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Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Surges to 7.2% Global Derivatives Market Share, Ranks Top 3 Highlights Bitcoin.com Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Aug. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, today co-releases with Bitcoin.com an educational flagship titled “Crypto Derivatives 101 – Market Breakdown: Who’s Winning the Race?” designed to help newcomers navigate the fast-growing derivatives market, the guide also highlights Bitget’s leadership as its market share doubles to 7.2% in 2025, up from 4.6% year‑to‑date.

    As detailed in the newly released report, Bitget has emerged as the third-largest derivatives exchange globally by trading volume. In April 2025 alone, the platform processed $92 billion in futures volume. Bitget’s market share rose from 4.6% at the beginning of the year to 7.2%, placing it just behind Binance and OKX. While Binance continues to lead with a 38% share, Bitget’s rapid ascent reflects both strong retail engagement and increasing institutional preference, particularly for ETH-based derivatives, where Bitget has surpassed Binance in liquidity within key trading ranges.

    “We believe educational access is foundational,” said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget. “Crypto derivatives have often been misunderstood or seen as overly complex, especially by new users. With this guide, we aim to change that. We want to make sure that both retail and institutional users feel empowered to understand, navigate, and leverage the powerful tools available to them. Bitget is proud to be leading this industry with a user-first approach, backed by AI-powered tools, liquidity innovations, and a commitment to transparency and accessibility.”

    The Crypto Derivatives 101 report serves as a practical, beginner-friendly guide to understanding how derivatives work and why they matter in today’s markets. It breaks down core instruments such as futures, options, and perpetual swaps, while explaining how these tools are used for hedging, speculation, and arbitrage.

    A standout feature of the report is a comprehensive comparison of centralized (CEX) and decentralized (DEX) perpetual markets, weighing factors like liquidity, slippage, fees, execution speed, and custody. Bitget, Binance, and OKX are shown to lead in areas like liquidity depth and institutional readiness, while platforms like GMX and Hyperliquid offer unmatched transparency and self-custody for DeFi-native users.

    The report also includes real-world trading scenarios that help readers understand which platform type is better suited to their goals. For example, a retail trader managing small-cap positions may benefit from Bitget’s intuitive UI, low fees, and fiat on-ramps. In contrast, DeFi-native users seeking anonymity and composability may prefer permissionless DEXs. Institutions executing large block trades are shown to favor CEXs like Bitget for better capital efficiency, risk management tools, and regulatory compliance. These case studies ground the content in real-world decision-making and make the guide actionable for new users.

    “The crypto industry has come a long way in terms of legitimacy, but education remains a key barrier,” said Eli Bordun, Partnership Director of Bitcoin.com. “This report breaks down step-by-step how the modern crypto markets function. Derivatives are often seen as tools for professionals — but they’re increasingly relevant for everyday users, DAOs, and even traditional financial players exploring the space. By working with Bitget to produce this report, we aim to demystify these instruments and support safe, informed participation in the market.”

    The report also highlights emerging trends set to shape the next era of crypto derivatives. One key theme is the rise of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), which are increasingly being integrated into derivatives products and yield strategies. Another is the expansion of AI-powered trading platforms, which are revolutionizing how both retail and institutional users manage portfolios, select strategies, and mitigate risk. Regulatory clarity is also improving, with frameworks like the EU’s MiCA and Singapore’s MAS paving the way for responsible innovation.

    Finally, the report explores the evolution of CeDeFi (Centralized-Decentralized Finance) models, where platforms like Bitget offer the best of both worlds: secure custody and intuitive UX alongside permissionless asset access and DeFi integration.

    With this report, Bitget and Bitcoin.com reaffirm their shared commitment to building a more inclusive crypto trading environment. As derivatives become increasingly central to digital finance, Bitget is positioned not only as a market leader — but as a bridge between the next generation of users and the tools that will define their financial future.

    For more information, please see the full report here.

    About Bitget

    Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform.
    Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

    Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. In the world of motorsports, Bitget is the exclusive cryptocurrency exchange partner of MotoGP™, one of the world’s most thrilling championships.

    For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet
    For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

    Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6595d449-33e8-478f-a5d3-67dc9f840558

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Oxford Square Capital Corp. Prices Public Offering of $65 Million 7.75% Notes Due 2030

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GREENWICH, Conn., Aug. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oxford Square Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS: OXSQ) (NasdaqGS: OXSQG) (NasdaqGS: OXSQZ) (the “Company”) today announced that it has priced an underwritten public offering of $65 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.75% unsecured notes due 2030. The notes will mature on July 31, 2030, and may be redeemed in whole or in part at any time or from time to time at the Company’s option on or after July 31, 2027. The notes will bear interest at a rate of 7.75% per year payable quarterly on January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31 of each year, commencing October 31, 2025.

    The offering is expected to close on August 7, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional $9.75 million in aggregate principal amount of notes. The notes are expected to be listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market and to trade thereon within 30 days of the original issue date under the trading symbol “OXSQH”.

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness, acquire investments in accordance with our investment objective and strategies described in this prospectus supplement and for general corporate purposes.

    Lucid Capital Markets, LLC and Piper Sandler & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. Clear Street LLC, InspereX LLC, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC and William Blair & Company, L.L.C. are acting as lead managers for the offering.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in this offering or any other securities nor will there be any sale of these securities or any other securities referred to in this press release in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction.

    A shelf registration statement relating to these securities is on file with and has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus and a related prospectus supplement, copies of which may be obtained, when available, from the following investment banks: Lucid Capital Markets, LLC at 570 Lexington Ave, 40th Floor, New York, NY 10022, at telephone number (646) 362-0256, or via email at: Prospectus@lucidcm.com; and Piper Sandler & Co., 350 North 5th Street, Suite 1300, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: Prospectus Department, or by telephone at (800) 747-3924, or by email at prospectus@psc.com. The preliminary prospectus supplement, dated July 31, 2025, and accompanying prospectus, dated September 26, 2022, each of which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, contain a description of these matters and other important information about the Company and should be read carefully before investing. Investors are advised to carefully consider the investment objectives, risks and charges and expenses of the Company before investing.

    About Oxford Square Capital Corp.
    Oxford Square Capital Corp. is a publicly-traded business development company principally investing in syndicated bank loans and, to a lesser extent, debt and equity tranches of collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) vehicles. CLO investments may also include warehouse facilities, which are financing structures intended to aggregate loans that may be used to form the basis of a CLO vehicle.

    Forward Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates” and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Certain factors could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. These factors are identified from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect subsequent events, except as may be required by law.

    Contact:
    Bruce Rubin
    203-983-5280

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Oxford Square Capital Corp. Prices Public Offering of $65 Million 7.75% Notes Due 2030

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GREENWICH, Conn., Aug. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oxford Square Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS: OXSQ) (NasdaqGS: OXSQG) (NasdaqGS: OXSQZ) (the “Company”) today announced that it has priced an underwritten public offering of $65 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.75% unsecured notes due 2030. The notes will mature on July 31, 2030, and may be redeemed in whole or in part at any time or from time to time at the Company’s option on or after July 31, 2027. The notes will bear interest at a rate of 7.75% per year payable quarterly on January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31 of each year, commencing October 31, 2025.

    The offering is expected to close on August 7, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional $9.75 million in aggregate principal amount of notes. The notes are expected to be listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market and to trade thereon within 30 days of the original issue date under the trading symbol “OXSQH”.

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness, acquire investments in accordance with our investment objective and strategies described in this prospectus supplement and for general corporate purposes.

    Lucid Capital Markets, LLC and Piper Sandler & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. Clear Street LLC, InspereX LLC, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC and William Blair & Company, L.L.C. are acting as lead managers for the offering.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in this offering or any other securities nor will there be any sale of these securities or any other securities referred to in this press release in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction.

    A shelf registration statement relating to these securities is on file with and has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus and a related prospectus supplement, copies of which may be obtained, when available, from the following investment banks: Lucid Capital Markets, LLC at 570 Lexington Ave, 40th Floor, New York, NY 10022, at telephone number (646) 362-0256, or via email at: Prospectus@lucidcm.com; and Piper Sandler & Co., 350 North 5th Street, Suite 1300, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: Prospectus Department, or by telephone at (800) 747-3924, or by email at prospectus@psc.com. The preliminary prospectus supplement, dated July 31, 2025, and accompanying prospectus, dated September 26, 2022, each of which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, contain a description of these matters and other important information about the Company and should be read carefully before investing. Investors are advised to carefully consider the investment objectives, risks and charges and expenses of the Company before investing.

    About Oxford Square Capital Corp.
    Oxford Square Capital Corp. is a publicly-traded business development company principally investing in syndicated bank loans and, to a lesser extent, debt and equity tranches of collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) vehicles. CLO investments may also include warehouse facilities, which are financing structures intended to aggregate loans that may be used to form the basis of a CLO vehicle.

    Forward Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates” and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Certain factors could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. These factors are identified from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect subsequent events, except as may be required by law.

    Contact:
    Bruce Rubin
    203-983-5280

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ETH Contract Participation Model for 2025 Announced by HashJ to Tap Market Opportunities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, United Kingdom, Aug. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MGPD Finance Limited, doing business as HashJ, today announced the introduction of its updated ETH contract participation model, developed to support broader engagement in Ethereum-linked income opportunities. This move comes as Ethereum (ETH) continues to hold its place as a foundational asset within the Web3 ecosystem, even as its mainnet fully transitions from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) following the 2022 “Merge.”

    Despite this shift, ETH-related contract activity remains strong across derivative networks and GPU-compatible platforms. HashJ’s 2025 model aims to simplify access to these evolving opportunities for individual users by lowering technical barriers and offering transparent participation structures.

    Ethereum Market Weekly Overview: Layer-2 Networks and On-Chain Activity Gain Ground

    During the fourth week of July 2025, ETH held steady around $3,790, while on-chain activity remained robust. Metrics such as active wallet addresses and decentralized application (DApp) usage saw steady growth. According to data from L2Beat, the total value locked (TVL) in Layer-2 networks like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base reached new peaks, reinforcing Ethereum’s position as a leader in blockchain fee revenue.
    In parallel, Ethereum continues to attract diverse projects, including artificial intelligence (AI) protocols, decentralized proof-of-stake (DPoS) systems, and tokenized real-world asset (RWA) platforms—further cementing its status as the dominant smart contract infrastructure.

    Current Landscape of ETH-Related Contracts

    Although Ethereum’s mainnet no longer supports traditional PoW-based contracts, derivative chains such as EthereumPoW (ETHW), Ethereum Classic (ETC), and other EVM-compatible PoW ecosystems continue to offer contract-based participation. These networks maintain close market correlation with ETH, creating an alternate avenue for users to engage in ETH-linked strategies.
    Key approaches include:

    • Participating in contracts tied to ETHW or ETC and later converting proceeds into ETH;
    • Utilizing platforms such as HashJ to access GPU resources and schedule contract-based operations across ETH-aligned networks;
    • Diversifying income strategies via ETH staking, DeFi protocols, and eligible airdrop campaigns.

    HashJ’s New Model: Accessible Participation in ETH-Linked Contracts

    HashJ’s latest platform features are focused on enhancing user participation in ETH-related rewards with low entry barriers and simplified processes. This includes:

    • Access to GPU resource scheduling and allocation across ETH-relevant derivative ecosystems;
    • Intelligent task distribution to support optimized contract outcomes;
    • Transparent performance monitoring via a mobile application and user dashboard;
    • Automated revenue settlement with unrestricted asset withdrawals.

    New users can access a welcome package valued at $118, comprising $100 in contract trial credits and $18 in platform cash. No specialized hardware or infrastructure setup is required, and users can manage their participation via visual interfaces designed for ease of use.

    Continued Relevance of ETH-Linked Contracts

    Despite the discontinuation of PoW contracts on the Ethereum mainnet, ETH continues to command broad investor interest. ETH-based contracts and derivative tokens present various benefits:

    • Closely mirrored price movements from tokens like ETHW and ETC allow for ETH-aligned exposure;
    • Flexible use of contracts as a means to hedge risk or manage portfolio allocation;
    • Simplified entry via platforms like HashJ reduces reliance on traditional hardware setups or data center integration.

    For everyday users, these tools offer a practical and efficient alternative to more complex technical methods of participating in ETH-related returns.

    Conclusion

    As Ethereum maintains its leading role in decentralized infrastructure, new models of participation are emerging to reflect evolving network dynamics. HashJ’s ETH contract access framework presents a simplified and scalable method for engaging with ETH-linked opportunities.

    For those looking to participate in Ethereum’s evolving contract landscape without encountering technical or operational hurdles, HashJ’s model offers a structured and user-friendly entry point. New users receive a $118 gift package upon registration (including $100 contract trial credit and $18 cash).

    About MGPD Finance Limited (HashJ)

    MGPD Finance Limited, doing business as HashJ, is a fintech company based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2018, the company provides contract-based digital reward systems for BTC, ETH, DOGE, and XRP, with over 2 million users across more than 90 countries.

    For more information, visit: www.hashj.com
    App Download: Available on iOS and Android
    Business Inquiries: pr@hashj.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ETH Contract Participation Model for 2025 Announced by HashJ to Tap Market Opportunities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, United Kingdom, Aug. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MGPD Finance Limited, doing business as HashJ, today announced the introduction of its updated ETH contract participation model, developed to support broader engagement in Ethereum-linked income opportunities. This move comes as Ethereum (ETH) continues to hold its place as a foundational asset within the Web3 ecosystem, even as its mainnet fully transitions from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) following the 2022 “Merge.”

    Despite this shift, ETH-related contract activity remains strong across derivative networks and GPU-compatible platforms. HashJ’s 2025 model aims to simplify access to these evolving opportunities for individual users by lowering technical barriers and offering transparent participation structures.

    Ethereum Market Weekly Overview: Layer-2 Networks and On-Chain Activity Gain Ground

    During the fourth week of July 2025, ETH held steady around $3,790, while on-chain activity remained robust. Metrics such as active wallet addresses and decentralized application (DApp) usage saw steady growth. According to data from L2Beat, the total value locked (TVL) in Layer-2 networks like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base reached new peaks, reinforcing Ethereum’s position as a leader in blockchain fee revenue.
    In parallel, Ethereum continues to attract diverse projects, including artificial intelligence (AI) protocols, decentralized proof-of-stake (DPoS) systems, and tokenized real-world asset (RWA) platforms—further cementing its status as the dominant smart contract infrastructure.

    Current Landscape of ETH-Related Contracts

    Although Ethereum’s mainnet no longer supports traditional PoW-based contracts, derivative chains such as EthereumPoW (ETHW), Ethereum Classic (ETC), and other EVM-compatible PoW ecosystems continue to offer contract-based participation. These networks maintain close market correlation with ETH, creating an alternate avenue for users to engage in ETH-linked strategies.
    Key approaches include:

    • Participating in contracts tied to ETHW or ETC and later converting proceeds into ETH;
    • Utilizing platforms such as HashJ to access GPU resources and schedule contract-based operations across ETH-aligned networks;
    • Diversifying income strategies via ETH staking, DeFi protocols, and eligible airdrop campaigns.

    HashJ’s New Model: Accessible Participation in ETH-Linked Contracts

    HashJ’s latest platform features are focused on enhancing user participation in ETH-related rewards with low entry barriers and simplified processes. This includes:

    • Access to GPU resource scheduling and allocation across ETH-relevant derivative ecosystems;
    • Intelligent task distribution to support optimized contract outcomes;
    • Transparent performance monitoring via a mobile application and user dashboard;
    • Automated revenue settlement with unrestricted asset withdrawals.

    New users can access a welcome package valued at $118, comprising $100 in contract trial credits and $18 in platform cash. No specialized hardware or infrastructure setup is required, and users can manage their participation via visual interfaces designed for ease of use.

    Continued Relevance of ETH-Linked Contracts

    Despite the discontinuation of PoW contracts on the Ethereum mainnet, ETH continues to command broad investor interest. ETH-based contracts and derivative tokens present various benefits:

    • Closely mirrored price movements from tokens like ETHW and ETC allow for ETH-aligned exposure;
    • Flexible use of contracts as a means to hedge risk or manage portfolio allocation;
    • Simplified entry via platforms like HashJ reduces reliance on traditional hardware setups or data center integration.

    For everyday users, these tools offer a practical and efficient alternative to more complex technical methods of participating in ETH-related returns.

    Conclusion

    As Ethereum maintains its leading role in decentralized infrastructure, new models of participation are emerging to reflect evolving network dynamics. HashJ’s ETH contract access framework presents a simplified and scalable method for engaging with ETH-linked opportunities.

    For those looking to participate in Ethereum’s evolving contract landscape without encountering technical or operational hurdles, HashJ’s model offers a structured and user-friendly entry point. New users receive a $118 gift package upon registration (including $100 contract trial credit and $18 cash).

    About MGPD Finance Limited (HashJ)

    MGPD Finance Limited, doing business as HashJ, is a fintech company based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2018, the company provides contract-based digital reward systems for BTC, ETH, DOGE, and XRP, with over 2 million users across more than 90 countries.

    For more information, visit: www.hashj.com
    App Download: Available on iOS and Android
    Business Inquiries: pr@hashj.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Aemetis to Review Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results on August 7, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CUPERTINO, Calif., Aug. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced that the company will host a conference call to review the release of its second quarter 2025 earnings report:

    Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025

    Time: 11 am Pacific Time (PT)

    Live Participant Dial In (Toll Free): +1-888-506-0062 entry code 655740 

    Live Participant Dial In (International): +1-973-528-0011 entry code 655740

    Webcast URL: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2211/52764

    Attendees may submit questions during the Q&A (Questions & Answers) portion of the conference call.

    The webcast will be available on the Company’s website (www.aemetis.com) under Investors/Conference Calls, along with the company presentation, recent announcements, and video recordings.

    The voice recording will be available through August 14, 2025, by dialing (Toll Free) 877-481-4010 or (International) 919-882-2331 and entering conference ID number 52764. After August 14th, the webcast will be available on the Company’s website (www.aemetis.com) under Investors/Conference Calls.

    About Aemetis

    Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Aemetis is a renewable natural gas and renewable fuel company focused on the operation, acquisition, development, and commercialization of innovative technologies that lower fuel costs and reduce emissions. Founded in 2006, Aemetis is operating and actively expanding a California biogas digester network and pipeline system to convert dairy waste gas into Renewable Natural Gas. Aemetis owns and operates a 65 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in California’s Central Valley near Modesto that supplies about 80 dairies with animal feed. Aemetis owns and operates an 80 million gallon per year production facility on the East Coast of India producing high quality distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin. Aemetis is developing a sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel fuel biorefinery in California, renewable hydrogen, and hydroelectric power to produce low carbon intensity renewable jet and diesel fuel. For additional information about Aemetis, please visit www.aemetis.com. 

    Company Investor Relations

    Media Contact:
    Todd Waltz
    (408) 213-0940
    investors@aemetis.com

    External Investor Relations

    Contact:
    Kirin Smith
    PCG Advisory Group
    (646) 863-6519
    ksmith@pcgadvisory.com

    The MIL Network –

  • India-US partnership has endured transitions and challenges: MEA

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership rooted in shared interests, democratic values, and strong people-to-people ties, a relationship that has withstood various transitions and challenges over time, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

    “India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges. We remain focused on the substantive agenda that both countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi. His remarks came in response to a question on India-US ties following Washington’s recent tariff announcement.

    Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods, along with an unspecified penalty over India’s purchases of Russian energy, effective from August 1.

    “India will be paying a tariff of 25 per cent,” Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.

    He also warned of an additional tariff penalty on India for its continued energy trade with Russia. Trump had earlier declared that all countries purchasing Russian energy would face secondary tariffs of up to 100 per cent if Moscow failed to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

    Initially, the threat to India was perceived by experts as a negotiating tactic aimed at expediting a trade agreement. Both Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had recently indicated optimism about reaching a deal with India, describing it as one of the first countries likely to finalize an agreement.

     

    –IANS

  • ENG vs IND, 5th Test: India collapse again to leave England in charge

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s lower order collapsed again on Friday as, after resuming at 204-6, they were skittled for 224 by England in less than half an hour at The Oval to leave their chances of finding the win they need to square the series hanging by a thread. 

    India’s tail has been their weak link all series but the middle order also failed to build on a decent end to Thursday’s play as pace bowler Josh Atkinson took five wickets on his return to action having not played a test since May.

    Josh Tongue continued with his all or nothing approach from last night, spraying a ball wildly beyond the wicketkeeper for four byes then getting Karun Nair lbw for 57 to get England moving.

    Washington Sundar, who showed such patience in his rearguard century to help save the fourth test, forgot that approach and tamely pulled straight to Jamie Overton to depart for 26 as the two remaining recognised batsmen went after adding a total of 11 runs off the bat between them on Friday.

    Atkinson then bowled Mohammed Siraj and had Prasidh Krishna caught behind, both for ducks, to finish with 5-33 from 21.4 overs in his first appearance of the series.

    Earlier the ECB said that all-rounder Chris Woakes will miss the remainder of the match after suffering a shoulder injury while fielding late on Thursday.

     

  • CBI secures deportation of fugitive Udit Khullar from UAE in Rs 4.5 crore bank fraud case

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In a major breakthrough in an ongoing financial fraud investigation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has secured the deportation of Udit Khullar, a fugitive wanted in connection with a ₹4.55 crore bank fraud case, from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    Khullar, who had been absconding and was geo-located in the UAE, was brought back to India on August 1, 2025, as a deportee via Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. His return was made possible through coordinated efforts between the CBI’s International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) and the National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abu Dhabi, under the framework of INTERPOL.

    The accused was wanted by the Delhi Police in a case registered at the Adazan Police Station, Special Cell, on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. According to the investigation, Khullar, in collusion with his associates, obtained fraudulent bank loans totaling ₹4.55 crore by submitting forged property documents to both nationalised and private banks. The properties used as collateral were found to be fictitious or not owned by the accused.

    CBI initiated the process of tracking Khullar after receiving input about his location abroad. Following his arrest in the UAE, the Bureau formally requested his deportation, which was granted by the UAE authorities.

    The CBI, acting as India’s National Central Bureau for INTERPOL, has intensified international cooperation through its platform BHARATPOL, facilitating the return of over 100 wanted criminals to India in recent years via INTERPOL channels.

     

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Around the Air Force: Emerald Warrior Department Level Exercise, Next-Gen Command and Control, New Cyber Office

    Source: United States Spaceforce

    In this week’s look around the Air Force, AFSOC hosts Emerald Warrior 25.2 as part of the DLE series, the TOC-Light capability gets an upgrade with the Major Release 2 prototype, and the DAF creates a new AF/A6 DCS office dedicated to warfighter comms. and cyber systems.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Chargé inaugurates new accommodation facility in Hamat

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    UK Chargé inaugurates new accommodation facility in Hamat

    The building, funded by the UK Ministry of Defence will support UK personnel to deliver a variety of training and support to Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) units.

    UK-Lebanon military cooperation

    Ahead of Lebanese Army Day on 1 August the UK Chargé D’Affaires Victoria Dunne, accompanied by Defence Attaché Lt Col Charles Smith, inaugurated a new military accommodation facility in Hamat on Thursday 31 July.

    The building, funded by the UK Ministry of Defence will support UK personnel to deliver a variety of training and support to various Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) units. This includes leadership development for junior officers and infantry skills courses, including for female LAF personnel.

    The UK continues to be a steadfast supporter of the LAF, the sole legitimate defender of Lebanon, supporting with training, kit and equipment.

    Chargé D’Affaires Victoria Dunne said:

    A huge congratulations to the LAF on their 80th anniversary whose bravery defending Lebanon internally and on the borders is admirable.

    I am thrilled to be in Hamat today to inaugurate this new accommodation facility.

    We are proud of our partnership with the LAF and ongoing support for the development of its capabilities, including through training.

    Defence Attaché Charles Smith said:

    Today is another milestone for UK-Lebanese defence cooperation.

    The provision of accommodation and facilities will assist UK personnel in delivering high-impact training to various LAF brigades and units, including to female officers and soldiers.

    It also demonstrates that the UK remains a proud and enduring partner to the LAF.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 August 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University in the top five in metallurgy according to URAP rating

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    SPbPU has strengthened its position in the international Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) rating, entering 9 subject areas. The greatest progress was achieved in physics and metallurgy: Polytechnic University improved its world indicators by 10 and 47 positions, respectively, entering the top 5 in metallurgy among Russian universities. The university also entered the top ten in Russia in materials science, moving up two notches.

    The Polytechnic University has the strongest school of metallurgy and materials science, which is confirmed by high results in national and international rankings. At our university, we preserve the traditions of the old scientific school, combining them with modern technologies and opportunities. Our scientists and students have access to advanced equipment, participate in joint projects with leading research groups and industrial partners. Polytechnic University graduates are in demand at the largest metallurgical enterprises of the country, making a significant contribution to the development of the industry and the technological leadership of the country. We are constantly updating educational programs, providing training for specialists that meet the most pressing needs of the industry, – comments the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy.

    The URAP ranking methodology is entirely based on academic productivity, which is based on the university’s publication activity. The evaluation indicators include the quality and quantity of publications, citation, and the effectiveness of international research cooperation.

    Research groups, teachers and students of SPbPU regularly publish the results of their work in leading scientific journals, because the assessment of academic excellence allows demonstrating the level of scientific and educational potential of the university. Despite the difficulties that Russian universities face in terms of publication activity, we at SPbPU try to support our employees in their desire to realize their scientific potential, and we also support scientists from other universities, providing the opportunity to publish in periodicals of our university, – noted Vice-Rector for Human Resources Policy Maria Vrublevskaya.

    Let us recall that the university’s position in the Ranking by Academic Performance rating is also taken into account for ranking universities in the ranking Global Aggregate Rating, according to the results of which Polytechnic University is among the top 3% of the best universities in the world.

    You can find out more about the rating results by link.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The results of the selection for the All-Russian project “Professional Team of the First” have been summed up

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Official website of the State –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On August 1, 2025, the results of the selection for the All-Russian project “Professional Team of the First” were announced, the correspondence stage of which is carried out by the State University of Management together with the Russian Movement of Children and Youth “Movement of the First”.

    The project is a comprehensive professional development program, in which about 3,000 curators of primary branches of the “First Movement” at universities and colleges, responsible for educational work and youth policy, students aged 16 to 25 years old, participate in the correspondence stage.

    The correspondence stage will be held in the format of an online course on the topic: “Management of the primary branch of the “First Movement” based on an educational organization.” As part of the course, project participants will undergo training with mandatory study of disciplines, midterm testing and complete project work. Successful completion of the correspondence course gives the right to participate in the competitive selection for full-time training – participation in forums that will be held in eight federal districts of the Russian Federation.

    Participants invited to the online course have already been sent letters with further instructions and access to the Digital Corpus of the State University of Management. You can view the list of those selected according to the instructions.

    We wish everyone fruitful learning!

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Japan and WFP provide emergency food assistance to families impacted by floods and droughts in Burundi

    Source: World Food Programme

    BUJUMBURA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a contribution of US$1 million from the Government of Japan to provide lifesaving food assistance to 18,000 people affected by floods and droughts in Burundi.

    A ceremony was held in Bujumbura today to mark the contribution. The ceremony was attended by Mr Pontien Hatungimana, Burundi’s Permanent Secretary to the Minister of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights, and Gender, H.E. Mr Isao Fukushima, Ambassador of Japan to Burundi and Jean-Noël Gentile, WFP’s Country Director in Burundi.

    “Frequent floods and droughts are shattering livelihoods and worsening food insecurity in Burundi, particularly within rural communities, where more than 85 percent of the population relies on subsistence farming for survival,” said Jean-Noël Gentile, WFP’s Country Director in Burundi. “This generous contribution from the Government of Japan is vital in supporting the daily food needs of vulnerable people as they rebuild their lives.” 

     
    From September 2023 to June 2024, heavy rain caused floods and landslides in Bujumbura and Burunga Provinces, affecting more than 300,000 people and displacing over 47,000. Meanwhile, drought conditions caused by below-average rainfall in Butanyerera Province resulted in crop and income losses for smallholder farmers.

    “I am pleased to proceed to today’s ceremony. This project aims at providing food assistance to the most vulnerable people in Burundi based on the philosophy of Human Security. I sincerely hope that with the expertise of WFP in Burundi, as many Burundians as possible could spend better lives in dignity,” said H.E. Mr Isao Fukushima, Ambassador of Japan to Burundi. “Japan has been a good partner of WFP in Burundi, and we have implemented eight joint projects since 2010.”

    The Government of Japan is a major contributor to WFP in Burundi, providing more than US$12 million in support since 2019.

    #                #            #

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) via @WFP_Africa
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Around the Air Force: Emerald Warrior Department Level Exercise, Next-Gen Command and Control, New Cyber Office

    Source: United States Air Force

    Headline: Around the Air Force: Emerald Warrior Department Level Exercise, Next-Gen Command and Control, New Cyber Office

    In this week’s look around the Air Force, AFSOC hosts Emerald Warrior 25.2 as part of the DLE series, the TOC-Light capability gets an upgrade with the Major Release 2 prototype, and the DAF creates a new AF/A6 DCS office dedicated to warfighter comms. and cyber systems.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by Palazzo Chigi on the EU Court of Justice’s decision regarding safe countries

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    The EU Court of Justice’s decision regarding safe countries of origin of illegal migrants is surprising. The judiciary, this time at European level, is once again encroaching on areas that are outside its purview, in the face of responsibilities that are political in nature.  The EU Court of Justice has decided to hand the decision over to any national judicial authority, not on individual cases, but on the part of migration policy related to the rules governing returns and expulsions of irregular migrants. 

    So, for example, with regard to the identification of so-called ‘safe countries’, it gives precedence to the decision by the national judicial authority, even if this is based on private sources rather than the results of complex investigations that have been carried out by the ministries involved and evaluated by the sovereign Parliament.

    This is a step that should concern everyone – including the political forces that are today rejoicing over the verdict – because it further reduces the already narrow margins of autonomy that governments and parliaments have to legislate on and manage migration. The court’s decision weakens policies to combat mass illegal immigration and defend national borders.

    It is peculiar that this is happening just a few months before the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum comes into force, which contains stricter rules, also with regard to the criteria for identifying such countries: this Pact is the result of joint work by the Commission, Parliament and Council of the European Union.

    For the ten months before the EU Pact takes effect, the Italian Government will not cease to seek every possible technical or regulatory solution to safeguard citizens’ security.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Technical mission to Ghana on the deployment of Système Interconnecté de Gestion des Marchandises en Transit (SIGMAT) between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    From the 21st to 25th of July 2025, the ECOWAS Commission conducted a technical mission to Ghana as part of transit reforms aimed at ensuring the efficient cross-border movement of goods in the region. To this end, an IT solution called SIGMAT – “Système interconnecté de gestion des marchandises en transit” (Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit) – was established to enable the electronic exchange of data between Member States.

    Since the launch of SIGMAT in 2019, the Member States that have implemented this tool have reported its significant impact on transit procedures and the benefits it has brought to the countries.

    It is in this context that ECOWAS Ministers from the Member States of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor (ALCO), meeting in Cotonou on the 5th of October 2023, requested the ECOWAS Commission to ensure the prompt deployment of SIGMAT in the five Member States of the corridor. This is to facilitate the smooth cross-border movement of goods along the corridor.

    Consequently, the ECOWAS Commission carried out a technical mission to Ghana from 21st to 25th July 2025 to assess and address the interconnection challenges between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in order to ensure seamless SIGMAT connectivity along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor. The mission brought together technical and functional experts from the Commission, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.

    During a meeting with the Commissioner of Customs of Ghana, the Director of Customs Union and Taxation, Mr. Salifou TIEMTORE, on behalf of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, reiterated the commitment of the ECOWAS Commission to support Member States in their efforts to ensure the deployment of SIGMAT on all trade corridors to facilitate the efficient movement of goods in the region.

    For his part, the Commissioner of Customs of Ghana, Brigadier General Glover ASHONG ANNAN, expressed the Ghana Revenue Authority’s gratitude to the ECOWAS Commission for this timely intervention aimed at securing transit trade in the ECOWAS region and reducing transit-related fraud that threatens the revenues and security of Member States.

    At the end of the mission, the technical and functional challenges hindering the proper functioning of transit between Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana were resolved.

    – on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Regional Workshop on the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Fiscal Expenditure Methodology for Francophone and Lusophone States

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    The ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the World Bank, has launched a four-day regional workshop from the 28th to the 31st of July,2025 in Dakar, Senegal focused on strengthening the capacity of francophone and lusophone Member States to evaluate and manage tax expenditures.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Representative of the Minister of Finance of Senegal, Mr. Issa Faye warmly welcomed delegates on behalf of the Government and people of Senegal. He emphasized the country’s commitment to greater fiscal transparency and effective public resource management. “Tax exemptions, if well-targeted, can be tools for growth and poverty reduction. However, their real impact must be rigorously measured” he noted. Senegal’s hosting of the event, he added, reflects its strong support for regional fiscal harmonization and cooperation.

    Mr. Rajiv Kumar, representing the World Bank, acknowledged the progress made by several ECOWAS Member States and encouraged greater transparency and systematic reporting. “World Bank is pleased to partner with ECOWAS to deliver this important workshop that aims to strengthen the capacity of member states to manage the fiscal and economic impact of tax expenditures,” he stated.

    In her opening remarks, H.E. Ambassador Zelma Yollande Nobre Fassinou, ECOWAS Resident Representative to Senegal, emphasized the importance of the workshop and expressed gratitude to the Government of Senegal for its continued support for regional integration efforts. She highlighted that “Tax expenditures,when not properly evaluated, can undermine domestic resource mobilization and limit the capacity of our governments to finance vital programs.” Ambassador Fassinou emphasized that the workshop is not only a platform for technical learning but also an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and enhance collective governance in line with the 2023 ECOWAS Directive on Tax Expenditures. She further noted the importance of timely submission of tax expenditure reports by Member States, in alignment with the provisions of the Directive, as an important step towards improved transparency and accountability in fiscal policy across the region.

    Ambassador Fassinou also highlighted the workshop’s aim to encourage open dialogue and peer exchange, noting that participants will present their national frameworks, challenges, and best practices. “This workshop provides an ideal platform to deepen our shared understanding, align our methodologies, and enhance regional cooperation in managing fiscal incentives” she said.

    The workshop features technical sessions, practical exercises, and country presentations aimed at improving governance, transparency and alignment of tax incentives with national development strategies. Participants include officials from finance ministries, tax administrations and regional and international partners.

    This workshop reinforces ECOWAS’ commitment to strengthening national capacities and aligning fiscal practices with regional integration objectives.

    – on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: On brink of famine, Gazans forced to scour dirt for food

    Source: United Nations 2

    Without fuel, many basic facilities cannot function, from water treatment plants to medical infrastructure.

    Meanwhile, Gazans now on the brink of famine have been reduced to taking desperate measures in their search for food, scouring the roads taken by aid convoys, UN aid worker Olga Cherevko told UN News.

    “While we were driving, I saw an elderly man on the side of the road completely alone, kneeling down, and he was picking up handfuls of lentils that had spilled on the ground from one of the previous convoys that had been passing,” she said.

    “He was picking them up with his hands and just putting them into his t-shirt as this is obviously the only option he has right now to find food because this is how desperate the situation has become.”

    Desperate actions

    The latest reports from Gaza indicate that mothers who are unable to breastfeed because they are not eating enough now feed their babies ground chickpeas, bread and rice, which are not suitable for infants.

    In a social media post, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stressed that “this is a condition that we can prevent,” calling for increased humanitarian access. 

    Separately, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) emphasised that “the health needs in Gaza are immense. A continuous flow of medical supplies is critical.”

    Meanwhile, health workers on Wednesday reported that at least 50 Gazans were killed and 400 others injured while waiting for food near Zikim crossing in the north.

    Ms. Cherevko, who works with the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, explained that her mission to Kerem Shalom on Thursday morning had been delayed at a “holding point” for two hours before being allowed to proceed to the crossing point separating Gaza from Israel.

    ‘Tactical pauses’ are not enough

    Although the fuel supplies are welcome, they are far from enough, she insisted.

    “We need hundreds of thousands of litres of fuel to be entering every day so that we can power even the most basic of our facilities to power, water, sanitation, healthcare, emergency telecommunications and other critical facilities effectively,” she said.

    The announcement of daytime military pauses by Israel last weekend appears to have slightly reduced the amount of time aid convoys now wait for permission to proceed, the OCHA worker noted.

    There has also been a “slight reduction” in security incidents involving Gazans taking food from UN trucks, she said.

    In its latest update on the emergency, OCHA said that four days since the start of tactical pauses declared by Israel, “we are still seeing casualties among those seeking aid and more deaths due to hunger and malnutrition…Unilateral tactical pauses alone do not allow for the continuous flow of supplies required to meet immense needs levels in Gaza.”  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New NIST Reference Material to Strengthen Quality Control for Biological Drugs

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Protein-based biotherapeutics are drugs made with genetically engineered proteins. These large protein molecules can stick together during the drug manufacturing process to form particles. A team of NIST researchers, including Srivalli Telikepalli (shown here), developed a standard reference material that will help biopharmaceutical companies better detect these particles in their drug products.

    Credit: A. Boss/NIST

    A rapidly growing category of drugs called protein-based biotherapeutics can be used to treat cancers and genetic and autoimmune disorders. These drugs, which usually take the form of large protein molecules, are manufactured by growing living cells that are genetically engineered to produce the proteins. These large protein molecules, however, can stick together during the manufacturing process to form particles that can cause an unwanted immune response in patients. 

    To manage these particles, biopharmaceutical companies need to be able to measure and monitor them. A new standard reference material (SRM) from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will help them do that. The new material, SRM 1989: Monodisperse Irregularly Shaped Epoxy-Based Particles, consists of three vials containing particles of different sizes: 220 micrometers, 150 micrometers and 100 micrometers. (For comparison, a sheet of regular printer paper is roughly 100 micrometers thick.)  

    “This material will be the first publicly available visible particle standard for protein-based particles in biotherapeutic drugs,” said NIST research chemist Srivalli Telikepalli. “This will help drug manufacturers monitor particles in their products so that they can ensure that those products are safe and effective.”

    The new material, called SRM 1989: Monodisperse Irregularly Shaped Epoxy-Based Particles, consists of three vials containing particles of different sizes: 220 micrometers, 150 micrometers and 100 micrometers.

    Credit: R. Wilson/NIST

    Protein-based particles, which are small but sometimes visible to the naked eye, form because proteins can be unstable. Any stress, like a temperature change or sudden shaking of a drug vial, can cause proteins to clump together into particles. This can happen when the drug products are being purified, packaged, shipped or stored for long periods of time. 

    At biopharmaceutical manufacturing plants, trained analysts visually inspect each vial of drug product. If the vial contains visible particles, it is removed from the batch. If a certain number of vials fail, the entire batch will be discarded. Each failed batch can cost the manufacturer millions of dollars. 

    “Without a particle size standard for reference, errors can occur, as different analysts may perceive particles differently. Because of this, the inspection process can be subjective,” said Telikepalli. “Our new reference material will help make the particulate inspection process more uniform.” The SRM can be included in training kits to mimic protein particles and help train analysts to accurately identify these particles in each drug product.

    Inspections can also be automated using laboratory instruments. Instrument manufacturers can use the NIST SRM to ensure that their instruments are working properly and to improve their accuracy over time. Analysts can also use the SRM to validate their automated inspection process that uses these laboratory instruments to make sure the process is accurate.

    For both manual and automated inspections, a more accurate and uniform inspection process can help ensure that drug batches are not discarded unnecessarily.   

    To make the particles, NIST researchers shined ultraviolet (UV) light onto a silicon wafer coated with an epoxy-like substance that hardens when exposed to UV light. This created a pattern of particles on the wafer. The same technique, called photolithography, is used when creating microscopic electronic circuits on computer chips. The particles were then removed from the wafer and put into a liquid mixture, or solution. This was done at NIST’s Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, an important center for semiconductor manufacturing research.

    The standard reference material was made at NIST’s Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology. The process for making the particles, called photolithography, is an innovative technique usually used to create microscopic electronic circuits on computer chips.

    Credit: A. Boss/NIST

    The particles resemble protein particles — irregular in shape and transparent. And crucially, they are all essentially the same size. “Because of our measurement capabilities, we are able to reliably verify the size of these particles with very high precision,” said NIST electronical engineer Michael Carrier. 

    Using a semiconductor manufacturing technique to simulate protein-based particles is an innovation that might only have happened at a place like NIST.

    “NIST has experts in both biopharmaceutical and semiconductor manufacturing,” said Mike Tarlov, chief of NIST’s Biomolecular Measurements Division. “This allows us to bring together measurement expertise from across very different domains to solve real-world problems.”

    NIST has produced over a thousand SRMs that support public health and safety and promote U.S. industry. These SRMs help ensure accurate measurements in industries ranging from health and medicine (human urine) to building construction (Charpy Impact Test materials) to semiconductor manufacturing (semiconductor thin film) and many more. 

    NIST also produces several other SRMs for the biopharmaceutical industry, including a monoclonal antibody protein called the NISTmAb and the NISTCHO — a living cell that expresses a version of the NISTmAb protein. All these SRMs support an industry that’s projected to grow from an estimated $666 billion in 2025 to $1,184 billion by 2032.

    SRM 1989: Monodisperse Irregularly Shaped Epoxy-Based Particles is now available for purchase from the NIST Store. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Ex-big tech cyber leaders launch Dawnguard from stealth with $3M to rewrite DNA of cybersecurity

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Amsterdam, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dawnguard, a cybersecurity startup on a mission to make the digital world safer through intelligent, design-first security, has emerged from stealth with $3 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by 9900 Capital and a group of angel investors, from scale-up founders to experienced CIOs and CISOs. The funds will be used to expand Dawnguard’s engineering team, deepen enterprise integrations, and bring its platform to broader production use.

    Dawnguard is introducing a new cybersecurity category. Rather than bolting on security in production, Dawnguard embeds it at the core of system architecture — ensuring secure, compliant, and scalable designs from the earliest phases of development.

    Dawnguard founders: CTO Kim van Lavieren and CEO Mahdi Abdulrazak.

    “Our industry treats security as a checkbox. It’s broken,” said Mahdi Abdulrazak, CEO of Dawnguard. “We built Dawnguard because security needs to be part of the system’s DNA from the start, not an afterthought. This is about aligning intent with reality, and giving teams the tools to enforce that alignment at the earliest stage and long after deployment.”

    Dawnguard’s holistic approach sets it apart. Rather than just scanning deployments or automating reviews, it provides a shared canvas for engineering and security teams to collaborate on secure, compliant architecture that also balances cost, resilience, and sustainability.

    Dawnguard was born out of a broken model – where security was reactive, slow, and dangerously disconnected from the pace of modern development. The founding team, led by CEO Mahdi Abdulrazak and CTO Kim van Lavieren, is composed of industry veterans from military and big tech companies like IBM, Microsoft and Amazon, with decades of experience running large-scale security programs and with unique experience at the intersection of security, AI, and cloud. 

    Dawnguard is set to flip shift-left and security-by-design on its head. Instead of treating security as an afterthought, Dawnguard embeds it directly into a system’s architecture, from day zero to day 10,000. The company is building various AI/ML-driven engines that integrate across the entire IT landscape to spot issues in the design phase, adapt to evolving environments, and make security native.

    “Dawnguard closes the gap between design and reality,” said Kim van Lavieren. “We’re giving teams the power to translate security intent into enforceable code so they don’t have to rely on spreadsheets, static docs, or guesswork.”

    The platform is designed for security architects, DevOps engineers, and cloud teams. At its core, Dawnguard is a security architecture automation platform purpose-built for cloud-native environments. It helps teams validate cloud infrastructure designs before deployment, automatically generate production-ready Infrastructure as Code (IaC) from validated designs, and continuously enforce security posture after deployment to eliminate drift.

    “Dawnguard isn’t just building tech — they’re rewriting the DNA of cybersecurity. In a world addicted to patching symptoms, they’ve chosen to re-engineer the root. That’s not just bold — it’s necessary,” said Dimitri van Zantvliet, Dutch Railways CISO & Chair Dutch CISO Community, and a Dawnguard investor and advisor.

    “Hundreds of security tools overwhelm CISOs with promises of better detection, yet few tackle the root issue: design flaws in code that AI-driven threats exploit. As attacks grow smarter, defenses must shift left—embedding resilience at the codebase. We are excited to back Dawnguard, who build protection by design, not patch by necessity,” said Chris Corbishley, Managing Partner 9900 Capital.

    Looking ahead, Dawnguard aims to reshape how the industry embeds security in the AI era. The company plans to expand its platform to support more dynamic environments, close the security gap between “vibe coding” and the infrastructure where GenAI coded applications run, and deliver a new operating model for building trust at scale.

    “With software moving faster than ever, security can’t be stuck in the past,” Abdulrazak said. “We’re creating the platform that makes secure architecture not just possible, but inevitable.”

    Media images can be found here. 

    About Dawnguard
    Dawnguard’s mission is to redefine cybersecurity with a platform that enables true shift-left security, from day zero to day 10,000. For more information please visit https://dawnguard.ai/

    About 9900 Capital
    9900 Capital is a global investment firm backing category-defining software companies that address the world’s most pressing challenges—from building resilient supply chains to more secure cyber infrastructure. Founded in 2023 by Chris Corbishley (formerly of Hedosophia) and Rory Mounsey-Heysham (formerly of the Bill Gates Foundation), the firm is driven by a philosophy of Benevolent Disruption, which takes a data-driven approach to uncovering extraordinary commercial opportunities that deliver meaningful, systemic change.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Taglich Brothers Initiates Coverage of Banzai International, Inc.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Taglich Brothers, Inc. announces that it has initiated coverage of Banzai International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BNZI).

    Banzai International, Inc., headquartered in Bainbridge Island, WA, is a software-as-a-service marketing technology (MarTech) company that provides data and AI-driven marketing and sales solutions for businesses of all sizes. The company’s long-term vision is to assist its clients accomplish their mission by enabling enhanced marketing, sales, and customer engagement outcomes through increasingly sophisticated AI-driven analytics and data-driven applications. BNZI is in the process of consolidating mission-critical, sub-scale AI-driven MarTech platform offerings within areas of customer acquisition, customer engagement, and data analytics for campaign optimization, which should drive increased annualized recurring revenue sales through cross-selling opportunities of a larger suite of technology platform offerings.

    The complete 19-page report is available at https://www.taglichbrothers.com/

    Taglich Brothers, Inc. is a full-service broker dealer focused exclusively on microcap companies. The Company defines the microcap segment of the equity market as companies with less than $250 million in market capitalization. Taglich Brothers currently offers institutional and retail brokerage services, investment banking and comprehensive research coverage to the investment community.

    We do not undertake to advise you as to changes in figures or our views. This is not a solicitation of any order to buy or sell. Taglich Brothers, Inc. is fully disclosed with its clearing firm, Axos Clearing, LLC, is not a market maker and does not sell to or buy from customers on a principal basis. The above statement is the opinion of Taglich Brothers, Inc. and is not a guarantee that the target price for the stock will be met or that predicted business results for the company will occur. There may be instances when fundamental, technical and quantitative opinions contained in this report are not in concert. We, our affiliates, any officer, director or stockholder or any member of their families may from time to time purchase or sell any of the above-mentioned or related securities. Analysts and members of the Research Department are prohibited from buying or selling securities issued by the companies that Taglich Brothers, Inc. has a research relationship with, except if ownership of such securities was prior to the start of such relationship, then an Analyst or member of the Research Department may sell such securities after obtaining expressed written permission from Compliance. As of the date of this report, we, our affiliates, any officer, director or stockholder, or any member of their families do not have a position in the stock of the company mentioned in this report. Taglich Brothers, Inc. does not currently have an Investment Banking relationship with the company mentioned in this report and was not a manager or co-manager of any offering for the company within the last three years.

    All research issued by Taglich Brothers, Inc. is based on public information. In July 2025, the company paid Taglich Brothers a monetary fee of $9,000 (USD) representing payment for the creation and dissemination of research reports for three months. Three-months after publication of the initial report (November 2025), the company will begin paying Taglich Brothers a monthly monetary fee of $3,000 (USD) for the creation and dissemination of research reports for a minimum of twelve months after the date the initiation report is first published.

    Contact:
    Rick Oh
    Taglich Brothers, Inc.
    631-757-1500

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Flexera Launches New Unified SaaS Management Solution to Improve Visibility for Shadow AI and Rein in Growing Costs for SaaS Applications

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ITASCA, Ill., July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Flexera, the global leader in technology spend and risk intelligence, today announces the launch of Flexera One SaaS Management, delivering the industry’s most comprehensive approach to SaaS discovery, optimization and control. The next generation solution combines the strengths of both Flexera and Snow SaaS management applications, enabling organizations to effectively gain complete visibility over SaaS applications and AI tools, save costs and mitigate risks.

    Organizations are increasingly navigating complex SaaS environments, often relying solely on financial discovery methods to manage their assets. However, this singular approach is insufficient for gaining a mature and complete view of their ecosystem. The latest challenge in SaaS is the rise in shadow AI, where many free AI applications go undetected and undiscovered. The Flexera 2025 State of ITAM Report shows that only 43% of respondents reported complete visibility across IT assets, down from 47% last year. This lack of a comprehensive view of a company’s ecosystem hinders cost optimization and increases the risk of shadow IT, SaaS sprawl and compliance violations, making a more complete discovery solution essential for holistic SaaS management.

    “The rapid adoption of AI is reshaping the SaaS landscape, introducing new challenges like shadow AI,” said Brian Shannon, chief technology officer at Flexera. “Enterprises are struggling with SaaS sprawl, the demands for stricter oversight and governance in the age of AI. Our unified Flexera One SaaS Management solution addresses these shifting challenges, especially as businesses integrate AI more strategically. With this launch, we’re redefining advanced SaaS optimization and reinforcing our leadership in the SaaS management market.”  

    Improve visibility and control over SaaS landscape

    Today, organizations require a complete and unified view of their SaaS ecosystem. Flexera One SaaS Management consolidates data on SaaS and AI application usage and spend into a single, integrated platform. With Flexera’s market-leading visibility, organizations can reduce unnecessary spending, rationalize overlapping tools, and monitor usage trends in real time.

    New or enhanced features include:

    • The most complete discovery engine in market that utilizes a comprehensive range of discovery methods, including Browser and Financial Discovery, Agent, API, Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Single-Sign On (SSO), the solution ensures that all SaaS (including sanctioned and unsanctioned) and employee use of AI is broadly covered.
    • Enhanced control over critical SaaS applications through robust enterprise-ready API integrations with key SaaS providers like Microsoft 365, Salesforce and ServiceNow, for a comprehensive analysis of license details, offering insights into previously unknown costs.
    • Advanced insights that integrate usage intelligence, financial data and automated remediation to offer insights on underutilized licenses or features and downgrades app tiers based on actual usage.
    • Enhanced security and governance that enables IT to enforce security policies, manage user access and maintain better control over an IT environment.

    “Before Flexera, our SaaS management was fragmented and manual, making even routine tasks like audit preparation and license reconciliation extremely time-consuming and resource-intensive,” stated Clare Tonkin, Head of Software License Management at Thames Water. “Flexera has transformed our approach, providing near real-time visibility and a unified data model. This has eliminated blind spots, accelerated risk mitigation, and replaced guesswork with confidence, allowing us to move from reactive to proactive governance.”

    Flexera’s continuous innovation in SaaS management will provide customers with essential technology to stay ahead of the evolving application landscape and increasingly decentralized software adoption. The creation of a unified platform further showcases Flexera’s commitment to continuous investment in the Snow portfolio, underscoring a dedication to enhancing support and providing comprehensive solutions for customers.

    Flexera One SaaS Management is available today. For more information, visit https://www.flexera.com/products/flexera-one/saas-management

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    About Flexera

    Flexera helps organizations understand and maximize the value of their technology, saving billions of dollars in wasted spend. Powered by the Flexera Technology Intelligence Platform, our award-winning IT asset management, FinOps and SaaS management solutions provide comprehensive visibility and actionable insights on an organization’s entire IT ecosystem. This intelligence enables IT, finance, procurement, FinOps and cloud teams to address skyrocketing costs, optimize spend, mitigate risk and identify opportunities to create positive business outcomes. More than 50,000 global organizations rely on Flexera and its Technopedia reference library, the largest repository of technology asset data. Learn more at flexera.com.

    For more information, contact:
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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Vote on Bipartisan CANADA Act Ahead of Trump’s  August 1 Tariff Deadline 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    CANADA Act would exempt U.S.-owned small businesses from tariffs imposed on Canada 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, this week pushed for a vote on his bipartisan Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments (CANADA) Act, legislation to exempt United States-owned small businesses from tariffs imposed on Canada. Senate Republicans blocked the unanimous consent request and refused to support small businesses in their states.  
    Senator Welch took to the Senate Floor to slam the Trump Administration’s plan to increase tariffs and enact new sweeping global tariffs on August 1. Senator Welch also spoke in support of his bipartisan bill, the CANADA Act: 
    “This trade war is yet another example of the Trump Administration’s chaos, cruelty, and corruption: Chaos for Vermont’s small businesses, farmers, and manufacturers who don’t know what to expect day-to-day; Cruelty for America’s working families, who will pay more because of this reckless trade policy; and Corruption by President Trump himself, who has created an access economy focused on self-dealing,” said Senator Welch in his remarks. “I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the CANADA Act, and in-turn support small businesses in their state.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    The CANADA Act is led by Senator Welch and cosponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The CANADA Act is supported by Main Street Alliance and Small Business Majority. 
    In 2024 alone, trade with Canada accounted for 35% of Vermont’s exports, 67% of its imports, and 56% of its total trade. One in four businesses in Vermont relies on trade with Canada. Vermont buys more goods from Canada than the next nine largest foreign markets combined. In 2023, Vermont exported $150 million just in food and agricultural products to Canada.  
    Vermont boasts nearly 82,000 small businesses, which represent 99% of all businesses in the state, and employ over 62% of Vermont’s overall workforce—higher than the national average. Small businesses in Vermont also employ a diverse workforce, with 43.8% of small businesses in the state owned by women and 6% owned by veterans. 
    Senator Welch has blasted Trump’s tariffs and trade war and shared stories from constituents about how President Trump’s economic policies have impacted their businesses, farms, and communities. Senator Welch is a cosponsor of a bipartisan resolution to repeal the tariffs on Canada, a bipartisan bill to restore congressional tariff authority, a bill to restrict the Executive Branch’s authority to impose tariffs through the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, and a bill to exempt small businesses from the April 2nd global tariff Executive Order. Senator Welch also led a bipartisan resolution to end President Trump’s ruinous global tariffs.      
    In May, Senator Welch joined a bipartisan delegation and traveled to Ottawa to meet with Canadian dignitaries, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, to discuss bipartisan support for a U.S.-Canada partnership and their commitment to a strong trading relationship between the United States and Canada. The Senator has hosted roundtables in Stowe, Newport, St. Albans, Manchester, and virtually to hear concerns and first-hand stories from Vermont and Canadian leaders impacted by the trade war. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: More online travel agencies commit to refund cancelled flights within 14 days

    Source: European Union 2

    Expedia and Lastminute.com are the latest online travel agencies to commit to refund tickets within 14 days for a cancelled flight. They join three other online travel agencies which committed to the same, following talks with the European Commission and Consumer Protection Cooperation network.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: From ‘God Emperor Trump’ to ‘St. Luigi,’ memes power the politics of feeling

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Stuart J. Murray, Professor of Rhetoric and Ethics | Professeur titulaire en rhétorique et éthique, Carleton University

    Why do images of Donald Trump as a galactic emperor or Luigi Mangione as a Catholic saint resonate so deeply with some people? Memes don’t just entertain — they shape how we identify with power, grievance and justice in the digital age.

    A meme is a decontextualized video or image — often captioned — that circulates an idea, behaviour or style, primarily through social media. As they spread, memes are adapted, remixed and transformed, helping to solidify the communities around them.

    Trump, the meme pope

    Days after Pope Francis’s death in April 2025, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself in papal regalia on Truth Social. The White House’s official X account then shared it, amplifying its reach.

    Trump quickly dismissed it as a joke, but the image lingered.

    Two days later, another emerged: Trump as galactic emperor, blending Star Wars aesthetics with the visual rhetoric of Warhammer 40,000, a popular dystopian sci-fi franchise featuring authoritarian rulers, imperial armies and endless war.

    Trump memes like these once circulated semi-ironically in social media subcultures like Reddit and 4chan under the banner “God Emperor Trump.”

    But what might previously have seemed like absurdist cosplay now carries the symbolic weight of executive power, blending religious and imperial imagery to project Trump as a mythical figure, not just a politician.

    In-jokes

    As I’ve argued in an article on MAGA and empathy, these memes draw on cultural codes not to parody power but to usurp it as instruments of official political communication.

    Fact-checking can’t stop them. We know they are factually untrue, but they feel true and consolidate a shared sentiment among Trump’s base.

    The meme is not a joke — it’s an in-joke only the in-group understands.

    And that’s the point.

    A meme is an accelerant, delivering compressed emotional payloads, short-circuiting debate and reinforcing people’s political identifications. Propelled by algorithms and designed to go viral, memes solicit immediate responses — outrage, loyalty, disgust, amusement.

    Memes don’t ask what’s true or what’s just.

    Instead, they curate — and encode — emotional alignment, replacing liberalism’s democratic ideal of reasoned public discourse with viral attachment: grievance recoded as identity.

    Elon Musk and weaponizing empathy

    On Feb. 20, 2025, days after Trump appointed Elon Musk to head his new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Tesla founder appeared at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering of conservative activists and officials from across the U.S.

    At the conference, Musk brandished a chainsaw, declaring: “I have become the meme!.” An image of him holding the chainsaw later actually became a meme.

    The image projects libertarian efficiency and masculine bravado, but it more than just mocks bureaucracy — it glorifies cutting ties to domestic, global and humanitarian responsibilities.

    Far from being merely a meme, it advances a policy of neglect that intentionally lets others die.

    Experts estimate that DOGE’s purge of USAID could result in 14 million preventable deaths over the next five years, disproportionately affecting marginalized populations whose historical exploitation helped generate the wealth now wielded as power.

    Individuals vs. the collective

    But we are not meant to feel empathy. In early 2025, Musk called empathy “the fundamental weakness of western civilization,” claiming it is “weaponized by the left.”

    Yet Musk doesn’t reject empathy entirely — only empathy for individuals, which he said risks “civilizational suicide.”



    Read more:
    MAGA’s ‘war on empathy’ might not be original, but it is dangerous

    Instead, Musk believes we must have empathy for “civilization as a whole.” Such rhetoric — sacrificing individuals for the collective — recalls a chilling Nazi-era slogan: Du bist nichts, dein Volk ist alles (“You are nothing, your people are everything”). Musk has also drawn criticism for making public Nazi salutes and ethno-nationalist statements advocating for white people.



    Read more:
    How Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok could be helping bring about an era of techno-fascism

    Mangione, the meme martyr

    If Trump and Musk memes stage fantasies of absolute power, Mangione memes reply with fantasies of redemptive rupture.

    Accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Mangione has been lionized in memes that champion vulnerability and social justice, opposing the billionaire class — figures like Trump and Musk — who put profits over people.

    These memes appear to oppose the MAGA meme machine, encoding class struggle as quiet defiance and anti-authoritarianism. Unlike Musk’s chainsaw-wielding bravado, which seems to mask a fragile ego, Mangione memes project a humble, rebellious heartthrob.

    Yet, like Trump and Musk, Mangione has become a brand. His face adorns T-shirts and “St. Luigi” prayer candles, capitalizing on the popular meme that emerged soon after his arrest. This commodification mirrors right-wing meme economies, even if the message differs.

    Emotional saturation

    Mangione memes have helped raise over $1.2 million for his legal defence.

    They don’t just reflect feeling — they organize it, channelling it into cultural, political and literal currency, including a Luigi crypto coin ($LUIGI) and a musical.

    These memes share MAGA meme tactics: relentless repetition and emotional saturation. Instead of encouraging thoughtful debate, they rally communities around shared grievances, acts of defiance and collective faith.

    Feeling our way through the feed

    From MAGA to Mangione, meme-mythologies often function as rationalizations of violence — whether framed as righteous, purifying or revolutionary. But what unites Trump’s papal cosplay, Musk’s chainsaw and Mangione’s martyrdom isn’t their message but their form.

    Whether cloaked in MAGA nostalgia or social justice sentiments, memes that appear to resist power often reproduce the structures that made that power so intoxicating in the first place.

    We’ve seen how official White House and Department of Homeland Security social media memes have become increasingly cruel, sinister, polarizing and even radicalizing.



    Read more:
    ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ showcases Donald Trump’s penchant for visual cruelty

    Meanwhile, some liberals on the left continue to promote what is known as the “marketplace of ideas” — the belief that truth will prevail if all ideas are allowed to circulate freely. But reason doesn’t always triumph over power. And memes aren’t just ideas: they’re technologies that bypass deliberation to shape our feelings, identities and ways of communicating.

    Consumed by media

    We no longer “consume” media: we’re a function of the algorithms and AI powering today’s platforms. Like memes, AI tools like large language models can churn out plausible content that is nonetheless hateful, divisive and patently untrue.

    Musk’s “I have become the meme” therefore reveals a paradox: he claims to master the meme, but no one can control its circulation or uptake. Trump and Mangione, too, are less individuals than avatars — produced by a digital culture that pre-shapes our perceptions of them.

    The violence, however, is very real. If one violent act doesn’t justify counter-violence, it nonetheless structures and occasions it. Each side claims it is just.

    Memes don’t ask: can we intentionally let others die and still be just? Answering this question is nearly impossible in a meme world. The answer will be a meme. And it will be a joke.

    Stuart J. Murray receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. From ‘God Emperor Trump’ to ‘St. Luigi,’ memes power the politics of feeling – https://theconversation.com/from-god-emperor-trump-to-st-luigi-memes-power-the-politics-of-feeling-260388

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Flawed notions of objectivity are hampering Canadian newsrooms when it comes to Gaza

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Gabriela Perdomo, Assistant Professor, Mount Royal University

    The response of Canada’s legacy news media to the Israeli government’s military action in Gaza for more than 640 days points to a problem within major Canadian news organizations, according to a new Canadian book, When Genocide Wasn’t News.

    In the book, journalists — some writing under pseudonyms — say their newsrooms have been severely hampered by a culture of fear and an adherence to a notion of objectivity that no longer serves the public.

    Israel’s relentless military actions in the Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack and taking of 251 hostages by Hamas should be prominently featured news. The Israeli Defence Forces’ illegal attacks on children, hospitals and aid workers should also be making constant headlines. But news coverage on these attacks is scarce or misleading.

    I research and teach media, monitor the news and edit an online publication about journalism in Canada. My PhD thesis focused on Latin America and examined how the mandate to be objective can be confusing in times of war. I also explored questions about how journalists understand and apply objectivity in different contexts.

    I found journalists who support peace efforts can easily be accused of being “biased” in favour of those promoting peace.

    Not all wars covered equally

    Not all wars are covered the same. Noureddine Miladi, a media and communications professor at Qatar University, found Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 received far greater coverage in mainstream media than the war in Gaza. Part of this difference in coverage lies in the ability to send reporters to cover events first hand, which is impossible in the Gaza Strip, where outside journalists are banned from entry.



    Read more:
    The chilling effects of trying to report on the Israel-Gaza war

    Another major factor affecting coverage is how newsrooms understand and apply their norms, including objectivity. Journalism production is influenced and impacted by the dynamics of place and power that surround it.

    As Carleton University journalism professor Duncan McCue argues, an unexamined adherence to objectivity can perpetuate colonial points of view. University of British Columbia journalism professors Candis Callison and Mary Lynn Young, authors of a book about journalism’s racial reckoning in Canada, also make this argument.

    Accusations of antisemitism

    Accusations of bias can have an outsized impact on reporting and be used to silence journalists.

    According to some journalists, there is an atmosphere of fear when it comes to reporting on the Middle East in mainstream newsrooms in Canada. Some have self-censored in response to threats.

    Not only do journalists say they are facing threats, they also face a context in which governments, such as the province of Ontario, are adhering to definitions of antisemitism that equate it to criticism of Israel.

    In Canada, news organizations and individual journalists attempting to report on the violence in the Gaza Strip are being accused of antisemitism by groups such as Honest Reporting, according to the Canadian Press Freedom Project. This means almost anyone reporting on the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza will receive hundreds of messages claiming the report is antisemitic.

    Since many scholars and the United Nations Special Committee to investigate Israeli practices have called the Israeli government’s methods “consistent with genocide, including use of starvation as weapon of war,” urgent reporting is needed — and it’s not antisemitism to call out what experts have labelled global injustices.

    Left-wing bias?

    The culmination of decades of this type of criticism of news media has included a right-wing narrative that accuses media of a liberal bias. The trope of the liberal media as a threat has had a steady hold of the public imagination across North America since the Cold War.

    Reporters who focused on stories about human rights, questioned the tactics and budgets of the military industrial complex or challenged the mistreatment of socialist activists as being unpatriotic were accused of having a liberal, left-wing, even communist, slant.

    This isn’t a phemomenon limited to North America. Latin American politicians have a long history of using “left-wing bias” labels as a powerful tool to intimidate journalists.



    Read more:
    How news coverage influences countries’ emergency aid budgets – new research

    What do journalists owe peace?

    Research shows that audiences value objective journalism, or reporting that they deem non-partisan and keeps opinions at bay. But consumers also increasingly value journalism that is empathetic and emotionally resonant.

    After United States President Donald Trump was first elected in 2016, journalism scholars recognized that a major failure of news coverage during the presidential campaign was not calling things what they were. For example, journalists used euphemisms such as “he misspoke” instead of reporting that Trump was lying, contributing to a crisis of relevance in journalism.

    According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Israel-Gaza war has killed more journalistsr than in any other conflict it’s documented. But the allegedly deliberate targeting of journalists in Gaza, of whom at least 225 have been killed, has garnered little attention in newsrooms, despite calls by dozens of independent journalists to make the issue more visible.

    This is another unprecedented set of events that should be reported on for Canadian audiences.

    How will Canadian newsrooms do better? One idea could be that newsrooms join forces to fend off accusations of bias and antisemitism. They could start with reclaiming objectivity as a practice of information-gathering and moving away from objectivity as an ideal of dispassionate reporting.

    They could also embrace, instead of fear, journalism’s liberal roots and reclaim journalism from a standpoint of clarity where actions against the rule of law, abuses of power, war profiteering, crimes against humanity — any illiberal acts — clearly fall on the wrong side of the liberal-democratic balance and therefore demand to be denounced. As veteran CBC journalist Carol Off has said, we need to denounce illiberal acts as anti-democratic ideology.

    Every inhabitant of Gaza remains in imminent peril today, and the media have a responsibility to inform us about it.

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

    – ref. Flawed notions of objectivity are hampering Canadian newsrooms when it comes to Gaza – https://theconversation.com/flawed-notions-of-objectivity-are-hampering-canadian-newsrooms-when-it-comes-to-gaza-260552

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why Donald Trump has stopped some conflicts but is failing with Ukraine and Gaza

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    In yet another twist in his unpredictable decision making, US president Donald Trump has dramatically shortened his original 50-day ultimatum to Vladimir Putin to call a ceasefire in Ukraine to a mere ten days. It’s an unmistakable sign of Trump’s frustration with the Russian leader who he now appears to view as the main obstacle to ending the war.

    Progress has been similarly limited on another of Trump’s flagship foreign policy projects: ending the war in Gaza. As a humanitarian catastrophe engulfs the territory, Trump and some of his Maga base are finally challenging Israel’s denials that, after almost two years of war, many Gazans now face a real risk of starvation.

    In neither case have his efforts to mediate and bring an end to the violence borne any fruit. But not all of Trump’s efforts to stop violence in conflicts elsewhere in the world have been similarly futile. The administration brokered a ceasefire between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which the two countries’ foreign ministers signed in Washington on June 27.

    The US president has also claimed to be behind the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May after the two sides had engaged in several days of fierce combat following a terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir by a Pakistan-backed rebel group. And, drawing a clear parallel between this conflict and the border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand in July, Trump announced he had pushed both countries’ leaders to negotiate a ceasefire.

    All of these ceasefires, so far, have held. By contrast, the ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, to which Trump contributed in January, even before he was inaugurated for his second term, broke down in March and fighting has escalated ever since. A short-lived ceasefire in Ukraine in April was barely worth its name given the countless violations.

    Mixed record

    Three factors can explain Trump’s mixed record of peacemaking to date. First, the US president is more likely to succeed in stopping the fighting where he has leverage and is willing to use it to force foreign leaders to bend to his will. For example, Trump was very clear that there would be no trade negotiations with Thailand or Cambodia “until such time as the fighting STOPS”.

    The crucial difference, so far, with the situation in the war against Ukraine is that Trump has, and has used, similar leverage only with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. This led to a US-Ukraine agreement on a 30-day ceasefire proposal just two weeks after the now-notorious row between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office.

    The mere threat of sanctions against Russia, by contrast, has done little to persuade Putin to accept whatever deal might Trump offer him. Trump’s threats – which he has never followed through on – did not work in January or May. The Kremlin’s initial reactions to the latest ultimatum from the White House do not indicate a change in Putin’s attitude.

    A second factor that may explain why Trump has had peacemaking success in some cases but not others is the level of complexity of US interests involved. When it comes to US relations with Russia and Israel, there is a lot more at stake for Trump.

    The US president still appears keen to strike a grand bargain with Russia and China under which Washington, Beijing and Moscow would agree to recognise, and not interfere in, their respective spheres of influence. This could explains his hesitation so far to follow through on his threats to Putin.

    Similarly, US interests in the Middle East – whether it’s over Iran’s nuclear programme or relations with America’s Gulf allies – have put strains on the alliance with Israel. Trump also needs to weigh carefully the impact of any move against, or in support of, Israel on his domestic support base.

    In the deal Trump brokered between Rwanda and the DRC, the issues at stake were much simpler: access for US investors to the mineral riches of the eastern DRC. Just days into his second term, Trump acknowledged that the conflict was a “very serious problem”. Congo’s president, Felix Tshisekedi, responded by offering the US access to minerals in exchange for pushing Rwanda to a deal to end the invasion and stop supporting proxy forces in the DRC.

    This leads to the third factor that has enabled Trump’s peace-making success so far: simpler solutions are easier to achieve. Thailand and Cambodia and India and Pakistan can go back to the situation before their recent fighting. That does not resolve any of the underlying issues in their conflicts, but returns their relations to some form of non-violent stability.

    It is ultimately also in the interests of the conflict parties. They have had a chance to make their violent statements and reinforce what they will and won’t tolerate from the other side. The required investment by an external mediator to end battles that have achieved what the warring sides want anyway – to avoid further escalation – is consequently quite limited.

    Complex conflicts

    Getting to any kind of stability in Ukraine or the Middle East by contrast requires prolonged engagement and attention to detail. These conflicts are at a stage in which a return to how things were before is not in the interests of the parties or their external backers. Nudging warring parties along on the path to agreement under such conditions requires a well-designed process, which is absent in Ukraine and failing in Gaza.

    Thanks to funding and personnel cuts, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is now required to perform multiple roles. Trump relies on personal envoys with at best limited foreign policy expertise, while insisting he makes all the decisions. This ultimately suggests that the White House simply may not have the bandwidth for the level of engagement that would be necessary to get to a deal in Ukraine and the Middle East.

    This is a self-inflicted opportunity lost, not only for the United States but also for the long-suffering people of Ukraine and the Middle East.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    – ref. Why Donald Trump has stopped some conflicts but is failing with Ukraine and Gaza – https://theconversation.com/why-donald-trump-has-stopped-some-conflicts-but-is-failing-with-ukraine-and-gaza-262241

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: RBI to conduct 7-day Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction under LAF on August 01, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    On a review of the current and evolving liquidity conditions, it has been decided to conduct a Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction on Friday, August 01, 2025, as under:

    Sl. No. Notified Amount
    (₹ crore)    		 Tenor (day) Window Timing Date of Reversal
    1 2,00,000 7 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM August 08, 2025
    (Friday)

    2. The operational guidelines for the auction as given in the Reserve Bank’s Press Release 2019-2020/1947 dated February 13, 2020 will remain the same.

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/819

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Five companies shut down for filing false and forged accounts

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Five companies shut down for filing false and forged accounts

    Companies falsely claimed to have hundreds of millions of pounds in turnover and profits

    • Automarket Europe Limited, Integra Group Limited, Maxell Limited, Montana & Montana Limited, and Supermarket Plus Ltd filed false accounts showing turnovers of up to £642 million despite having no genuine business activity 

    • All five companies shared office addresses in South London and Croydon. They also falsely named reputable accountants as auditors, and failed to co-operate with Insolvency Service investigations before being shut down 

    • The companies were investigated by the Insolvency Service as a result of referrals from Companies House following legislation to improve corporate standards 

    Five companies which submitted false accounts showing hundreds of millions of pounds of profits have been shut down following investigations by the Insolvency Service and Companies House. 

    Automarket Europe Limited, Integra Group Limited, Maxell Limited, Montana & Montana Limited, and Supermarket Plus Ltd claimed to trade as everything from supermarkets to car dealerships but no evidence was found of any true business activity. 

    The Insolvency Service investigations came following referrals from Companies House as part of the implementation of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, introduced to improve transparency over UK companies. 

    Companies House now has powers to remove false, misleading or incorrect information from company registers. The Act also strengthens collaboration between the Insolvency Service and Companies House to crack down on the misuse of UK corporate structures. 

    The five companies were all wound-up at the High Court in Manchester on Thursday 31 July. 

    Dave Magrath, Director of Investigation and Enforcement Services at the Insolvency Service, said: 

    Our investigators were concerned that there was a genuine risk that these wildly inaccurate accounts could have been used to mislead potential customers and suppliers into providing credit in the future based on completely fabricated financial information. 

    Protecting the integrity of the Companies House register is crucial because UK businesses rely on this information to make informed decisions about who they trade with, lend to, and invest in. When companies submit false information, it undermines confidence in our entire business environment. 

    By working together with Companies House, we can take decisive action to remove rogue companies from the system. This protects legitimate businesses and delivers the economic confidence that underpins growth and prosperity.

    Investigations found that the companies were connected through a shared director and/or shareholder and registered office addresses in South Croydon and South London. 

    All submitted accounts claiming hundreds of millions of pounds in profits but containing glaring inconsistencies. Each company also falsely named respected chartered accountants and solicitors in the accounts. 

    Automarket Europe Limited claimed a turnover of £327 million and net profit of £198 million for 2022. However, its declared assets jumped from £629,220 in 2021 to £84 million in the following year’s accounts – with no explanation for the increase. 

    Integra Group Limited reported similar figures, claiming £302 million turnover and £186 million profit for 2022. Again, net assets leapt from £602,374 in 2021 to £233 million in 2022. 

    Maxell Limited went even further, claiming a turnover of £440 million and £229 million in profits in 2022. According to its accounts, assets grew from £618,496 to £422 million in one year. 

    Montana & Montana Limited falsely named PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) as its auditors across multiple years. PWC confirmed they had never worked for the company and requested the accounts be removed. The company’s supposed assets ranged from minus £20 million to plus £194 million. 

    Supermarket Plus Ltd claimed the highest turnover of all – £642 million – with £330 million profit in 2022. Its assets supposedly increased from £402,431 to £410 million. 

    Despite the filed accounts claiming the companies ran substantial operations, they were written in poor English and provided no evidence of genuine trading activity.  

    All five companies failed to co-operate with Insolvency Service investigations or provide up-to-date accounting records. 

    Accounts filed by Automarket Europe Limited, Maxell Limited, and Supermarket Plus Ltd were also removed from Companies House after being found to be “factually inaccurate and forged”. 

    Adrian Landeg, Head of Integrity, Compliance & Enforcement at Companies House, said: 

    By working closely with our stakeholders we’re now able to utilise the powers in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act to take decisive action where false, misleading, or incorrect information is identified on the register. 

    These powers have also strengthened collaboration with our partners at the Insolvency Service which, as this case demonstrates, enables us to crack down on the misuse of UK corporate structures, improve the quality of information on the register and support economic growth.

    The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator of Automarket Europe Limited, Integra Group Limited, Maxell Limited, Montana & Montana Limited, and Supermarket Plus Ltd. 

    All enquiries concerning the affairs of the five companies should be made to the Official Receiver of the Public Interest Unit: 16th Floor, 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London, E20 1HZ. Email piu.or@insolvency.gov.uk. 

    Further information  

    About us 

    The Insolvency Service is a government agency that helps to deliver economic confidence by supporting those in financial distress, tackling financial wrongdoing and maximising returns to creditors. 

    The Insolvency Service is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade. 

    Read more about what we do 

    Press Office 

    Journalists with enquiries can call the Insolvency Service Press Office on 0303 003 1743 or email press.office@insolvency.gov.uk (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). 

    Out of hours 

    For any out of hours media enquiries, please contact the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) newsdesk on 020 7215 2000.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –