gender lens.

    Some speakers expressed concerns related to discrimination against women in the technology sector. Many companies lacked a gender lens when assessing their value chains and were not carrying out gender-related due diligence. There was evidence of disproportionate harm to non-binary women and the targeting of women human rights defenders online. Companies were actively amplifying gender biases. The Committee and the Working Group needed to work with civil society and to call out companies by name when they violated human rights. They also needed to promote corporate accountability and prevent regression.

    Speakers presented measures to change cultural mindsets to support women to succeed professionally; to promote a healthy work-life balance for women; to raise awareness of women’s rights among businesses; and to develop rules and tools to protect women and girls on social media platforms.

    Some speakers said technology could allow for greater access to education for women and girls, so women needed increased access to it. One speaker said girls had less opportunities to study in fields such as programming and robotics. With simple reforms and measures encouraging participation, more and more women and girls would choose information technology as a profession, they said.

    Some speakers expressed concerns that artificial intelligence technology was not sufficiently regulated. It was possible for artificial intelligence systems to learn and reproduce societal biases and there were also privacy concerns regarding the data that these systems used. One speaker presented efforts to eliminate biases in artificial intelligence systems and to develop tools to ensure that such systems respected human rights.

    One speaker called for respect for women’s rights in the energy transition. Women had strong roles to play in preventing child labour in the energy sector and supporting children’s access to education. Businesses needed to ensure women’s experiences were incorporated in energy transition programmes, and to finance science, technology, engineering and maths education programmes for women, speakers said.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: Final terms for bonds to be listed 7th February 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    To Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S                        4th February 2025
                                            Announcement no. 12/2025

    Final terms for bonds to be listed 7thFebruary 2025

    On 7th February 2025, Jyske Realkredit A/S will be listing new Covered Bonds (SDO). Final terms for the bonds are attached to this announcement.

    The full prospectus for the Bonds consist of the attached final terms and the previously disclosed ”Base Prospectus for the issue of Covered Bonds (SDO), Mortgage bonds (“RO”) and Mortgage Bonds (RO) and bonds issued pursuant to Section 15 of the Danish Mortgage-Credit Loans and Mortgage-Credit Bonds etc. Act (Section 15 Bonds).”, dated June 28th, 2024.

    Jyske Realkredit’s base prospectus is available on Jyske Realkredit’s home page jyskerealkredit.com

    Yours sincerely,
    Jyske Realkredit A/S

    www.jyskerealkredit.com

    Please observe that the Danish version of this announcement prevails.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Check Point Announces New AI-Powered Innovations to Bolster Unified Security Management for the Infinity Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VIENNA, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a pioneer and global leader of cyber security solutions, today announced new Infinity Platform capabilities to accelerate zero trust, strengthen threat prevention, reduce complexity, and simplify security operations.

    “We live in a hyperconnected, digital world with new cyber threats emerging every day,” said Nataly Kremer, Chief Product Officer at Check Point. “Meanwhile, security teams are struggling to adequately prevent cyber-attacks due to complex and siloed security solutions. We are pleased to introduce several new AI-powered Innovations that cut down complexity and strengthen the Unified Security Management capabilities of the Infinity Platform. Our customers will experience enhanced threat prevention, while finding it very easy to collaborate with third-party products.”

    Many organizations rely on a siloed security approach. IT teams are tasked with deploying security tools that are designed to provide a specific type of protection across the network, endpoints, email, and cloud environments. This siloed approach requires dozens of systems to manage, which leads to operational challenges, fragmented policies, and security gaps for IT teams. At the same time, cyber-attacks increased 44% year-over-year, placing extreme pressure on security teams.

    The siloed nature of hybrid environments demands that security teams review and reconcile policies and processes across dozens of systems and tools. These tasks are often performed manually, slowing down operations and leading to gaps in zero trust, threat resolution, and infrastructure management, resulting in a heightened risk of cyberattacks and system failures. Check Point’s six new and improved AI-powered innovations accelerate operations and supercharge threat prevention in three ways:

    Unified Identity & Policy

    By leveraging AI and identity awareness, administrators can implement more effective and granular security policies, ensuring that only authorized users have access to critical resources. Unifying visibility and analysis of policies across environments enables security teams to maintain security hygiene and compliance.

    • Quantum Policy Insights
      • Analyzes existing policies and recommends policy changes to improve security posture
      • Enforces zero trust by eliminating overly permissive access and conflicting policies
    • Quantum Policy Auditor
      • Ensures alignment with corporate security guidelines
      • Identifies policies that violate organizational guidelines using a policy visualization UI
      • Analyzes thousands of rules in seconds, saving security and audit teams weeks of tedious labor by synthesizing complex policies/rules into powerful business-level graphical insights
    • Infinity Identity
      • Cloud service that manages centralized identity across the Infinity Platform
      • Seamlessly integrates with third party identity providers
      • Adds support for new identity sources: Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Intune and Harmony Endpoint 

    Collaborative Threat Prevention

    AI can help organizations identify and block threats across multiple enforcement points in real-time, eliminating human error and reducing time to remediation.

    • Infinity Playblocks
      • Provides security automation and orchestration across Infinity Platform and 3rd parties
      • Extends the reach of siloed security solutions to stop attacks across the enterprise
      • 100+ out of the box playbooks including threat prevention, auto remediation, reporting, and more
      • Enables enterprises to easily create custom playbooks using natural language GenAI

    Operational Simplicity
    AI-based insights can minimize tedious, error prone work to streamline operations across the entire security stack. This results in improved zero trust, better lifecycle management, and less infrastructure downtime.

    • Infinity AIOps
      • AI agent proactively monitors gateways to predict and help mitigate failures in advance
      • Provides real-time monitoring of security infrastructure health, including CPU, memory utilization, and more
    • Infinity AI Copilot
      • Chat-based GenAI assistant knows an organization’s policies, access rules, objects, and logs, as well as all product documentation.
      • Provides contextualized and comprehensive answers to security admins, IT departments, and security operations teams, accelerating security administration and improving incident mitigation and response.
      • Powerful, time saving entry point for automation/collaboration across entire Infinity Platform

    Learn more about AI Security Management: https://www.checkpoint.com/ai-unified-security-management/

    Follow Check Point via:
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/check-point-software-technologies
    X (formerly Twitter): https://www.twitter.com/checkpointsw
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/checkpointsoftware
    Blog: https://blog.checkpoint.com
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CPGlobal

    About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 
    Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security platform provider protecting over 100,000 organizations worldwide. Check Point leverages the power of AI everywhere to enhance cyber security efficiency and accuracy through its Infinity Platform, with industry-leading catch rates enabling proactive threat anticipation and smarter, faster response times. The comprehensive platform includes cloud-delivered technologies consisting of Check Point Harmony to secure the workspace, Check Point CloudGuard to secure the cloud, Check Point Quantum to secure the network, and Check Point Infinity Platform Services for collaborative security operations and services.

    Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding future growth, the expansion of Check Point’s industry leadership, the enhancement of shareholder value and the delivery of an industry-leading cyber security platform to customers worldwide. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results or events in the future are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 2, 2024. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Check Point as of the date hereof, and Check Point disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 01/31/2025 Blackburn Sounds the Alarm on Radio Stations Exploiting Tennessee Songwriters Ahead of the Grammys

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr to sound the alarm on the exploitative practice of radio stations and networks offering an artist more airtime in exchange for performing a free show. By doing so, these radio stations and networks often reap the financial benefits of these shows through ticket sales, sponsorships, and other income while artists and record labels absorb the expenses.

    Blackburn Calls Attention to Radio Stations Sidestepping Federal Regulations

    “I am writing to bring attention to an issue critically impacting Tennessee’s content creators, particularly its songwriters and music community. Federal law prohibits radio stations from accepting payment for airtime without disclosing the transaction—a practice commonly known as ‘payola.’ As you know, the FCC considers payola a violation of the Sponsorship Identification Rules. From what we have learned, it appears that to sidestep these restrictions, radio stations and networks have adopted a troubling new tactic. Instead of demanding cash or lavish perks from record labels in exchange for airplay, they now pressure artists to perform ‘free radio shows’ —also referred to as ‘listener appreciation shows’ or ‘charitable concert events.’”

    Radio Stations Are Forcing Artists to Choose Between More Airtime and Financial Compensation

    “We have heard the new scheme works in this manner: radio stations and networks offer more airtime for an artist’s songs if the artist performs a free show. There is often an implicit suggestion that declining to perform could result in reduced airplay. Radio stations and networks often receive the financial benefit of these shows through ticket sales, sponsorships, and other income while the artists and record labels frequently absorb the expense. This forced quid pro quo applies to essentially all artists, regardless of their level of success. Artists in the industry have told me that it is not unusual for them to perform anywhere from 10 to 50 such shows in any given year. Those just starting out in their career will often perform more, while those that have had more success will have to perform fewer, but they will still be expected to do them.”

    Blackburn: These Exploitative Practices Must Not Be Tolerated

    “This practice is exploitative and should not be tolerated. Federal law and FCC rules prohibit radio stations from receiving undisclosed compensation for broadcasting songs, and this principle must extend to free performances for radio stations and networks. Artists should not be extorted into providing free labor in exchange for airplay. I urge you to take swift action to end this abuse and protect our music community. Thank you for your attention to this pressing matter.”

    Click here for full text of the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Becketwell Live celebrates major milestone with practical completion ahead of Spring

    Source: City of Derby

    The highly anticipated £45.8 million Becketwell Live has reached practical completion with developers St James Securities delivering the venue on time and on budget.

    Derbyshire-based construction firm Bowmer + Kirkland recently completed the final stages of construction on the entertainment venue ahead of its opening this Spring. The venue has now been handed over to owners Derby City Council and operators Legends and ASM Global, the world’s preeminent premium live events company.

    Becketwell Live is set to become a hub of entertainment, attracting audiences from across the region and beyond. Legends and ASM Global have already unveiled a number of events, including beloved British comedian John Bishop, legendary band Wet Wet Wet and acclaimed actress and author Miriam Margolyes.

    Built on the site of the former Pink Coconut nightclub on Colyear Street, the new venue will significantly enhance Derby’s cultural offering, with a larger, more flexible space than the city centre has had in the past.

    Set to attract an additional 250,000 visitors to Derby each year and generate more than £10m GVA per year for the area, the flexible venue will bring diverse events to Derby, drive the night-time economy and increase levels of investment in surrounding areas of the city centre.

    With a capacity of 3,500, made up of a flexible combination of floor seating, retractable bleacher seating and fixed upper tier seats, the venue can host a range of events from concerts, stand-up comedy, exhibitions, and business events.

    The venue will boast state of the art acoustics, all of which have gone through thorough sound testing for all types of events. The purpose-built, state-of-the-art back of house spaces have been designed in such a way to ensure smooth transitions from one type of event to another. Plus, there is an array of beautiful General Admission and premium space for guests to enjoy.

    The Becketwell regeneration scheme is being delivered by Leeds-based property developers St James Securities, who have a track record of delivering successful major regeneration schemes.

    In February 2022, Peveril Securities, the development arm of the Bowmer + Kirkland Group, agreed to become funding and development partners for future phases of the Becketwell scheme.

    Becketwell Live forms the second phase of the £200m scheme, which is the most significant urban rejuvenation project in the city for more than three decades.

    Phase one includes The Condor, the city’s first purpose-built Build to Rent scheme, owned and operated by Grainger plc and Springwell Square, and a new public green space for the city.

    Commenting on practical completion of the arena, Paul Morris, Development Director at St James Securities, said:

    The completion of Becketwell Live marks a transformative moment for Derby, delivering a world-class venue that will and drive significant economic growth and serve as a catalyst for the city’s future regeneration.

    This project has been more than five years in the making, and we are immensely proud to have developed a venue that will attract top-tier events and enhance the city’s cultural vibrancy, enriching the lives of its residents.

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

    This is a huge leap forward in the Becketwell journey, bringing us much closer to realising our vision of transforming Derby into vibrant city centre that prioritises and celebrates culture.

    A huge thanks to all of our partners and everyone involved for their incredible work on this project. This has been a long time in the making and I’m very proud that we’ve been able to support our partners to reach practical completion on time and on budget.

    Becketwell Live will provide a significant boost to our city’s cultural sector and economy and we can’t wait to open the doors to the public this Spring.

    Marcus Sheehan, General Manager of Becketwell Live said:

    This is yet another exciting milestone as we move closer to opening the doors of Becketwell Live. Thanks to the brilliant teams who have done an incredible job in bringing this venue to life, ready to bring the very best in live entertainment to the heart of Derby.

    Gus Kedzior, Bowmer + Kirkland’s Regional Director for North Midlands & Yorkshire said:

    We are incredibly proud to have been appointed to build this amazing landmark venue in Derby. Our site team has done a great job in ensuring this project has been handed over on time, within budget, and we are thrilled with the final outcome.

    It really has been a team effort throughout, and a pleasure to work collaboratively with St James Securities, Legends and ASM Global, and Derby City Council. Becketwell Live will now become the third scheme we have completed for DCC, joining Moorways Sports Village and Derby Arena.

    It is also worth noting the additional social value that a building of this scale creates for the local area, bringing jobs, apprenticeship opportunities and income. We are proud to have played a vital role in helping to rejuvenate this area of the city and are looking forward to seeing its doors open to the public in the spring.

    Ralph Jones, Managing Director of Peveril Securities and main Board Director of Bowmer + Kirkland, added:

    Peveril Securities and St James Securities both share the same ambition for Derby city centre, and we are proud to have worked together to deliver such a transformational scheme.

    We are delighted to have brought our financial strength, development and construction expertise to this exciting project, which is local to Peveril Securities.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Notice of the Annual General Meeting 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    eQ Plc Stock Exchange Release
    4 February 2025, at 8:15 am


    Notice of the Annual General Meeting 2025

    Notice is given to the shareholders of eQ Plc to the Annual General Meeting (the “AGM”) to be held on 25 March 2025 at 5:00 p.m. at Sanoma House’s Eliel meeting room, Töölönlahdenkatu 2, 00100 Helsinki, Finland. The reception of persons who have registered for the meeting will commence at 4:30 p.m. at the meeting venue.

    The AGM will be held as a hybrid meeting in accordance with chapter 5, section 16, subsection 2 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act. As an alternative to participating in the Annual General Meeting at the meeting venue, shareholders can fully exercise their rights during the meeting also via remote connection. Shareholders can exercise their right to vote also by voting in advance. Further attendance instructions, instructions for voting in advance and remote participation are presented in part C of this notice to the AGM.

    Shareholders can ask questions referred to in chapter 5, section 25 of the Finnish Companies Act about the matters to be discussed at the meeting, also in writing before the meeting. Instructions for submitting written questions are presented in this notice under section C.

    A. Matters on the agenda of the AGM

    At the Annual General Meeting, the following matters will be considered:

    1. Opening of the meeting

    2. Calling the meeting to order

    3. Election of persons to scrutinise the minutes and persons to supervise the counting of votes

    4. Recording the legality of the meeting

    5. Recording the attendance at the meeting and adoption of the list of votes

    6. Presentation of the annual accounts, report of the Board of Directors and auditors’ report for the year 2024

    – Presentation of the review by the CEO

    The annual accounts, report of the Board of Directors and the auditors’ report published by the Company will be available no later than 4 March 2025 on the Company’s website www.eq.fi.

    7. Adoption of the annual accounts

    8. Resolution on the use of the profit shown on the balance sheet and the payment of dividend

    The distributable means of the parent company on 31 December 2024 totalled EUR 57,409,143.02. The sum consisted of retained earnings of EUR 31,984,573.28 and the means in the reserve of invested unrestricted equity of EUR 25,424,569.74.

    The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that a dividend of EUR 0.66 per share be paid out. The proposal corresponds to a dividend totalling EUR 27,328,750.68 calculated with the number of shares at the close of the financial year. The dividend will be paid out in two separate installments.

    The first installment, EUR 0.33 per share shall be paid to those shareholders who are registered as shareholders in eQ Plc’s shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd on the record date of the dividend payment on 27 March 2025. The Board proposes 3 April 2025 as the payment date of the first installment of the dividend. 

    The second installment, EUR 0.33 per share shall be paid in October 2025. The second installment shall be paid to those shareholders who are registered as shareholders in eQ Plc’s shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd on the record date of the divided payment. The Board shall decide the record date and the payment date of the second installment of the divided in its meeting in September 2025. It is contemplated that the record date of the second installment will be 7 October 2025 and that the payment date will be 14 October 2025. 

    After the end of the financial period, no essential changes have taken place in the financial position of the company. The Board of Directors feel that the proposed distribution of dividend does not endanger the liquidity of the company.

    9. Resolution on the discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEOs from liability for the financial year 1 January – 31 December 2024

    10. Handling of the Remuneration Report for Governing Bodies

    The Remuneration Report for Governing Bodies shall be available on the company’s website www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset no later than 4 March 2025.

    11. Handling of the Remuneration Policy for Governing Bodies

    The Remuneration Policy for the company’s governing bodies was previously presented to the Annual General Meeting in 2021. The Remuneration Policy must be presented to the general meeting at least every four years or whenever substantial changes have been made to it.

    The Board of Directors presents the Remuneration Policy for Governing Bodies to the Annual General Meeting for adoption by an advisory decision. The Remuneration Policy for Governing Bodies shall be published together with the Annual Report by a stock exchange release and it will be available on the company’s website https://www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset no later than 4 March 2025.

    12. Resolution on the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors

    Shareholders of eQ Plc, who control over 60 per cent of the outstanding shares and votes, propose that the Chair of the Board of Directors receives 5,000 euros per month, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors receives 4,000 euros per month and the members of the Board of Directors receive 3,000 euros per month. In addition, a compensation of 750 euros per meeting is proposed to be paid for all the Board members for each attended Board meeting and travel and accommodation expenses are reimbursed according to the guidelines of eQ Plc.

    13. Resolution on the number of members of the Board of Directors

    Shareholders of eQ Plc, who control over 60 per cent of the outstanding shares and votes, have made a proposal that the number of the Board members remain unchanged, i.e. that six persons be on the Board of Directors, or five persons, if a person proposed by the Shareholders is prevented from being a Board member of the company.

    14. Election of the members of the Board of Directors

    Shareholders, who control over 60 per cent of the outstanding shares and votes, have made a proposal that the current Board members Päivi Arminen, Nicolas Berner, Georg Ehrnrooth, Janne Larma and Tomas von Rettig are re-elected to the Board of Directors and Caroline Bertlin will be elected as a new member to the Board. If one of the persons proposed by the Shareholders is prevented from being a Board member of the company, such persons who are not prevented from being Board members. The term of office of the Board members ends at the close of the next Annual General Meeting.

    Caroline Bertlin (born 1978) is an experienced business leader with vast experience in the Nordics and internationally. Bertlin is based and has spent most of her career in Sweden. Currently she is engaged in strategy and funding of energy infrastructure for Nordion Energi. Prior to that she was the CEO of Nordisk Renting and Managing Director in NatWest Structured Finance (2016-2023). Previously she worked as Head of Restructuring, Turnaround CEO and Project Lead for Strategic projects in the NatWest Group (2009-2015). Earlier experience includes portfolio management and analyst positions within banking and alternative investments. In addition, she is a member of the Board of Nordisk Renting AB (2016-). Caroline Bertlin holds a Master of Science (Economics) degree from Hanken School of Economics.

    All nominees have given their consent to the proposal. In addition, the nominees have indicated that on selection, they will select Georg Ehrnrooth as Chair of the Board of Directors.

    Member candidates’ resumes and independence assessments are available on the company’s website: www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset.

    15. Resolution on the remuneration of the auditor

    The Board of Directors proposes that the auditor to be elected be paid remuneration according to the auditor’s invoice approved by eQ Plc.

    16. Election of auditor

    The Board of Directors proposes, that for a term ending at the end of the Annual General Meeting 2026, Authorized Public Accountants KPMG Oy Ab be elected auditor of the Company. The auditor has stated that the auditor with main responsibility will be Tuomas Ilveskoski, APA, Authorized Sustainability Auditor.

    17. Resolution on the remuneration of the sustainability auditor

    The Board of Directors proposes that the sustainability auditor to be elected be paid remuneration according to the auditor’s invoice approved by eQ Plc.

    18. Election of sustainability auditor

    For the financial year 2025, the company must prepare its first sustainability report in accordance with the EU Sustainability Reporting Directive, CSRD, and relevant national legislation.

    The Board of Directors proposes, that for a term ending at the end of the Annual General Meeting 2026, Authorized Public Accountants KPMG Oy Ab be elected sustainability auditor of the Company. KPMG has stated that the sustainability auditor with main responsibility will be Tuomas Ilveskoski, APA, Authorized Sustainability Auditor.

    19. Establishment of a Shareholders’ Nomination Board

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting establishes a Shareholders’ Nomination Board whose task is to prepare proposals concerning the number of members of the Board of Directors and the Board’s composition and remuneration to the General Meeting.

    According to the proposal, the Shareholders’ Nomination Board comprises of four members and four largest shareholders of the Company may each appoint a member.

    The right to appoint a member belongs to the four shareholders who, as of the last day of June preceding the next Annual General Meeting, have the largest share of the total voting rights of the Company’s shares, taking into account those shareholders whose holdings should be aggregated subject to the obligation to notify major holdings.

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting adopts the Charter for the Shareholders’ Nomination Board. The Board’s proposal for the Company’s Charter for the Shareholders’ Nomination Board is available on the Company’s website: www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset.

    20. Authorising the Board of Directors to decide on the issuance of shares as well as the issuance of special rights entitling to shares

    The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM authorises the Board of Directors to decide on a share issue or share issues and/or the issuance of special rights entitling to shares referred to in Chapter 10 Section 1 of the Companies Act, comprising a maximum total of 3,500,000 new shares. The amount of the proposed authorisation corresponds to approximately 8.45 per cent of all shares in the Company at the time of this Notice of the AGM.

    The authorisation is proposed to be used in order to finance or carry out potential acquisitions or other business transactions, to strengthen the balance sheet and the financial position of the Company, to fulfill Company’s incentive schemes or to any other purposes decided by the Board. Fifty per cent of the shares or special rights entitling to shares issued on the basis of the authorisation may be used to implement incentive schemes or otherwise for remuneration. It is proposed that based on the authorization, the Board decides on all other matters related to the issuance of shares and special rights entitling to shares referred to in Chapter 10 Section 1 of the Companies Act, including the recipients of the shares or the special rights entitling to shares and the amount of the consideration to be paid. Therefore, based on the authorisation, shares or special rights entitling to shares may also be issued directed i.e. in deviation of the shareholders pre-emptive rights as described in the Companies Act. A share issue may also be executed without payment in accordance with the preconditions set out in the Companies Act.

    The authorisation will cancel all previous authorisations to decide on the issuance of shares as well as the issuance of special rights entitling to shares and is effective until the next Annual General Meeting, however no more than 18 months.

    21. Closing of the meeting

    B. Documents of the AGM

    This notice to the Annual General Meeting, that contains all decision proposals on the agenda of the AGM, is available to shareholders on eQ Plc’s website at www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset. eQ Plc’s Annual Report, containing the Company’s annual accounts, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditors’ report together with the Remuneration Report for Governing Bodies and the Remuneration Policy for Governing Bodies is available on the said website no later than 4 March 2025. The proposals for resolutions and other previously mentioned documents will also be available at the AGM.

    The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting will be available on the company’s website no later than 8 April 2025.

    C. Instructions to the participants of the AGM

    1. Shareholders registered in the shareholders’ register (Finnish book-entry account)

    Each shareholder, who is registered on the record date of the Annual General Meeting 13 March 2025 in the Company’s register held by Euroclear Finland Oy, has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting. A shareholder, whose shares are registered on their personal Finnish book-entry account is automatically registered in the shareholders’ register of the Company. Changes in share ownership after the record date of the AGM do not affect the right to participate in the meeting or the shareholder’s number of votes.

    Registration for the AGM will begin on 25 February 2025 at 10 am. A shareholder, who is registered in the shareholders’ register of the Company and who wants to participate in the Annual General Meeting, must register for the AGM no later than 18 March 2025 by 4:00 pm by which time the registrations must be received.  Shareholders may register to the meeting:

    a) Via the website www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset

    Online registration require that the shareholders or their statutory representatives or proxy representatives use strong electronic authentication either by Finnish, Swedish or Danish bank ID or mobile certificate.

    b) By email agm@innovatics.fi or by mail

    A shareholder who registers by mail or email shall send registration form available on the Company’s website at www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset or corresponding information to Innovatics Oy by mail to Innovatics Oy, Annual General Meeting / eQ Oyj, Ratamestarinkatu 13 A, FI-00520 Helsinki, Finland or by email at agm@innovatics.fi.
    When registering, shareholders shall provide requested information, such as their name, date of birth or Business ID, address, telephone number, email address and the name of any assistant or proxy representative and the date of birth and email address and/or telephone number of any proxy representative. In addition, the shareholder shall inform whether the shareholder or its representative will participate in the AGM at the meeting venue or via a remote connection. The personal data given by the shareholder to the Company or Innovatics Oy will be used only in connection with the Annual General Meeting and with the processing of related necessary registrations.

    The shareholder and their representative or proxy must be able to prove their identity and/or right of representation at the meeting place, if necessary.

    Additional information on the registration is available during the registration period by telephone from Innovatics Oy at +358 10 2818 909 on business days during 9:00 am until 12:00 noon and from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm.

    2. Holders of nominee-registered shares

    A holder of nominee-registered shares has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting by virtue of such shares, based on which they on the record date of the Annual General Meeting 13 March 2025 would be entitled to be registered in the shareholders’ register of the Company held by Euroclear Finland Oy. Participation in the AGM also requires that the shareholder has been registered on the basis of such shares in the temporary shareholders’ register held by Euroclear Finland Oy at the latest by 20 March 2025 by 10:00 am. As regards nominee-registered shares this constitutes due registration for the AGM. Changes in the ownership of shares after the record date of the Annual General Meeting do not affect the right to participate in the AGM nor the number of votes of the shareholder.

    A holder of nominee-registered shares is advised to request without delay the necessary instructions regarding the temporary registration in the shareholders’ register, the remote participation or participation at the meeting venue, advance voting, the issuing of proxy documents and voting instructions and registration for the Annual General Meeting from their custodian. The account manager of the custodian shall temporarily register a holder of nominee-registered shares, who wants to participate in the Annual General Meeting, in the shareholders’ register of the Company at the latest by the time stated above and, if necessary, take care of advance voting on behalf of a holder of nominee-registered shares, at the latest prior to the end of the registration period for the holders of nominee-registered shares.  

    A holder of nominee-registered shares who has registered for the General Meeting may also participate in the meeting in real time using telecommunication connection and technical means. In addition to the temporary registration in the company’s shareholders’ register, the real-time participation in the meeting requires the submission of the shareholder’s email address and telephone number and, if necessary, a proxy document and other documents necessary to prove the right of representation to by regular mail to Innovatics Oy, Yhtiökokous/eQ Oyj, Ratamestarinkatu 13 A, FI-00520 Helsinki, Finland or by email to agm@innovatics.fi before the end of the registration period for the holders of nominee registered shares, so that the shareholders can be sent a participation link and password to participate in the meeting. If a holder of nominee-registered shares has authorised their custodian to cast advance votes on their behalf, such advance votes will be taken into account as advance votes of the nominee-registered shareholder at the AGM, unless the holder of nominee-registered shares votes otherwise at the AGM.

    3. Proxy representatives and powers of attorney

    A shareholder may participate in the Annual General Meeting and exercise its rights at the meeting by way of proxy representation. A shareholder’s proxy representative may also register for the AGM and vote in advance as described in this notice. The online registration and advance voting of a statutory or a proxy representative require that the statutory representatives or the proxy representatives identify themselves to the electronic registration and voting service at the Company’s website www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset in person by using strong electronic authentication either by Finnish, Swedish or Danish bank ID or mobile certificate, after which they may continue with the registration and voting on behalf of the shareholder they represent.

    Proxy representative of the shareholder shall in connection with the registration present a dated proxy document or otherwise in a reliable manner demonstrate their right to represent the shareholder. An example of the proxy document and voting instructions is available at the Company’s website www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset on 7 February 2025, 9:00 am, the latest. Should a shareholder participate in the Annual General Meeting by means of several proxy representatives representing the shareholder with shares in different book-entry accounts, the shares by which each proxy representative represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration.

    The possible proxy documents should be delivered primarily as an attachment in connection with electronic registration or alternatively to agm@innovatics.fi before the closing of the registration. In addition to the delivery of proxies, the shareholder or their proxy must take care of registering for the AGM as described above in this notice.

    Shareholders that are legal entities may also, as an alternative to traditional proxy authorisation documents, use the electronic Suomi.fi authorisation service for authorising their proxy representatives. The representative is mandated in the Suomi.fi service at www.suomi.fi/e-authorizations (using the authorisation topic “Representation at the General Meeting”). When registering for the AGM in the virtual general meeting service provided by Inderes Plc, authorised representatives shall identify themselves with strong electronic authentication, after which the electronic mandate is automatically verified. The strong electronic authentication takes place with personal online banking credentials or a mobile certificate. For more information, see www.suomi.fi/e-authorisations.

    4. Remote participation in the meeting

    A shareholder who has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting can participate in the meeting not only by participating in the AGM at the meeting venue but also, shareholders may use their rights in full and in real-time during the meeting via remote connection.

    Due to the limited space at the meeting venue, the shareholder’s or proxy’s notification of participation in the AGM via remote connection is binding, and the shareholder or proxy does not have the right to change the method of participation or participate in the meeting at the meeting place after the registration period has expired. However, the shareholder’s representative’s notification of participation via remote connection does not limit the right of shareholder’s other representatives to participate in the meeting at the meeting place.

    A shareholder or proxy who has registered to participate in the AGM at the meeting venue can change their participation to remote participation. There is no need to inform the company about this separately. Remote participation takes place via the remote participation link sent to the phone number and/or email address provided when registering for the AGM.

    The remote connection to the AGM is provided through Inderes Plc’s virtual general meeting service on the Videosync platform, which includes a video and audio connection to the Annual General Meeting. Participating via the remote connection does not require paid software or downloads. In addition to an internet connection, participation requires a computer, smartphone or tablet with speakers or headphones for sound reproduction and a microphone for asking oral questions or speaking turns. To participate, it is recommended to use the latest versions of the most common browser programs in use.

    The participation link and password for remote participation will be sent by email and/or text message to the email address and/or mobile phone number provided during registration to all those registered for the Annual General Meeting no later than the day before the meeting. Thus, advance voters and shareholders who have registered to attend the General Meeting at the venue may also participate in the General Meeting remotely via telecommunication if they so wish.  It is recommended to log into the meeting system well in advance of the meeting’s start time.

    More detailed information about the general meeting service can be found on the company’s website www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset. The link to test the compatibility of a computer, smartphone or tablet and the network connection can be found at https://b2b.inderes.com/fi/knowledge-base/yhteensopivuuden-testaaminen. It is recommended that you familiarise yourself with the more detailed participation instructions before the start of the AGM.

    5. Voting in advance

    Shareholders whose shares are registered on their Finnish book-entry account may vote in advance on certain items on the agenda of the AGM during the period between 25 February 2025 10:00 a.m. – 18 March 2025 at 4:00 p.m. in the following ways: 

    a) Via the website www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset

    Advance voting requires that the shareholders or their statutory representatives or proxy representatives use strong electronic authentication either by Finnish, Swedish or Danish bank ID or mobile certificate.

    b) By email agm@innovatics.fi or by mail

    A shareholder or its statutory representative who votes in advance by mail or email shall send the voting form available on the Company’s website at www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset or corresponding information to Innovatics Oy by mail to Innovatics Oy, Annual General Meeting / eQ Oyj, Ratamestarinkatu 13 A, FI-00520 Helsinki, Finland or by email at agm@innovatics.fi.  Advance votes must be received by the time the advance voting period ends. Submitting advance votes by mail or email to Innovatics Oy before the due date of the registration period and advance voting constitutes due registration for the AGM provided that the information required above for registration is provided in connection with the advance voting form.

    A shareholder who has voted in advance and who wants to use their right to present questions under the Companies Act, demand a vote or vote on a possible counter-proposal, must attend the general meeting in person or have their proxy representative participate in the AGM using the remote connection. The votes cast by those who have voted in advance will be taken into account in the decision-making of the General Meeting, regardless of whether they participate in the General Meeting remotely or at the meeting venue or not. If they participate remotely or at the meeting location, they have the opportunity to change their advance votes during the meeting, if they wish, when a vote takes place.

    For holders of nominee-registered shares, advance voting is carried out via the account manager of the custodian. The account manager may vote in advance on behalf of the holders of nominee-registered shares that they represent in accordance with the voting instructions provided by the holders of nominee registered shares during the registration period for the holders of nominee-registered shares.

    A proposal subject to advance voting is deemed to have been presented without amendments at the AGM. Conditions related to the electronic advance voting and other related instructions are available on the Company’s website at www.eq.fi/en/about-eq-group/hallinnointi/yhtiokokoukset.

    6. Other instructions/information

    The meeting shall be held in Finnish.

    Shareholders who are present at the meeting shall have a right to present questions referred to in Chapter 5, Section 25 of the Companies Act with respect to the matters to be considered at the Annual General Meeting.

    A shareholder may present questions referred to in Chapter 5, Section 25 of the Companies Act with respect to the matters to be considered at the Annual General Meeting by 11 March 2025 at 4:00 pm at the online registration service or by email to eQ.Yhtiokokous@eq.fi. The company’s management generally answers such questions submitted in writing in advance at the AGM or no later than two weeks after the general meeting on the company’s website. When presenting a question to the Annual General Meeting, the shareholder must provide sufficient information about their shareholding upon request.

    On the date of this notice, 4 February 2025, the total number of eQ Plc’s shares and votes is 41,407,198. The Company does not hold its own shares.

    Helsinki, 4 February 2025

    eQ Plc
    Board of Directors

    Additional information: Juha Surve, Group General Counsel, tel. +358 9 6817 8733

    Distribution: Nasdaq Helsinki, www.eQ.fi

    eQ Group is a Finnish group of companies specialising in asset management and corporate finance business. eQ Asset Management offers a wide range of asset management services (including private equity funds and real estate asset management) for institutions and individuals. The assets managed by the Group total approximately EUR 13.4 billion. Advium Corporate Finance, which is part of the Group, offers services related to mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions and equity capital markets.

    More information about the Group is available on our website at www.eQ.fi.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Is this 2025, or 1965? Grammy wins for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones keep the rock canon in the past

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlotte Markowitsch, PhD Candidate in Popular Music Studies, RMIT University

    History has repeated in the rock category at this week’s 67th Grammy Awards. Best rock performance was awarded to the Beatles for their song Now and Then, while the Rolling Stones took home best rock album for Hackney Diamonds.

    The Beatles’ track, finished and released by the fab four’s remaining members with the assistance of artificial intelligence, has been recognised by the Recording Academy 55 years after the band broke up. This comes as their eighth Grammy win and 27th nomination since their 1962 debut.

    The Beatles’ long time rivals, the Rolling Stones, have received many accolades over their six decade career, including five Grammys. Their 24th studio album includes cameos from other legacy artists like Elton John and Stevie Wonder.

    These victories are historic – but they also reveal a broader truth about rock music’s biggest institutions. The same artists who defined the genre decades ago continue to dominate its highest honours, leaving little space for contemporary acts to break through.

    The new wave

    The past year has seen a resurgence in rock. Streaming services and radio have reflected a rise in the popularity of the genre and reunions of rock’s most popular bands are making headlines.

    This renewed enthusiasm toward rock has brought newcomers to the genre, including an emergence of new popular talent.

    Newer rock talent was present at the Grammys, with St Vincent (who broke out in 2006) winning Best rock song and Fontaines D.C. receiving their first best rock album nomination since their debut in 2014.

    Both of these artists have been recognised for breathing new life into the rock genre. With a willingness to confront discomfort and vulnerability coupled with distinctive guitar work and production choices, St. Vincent has been positioned as a trailblazer in modern rock.

    Fontaines D.C’s nominated album Romance has been praised by critics for its energetic embrace of a diverse musical palette with compelling lyrics, a sound which has grabbed the attention of those outside and within the rock audience.

    But they were up against a nominee pool largely composed of long career legacy acts such as Green Day, Pearl Jam, Jack White and the Black Crowes, who all broke out in the last millennium.

    Along with the Beatles’ and the Rolling Stones’ wins, this reflects a trend in rock’s institutional recognition, where industry awards, hall of fame inductions, and media retrospectives continue to reaffirm the same monumental figures – often to the exclusion of artists shaping rock today. This phenomenon is a symptom of the rock canon, otherwise known as “the best of all time”.

    The old canon

    The rock canon is a set of artists, albums and songs that have been collectively deemed as the genre’s greatest.

    This canon was solidified by the late 1960s and 1970s and is sustained predominantly by media outlets and awards organisations like the Grammys. Publications that rank “the best” also help shape the rock canon by repeatedly spotlighting the same classic albums and artists.

    To be considered “the best” in rock, artists typically need to meet an (often unwritten) criteria of long-term critical acclaim, commercial success and influence on future generations. Artists like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones meet this criteria, frequently appearing in the top ranks of “best of” lists and maintaining their position at the top of the rock hierarchy.

    But the Grammy wins for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones raise concerns about how rigid this canon remains. Artists who enter the rock canon rarely leave it, making it difficult for newcomers to garner the same levels of critical and commercial success. It has also been criticised for its preferential treatment towards whiteness and masculinity.

    If the canon represents the highest levels of artistic quality in rock, its inability to change poses concerns for the future of the genre.

    Australia has not remained untouched by these issues. While the Grammys are an American institution, the rock canon’s influence extends globally.

    Australian institutions such as Triple J’s Hottest 100 of All Time have demonstrated this influence, showing us that the canon plays a role in shaping Australian music culture. Artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin often appear on these lists, voted on by Australian listeners. Local audiences overwhelmingly favour a more standard, mainstream canon of older international rock acts over our own Australian talent.

    The preference towards artists who have long been in the canon in today’s “best of” lists makes it harder for local artists – particularly those from marginalised backgrounds – to gain widespread recognition.

    Crafting a vital genre

    The Grammy success of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones reflects both the strength and the stagnation of rock’s institutional gate-keeping.

    On one hand, these wins celebrate artists whose influence has endured for generations. On the other, they reveal how difficult it is for new acts to gain recognition when institutions continue looking backward rather than forward.

    As rock continues its resurgence, the vitality of the genre may rely on expanding a more inclusive definition of greatness: one that makes room for innovation and diversity, not just nostalgia.

    Will future Grammy ceremonies still be awarding the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, or will we finally see rock’s institutions evolve?

    Charlotte Markowitsch 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. Is this 2025, or 1965? Grammy wins for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones keep the rock canon in the past – https://theconversation.com/is-this-2025-or-1965-grammy-wins-for-the-beatles-and-the-rolling-stones-keep-the-rock-canon-in-the-past-249009

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Dassault Systèmes: Strong Q4 results driven by new business acceleration and expanded 3DEXPERIENCE footprint

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France — February 4, 2025

    Dassault Systèmes: Strong Q4 results driven by new business acceleration and expanded 3DEXPERIENCE footprint

    Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) today reports its IFRS unaudited estimated financial results for the fourth quarter 2024 and full year ended December 31, 2024. The Group’s Board of Directors approved these estimated results on February 3, 2025. This press release also includes financial information on a non-IFRS basis and reconciliations with IFRS figures in the Appendix.

    Summary Highlights1  

    (unaudited, non-IFRS unless otherwise noted,
    all growth rates in constant currencies)

    • 4Q24: Software revenue accelerated to 9% growth;
    • 4Q24: Top line acceleration driven by new business growth of 13% and 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue up 22%;
    • 4Q24: Operating margin stood at 36.3%, an increase of 70 basis points, with diluted EPS of €0.40, up 11%;
    • FY24: Total revenue grew to €6.21 billion with software revenue up 6%, operating margin of 31.9% and diluted EPS of €1.28, up 9%;
    • Initiating guidance for FY25: total revenue growth expected between 6% and 8%, operating margin between 32.6% and 32.9%, up 70-100 basis points, and diluted EPS of €1.36-€1.39;
    • Revealing 3D UNIV+RSES and their AI-based services.

    Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Executive Officer Commentary

    Pascal Daloz, Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Executive Officer, commented:

    “2024 has been a year of competitive success, driven by the expansion of 3DEXPERIENCE across industries, domains and geographies, and redefining our strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Volkswagen, Lockheed Martin, Mahindra & Mahindra, Airbus, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

    Key to this success is the relevance of 3DEXPERIENCE combining deep industry knowledge and know-how to help customers enhance their value propositions and empower their teams. This will nurture our future growth and build the foundation for broad cloud adoption.

    Building on this strong foundation, we are excited to announce a new era for Dassault Systèmes. We are fully committed to creating UNIV+RSES, a combination of multiple virtual twins, integrating artificial intelligence to connect virtual and real, across all industry solutions. This will unlock new opportunities for our clients and position us as the trusted Global IP Generation and Management Company.”

    Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Financial Officer Commentary

    (revenue, operating margin and diluted EPS (‘EPS’) growth rates in constant currencies,
    data on a non-IFRS basis)

    Rouven Bergmann, Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Financial Officer, commented:

    “We delivered a strong Q4 in the context of a challenging year, with total revenue up 7%, driven by new business growth of 13% in the quarter. From a product line perspective, this performance was led by Industrial Innovation, up 8%, as a result of the wider adoption of 3DEXPERIENCE, with a focus on manufacturing. At the same time, we saw continued excellent performance in Mainstream Innovation while in Life Sciences, MEDIDATA returned to growth.

    Turning to the bottom line, profitability improved in the quarter with an operating margin of 36.3%, up 70 basis points driven by productivity gains, and EPS increased by a strong 11%.

    For 2024, software revenue growth was 6% and EPS grew by 9%. Operating cash flow came in at €1.66 billion resulting in a net cash position of €1.46 billion, highlighting our capacity for future investments.

    Looking ahead, we are confident in our growth outlook and competitive positioning.

    As such, for 2025 we anticipate total revenue growth between 6% and 8%, operating margin expansion of 70-100 basis points and EPS up 7% to 10%.

    Lastly, we are delighted to hold our Capital Markets Day this coming June, at our headquarters in Paris where it will be the opportunity to discuss our vision for the next horizon.”

    Financial Summary

    In millions of Euros,
    except per share data and percentages    		   IFRS   IFRS
      Q4 2024 Q4 2023 Change Change in constant currencies   YTD 2024 YTD 2023 Change Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue   1,754.2 1,643.4 7% 7%   6,213.6 5,951.4 4% 5%
    Software Revenue   1,601.5 1,476.1 8% 9%   5,613.3 5,360.0 5% 6%
    Operating Margin   27.6% 23.2% +4.3pts     21.9% 20.9% +1.0pt  
    Diluted EPS   0.30 0.25 20%     0.90 0.79 14%  
    In millions of Euros,
    except per share data and percentages    		   Non-IFRS   Non-IFRS
      Q4 2024 Q4 2023 Change Change in constant currencies   YTD 2024 YTD 2023 Change Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue   1,754.2 1,643.4 7% 7%   6,213.6 5,951.4 4% 5%
    Software Revenue   1,601.5 1,476.1 8% 9%   5,613.3 5,360.0 5% 6%
    Operating Margin   36.3% 35.9% +0.4pt     31.9% 32.4% (0.4)pt  
    Diluted EPS   0.40 0.36 9% 11%   1.28 1.20 7% 9%

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Versus 2023 Financial Comparisons

    (unaudited, IFRS and non-IFRS unless otherwise noted,
    all revenue growth rates in constant currencies)

    • Total Revenue: Total revenue in the fourth quarter grew by 7% to €1.75 billion, and software revenue increased by 9% to €1.60 billion. Subscription & support revenue rose 7%; recurring revenue represented 75% of software revenue. Licenses and other software revenue increased by 15% to €405 million. Services revenue was down 9% to €153 million, during the quarter.
    • Software Revenue by Geography: Revenue in the Americas increased by 5% to represent 37% of software revenue, led by Aerospace & Defense. Europe (43% of software revenue) grew by 14%, thanks to large deals closed in Aerospace & Defense and Home & Lifestyle. In Asia, revenue increased by 7%, led by Japan and India, while China remained volatile. Asia represented 20% of software revenue at the end of the fourth quarter.
    • Software Revenue by Product Line:
      • Industrial Innovation software revenue increased by 8% to €902 million, driven by strong momentum with 3DEXPERIENCE wins and many strategic competitive displacements, led by DELMIA in manufacturing. Industrial Innovation software represented 56% of software revenue.
      • Life Sciences software revenue was flat, at €298 million, accounting for 19% of software revenue. MEDIDATA returned to growth, up 1% in the quarter, highlighting progressive improvement.
      • Mainstream Innovation software revenue increased by 17% to €402 million, with SOLIDWORKS achieving its best quarter since 2022 and CENTRIC PLM maintaining strong momentum. Mainstream Innovation represented 25% of software revenue, during the period.
    • Software Revenue by Industry: Aerospace & Defense, Home & Lifestyle and Industrial Equipment were among the best performers during the quarter.
    • Key Strategic Drivers: 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue increased by 22% thanks to major deals signings in Aerospace & Defense and Transport & Mobility. 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue represented 46% of 3DEXPERIENCE eligible software revenue. Cloud software revenue grew by 6% and represented 22% of software revenue during the period. Excluding MEDIDATA, Cloud software revenue increased by 19%.
    • Operating Income and Margin: IFRS operating income rose by 27% at €483 million, as reported. Non-IFRS operating income increased by 9% in constant currencies at €637 million (up 8% as reported). The IFRS operating margin stood at 27.6% compared to 23.2% in the fourth quarter of 2023. The non-IFRS operating margin totaled 36.3% versus 35.9% during the same period last year, up 70 basis points in constant currencies.
    • Earnings per Share: IFRS diluted EPS was €0.30, up 20% as reported. Non-IFRS diluted EPS grew to €0.40, up 9% as reported, or 11% in constant currencies.

    Fiscal 2024 Versus 2023 Financial Comparisons

    (unaudited, IFRS and non-IFRS unless otherwise noted,
    all revenue growth rates in constant currencies)

    • Total Revenue: Total revenue grew by 5% to €6.21 billion. Software revenue increased by 6% to €5.61 billion. Subscription and support revenue rose to €4.49 billion up 6%; recurring revenue represented 80% of total software revenue. Licenses and other software revenue grew by 4% to €1.13 billion. Services revenue came at €600 million, up 2%.
    • Software Revenue by Geography: The Americas increased by 4% and represented 39% of software revenue. Europe rose by 6% and represented 38% of software revenue. Asia grew by 9%, representing 22% of software revenue.
    • Software Revenue by Product Line:
      • Industrial Innovation software revenue was up 5% to €3.02 billion and represented 54% of software revenue. DELMIA, ENOVIA and SIMULIA exhibited the strongest performance.
    • Life Sciences software revenue decreased by 1% to €1.14 billion, representing 20% of software revenue.
    • Mainstream Innovation software revenue increased by 13% to €1.45 billion. Mainstream Innovation represented 26% of software revenue.
    • Software Revenue by Industry: Home & Lifestyle, Aerospace and Defense, High-Tech and Industrial equipment displayed some of the strongest performance.
    • Key Strategic Drivers: 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue increased by 14%, representing 39% of 3DEXPERIENCE eligible software revenue. Cloud software revenue grew by 7% and represented 24% of software revenue. Excluding MEDIDATA, Cloud software revenue increased by more than 40% versus last year.
    • Operating Income and Margin: IFRS operating income increased by 9% to €1.36 billion, as reported. Non-IFRS operating income increased by 3% as reported, up 4% in constant currencies, to €1.98 billion. IFRS operating margin totaled 21.9% compared to 20.9% in 2023. The non-IFRS operating margin stood at 31.9% in 2024 compared to 32.4% last year.
    • Earnings per Share: IFRS diluted EPS was up 14% as reported, to €0.90. Non-IFRS diluted EPS grew by 7% to €1.28, as reported, up 9% in constant currencies.
    • Cash Flow from Operations (IFRS): Cash flow from operations totaled €1.66 billion, up 6% year over year at reported rate with strong cash conversion and good cash collection, offset by receivables up on higher business activity in the fourth quarter.
    • Balance Sheet (IFRS): Dassault Systèmes had a net cash position of €1.46 billion as of December 31, 2024, an increase of €0.88 billion, compared to €0.58 billion for the year ending December 31, 2023. Cash and cash equivalents totaled €3.95 billion at the end of December 2024. The movements of the year on cash and cash equivalents include the reimbursement for €700 million of the second tranche of the bond issued by the company in 2019.

    Financial Objectives for 2025

    Dassault Systèmes’ first quarter and 2025 financial objectives presented below are given on a non-IFRS basis and reflect the principal 2025 currency exchange rate assumptions for the US dollar and Japanese yen as well as the potential impact from additional non-Euro currencies:

               
          Q1 2025 FY 2025  
      Total Revenue (billion) €1.535 – €1.601 €6.550 – €6.650  
      Growth 2 – 7% 5 – 7%  
      Growth ex FX 3 – 8% 6 – 8%  
               
      Software revenue growth * 3 – 8% 6 – 8%  
        Of which licenses and other software revenue growth * 0 – 9% 3 – 5%  
        Of which recurring revenue growth * 4 – 8% 7 – 9%  
     

    Services revenue growth *

    0 – 4%

    		 3 – 6%  
               
      Operating Margin 31.0% – 31.1% 32.6% – 32.9%  
               
      EPS Diluted €0.30 – €0.32 €1.36 – €1.39  
      Growth 2 – 6% 6 – 8%  
      Growth ex FX 3 – 7% 7 – 10%  
               
      US dollar $1.10 per Euro $1.10 per Euro  
      Japanese yen (before hedging) JPY 155.0 per Euro JPY 155.0 per Euro  
      * Growth in Constant Currencies      

    These objectives are prepared and communicated only on a non-IFRS basis and are subject to the cautionary statement set forth below.

    The 2025 non-IFRS financial objectives set forth above do not take into account the following accounting elements below and are estimated based upon the 2025 principal currency exchange rates above: no significant contract liabilities write-downs; share-based compensation expenses, including related social charges, estimated at approximately €161 million (these estimates do not include any new stock option or share grants issued after December 31, 2024); amortization of acquired intangibles and of tangibles reevaluation, estimated at approximately €336 million, largely impacted by the acquisition of MEDIDATA; and lease incentives of acquired companies at approximately €2 million.

    The above objectives also do not include any impact from other operating income and expenses, a net principally comprised of acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets; from one-time items included in financial revenue; from one-time tax effects; and from the income tax effects of these non-IFRS adjustments. Finally, these estimates do not include any new acquisitions or restructuring completed after December 31, 2024.

    Corporate Announcements

    Today’s Webcast and Conference Call Information

    Today, Tuesday, February 4, 2025, Dassault Systèmes will host, from Paris, a webcasted presentation at 9:00 AM London Time / 10:00 AM Paris time, and will then host a conference call at 8:30 AM New York time / 1:30 PM London time / 2:30 PM Paris time. The webcasted presentation and conference calls will be available online by accessing investor.3ds.com.

    Additional investor information is available at investor.3ds.com or by calling Dassault Systèmes’ Investor Relations at +33.1.61.62.69.24.

    Investor Relations Events

    • First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release: April 24, 2025
    • Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release: July 24, 2025
    • Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Release: October 23, 2025

    Forward-looking Information

    Statements herein that are not historical facts but express expectations or objectives for the future, including but not limited to statements regarding the Group’s non-IFRS financial performance objectives are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on Dassault Systèmes management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or performances may differ materially from those in such statements due to a range of factors.

    The Group’s actual results or performance may be materially negatively affected by numerous risks and uncertainties, as described in the “Risk Factors” section 1.9 of the 2023 Universal Registration Document (‘Document d’enregistrement universel’) filed with the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) on March 18, 2024, available on the Group’s website www.3ds.com.

    In particular, please refer to the risk factor “Uncertain Global Economic Environment” in section 1.9.1.1 of the 2023 Universal Registration Document set out below for ease of reference:

    “In light of the uncertainties regarding economic, business, social, health and geopolitical conditions at the global level, Dassault Systèmes’ revenue, net earnings and cash flows may grow more slowly, whether on an annual or quarterly basis, mainly due to the following factors:

    • the deployment of Dassault Systèmes’ solutions may represent a large portion of a customer’s investments in software technology. Decisions to make such an investment are impacted by the economic environment in which the customers operate. Uncertain global geopolitical, economic and health conditions and the lack of visibility or the lack of financial resources may cause some customers, e.g. within the automotive, aerospace, energy or natural resources industries, to reduce, postpone or terminate their investments, or to reduce or not renew ongoing paid maintenance for their installed base, which impact larger customers’ revenue with their respective sub-contractors;
    • the political, economic and monetary situation in certain geographic regions where Dassault Systèmes operates could become more volatile and impact Dassault Systèmes’ business, for example, due to stricter export compliance rules or the introduction of new customs tariffs;
    • continued pressure or volatility on raw materials and energy prices could also slow down Dassault Systèmes’ diversification efforts in new industries;
    • uncertainties regarding the extent and duration of inflation could adversely affect the financial position of Dassault Systèmes; and
    • the sales cycle of Dassault Systèmes’ products – already relatively long due to the strategic nature of such investments for customers – could further lengthen.

    The occurrence of crises – health and political in particular – could have consequences both for the health and safety of Dassault Systèmes’ employees and for the Company. It could also adversely impact the financial situation or financing and supply capabilities of Dassault Systèmes’ existing and potential customers, commercial and technology partners, some of whom may be forced to temporarily close sites or cease operations. A deteriorating economic environment could generate increased price pressure and affect the collection of receivables, which would negatively impact Dassault Systèmes’ revenue, financial performance and market position.

    Dassault Systèmes makes every effort to take into consideration this uncertain macroeconomic outlook. Dassault Systèmes’ business results, however, may not develop as anticipated. Furthermore, due to factors affecting sales of Dassault Systèmes’ products and services, there may be a substantial time lag between an improvement in global economic and business conditions and an upswing in the Company’s business results.

    In preparing such forward-looking statements, the Group has in particular assumed an average US dollar to euro exchange rate of US$1.10 per €1.00 as well as an average Japanese yen to euro exchange rate of JPY155.0 to €1.00, before hedging for the first quarter 2025. The Group has assumed an average US dollar to euro exchange rate of US$1.10 per €1.00 as well as an average Japanese yen to euro exchange rate of JPY155.0 to €1.00, before hedging for the full year 2025. However, currency values fluctuate, and the Group’s results may be significantly affected by changes in exchange rates.   

    Non-IFRS Financial Information

    Readers are cautioned that the supplemental non-IFRS financial information presented in this press release is subject to inherent limitations. It is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for IFRS measurements. The supplemental non-IFRS financial information should be read only in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. Furthermore, the Group’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled “non-IFRS” measures used by other companies. Specific limitations for individual non-IFRS measures are set forth in the Company’s 2024 Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on March 18, 2024.

    In the tables accompanying this press release the Group sets forth its supplemental non-IFRS figures for revenue, operating income, operating margin, net income and diluted earnings per share, which exclude the effect of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ deferred revenue, share-based compensation expense and related social charges, the amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangibles reevaluation, certain other operating income and expense, net, including impairment of goodwill and acquired intangibles, the effect of adjusting lease incentives of acquired companies, certain one-time items included in financial revenue and other, net, and the income tax effect of the non-IFRS adjustments and certain one-time tax effects. The tables also set forth the most comparable IFRS financial measure and reconciliations of this information with non-IFRS information.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION

    Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: http://www.3ds.com

    ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    Dassault Systèmes is a catalyst for human progress. Since 1981, the company has pioneered virtual worlds to improve real life for consumers, patients and citizens. With Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 350,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, can collaborate, imagine and create sustainable innovations that drive meaningful impact. For more information, visit www.3ds.com

    Dassault Systèmes Investor Relations Team                        FTI Consulting

    Beatrix Martinez: +33 1 61 62 40 73                                Arnaud de Cheffontaines: +33 1 47 03 69 48

                                                                    Jamie Ricketts : +44 20 3727 1600

    investors@3ds.com

    Dassault Systèmes Press Contacts

    Corporate / France        Arnaud MALHERBE        

    arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com        

    +33 (0)1 61 62 87 73

    © Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the 3DS logo, the Compass icon, IFWE, 3DEXCITE, 3DVIA, BIOVIA, CATIA, CENTRIC PLM, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, MEDIDATA, NETVIBES, OUTSCALE, SIMULIA and SOLIDWORKS are commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes, a European company (Societas Europaea) incorporated under French law, and registered with the Versailles trade and companies registry under number 322 306 440, or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Use of any Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries trademarks is subject to their express written approval.

    APPENDIX TABLE OF CONTENTS

    Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this and other documents may not add up precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.    

    Glossary of Definitions

    Non-IFRS Financial Information

    Acquisitions and Foreign Exchange Impact

    Condensed consolidated statements of income

    Condensed consolidated balance sheet

    Condensed consolidated cash flow statement

    IFRS – non-IFRS reconciliation

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES – Glossary of Definitions

    Information in Constant Currencies

    Dassault Systèmes has followed a long-standing policy of measuring its revenue performance and setting its revenue objectives exclusive of currency in order to measure in a transparent manner the underlying level of improvement in its total revenue and software revenue by activity, industry, geography and product lines. The Group believes it is helpful to evaluate its growth exclusive of currency impacts, particularly to help understand revenue trends in its business. Therefore, the Group provides percentage increases or decreases in its revenue and expenses (in both IFRS as well as non-IFRS) to eliminate the effect of changes in currency values, particularly the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen, relative to the euro. When trend information is expressed “in constant currencies”, the results of the “prior” period have first been recalculated using the average exchange rates of the comparable period in the current year, and then compared with the results of the comparable period in the current year.

    While constant currency calculations are not considered to be an IFRS measure, the Group believes these measures are critical to understanding its global revenue results and to compare with many of its competitors who report their financial results in U.S. dollars. Therefore, Dassault Systèmes includes this calculation for comparing IFRS revenue figures as well non-IFRS revenue figures for comparable periods. All information at constant exchange rates is expressed as a rounded percentage and therefore may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

    Information on Growth excluding acquisitions (“organic growth”)

    In addition to financial indicators on the entire Group’s scope, Dassault Systèmes provides growth excluding acquisitions effect, also named organic growth. In order to do so, the data relating to the scope is restated excluding acquisitions, from the date of the transaction, over a period of 12 months.

    Information on Industrial Sectors

    The Group provides broad end-to-end software solutions and services: its platform-based virtual twin experiences combine modeling, simulation, data science and collaborative innovation to support companies in the three sectors it serves, namely Manufacturing Industries, Life Sciences & Healthcare, and Infrastructure & Cities.

    These three sectors comprise twelve industries:

    • Manufacturing Industries: Transportation & Mobility; Aerospace & Defense; Marine & Offshore; Industrial Equipment; High-Tech; Home & Lifestyle; Consumer Packaged Goods – Retail. In Manufacturing Industries, Dassault Systèmes helps customers virtualize their operations, improve data sharing and collaboration across their organization, reduce costs and time-to-market, and become more sustainable;
    • Life Sciences & Healthcare: Life Sciences & Healthcare. In this sector, the Group aims to address the entire cycle of the patient journey to lead the way toward precision medicine. To reach the broader healthcare ecosystem from research to commercial, the Group’s solutions connect all elements from molecule development to prevention to care, and combine new therapeutics, med practices, and Medtech;
    • Infrastructure & Cities: Infrastructure, Energy & Materials; Architecture, Engineering & Construction; Business Services; Cities & Public Services. In Infrastructure & Cities, the Group supports the virtualization of the sector in making its industries more efficient and sustainable, and creating desirable living environments.

    Information on Product Lines

    The Group’s product lines financial reporting include the following financial information:

    • Industrial Innovation software revenue, which includes CATIA, ENOVIA, SIMULIA, DELMIA, GEOVIA, NETVIBES, and 3DEXCITE brands;
    • Life Sciences software revenue, which includes MEDIDATA and BIOVIA brands;
    • Mainstream Innovation software revenue which includes its CENTRIC PLM and 3DVIA brands, as well as its 3DEXPERIENCE WORKS family which includes the SOLIDWORKS brand.

    Starting from 2022, OUTSCALE became a brand of the Group, extending the portfolio of software applications. As the first sovereign and sustainable operator on the cloud, OUTSCALE enables governments and corporations from all sectors to achieve digital autonomy through a Cloud experience and with a world-class cyber governance.

    GEOs

    Eleven GEOs are responsible for driving development of the Company’s business and implementing its customer‑centric engagement model. Teams leverage strong networks of local customers, users, partners, and influencers.

    These GEOs are structured into three groups:

    • the “Americas” group, made of two GEO’s;
    • the “Europe” group, comprising Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and made of four GEO’s;
    • the “Asia” group, comprising Asia and Oceania and made of five GEO’s.

    3DEXPERIENCE Software Contribution

    To measure the relative share of 3DEXPERIENCE software in its revenues, Dassault Systèmes uses the following ratio: for software revenue, the Group calculates the percentage contribution by comparing total 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue to software revenue for all product lines except SOLIDWORKS, MEDIDATA, CENTRIC PLM and other acquisitions (defined as “3DEXPERIENCE Eligible software revenue”).

    Cloud revenue

    Cloud revenues correspond to revenue generated through a catalog of cloud-based solutions, infrastructure as a service, cloud solution development and cloud managed services. They are delivered by Dassault Systèmes via a cloud infrastructure hosted by Dassault Systèmes, or by third party providers of cloud computing infrastructure services. These offerings are available through different deployment methods: Dedicated cloud, Sovereign cloud and International cloud. Cloud solutions are generally offered through subscriptions models or perpetual licenses with support and hosting services.

    New business

    New business is the combination of subscription revenue and licenses & other software revenue.

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    NON-IFRS FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data, percentages, headcount and exchange rates)

    Non-IFRS key figures exclude the effects of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ contract liabilities (deferred revenue), share-based compensation expense, including related social charges, amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation, lease incentives of acquired companies, other operating income and expense, net, including the acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets, certain one-time items included in financial loss, net, certain one-time tax effects and the income tax effects of these non-IFRS adjustments.

    Comparable IFRS financial information and a reconciliation of the IFRS and non-IFRS measures are set forth in the separate tables within this Attachment.

    In millions of Euros, except per share data, percentages, headcount and exchange rates Non-IFRS reported
    Three months ended Twelve months ended
    December 31,

    2024

    		 December 31,

    2023

    		 Change Change in constant currencies December 31,

    2024

    		 December 31,

    2023

    		 Change Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue € 1,754.2 € 1,643.4 7% 7% € 6,213.6 € 5,951.4 4% 5%
                     
    Revenue breakdown by activity                
    Software revenue 1,601.5 1,476.1 8% 9% 5,613.3 5,360.0 5% 6%
    Of which licenses and other software revenue 405.4 351.9 15% 15% 1,125.2 1,087.6 3% 4%
    Of which subscription and support revenue 1,196.1 1,124.3 6% 7% 4,488.1 4,272.4 5% 6%
    Services revenue 152.8 167.3 (9)% (9)% 600.3 591.4 2% 2%
                     
    Software revenue breakdown by product line                
    Industrial Innovation 901.8 837.3 8% 8% 3,019.6 2,908.0 4% 5%
    Life Sciences 297.7 295.1 1% 0% 1,144.2 1,158.9 (1)% (1)%
    Mainstream Innovation 402.0 343.7 17% 17% 1,449.4 1,293.2 12% 13%
                     
    Software Revenue breakdown by geography                
    Americas 595.0 566.7 5% 5% 2,214.7 2,141.9 3% 4%
    Europe 685.0 601.1 14% 14% 2,150.4 2,027.3 6% 6%
    Asia 321.4 308.4 4% 7% 1,248.1 1,190.8 5% 9%
                     
    Operating income € 636.8 € 589.8 8%   € 1,983.7 € 1,925.6 3%  
    Operating margin 36.3% 35.9%     31.9% 32.4%    
                     
    Net income attributable to shareholders € 530.7 € 487.2 9%   € 1,705.1 € 1,597.9 7%  
    Diluted earnings per share € 0.40 € 0.36 9% 11% € 1.28 € 1.20 7% 9%
                     
    Closing headcount 26,026 25,573 2%   26,026 25,573 2%  
                     
    Average Rate USD per Euro 1.07 1.08 (1)%   1.08 1.08 0%  
    Average Rate JPY per Euro 162.55 159.12 2%   163.85 151.99 8%  

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    ACQUISITIONS AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE IMPACT

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros)

    In millions of Euros Non-IFRS reported o/w growth at constant rate and scope o/w change of scope impact at current year rate o/w FX impact on previous year figures
    December 31,

    2024

    		 December 31,

    2023

    		 Change
    Revenue QTD 1,754.2 1,643.4 110.9 111.8 0.6 (1.6)
    Revenue YTD 6,213.6 5,951.4 262.2 302.0 2.2 (42.0)

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages)

    In millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages IFRS reported
    Three months ended Twelve months ended
    December 31, December 31, December 31, December 31,
    2024 2023 2024 2023
    Licenses and other software revenue 405.4 351.9 1,125.2 1,087.6
    Subscription and Support revenue 1,196.1 1,124.3 4,488.1 4,272.4
    Software revenue 1,601.5 1,476.1 5,613.3 5,360.0
    Services revenue 152.8 167.3 600.3 591.4
    Total Revenue € 1,754.2 € 1,643.4 € 6,213.6 € 5,951.4
    Cost of software revenue (1) (134.1) (124.9) (498.5) (453.9)
    Cost of services revenue (132.7) (131.0) (517.8) (517.1)
    Research and development expenses (327.7) (317.5) (1,286.2) (1,228.3)
    Marketing and sales expenses (456.6) (429.3) (1,704.3) (1,624.5)
    General and administrative expenses (136.4) (124.8) (470.5) (450.6)
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation (87.5) (94.9) (361.6) (378.9)
    Other operating income and expense, net 4.2 (39.5) (15.0) (56.2)
    Total Operating Expenses (1,270.9) (1,261.8) (4,854.0) (4,709.5)
    Operating Income € 483.4 € 381.6 € 1,359.6 € 1,241.9
    Financial income (loss), net 22.9 27.8 118.4 59.0
    Income before income taxes € 506.3 € 409.4 € 1,478.0 € 1,300.9
    Income tax expense (95.4) (79.1) (279.9) (250.7)
    Net Income € 410.9 € 330.3 € 1,198.1 € 1,050.2
    Non-controlling interest 1.1 (0.3) 2.1 0.7
    Net Income attributable to equity holders of the parent € 412.0 € 330.0 € 1,200.2 € 1,050.9
    Basic earnings per share 0.31 0.25 0.91 0.80
    Diluted earnings per share € 0.30 € 0.25 € 0.90 € 0.79
    Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 1,312.7 1,314.1 1,313.3 1,315.1
    Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 1,330.0 1,336.6 1,333.4 1,336.8

    (1) Excluding amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation.

    IFRS reported

     

    		 Three months ended December 31, 2024 Twelve months ended December 31, 2024
    Change (2) Change in constant currencies Change (2) Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue 7% 7% 4% 5%
    Revenue by activity        
    Software revenue 8% 9% 5% 6%
    Services revenue (9)% (9)% 2% 2%
    Software Revenue by product line        
    Industrial Innovation 8% 8% 4% 5%
    Life Sciences 1% 0% (1)% (1)%
    Mainstream Innovation 17% 17% 12% 13%
    Software Revenue by geography        
    Americas 5% 5% 3% 4%
    Europe 14% 14% 6% 6%
    Asia 4% 7% 5% 9%

    (2) Variation compared to the same period in the prior year.

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros)

    In millions of Euros IFRS reported
    December 31, December 31,
    2024 2023
    ASSETS    
    Cash and cash equivalents 3,952.6 3,568.3
    Trade accounts receivable, net 2,120.9 1,707.9
    Contract assets 30.1 26.8
    Other current assets 464.0 477.1
    Total current assets 6,567.6 5,780.1
    Property and equipment, net 945.8 882.8
    Goodwill and Intangible assets, net 7,687.1 7,647.0
    Other non-current assets 345.5 312.5
    Total non-current assets 8,978.3 8,842.3
    Total Assets € 15,545.9 € 14,622.5
    LIABILITIES    
    Trade accounts payable 259.9 230.5
    Contract liabilities 1,663.4 1,479.3
    Borrowings, current 450.8 950.1
    Other current liabilities 1,147.4 901.0
    Total current liabilities 3,521.5 3,561.0
    Borrowings, non-current 2,042.8 2,040.6
    Other non-current liabilities 900.9 1,174.8
    Total non-current liabilities 2,943.7 3,215.4
    Non-controlling interests 14.1 11.9
    Parent shareholders’ equity 9,066.6 7,834.1
    Total Liabilities € 15,545.9 € 14,622.5

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros)

    In millions of Euros IFRS reported
    Three months ended Twelve months ended
    December 31, December 31, Change December 31, December 31, Change
    2024 2023 2024 2023
    Net income attributable to equity holders of the parent 412.0 330.0 82.0 1,200.2 1,050.9 149.3
    Non-controlling interest (1.1) 0.3 (1.4) (2.1) (0.7) (1.4)
    Net income 410.9 330.3 80.6 1,198.1 1,050.2 147.9
    Depreciation of property and equipment 49.7 44.0 5.7 191.9 182.4 9.4
    Amortization of intangible assets 89.4 96.8 (7.4) 369.1 387.1 (18.0)
    Adjustments for other non-cash items (75.9) (48.8) (27.0) 37.7 74.7 (37.0)
    Changes in working capital (162.1) (128.8) (33.3) (137.0) (129.2) (7.7)
    Net Cash From Operating Activities € 312.0 € 293.4 € 18.6 € 1,659.8 € 1,565.2 € 94.6
                 
    Additions to property, equipment and intangibles assets (49.1) (42.5) (6.6) (193.4) (145.3) (48.1)
    Payment for acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired (4.2) (0.5) (3.8) (22.5) (16.1) (6.4)
    Other 0.3 0.1 0.1 24.1 (0.3) 24.4
    Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities € (53.1) € (42.9) € (10.2) € (191.7) € (161.6) € (30.1)
                 
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options 4.4 28.5 (24.1) 48.4 67.0 (18.6)
    Cash dividends paid – 0.0 (0.0) (302.7) (276.2) (26.4)
    Repurchase and sale of treasury stock (0.5) 10.6 (11.1) (374.0) (375.4) 1.4
    Capital increase – (0.0) 0.0 – 146.1 (146.1)
    Acquisition of non-controlling interests (0.0) (0.1) 0.1 (3.3) (0.9) (2.4)
    Proceeds from borrowings – 0.0 (0.0) 200.2 20.3 179.9
    Repayment of borrowings (100.0) 0.1 (100.0) (700.9) (28.1) (672.7)
    Repayment of lease liabilities (18.7) (26.3) 7.7 (79.7) (89.4) 9.7
    Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities € (114.8) € 12.7 € (127.5) € (1,211.9) € (536.7) € (675.2)
                 
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 150.8 (63.2) 213.9 128.2 (67.5) 195.7
                 
    Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents € 294.9 € 200.1 € 94.8 € 384.3 € 799.3 € (415.0)
                 
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period € 3,657.7 € 3,368.1   € 3,568.3 € 2,769.0  
    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period € 3,952.6 € 3,568.3   € 3,952.6 € 3,568.3  

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES
    SUPPLEMENTAL NON-IFRS FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    IFRS – NON-IFRS RECONCILIATION
    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages)

    Readers are cautioned that the supplemental non-IFRS information presented in this press release is subject to inherent limitations. It is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered as a substitute for IFRS measurements. Also, the Group’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled “non-IFRS” measures used by other companies. Further specific limitations for individual non-IFRS measures, and the reasons for presenting non-IFRS financial information, are set forth in the Group’s Document d’Enregistrement Universel for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the AMF on March 18, 2024. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-IFRS financial information should be read not in isolation, but only in conjunction with the Group’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS.

    In millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages Three months ended December 31, Change
    2024 Adjustment(1) 2024 2023 Adjustment(1) 2023 IFRS Non-IFRS(2)
    IFRS Non-IFRS IFRS Non-IFRS
    Total Revenue € 1,754.2 – € 1,754.2 € 1,643.4 – € 1,643.4 7% 7%
    Revenue breakdown by activity                
    Software revenue 1,601.5 – 1,601.5 1,476.1 – 1,476.1 8% 8%
    Licenses and other software revenue 405.4 – 405.4 351.9 – 351.9 15% 15%
    Subscription and Support revenue 1,196.1 – 1,196.1 1,124.3 – 1,124.3 6% 6%
    Recurring portion of Software revenue 75%   75% 76%   76%    
    Services revenue 152.8 – 152.8 167.3 – 167.3 (9)% (9)%
    Software Revenue breakdown by product line                
    Industrial Innovation 901.8 – 901.8 837.3 – 837.3 8% 8%
    Life Sciences 297.7 – 297.7 295.1 – 295.1 1% 1%
    Mainstream Innovation 402.0 – 402.0 343.7 – 343.7 17% 17%
    Software Revenue breakdown by geography                
    Americas 595.0 – 595.0 566.7 – 566.7 5% 5%
    Europe 685.0 – 685.0 601.1 – 601.1 14% 14%
    Asia 321.4 – 321.4 308.4 – 308.4 4% 4%
    Total Operating Expenses € (1,270.9) € 153.4 € (1,117.5) € (1,261.8) € 208.2 € (1,053.6) 1% 6%
    Share-based compensation expense and related social charges (69.7) 69.7 – (73.2) 73.2 –    
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation (87.5) 87.5 – (94.9) 94.9 –    
    Lease incentives of acquired companies (0.4) 0.4 – (0.7) 0.7 –    
    Other operating income and expense, net 4.2 (4.2) – (39.5) 39.5 –    
    Operating Income € 483.4 € 153.4 € 636.8 € 381.6 € 208.2 € 589.8 27% 8%
    Operating Margin 27.6%   36.3% 23.2%   35.9%    
    Financial income (loss), net 22.9 1.1 24.0 27.8 1.0 28.8 (18)% (17)%
    Income tax expense (95.4) (33.2) (128.6) (79.1) (51.3) (130.4) 21% (1)%
    Non-controlling interest 1.1 (2.6) (1.5) (0.3) (0.7) (1.0) N/A 53%
    Net Income attributable to shareholders € 412.0 € 118.7 € 530.7 € 330.0 € 157.2 € 487.2 25% 9%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share (3) € 0.30 € 0.10 € 0.40 € 0.25 € 0.12 € 0.36 20% 9%

    (1) In the reconciliation schedule above, (i) all adjustments to IFRS revenue data reflect the exclusion of the effect of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ contract liabilities (deferred revenue); (ii) adjustments to IFRS operating expense data reflect the exclusion of the amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation, share-based compensation expense, including related social charges, lease incentives of acquired companies, as detailed below, and other operating income and expense, net including acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets; (iii) adjustments to IFRS financial loss, net reflect the exclusion of certain one-time items included in financial loss, net, and; (iv) all adjustments to IFRS income data reflect the combined effect of these adjustments, plus with respect to net income and diluted earnings per share, certain one-time tax effects and the income tax effect of the non-IFRS adjustments.

    In millions of Euros, except percentages Three months ended December 31, Change
    2024

    IFRS

    		 Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2024

    Non-IFRS

    		 2023

    IFRS

    		 Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2023

    Non-IFRS

    		 IFRS Non-

    IFRS
    Cost of revenue (266.9) 5.0 0.1 (261.8) (255.9) 3.6 0.2 (252.1) 4% 4%
    Research and development expenses (327.7) 18.2 0.2 (309.3) (317.5) 28.5 0.3 (288.7) 3% 7%
    Marketing and sales expenses (456.6) 25.1 0.1 (431.4) (429.3) 20.9 0.1 (408.3) 6% 6%
    General and administrative expenses (136.4) 21.4 0.0 (115.0) (124.8) 20.2 0.0 (104.5) 9% 10%
    Total   € 69.7 € 0.4     € 73.2 € 0.7      

    (2) The non-IFRS percentage increase (decrease) compares non-IFRS measures for the two different periods. In the event there is non-IFRS adjustment to the relevant measure for only one of the periods under comparison, the non-IFRS increase (decrease) compares the non-IFRS measure to the relevant IFRS measure.
    (3) Based on a weighted average 1,330.0 million diluted shares for Q4 2024 and 1,336.6 million diluted shares for Q4 2023, and, for IFRS only, a diluted net income attributable to the sharehorlders of € 394.7 million for Q4 2024 (€ 330.0 million for Q4 2023). The Diluted net income attributable to equity holders of the Group corresponds to the Net Income attributable to equity holders of the Group adjusted by the impact of the share-based compensation plans to be settled either in cash or in shares at the option of the Group.

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES
    SUPPLEMENTAL NON-IFRS FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    IFRS – NON-IFRS RECONCILIATION
    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages)

    Readers are cautioned that the supplemental non-IFRS information presented in this press release is subject to inherent limitations. It is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered as a substitute for IFRS measurements. Also, the Group’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled “non-IFRS” measures used by other companies. Further specific limitations for individual non-IFRS measures, and the reasons for presenting non-IFRS financial information, are set forth in the Group’s Document d’Enregistrement Universel for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the AMF on March 18, 2024. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-IFRS financial information should be read not in isolation, but only in conjunction with the Group’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS.

    In millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages Twelve months ended December 31, Change
    2024 Adjustment(1) 2024 2023 Adjustment(1) 2023 IFRS Non-IFRS(2)
    IFRS Non-IFRS IFRS Non-IFRS
    Total Revenue € 6,213.6   € 6,213.6 € 5,951.4 – € 5,951.4 4% 4%
    Revenue breakdown by activity                
    Software revenue 5,613.3   5,613.3 5,360.0 – 5,360.0 5% 5%
    Licenses and other software revenue 1,125.2 – 1,125.2 1,087.6 – 1,087.6 3% 3%
    Subscription and Support revenue 4,488.1   4,488.1 4,272.4 – 4,272.4 5% 5%
    Recurring portion of Software revenue 80%   80% 80%   80%    
    Services revenue 600.3 – 600.3 591.4 – 591.4 2% 2%
    Software Revenue breakdown by product line                
    Industrial Innovation 3,019.6 – 3,019.6 2,908.0 – 2,908.0 4% 4%
    Life Sciences 1,144.2 – 1,144.2 1,158.9 – 1,158.9 (1)% (1)%
    Mainstream Innovation 1,449.4 – 1,449.4 1,293.2 – 1,293.2 12% 12%
    Software Revenue breakdown by geography                
    Americas 2,214.7   2,214.7 2,141.9 – 2,141.9 3% 3%
    Europe 2,150.4 – 2,150.4 2,027.3 – 2,027.3 6% 6%
    Asia 1,248.1 – 1,248.1 1,190.8 – 1,190.8 5% 5%
    Total Operating Expenses € (4,854.0) € 624.2 € (4,229.8) € (4,709.5) € 683.7 € (4,025.8) 3% 5%
    Share-based compensation expense and related social charges (245.6) 245.6 – (245.8) 245.8 –    
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation (361.6) 361.6 – (378.9) 378.9 –    
    Lease incentives of acquired companies (1.9) 1.9 – (2.8) 2.8 –    
    Other operating income and expense, net (15.0) 15.0 – (56.2) 56.2 –    
    Operating Income € 1,359.6 € 624.2 € 1,983.7 € 1,241.9 € 683.7 € 1,925.6 9% 3%
    Operating Margin 21.9%   31.9% 20.9%   32.4%    
    Financial income (loss), net 118.4 3.2 121.6 59.0 29.3 88.2 101% 38%
    Income tax expense (279.9) (117.0) (396.8) (250.7) (164.1) (414.8) 12% (4)%
    Non-controlling interest 2.1 (5.5) (3.4) 0.7 (1.9) (1.2) 190% 187%
    Net Income attributable to shareholders € 1,200.2 € 504.9 € 1,705.1 € 1,050.9 € 546.9 € 1,597.9 14% 7%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share (3) € 0.90 € 0.38 € 1.28 € 0.79 € 0.41 € 1.20 14% 7%

    (1) In the reconciliation schedule above, (i) all adjustments to IFRS revenue data reflect the exclusion of the effect of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ contract liabilities (deferred revenue); (ii) adjustments to IFRS operating expense data reflect the exclusion of the amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation, share-based compensation expense, including related social charges, lease incentives of acquired companies, as detailed below, and other operating income and expense, net including acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets; (iii) adjustments to IFRS financial loss, net reflect the exclusion of certain one-time items included in financial loss, net, and; (iv) all adjustments to IFRS income data reflect the combined effect of these adjustments, plus with respect to net income and diluted earnings per share, certain one-time tax effects and the income tax effect of the non-IFRS adjustments.

    In millions of Euros, except percentages Twelve months ended December 31, Change
    2024

    IFRS

    		 Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2024

    Non-IFRS

    		 2023

    IFRS

    		 Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2023

    Non-IFRS

    		 IFRS Non-

    IFRS
    Cost of revenue (1,016.3) 16.2 0.5 (999.5) (971.0) 15.7 0.8 (954.4) 5% 5%
    Research and development expenses (1,286.2) 76.9 0.9 (1,208.4) (1,228.3) 94.4 1.3 (1,132.6) 5% 7%
    Marketing and sales expenses (1,704.3) 80.8 0.3 (1,623.3) (1,624.5) 73.6 0.5 (1,550.4) 5% 5%
    General and administrative expenses (470.5) 71.7 0.2 (398.7) (450.6) 62.2 0.2 (388.3) 4% 3%
    Total   € 245.6 € 1.9     € 245.8 € 2.8      

    (2) The non-IFRS percentage increase (decrease) compares non-IFRS measures for the two different periods. In the event there is non-IFRS adjustment to the relevant measure for only one of the periods under comparison, the non-IFRS increase (decrease) compares the non-IFRS measure to the relevant IFRS measure.
    (3) Based on a weighted average 1,333.4 million diluted shares for YTD 2024 and 1,336.8 million diluted shares for YTD 2023.

    1 IFRS figures for 4Q24: total revenue at €1.75 billion, operating margin of 27.6% and diluted EPS at €0.30; IFRS figures for FY24: total revenue at €6.21 billion, operating margin of 21.9% and diluted EPS at €0.90.  

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Coalition’s tax-free lunch plan could cost $250 million or $10 billion – depending on who’s doing the sums

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dale Boccabella, Associate Professor of Taxation Law, UNSW Sydney

    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    The 1980s are remembered for many things including power suits, the Ford Falcon and the long lunch.

    The last was thanks to a generous interpretation of tax law as it applied to food and entertainment at “business meetings”. Bosses could deduct the cost of lunch with colleagues and contacts for tax purposes.

    The Hawke government ended that when it made sweeping changes to tax law the mid 80s including the introduction of a fringe benefits tax.

    But the long lunch might return under a Coalition government.

    Its estimated cost to the budget, however, swings wildly. The Parliamentary Budget Office puts the figure at A$250 million, while a government-commissioned study by Treasury says it could be between $1.6 billion and $10 billion .

    The different estimates result from varied modelling of how many businesses would seek the deduction and the average amount each would claim. Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor on Tuesday said it would cost less than $250 million. He said the Treasury estimates were “straight nonsense”.

    Angus Taylor said Treasury’s estimates were “straight nonsense”
    Mick Tsikas/AAP

    The actual cost may also depend on whether the deduction would be limited to employees or could include spending on their family members and on clients. These things are not yet clear.

    One thing that is clear, however, is higher spending at hospitality venues should bring in more tax from businesses to offset the lost deduction revenue.

    Whatever rules emerge, enforcing them could be expensive. Some small businesses might be tempted to inflate their expenditure, or simply “reclassify” usual food and drink costs to make them eligible for a deduction.

    Opposition leader Peter Dutton announced the plan late last month. He said small businesses could claim deductions for meals and entertainment. This would be available to businesses with a turnover under $10 million and excluded alcohol.

    The deduction would be capped at $20,000 a year. The policy would run initially for two years and would presumably be reviewed with a view to extending it or making it permanent.

    Dutton gave two reasons for reintroducing the exemption to the FBT. First, it was an incentive that would help retain and reward employees. Employees can get a “little bit of a return”, Dutton said at the time. Second, it would boost hospitality spending.

    Overwhelmingly, this policy is an incentive for small businesses. However, tax policy experts argue the tax system should not use targeted tax breaks to promote a particular economic activity.

    One major concern is this plan runs counter to the reasonably clear boundary our income tax system has established between private consumption expenditure (not deductible) and income producing expenditure (deductible).

    The 1985 deduction denial for entertainment expenditure is a central part of this framework; it squarely recognised the private consumption character of the expenditure and it has stood for 40 years in tax law. Serious analysis should be done before changes are made.

    Also, it might lead to claims of “what about me?” Think, for example, of a small business taxpayer with a turnover of $12 million who misses out. What about an independent contractor who falls short of being a business?

    It looks like the technical way the tax deduction is to be achieved will depend on who benefits from the food and entertainment. If the beneficiary is a customer of the small business, the small business will be given a deduction. If the employee benefits, the small business will get an exemption for the benefit and obtain a deduction for the expenditure.

    Peter Dutton said in his announcement last month the Coalition was doing this in a way to ensure small businesses “are not dragged into a complicated tax jungle”.

    Fringe benefits tax is complicated and compliance costs are high.
    Shakirov Albert/Shutterstock

    The complexity of fringe benefits tax is well known. Compliance costs are high and mistakes are made by taxpayers and tax agents. The complexity is greatest for entertainment spending where income tax interacts with fringe benefits tax and the GST.

    Without knowing the proposed rules, there is a chance a small business incurring entertainment expenditure can avoid being brought into a “tax jungle” if they keep employees and customers at separate entertainment events.

    If they do combine the two, some complications arise, but they are not insurmountable. In any event, tax agents and their clients tend to get used to their specific situation over time. Excluding alcohol does add a slight complication, though, because of the different treatment it will attract.

    Overall, the concerns about this policy are real and substantial. It is worth recalling that there are many examples of poor tax policy getting into legislation, and despite the significant evidence about them, they are not removed.

    The capital gains tax discount is a good example. This discount has overwhelmingly delivered a tax break to high income earners. And the amount of the lost revenue is continually increasing. Let us think before running this risk with the proposed “long lunch” tax break.

    Dale Boccabella 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. Coalition’s tax-free lunch plan could cost $250 million or $10 billion – depending on who’s doing the sums – https://theconversation.com/coalitions-tax-free-lunch-plan-could-cost-250-million-or-10-billion-depending-on-whos-doing-the-sums-247999

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Around 3% of us will develop a brain aneurysm in our lives. So what is it and how do you treat it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Theresa Larkin, Associate Professor of Medical Sciences, University of Wollongong

    Elif Bayraktar/Shutterstock

    Australian radio host Kyle Sandilands announced on air yesterday that he has a brain aneurysm and needs urgent brain surgery.

    Typically an aneurysm occurs when a part of the wall of an artery (a type of blood vessel) becomes stretched and bulges out.

    You can get an aneurysm in any blood vessel, but they are most common in the brain’s arteries and the aorta, the large artery that leaves the heart.

    Many people can have a brain aneurysm and never know. But a brain (or aortic) aneurysm that ruptures and bursts can be fatal.

    So, what causes a brain aneurysm? And what’s the risk of rupture?

    Weakness in the artery wall

    Our arteries need strong walls because blood is constantly pumped through them and pushed against the walls.

    An aneurysm can develop if there is a weak part of an artery wall.

    The walls of arteries are made of three layers: an inner lining of cells, a middle layer of muscle and elastic fibres, and a tough outer layer of mostly collagen (a type of protein). Damage to any of these layers causes the wall to become thin and stretched. It can then balloon outward, leading to an aneurysm.

    Genetics and certain inherited disorders can cause weak artery walls and brain aneurysms in some people.

    For all of us, our artery walls become weaker as we age, and brain aneurysms are more common as we get older. The average age for a brain aneurysm to be detected is 50 (Sandilands is 53).

    Females have a higher risk of brain aneurysm than males after about age 50. Declining oestrogen around menopause reduces the collagen in the artery wall, causing it to become weaker.

    An illustration showing a brain aneurysm.
    A brain aneurysm occurs when a part of the wall of an artery balloons out.
    Alfmaler/Shutterstock

    High blood pressure can increase the risk of a brain aneurysm. In someone with high blood pressure, blood inside the arteries is pushed against the walls with greater force. This can stretch and weaken the artery walls.

    Another common condition called atherosclerosis can also cause brain aneurysms. In atherosclerosis, plaques made mostly of fat build up in arteries and stick to the artery walls. This directly damages the cell lining, and weakens the muscle and elastic fibres in the middle layer of the artery wall.

    Several lifestyle factors increase risk

    Anything that increases inflammation or causes atherosclerosis or high blood pressure in turn increases your risk of a brain aneurysm.

    Smoking and heavy drinking affect all of these, and nicotine directly damages the artery wall.

    Sandilands mentioned his cocaine use in discussing his diagnosis. He said:

    The facts are, a life of cocaine abuse and partying are not the way to go.

    Indeed, cocaine abuse increases the risk of a brain aneurysm. It causes very high blood pressure because it causes arteries to spasm and constrict. Cocaine use is also linked to worse outcomes if a brain aneurysm ruptures.

    Stress and a high-fat diet also increase inflammation. High cholesterol can also cause atherosclerosis. And being overweight increases your blood pressure.

    A study of more than 60,000 people found smoking and high blood pressure were the strongest risk factors for a brain aneurysm.

    Is it always a medical emergency?

    About three in 100 people will have a brain aneurysm, varying in size from less than 5mm to more than 25mm in diameter. The majority are only discovered while undergoing imaging for something else (for example, head trauma), because small aneurysms may not cause any symptoms.

    Larger aneurysms can cause symptoms because they can press against brain tissues and nerves.

    Sandilands described “a lot of headache problems” leading up to his diagnosis. Headaches can be due to minor leaks of blood from the aneurysm. They indicate a risk of the aneurysm rupturing in subsequent days or weeks.

    Less than one in 100 brain aneurysms will rupture, often called a “brain bleed”. This causes a subarachnoid haemorrhage, which is a type of stroke.

    If it does occur, rupture of a brain aneurysm is life-threatening: nearly one in four people will die within 24 hours, and one in two within three months.

    If someone’s brain aneurysm ruptures, they usually experience a sudden, severe headache, often described as a “thunderclap headache”. They may also have other symptoms of a stroke such as changes in vision, loss of movement, nausea, vomiting and loss of consciousness.

    Surgeons performing brain surgery under lights.
    Surgery can repair a brain aneurysm, and stop it from rupturing.
    Roman Zaiets/Shutterstock

    Surgery can prevent a rupture

    Whether surgery will be used to treat a brain aneurysm depends on its size and location, as well as the age and health of the patient. The medical team will balance the potential benefits with the risks of the surgery.

    A small aneurysm with low risk of rupture will usually just be monitored.

    However, once a brain aneurysm reaches 7mm or more, surgery is generally needed.

    In surgery to repair a brain aneurysm, the surgeon will temporarily remove a small part of the skull, then cut through the coverings of the brain to place a tiny metal clip to close off the bulging part of the aneurysm.

    Another option is endovascular (meaning within the vessel) coiling. A surgeon can pass a catheter into the femoral artery in the thigh, through the aorta to the brain. They can then place a coil inside the aneurysm which forms a clot to close off the aneurysm sac.

    After either surgery, usually the person will stay in hospital for up to a week. It can take 6–8 weeks for full recovery, though doctors may continue monitoring with annual imaging tests for a few years afterwards.

    You can lower your risk of a brain aneurysm by not smoking, moderating alcohol intake, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight.

    The Conversation

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

    – ref. Around 3% of us will develop a brain aneurysm in our lives. So what is it and how do you treat it? – https://theconversation.com/around-3-of-us-will-develop-a-brain-aneurysm-in-our-lives-so-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-treat-it-248882

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shenzhou-19 astronauts share details of work and life in space

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    This undated video grab shows Shenzhou-19 astronauts sending their Spring Festival greetings from China’s Tiangong space station. (Xinhua)
    As China’s Shenzhou-19 mission reaches its halfway, the three astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station, orbiting 400 kilometers above Earth, have shared their experiences during the Spring Festival, offering a glimpse into their unique lives in space.
    SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS AND SPACEWALKS
    The crew commander Cai Xuzhe, who returned to the space station after about two years, described the feeling as “warm and familiar” in a video released on China’s CCTV on Thursday.
    This is Cai’s second time working and living in China’s space station, but his first time celebrating the Spring Festival there. In 2022, he spent six months in space during the Shenzhou-14 mission.
    The Shenzhou-19 astronauts entered the space station on Oct. 30, 2024. According to Cai, over the past three months, the crew has completed a series of tasks, including the handover with the Shenzhou-18 crew, routine maintenance of the space station, and two spacewalks.
    These extravehicular activities (EVAs), commonly known as spacewalks, are essential for repairs, experiments, and testing equipment outside the station.
    Cai emphasized the importance of their training, including system-wide emergency pressure drills and medical rescue exercises.
    “These exercises have significantly improved our ability to handle unexpected situations, allowing us to work more efficiently and safely,” he said.
    Supported by ground teams, the astronauts have also advanced scientific experiments, such as cutting-edge research on human brain organoids and new material exposure tests in the harsh environment of space.
    “We are steadily progressing with our scientific missions, focusing on space life science, microgravity physics, space material science, and aerospace medicine,” Cai noted.
    Song Lingdong, who participated in two spacewalks, shared his awe-inspiring experience.
    “Before my first EVA, I imagined what it would be like, but nothing prepared me for the moment I opened the hatch and saw Earth. It was breathtaking,” he recalled. “Climbing on the module walls, I felt as if I was walking on clouds.”
    “I was mesmerized by the beauty of space, but at the same time, I felt the weight of our mission,” he added.
    Their first nine-hour spacewalk proved China’s new-generation spacesuits to be both safe and effective, according to Song.
    Addressing public curiosity, Song explained how astronauts stay energized during long EVAs. “We eat high-calorie meals beforehand and drink functional beverages during the task. We highly concentrate on the tasks and don’t feel hungry,” he said.
    FAMILY, SPACE, GYM AND PRIDE
    Life aboard the space station is not all work. During the Spring Festival, the crew took time to rest, call their families, and capture stunning photos of Earth and space.
    “We sent New Year greetings from space and recorded videos to cherish these moments,” said Song, who plans to document his experiences for his children.
    Wang Haoze, China’s first female space engineer working in the space station, expressed pride in China’s space achievements, marveling at the sophisticated systems of their “space home.”
    Despite the busy schedule, the astronauts find joy in simple activities. “We float freely like ‘sky flyers,’ lift heavy objects effortlessly, interact with our AI assistant, and even grow vegetables and raise fruit flies,” Wang said.
    Wang enjoys writing space diaries. Her favorite pastime, however, is gazing at Earth through the porthole, admiring Earth’s landscapes, from vast oceans to majestic mountains.
    “Seeing our homeland from space fills me with excitement, pride, and longing,” said Wang.
    To combat the effects of weightlessness, the crew followed a strict exercise regimen using specialized equipment like the space treadmill, stationary bike and resistance devices.
    “These exercises keep our bones, muscles and hearts healthy. And with balanced meals, we feel strong and energized,” Wang explained.
    The crew also finds time to bond over meals, share humor, and maintain their spirits.
    As they celebrated three months in orbit during the Spring Festival, Wang sent a heartfelt message: “May our nation thrive, and may we achieve new heights together, from space to Earth.”
    This is the third Spring Festival since the full completion of the Chinese space station. Nine crew members from Shenzhou-15, Shenzhou-17 and Shenzhou-19 have welcomed the New Year and the Spring Festival in space.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: GigaCloud Technology Inc Donates More than $1 Million in Furniture to Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles to Aid Wildfire Victims

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EL MONTE, Calif., Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GigaCloud Technology Inc (Nasdaq: GCT) (“GigaCloud” or the “Company”), a pioneer of global end-to-end B2B ecommerce technology solutions for large parcel merchandise, today announced it is donating more than $1 million in home furnishings to Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles to support the ReBUILD LA™ Wildfire Recovery campaign. The donation will directly benefit families who have lost their homes, helping them rebuild their lives with dignity and comfort.

    “Los Angeles is our home, and when people in our community lose their homes in disasters like wildfires, it impacts all of us,” said Larry Wu, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer. “We are committed to doing everything in our power to help families rebuild their lives with dignity and comfort. Through our donation of over $1 million worth of furniture to Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles, we aim to provide essential home furnishings and restore a sense of normalcy for those who have lost so much. GigaCloud stands with our community—as neighbors and as a company that cares.”

    GigaCloud’s donation includes nearly 90 SKUs totaling over 5,000 items, featuring a diverse range of indoor living furniture such as beds, mattresses, sofas, and chairs. The contribution also includes a significant number of ottomans and dressers, ensuring a wide variety of pieces to enhance functionality.

    Recognizing that mattresses were among the most urgently needed items and that they were not in stock at the time, the Company took action by reaching out to Restonic—a leading mattress supplier and recently onboarded GigaCloud B2B Marketplace seller—to purchase $150,000 worth of mattresses specifically for donation.

    “When GigaCloud reached out to us about the urgent need for mattresses among those impacted by the wildfire, their dedication to truly helping the community was evident,” said Laurie Tokarz, President of Restonic. “Instead of simply donating what was available, they made it a priority to source exactly what families needed most. At Restonic, providing comfort and support is at the heart of what we do, and we are honored to partner with GigaCloud and Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles to help families rebuild their homes and lives.”

    GigaCloud’s deep ties to the Los Angeles community extend beyond this initiative. Under the leadership of Wu, who was recognized as an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 Greater Los Angeles Award winner by Ernst & Young LLP in 2024, the Company has consistently supported local causes, including ongoing donations to City of Hope and other community initiatives.

    The ReBUILD LA™ Wildfire Recovery campaign was created to support uninsured, underinsured, and low-income families impacted by wildfires. The campaign focuses on providing assistance with rebuilding and relocation to ensure families have safe and stable housing. Additionally, it offers essential home furnishings and supplies to help create new living spaces, as well as temporary rental and mortgage assistance for families whose homes are uninhabitable.

    “We are incredibly grateful to GigaCloud Technology for their generosity and shared commitment to rebuilding lives and restoring hope,” said Erin Rank, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles. “Their donation will provide families with essential home furnishings as they begin anew after the devastation of wildfires.”

    About GigaCloud Technology Inc

    GigaCloud Technology Inc is a pioneer of global end-to-end B2B ecommerce technology solutions for large parcel merchandise. The Company’s B2B ecommerce platform, the “GigaCloud Marketplace,” integrates everything from discovery, payments and logistics tools into one easy-to-use platform. The Company’s global marketplace seamlessly connects manufacturers, primarily in Asia, with resellers, primarily in the U.S., Asia and Europe, to execute cross-border transactions with confidence, speed and efficiency. GigaCloud offers a comprehensive solution that transports products from the manufacturer’s warehouse to the end customer’s doorstep, all at one fixed price. The Company first launched its marketplace in January 2019 by focusing on the global furniture market and has since expanded into additional categories, including home appliances and fitness equipment. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://www.gigacloudtech.com/.

    About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles

    Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) transforms neighborhoods throughout greater Los Angeles by bringing the community together to build affordable homes, provide critical home repairs and help families rebuild after natural disasters. Habitat LA strengthens families through helping them access affordable loans, housing counseling and down-payment assistance. For more information about Habitat LA visit https://www.habitatla.org/.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements reflect our current view about future events. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “propose,” “potential,” “continue” or similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    GigaCloud Technology Inc
    Investor Relations
    ir@gigacloudtech.com

    PondelWilkinson, Inc.
    Laurie Berman (Investors) – lberman@pondel.com
    George Medici (Media) – gmedici@pondel.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Porirua set to host another massive Waitangi Day event

    Source: Porirua City Council

    You can expect another awesome Waitangi Day event in Porirua.
    Waitangi Day at Te Rauparaha Park on Thursday 6 February, runs from midday to 5pm and will feature live music performances from homegrown talent PERE and Kings.
    Also hitting the stage will be Swiss, The Voice Australia’s Roland Williams, Ella Monnery and Hoseah Partsch, and Leisure Tomlins.
    Don’t miss cultural performances by Mana Whenua me te Kāhui Kuratea, and visiting Canadian Indigenous group the Kumugwe Cultural Society.
    The fun continues inside Te Rauparaha Arena and Pātaka Art + Museum, with lots of free activities for tamariki and art and history to discover.
    Visitors will also have the chance to check out the many stalls set up on Te Rauparaha Park, as well as choosing from a range of tasty kai options from food trucks located along Norrie St.
    The popular free waka tours are also returning for the day, giving people the chance to paddle around Te-Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour, thanks to Toa Waka Ama.
    “Last year we welcomed more than 30,000 people into our city centre for Waitangi Day, with many coming from outside of Porirua,” says Porirua Mayor Anita Baker.
    “The range of musicians, performers, activities, stalls and kai on offer means there will be something for everyone.”
    Last year the event was named Best Arts, Culture or Heritage Event at the NZEA Event Awards.
    This year’s event has a zero waste kaupapa, so remember to pack your keep cups for inu (drinks) and kai (food), and is smoke and vape free.
    There are plenty of ways to get to Te Rauparaha Park for Waitangi Day – walk, scoot or bike to the city centre if coming from nearby.
    As it’s a public holiday Council parking is free in the city, although there will be fewer available parks due to event road closures. Visitors are encouraged to catch the train to Porirua city and make the five-minute walk around the waterfront to the action. Some mobility parking spaces will be available at Te Rauparaha Arena.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Unwritten rules: why claims of a missing ‘fourth article’ of the Treaty don’t stack up

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology

    I sign this Treaty with my hand, but with the mana of my ancestors.

    So said Hōne Heke, the first rangatira (chief) to sign the Treaty of Waitangi. To emphasise the gravity of this sentiment, he then mentioned two of his predecessors by name: Kaharau and Kauteawha.

    It would be difficult to imagine a statement that could invest more mana in the Treaty than this. And Heke was not alone in his view of the agreement.

    Many other rangatira similarly regarded the Treaty as a kawenata (covenant) of utmost importance, including some going as far as putting a representation of their tā moko (facial tattoo) on the document.

    How each rangatira interpreted the Treaty’s provisions remains open to speculation. But what they committed themselves to abiding by was the text of the agreement (either the English version, or in the case of most signatories, the translation in te reo Māori).

    That text was comprised of a preamble, followed by three operative articles. Some rangatira read it, some had it read to them. But as far as all the parties were concerned, that was the entirety of the Treaty.

    In the 1990s, however, suggestions began to surface about a mysterious “fourth article” guaranteeing religious protections. It was not part of the text, but supposedly a verbal promise that amounted to a provision of the agreement.

    The idea has gained sufficient traction for supporters to petition parliament late last year to recognise the fourth article, just as debate about the Treaty Principles Bill was heating up. But it is a claim that needs to be treated with caution and scrutiny.

    Religious protections

    Prior to the first signing of the Treaty – at Waitangi – the Anglican missionary Henry Williams had observed that some Catholic rangatira were reluctant to commit to the agreement.

    The Catholic Bishop, Jean-Baptiste Pompallier, had queried British motives and insisted Catholic rangatira should receive specific protection from the Crown. Williams then read out a hastily-prepared statement to clarify the issue:

    The Governor wishes you to understand that all the Maories (sic) who shall join the Church of England, who shall join the Wesleyans, who shall join the Pikopo or Church of Rome, and those who retain their Maori practices, shall have the protection of the British Government.

    Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pompallier.
    Wikimedia Commons

    Williams noted that this statement “was received in silence. No observation was made upon it; the Maories, and others, being at perfect loss to understand what it could mean.”

    And there the matter ought to have ended: a peripheral detail in a momentous day. But this minor episode was disinterred from its historical obscurity in 1995 at a meeting of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

    The clerics announced that a “fourth article was added to the Maori text of the Treaty signed at Waitangi, at the request of Bishop Jean Baptiste […] This article guaranteed religious freedom for all in the new nation, including Maori.”

    Some Anglicans soon endorsed this position. The “fourth article” thus entered the bloodstream of Treaty discourse and began to circulate freely.

    Missing evidence

    There are several objections to the claim of a fourth article of the Treaty.

    Firstly, if it was regarded as a part of the Treaty at the signing on February 6 1840, then we would expect to see both contemporaneous confirmation of this, and subsequent evidence that is consistent with it.

    Yet, these categories of evidence are largely absent. Indeed, mention of a “fourth article” before the 1990s does not exist.

    The sentiment of the fourth article is also absent from the instructions for the Treaty issued by Lord Normanby, British Secretary of State for the Colonies, in 1839.

    Indeed, far from the Crown wishing to guarantee freedom of cultural or religious beliefs, Normanby made it explicit that only those Māori customs the British regarded as acceptable would be protected:

    [The] savage practices of human sacrifice and cannibalism must be promptly and decisively interdicted; such atrocities, under whatever plea of religion they may take place, are not to be tolerated in any part of the dominions of the British Crown.

    Therefore, as far as one party to the Treaty was concerned, the idea of the fourth article was never in contention. What was explicitly promised to all people was the protection of the British government, and not the protection of all customs held by Māori.

    Treaties are written

    As every other contemporaneous source confirms, no rangatira sought this fourth article, and around 90% of rangatira who signed the Treaty (in places other than Waitangi) did not have this so-called fourth article read to them (and so could not have consented to it).

    William Hobson, first Governor of New Zealand.
    Wikimedia Commons

    Nor was it included in the text of copies of the agreement that were subsequently circulated around the country, and neither Hobson nor Pompallier suggested it was an “article” as such.

    International law requires that treaties be in a written form. This certainly has been the convention as far as European treaties are concerned, extending back several centuries.

    It makes any suggestion Hobson admitted an oral article extremely problematic. Likewise, New Zealand’s domestic law also specifies the Treaty contains only three articles.

    Furthermore, if spoken commitments have the status of an article, then what about other verbal commitments made at some of the Treaty signings? Singling out one statement as a presumed article is inconsistent. Either the principle of all verbal commitments in such a setting constitute articles of the Treaty, or none does.

    Previous attempts to insert the fourth article into the country’s constitutional framework have gone nowhere. And in the absence of more persuasive historical evidence, it’s likely to stay that way.

    As the late Kingi Tūheitia succinctly put it: “The Treaty is written. That’s it.”

    Paul Moon 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. Unwritten rules: why claims of a missing ‘fourth article’ of the Treaty don’t stack up – https://theconversation.com/unwritten-rules-why-claims-of-a-missing-fourth-article-of-the-treaty-dont-stack-up-248539

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: After Weeks Of Paying For Knicks Games And Episodes Of Judy Justice Without Being Able To Watch, Murphy, Ryan Introduce The “Stop Sports Blackouts Act” To Force Cable Companies To Refund Customers For TV Blackouts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 03, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representative Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) introduced the Stop Sports Blackouts Act, legislation that would make cable companies refund customers who aren’t able to watch the channels they already pay for during television blackouts. For over four weeks, due to a dispute between Optimum and MSG Network, over a million customers in the Tri-State area have been unable to watch the Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, and Devils, while a separate blackout left Optimum customers unable to watch Judy Justice and local news for over 10 days. Tens of millions of Americans per year are victim to blackouts – with no requirement that they receive compensation.

    “Blackouts are a slap in the face to every customer paying their hard-earned money for TV shows they can’t even watch,” said Murphy. “It’s ridiculous the rest of us get stuck in the crossfire of negotiations between cable and broadcast companies. Our bill is simple: if cable companies can’t provide the service you’re paying for, they owe you a refund.”

    “It’s outrageous that millions of folks couldn’t watch the Knicks, Judy Justice, or dozens of other programs for weeks because of blackouts. And it’s even more ridiculous that we’re all still paying for the right to stare at black screens! I don’t see why this is even a debate – cable companies simply should not be able to advertise and charge for services they are not providing,” said Ryan. “On behalf of fans across the country, we’re putting down a marker: everyone will get their money back when a blackout stops them from watching TV, no questions asked. That means dollars back in your pockets, and, equally importantly, it provides a hell of an incentive to these billion dollar corporations to make sure these blackouts don’t happen in the future. They have teams of lobbyists looking out for them – I’m introducing this legislation because I fight for YOU.”

    This type of TV blackout occurs when distributors, including cable and satellite TV companies, are unable to reach an agreement with broadcasters over the rights to distribute their content. Until an agreement is reached, subscribers are unable to view the content they had paid for as part of their cable or satellite package.

    On January 1, 2025, Optimum and MSG Network announced that they were unable to renew their distribution agreement, leaving subscribers unable to watch NBA and NHL games in the middle of the season. On January 10, Optimum subscribers were subjected to an additional blackout when the company announced it had failed to come to an agreement with Nexstar Media, which owns WTNH, the syndication rights to popular show “Judy Justice,” starring Judge Judy Sheindlin, and the NewsNation network.

    The Stop Sports Blackouts Act would direct the Federal Communications Commission to require television distributors to provide rebates to subscribers for television blackouts that occur as a result of carriage disputes.

    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –