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Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sentencing of man for the manslaughter of Gordon Ogunmuyiwa

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been jailed for 21 years with a five-year extended license after beating a man to death and then leaving him to die in an address south east London.

    Paul Campbell, 43 (03.04.79) of Dunheved Road West, Thornton Heath, was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of the manslaughter of 62-year-old former doctor Gordon Ogunmuyiwa. The sentence followed a three-week trial that concluded on Thursday, 8 May.

    The court heard that on Saturday, 24 December 2022, Campbell had brutally assaulted Gordon who had visited him at his property. Before fleeing, Campbell had called the paramedics, however, by the time they had arrived Gordon was already dead.

    Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend, who led the Met’s investigation said: “My thoughts and that of my team remain with Gordon’s family, a much loved brother, friend and neighbour.

    “Gordon was a gentle man with no history of violence. Ill-health, however, had seen him become increasingly vulnerable – something Campbell – a selfish and self-serving man – took advantage of.

    “It is hard to make sense of Campbell’s actions however, I can only hope that today’s sentence can go some way in providing a sense of justice to Gordon’s family.”

    On the day of Gordon’s death, police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 11:00hrs to a report of a man who had died in a house of multiple occupancy in Dunheved Road West, Thornton Heath.

    Officers attended and were informed by paramedics that Campbell – the registered tenant of the address – was not present.

    Detectives attempted to contact him but were unsuccessful. This led officers to make enquiries into Campbell, which resulted in a murder investigation being launched.

    Police interviewed fellow residents at hostel and quickly established a pattern of behaviour that saw Gordon suffer brutal beatings by Campbell.

    A financial search also uncovered that Campbell had been using Gordon’s credit cards. He had bought an iPhone from a second-hand shop, using those cards, a week after Gordon died.

    On Wednesday, 11 January 2023 Campbell was arrested on suspicion of murder and charged the next day.

    A post-mortem examination was conducted and it was clear that Gordon had multiple injuries borne over time.

    However, the assault, heard by neighbours on Saturday, 23 December 2022, was declared to have been particularly vicious and ultimately led to his death.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Melbourne Man Sentenced to Five Years for Investment Fraud Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge John C. Antoon II has sentenced Thomas Gaffney (59, Melbourne) to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $487,750, which represents the amount of proceeds the defendant obtained from the wire fraud conspiracy. Gaffney pled guilty on January 23, 2025.

    According to court documents, between 2018 and 2021, Gaffney and others co-operated VerdeGroup as an investment fraud scheme. In furtherance of this scheme, Gaffney solicited investors primarily though advertisements for VerdeGroup in various local and national newspapers across the country. 

    The advertisements solicited would-be investors to provide funds for private loans to fund businesses engaging in legal marijuana cultivation, technologies, and pharmaceuticals in states where doing so was legal under state law. In exchange, investors were promised a 12% annual return on their investment.

    The statements in these advertisements were false and fraudulent. In reliance on the information in the advertisements, investors called the listed number and spoke, most often, with co-conspirator-1. In concert with and at the direction of Gaffney, co-conspirator-1 would repeat and add to the false and fraudulent information about VerdeGroup and the state of its business to entice victims to invest with VerdeGroup. Once a victim expressed an interest in investing, co-conspirator-1 or Gaffney would send promotional materials to the victim about VerdeGroup, including brochures and a term sheet with instructions for how to invest with VerdeGroup. Co-conspirator-2 received the investments from the victims and then remitted the funds to the defendant and other co-conspirators. 

    After victims invested with VerdeGroup, Gaffney and co-conspirator-1 continued to make false and fraudulent statements to investors about how their money was being used and the state of VerdeGroup. Instead of using the money to fund private business loans as promised, VerdeGroup never provided any loans to any businesses or individuals. Rather, the conspirators used a small portion of the money to make the “Ponzi” type payments to investors. The rest of the funds were used for the personal benefit of Gaffney and his co-conspirators. Specifically, Gaffney received $487,750 as proceeds of the scheme. He used this money to pay for personal expenses, including cruises and expensive jewelry. He also used a significant portion of the funds to cover costs at a pizza restaurant that he helped operate.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda S. Daniels.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Dallas Men Charged with Assaulting a Federal Agent with a Deadly Weapon and Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Andres Saucedo, Jr., of Dallas, was charged and arrested on June 4, 2025, for shooting at an undercover FBI Task Force Officer who was surveilling Saucedo to interrupt and stop a robbery of methamphetamine from another individual in the Dallas, Texas area, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

    According to a criminal complaint filed June 3, 2025, Saucedo and another individual, Angel Flores, were involved in importing and trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin obtained from a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization.  Court documents reveal that Flores sold undercover agents a kilogram of heroin for $7,200 in the Dallas area late last year.  Flores, Saucedo, and others working with them continued selling kilogram quantities of methamphetamine to numerous other individuals from that time until Flores was arrested on May 21, 2025.  The two even orchestrated the sale of two kilograms of methamphetamine on May 20, 2025, the day before Flores was apprehended by FBI SWAT.  

    During the investigation, according to court documents, agents discovered that Flores, Saucedo, and others plotted to rob another drug trafficker of thirty to forty kilograms of methamphetamine on May 19, 2025.  While surveilling Flores and Saucedo to prevent this robbery, Flores and Saucedo realized they were being followed and attempted to lure two federal agents to a place where other coconspirators in their group would ambush and shoot them.  Before reaching the planned ambush location, Saucedo fired a gun at an undercover FBI Task Force Officer in one of the vehicles.  The undercover officer was an FBI Task Force Officer with the Dallas Police Department who was working with the OCDETF North Texas Strike Force.  The Task Force Officer was not struck by the gun fire but had to abandon surveillance at that time for safety.  

    The complaint charges Saucedo with his role in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, as well as assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal agent by using a dangerous and deadly weapon.  Flores was also charged by complaint with similar crimes in May 2025.

    Saucedo was previously convicted in Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division in December 2011, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.  He was sentenced to serve 144 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Terry Means in 2012.  Court documents reflect that in that case, Saucedo also conspired with a group of individuals who not only distributed cocaine, but also robbed other drug traffickers as well.

    At his initial appearance on Friday, June 6, 2025, in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian McKay, Saucedo was detained in federal custody.  Flores previously appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Friday, May 23, 2025, and was also detained in federal custody.  If convicted, Saucedo and Flores face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

    “We are fighting drug trafficking on multiple dangerous fronts, as demonstrated by this case,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “Beyond the tragic effects of the illegal drugs that cross our country’s border and flood our communities, drug traffickers unleash significant violence on each other, in our neighborhoods, and against the brave law enforcement officers attempting to stop them.  The full prosecution of those in the drug trade and the violence they bring is a top priority for the safety of our law enforcement partners and our citizens.”

    “This incident serves as a stark reminder of the danger agents and task force officers face every day,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI stands by our colleagues as they carry out their duties to keep our communities safe and pledge to investigate those who use violence against law enforcement.”

    “Assaulting a Federal Agent can never be tolerated and undermines the very fabric of our ability to conduct drug investigations safely and effectively,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “We do our jobs to make our community safer, and we will use every tool available to investigate and prosecute those who feel violent acts against our agents are held accountable.”

    “The Dallas Police Department could not be more proud of the work that was done by the women and men of not only our department, but our Federal partners as well,” said Chief of Police Daniel Comeaux of the Dallas Police Department.  “These joint task force and collaborations are essential in keeping our community and its members safe.”

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  

    This operation was conducted by the OCDETF North Texas Strike force with Special Agents and Task Force Officers from DEA, FBI, HSI, the Dallas Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department and Coppell Police Department all participating.
    Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Coker is prosecuting the case.

    This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Second Arrest Made Following Montgomery Dry Cleaner Business Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the arrest of a second man in connection with the March 10, 2025, robbery of a Montgomery, Alabama dry-cleaning business. On May 22, 2025, a criminal complaint was filed in the United States District Court in Montgomery charging 57-year-old Spencer Thomas, a resident of Prattville, Alabama, with armed robbery and carjacking. Law enforcement arrested Thomas on May 27, 2025, after locating him in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thomas’s charging documents were unsealed late last week.

                Thomas is the second individual charged in the case. Previously, 58-year-old Zedekiah Sykes was also indicted on charges of armed robbery and carjacking.

                The arrests follow a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit, with assistance from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Thomas is scheduled to be arraigned in Montgomery on June 17, 2025. Zedekiah Sykes’ trial is currently set for August 11, 2025.

                A criminal complaint and indictment are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

                If convicted on all charges, Thomas and Sykes each face up to 25 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys T. Paul Markovits and Brandon W. Bates.

                This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EBA publishes No Action letter on the interplay between Payment Services Directive (PSD2/3) and Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA)

    Source: European Banking Authority

    The European Banking Authority (EBA) published today a No Action letter advising the EU Commission, EU Council and EU Parliament to ensure that, in the long term, EU law needs to avoid a dual authorisation under two pieces of EU law for the activity of transacting electronic money tokens (EMTs). While the existing Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) still applies, the letter advises national competent authorities (NCAs) to enforce authorisation of PSD2 for a specified subset only of crypto asset service providers (CASPs) that transact EMTs, to do so only after a transition period that ends on 2 March 2026, and then to deprioritise specified PSD2 provisions.

    The letter assesses the provisions set out in MiCA and PSD2 and advises NCAs under PSD2 to view the transfer of crypto assets as a payment service under PSD2 where they entail EMTs and are carried out by the entities on behalf of their clients. It sets out provisions to regard the custody and administration of EMTs as a payment service and to regard a custodial wallet as a payment account where the wallet is held in the name of one or more clients and allows to send and receive EMTs to and from third parties.

    For these services, the No Action letter advises NCAs to require an authorisation under PSD2 only from 2 March 2026 onwards and, during the authorisation process, to apply streamlined procedures that make maximum use of information that legal entities provide during their CASP authorisation process.

    Once an authorisation as a payment services provider is held, NCAs are advised not to prioritise the supervision and enforcement of several elements of PSD2, such as safeguarding, the disclosure of information to consumers (pertaining to the level of applicable charges, the maximum execution time of payment transactions, the unique identifier such as IBAN, and open banking). However, NCAs are also advised to insist on the compliance with other PSD2 provisions, such as strong customer authentication (SCA) for accessing custodial wallets that qualify as payment account and the initiating of EMT transfers, the reporting of payment fraud, and the cumulative calculation of own funds requirements. This is to ensure equally high standards of consumer protection regardless of whether a consumer is using EMTs or more traditional funds as a means of payment.

    Furthermore, NCAs are advised not to consider as payment services (and therefore not to subject to the application of PSD2, including its provisions on licensing) the ‘exchange of crypto-assets for funds’ and ‘exchange of crypto-assets for other crypto-assets’ as defined in MiCA. Additionally, the EBA advises NCAs not to regard as a payment service cases where crypto-asset service providers intermediate the purchase of any crypto-assets with EMTs, and, therefore, not to enforce the application of PSD2 nor to require an authorisation under PSD2 in such cases.

    This advice will result in a large number of EMT transactions not being subject to PSD2 requirements during the intervening period while the Directive still applies. The EBA bases this advice solely on the acknowledgement that any alternative advice would require a much larger number of CASPs to obtain a second authorization. The EBA considers such an alternative to be undesirable, given the burden that dual authorisation would impose on CASPs.

    By contrast, the EBA does not base this advice on the conviction that an authorisation as a CASP under MiCA is sufficient to address the risks that arise from EMT transactions. On the contrary, the success of PSD1, PSD2 and EMD over the past 15 years in bringing about a secure and competitive market for payment services in the EU has shown that for retail payments to be able effectively to fulfil their role in a modern society, consumers and other market actors should be adequately protected and have a high degree of confidence in the stability of the market and the reliability of payment transactions.

    Legal basis and background

    The EBA has issued the letter in response to a request received from the European Commission in December 2024 to address, in close cooperation with ESMA, issues arising from the interplay between MiCA and PSD2. The EBA’s competence to deliver the letter in the form of an Opinion is based on Article 9c of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) Completes Patrol with Newly Awarded Combat Action Ribbon

    Source: United States Navy

    NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain on Jun. 10, 2025 with a Unit Combat Action Ribbon following completion of her first Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol in the U.S. Sixth Fleet and Fifth Fleet areas of operations.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Civil Nuclear Constabulary welcomes new barring list legislation

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Civil Nuclear Constabulary welcomes new barring list legislation

    The CNC has welcomed new legislation which will prevent disgraced officers from re-joining the police service.

    The Civil Nuclear Constabulary has welcomed new legislation which will introduce measures preventing CNC officers dismissed for gross misconduct from being employed again elsewhere in law enforcement agencies and local police forces.

    The Home Office has today (10 June) tabled amendments to the flagship Crime and Policing Bill which will establish new barred and advisory lists for the National Crime Agency (NCA) and also for specialist police forces including the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), British Transport Police (BTP) and the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP).

    This new measure will ensure that individuals dismissed for gross misconduct are prevented from re-entering policing or any other law enforcement role.

    Where an individual is on the barred list, law enforcement agencies will not be able to employ them, and where an individual is named on the advisory list, the employer will be obligated to take this into consideration as part of the recruitment.

    Each force’s list will be maintained by its respective authority, and law enforcement employers across England and Wales will be required to check these lists before hiring.

     Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson said: “The public deserve to know that those tasked with protecting them meet the highest standards.

     “Under our Safer Streets mission, we are restoring confidence in policing by removing those who undermine it.

     “This new measure ensures that officers who abuse their position in the CNC cannot resurface in other areas of policing — we will continue taking every possible step to protect the integrity of our law enforcement agencies.”

    Assistant Chief Constable Kerry Smith, lead for Professionalism, said: “We welcome the Government’s move to close this legislative loop-hole. It will prevent those officers who fail to uphold our rigorous standards from being employed again within policing and law enforcement.

    “We maintain robust vetting and professional standards, but in the rare instance of one of our officers being dismissed for gross misconduct, these measures will ensure that there is a process to ensure the public are protected and we can maintain trust and confidence in policing.”

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    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The policy of blockade and pressure is not capable of stopping the scientific and technological development of China – Consul General of the PRC in Yekaterinburg

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Moscow, June 10 /Xinhua/ — The success of the Chinese language model DeepSeek proves that the American policy of blockade and pressure is not able to stop the scientific and technological development of China. This is stated in an article by the Consul General of the PRC in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg Luo Shixiong, published on Tuesday in the “Oblastnaya Gazeta” of the Sverdlovsk Region.

    As a breakthrough technology based on the Transformer architecture, DeepSeek not only provides a leap in algorithm efficiency and application scope, “but also promotes a paradigm shift in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) from ‘instrument support’ to ‘cognitive synergy’,” writes Luo Shixiong.

    According to him, DeepSeek’s success was made possible by China’s institutional advantages and large-scale talent training. “In China, technological innovation is regarded as a key driving force for high-quality development and is enshrined in the national development strategy. In recent years, China has consistently issued and steadily implemented such policy documents as the “New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan”, “Three-Year Action Plan to Promote the Development of the Next-Generation Artificial Intelligence Industry /2018-2020/”, “National Guidelines for the Establishment of a Comprehensive Standardization System for the Artificial Intelligence Industry”, etc.,” the Chinese diplomat noted.

    The US government has already tightened export controls on semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China four times, and in January 2025, it introduced global restrictions on AI chip exports, seeking to increase pressure, cut off China’s access to high-performance chips and advanced computing power, and limit the development of Chinese AI technologies, Luo Shixiong recalls.

    In response, Chinese companies were forced to find alternative ways to train AI models. It was DeepSeek that developed a highly efficient AI model based on limited-performance chips, proving that the US technological blockade only encouraged China to breakthrough in independent innovation.

    DeepSeek’s success has become a powerful impetus for achieving global “tech equality,” the article says. DeepSeek has broken the US scientific and technological monopoly in this area, making AI accessible and applicable to all countries.

    The policy of blockade and containment will not only fail to reduce any threats, but, on the contrary, will undermine the global competitiveness of the United States, writes Luo Shixiong.

    “The US must realize that by setting a ceiling for other countries’ development, they are ultimately sealing their own growth space. If they really want to maintain their leading position in high-tech industries, they should accept and respect the principles of fair competition,” the Chinese diplomat emphasizes. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A chance to spend an unforgettable autumn: the competitive selection for the 11th shift at the All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean” has started

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    The State University of Management announces the start of a competitive selection for participation in the additional general development program “Course on Business and Entrepreneurship”, implemented within the framework of a thematic shift at the All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean” from September 29 to October 19, 2025.

    The program is being implemented by the State University of Management on the initiative of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, with the support of the regional social programs fund “Our Future” and PJSC Sberbank of Russia.

    The “Business and Entrepreneurship Course” is designed for students aged 14 to 17 years and is aimed at developing project thinking, forming entrepreneurial competencies, as well as motivation for making an informed professional choice in the field of business and management.

    Implementation stages: — The first stage of the competition will be held online from June 1 to June 22, 2025. Participants must register in the Personal Account of the State University of Management and complete competition tasks, including tests, open-ended questions, and essays. Total time for completion is 240 minutes. — The results of the first stage will be summarized by July 21, the results will be published, and certificates will be sent to the participants. — The second stage will be held from July 28 to August 10, 2025 — registration of winners in the automated information system “Putyovka”. — The final list of participants who have passed the shift at the All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean” will be published by August 15.

    The shift program includes: – educational seminars, master classes and business games from teachers and experts of the State University of Management; – project sessions and development of own initiatives in the field of business; – meetings with entrepreneurs, mentors and representatives of the professional community; – defense of projects before an expert committee; – a rich cultural and team program.

    Participants who successfully complete the program receive a certificate, which gives additional points for the Unified State Exam when entering the State University of Management.

    Detailed information about the program and conditions of participation is available on the official website of the project.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Giftbit Expands Global Footprint, Emphasizes Ease

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SEATTLE and CALGARY, Alberta, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Giftbit, a digital payouts and gift card platform for businesses, has launched new features to improve reward management and expand its international offering. Highlights include one-click add-to-wallet functionality for prepaid Visa® cards, enhanced reporting, and a major expansion of its global gift card catalog.

    One-Click Add-to-Wallet Feature

    Recipients of prepaid Visa rewards can now instantly add their balance to Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay with a single click. No apps, logins, or manual data entry required.

    “Smooth activation matters,” said Leif Baradoy, Giftbit’s CEO and founder. “Other vendors make people jump through hoops which lead to frustration and user fatigue. We’re focused on a seamless cardholder experience.”

    The update also includes PIN support for spending at gas stations and convenience stores.

    Reward Management a Breeze With New Reporting Dashboard

    Giftbit is proud to launch one of its most highly requested features: an intuitive reward history dashboard. Customers can now easily view, sort, and filter sent rewards by date, status, brand, or campaign, all within the Giftbit web application. This update helps program managers track unclaimed rewards, resend with ease, and monitor contact list health, making it easy to find key details and take action across multiple orders all in one place.

    “The new Rewards History view has made it so much easier for us to stay on top of undeliverable rewards,” said Giftbit customer Hunter Lisenby of United Communications. “We can quickly spot bad contact email addresses and fix the issue without digging through individual orders.” 

    Expanded Global Reach

    Giftbit believes incentive programs should have the ability to reach entire audiences no matter where they reside. That’s why it’s proud to support local currency rewards in over 30 countries, enabling businesses to send payouts in the recipient’s currency for a more personal and seamless experience.

    Supported regions now include:

    Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United States.
    (Prepaid Mastercard®available globally wherever Mastercard is accepted)

    Strategic Partnerships Expand Catalog Offering

    New partnerships make Giftbit’s gift card catalog more reliable and diverse. Built-in backups prevent outages and strengthen a smooth end-to-end reward experience.

    “A strong catalog is key,” said Nat Salvione, Giftbit’s Chief Commercial Officer. “These partnerships help us deliver stable rewards anytime, anywhere.”

    In addition, Giftbit has upgraded their funding and payment processes to allow customers to fund their accounts in their preferred currency for easier operational control.

    Simplifying Global Rewards, Now and Ahead

    Giftbit continues to invest in the future of global digital rewards. The platform now supports:

    • 1,000+ payout products
    • 30+ local currencies
    • 25 funding currencies
    • Regional brand support in 40+ countries
    • Global prepaid card options in 100+ countries

    These enhancements make it easier than ever for businesses to scale their reward programs across borders with built-in flexibility, choice, and regional support.

    About Giftbit

    Giftbit helps companies send digital payouts and rewards at scale. Its platform offers branded gift cards, prepaid cards, and global payout options, making it easy to incentivize and reward employees, customers, and partners anytime, anywhere.

    Learn more at: www.giftbit.com.

    Media Contact: Zoe North — pr@giftbit.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: AssureSoft Partners with Databricks to Enhance Real-Time Data & AI Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • The partnership reinforces AssureSoft‘s commitment to ensuring high-quality software solutions that create real value for its clients.
    • The company has maintained a 35% year-over-year growth rate over the last five years.

    MIAMI, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AssureSoft, a nearshore software outsourcing company with operations in Latin America and the United States, announced its partnership with Databricks. This enhances the firm’s ability to deliver advanced data analytics, AI, and cloud-native solutions to clients.

    Since 2006, AssureSoft specializes in time zone-aligned staff augmentation and software outsourcing services for US companies across industries such as Technology (SaaS), Healthtech, Fintech, E-commerce, Telecommunications, and Cybersecurity. Over the past five years, AssureSoft has maintained an annual growth rate of 35%.

    As AssureSoft continues to expand, partnering with leading tech organizations like Databricks, which represent the highest industry standards, remains a core pillar of its growth strategy.

    “Joining the Databricks Partner Network means delivering the best real-time data and AI solutions to our clients, so they can rely on fast, intelligent decision-making to stay competitive,” said Daniel Gumucio, CEO of AssureSoft. “Our certified teams bring the expertise and skills needed not only to help companies leverage data as a strategic asset, but also to build the AI-driven capabilities that define the next generation of business.”

    Databricks is built to unify real-time data processing with advanced AI, enabling businesses to act on up-to-the-minute insights. Furthermore, Databricks’ scalable AI and machine learning tools allow companies to develop and deploy models that adapt to evolving data patterns, enhancing predictive accuracy and operational efficiency.

    The Databricks Data Intelligence Platform democratizes access to analytics and intelligent applications by marrying customers’ data with powerful AI models tuned to their business’s unique characteristics. The platform is built on a lakehouse foundation of open data formats and open governance to ensure that all data is completely within the customers’ control.

    AssureSoft leverages these capabilities to deliver real-time insights that help clients stay agile in a fast-changing market.

    How Databricks is Driving Real Business Impact

    Organizations across sectors are using Databricks to improve customer experiences, streamline operations, and make faster, smarter decisions.

    • Healthcare: Early ICU risk detection and optimized patient flows improve care and efficiency.
    • Fintech: Real-time fraud alerts and dynamic credit assessments reduce risk.
    • E-commerce: Personalized promotions and intelligent inventory management boost sales.
    • Telecom: Anomaly detection and usage-based retention strategies enhance service.
    • Cybersecurity: Live threat intelligence and behavioral analytics improve protection.

    This partnership with Databricks reflects AssureSoft’s ongoing evolution as a strategic technology partner. By aligning with one of the most advanced data and AI platforms on the market, the company is positioned to help clients unlock the full potential of their data, delivering smarter insights, faster decisions, and stronger outcomes.

    About AssureSoft

    AssureSoft is a nearshore software outsourcing company with 19 years of experience. With a team of 500+ developers distributed across Latin America, the company provides tailored solutions to U.S. and Canada-based clients through staff augmentation, dedicated software development teams, and end-to-end software outsourcing services. AssureSoft’s headquarters are located in Miami; it operates offices in California and has development centers in four cities across Bolivia and Paraguay. Additionally, the company has development teams in Brazil, Colombia and Peru.

    AssureSoft adheres to global standards in information security compliance and talent development. The company is ISO 27001-certified and has been recognized as a Great Place to Work® for five consecutive years. Discover more at www.assuresoft.com

    For Media Inquiries:
    Catalina Soto Pizano
    Corporate Communications Manager
    AssureSoft
    catalina.soto@assuresoft.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Industry Veteran John A. Norris Joins LoCorr to Support Distribution Efforts

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MINNEAPOLIS, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  LoCorr Funds, a leader in low-correlating alternative investments, is pleased to announce the hiring of industry veteran John A. Norris to accelerate the distribution of LoCorr investment strategies and solutions through financial intermediaries. With over two decades of experience in private wealth management, Norris brings deep knowledge along with a proven track record of driving growth and fostering strong relationships with partner firms.

    In this role, Norris will be responsible for enhancing existing relationships with LoCorr’s broker-dealer partners, as well as expanding distribution through new selling agreements, and placement in models and on recommended lists.

    “We are thrilled to welcome John to LoCorr,” said Kevin Kinzie, CEO of LoCorr Funds. “John’s depth of experience distributing alternative investments will be instrumental as we continue to expand our distribution platform and product placements.”

    Previously, Norris served as Director of Investor Relations for Crowd Street Capital, where he focused on investor fundraising and relationship management. Before that, he spent 18 years with Black Creek Capital Markets (now Ares Management Corporation) as Director of National Sales, leading equity capital raising and focusing on key broker-dealer distribution partners to expand and strengthen home office relationships.

    In addition, LoCorr has welcomed two new internal wholesalers, Drew Dean and Brody Munger, to further strengthen the firm’s distribution efforts with financial advisors. Both support the broader sales team.

    About LoCorr Funds
    LoCorr Funds is a leading provider of low-correlating investment strategies, founded on the belief that non-traditional investment strategies with low correlation to stocks and bonds can reduce risk and help increase portfolio returns. LoCorr offers investment solutions that not only provide the potential for positive returns in rising or falling markets but also help to achieve diversification in investment portfolios. LoCorr Funds is headquartered in Excelsior, MN. For more information, please visit www.LoCorrFunds.com or call 1.888.628.2887.

    For additional information, contact:
    Jenny Brookfield, 952-767-6906

    Past performance does not guarantee future results. There can be no guarantee that any strategy (risk management or otherwise) will be successful. All investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal. Correlation measures how much the returns of two investments move together over time. Diversification does not assure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market.

    The Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information about the investment company, and it may be obtained by calling 1.855.LCFUNDS, or visiting www.LoCorrFunds.com. Read it carefully before investing.

    The LoCorr Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Bitcoin Bull Market is Back — BexBack Offers Double Deposit Bonus, 100x Leverage, and No KYC for Crypto Futures Trading

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Bitcoin surges past the $100,000 mark, analysts and investors are forecasting a new bull market filled with high volatility. In this market environment, savvy traders are turning to high-leverage futures trading to maximize profits with smaller capital. Recognizing this shift, BexBack has stepped up its efforts to help traders capitalize on the bull market with powerful promotional offers. The platform now features a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency futures trading, offering unparalleled opportunities for both new and seasoned investors.

    What is 100x Leverage and How Can You Maximize Profit?

    100x leverage allows you to control a larger position with a smaller amount of capital. For example, if you have 1 BTC and use 100x leverage, you can control 100 BTC. A small price movement in Bitcoin can lead to significant profits, which is why many experienced traders are turning to high-leverage futures trading on BexBack to amplify their returns in this volatile market.

    100% Deposit Bonus: How to Claim and Use It

    BexBack is offering a 100% deposit bonus for all users who make a deposit into their trading accounts. This bonus can be used to increase your trading capital. For instance, if you deposit 1 BTC, you will receive an additional 1 BTC as a bonus, effectively doubling your trading funds. However,please note that this bonus can only be used as a margin and cannot be withdrawn directly. If you make a profit by trading with the bonus, these profits can be withdrawn in full.

    Why Choose BexBack for Crypto Futures Trading?

    • 100x Leverage: Maximize your trading potential with high leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, XRP, and 50+ other crypto futures contracts.
    • No KYC Required: Enjoy the freedom of trading without the hassle of identity verification, preserving your privacy.
    • Generous Deposit Bonus: Receive a 100% deposit bonus to amplify your trading capital and increase potential profits.
    • No deposits Fees: Enjoy fee-free deposits, allowing you to maximize your profits without extra costs.
    • Global Access: BexBack supports users from multiple countries, including the United States, Canada, and Europe, providing 24/7 customer support.

    About BexBack

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform headquartered in Singapore with operational offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, XRP, and over 50 other cryptocurrency futures contracts. The platform is licensed under the US MSB (Money Services Business) regulations and has built a trusted reputation with more than 500,000 traders worldwide. With zero deposit fees and comprehensive customer support, BexBack is a reliable choice for crypto traders looking for a seamless and secure trading experience.

    Join BexBack and Experience Rapid Wealth Accumulation

    Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! The crypto bull market is heating up, and with 100x leverage, a 100% deposit bonus, and no KYC, BexBack gives you the tools you need to succeed. Take advantage of the promotions and start trading on BexBack today to maximize your potential profits in this volatile market.

    Sign up now on BexBack and claim your exclusive bonus. Experience the fast accumulation of wealth with BexBack!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com 

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/02cd6ab1-852a-411f-9b73-6d2bf3af440a

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    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Onfolio Holdings Inc. Launches Referral Partner Program to Accelerate Adoption of AI Visibility Services

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WILMINGTON, Del., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Onfolio Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: ONFO, ONFOW) (OTCQB: ONFOP) (“Onfolio” or the “Company”) today announced the official launch of its Referral Partner Program to support the rapid growth of its Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) business. The program offers recurring income and long-term upside to professionals who refer clients to Pace Generative LLC, Onfolio’s GEO subsidiary, which helps businesses gain visibility in AI-generated answers from tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and Perplexity. For Onfolio, the program should help to capture the demand and scale revenues significantly faster.

    Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is a fast-emerging discipline that positions businesses inside AI-generated responses, rather than simply helping them rank in traditional search engines. When prospective clients ask tools like ChatGPT, “Who’s the best cosmetic surgeon in Miami?” or “Which estate planning firm in NYC is most reputable?”, GEO helps to determine whether a business is mentioned in that real-time answer.

    “With the way people now search for trusted services, the brands that show up in AI answers will win the next decade,” said Dominic Wells, CEO of Onfolio. “Our mission is to ensure that great companies don’t get left behind – and our referral partners will be essential to helping us scale that impact.”

    “AI is now the first stop for answers,” Wells continued. “If a company isn’t cited, it’s not just ranked lower, it’s invisible. GEO addresses that. And our referral program allows trusted professionals to help their clients while building a new revenue stream for themselves.”

    For more information about Pace Generative LLC, visit www.pacegenerative.com. For more information about our referral program, visit www.pacegenerative.com/partner or contact Michael Carwile at partners@pacegenerative.com

    About Onfolio Holdings Inc.

    Onfolio acquires, operates, and scales a diversified portfolio of digital companies. The Company focuses on businesses with strong cash flows, long-term growth potential, and experienced leadership—or those that can be effectively managed by Onfolio’s in-house team. By targeting under-optimized businesses with untapped potential, Onfolio adds value through operational expertise, strategic guidance, and advanced technologies. For more information, visit www.onfolio.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words “may,” “will,” “should,” “plans,” “explores,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continues,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” and similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding expected operating results, such as revenue growth and earnings, and strategy for growth and financial results. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. 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. Our 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. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing new customer offerings, changes in customer order patterns, changes in customer offering mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, delays due to issues with outsourced service providers, those events and factors described by us in Item 1.A “Risk Factors” in our most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, other risks to which our Company is subject, and various other factors beyond the Company’s control. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

    Company Contact:
    Investor Communications
    Onfolio Holdings Inc.
    Investors@Onfolio.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Applied Systems Announces Plan to Withdraw Applied Epic from the UK Broker Management System Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BRIGHTON, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Applied Systems (“Applied”) today announced it has completed a strategic business review and has decided to withdraw Applied Epic from the UK market. While Applied Epic is the market-leading broker management system (BMS) in North America, the UK BMS market presents complex product requirements, has steep competition and has been especially challenging to align with insurers on agreements to distribute their products in the Commercial Lines segment. Rather than continue to invest significant capital and opportunity cost in a loss-making business in the UK, Applied will instead redirect investment into markets and products where it is leading, and business results are accelerating.

    “The UK insurance market has long craved new broker technology innovation, and we made a strategic decision as a global business bringing Applied Epic into the UK market – a decision that we hoped would offer the market more choice in insurance technology options,” said Tom Needs, chief executive officer of Applied Systems Europe. “Applied is committed to doing the right thing, fulfilling our customer commitments and ensuring all our customers receive optimal business support throughout this process. We greatly appreciate the partnership so many of our customers and partners have provided us in creating opportunity for Applied Epic to make an impact on their business and are refocusing on the next chapter of our European business.”

    As part of this review, Applied TAM, Applied Rating Hub and Applied RiskHandler products in the UK will continue to be supported, and the business will continue to invest in and operate its business in the Republic of Ireland.

    “As the leading insurance technology specialist, Applied Systems invests heavily in innovation and market expansion where we believe we can create new value for independent insurance agencies and brokerages,” said Taylor Rhodes, chief executive officer of Applied Systems. “Our decision to bring Applied Epic into the UK market was based on our belief that the UK broking community desired new BMS alternatives, but we struggled to deliver a fully featured product in the face of competitors with incredibly strong positions in the market. As in any business, you take calculated risks, and some of them play out and return significant value and others do not. While this investment did not work out, recognising this fact now presents us with the opportunity to reallocate capital toward other investments that are supporting our winning position in our other markets.”

    For more information on this announcement, please click here.

    The Applied products and logos are trademarks of Applied Systems, Inc., registered in the U.S.

    About Applied Systems

    Applied Systems is a leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is one of the world’s largest providers of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied’s people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: AutoScheduler Named to Supply Chain Visibility Award Shortlist for the Supply Chain Excellence Awards USA

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AutoScheduler.AI, a leader in Agentic AI Warehouse Orchestration, announces the company has been shortlisted for a Supply Chain Visibility Award for the Supply Chain Excellence Awards USA. AutoScheduler was chosen for increasing pick rates, reducing dock congestion, improving productivity, and optimizing operations for a global consumer packaged goods (CPG) company with an extensive portfolio of beloved food and beverage brands.

    “The global CPG company has hundreds of distribution centers, manufacturing plants, and thousands of vehicles in its distribution network. As the company continued to grow, it faced increasing operational challenges, especially around warehouse visibility, cost control, and overall efficiency,” says Keith Moore, CEO, AutoScheduler.AI. “The AutoScheduler warehouse orchestration platform orchestrates all critical activities inside and around facilities, leading to greater efficiencies and improved operations. We are proud to be shortlisted for this prestigious award.”

    As its scale and complexity grew, the global CPG faced increasing operational challenges, particularly in areas such as warehouse visibility, cost control, and overall efficiency. Complex data systems hindered decision-making and daily operations. Rising costs and a lack of unified optimization tools made controlling expenses difficult. AutoScheduler.AI deployed its warehouse orchestration platform which utilizes advanced algorithms to optimize labor, tasks, and resource allocation, thereby reducing costs and improving efficiencies.

    AutoScheduler integrated seamlessly with the client’s existing systems, consolidating data, automating workflows, and optimizing operations for maximum efficiency. Other benefits included:

    • Eliminating data silos and providing leadership with a single, real-time view of operations.
    • Predicting future bottlenecks and disruptions, allowing leadership to address potential issues before they impact operations proactively.
    • Balancing activities across the warehouse environment based on what happens inside the warehouse every few minutes.
    • Identifies inventory, capacity, and shipping constraints that will cause future challenges and then dynamically schedules shipments to ensure that when an inbound or outbound shipment arrives, the dock staff can act on it.
    • Full-scale orchestration enables AutoScheduler to create opportunities, such as shipping directly from the production line or scheduling additional cross-docks.
    • Proactively creates lower-touch opportunities, such as cross-docking, to help streamline operations.
    • Streamlines planning processes, reducing the time required to plan operations and freeing up leadership to focus on strategic decisions while day-to-day operations are automatically optimized.

    AutoScheduler’s client experienced a 30% increase in pick rates, faster load readiness to reduce dock congestion, increased product flow, increased productivity, decreased detention and dwell times, and reduced costs. AutoScheduler aggregates multi-site data and, using predictive analytics, enables supply chain top officers to rank the sites, quickly identify areas across the network that are out of tolerance or at risk, and take corrective action to mitigate risk before chaos occurs.

    The Supply Chain Excellence Awards, judged by a panel of top supply chain professionals, recognize innovation, supply chain excellence, outstanding business performance, and overall achievements for both supply chain service providers and users. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, in Miami at a glamorous black-tie event hosted by The Supply Chain Excellence Awards USA.

    About AutoScheduler.AI
    AutoScheduler.AI empowers your supply chain with its Agentic AI-based warehouse orchestration platform that integrates with your existing WMS/LMS/YMS or any other solution to drive value across the supply chain by improving throughput, cutting labor costs, and ensuring customer service goals are met. AutoScheduler automates critical tasks for the warehouse like labor scheduling, task sequencing, and dock management, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Our Agentic AI-based platform makes better decisions to create an adaptive, living supply chain. For more information, visit: http://www.AutoScheduler.AI.

    Contact:
    Becky Boyd
    MediaFirst PR
    Becky@MediaFirst.Net
    Cell: (404) 421-8497

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Personal Loans for Bad Credit Guaranteed Approval Direct Lenders | No Credit Check Payday Loans Online – Loans At Last

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bad credit should not stand between a borrower and the funds they need when they are in a financial crisis. If a borrower has a less-than-perfect credit score a traditional bank may not lend the necessary money, but, fortunately, the lending landscape has evolved significantly.

    >>>Visit Official Site To Get Instant Tribal Loans>>>

    If you are looking for the best personal loans for bad credit you can rely on legitimate lenders who specialize in helping Americans with low credit scores. There are lenders who do not judge a person’s credibility with just their credit score.

    This piece will guide you with the knowledge a borrower with a bad credit score needs to possess while looking to get a personal loan or any alternatives.

    >>>Visit Official Site To Get Instant Tribal Loans>>>

    How Is It Possible to Get the Best Personal Loans With a Bad Credit? 

    Now, a low credit score does not automatically mean one will be rejected for a personal loan. Many lenders have started to focus more heavily on the borrower’s current income and financial stability rather than considering only the credit mistakes of the past.

    The new approach has opened doors for borrowers who have faced rejections by traditional financial institutions just a few years ago. The key difference lies in how modern lenders assess risk.

    >>>Visit Official Site To Get Instant Tribal Loans>>>

    Instead of relying solely on credit scores, they are considering factors like:

    • Current monthly income and employment stability
    • Debt-to-income ratio
    • Banking history and account management
    • Overall financial picture and repayment capacity

    How Bad Credit Personal Loans Work? 

    The key difference between typical personal loans and bad credit personal loans are the APRs and fees. When the borrower has bad credit, the APRs and fees are much higher. Otherwise, traditional personal loans and personal loans for bad credit work similarly.

    You, as a borrower, get the necessary amount at once, and after a fixed tenure, you repay the debt. You also have to pay a fixed interest rate (on a monthly basis) over the course of your tenure.

    What’s the Difference Between Personal Loans and Payday Loans?

    Both personal loans and payday loans can help borrowers with bad credit. However, there are significant differences between these financial products. 

    Borrowers should understand the following before making a decision:

    Payday Loans:

    • It is designed for small amounts (typically around $500) with very short repayment periods
    • These loans require minimal documentation and no credit checks which makes them easily accessible
    • They come with extremely high interest rates, often averaging 400% APR or even higher (780%)
    • These loans must be repaid by your next paycheck, usually within a couple of weeks
    • It often includes hidden fees and late payment penalties that can push you toward a debt cycle
    • These loans generally don’t help build credit history since most lenders don’t report to credit bureaus

    Personal Loans:

    • These loans are available for larger amounts with flexible repayment terms ranging from months to years
    • It requires a formal application process including credit checks and income verification
    • It offers significantly lower interest rates compared to payday loans
    • It allows borrowers more time to repay which reduces financial stress
    • These loans may be secured (requiring collateral) or unsecured depending on creditworthiness
    • Payments of these loans are reported to credit bureaus which helps borrowers build or improve credit scores

    If your credit score is low enough to make availing traditional personal loans an impossibility, you can consider payday loans as an alternative. If you avail it from credible lenders, it can be one of the best personal loans for bad credit.

    Loans At Last Connects Bad Credit Borrowers with Lenders

    Loans At Last operates as a loan matching service. It connects borrowers with a network of reputable lenders who specialize in serving customers with varied credit profiles.

    Platforms like Loans At Last are not direct lenders. They act as a bridge between borrowers seeking funds and lenders willing to work with bad credit applicants.

    Their approach offers several advantages for borrowers:

    • Access to multiple lenders through a single application
    • Increased chances of approval by matching with appropriate lenders
    • Competitive comparison of loan terms and rates
    • A streamlined process that saves time and effort

    These platforms have built relationships with lenders who understand the needs of bad credit borrowers. They are willing to look beyond credit scores to assess loan applications.

    They offer personal loans ranging from $100 to $5,000. This range allows enough flexibility for various financial needs.

    For example, with this money borrowers can:

    • Address Small Emergencies: Lower amounts ($100-$500) can cover unexpected bills or short-term cash flow gaps.
    • Handle Moderate Expenses: Mid-range amounts ($500-$2,000) work well for medical bills, larger car repairs, or small home improvements.
    • Manage Significant Financial Needs: Higher amounts ($2,000-$5,000) can address substantial unexpected expenses or major emergencies, and debt consolidation.

    What Types of Payday Loans Are There? 

    If you go for platforms like Loans At Last, you can expect a variety of loans. Here are some of the primary loan types one can avail:

    1. Payday Loans

    Payday loans provide small, short-term funds to bridge gaps until the next paycheck. While some lenders offer up to $5,000, most borrowers typically request $100 to $2,000. These loans are often for urgent needs like bills or minor repairs.

    Key features include:

    • Quick Access: Funds often arrive within hours of approval.
    • Short Repayment: Loans align with the borrower’s next payday.
    • Automatic Debit: Lenders set up auto payments for convenience.
    • High Acceptance: Even unemployed borrowers may qualify with alternative income.

    Although high interest rates are applicable, the fast and easy process makes these loans ideal for emergencies.

    1. Installment Loans

    With installment loans borrowers can repay the loan over time through fixed monthly payments. Depending on affordability, these loans range from $100 to $5,000. If you need larger amounts or require more time to repay it, this loan is ideal.

    Key features include:

    • Flexible Terms: Repayment spans 3 to 24 months.
    • Predictable Payments: Fixed installments simplify budgeting.
    • Larger Amounts: Borrowers access more funds than typical payday loans.
    • Credit Flexibility: Lenders often approve despite poor credit.

    Installment loans make repayment easy for people who manage bigger expenses or prefer extended repayment.

    1. Bad Credit Loans

    Bad credit loans are most suitable for borrowers with less-than-perfect credit scores. In this case, lenders focus on income and affordability, not credit history. Loan amounts range from $100 to $5,000, with terms up to 24 months.

    Key features include:

    • No Hard Credit Checks: Lenders use soft inquiries or alternative data.
    • Accessible Approval: Borrowers with low credit scores often qualify.
    • Flexible Use: Funds cover emergencies, repairs, or personal needs.
    • Quick Processing: Approvals happen within minutes.

    These loans help borrowers access funds without worrying about credit scores.

    1. Same-Day Loans

    Same-day loans deliver funds within hours for urgent financial needs. Borrowers can apply online and often receive approval in minutes. Loan amounts range from $100 to $5,000, which can be repaid within weeks to months.

    Key features include:

    • Fast Funding: Money reaches bank accounts on the same business day.
    • Simple Application: Online forms take minutes to complete.
    • Broad Eligibility: Lenders accept various income sources, including benefits.
    • Flexible Terms: Borrowers choose repayment periods that suit their budget.

    Same-day loans ensure quick relief for unexpected expenses incurred during medical or similar emergencies.

    1. Loans for Unemployed

    There are solutions for unemployed borrowers who have alternative income sources. These loans range from $100 to $5,000. Its repayment terms are up to 24 months. Here, lenders assess affordability and not employment status.

    Key features include:

    • Alternative Income: Benefits, freelance earnings, or other income qualify.
    • Quick Approval: Loan decisions arrive in as little as two minutes.
    • Flexible Repayment: Terms adjust to the borrower’s financial situation.
    • No Job Required: Eligibility focuses on income, not traditional employment.

    These loans empower borrowers to access emergency funds without having traditional jobs.

    What are the Basic Eligibility Criteria for Personal Loans for Bad Credit?

    The best personal loans for bad credit come with minimum eligibility requirements. It means that they are more flexible than traditional bank loans but they will still ensure that a borrower has the capacity to repay the loan.

    Standard eligibility criteria include:

    • Age Requirement: Must be at least 18 years old (21 in some states)
    • Citizenship/Residency: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a permanent address
    • Income Verification: Demonstration of regular income (more than $1,000) from employment or other sources
    • Banking Relationship: Active checking account for direct fund deposit and payment processing

    Note: To be eligible for Loans At Last you have to demonstrate an income of at least $1,000 per month.

    A Step-By-Step Guide for Applying for a Personal Loan with a Bad Credit Score

    Generally, the application process for a guaranteed approval personal loan with bad credit is not that complicated. It consists of three to four simple steps. Go through the following steps if you are going to apply for a loan soon.

    Step 1: Choose Your Loan Amount and Term. 

    • The first step is to determine how much money you need and how long it will take you to repay it. Your application approval, total interest cost, and monthly payment amount depend on this decision.
    • Before you determine the amount and the term you should carefully consider your need for the money, the total cost of the loan, and your repayment ability.

    Step 2: Complete The Online Application. 

    • Most online application processes are simple and take a couple of minutes to complete. It generally requires basic information about yourself, your income, and your banking details.
    • An online application section for personal loans or payday loans for bad credit would include personal information including names and social security numbers, employment details, and banking details.

    Step 3: Get Matched With Lenders. 

    • Once you submit your application, the matching service starts working. It finds the lenders that are most likely to approve loans for your specific situation. This process can happen within minutes and may result in multiple loan offers.
    • The system considers your credit profile and score, your employment status and income level, your requested loan amount and term, geographic location and applicable state laws, and lender specialization and preferences.

    Step 4: Receive Funds Within 24 Hours

    • After accepting a loan offer and completing any final verification requirements, approved borrowers typically receive funds within 24 hours through direct deposit to their bank account.
    • The funding timeline depends on application time, verification requirements, and banking processing time. A borrower can also monitor funding status with the tracking information that the lender provides.

    Final Thoughts on Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit

    The modern lending landscape offers legitimate alternatives through specialized lenders. They do not focus on past credit mistakes but approve a loan by evaluating your current financial capacity.

    The best personal loans for bad credit, however, come with higher interest rates. They are there to provide relief when traditional banks are not an option. Platforms like Loans At Last streamline the process by connecting you with appropriate lenders, offering amounts from $100 to $5,000 with flexible repayment terms.

    You should carefully assess your repayment ability, compare loan offers, and choose reputable lenders who report payments to credit bureaus before borrowing. You should also remember that these loans are for temporary financial problems and not for solving long-term debts.

    Frequently Asked Questions 

    1. Can I get a personal loan with a credit score under 600?

    Yes, it is possible to get a personal loan with a credit score under 600, but it is going to be difficult. Because only some lenders may consider this credit score “fair”. If your credit score is below 600, you can consider alternative options to traditional banking.

    1. How quickly can I get approved and funded?

    Most bad credit personal loan lenders approve loans quickly, often within minutes of submitting an application. Once they approve the application, the funding can occur within 24 hours.

    1. What income do I need to qualify? 

    Most lenders require borrowers to demonstrate a regular monthly income of at least $1,000 or more. This income can come from various sources, but it has to be verifiable and sufficient to cover both loan payments and daily living expenses.

    Attachment

    • Loans At Last

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to Present at the Life Sciences Virtual Investor Forum June 11th-12th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HENDERSON, Nev., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB:NIKA), based in Colorado, focused on cures for life-threatening diseases, today announced that Dimitar Savov, CEO, will present live at the Life Sciences Virtual Investor Frum hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on June 11th, 2025

    DATE: June 11th
    TIME: 1:00 PM ET
    LINK: REGISTER HERE
    Available for 1×1 meetings: June 12th-17th between 09:00am ET and 11:30am ET

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.  

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Company Highlights

    • On May 19, 2025, NIKA published a market analysis for the countries of Ukraine, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, UAE, where NIKA has exclusive distribution agreements and has estimated a total of around €656 million in potential revenue.
    • NIKA’s partner company, Nika Europe, has made the second $195,554 payment for the vial production line and is currently finalizing the details of the clean rooms design in order to start construction. The production facility is expected to be completed in H2, 2025.
    • On April 11, 2025, Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. published a report on the therapeutic effect and potential economic impact of ITV-1, which can be found  here.
    • On July 11, 2024 Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the Republic of Nigeria. Under the terms, NIKA will receive €1,980 per each set of ITV-1 with two sets necessary for each treatment, which could result in €7.9 billion revenue.


    About Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

    Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NIKA) is a pharmaceutical company, specializing in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cancer, Diabetes, and all diseases, for which strengthened cell immunity is of vital importance. NIKA’s intellectual property includes six drugs in injection form – two of which have successfully undergone clinical trials with good treatment results – four drugs in tablet form, and eleven dietary supplements. NIKA’s goal is to not only achieve corporate profits, but to provide better and easier access to life-saving medicinal drugs and useful dietary supplements. Find more on www.nikapharmaceuticals.com.

    Forward-looking Statement:

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. Certain statements, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives, and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward- looking statements.” These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,”” estimates,” “intends,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Our ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain.

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access.  Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:
    Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Name Clifford P. Redekop
    Title Corporate Secretary
    Phone (702) 326-3615        
    Email cliffredekop@gmail.com 

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com 

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Introducing the Apple Games app: A personalized home for games

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Introducing the Apple Games app: A personalized home for games

    June 10, 2025

    UPDATE

    Introducing the Apple Games app: A personalized home for games and playing with friends

    At Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled Apple Games, an all-new destination designed to help players jump back into the games they love, find their next favorite, and have more fun with friends, turning even single-player games into shared experiences. The Games app makes it easier than ever for players to enjoy all their games in one convenient place and see what’s happening across their games, including major events and updates, so they never miss a moment.

    Here’s what developers are saying:

    “As my friends have grown up and moved away, I miss hearing about what they’re playing on their phones, and the Games app is a great way I can get a window back into their gaming worlds. The app also helps us seamlessly integrate and extend all of the social community features we’ve built into Puzzmo directly into the center of our player’s existing daily play routine.” — Zach Gage, indie developer and cofounder of Puzzmo

    “The introduction of challenges and a new social layer marks a major leap forward for both developers and players. While creators stay focused on gameplay, these features bring people together in just a few taps, effortlessly deepening player engagement — especially important for games like Thronefall.” — Glib Platonov, cofounder of Doghowl Games

    “The Games app is going to be a game changer for playing on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The app makes it easy for us to create moments just for groups of friends. The new challenges feature works great and feels natural for our games on Apple Arcade, including our latest release, WHAT THE CLASH?, and we’ve been having a lot of fun with it!” — Tim Garbos, creative director and cofounder of Triband

    The Games app is also the best way to experience Apple Arcade, Apple’s subscription service with more than 200 award-winning and highly rated games for the whole family, including Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Sneaky Sasquatch, and Mini Motorways.

    Launch Favorite Games, Discover New Ones

    The Games app allows players to see all the games they have ever downloaded from the App Store for their iPhone and iPad, and brings together all the games they have on Mac.

    They can connect any compatible game controller for easy navigation around the app and to launch right into their games. Players can explore personalized recommendations based on games they’ve played, games their friends are playing, and games supporting Game Center features, that can be played together.

    Editorial collections also appear in the app to help players find new games, including some of the most exciting games on the App Store, such as Balatro, Crashlands 2, and DREDGE. If they are an Apple Arcade subscriber, players will see curated collections of the best games included in the catalog that help them get the most out of their subscription.

    Play Together 

    Players now have all their Game Center friends and groups they’ve played with in one place, so they can easily enjoy their games together. They can see their shared gaming history, compare achievements, and send friends invite links and party codes using any messaging app, bringing them right into a competition or multiplayer match.

    The Games app introduces challenges, a new way to compete with friends in score-based showdowns. Developers that have Game Center leaderboards for their games can add these unique challenges that are catered to a smaller group of friends. Challenges can turn single-player games into shared experiences with friends, giving them even more ways to rally a group, crown a winner, and have a rematch.

    Players can invite friends to challenges by selecting their friends or contacts. Whether competing to see who can survive the most waves of enemies in Thronefall, or who can rack up the highest score in each week’s featured course in Skate City: New York, challenges unlock a whole new level of friendly competition.

    Stay Up to Date with In-Game Events

    The Games app introduces new features to help developers keep their players in the know about the latest game updates and can’t-miss events. Game pages in the app come to life, highlighting the latest activity for that specific game. Players can see what’s most relevant to them and the games they’re actively playing, front and center, like updates, live events, and timely activity from their friends.

    Availability

    The Games app is available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. The Games app will be released with the launch of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe 26 this fall as a free software update. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

    Press Contacts

    Peter Nguyen

    Apple

    pete_nguyen@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Presidio Launches New AI Technology Hub to Spark Enterprise Innovation and Transformation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Presidio, a leading technology services and solutions provider, today announced the new Presidio Programmable AI Technology Hub (P.A.T.H), a customer demo and AI innovation lab to accelerate the delivery of Private and Hybrid AI solutions. This includes a major investment in next-generation infrastructure featuring Cisco compute and RoCE networking platforms, NVIDIA GPUs and NVAIE Software, and Vertiv UPS systems to help clients adopt Generative AI at scale—securely, flexibly, and with real-world impact.

    “Our clients aren’t just looking to experiment with AI—they want to operationalize it in a strategic, scalable, and outcome-driven way,” said Chris Cagnazzi, Chief Innovation Officer at Presidio. “We’re bringing together the best in computing, networking, cooling, and cloud to support AI anywhere to rapidly build on-premises proofs of concept that demonstrate real impact.”

    AI-Ready Infrastructure, Built for Scale

    Presidio will enable clients to deploy and orchestrate AI workloads across on-premises environments, hyperscale cloud platforms such as AWS, and an emerging class of Neo Cloud Providers (NCPs) including Vultr, delivering unmatched agility and performance. The initiative includes:

    • Deployment of Cisco UCS C885 M8 systems with NVIDIA GPUs and software, purpose-built for AI training, inference, and secure multi-tenancy.
    • Integration of Vertiv’s advanced infrastructure, ensuring thermal efficiency and sustainability for high-density AI workloads.
    • Bursting capabilities to AWS, enabling elastic GPU access while preserving enterprise-grade security and cost optimization.
    • Support for edge and NCP expansion, with platforms like Vultr providing regional and low-latency AI inference at scale.
    • Private deployment options for Presidio’s full portfolio of GenAI accelerators, including Presidio HAI’s Build and Modernize solutions and Private AI, tailored for regulated industries and sensitive data environments.

    With this integrated infrastructure stack, clients and partners can explore a wide range of use cases across industries—from digital twins and document intelligence to RAG-based search and autonomous agents. The demo environment will showcase on-premises and hybrid deployment scenarios with full observability and governance. Learn more about Presidio’s AI portfolio here.

    About Presidio

    At Presidio, speed and quality meet technology and innovation. Presidio is a trusted ally for organizations across industries with a decades-long history of building traditional IT foundations and deep expertise in AI and automation, security, networking, digital transformation, and cloud computing. Presidio fills gaps, removes hurdles, optimizes costs, and reduces risk. Presidio’s expert technical team develops custom applications, provides managed services, enables actionable data insights, and builds forward-thinking solutions that drive strategic outcomes for clients globally. For more information, visit www.presidio.com.

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Astral Dynamic Networks Selects Palni as Strategic Partner to Advance Next-Gen Communication Products

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAS VEGAS, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Astral Dynamic Networks (Astradyne, Inc.), a forward-thinking leader in software-defined communication systems, today announced a strategic partnership with Palni, Inc. via its Strategic Partnership Initiative. This collaboration is designed to accelerate the development and refinement of Astradyne’s next-generation platform, a foundation specifically focused on advancing communication technology through intelligent, software-first products that aim to redefine global interaction, commerce, and connectivity.

    This partnership represents an additional step forward in Astradyne’s mission to bring transformative products to market, providing solutions that are not just technologically advanced but purpose-built to impact how people, businesses, and governments connect and operate. Palni was selected for its deep technical expertise and proven ability to scale complex communication technologies. Working closely with Astradyne’s engineering team, Palni will help optimize and expand the capabilities and reach of these products for global impact.

    “Together, we aim to push the boundaries of communication technology, enhancing our platform’s capabilities and delivering transformative products to a rapidly evolving world,” said Fabrizio Boccardi, CEO of Astradyne. “This partnership reflects our commitment to innovation and our belief in the power of strategic collaboration to drive meaningful change.”

    “We’re proud to join forces with Astradyne on this ambitious initiative,” said Marty Chintakindi, CEO at Palni Inc. “Our team is excited to contribute to a platform that’s not just about infrastructure but about delivering real-world products that can shape the future of communication and connectivity.”

    This collaboration is part of Astradyne’s broader strategy to engage with top-tier partners who can help bring its visionary technologies to market with precision, resilience, and global scalability.

    About Astradyne
    Astradyne is a visionary technology company pioneering software-first solutions for commerce, communication, and social interaction. With a relentless focus on innovation, Astradyne is developing intelligent systems and products that transform and expand connectivity, interaction, efficiency, and security.

    About Palni, Inc.
    Palni Inc. is a well-regarded developer of cutting-edge communication technologies, recognized for providing high-performance, scalable solutions with its software development and Gen AI capabilities. Through a collaborative approach and extensive technical expertise, Palni helps partners create the infrastructure and products of the future.

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Vyla announces new CEO

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vyla, a technology platform built to drive transparency, efficiency and collaboration across the food ecosystem, today announced the appointment of Peter Frey as chief executive officer. Yoav Levsky, co-founder and chairman, and Tim Taylor, who has served as chief executive officer, will continue to play active roles at the strategic and governance level of Vyla.

    Frey, a founding member of Vyla and former chief operating officer, played a central role in shaping the company’s shared data platform and advancing its mission to improve visibility, efficiency and collaboration across the global food system. Under his leadership, Vyla has launched a growing suite of software applications, including Ascend Mobile and DairyInsight, designed to help dairy producers, processors and retailers unlock insights, improve operations and meet rising expectations for traceability and accountability.

    “Peter understands this mission better than anyone,” Taylor said. “From day one, he’s helped shape Vyla into a platform that’s not just solving technical problems, it’s reshaping the way the food supply chain operates.”

    “We’re here to transform the technology upon which the entire food chain relies,” said Frey. “The work ahead is challenging, but it’s also incredibly meaningful, and I’m proud to lead this team into the future.”

    Vyla’s platform enables stakeholders across the dairy supply chain to collect, integrate and act on data from every stage of production — from herd health and feed to sustainability indicators and market trends. By improving connectivity across farms, suppliers, processors and retailers, Vyla helps accelerate measurable outcomes and drive business growth.

    The company’s momentum has been further strengthened through partnerships with global organizations, including Nestlé, Danone and Grande Cheese, who share Vyla’s goal of transforming agriculture through collaboration and technology.

    For a full executive bio and headshot, view the media kit here.

    About Vyla

    Vyla is an enterprise software company serving the food ecosystem with data aggregation, connecting technologies and decision analytics. Founded in 2020 and catalyzed by Nestlé, Land O’Lakes and Lely Group, Vyla is building a collaborative and connected agricultural industry. Its cloud-based platform helps producers, processors and retailers accelerate progress by integrating data across key performance areas, enabling more informed decisions and measurable outcomes. For more information, visit www.vyla.com.

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Numem Addresses AI’s Dirty Secret: Memory Is the Real Bottleneck

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AI has a memory problem. Traditional SRAM and DRAM were never designed to meet the scale and intensity of today’s AI workloads – and their limitations in power, bandwidth and density are slowing progress. As models grow and inference demands surge across data centers and edge environments, memory has become the critical bottleneck. Processing performance has skyrocketed by 60,000X over the past 20 years, but DRAM bandwidth has improved only 100x creating a mismatch known as the “memory wall,” where the faster processors are limited by the slower memory access speeds.

    The urgency of this challenge is now widely acknowledged – reflected in government-backed initiatives such as the CHIPS Act, which supports broader semiconductor innovation, including next-generation memory technologies designed to overcome the memory wall.

    Memory That Moves at the Speed of AI
    Numem is scaling the memory wall with a purpose-built solution. The company’s AI Memory Engine is a fully synthesizable, highly configurable memory subsystem IP that enables significant improvements in power efficiency, performance, intelligence, and endurance not only for Numem’s patented MRAM-based architecture, but also third-party MRAMs, RRAM, PCRAM, and Flash Memory, making it a versatile solution for a wide range of emerging memory technologies.

    By combining Numem’s patented AI Memory Engine with its MRAM architecture and deep expertise in memory architecture and performance optimization, the company has developed a next-generation MRAM supporting die densities up to 1GB. This optimized, foundry-ready MRAM delivers SRAM-class performance with up to 2.5X higher memory density in embedded applications and 100X lower standby power consumption. With these advancements, Numem has transformed MRAM into a production-ready, scalable memory building block for next-generation, AI-focused workloads.

    “AI’s momentum is at risk because memory systems are still stuck in the past,” said Max Simmons, CEO of Numem. “We built our technology from the ground up to eliminate that bottleneck and unlock the full potential of next-generation AI.”

    Innovative Answers – Without the Wait
    Unlike theoretical solutions still on the drawing board, Numem’s AI Memory Engine – combined with the company’s MRAM architecture – is foundry-ready and production-capable today. Operating under a fabless, capital-efficient model, the company leverages standard foundry environments to enable rapid, scalable deployment with minimal investment risk and maximum flexibility.

    Added Simmons, “Every week, I hear the same thing from customers: their memory can’t keep up. Not enough performance, not enough density, and way too much power consumption. AI workloads are pushing existing architectures to the limit – especially in areas like automotive, where in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems now rely on multiple cameras and real-time AI. DRAM just isn’t cutting it. It’s too slow to boot, consumes too much power, and simply can’t meet the performance demands of modern systems.”

    From designing custom SoCs to chiplet-based memory expansion, Numem provides integration-ready IP and silicon to accelerate cutting-edge product roadmaps.

    Key Benefits of Numem’s AI Memory Engine:

    • SRAM-class performance with up to 2.5X higher memory density in the same embedded footprint
    • Flexible power management architecture supporting multiple power modes
    • Seamless integration into both data center and edge environments
    • High endurance, enabling MRAM to support SRAM- and DRAM-like architectures
    • Scalable, software-defined memory without requiring costly hardware overhauls
    • Enables high-performance MRAM with a significantly lower power profile than SRAM through precise management of MRAM’s non-volatile characteristics

    Additionally – and importantly – Numem’s AI Memory Engine delivers 30–50% power savings over existing high-bandwidth memory solutions. These savings translate directly into lower operating costs and a reduced carbon footprint, making it an ideal solution for companies prioritizing both performance and environmental responsibility. As the industry moves toward more energy-efficient infrastructure, Numem is strategically positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for low-power, high-efficiency memory technologies.

    Meeting the Market Where AI Is Headed
    According to a report by Polaris Market Research, the total addressable market (TAM) for MRAM is projected to grow to USD 25.1 billion by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38.3%. Numem is poised to play a pivotal role in this growing market, sitting at the intersection of AI acceleration and memory modernization. Backed by production-ready technology, proven performance, and a scalable architecture, Numem is well positioned to power the next generation of AI infrastructure – where memory is no longer a bottleneck but a performance enabler.

    About Numem
    Founded in 2016 in Sunnyvale, Calif., Numem is transforming AI and data center efficiency from edge to core. By reimagining AI memory hierarchies, Numem eliminates bottlenecks that constrain power and performance. Its patented, innovative solutions, including the Numem AI Memory Engine SOC subsystem IPs, and Memory SOC Chip/Chiplets, enable high-performance MRAM. These technologies address memory bottlenecks with a fraction of the power consumption of traditional SRAM and DRAM, delivering faster and more efficient data processing. For more information, please visit www.numem.com or connect with the company on LinkedIn.

    Media Contact:
    Stephanie Olsen
    Lages & Associates
    (949) 453-8080
    stephanie@lages.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0711851b-4d6d-439f-93b8-3b19236366e4

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: American National Insurance Company Introduces Smart Start Accumulator Series

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American National Insurance Company announces the launch of its innovative Smart Start Accumulator Series, a series of single premium fixed indexed annuities designed to provide clients with the opportunity for significant growth by maximizing accumulation potential from day one.

    The series, which includes Smart Start Accumulator and Smart Start Accumulator Plus, leverages Nobel Prize-winning research to offer easy-to-understand portfolio allocation options based on their individual risk tolerance and retirement goals1. A conservative, moderate, and aggressive portfolio option is available along with a custom allocation option. This helps policyholders confidently navigate their financial future with a strategy that meets their individual needs.

    One of the key features of the Smart Start Accumulator Series is the Best Entry Window, which sets all the selected index starting values at their lowest point in the initial 90-day period, which can help clients maximize their first-year growth potential. Additionally, the Smart Start Accumulator Plus offers premium enhancement options that can provide an immediate boost to the annuity’s value. Clients choose the enhancement level that best suits their savings goals and financial strategy.

    “We are proud to bring practical financial solutions that help our clients build a secure future with confidence,” said Chad Ferrell, Senior Vice President and Chief of Annuity Distribution at American National. “By integrating strategic indexing options and enhancement features, this series empowers individuals to make smart investment choices that align with their long-term financial goals while minimizing exposure to unnecessary risks.”

    The series also includes various strategies for interest crediting based on market index performance, including the S&P 500® Value Cap2, S&P 500® Dynamic Intraday TCA Index2, S&P MARC 5% Excess Return Index2, Invesco QQQ Portfolio Plus Index3, and Morningstar® Global Wide Moat VC 7 Index4.

    For more information, please visit AmericanNational.com.

    ABOUT AMERICAN NATIONAL

    Founded in 1905 and based in Galveston, Texas, American National Insurance Company (American National) is dedicated to being a source of certainty for millions of Americans through a comprehensive range of wealth protection, retirement, and insurance products and services. American National combines our expertise and resources to cater to the diverse needs of our clients, guiding them towards financial security and peace of mind. For more information, visit our website at AmericanNational.com.

    Annuities, life insurance and other products and services are written through multiple companies. Property and casualty insurance is written through American National Property And Casualty Company, Springfield, Missouri, and affiliates. In New York, business is written through Farm Family Casualty Insurance Company, United Farm Family Insurance Company, and American National Life Insurance Company of New York, Glenmont, New York. Not all products and services are available in all states. Not all companies are licensed in all states. Each company has financial responsibility only for the products and services it issues.

    ______________________________

    1 Markowitz, H.M. (1959). Portfolio Selection: Efficient Diversification of Investments. New York: John Wiley & Sons. (reprinted by Yale University Press, 1970, ISBN 978-0-300-01372-6; 2nd ed. Basil Blackwell, 1991, ISBN 978-1-55786-108-5). “Nobel Prize”. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015.

    2 The S&P MARC 5% Index, S&P 500®Index, and S&P 500®  Dynamic Intraday TCA Index are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (“SPDJI”) and have been licensed for use by American National Insurance Company. S&P®, S&P 500®, US 500, The 500, iBoxx®, iTraxx® and CDX® are trademarks of S&P Global, Inc. or its affiliates (“S&P”); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”) and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by American National Insurance Company. American National Insurance Company’s products are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, their respective affiliates, and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of the S&P MARC 5% Index, S&P 500®Index, and S&P 500®  Dynamic Intraday TCA Index.

    3 Invesco Indexing LLC (“Licensor”) has licensed the Index to American National Insurance Company to be used as a component of certain fixed index annuity products (the “Products”). The Index may be calculated by a third party or contain third-party data, each third-party provider and Licensor are collectively “Licensor Parties”. The Products are not sponsored, operated, endorsed, sold, or promoted by Licensor Parties. The Index, the proprietary data therein, and related trademarks, are intellectual property licensed from Licensor, and may not be copied, used, or distributed without Licensor’s prior written approval. The Products have not been passed on as to their legality or suitability, and are not regulated, issued, endorsed, sold, guaranteed, or promoted by Licensor Parties. Licensor Parties make no express or implied warranties, and hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall Licensor Parties have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages (including lost profits), even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

    4 The Morningstar Indexes are the exclusive property of Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar, Inc., its affiliates and subsidiaries, its direct and indirect information providers and any other third party involved in, or related to, compiling, computing or creating any Morningstar Index (collectively, “Morningstar Parties”) do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness and/or timeliness of the Morningstar Indexes or any data included therein and shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions therein. None of the Morningstar Parties make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained from the use of the Morningstar Indexes or any data included therein.

    Form Series: FIA25; ICC25 (Forms may vary by state). When a person buys this annuity, the person is not buying an ownership interest in any stock or index. Not FDIC/NCUA insured / Not a deposit / Not insured by any federal government agency / No bank/CU guarantee / May lose value.

    Contact: Scott Campbell
    SVP, Corporate Communications
    Scott.Campbell@AmericanNational.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Ipsos MMA Announces Continued Record Growth for its Unified Measurement Solution Driven by Next Generation Innovation Initiative

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ipsos MMA announced today that it continues to experience strong demand for its unique ability to scale Unified Measurement globally, and its ‘Next Generation’ unified measurement platform that enables clients to not only optimize their marketing, sales and operations investments, but plan for, track and manage them to achieve targeted revenue, brand and operating profit objectives at the speed and level of granularity needed to run their businesses. “We saw record growth again in Q1 with our business up 31% over the same period last year,” said Patrick Cummings, CEO of Ipsos MMA. “Demand remains strong, and we are excited about the innovation and marketplace transformation that Ipsos MMA is driving, and more importantly, the measurable, incremental value we are creating for our client partners.” The company has aggressively hired in the US and EMEA this year to support its growth and innovation initiatives, expanding headcount by almost 30% in those markets to meet current and anticipated demand.

    Last year Ipsos MMA launched its NextGen initiative, supported by investment funding from Ipsos SA, a global market research, analytic and consulting firm operating in over 90 countries. The Ipsos MMA NextGen investment supports expanded data partners to drive automated ingestion and global taxonomy-driven benchmarks, AI-guided data management, analytics, insights, campaign planning tools linked to measurable incremental revenue, and downstream AdTech integrations that automate investment decisions. The partnership between Ipsos MMA and its parent company also creates unique opportunities for the integration of brand, creative, and customer experience data into our unified measurement platform to ensure consumer insights are embedded into today’s modern measurement toolkit.

    “Our ability to enable our client partners to understand, trust, and successfully adopt these capabilities to achieve their financial and brand objectives continues to be central to driving incremental revenue and operating profits for our clients, and subsequently Ipsos MMA through our partners’ success,” said Cummings. “As we have seen an accelerated adoption of Unified Measurement cross-functionally and across executive levels, the focus on value creation and transparency has been critically important.  We continue to identify opportunities for incremental value and growth for our client partners, helping them navigate some of the uncertainty in the marketplace. This positions them for both short- and longer-term success as their brands and businesses continue to grow.”

    “We see growth continuing throughout the back half of 2025. We continue to advance our NextGen capabilities and organization as marketplace needs evolve. Transparency, speed, and abilities to not only plan buy dynamically recalibrate and adjust investments to maximize financial and brand value are key to success,” said Cummings.

    About Ipsos MMA

    Ipsos MMA is the leading global data, analytics and software consultancy in the Unified Measurement Industry. The company enables its clients to achieve higher revenues and operating profits by optimizing their media, sales and operational investments via significantly enhanced and forward-looking planning, measurement, execution and re-calibration. Ipsos MMA is headquartered in New York, NY and is a part of the leading global custom market research company Ipsos, which has major offices in over 90 locations worldwide. For more information on Ipsos MMA visit www.mma.com

    Press inquiries

    Ipsos MMA
    https://mma.com
    Joseph LaSala, VP Marketing
    joseph.lasala@ipsos.com
    200 Park Avenue, 11th fl, New York, NY 10017

    The MIL Network –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis Announce Release of E&C NIL Discussion Draft

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

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    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, released the following discussion draft as part of a tri-committee effort to stabilize the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) marketplace and strengthen college athletics.

    “As a part of a coordinated multi-Committee effort to improve the student-athlete experience and preserve the educational mission of the institutions they represent, Energy and Commerce plans to consider a discussion draft to help address the broad set of challenges facing college athletics. NIL presents outstanding opportunities for student-athletes, but the volatility and frequency of changes have left both teams and players without a reliable foundation on which to plan,” said Chairman Guthrie. “I want to thank Chairman Bilirakis for his hard work on this issue and this draft, and I am hopeful that upcoming conversations can build a strong coalition and make college athletics the best it can be.”

    “College athletics are a cornerstone of American culture, and it’s clear from student-athletes and universities alike that we need a national framework for name, image, and likeness that ensures fairness, consistency, and opportunity,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “The SCORE Act will create stability and transparency while empowering student-athletes to benefit from their own NIL without compromising their academic mission or reclassifying them as employees. It’s a balanced, modern approach that protects the integrity of college sports and honors both the student and the athlete.”

     Background:

     

    CLICK HERE to read the discussion draft.

    CLICK HERE to read more in the story.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal, Ezell Bipartisan Bill to Bolster American Shipping Fleet Passes House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

    Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Ranking Member Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Chair Mike Ezell (R-MS-04) announced their bipartisan American Cargo for American Ships Act passed the House of Representatives. The legislation will strengthen U.S. cargo preference laws to stop the ongoing decline of U.S. flagged ships engaged in international trade. The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

    “American cargo transported on American ships strengthens our economy, creates jobs, and protects our supply chains from external threats,” said Rep. Carbajal. “My bipartisan bill will strengthen the U.S. shipping fleet by ensuring that taxpayer-funded cargo is moved on U.S.-flagged ships. I’ll continue working across the aisle to get this bill across the finish line and signed into law.”

    “This is a major victory for American workers, our national security, and our economy,” Rep. Ezell said. “The American Cargo for American Ships Act strengthens our maritime capabilities and ensures we’re not dependent on foreign vessels to move U.S. goods—especially during times of crisis. A strong U.S.-flagged fleet means a more secure and self-reliant America. I’m proud to see this bill, which keeps American cargo on American ships, restores fairness to our system, and gives our mariners a fighting chance against heavily subsidized foreign competitors, pass the House. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to act swiftly and send it to the President’s desk.”

    The American Cargo for American Ships Act would increase cargo preference for all U.S. Department of Transportation cargoes to 100 percent. The Cargo Preference Act of 1954 requires that 50 percent of Civilian Agencies cargo and Agricultural Cargo be carried on U.S.-flagged vessels – it is the maritime industry’s “Buy America” law. Maritime Administration (MARAD) is the lead federal agency that manages Cargo Preference activities and compliance.

    In 2022, MARAD testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and highlighted the decline of U.S. flagged ships. Per MARAD, there were 106 ships in the foreign trade flying the U.S. flag in 2012. Four years later, there were just 77 vessels. Today, from that low point, we have grown back to 87 foreign trading ships under the U.S. flag.

    In 2022, Carbajal, as Chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation subcommittee, sent a letter to the MARAD Administrator Rear Admiral Ann Phillips asking them to do more to encourage compliance with U.S. cargo preference laws.

    The American Cargo for American Ships Act is supported by: American Maritime Congress, American Maritime Officers, American Maritime Officers Service, American Roll-on Roll-off, International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, Maritime Institute for Research and Industrial Development, Sailors Union of the Pacific, Seafarers International Union, Transportation Institute, U.S. Ocean, Waterman Logistics, Hapag Lloyd USA, American President Lines LLC.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: French Polynesia president announces huge highly protected marine area

    RNZ Pacific

    French Polynesia’s president has announced his administration will establish one of the world’s largest networks of highly protected marine areas (MPAs).

    The highly protected areas will safeguard 220,000 sq km of remote waters near the Society Islands and 680,000 sq km near the Gambier Islands.

    Speaking at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, President Moetai Brotherson pledged to protect nearly 23 percent of French Polynesia’s waters.

    “In French Polynesia, the ocean is much more than a territory — it’s the source of life, culture, and identity,” he said.

    “By strengthening the protection of Tainui Atea (the existing marine managed area that encompasses all French Polynesian waters) and laying the foundations for future marine protected areas . . .  we are asserting our ecological sovereignty while creating biodiversity sanctuaries for our people and future generations.”

    Once implemented, this would be one of the world’s single-largest designations of highly protected ocean space in history.

    Access will be limited, and all forms of extraction, such as fishing and mining, will be banned.

    Highly protected
    The government is also aiming to create a highly protected artisanal fishing zone that extends about 28 km from the Austral, Marquesas, and Gambier islands and 55.5 km around the Society Islands.

    Fishing in that zone will be limited to traditional single pole-and-line catch from boats less than 12m long.

    Together, the zones encompass an area about twice the size of continental France.

    President Brotherson also promised to create additional artisanal fishing zones and two more large, highly protected MPAs within the next year near the Austral and Marquesas islands.

    He also committed to bolster conservation measures within the rest of French Polynesia’s waters.

    Donatien Tanret, who leads Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy’s work in French Polynesia, said local communities had made it clear that they wanted to see stronger protections that reflected both scientific guidance and their ancestral culture for future generations.

    “These protections and commitments to future designations are a powerful example of how local leadership and traditional measures such as rāhui can address modern challenges.”

    Samoa announces MPAs
     Before the conference, Samoa adopted a legally binding Marine Spatial Plan — a step to fully protect 30 percent and ensure sustainable management of 100 percent of its ocean.

    The plan includes the establishment of nine new fully protected MPAs, covering 36,000 sq km of ocean.

    Toeolesulsulu Cedric Schuster, Samoa’s Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, said Samoa was a large ocean state and its way of life was under increased threat from issues including climate change and overfishing.

    “This Marine Spatial Plan marks a historic step towards ensuring that our ocean remains prosperous and healthy to support all future generations of Samoans — just as it did for us and our ancestors.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Violence against women in Ghana is deeply rooted in culture and family ties – study

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Eric Y Tenkorang, Professor of Sociology,, Memorial University of Newfoundland

    Intimate partner violence is controlling behaviour that results in harm to victims. This can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, economic or spiritual harm. Women are overwhelmingly the victims and survivors of intimate partner violence.

    Globally, about one third of women have experienced some type of intimate partner violence. In Ghana too, one third of women have experienced physical and sexual abuse.

    Research has linked women’s experiences of intimate partner violence to their socio-economic marginalisation, although it can happen to wealthy women too. Beyond the socio-economic reasons, some also make cultural arguments.

    One such factor is lineage: lines of ancestry. Lineage is a major source of wealth, privileges and responsibilities in Ghana and more broadly in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Some people trace their ancestry through maternal kin members. Women in these matrilineal societies wield socio-economic and cultural power because inheritance goes through the female line. As carriers of the lineage, women have some cultural value.

    In a patrilineage, people trace their ancestry through men. Inheritance goes through the male line. Women cannot source wealth from the lineage. There is noticeable gender ordering and hierarchies in patrilineal societies. Male children are considered the carriers of the lineage.

    Despite these two predominant lineage systems, there is also bilateral descent. In bilateral systems, kinship is traced to both maternal and paternal sides of the family.

    Recent studies have suggested a link exists between lineage and intimate partner violence. But there is limited evidence as to why this might be the case.

    One of my research interests is violence against women in African cultures and I have published extensively on this subject. For a recent study, my team collected survey data, including in-depth interviews, from the three ecological areas of Ghana – coastal, middle and northern. These reflect differences in ecology, culture and modernity.

    About 1,700 women responded to our survey questions on lineage and intimate partner violence. Of these, about 30 women were followed up for an in-depth interview.

    We found differences in experiences of violence between women depending on the lineage system they were part of. Awareness of this pattern could inform efforts to prevent violence and empower women.

    What we found

    A major finding was that women in matrilineal communities experienced lower levels of intimate partner violence than women in patrilineal communities or bilateral ones. Part of the reason is women’s access to resources.

    We also found that bride price payments elevated patrilineal women’s risks of experiencing intimate partner violence. Bride price payment is an exchange of resources from the groom to the family of the bride. This is in acknowledgement that marriage has taken place. Women in patrilineal systems were more likely to experience physical, sexual and emotional violence when bride price was fully paid than when it was partially paid.

    Unlike patrilineal women, matrilineal and bilateral women only experienced emotional and physical violence when bride price was fully paid.

    The backdrop

    Ghana passed its landmark Domestic Violence Act in 2007. It criminalises acts that are likely to result in intimate partner violence. This opened the door to the establishment of a Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit to prosecute perpetrators. Structures are also in place to provide support for victims of abuse.

    But criminalising intimate partner violence offers only a partial remedy to the problem. This is particularly true when behaviours that lead to such acts of violence are deeply rooted in inequality, culture and patriarchy.

    Despite recent efforts to bridge gender inequality, Ghana continues to lag behind other societies in this area. Ghanaian women are discriminated against socially and culturally. They are excluded from participating in major decisions related to their households and communities. They are also marginalised economically, creating less opportunity for upward mobility.

    The patriarchal nature of Ghanaian society has not helped. It has worked in tandem with existing social arrangements to deepen inequality and further render women powerless.

    In my view, part of matrilineal women’s reduced risk of experiencing intimate partner violence may be explained by access to maternal resources, where they benefit more than their patrilineal and bilateral counterparts.

    This background also helps explain why bride price arrangements make a difference. Contemporary feminist analysis of the payment of bride price suggests it may be interpreted as “wife ownership and purchase”. This can be a tool for oppressing and controlling women.

    These findings support the argument that bride price payment may have negative consequences for Ghanaian women. This is especially so for those in patrilineal cultures where the norms and expectations associated with these payments are stronger.

    A path to safety

    Establishing cultural reasons why some women are at greater risk than others of experiencing intimate partner violence is important for policy in Ghana and has implications for sub-Saharan Africa.

    Our research findings point to the need to empower women by providing them with the resources they need to flourish and fight abuse. It shows lineage can be a conduit for resource exchange and distribution.

    Also, public education can help correct narratives of ownership and purchase which are linked to intimate partner violence. Bride price payments should have symbolic, not commercial, significance.

    – Violence against women in Ghana is deeply rooted in culture and family ties – study
    – https://theconversation.com/violence-against-women-in-ghana-is-deeply-rooted-in-culture-and-family-ties-study-257947

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: What keeps girls from school in Malawi? We asked them and it’s not just pregnancy

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rachel Silver, Assistant Professor, York University, Canada

    Coverage of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns on girls in Malawi emphasised the risks they faced as a result of not attending school. In particular, concerns about pregnancy garnered significant media attention.

    The United Nations Children’s Fund, for example, published an article in March 2021 entitled “Schoolgirl shakes off COVID-19 regret: Lucy’s return to school”. Under a glossy photograph of a smiling girl, readers learn about 16-year-old Lucy, one of 13,000 Malawian students who became pregnant during COVID-19 school closures. The story went on to detail the dire consequences of sexual activity to Lucy’s well-being, and the redemptive power of an eventual return to school.

    The Unicef piece echoed thousands of similar publications circulated after March 2020 that analysed COVID-19’s unique risk for girls in the global south and lamented lost returns to girls’ education.

    In response to COVID-19 surges, Malawian schools closed for over seven months, during which the percentage of pregnancies to young women aged 10-19 did increase from 29% to 35% of total pregnancies.

    Yet, our research has demonstrated that international development organisations and media outlets focused mostly on narrow, sexualised framings of risk to African girls and women rather than on the many intersecting and ongoing barriers to their well-being and school retention. These challenges both predate and extend beyond COVID-19.

    As scholars of international development education who have conducted research in Malawi for over a decade, we decided to join Malawian educational activist and collaborator Stella Makhuva to research how girls themselves narrated their experiences of the COVID-19 years. What did they consider a risk to their schooling?

    Together, we designed a longitudinal study from 2020 to 2023 that included multiple rounds of interviews and participatory journalling methods with 22 upper primary and secondary school girls in southern Malawi.

    We found that for girls in our study, COVID-19 was less a rupture – an unusual event that threatened their education in unprecedented ways – than an added variable in the already complex calculations girls and their families made about whether and how to remain in school.

    We argue that it was not pregnancy itself, but escalating resource constraints, that kept girls from school. And that interventions must do something about the real problem: inequitable systems.

    The stories told by the girls illustrate this. (All the names are pseudonyms.)

    Their stories

    When Faith joined our study in 2020, she was attending a peri-urban primary school near her home. She lived in a mud and grass-thatched house with her parents, both subsistence farmers who supported Faith’s and her siblings’ education. During school closures, she studied with friends to keep up with academic content when she was not helping with her parents’ farm.

    Yet school costs threatened Faith’s return to school upon reopening. Despite primary school being officially “free” by government mandate, students at her school were required to contribute 800 Malawi kwacha (close to US$1 at the time) per term to a school fund for infrastructure projects and upkeep. Not paying into the fund resulted in exclusion from classes.

    Read more: Does free schooling give girls a better chance in life? Burundi study shows the poorest benefited most

    When Faith eventually passed the Primary School Leaving Certificate Exam and enrolled in secondary school, the costs to schooling rose from 5,000 kwacha (about US$6.50 in early 2021) to 20,000 kwacha (about US$19 in late 2022). Faith worried about whether her parents, whose maize and tomato yields suffered from poor rains, would be able to pay.

    On top of this, Faith paid other costs, from exam fees and bicycle rental fees to supplemental lessons in which she learned material never covered during school hours. She said she and her family often sacrificed eating sufficiently to save money.

    Still, Faith was repeatedly pushed out of school until her fee balance was met. Before, during, and after COVID-19 school closures, girls like her were pushed out of school for a lack of regular fee payments.

    Faith’s school-going was also threatened by warming temperatures and new rain patterns that left her family with diminished food and income. Added to this were volatility in government agricultural subsidies to small farmers, inflated school fees, and the increasing privatisation of public education in Malawi.

    Read more: Malawi faces a food crisis: why plans to avert hunger aren’t realistic and what can be done

    Like Faith, all of the girls in our study worked to supplement their schooling with part time lessons, holiday classes, or by repeating grades given educational quality concerns. Based in under-resourced schools with low exam pass rates, girls knew that they were provided an incomplete education.

    According to Brightness,

    We do not learn fully what we are supposed to cover, and some teachers tend to be absent during their lessons. This makes us lag behind … As a result during exams they ask some questions which some of us … did not learn.

    Empirical evidence has shown how teacher engagement has long been influenced by the region’s high disease burden, especially due to HIV/Aids. This has left teachers both ill and caring for ill relatives.

    While teacher disengagement, therefore, reflected factors such as competing care responsibilities, professional dissatisfaction and stress, girls were deeply frustrated by what felt like abandonment.

    Rethinking pregnancy and parenting

    Mainstream discourses that missed key barriers to girls’ school retention and performance, such as privatisation and food insecurity, misrepresented student pregnancy as an emergent “crisis”.

    Prior to the pandemic, sexuality and school-going already overlapped for many girls in Malawi, where adolescent pregnancy rates were threefold the global average. Still, girls in our study countered the idea that schooling and sex were incompatible. They also challenged the idea that school was inherently safe and that it was pregnancy that kept them from school.

    Read more: Education and gender equality: focus on girls isn’t fair and isn’t enough — global study

    Many of the girls’ stories emphasised continuity with what came before the pandemic.

    We have found this in past research. Schooling and sexuality are not necessarily opposed; but parents and teachers try to protect girls from sexuality; and parenting and non-parenting girls alike face significant resource-related barriers to schooling.

    Conclusion

    If girls’ choices, particularly around sexuality, do not represent the greatest or only source of risk for girls’ schooling, interventions must respond to this reality. They should support well-being and address the broader conditions in which girls live and learn. The problem is inequity, not pregnant girls.

    – What keeps girls from school in Malawi? We asked them and it’s not just pregnancy
    – https://theconversation.com/what-keeps-girls-from-school-in-malawi-we-asked-them-and-its-not-just-pregnancy-258401

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 11, 2025
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