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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Technical center, laboratories and stadium: a large school was built in the Vnukovo area

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The construction of a comprehensive school has been completed in the Vnukovo district. The investor erected the building as part of a residential complex at 8a Letchika Gritsevtsa Street. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “In the Vnukovo district of TiNAO, construction of a school with an area of 19.5 thousand square meters has been completed. It is designed for a thousand students. The three-story building includes elementary and secondary school blocks, as well as a sports block. In the future, the school will be transferred to the city education system,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    The building has all the conditions for comfortable learning for young Muscovites. It is equipped with laboratory and research complexes, rooms for musical and artistic creativity, a medical block, psychologist’s and speech therapist’s offices, as well as a dining hall.

    “The building provides for zoning of the educational space with the placement of the elementary school block separately from the premises of the secondary school. The main entrance is located in such a way that the flows of junior and senior classes do not intersect. The interest of students in their studies will be supported by a multi-light multifunctional space on the second floor with a stage, an artistic, technical center, as well as sports halls and a media library,” added the Minister of the Government of Moscow, Head of the Department of Urban Development Policy of the City of Moscow

    Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    The school courtyard has been equipped with areas for ceremonial events and active games, a stadium, recreation areas and outdoor activities.

    The permit for the commissioning of the school was issued by the Moscow State Construction Supervision Authority. As the chairman of the agency noted Anton Slobodchikov, the school was built on a land plot of almost 2.2 hectares. The building has universal and specialized classrooms. The entire construction cycle was supervised by the committee’s inspectors. Since the start of the work, nine inspections have been conducted, and based on the results of the final inspection, a conclusion was drawn up on the compliance of the facility with the design documentation, after which the school was put into operation.

    All schools and kindergartens being built in TiNAO fully comply with the quality and equipment standards applicable to educational institutions in the capital. According to the head of the Department for the Development of New Territories of the City of Moscow Vladimir Zhidkin, designers are faced with the task of creating premises that are not only convenient for the educational process, but also adapted for scientific and creative activities, and the comprehensive development of students. The emphasis is on modern technical equipment, functionality, spaciousness, and safety. Since the beginning of 2024, more than 20 educational facilities have already been built and opened in TiNAO.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin reported, that since the beginning of 2024, 63 social facilities have been built in Moscow.

    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 accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145589073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Developers can apply for residency in Russia’s first video game and animation cluster

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Until November 30, Moscow animation studios and video game development companies will be able to apply for residency in Russia’s first video game and animation cluster. Agreements will be concluded after the second stage of selection in the first half of 2025. This was reported by the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the Moscow Department of Culture Alexey Fursin.

    “We are announcing the start of the first stage of accepting applications for residency in the first video game and animation cluster in Russia. The participant status will provide an opportunity to place a company office on the territory of the cluster and, using the provided equipment, create new video game and animation products of any complexity. Working in such conditions will help individual specialists and companies develop their projects and the Russian gaming industry,” noted Alexey Fursin.

    Earlier, more than 40 companies expressed their desire to become residents of the cluster. This status will make it possible to place an office of no more than 500 square meters on its territory, as well as use modern infrastructure and advanced equipment that allows creating video game and animation products of any complexity.

    You can submit an application on the website Creative Industries Agencies (CIA)At the beginning of 2025, the expert council will hold a second round of selection and determine the companies that will receive residency.

    Candidates must have the status of an individual entrepreneur or a legal entity registered in Moscow. In addition, they must have at least one completed video game or animation product in their professional portfolio, as well as another project in the development stage.

    The country’s first video game and animation cluster will be located in the Stratos business center on Nikola Tesla Street. The operator is the Agency for Creative Industries. The cluster will cover about 40,000 square meters. In addition to office space, coworking, and exhibition halls, Stratos will house technological infrastructure for creating video games and animation.

    With the help of a motion capture studio, it will be possible to create realistic characters: record the movements of actors or animals and transform them into high-quality digital images or animation.

    The recording studio will record background sounds, music and soundtracks for video games and animated films, as well as voice their characters.

    A cinema hall with high-resolution screens is provided for viewing and adjusting finished materials. They will provide the precise color rendering necessary for working on videos. A technically equipped lecture hall with a modular system is provided for holding lectures, training sessions and other events.

    The conference hall and exhibition area will host business and creative events, exhibitions and presentations. Companies will be able to demonstrate their developments to visitors. There are several meeting rooms in the cluster for business meetings.

    The residents of the cluster will be beginning and experienced Russian development companies and animation studios. The platform will cover all areas of the industry – from training to support for Moscow specialists in export activities. Residents will have access to professional high-tech equipment, as well as participate in international exhibitions, accelerators, lectures and master classes.

    The cluster is expected to become a center of attraction for talented developers from all over the country and open up new opportunities for the development of the creative industry. The support measures provided by the city will help to consolidate Moscow’s position among the leaders in the field of video game and animation creation.

    Since 2023, the Moscow Agency for Creative Industries has been actively supporting the video game industry. This year, the Moscow Agency for Creative Industries launched the Video Game Factory accelerator, whose participants refine their ideas and then present them to investors. The most successful of them are distributed on the largest gaming platforms in Russia and the world. The first stream has already ended with the creation of 20 unique projects, and there are two more streams ahead.

    Over 25 projects and cooperation with 70 countries: results of 2023 in the creative industries

    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 accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145603073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Response to the commissioners’ report

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Tuesday, 22nd October 2024

    The city council leader has responded to the report from the commissioners.

    Leader of Birmingham City Council Cllr John Cotton said:

    “We welcome the publication of this report from the commissioners and acknowledge that while progress is being made, there is much more to do in our ongoing efforts to ensure we become a financially sustainable, well-run council that delivers good services.

    “We continue to engage constructively with the new Government, and like councils across the country, are awaiting both this month’s budget settlement and a local government finance settlement later in the year which will set out a one-year emergency package of support for local councils.

    “The Government is also committed to a multi-year settlement following next year’s spending review which will give councils much needed clarity and allow us to plan for the future.

    “Nevertheless, we face another very difficult budget, and it remains clear that the pace of change must further increase, as further savings are identified, and we transform services. Our new Managing Director Joanne Roney is focussed on that challenge and there will be no let up as we work together to get the council back on track.”

    NOTES

    • We have appointed a permanent Managing Director in Joanne Roney CBE, who is already providing pace, grip, and authority in driving the necessary changes, working with the senior officer team and Commissioners.
    • The Improvement and Recovery Plan was agreed in April 2024 and has set the overarching direction and actions to address the issues identified in the intervention. The first part of the plan has been implemented and further stages are now underway, including the development of a refreshed Corporate Plan which will outline what the council will seek to achieve over the next three years.
    • A whole council operating model is being developed so that the council can deliver good services, even whilst operating under the financial pressures that are a reality for local government.
    • Shaping Birmingham’s Future Together has seen us set a new direction for the council to involve citizens and partners in a much greater way.
    • The council’s corporate services have been reviewed, with a commitment to a new workforce strategy that will help deliver the staffing we need to deliver quality services for our residents. This includes a refreshed HR function to enable the effective recruitment and management of staff and improve our culture and achieve best value.
    • Financial management improvements continue, with the move to make a permanent appointment to lead the finance directorate. Work continues at pace to identify the savings and cuts that are needed to deliver a balanced budget.
    • A much-needed reimplementation programme is now underway for Oracle.
    • Progress is being made against the equal pay liability, including a revised a job evaluation scheme and settlement of the outstanding litigation with a target of April 2025 for completion.
    • A plan is underway to improve the procurement operating model with a focus on strategic contract management in order to achieve best value.
    • Within the housing directorate, progress has been made in response to the Regulator of Social Housing’s letter, reconfiguring the HRA budget to focus on improving the quality of the existing housing stock.
    • Within children’s services, the council has completed the review of spend control on children’s social care, and progress is being made on greater join up of services for families to make our services more effective.
    • A transformation programme is now in place to improve the waste service – which is the most public facing area of the council which has not been performing at the level our residents expect. By transforming staffing and management arrangements, and procuring a new fleet, we will see improvements in this service in the months ahead.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: England v USA Women’s Rugby World Cup opener fantastic news for Sunderland

    Source: City of Sunderland

    That’s the verdict of Sunderland City Council Leader Councillor Michael Mordey on today’s announcement that England has drawn the USA in next summer’s Women’s Rugby World Cup opener.

    England’s Red Roses kick off the tournament’s opening match against the USA at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on 22 August next year.

    Today’s release of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 match schedule sets the stage for six weekends of compelling competition in the biggest ever celebration of women’s rugby.

    Reacting to the news, Council Mordey, said: “It’s brilliant that England has drawn the USA at next summer’s opening match in Sunderland.

    “Sunderland has a very special relationship with the USA, from the ancestral links between Washington Old Hall and George Washington dating back from 1183 to the Friendship Agreement Sunderland signed with the US capital Washington DC in 2006 which has created so many opportunities over the years.

    “We’ve also seen significant investment and employment in Sunderland from American-owned companies over the years, such as Lear, Adient, UK Independent Medical Services, Apexon and Rayovac, to name just a few, creating valuable jobs for people across the city. While our young people have benefitted from a number of exchanges as a result of our unique Friendship Agreement – with Monkwearmouth Academy welcoming young people from School without Walls in Washington DC to the city and to City Hall just in the last couple of weeks.

    “So, it’s incredibly exciting to have England playing the USA in the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in our city. And I’m very much looking forward to welcoming the US team and their fans, swelling the numbers we’re already looking to welcome from across the world. It will also be a real thriller for sports fans from across the North East.

    “I think there’ll be a really electric atmosphere in our city that night and I would urge anyone who hasn’t already got their tickets to look out for the next ticket releases coming soon.

    “Hosting the opening game is a wonderful opportunity for our city and our region to shine on the international stage at a time when Sunderland city centre is going through a £2 billion transformation so it’s brilliant news all round.”

    The last few years have seen a massive surge of interest in women’s rugby and women’s sport in general both locally and nationally.

    And tournament organisers, World Rugby say the match schedule has been developed with team and fan experience at heart, with exciting matchups in each of the eight host locations, family friendly kick-off times, inexpensive match tickets and optimised team travel.

    With 95 per cent of the population in England within two hours of a match venue, fans will have an unprecedented opportunity to see rugby’s biggest stars in action, while host cities are getting ready to welcome international travelling fans with iconic and vibrant local experiences.

    With excitement building, fans will have the opportunity to apply for tickets for all matches from 11:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 5 November until 11:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 19 November. Ballots will be used for any price categories which are oversubscribed. Fans can register to be the first to hear about ticket news here.

    Prior to the two-week ticket application phase, Worldwide Partner Mastercard is offering its cardholders access to a 48-hour priority sale for all matches from 11:00 (GMT+1) today until 11:00 (GMT+1) on Thursday 24 October at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com. Only Mastercard payments will be accepted during this priority window.

    American companies in the city employ over 3,000 people and Sunderland is also home to a number of businesses with plants both here and in the US, including Nissan and AESC, as well as Lear, Adient and Vantec, which promises to bring the opening match into day to day life across our communities on both sides of the Atlantic.

    Sunderland’s friendship agreement with Washington DC also led to the creation of the popular Sunderland Shorts Film Festival which continues to go from strength to strength. The annual festival, which will celebrate its 10th birthday in 2025, proudly showcases the best short films from the UK and around the world including Australia and the United States of America, while championing homegrown talent from the region.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Jimmy Doherty is named Visiting Professor at ARU

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Published: 22 October 2024 at 13:16

    The farmer and conservationist will help support the next generation of scientists

    Farmer, conservationist and TV presenter Jimmy Doherty has taken on an important new role as Visiting Professor at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).

    The announcement was made today [22 October] on the first day of the Chelmsford Science Festival, organised by ARU, which runs until Tuesday, 29 October.

    Jimmy is the much-loved presenter of programmes including Jimmy’s Farm, Jimmy and the Wild Honey Hunters, Jimmy Doherty in Darwin’s Garden, Jimmy’s Global Harvest, Museum of Life, Jimmy and the Whale Whisperer, Jimmy’s Big Bee Rescue and most recently Jimmy and Shivi’s Farmhouse Breakfast. Alongside his wife, he runs the popular Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park near Ipswich, which he has farmed since 2002.

    Jimmy studied animal biology and entomology at university, and part of his role within ARU’s new Writtle School of Agriculture, Animal and Environmental Sciences will see him help to inspire the next generation of farmers and scientists.

    In conjunction with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, ARU will run joint education and research projects, which includes plans for a new PhD studentship in conservation.

    ARU is home to approximately 40,000 students across a range of courses and campuses. After ARU merged with Writtle University College in February of this year, the 370-acre campus on the outskirts of Chelmsford became ARU Writtle.

    With an impressive reputation for animal, agriculture and horticulture courses, ARU Writtle features a campus farm that’s home to sheep, pigs and cattle, an Equine Training and Development Centre featuring stables and riding arenas, and a state-of-the-art Canine Centre including hydrotherapy clinics. In total, there are around 200 different species at ARU Writtle, including reptiles, birds and small mammals.

    Jimmy said:

    “I’ve had the incredible honour of being Chancellor of Writtle University College, and I’m thrilled that my connection with Writtle is continuing following the merger with Anglia Ruskin University. 

    “To be involved with Anglia Ruskin University is a real privilege. There are so many strong connections between the work that I do and the fantastic research and teaching taking place at ARU Writtle, so I can’t wait to get started in my new role of Visiting Professor, helping to inspire the next generation of scientists, farmers and conservationists.

    “Science is obviously really important in young people’s education, but it’s vital to this region’s economy, bringing in billions of pounds in sectors like medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture. And also looking into the future of dealing with this climate crisis, it’s going to be the scientists that come up with the solutions.

    “It’s also exciting to be taking up this role at ARU at the start of the Chelmsford Science Festival, as the theme of this year’s festival – planetary health – aligns so closely to my own values of protecting the environment to allow everything to thrive.”

    Professor Laurie Butler, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Science & Engineering at ARU, said:

    “We are immensely proud to be welcoming Jimmy Doherty to his new role within the university. 

    “Science and innovation have inspired Jimmy throughout his career journey, and we know that his knowledge, expertise and personal experiences will help to support and influence students across disciplines including the life sciences, animal behaviour, agriculture and conservation.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CAMEROON – President Biya returns home after 7 weeks of absence, putting an end to speculation about his health

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 22 October 2024

    Yaoundé (Agenzia Fides) – The rumors about the health of the Cameroonian President, 91-year-old Paul Biya, seem to have been denied yesterday, October 21, when the Head of State returned to his country after a seven-week stay in Geneva. Thousands of supporters welcomed him at the airport and along the road to the presidential palace. Although Biya made no statements, state television showed images of his arrival at the airport as he greeted the dignitaries who had come to receive him at the foot of the gangway, with his wife Chantal by his side. Cheering people dressed in clothes bearing the President’s portrait greeted the Head of State upon his arrival at the airport with songs accompanied by drums. Biya had not appeared in public since the beginning of September, fueling rumors about his health, so much so that the government had banned the dissemination of news about it. The Collective of Former Students of the Catholic Seminaries of Cameroon (CASEMCA) invited people to an interreligious prayer for the President’s health (see Fides, 16/10/2024). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 22/10/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: EUROPE/ROMANIA – New Secretary General of the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood visits Romania and Moldova

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Bucharest (Agenzia Fides) – About twenty children between 5 and 15 years old from Chisinau (Moldova) were admitted as members of the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood on Saturday 19 October, on the eve of World Mission Day. Accompanied by their parents and the priests of their home parishes, the Moldovan children committed themselves to “making Jesus known to other children of the world through prayer, works of charity and personal witness, following the invitation of Bishop Charles de Forbin and the example of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, patron saint of the missions”. The event was also attended by the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Romania and Moldova, Fr. Eugen Blaj, and Sister Inês Paulo Albino, the new Secretary General of the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood. Sister Inês has been in charge of the International Secretariat of the Pontifical Mission Societies for two months and visited Romania and the Republic of Moldova from October 16 to 22. “This is my first visit abroad and the contact with the Missionary Childhood in Romania and Moldova was a beautiful experience. In Romania I saw a young Church that is growing, that is alive. The Church in Moldova needs accompaniment and support,” Sister Inês told Fides at the end of her visit to the two countries. Upon her arrival in Bucharest on Wednesday, the Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Childhood met the Apostolic Nuncio in Romania, Msgr. Giampiero Gloder, and in the evening prayed the Rosary at the Romanian office of the Pontifical Mission Societies with Romanian children connected from different parts of Romania via the digital platform ZOOM. On Thursday, on the way to Moldova, she met children of the Childhood Mission Society from three Romanian parishes in the diocese of Iasi, namely Cleja, Gheraesti and Butea. In Chisinau, Sister Inês, together with Father Blaj and Matilda Andrici, who is responsible for the Childhood Mission Society in Romania, together with a group of young Romanian missionaries, met the priests and religious of the Catholic Church in Moldova on Friday 18 October, accompanied by Bishop Anton Cosa. After a presentation of the four Pontifical Mission Societies by Matilde Andrici, everyone prayed the missionary rosary together. The next day, a group of children from the Childhood Mission Society joined them and, together with their parents, took part in a training session on the activities of the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood. On World Mission Sunday, the children and their parents, Sister Inês and the Romanian delegation of the Pontifical Mission Societies attended the Mass in the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Chisinau, presided over by Bishop Anton Cosa, who also presides over the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood. Back in Bucharest, Sister Inês met with children from the Romanian capital on Monday evening, with whom she attended the Mass celebrated by Father Eugen Blaj in the Chapel of the Pontifical Mission Societies, dedicated to Blessed Pauline Jaricot. At the end of the Mass, one of the children present spoke of his missionary experience: “I have been a member of the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood for three years,” said Paul, 13 years old, “and I have participated in various training camps and pilgrimages. I feel that Pauline and Bishop Charles de Forbin guide me in life.”“The visit of Sister Inês was a privilege for us and a great encouragement for the children of the Pontifical Childhood Society in Romania and especially in Moldova, where Catholics feel more like recipients than actors of missionary activity. The children saw that there is a worldwide network, that they are not isolated and that there are groups of the Pontifical Mission Societies all over the world,” said Fr. Eugen Blaj at the end of the Secretary General’s visit. (C.G.) (Agenzia Fides, 22/10/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE – Clashes after the murder of two opposition figures

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Maputo (Agenzia Fides) – “We call on all those involved to exercise restraint while the competent authorities carry out their investigations,” said Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania and Chair of the Political, Defense and Security Cooperation Committee of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), following the violent clashes that took place yesterday, October 21, in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique.Following the murder of two representatives of the Podemos party, Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe, clashes broke out between demonstrators and the police. The two politicians were shot dead in an ambush in the center of Maputo by several men in their car. Elvino Dias was a lawyer hired by Podemos leader Venancio Mondlane to file a complaint with the Constitutional Court for alleged electoral fraud in the presidential election held on October 9 (see Fides, 9/10/2024). The final election results are due to be announced this week, but projections of the election have already been published, according to which the FRELIMO party, in power since independence in 1975, is in the lead with 65% of the vote (and 162 deputies) and its candidate Daniel Chapo has won the presidential race. The big surprise was the second place of Podemos, which obtained 43 deputies in the unicameral parliament, relegating the historic opposition party Renamo to third place, which obtained only 23 deputies (in the previous legislature it had 69).SADC, meanwhile, notes in the statement by Samia Suluhu Hassan that “the elections were peaceful”. She calls on the Tanzanian authorities to “take all necessary measures to investigate the killing of the two Podemos members”. In addition to Maputo, where shops remained closed yesterday, incidents also occurred in several other cities, in particular in Beira and Pemba, where shops also remained closed. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 22/10/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI: Turbo Energy Teams with Connection Holdings to Introduce All-in-One, AI-Optimized SUNBOX Home Energy Storage System to U.S. Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VALENCIA, Spain, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Turbo Energy, S.A. (NASDAQ:TURB) (“Turbo Energy” or the “Company”), a global provider of leading-edge, AI-optimized solar energy storage technologies and solutions, today announced that the Company has partnered with Florida-based Connection Holdings, LLC (“CH”), the managing entity of brands operating in the performance marketing and lead generation sectors with focus on a broad range of industries, including the U.S. solar energy market. 

    Pursuant to the strategic advisory agreement entered into on October 18, 2024, CH will employ its organization’s award-winning market penetration capabilities and leverage its extensive nationwide network of leading U.S. solar installation companies to assist Turbo Energy in introducing and winning U.S. market share for the Company’s proprietary, all-in-one, Artificial Intelligence (“AI”)-optimized SUNBOX solar energy storage system designed specifically for residential application (“SUNBOX Home”).

    Turbo Energy Partners with Connection Holdings to Introduce SUNBOX Home to U.S. Market

    Mariano Soria, the Chief Executive Officer of Turbo Energy, stated, “With virtually thousands of SUNBOX Home installations spanning nine countries throughout Europe, we have been actively engaged over the past several months in progressing through extensive U.S. testing and certification processes to affirm that SUNBOX Home meets and exceeds American public and product safety standards for energy storage systems and equipment. We are very excited to be partnering with Connection Holdings to take the next pivotal step in our global expansion plan, introducing SUNBOX Home to the U.S. market in hopes that we will achieve meaningful market awareness and rapid adoption of what we believe is the industry’s most price-competitive, smart, all-in-one solar energy storage solution on the market today.”

    “We are very proud to have been chosen by Turbo Energy to lead the market launch of SUNBOX Home in the U.S.,” noted Edmond Pain, Managing Principal and Co-Founder of CH. “Considering that SUNBOX Home features scalable energy storage capacity that is up to four times greater than other leading residential energy storage systems available in the U.S., coupled with the fact that all components – inverter, batteries and AI-optimized software — are fully integrated in an innovative, all-in-one, elegantly designed system, we expect that market demand will be strong and immediate and grow exponentially in the coming years as sustainable solar energy storage solutions become a must-have for homeowners nationwide.”

    According to the Q3 2024 industry research report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie, homeowners and businesses are increasingly demanding solar systems that are paired with battery storage. California’s shift in net metering policy and state incentives for solar-plus-storage in other markets have driven attachment rates up in recent quarters. The report further states that by 2028, 28% of all new distributed solar capacity will be paired with storage, compared to under 12% in 2023.

    SUNBOX Home is a complete intelligent solar energy storage system powered by Turbo Energy’s patented AI algorithms and processes that allow homeowners to fully optimize the energy efficiency of their solar power panel installations. Moreover, the cloud-based Turbo Energy mobile app gives SUNBOX Home users total control over the storage system, including determining best times of day when to use the surplus energy stored, as well as providing complete real-time visibility into battery status, energy production, actual power usage and monthly cost savings. In addition, the app provides data-driven insight into weather and electricity price forecasts, among other vital metrics.  

    Turbo Energy’s  U.S. market launch will be led by a multi-month beta test, whereby Connection Holdings will coordinate the deployment of several SUNBOX Home system installations in residences located in key, high growth markets across the nation.  Following the conclusion of the beta test and analysis of collected data and feedback from installers and homeowners, Connection Holdings is tasked with implementing a national marketing campaign designed to ramp sales of SUNBOX Home and help to define and refine, as necessary, the U.S.-based infrastructure needed to support anticipated market demand in the months and years to come.

    About Connection Holdings, LLC

    Connection Holdings has built and consolidated a portfolio of U.S. companies which are trusted to provide award-winning performance marketing and comprehensive data analytic services to the nation’s leading solar, roofing, home improvement, consumer financial and health insurance companies. Its brands, which have collectively generated nearly $500 million in sales for its valued customers, include Solar Direct Marketing, Connecting the Dots, Home Direct Marketing, Senior Direct Marketing, Encompass Leads, Debt Direct Marketing, Vested Exchange and Blockhub. In 2021, 2022 and 2023, Solar Direct Marketing earned distinction as one of Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing, privately held companies in the country. Connecting the Dots was also named to Inc.’s top 500 fastest growing companies in 2022; and in 2023 and 2024 was nominated as the premiere Data Provider of the Year at the prestigious Affy Awards. For more information, please visit http://www.connectionholdings.com.  

    About Turbo Energy, S.A.

    Founded in 2013, Turbo Energy is a globally recognized pioneer of proprietary solar energy storage technologies and solutions managed through Artificial Intelligence. Turbo Energy’s elegant all-in-one and scalable, modular energy storage systems empower residential, commercial and industrial users expanding across Europe, North America and South America to materially reduce dependence on traditional energy sources, helping to lower electricity costs, provide peak shaving and uninterruptible power supply and realize a more sustainable, energy-efficient future. A testament to the Company’s commitment to innovation and industry disruption, Turbo Energy’s introduction of its flagship SUNBOX represents one of the world’s first high performance, competitively priced, all-in-one home solar energy storage systems, which also incorporates patented EV charging capability and powerful AI processes to optimize solar energy management.  Turbo Energy is a proud subsidiary of publicly traded Umbrella Global Energy, S.A., a vertically integrated, global collective of solar energy-focused companies.

    For more information, please visit http://www.turbo-e.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of the business of the Company, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control, including the risks described in our registration statements and annual report under the heading “Risk Factors” as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Turbo Energy, S.A. specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    For more information, please contact:

    At Turbo Energy, S.A.
    Dodi Handy, Director of Communications
    Phone: 407-960-4636
    Email: dodihandy@turbo-e.com

    At Connection Holdings, LLC
    David Stodolak, Chief Executive Officer
    Phone: 919-802-1555
    Email: david@solardirectmarketing.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Government Approves Enhancements to Irish SME Test

    Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

    22nd October 2024

    The Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Peter Burke TD, today welcomed the Government decision to agree the revised guidelines and template for the application of the SME Test. The enhanced Test will be rigorously applied by all Government Departments to major new measures that will directly or indirectly impact small and medium sized enterprises.

    Minister Burke TD said:

    “The revised SME Test will help to ensure the ‘think small first’ principle is thoroughly applied to new measures as they are being developed. This will ensure that potential impacts on SMEs are fully considered, and mitigations are applied where appropriate.

    “Under the new guidelines, all primary and secondary legislative proposals, new policies and strategies, and all SIs (Statutory Instruments) will need to carry out an SME Test or provide an explanation why one is not necessary. It’s part of a further emphasis being placed by Government on supports for family businesses, indigenous enterprises and home-grown SMEs to reduce red tape and regulatory burden.”

    The SME Test is an impact assessment tool that has been designed to assist policymakers consider the SME perspective when making any new policies, legislation (primary or secondary), or regulatory compliance requirements.

    The objective of the SME Test is to ensure the ease of use, understanding and application of policy requirements on SMEs. The Test identifies disproportionate impacts on SMEs and encourages policymakers to propose alternative policy options or mitigating measures to minimise the impact on small businesses, and to ensure that the regulatory environment allows SMEs to operate, grow and scale-up.

    In addition to rigorously applying the new SME Test, Government has also recently committed to consult with business to identify additional areas across Departments/Agencies where the regulatory burden could be reduced.

    A cross-government network has developed the enhanced SME Test and will continue to work together on implementation. Strengthening the language used in the guidance and adding clarity as to when and where it should be applied, as well as including more detailed screening questions and emphasising the need for consultation will ensure the SME test becomes an even more useful tool for policy makers.

    ENDS

    Back to Department News

    Back to Top

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Learning About Landscape Architecture on the UConn Research Farm

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    At UConn, the disciplines of plant science and landscape architecture are housed in a single department.

    This arrangement provides unique opportunities for students like Brianna Collazo ‘26 (CAHNR), a landscape architecture student who spent this past summer working on the UConn Plant Science Research & Education Farm, which serves both plant science and landscape architecture projects.

    “It’s lovely,” Collazo says. “There are so many opportunities that have been opened and so many events where we get to socialize and learn from one another.”

    Collazo had explored several academic pathways while at Manchester Community College before coming to UConn. She took courses in everything from computer science to sculpture before realizing she was interested in architecture. Given this and her love of being outside, the landscape architecture program at UConn was a perfect fit.

    “When I was looking up majors similar to architecture, I found landscape architecture and I did a little bit of research and I was like ‘wow, I think I’ll really like doing this’,” Collazo says.

    Collazo says she quickly fell in love with the program at UConn.

    “I’m so excited to go to class every day,” Collazo says. “You can ask anyone, I’m usually the first one to get to studio and the last one to leave.”

    UConn’s landscape architecture program is nationally accredited and provides a close-knit educational atmosphere for around 60 students. Working closely with ten faculty, communities, and practicing landscape architects, students have the opportunity to participate in experiential learning across Connecticut.

    “Brianna is a wonderful ambassador for our program and department. She brings an infectious energy to all that she does. Her skills and thinking have grown tremendously over the past year and we can’t wait to see her work progress,” says Jill Desimini, program director for Landscape Architecture.

    During her sophomore year, Collazo decided she wanted to gain more practical experience to better prepare her for internships.

    She found an opening on the Research Farm and with encouragement from Travis Clark, the Research Farm manager, decided to apply.

    The Research Farm has been in operation for over 100 years supporting research, teaching, and extension work at CAHNR. The 153-acre facility is a short drive from UConn’s main campus in Storrs, making it uniquely accessible for students. There are over 50 research plots where faculty and graduate students conduct basic and applied scientific experiments in subjects like sustainable agriculture, turfgrass and soil science, greenhouse and nursery operations, and fruit and vegetable production.

    “The summer was really exciting,” Collazo says. “[Clark] was really happy to have me there and I felt like I was being cared for.”

    “I was excited to be able to bring Brianna on the farm this summer.  Her unique background in landscape architecture and her willingness to learn made her an asset to our team,” says Clark ’09 (CAHNR).  “This internship provided Brianna with a lot of the hands-on skills through experiential learning that will continue to be valuable to her throughout her career.”

    Over the summer, Collazo not only gained practical skills for working on a farm, but learned outside of her major about soil science, cover crops, and how to use different species for different purposes.

    “I wanted to take so much out of this experience,” Collazo says. “Every single day I would learn something.”

    Collazo also supported graduate students working on the farm over the summer and has continued assisting two: Julie-Ann Adorno, an advisee of Haiying Tao, associate professor of soil nutrition management and soil health; and Brian Garzon, an advisee of Mariana Fragomeni, assistant professor of landscape architecture.

    After this experience, Collazo decided she want to go to graduate school to continue her studies, looking at how to design agricultural sites for research.

    “Hearing about their passion and their work over the summer really got me to understand how much it takes to make a landscape, how much goes into the different systems of the outdoors, and how we need to combine all of those to create the best design to benefit us,” Collazo says.

    This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply.

    Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Department of State Daily Press Briefing – October 22, 2024 – 1:15 PM

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Department Press Briefing with Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel, at the Department of State, on October 22, 2024.

    ———–
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at http://www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
    Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/

    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
    Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTPjoBfGBW4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Deputy Secretary Campbell remarks at the Secretary of State’s ACE ceremony – 1:15 PM

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Deputy Secretary Campbell delivers remarks at the Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence ceremony at the Department of State, on October 22, 2024.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at http://www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
    Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/

    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
    Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va-I8YuKNK0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: TRESU Investment Holding A/S – Annual General Meeting 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Tresu Investment Holding A/S – Annual General Meeting 2024

    TRESU INVESTMENT HOLDING A/S

    ANNOUNCEMENT NO. 12.2024
    22.10.2024

    On 18 March 2024, the annual general meeting 2024 of Tresu Investment Holding A/S was held, where the following decisions were made:

    • The audited annual report for 2023 was adopted.
    • In accordance with the proposal by the Board of Directors, the loss as recorded in the annual report was appropriated.
    • Jean-Marc Denis Lechene, Søren Dan Johansen, Ola Harald Erici and Stephan Hubert Plenz were re-elected as members of the Board of Directors.
    • PriceWaterhouseCoopers Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab was re-elected as auditor of the company.
    • The Board of Directors and the Executive Board were discharged from liability.

    The general meeting had specifically waived the requirement for notice and presentation of documents under the Danish Companies Act and the Articles of Association. 

    This announcement is made public as per agreement with Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S.

    For further details, please contact
    CFO, Torben Børsting, phone: + 45 5130 2780

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: UP Fintech Announces Proposed Follow-on Public Offering of American Depositary Shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UP Fintech Holding Limited (Nasdaq: TIGR) (“UP Fintech” or the “Company”), a leading online brokerage firm focusing on global investors, today announced that it intends to offer and sell 15,000,000 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each representing 15 Class A ordinary shares of the Company, subject to market and other conditions, in an underwritten public offering. The underwriters have an option to purchase up to an aggregate of 2,250,000 additional ADSs from the Company at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, exercisable within 20 days from the date of the prospectus supplement.

    The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the proposed ADS offering for strengthening the Company’s capital base and furthering the Company’s business development initiatives.

    Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch, China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited and US Tiger Securities, Inc. will act as the joint bookrunners for the proposed ADS offering.

    The proposed ADS offering will be made pursuant to an automatic shelf registration statement on Form F-3 filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. A preliminary prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus related to the proposed ADS offering have been filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The final prospectus supplement will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at: http://www.sec.gov. When available, copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained by contacting Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch, Level 60, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong; China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited 29/F, one International Finance Centre, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong; or, US Tiger Securities, Inc., 437 Madison Avenue, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10022, United States of America.

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

    About UP Fintech Holding Limited

    UP Fintech Holding Limited is a leading online brokerage firm focusing on global investors. The Company’s proprietary mobile and online trading platform enables investors to trade in equities and other financial instruments on multiple exchanges around the world. The Company offers innovative products and services as well as a superior user experience to customers through its “mobile first” strategy, which enables it to better serve and retain current customers as well as attract new ones. The Company offers customers comprehensive brokerage and value-added services, including trade order placement and execution, margin financing, IPO subscription, ESOP management, investor education, community discussion and customer support. The Company’s proprietary infrastructure and advanced technology are able to support trades across multiple currencies, multiple markets, multiple products, multiple execution venues and multiple clearinghouses.

    For more information on the Company, please visit: https://ir.itigerup.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “might,” “aim,” “likely to,” “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements or expressions. Among other statements, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, the Company’s strategic and operational plans and expectations regarding growth and expansion of its business lines, and the Company’s plans for future financing of its business contain forward-looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties, including the earnings conference call. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company’s ability to effectively implement its growth strategies; trends and competition in global financial markets; changes in the Company’s revenues and certain cost or expense accounting policies; and governmental policies and regulations affecting the Company’s industry and general economic conditions in China, Singapore and other countries. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 22, 2024. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

    For investor and media inquiries please contact:

    Investor Relations Contact
    UP Fintech Holding Limited
    Email: ir@itiger.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Melissa’s Cloud-Based DataGen API Provides On-Demand Access to Comprehensive Address, Consumer, and Business Data

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Complete, accurate data is key to building and maintaining a business, but comprehensive customer and prospect data is imperative to gaining and holding a competitive edge. To help companies achieve this, Melissa has launched its Restful Service DataGen API, the most flexible, third-party data resource available for on-demand address, resident, consumer, property, and business data. When integrated with in-house data, this rich resource can considerably improve business analytics and deepen insights.

    “DataGen addresses the data inaccuracies that can plague an organization, challenging its ability to make timely and accurate decisions,” said Daniel Kha Le, Chief Data Officer, Melissa. “It’s a robust Restful Service API, providing seamless, real-time access to comprehensive demographic, firmographic, location intelligence, and property information that can be used to maximize the value of a company’s existing customer data.”

    Integrated as a single API, DataGen offers address details from 240+ countries and territories. Companies can quickly develop consumer profiles featuring a range of demographic attributes, including residential information such as length of residence, age ranges, new homeownership, or new movers. In-depth property details include data such as absentee ownership, mortgage data, and foreclosures. Similar data is available on businesses and business contacts.

    DataGen provides users with counts, sample records, and comprehensive datasets. Once a user sets their preferred parameters, they can stream and access a list of contacts, addresses, businesses, or other data in real time. Users are in control of data received, using filters such as city and state, ZIP codes, polygons, or neighborhoods. Once record counts are established, users can further filter without having to pay for data that is not needed. Sample data is returned so results can be previewed; once purchased, data is streamed as a paginated result in JSON format.

    Click here to access an on-demand webinar demonstrating how Melissa’s Restful Service DataGen API provides access to high-quality third-party data useful for advanced data modeling, target marketing, and customer personalization using SQL Server or other RDBMS technologies. Click here for more information or to request a license key to access DataGen, or contact sales@melissa.com.

    About Melissa
    Since 1985, Melissa has specialized in global intelligence solutions to help organizations unlock accurate data for a more compelling customer view. More than 10,000 clients worldwide in arenas such as retail, education, healthcare, insurance, finance, and government rely on Melissa for full spectrum data quality and ID verification software, including data matching, validation, and enhancement services to gain critical insight and drive meaningful customer relationships. For more information or free product trials, visit http://www.Melissa.com or call 1-800-MELISSA (635-4772).

    Media contacts
    Greg Brown
    Vice President, Global Marketing, Melissa
    greg.brown@Melissa.com
    +1-800-635-4772 x1130

    MPoweredPR for Melissa
    pr@mpoweredpr.com
    +1-877-794-6777

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ManTech Earns FinOps Foundation’s FinOps Service Provider Certification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HERNDON, Va., Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ManTech, a premier provider of AI and mission-focused technology solutions, is now a FinOps Foundation FinOps Certified Service Provider. FinOps, a combination of “Finance” and “DevOps,” is an operational framework and cultural practice which maximizes the business value of cloud, enables timely data-driven decision making, and creates financial accountability through collaboration between engineering, finance, and business teams.

    “This certification milestone underscores our commitment to helping public sector clients align their cloud spend with mission outcomes,” said Stephen Deitz, President of ManTech’s Federal Civilian Sector. “We are proud to put the global seal of approval on our capabilities as a FinOps Certified Service Provider.”

    By obtaining this certification, ManTech has demonstrated its professional services are aligned to the FinOps Framework. Through a team of highly-talented FinOps practitioners, engineers, analysts and professionals, ManTech enables its clients to build their FinOps Capabilities and adopt FinOps best practices to maximize the value of cloud services. These skilled specialists possess a deep understanding of FinOps, its domain areas and its application to enhance cloud operations proficiently, economically and at speed.

    This signature achievement follows ManTech joining the FinOps Foundation as a Premier Member with Mr. Deitz serving on the FinOps Foundation’s Governing Board.

    About ManTech
    ManTech provides mission-focused technology solutions and services for U.S. Defense, Intelligence and Federal Civilian agencies. In business for more than 55 years, we are a leading provider of AI solutions that power full-spectrum cyber, data collection & analytics, enterprise IT, high-end engineering and software application development solutions that support national and homeland security. Additional information on ManTech can be found at http://www.mantech.com.

    Media Contact:
    Jim Crawford
    ManTech
    Executive Director, External Communications
    (M) 703-498-7315
    James.Crawford2@ManTech.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/830329b9-44c6-4379-a8d9-74f68540fc7c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Endexx Corporation’s HYLA Division Partners With American Shaman, Expanding Distribution Across U.S. Locations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHOENIX, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Endexx Corporation (OTC: EDXC), a leading provider of plant-based wellness and lifestyle products, today announced a major new partnership between its HYLA™ division and American Shaman, a well-established wellness retailer based in Kansas City, Missouri. This partnership will introduce HYLA’s innovative no-nicotine vape products to 40 corporate-owned American Shaman locations, with the potential to expand into 300 stores nationwide.

    This collaboration is a key part of Endexx’s growth strategy as the HYLA division continues to secure distribution agreements across the U.S. The partnership with American Shaman is just one of many anticipated deals, positioning HYLA for significant expansion in the domestic market.

    HYLA’s Strategic Partnership with American Shaman

    HYLA’s no-nicotine, plant-based vape products will initially launch in 40 corporate-owned American Shaman locations as part of a tray display program, focusing on educating consumers about the benefits of nicotine-free alternatives. American Shaman, known for its commitment to customer education and high-quality wellness products, will play a crucial role in introducing HYLA’s products to a broader audience.

    “We are excited to partner with American Shaman,” said Brad Listermann, Interim CEO of Endexx Corporation. “Their store members are highly knowledgeable in consumer education, and we believe they will do an excellent job of helping customers understand the benefits of our HYLA products. This partnership marks another milestone in making HYLA’s no-nicotine products a household name.”

    A Promising Future for HYLA and Endexx

    HYLA continues to target a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 300% over the next three to five years. The collaboration with American Shaman is expected to accelerate product distribution and market penetration, with more partnerships on the horizon.

    Dustin Sullivan, VP of HYLA, added, “This is a great opportunity to introduce our all-natural, nicotine-free vape products to more U.S. consumers. With American Shaman’s strong retail presence and commitment to customer education, we are confident this partnership will fuel further growth.”

    About American Shaman

    American Shaman is a well-established leader in the wellness industry with over 360 locations across the United States. Founded by Vince Sanders in Kansas City, Missouri, the company has built a reputation for providing high-quality, fast-acting wellness solutions through advanced technology. With a dedicated team of experts, American Shaman continues to innovate and expand its reach, offering effective products that meet the diverse needs of customers

    About Endexx Corporation

    Endexx Corporation, through its operating divisions CBD Unlimited, Inc., and HYLA, develops and distributes all-natural, plant-based topical products, as well as non-nicotine vape products in the wellness and health market. HYLA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Endexx, offering a proprietary non-nicotine vape product, rapidly expanding its market share internationally through unique and all-natural botanical formulations. CBD Unlimited produces and distributes high-end CBD-based products derived from hemp, designed to address various health issues and promote wellness in humans and pets. Endexx has developed a wide distribution network that includes pharmacies, mass retailers, and e-commerce platforms.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those regarding the company’s expectations, intentions, strategies, and beliefs concerning future performance. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties regarding economic conditions, customer acceptance of products, regulatory actions, competition, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Contact:
    Endexx Corporation
    480-595-6900
    IR@Endexx.com
    http://www.endexx.com

    Partnership Opportunities
    To learn more about becoming a distribution partner with HYLA, visit: https://www.hyladistribution.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: East Preston — RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment charges two people with firearms offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment has charged two people with a number of offences following an incident in East Preston.

    On October 19, at approximately 11 a.m., RCMP officers responded to an assault and weapons complaint at a home on Upper Partridge River Rd.

    Upon arrival at the residence, officers arrested 34-year-old Andre Thomas of East Preston without incident. Officers later executed a search warrant at the home and seized six firearms, two of which were loaded.

    Thomas is facing several charges, including but not limited to:

    • Assault by Choking
    • Assault (three counts)
    • Possession of Prohibited or Restricted Firearm with Ammunition (two counts)
    • Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (six counts)
    • Unsafe Storage of a Firearm
    • Carrying a Concealed Weapon

    Thomas was remanded into custody and appeared in Dartmouth Provincial Court on October 21.

    A 35-year old woman was also arrested at the residence and will face firearms charges. She’s due to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on November 26.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Sophos Appoints Torjus Gylstorff as Sophos’ Chief Revenue Officer and Jon Bove as Sophos’ Senior Vice President of Americas Sales

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OXFORD, United Kingdom, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, today announced that Torjus Gylstorff has joined the company as chief revenue officer (CRO). Sophos has also appointed Jon Bove senior vice president of Americas sales. Sophos hired Gylstorff and Bove, two key industry executives, to further accelerate sales of Sophos’ portfolio of cybersecurity services and products, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services and endpoint, network, email, and cloud security.

    Gylstorff is responsible for driving revenue growth through effective leadership of Sophos’ global sales organization and partner and customer networks. This includes expanding Sophos’ presence beyond its already strong customer base of more than 600,000 organizations worldwide in the small and mid-sized business market. Gylstorff will also leverage his skills in the channel to develop strategies that strengthen and drive additional business with existing and new Managed Service Providers (MSPs).

    Gylstorff has more than 25 years of experience in sales, channels and business development across the technology and cybersecurity sectors, leading worldwide sales teams and building global channel ecosystems. Prior to joining Sophos, Gylstorff was the worldwide sales leader for Thales’ Application and Data Security Business. Prior to Thales, he was vice president of Worldwide Channels and Alliances at Symantec. Before that, Gylstorff led emerging business initiatives at Blue Coat Systems and managed major turnarounds in Japan and South Korea. His career includes significant tenures at Norman Shark, IBM and Lotus Software, where he held various senior sales and leadership positions across Europe. 

    As senior vice president of Americas sales for Sophos, Bove is working closely with the company’s extensive partner network in North America and Latin America to develop new revenue streams and ensure partners and their customers have the proper security needed to defend against ransomware, data breaches and other persistent cyberattacks. Bove will also direct and oversee the growth of new partners and MSPs in the region to increase sales of Sophos security solutions, which plug into the Sophos Central management platform. With Sophos Central, partners and MSPs can elevate and streamline customer defenses and operations, upgrades, renewals and much more, increasing revenue opportunities, while also improving customers’ security.

    Bove brings more than 20 years of sales experience, with 15 years in cybersecurity and channel sales leadership, to Sophos. Most recently, Bove served as vice president sales, U.S. enterprise, at Fortinet, where he was responsible for driving significant revenue growth through channel sales in North America. At Fortinet, Bove grew the small and medium business (SMB) sales organization and defined the company’s channel sales strategy to expand focus on the enterprise market. Bove also previously held sales and channel leadership positions at Proofpoint.

    “Sophos is already a leading provider of security services and technologies for the midmarket and smaller organizations that need help defeating cyberattacks, due to resource constraints such as skills gaps, limited budgets and other issues that cause them to be under protected. Our vision at Sophos is a world where organizations of any size and means have a clear path to superior cybersecurity outcomes, and the work we do every day aims to close the cybersecurity divide and protect more organizations in the most at-risk segments of the market. The best and most efficient way to do this is by scaling with channel partners and MSPs,” said Joe Levy, CEO, Sophos. “With Torjus and Jon, both of whom have decades of experience in leading channel sales, managing sales operations and developing relationships with customers, we can scale faster and in a way that accelerates growth for partners, MSPs and Sophos. I’m excited to have Torjus and Jon on board to help drive the next phase of Sophos’ go to market evolution.”

    About Sophos
    Sophos is a global leader and innovator of advanced security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and incident response services and a broad portfolio of endpoint, network, email, and cloud security technologies. As one of the largest pure-play cybersecurity providers, Sophos defends more than 600,000 organizations and more than 100 million users worldwide from active adversaries, ransomware, phishing, malware, and more. Sophos’ services and products connect through the Sophos Central management console and are powered by Sophos X-Ops, the company’s cross-domain threat intelligence unit. Sophos X-Ops intelligence optimizes the entire Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem, which includes a centralized data lake that leverages a rich set of open APIs available to customers, partners, developers, and other cybersecurity and information technology vendors. Sophos provides cybersecurity-as-a-service to organizations needing fully managed security solutions. Customers can also manage their cybersecurity directly with Sophos’ security operations platform or use a hybrid approach by supplementing their in-house teams with Sophos’ services, including threat hunting and remediation. Sophos sells through reseller partners and managed service providers (MSPs) worldwide. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at http://www.sophos.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: “Rage Deletion” is Real – and GenZ is admitting to doing it the most

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nearly one in six workers has experienced a co-worker intentionally deleting important company data before quitting a job. One in twenty has personally committed “Rage Deletion,” with GenZ employees being twice as likely (one in ten) to admit to doing so. That’s according to new research from backup and recovery leader CrashPlan. With the US presidential election approaching, 15% of respondents also worry that political activism could drive intentional deletion by departing co-workers.

    CrashPlan surveyed more than 2,300 workers as part of its forthcoming Work Trend Security Report. It found that certain industries and roles were more vulnerable to Rage Deletion.

    • Worry is highest (20%) among employees concerned about job security.
    • Concern over Rage Deletion is highest in the technology industry (21%) and among programmers and developers (25%).
    • The five roles that were most likely to admit to personally Rage Deleting were designers and design engineers (11%), writers and editors (9%), programmers and developers (7%) and video producers (7%).
    • Millennials are most worried about political activism driving Rage Deletion (17%)
    • Only 43% of companies provide tools that ensure employee data is backed up and only 39% provide clear policies mandating their use.

    Where is all the rage coming from?
    Rage Deleters are significantly less engaged at work and more frustrated than other employees. They are more likely to feel increased pressure to show productivity at work, are more concerned about their job security, and are more than twice as likely as others to be seeking new jobs. They’re less often managers, but they are also more likely than others to have worked overtime more than ten times in the previous month. They have received cybersecurity training less often and are less likely to feel their employer invests sufficiently in professional development. Rage Deleters are less likely to look forward to going to work and significantly less proud of their workplaces. And they are twice as likely as others to have already experienced a co-worker’s Rage Deletion.

    “The signs of employee disengagement and dissatisfaction show up in the way they use technology. Obviously, it doesn’t usually escalate to sabotage, but our research clearly shows that disengaged employees are less careful with their data,” said CrashPlan CISO Todd Thorsen. “Every company has a simple choice – with a few keystrokes their intellectual property or important records can vanish forever, or just as quickly they can restore the data a disgruntled employee intended to destroy.”

    To learn more about CrashPlan, visit http://www.crashplan.com

    About CrashPlan
    CrashPlan provides cyber-ready data resilience and governance in a single platform for organizations whose ideas power their revenue. With its comprehensive backup and recovery capabilities for data stored on servers, on endpoint devices, and in SaaS applications, CrashPlan’s solutions are trusted by entrepreneurs, professionals, and businesses of all sizes worldwide. From ransomware recovery and breaches to migrations and legal holds, CrashPlan’s suite of products ensures the safety and compliance of your data without disruption.

    Media Contact:
    Brianna Bruinsma
    Firebrand Communications
    crashplan@firebrand.marketing

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Starbox Launches “StarboxAI VI-Pro – Live Streaming System”: Supporting Starbox’s Merchants in Live Streaming Social Commerce

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Starbox Group Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq: STBX) (“Starbox” or the “Company”), a service provider of cash rebates, advertising, and payment solutions, is excited to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Starbox Technologies Sdn. Bhd. (“Starbox Technologies”), is launching “StarboxAI VI-Pro – Live Streaming System,” a platform designed to support Starbox’s over 800 existing merchants in their live streaming social commerce efforts. This artificial intelligence (“AI”)-powered system enhances digital interaction and is expected to boost sales performance with automated content creation and real-time engagement tools.

    What distinguishes StarboxAI VI-Pro – Live Streaming System is its integration with the Company’s existing cash rebates ecosystem, which currently serves Starbox’s over 2 million existing users. The integration allows merchants to offer real-time cash rebates during live streaming events, creating a seamless experience for merchants and users alike, incentivizing users to engage and purchase products. Starbox Technologies will keep a percentage of the cash rebates generated from successful sales as revenue.

    With StarboxAI VI-Pro – Live Streaming System, merchants can broadcast 24/7 on platforms such as WeChat Channels, allowing continuous audience engagement. The system can read out live streaming content, respond to audience questions in real time, and guide the audience toward purchasing products. These features can help merchants provide immersive shopping experiences and are anticipated to increase sales conversion rates.

    Lee Choon Wooi, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Starbox, remarked: “The launch of StarboxAI VI-Pro – Live Streaming System reflects our commitment to empowering merchants with AI technology. We believe this unique link to our existing cash rebates ecosystem with over 2 million users will enhance the live streaming experience while driving sales. With real-time interaction, 24/7 live streaming, and seamless purchase guidance, merchants may be able to engage customers and expand their market reach.”

    This launch aligns with Starbox’s vision to strengthen the social commerce landscape, complementing the recent successful launch of AI-Driven Digital Human System for merchants on WeChat Channels. As demand for personalized and interactive content grows, Starbox expects to continue to introduce innovative solutions to improve how businesses communicate, engage, and succeed in the digital era.

    About Starbox Group Holdings Ltd.

    Headquartered in Malaysia, Starbox is a technology-driven, rapidly growing company with innovation as its focus. Starbox is aiming to be a comprehensive technology solutions provider within Southeast Asia and also engages in building a cash rebate, advertising, and payment solution business ecosystem, targeting micro, small, and medium enterprises that lack the bandwidth to develop an in-house data management system for effective marketing. The Company connects retail merchants with retail shoppers to facilitate transactions through cash rebates offered by retail merchants on its GETBATS website and mobile app. The Company provides digital advertising services to advertisers through its SEEBATS website and mobile app, GETBATS website and mobile app and social media. The Company also provides payment solution services to merchants. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://ir.starboxholdings.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. 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 “approximates,” “assesses,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. References and links (including QR codes) to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

    For more information, please contact: 

    Starbox Group Holdings Ltd.
    Investor Relations Department
    Email: ir@starboxholdings.com

    Ascent Investor Relations LLC
    Tina Xiao
    Phone: +1-646-932-7242
    Email: investors@ascent-ir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Franklin Access Unveils the JEXtream FX20 Router Paired With The Quvo Parental Control App

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Franklin Access, a leading provider of integrated wireless solutions, is excited to introduce the JEXtream FX20 WiFi 6 router, paired with the Quvo parental control app, designed to enhance digital safety for families. The JEXtream FX20 router offers modern network performance, while the Quvo app is specifically designed to give parents control over their children’s online activities. This powerful combination of hardware and software empowers parents to create a safer digital environment, promoting responsible online behavior and healthy habits.

    In today’s digital age, children are exposed to a variety of risks, including inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators. The Quvo parental control app, paired with the high-performance JEXtream FX20 router, provides parents with the tools they need to monitor and manage internet usage, helping to mitigate these risks.

    Key Features of the Quvo Parental Control App:

    • Real-time activity monitoring: Provides insights into children’s online activities, including websites visited and apps used.
    • Customizable usage controls: Set screen time limits and schedules, ensuring balanced digital habits.
    • Content filtering: Block harmful material while allowing access to age-appropriate content.
    • Geo-fencing and location tracking: Get notified if a child leaves a designated area with their device.
    • Cross-platform compatibility: Works with Android and iOS devices, ensuring broad coverage across family devices.
    • Comprehensive device management: Manage multiple devices simultaneously, from smartphones to gaming consoles, ensuring a cohesive and secure network.

    “At Franklin Access, we understand the complexities parents face when navigating their children’s digital interactions,” said OC Kim, CEO of Franklin Access. “With the JEXtream FX20 router and Quvo app, we’re offering families a comprehensive digital safety solution that brings both reliability and ease of use to the forefront.”

    The JEXtream FX20 router delivers exceptional WiFi 6 performance, offering faster speeds, better coverage, and support for multiple devices. Whether families are streaming, gaming, or working from home, the FX20 ensures a smooth experience without sacrificing network security. Optional mesh extenders can also be added to broaden the router’s range across larger homes and workplaces.

    The Quvo app integrates seamlessly with the JEXtream FX20 router, providing parental controls that can be managed both inside and outside the home. With its easy-to-use interface, the Quvo app allows parents to maintain peace of mind, even when children are on-the-go.

    Franklin Access continues to innovate and evolve, with plans to expand Quvo’s offerings into additional markets such as elder care, pet care, and small businesses. The JEXtream FX20 and the Quvo parental control app together represent a powerful and flexible solution for securing today’s connected home.

    The JEXtream FX20 router and the Quvo parental control app are available now at http://www.quvostore.com and Amazon.

    About Franklin Access
    Franklin Access (NASDAQ: FKWL) is a leader in integrated wireless solutions, offering state-of-the-art 4G LTE and 5G technologies, including mobile hotspots, routers, and mobile device management (MDM) solutions. Learn more at franklinaccess.com.

    For media inquiries, please contact: marketing@franklinaccess.com

    Safe Harbor Statement

    Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia opens regional Innovation Center in Morocco to serve EMEA customers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    Nokia opens regional Innovation Center in Morocco to serve EMEA customers

    • Nokia launches its first Innovation Center in Africa and the Middle East, equipped with cutting-edge technologies from its entire Network Infrastructure portfolio, including Fixed, IP, and Optical Networks.
    • The center will benefit and contribute to Digital Morocco 2030 by playing a pivotal role in advancing digital skills and supporting 5G readiness across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
    • The event is also an opportunity to showcase some of Nokia’s latest innovations for major football events.

    22 October 2024
    Salé, Morocco – Nokia today announced the opening of its Innovation Center in Salé, Morocco, officiated by Ghita Mezzour, Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform.

    Designed as a regional hub to serve EMEA, the Nokia Innovation Center (NIC) is equipped with advanced technologies from Nokia’s entire Network Infrastructure portfolio, spanning Fixed Networks, IP, and Optical Networks. The NIC will not only benefit but also contribute to Digital Morocco 2030 by playing a pivotal role in advancing digital skills, supporting 5G readiness and fostering innovation across EMEA.

    As the first of its kind in the MEA region, the NIC features a comprehensive range of technologies, including IP, optical transport and fiber solutions, housed within a state-of-the-art data center. This facility supports diverse use cases from 5G mobile backhaul to data center fabric and security, and will be a focal point for innovation in critical network technologies, enabling testing, verification, deployment and training of advanced solutions across the EMEA region.

    Beyond technology, the NIC strengthens Nokia’s role within Morocco’s ICT ecosystem by offering practical training to engineering schools and universities. This collaborative platform not only nurtures local engineering talent through certification programs like Service Routing Architect (SRA) and Network Routing Specialist (NRS II) but also provides Gen-AI integration tools using natural language thus contributing to the upskilling and reskilling of young Moroccan talent, aligning with Morocco’s 2030 digital vision.

    The inauguration event was also an opportunity to showcase state-of-the art solutions demonstrating Nokia’s capabilities and determination to support Morocco’s ambitions in hosting major football events.

    Mrs. Ghita Mezzour, Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, said: “The opening of Nokia’s Innovation Center in Morocco is a testament to our country’s ability to attract leading global technology companies and foster innovation. This center will not only enhance our position as a regional hub for digital services across EMEA but will also play a crucial role in developing local talent. By aligning with Digital Morocco 2030, the center contributes to our efforts in advancing STEM education, equipping our youth with the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy, and supporting our nation’s 5G readiness and technological future.”

    Pierre Chaume, Vice President of North, West and Central Africa for Network Infrastructure at Nokia, said: “We are proud to establish this Innovation Center in Morocco, which will serve our customers and partners in the EMEA region and contribute to the development of local talent and the broader digital ecosystem, in line with Digital Morocco 2030. This center underscores our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and the growth of critical networks that drive digital transformation across industries.”

    Resources and Additional Information:
    Webpage: Fixed networks
    Webpage: IP networks
    Webpage: Optical networks

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

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

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

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

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

    Follow us on social media
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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Navy Announces Commissioning Ceremony for the Future USS Beloi

    Source: United States Navy

    LCS 29 will be the first commissioned ship in naval service bearing the name of Beloit, Wisconsin.

    The naming of LCS 29 honors the contributions the people of Beloit have made to the U.S. Navy, such as the Fairbanks Morse plant, which built engines that power many of the Navy’s ships and submarines, including USS Beloit.

    As the ship’s sponsor, retired Army Maj. Gen. Marcia M. Anderson will lead the time-honored Navy tradition of giving the order during the ceremony to “Man our ship and bring her to life!” At that moment, the commissioning pennant is hoisted, and the Beloit becomes a proud ship of the fleet.

    Following its commissioning, the Beloit will depart Milwaukee for its homeport assignment of Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida.

    The future USS Beloit (LCS 29) commissioning ceremony will be livestreamed at http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/35146. The webcast will begin at 9:45 a.m. CST and the ceremony begins at 10 a.m. CST, Nov. 23.

    LCS 29 is a fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatant that operates in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. Littoral Combat Ships integrate with joint, combined, manned, and unmanned teams to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

    The mission of CNSP is to man, train, and equip the Surface Force to provide fleet commanders with credible naval power to control the sea and project power ashore.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Civilian support for military coups isn’t a bug – it’s a feature

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Salah Ben Hammou, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Rice University

    Members of the Malian junta wave as civilians gather to celebrate the overthrow of the president on Aug. 21, 2020. AP Photo/File

    In September 2024, authorities in Benin detained the country’s former sports minister and a prominent businessman for allegedly plotting a coup against the West African nation’s president, Patrice Talon. Had a putsch materialized, Benin would have joined a growing list of African countries to have experienced a military coup over the past four years.

    Dubbed an “epidemic of coup d’états” by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the resurgence of military takeovers has left many observers perplexed. For one, the frequency of coups worldwide had reached historic lows prior to 2020.

    But perhaps even more puzzling is that several of the recent military coups – such as those in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea – have been accompanied by significant civilian support. Indeed, while various commentaries or news reports have treated civilian support as an exceptional feature of this recent coup wave, these perspectives rely on a common misunderstanding.

    As I’ve observed over the course of my research on the politics of military coups, civilian support is actually a common, if not critical, part of coup politics, and far from unique to this recent resurgence of military takeovers.

    How common are civilian-supported coups?

    In the popular imagination of a military coup, power-hungry soldiers command tanks down a capital’s streets to seize authority from the political leadership. In this vision, civilians are often passive actors or otherwise assumed to be the opponents of coups. Yet such a setting is belied by numerous examples, both recent and throughout history.

    In West Africa’s Niger, for example, the M62 movement – a coalition of civil society organizations – gathered its members on the streets to support the coup in July 2023, outnumbering prior protests calling for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum. In neighboring Mali, the M5-RFP protest movement served a similar role in the aftermath of the country’s 2020 coup – although fissures in its relationship with the junta have since surfaced.

    Even Benin’s thwarted plot had a civilian dimension. Its alleged masterminds, the sports minister and prominent businessman who were said to have funded the planned coup, were not soldiers but part of the governing bureaucracy or elite civil society.

    To see how common such cases are, I collected data on civilian support and involvement in all successful military coups since 1950. Defining coups as “successful” if the soldiers manage to stay in power for at least seven days, that gave me 242 cases over a period of nearly 75 years to analyze, spanning different regions like Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

    Out of the 242 episodes, 189 coups – or nearly 80% – saw some type of civilian support, either in the takeover’s instigation or in the later consolidation of power.

    Coups without any sign of civilian support were generally those that saw a military leader ousted by other members of the ruling junta – contexts where soldiers already dominated the political landscape.

    Breaking down the numbers over time, civilian-supported coups represented the lion’s share in each decade, even as the overall frequency of coups ebbed by the 1990s with the end of the Cold War.

    But in the past two decades, virtually every successful coup has been associated with some level of support outside the military. So while civilian support might not be unique to recent cases, there is evidence that it has become a more common fixture of military coups – at least among the successful ones.

    Of course, these stats do not include failed coups or thwarted conspiracies. But the failed attempts to instigate a coup in Benin – or, for that matter, in Brazil in January 2023 – suggest that these numbers might underestimate the frequency of civilian support for, and involvement in, coups.

    How civilians support coups

    In general, civilian support for coups can manifest in different ways. But in a recent study, I identified two broad patterns: instigation and consolidation.

    Instigation, by default, occurs in the pre-coup stage and involves civilians taking action to spark a coup attempt.

    Protests and insurrections in pursuit of a military coup are common methods of instigation. For example, early in 2023, supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro seized the National Congress after weeks of publicly calling on the military to stop President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s inauguration. While their efforts ultimately failed to produce a coup, they are illustrative of the civilian dynamic.

    In late 2021, disgruntled members of Sudan’s transitional government organized protests in Khartoum, the capital, calling for the military’s intervention. The military answered days later by removing Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok from power.

    Instigation can also involve more targeted actions. For instance, the alleged Benin coup plot involved targeting specific members of the security services with bribes in exchange for their participation. In Brazil, recent court documents implicated Bolsonaro himself in coordinating a coup plot and attempting to ensure the participation of top military leaders.

    In other cases, political parties developed secret cells in the armed forces to later give the go-ahead for a coup – like in Bolivia in 1952, Iraq in 1963, Afghanistan in 1978 and Sudan in 1989.

    Consolidation, on the other hand, involves actions taken during and in the immediate aftermath of a coup.

    This could include actions like taking up arms alongside soldiers during a military takeover, organizing pro-coup protests or assuming important governing tasks alongside a new junta. Here, civilians seek to ensure a coup succeeds and its objectives take root – even against domestic and international opposition.

    Among the recent West African cases, civilians have especially worked to consolidate coups against international opposition. For example, after the Economic Community of West African States threatened military intervention to reverse Niger’s coup in 2023, M62 and other civilian-led protest groups rallied to support the coupists. Thousands also enlisted in the Volunteers for the Defense of Niger, a pro-junta civilian militia created to combat international intervention against the coupists.

    Why civilian coup support matters

    Soldiers are unlikely to even attempt a coup without confidence that at least some civilians will back their efforts.

    Portraying civilian support for military takeovers as exceptional thus misses a critical component of coup politics. And this misconception benefits coupists, who can use civilian allies to present their actions as legitimate or even revolutionary, which is what happened in Egypt in 2013.

    Coupists can also retain political influence after stepping aside by ensuring that their civilian supporters secure power.

    Military coups also do not occur in a vacuum. A proper focus on the civilian element of coup politics allows researchers and international observers to better contextualize military takeovers in broader social struggles for the state.

    This could lead to greater engagement with the issue of what kinds of civilian segments are instigating and consolidating coups. Are they close to the targeted leader such as in Benin’s alleged plot? Or are they members of the political opposition, like in Niger and Mali?

    These nuances should be front and center to researchers, policymakers and diplomats as they seek to understand – and mitigate – sudden and often destabilizing takeovers of a state.

    Salah Ben Hammou has received funding from the United States Institute of Peace and Minerva Research Initiative. He is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Rice University’s Baker Institute of Public Policy.

    – ref. Civilian support for military coups isn’t a bug – it’s a feature – https://theconversation.com/civilian-support-for-military-coups-isnt-a-bug-its-a-feature-240877

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Victorian ghost photographs amused viewers with spooky thrills

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Andrea Kaston Tange, Professor of English, Macalester College

    ‘The Haunted Lane,’ a stereoscope card from L.M. Melander & Bro., 1875.
     Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

    October has long been associated with ghosts – from ancient Celtic festivals to ward off restless spirits after harvest time to the modern standby of using an old sheet to make a last-minute Halloween costume. In the middle of the 19th century, however, popular portrayals of ghosts became a year-round staple, in part because photographers discovered that they could depict them.

    The first ghost photographs were accidents. Early cameras required 30 seconds or more to take a photo. If someone wandered briefly into the shot, the resulting picture would contain their ghostly trace superimposed over substantial furniture, buildings or people who had held still for the full exposure.

    When shrewd photographers realized that the inconvenience of long exposure time could become an asset, detailed directions for creating these illusions proliferated. Photographers could cut ghost figures from transparent material and place them onto glass negatives or inside camera bodies. Or they could make real people half-transparent through tricks of double exposure.

    As early as 1856, experts gleefully noted that one could create images of ghosts “for the purpose of amusement.” Commercial photographers began producing this spectacular phenomenon for fun and profit and – as I have found while researching early portrait photography – thereby helped feed media fascination with all things ghostly.

    Turning accident into amusement

    Photographs became collectible amusements partly thanks to the midcentury invention of the stereoscope – a device that created three-dimensional optical illusions.

    Stereoscope cards contain two pictures of the same scene, photographed from slightly different angles. A viewer selects a card, inserts it and then presses the instrument to their face. The device isolates their eyes, so each sees only one picture. As the brain, trying to avoid double vision, merges these images into one, the result is a 3D effect.

    The Perfecscope from 1895 and a collection of stereoscopic cards.
    Andrea Kaston Tange, CC BY

    In the 1850s, reading aloud was the primary form of at-home entertainment. Daily newspapers ran no images, and the technology to reproduce photographs in books or periodicals was still 40 years away. But this affordable gizmo could bring the whole world into your living room.

    My archival research has turned up newspapers full of articles and ads promoting stereoscopic “marvels.” The London Stereoscopic Co. advertised “effects almost miraculous” and marketed the device for family entertainment. By 1856, a mere two years after the company’s founding, its catalog listed over 100,000 cards, including views of dramatic landscapes, exotic tourist destinations, famous portraits and card sets that told stories.

    Among these collections of sights unseen were plenty of ghostly images. “The Ghost in the Stereoscope,” a colorized card, shows two men in open-mouthed surprise at the sudden appearance of a ghost at their supper table. The title signals the jump scare that the image maker hoped would likewise amaze the viewer when the 3D ghost loomed before their very eyes.

    ‘The Ghost in the Stereoscope,’ a hand-colored card.
    Photographer unknown, 1856. London Stereoscopic Company. Met Museum collection

    On another card, “That’s Too Thin,” a ghost points an accusatory arm at one man sitting at a gaming table. The 1876 guide “How to Write Letters” lists “too thin” among its “slang words and phrases” to be avoided for their “low associations and vulgar ideas,” which suggests that the offender is doing something unseemly for a respectable man. This visual joke relied on a pot-kettle formula: A figure so thin as to be see-through is calling out someone else as “too thin.”

    ‘That’s Too Thin’ card.
    L.M. Melander & Bro., 1874. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

    Popular ghosts

    Nothing was meant to imply that these were pictures of actual spirits. Some – like “The Haunted Lane,” in which two men who cower in supposed terror from a ghost are obviously photographed in a studio with “lane” props – were so melodramatic as to be funny. Others were more melancholy and featured mourning husbands whose ghost-wives played the piano beside them, or orphaned children whose ghost-mothers watched over them from beyond the grave. All of them were performances.

    And all of them helped stoke a midcentury market hungry for ghostly thrills. In 1859, novelist Wilkie Collins published his spectral “The Woman in White” in installments in Charles Dickens’ weekly magazine. It sold over 100,000 copies and launched a decade-long craze for hair-raising sensation fiction.

    The “Illustrated Police News,” launched in 1864, contained supposedly true tabloid-style stories that often featured ghosts. And in 1862, John Henry Pepper, a British scientist and popular lecturer, refined a projection technique that could create apparitions onstage during live theater productions. Commonly known as Pepper’s Ghost, the dramatic illusions began appearing immediately on both sides of the Atlantic.

    Some stereoscope cards referenced multiple forms of popular entertainment to create ghost images that worked as layered visual jokes. The 1865 card “A Dream After Seeing Pepper’s Ghost” is a great example of how the Victorian penchant for allusions and wordplay found its way into this visual pastime.

    The sleeping young woman’s “dream” is a photographic ghost: The looming, gauzy figure filling the dark space of the window beside her bed would have appeared to float in 3D stereoscope. “Seeing Pepper’s Ghost” obviously refers to a play she has attended: Her fine clothes tossed haphazardly on the furniture indicate a late evening out.

    But the ghost has the head of a cow and wears a necklace on which is lettered “MUSTARD.” A Victorian viewer accustomed to wordplay riddles would realize that this ghost-of-pepper also implies that the sleeper ate too much of an overly seasoned roast beef dinner, for indigestion was commonly understood to cause bad dreams.

    Together, these details may allude to Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” A theater company in 1865 would undoubtedly use the sensational new Pepper’s technique to place the ghost of Jacob Marley onstage to torment his former business partner, the miser Scrooge. And Scrooge quite famously dismisses Marley’s ghost initially as “an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard” – that is, as merely a bad dream brought on by overeating. A clever viewer would delight in puzzling through these playful layers of stereoscopic magic.

    There were, of course, also Victorian photographers who purported to capture actual ghosts. They sometimes worked with mediums at séances, and their claims to record the spirit world engendered huge controversy.

    But in the Halloween season, it’s fun to contemplate the lighter side of this history, when an appetite for haunting tales inspired photographic ghost effects that seem delightfully ahead of their time.

    Andrea Kaston Tange 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. Victorian ghost photographs amused viewers with spooky thrills – https://theconversation.com/victorian-ghost-photographs-amused-viewers-with-spooky-thrills-240776

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Florida and North Carolina are making it easier for people to vote after the hurricanes – but some risks remain

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michael T. Morley, Assistant Professor of Law, Florida State University

    People walk into an early voting site in Hendersonville, N.C., on Oct. 17, 2024. Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

    Polls opened in North Carolina on Oct. 17, 2024, as about 14,000 people in Asheville and surrounding areas remain without power in their homes following Hurricane Helene. In Florida, which started early voting in some counties on Oct. 21, about 400,000 residents are still without power after Hurricane Milton.

    Some experts have said that the hurricanes could cause voter numbers to drop – and impacts of Helene have already prompted a few early polling stations in western North Carolina to close. But more North Carolina residents turned out to vote on the first day of early voting than they did in 2020.

    Amy Lieberman, a politics and society editor at The Conversation U.S., spoke with Michael T. Morley, who studies natural disasters and election law, to understand how these recent storms could complicate voting in the presidential election.

    A home in Manasota Key, Fla., that was damaged by Hurricane Milton is seen on Oct. 13, 2024.
    Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    What are the major issues that hurricanes can create ahead of an election?

    A hurricane or natural disaster makes an election tremendously more challenging for both election officials and voters on various practical levels.

    Election administrators might have been injured, or their homes could be flooded or destroyed. State officials need to ensure, especially in areas that have been hardest hit, that enough local administrators remain in place to continue distributing absentee ballots and to staff early voting locations.

    Still, I have not seen empirical evidence that the results of any federal elections in recent decades have changed as a result of hurricanes.

    What could these major hurricanes mean for voters in North Carolina and Florida?

    Florida has one of the most comprehensive laws to deal with election emergencies of this sort because it faces them frequently.

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order on Oct. 3, 2024, in response to Hurricane Helene. Among other things, Florida law says that in a state of emergency the governor can suspend state statutes or regulations governing state business when complying with them can interfere with disaster response.

    Florida, like other states, has deadlines for when election officials must designate polling locations. DeSantis waived this deadline to authorize county officials to designate new ones. DeSantis’ order also gives election officials more discretion about where new polling locations may be located. And he made it easier for state employees to step in and serve as poll workers, particularly on Election Day.

    DeSantis suspended a state requirement so a person who cannot return to their home can ask by phone to have a vote-by-mail ballot sent to wherever they are staying – not just their registered home address. Making it easier for ballots to be sent to people, wherever they are, is one of the most effective measures that Florida has implemented to help make voting easier.

    In North Carolina, meanwhile, state officials have authorized different changes that will apply to the 25 counties in the western part of the state that are under emergency orders because of the hurricane. These changes are mostly focused on voting by mail and polling place workers. They also allow county boards of elections to change Election Day voting locations and permit voters to drop off absentee ballots at any county board of election office by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

    Western North Carolina voters now also have until Nov. 4 to request a mail-in ballot, as opposed to the original deadline of Oct. 29.

    Overall, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper authorized US$5 million for the state’s board of elections in order to make it easier for western North Carolina residents to vote.

    What sort of legal issues, if any, do these changes open up?

    Disputes have already arisen about potential extension of the voter registration deadlines in states affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Courts in Florida and Georgia have already declined emergency motions to extend the voter registration deadline.

    A South Carolina state court, in contrast, held in October that the deadline had to be extended for 10 additional days.

    Similar disputes are likely to arise over such election rules as photo identification requirements at polling places and the deadlines for requesting and returning absentee ballots.

    Occasionally, challenges also arise alleging that certain measures to address an emergency have gone too far.

    During the height of the pandemic, for example, the Trump presidential campaign filed lawsuits that unsuccessfully challenged state decisions to automatically mail absentee ballots to people registered to vote.

    A U.S. post offic, damaged by flooding from Hurricane Helen, is pictured on Oct. 3, 2024, in Marshall, N.C., showing one of the complications for people who planned to vote by mail.
    Mario Tama/Getty Images

    What are you most concerned about heading into the election?

    My biggest concern is that, particularly if the election is close, a losing candidate might attempt to use the hurricane as a way of trying to challenge the election results or call them into question.

    Courts will almost certainly reject that. Once the election has happened, a court generally will not set aside the results or order additional voting, even if voters faced substantial burdens and people think there is more that election officials could have done. This is especially true in the context of a presidential election, since the U.S. Constitution and federal law establish several important postelection deadlines involving the Electoral College.

    Some people already have unwarranted skepticism about the electoral process. It would be bad for our democracy if the recent hurricanes are exploited as a basis for refusing to accept the election’s results.

    Michael T. Morley is Sheila M. McDevitt Professor of Law at FSU College of Law. He serves as Faculty Director of the FSU Center for Election Law established by the Florida State Legislature and Vice Chair of the Florida Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission for Civil Rights. He is a member of the National Task Force on Election Crises and Election Officials Legal Defense Network.

    – ref. Florida and North Carolina are making it easier for people to vote after the hurricanes – but some risks remain – https://theconversation.com/florida-and-north-carolina-are-making-it-easier-for-people-to-vote-after-the-hurricanes-but-some-risks-remain-240961

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nebraska Democrats hope Omaha will be a ‘blue dot’ on the state’s red electoral map − and their lawn sign is a vibe

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Christina Elizabeth Dando, Professor of Geography, University of Nebraska Omaha

    White signs emblazoned with a big blue dot are going up in yards across Omaha, Nebraska, in an unusual political statement of support for Democratic candidates.

    Nebraska splits its electoral votes, giving Omaha’s congressional district a single electoral vote out of the state’s total of five. If enough of Omaha’s metropolitan voters back Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris for president, Omaha will appear on the electoral map as a “blue dot” on a field of Republican red.

    With Harris running neck and neck with former President Donald Trump, the White House could come down to this one vote.

    Power of the dot

    Most U.S. states award all their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the state’s election, no matter the margin of victory. Only Nebraska and Maine split their electoral votes.

    Nebraska awards one vote to each congressional district, plus two votes to the state’s overall winner. It began this practice in 1992 to draw more presidential campaigns to the state. Nebraska, as a whole, so predictably leans conservative that neither Republicans nor Democrats had bothered to campaign there.

    In the eight presidential elections since 1992, Omaha has turned blue only twice – in 2008 and 2020, backing Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

    Democratic voters hope to buck statewide trends again in 2024.

    The blue dot movement began in mid-August 2024 in Omaha’s Dundee neighborhood, when local residents Jason Brown and Ruth Huebner-Brown spray-painted a blue circle on a white sign and put it on their lawn as a conversation starter.

    One sign grew to 10, 100, 1,000, snowballing into a movement. Now blue dot signs can be found well beyond Omaha, even in other states. On Facebook and Reddit, people share where to find the signs and how to make your own.

    A simple blue dot on a white background has become a powerful political symbol – a reference to a map that does not have to be seen to be visualized. For Omahans in the know, the sign is a reminder of what the city’s place on the map might be come Nov. 5.

    For others, the enigmatic sign simply raises questions, creating opportunities for Omahans to discuss the importance of voting in Nebraska.

    Blue dot, black spot

    I am a professor of geography at the University of Nebraska Omaha.

    The sly way the blue dot sign refers to an election map without actually showing that map reminded me of my suffrage movement research.

    In the 1910s, women activists campaigning to get American women the vote used a map as part of their campaign. It depicted U.S. states that had passed suffrage in white and the rest in black – dark marks on the nation.

    The suffragists plastered their map across the country and sold it through the National Woman Suffrage Publishing Company. In newsletters and magazines, they shared how to make maps for rallies using easily accessible materials. The map became so familiar to the American public by 1912 that it was referred to in speeches and newspaper articles without the visual.

    At suffrage parades and pageants they formed “living suffrage maps,” with women dressed in white representing states with the vote and those in black representing states where they could not.

    As women’s suffrage momentum grew, spreading from western to eastern U.S. states, the map had ever-fewer black spots. In 1914, Nevada became the last western state to pass suffrage.

    “The suffrage map showing Nevada as the last ‘black spot’ in the West was printed in every newspaper and on every leaflet,” suffragists later wrote about their efforts. It was “put up in public places and on large banners hung in the streets.”

    With Nebraska’s blue dot signs, Omahans are fighting to keep their spot on the map, not erase it. They are an act of claiming space, making Democrats visible in a state so strongly associated with Republicans.

    On Oct. 20, 2024, in yet another echo of the women’s suffrage movement, they even created a “human blue dot” at a rally in a local park.

    A Republican red dot in Omaha.
    Christina Dando, CC BY

    Blue dot signs have inspired Republican countersigns.

    Two I’ve seen are a white sign depicting just an entirely red Nebraska, and a white sign with a large red dot with a golden wave on its top that resembles Trump’s hair.

    These red dot and red Nebraska signs are catching on, but not in the same way as blue dot signs have.

    Bye-bye, blue dot?

    Aware of Omaha’s sudden electoral importance, Republicans have begun trying to end Nebraska’s system of splitting its electoral votes.

    In April 2024, Trump and the conservative commentator Charlie Kirk called on state legislators to propose a bill changing the state to a winner-take-all system.

    Kirk described Nebraska as “being one of the most Republican states” and said the state’s electoral votes must “go towards electing the candidate the vast majority of Nebraskans prefer.”

    Many people reacted with fury, and the bill did not advance in Nebraska’s one-house state Legislature. That’s another of the state’s political quirks: Nebraska is the only state to have a state legislature without an upper and lower chamber of lawmakers.

    The system, called the unicameral, is officially partyless, meaning its 49 representatives are elected without their party on the ballot.

    The unicameral dates from 1937 when it was thought this less costly, nonpartisan system would be a more representative form of government. So is splitting the state’s electoral votes: Voters can feel more confident that their vote counts and that every vote counts.

    When South Carolina Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham visited Nebraska in September 2024, he pushed Gov. Jim Pillen, a fellow Republican, to implement a winner-take-all system for the 2024 election.

    Pillen said he would not call a special session of the unicameral unless he has the 33 votes needed to pass the change to the state’s electoral system. That appears unlikely to happen before November.

    Red + blue = purple?

    A winner-take-all approach to Electoral College votes has the effect of erasing nuance and difference on the map of America by painting states as entirely red or blue.

    No state has ever voted 100% Democrat or Republican. The country should be drawn in shades of purple.

    Nebraska has the misleading appearance of overwhelming redness because of its many Republican-leaning rural counties with low population density. Yet Nebraska’s registered voters are approximately two-thirds Republicans and one-third Democrats. Many registered Democrats live in cities such as Omaha and Lincoln.

    But they can be found throughout the state – just look for the blue dot.

    Christina Elizabeth Dando 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. Nebraska Democrats hope Omaha will be a ‘blue dot’ on the state’s red electoral map − and their lawn sign is a vibe – https://theconversation.com/nebraska-democrats-hope-omaha-will-be-a-blue-dot-on-the-states-red-electoral-map-and-their-lawn-sign-is-a-vibe-240528

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How pollsters have adapted to changing technology and voters who don’t answer the phone

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Spencer Kimball, Associate Professor of Communications, Director of Emerson College Polling, Emerson College

    Pollsters have developed a range of methods for selecting who is asked to answer poll questions. Guido Mieth/Moment via Getty Images

    As the U.S. presidential election approaches, news reports and social media feeds are increasingly filled with data from public opinion polls. How do pollsters know which candidate is ahead in what swing state or with which key demographic group? Or what issues are most important to as many as 264 million eligible voters across a vast country?

    In other words: How do pollsters do what they do?

    At Emerson College Polling, we lead a dynamic survey operation that, like many others, has continuously evolved to keep pace with shifting trends and technologies in survey research. At the inception of survey research – about 100 years ago – data was primarily collected through mail and in-person interviews. That’s not true nowadays, of course.

    In the early days of the survey industry, being asked to participate in a poll was novel, and response rates were high. Today, we’re bombarded with survey requests via email, text, online pop-ups, and phone calls from unknown numbers. With fewer landlines, busy parents juggling work and family, and younger adults who rarely answer calls, preferring text communication, it has become much harder to engage respondents. This shift in behavior reflects the evolving challenges of reaching diverse populations in modern survey research.

    The goal is to describe a diverse community with a variety of viewpoints.
    ferrantraite/E+ via Getty Images

    Evolution of data collection

    In the broadest possible terms, polls and surveys have two elements – choosing whom to contact, and reaching them in a way that’s likely to get a response. These elements are often intertwined.

    In the 1970s, after household telephones had become widespread in the U.S., survey operators adopted a random-sampling method called random digit dialing, in which the survey’s designers would choose the area codes they wanted to reach and live operators randomly dialed seven-digit phone numbers within that area code.

    By the 1990s, pollsters began moving away from random digit dialing, which was time-consuming and expensive because the random selection often picked phone numbers that were out of service or not useful for opinion surveys, such as businesses or government offices. Instead, pollsters began adopting registration-based sampling, in which public voter registration records were used to compile the lists from which respondents were randomly selected.

    The information in these and other associated public records, such as those detailing gender, age and educational attainment, allowed a refinement of random sampling called stratified sampling. That’s where the one big list was split into subgroups based on these different characteristics, such as party affiliation, voting frequency, gender, race or ethnicity, income or educational attainment.

    Survey-takers then chose randomly from among those subgroups in proportion to the population as a whole. So if 40% of the overall population have college degrees and 60% do not, a poll of 100 people would randomly select 40 people from the list of those with a college degree and 60 from the list of those without.

    Other advances in ways to reach respondents emerged late in the 20th century, such as interactive voice response, which did not require live operators. Instead, automated systems played recordings of the questions and registered the spoken responses. In 2000, internet-based polling also began to emerge, in which participants filled out online forms.

    From probability to nonprobability sampling

    Over the past two decades, the rise of cellphones, text messaging and online platforms has dramatically changed survey research. The traditional gold standard of using only live operator telephone polls has become nearly obsolete. Now that phones display who is calling, fewer people answer calls from unknown numbers, and fewer of them are willing to talk to a stranger about their personal views.

    Even the random sampling that was once standard has given way to a nonprobability sampling approach based on increasingly specific population proportions. So if 6% of a population are Black men with a certain level of education and a certain amount of household income, then a survey will strive to have 6% of its respondents match those characteristics.

    In quota sampling, participants may not be selected randomly but rather chosen as participants because they have specific demographic attributes. This method is less statistically rigorous and more prone to bias, though it may yield a representative sample with relative efficiency. By contrast, stratified sampling randomly selects participants within defined groups, reducing sampling error and providing more precise estimates of population characteristics.

    To help polling operations find potential respondents, political and marketing consulting firms have compiled voter information, including demographic data and contact details. At Emerson College Polling, we have access to a database of 273 million U.S. adults, with 123 million mobile numbers, 116 million email addresses and nearly 59 million landline numbers.

    A newer technique pollsters are using to reach respondents is something called river sampling, an online method in which individuals encounter a survey during their regular internet browsing and social media activity, often through an ad or pop-up. They complete a short screening questionnaire and are then invited to join a survey opt-in panel whose members will be asked to take future surveys.

    Databases compile large amounts of information about many U.S. voters.
    da-kuk/E+ via Getty Images

    Emerson College Polling methodology

    Our polling operation has used a range of approaches to reach the more than 162,000 people who have completed our polls so far this year in the United States.

    Unlike traditional pollsters, Emerson College Polling does not rely on live operator data collection outside of small-scale tests of new survey methods to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of different polling approaches.

    Instead, like most modern pollsters, we use a mix of approaches, including text-to-web surveys, interactive voice response on landlines, email outreach, and opt-in panels. This combination allows us to reach a broader, more representative audience, which is essential for accurate polling in today’s fragmented social and media landscape. This diverse population includes younger individuals who communicate through various platforms distinct from those used by older generations.

    When we contact the people in our stratified samples, we take into account differences between each communication method. For example, older people tend to answer landlines, while men and middle-aged people are more responsive to mobile text-to-web surveys. To reach underrepresented groups – such as adults ages 18 to 29 and Hispanic respondents – we use online databases that they have voluntarily signed up for, knowing they may be surveyed.

    We also use information about whom we sample and how to calculate the margin of error, which measures the precision of poll results. Larger sample sizes tend to be more representative of the overall population and therefore lead to a smaller margin of error.

    For instance, a poll of 400 respondents typically has a 4.9% margin of error, while increasing the sample size to 1,000 reduces it to 3%, offering more accurate insights.

    The goal, as ever, is to present to the public an accurate reflection of what the people as a whole think about candidates and issues.

    Spencer Kimball works for Emerson College Polling.

    Camille Mumford works for Emerson College Polling.

    Matt Taglia works for Emerson College Polling

    – ref. How pollsters have adapted to changing technology and voters who don’t answer the phone – https://theconversation.com/how-pollsters-have-adapted-to-changing-technology-and-voters-who-dont-answer-the-phone-240283

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –